Mar 11, 2020
You’d have to be living under a rock not to be aware of
the huge global health issue that’s going on at the moment. It’s
taking over the news and it’s a big part of daily conversations, on
and off-line
We are living in heightened times. And there’ve been a
run of world events that have been very evoking and troublesome of
late, such as Bush Fires, floods, storms, climate change and
political unrest. It feels very apocalyptic.
There’s so much fear. Daily reports show rising
numbers of people affected, the impact on the economy and
disturbance to travel and other plans. It’s easy to get stressed
and panic about the situation. Of course it makes sense to stay
up-to-date with developments, but it’s also exhausting and stress
inducing.
There’s plenty of information about minimising risk
through hygiene and reducing contact as well as boosting immunity
with supplements and lifestyle changes, so I won’t go into all that
here.
Instead, I’d like to share some suggestions on how you
can protect your energy and find peace despite it being a fractious
time. Instead of allowing fear and anxiety to escalate, you can get
creative about finding greater mental and physical health right
now. I’m a highly sensitive person and it is really important to
protect my energy. The stress response is not meant to be
permanently activated, so it’s important not to stay in a state of
panic.
In osteopathy, there’s a concept that I frequently
return to called ‘finding health’. If I’m treating someone and they
have a number of symptoms going on, I look for the health in their
tissues and seek to expand that sense of health. What you think
about, grows, so it makes sense to be really intentional. Worry
zaps your energy and it’s forward- focussed, so it stops you from
being present. I don’t subscribe to the ‘keep calm and carry on’
mode, as it denies the valid feelings of fear and dread. Instead, I
suggest finding ways of noticing what’s going on in your own mind
and body and finding ways to release anything that makes you feel
unsettled or unnerved.
- Start the day on the right note. Connect with your
higher self through breathing, meditation, prayer or just quiet.
Make the most of the light finally returning if you’re in the
northern hemisphere.
- Reduce how much stimulation you’re getting. Cull your
news feeds - you can switch them off on your phone, block access to
tabloid papers on your laptop and restrict yourself from checking
updates too frequently. . Headlines tend to be alarming to
encourage you to click through, so stop scrolling and be discerning
about your sources of information.
- I harp on about it, but gratitude is something to
cultivate. It’s neither high nor low, but balanced. It’s a state
where the heart is open and trusting. Either write down or share 3
things you’re grateful for each morning and evening, so you can be
on an even keel.
- Get grounded. Walk in nature or sit or lie on the
ground to allow your nervous system to discharge excess energy.
Some of my clients have named one of my exercises ‘floor doctor’,
which I’ve pinched. Floor doctor is great when it’s all getting too
much. Just lie down and lengthen your spine and allow your
breathing to get slower and deeper. You’ll feel better after even a
couple of minutes.
- Find everyday joy and beauty. On my walk to work this
morning I saw some of my favourite sights of spring such as
magnolia and snowdrops.
- One thing that I’m noticing is that the situation is
calling us to simplify. By being encouraged to stay at home and
restrict social contact, you can choose to rest more, have space
for yourself and to take care of your health. I’m curious to see if
there are any longer term changes, such as more companies allowing
working from home, or shelving unnecessary travel.
- There’s a spiritual law that we are one, and it’s
echoed by the precious hormone and neurotransmitter called
oxytocin, important for love, trust and connection. Human beings
are meant to be connected. It’s one thing to isolate ourselves to
prevent the spread of disease, but we are one. No man is an island.
Let’s not leave one another out as we try to protect ourselves.
Oxytocin reduces the stress response, so raise your oxytocin levels
by doing anything that connects you to yourself and
others.