And let life happen

Tiger, Tiger, Tiger!

The dream of Soul Safari India is now a reality

I’ve been experimenting with Tibetan singing bowls- incorporating the element of sound vibration into my yoga classes lately. When we’ve finished with the postures and move into deep relaxation at the end of the class, I strike the bowl, causing it to resonate, and ask the participants to listen closely and follow the sound as it trails off into the distance, until they can’t hear it anymore. It’s surprising how long the sound carries on, as the vibration radiates out into the world. I think that’s how it is with the energy each of us creates, which raises a very important question; what kind of energy are you radiating out into the world? We’ve all been living in Covid crisis mode for months, and there’s no end in sight. Fear, frustration and uncertainty are difficult to live with long term, and it takes awareness and focus to not be knocked off balance. But I believe the most important thing each of us can do right now is to become centered, and radiate calm out into the chaos. You can’t control circumstances or other people, but with persistence and practice you can take action that will help you control your thoughts and moods. Here are a few of the things I’ve been doing to raise my vibration: I’m being vigilant about my diet and I don’t just mean the food I’m eating. I’ve become very selective about what I’m watching, listening to or reading. I fuel myself in all these ways, by choosing things that uplift, educate or entertain me. I seek out things that will inspire me, or make me laugh-both are equally important. I avoid things that irritate or frustrate me, which means I’m spending much less time on social media generally, and I’ve started making good use of the “unfollow” option on Face Book. I choose to keep my newsfeed free of cynicism and hate. I’m re-evaluating my sense of purpose, and directing my energy toward the things that really matter to me. This is an excellent time to decide what you truly want to “be”, and to focus your energy toward that. I wrote a personal mission statement which included professional and personal goals like being a good teacher, friend, and writer who makes people laugh and helps them to recognize their own value and potential. I do at least one thing each day that moves me in the direction of the “me” I want to be. I’m learning to see my energy as a precious but renewable resource. I’m resting when I’m tired , I’m eating well and I’m making sure I exercise and spend time outside every day . If I allow myself to become depleted, I have nothing of value to offer others. The world needs all the good vibrations each of us can generate- I hope some of this resonates with you!

“After years of wanting to thoroughly clean my house but lacking the time, I found out during this pandemic that wasn’t the reason.” I laughed out loud when I read that Facebook meme. Then it got me thinking about time and how we choose to use it. While lockdown and social distancing have had some devastating effects, there was one real positive. Suddenly, unexpectedly most of us had the rare commodity of extra time. The problem of course is the time/money equation. Now that we have time, many of us are scrambling to pay the bills. While this is a real concern, I’m trying not to put my focus there. My mantra these days is “Money is a renewable resource. Time is not.” All the worry in the world won’t improve my finances, so I’ve chosen to embrace the gift of time. I’m also embracing the gift of free online learning. So far I’ve completed a course on the science of well-being from Yale, and Buddhism and Modern Psychology from Princeton. For the first time since kindergarten, I was fully immersed in enjoying the learning experience rather than focusing on getting a passing grade. I hadn’t even planned to submit the assignments. Because I was absorbed in the learning process and the subject matter, it was easier to learn. In the end I decided to submit the papers and passed both courses. That may have been the biggest lesson of all! So instead of cleaning the house from top to bottom, and sorting through the thousands of wildlife photographs that are clogging up my hard drive. (For years my husband has been asking me “how many photographs of leopards do you need?” ) I’m learning about rewiring the brain for happiness so I can be even happier in my own life, and share that knowledge with my future Soul Safari guests. I’m using this gift of time to enrich myself and plan for a post COVID future that I feel confident will see my small group Safari business grow. How are you spending your time windfall? Are you filling it with a long list of “shoulds”? If you are I hope you feel a sense of satisfaction as you check each chore off your list. I also hope that you give yourself permission to spend at least some time each day doing something that engages you or truly gives you pleasure. That’s time affluence well spent.

All organisms in nature can handle short term stress- we’re built for it. The brain sends out the distress signal, and the body responds: adrenaline is pumped into the blood stream and all the energy is summoned to deal with the perceived threat. It’s a brilliant adaptation that served us well for thousands of years, but in this time of great uncertainty it’s working against us. If weeks of lockdown have you feeling anxious and afraid your body is releasing a steady stream of stress hormones that are suppressing your immune system. Luckily, there’s a way to turn it around. You have to take it to heart. Neuroscience tells us that the mind can’t distinguish emotion from reality; if you’re feeling it, it becomes real, and it creates a response in your body. If you can start to feel better, your body will respond. Your thymus gland, located next to your heart will kick in and send signals to the T-cells. By choosing heart emotions like love, appreciation and gratitude you can actually activate your immune system! So- how do you get out of your head and into your heart? Here are a few strategies: Get some exercise: Literally get the heart pumping, and put your awareness there. Feel it. Listen for the sound of your heartbeat. Sense into your pulse. Inhabit your body fully in the moment and appreciate its magnificence. Get some sleep: When our lives are busy, sleep falls down the list of priorities but it’s critically important for physical, mental and emotional health. Well rested people are more optimistic and experience more happiness. Now that we have the time, put rest and sleep at the top of the list. If you’re having trouble sleeping, don’t make that another cause of stress. Remind yourself that rest and relaxation are good too. Get still and meditate: Sit comfortably and close your eyes, sensing into your heartbeat. Visualize the heart itself, or if you prefer you can bring to mind the colour of the heart centre; the most beautiful green you find in nature. On the inhalation, picture the heart centre growing bigger, and on the exhalation see it getting brighter. After a few minutes the heart energy will envelope your entire body. While you are in this space, you can choose to do a loving kindness meditation. Send love to someone you wish you could see in person, and wish them joy. Or send love to the whole world. Get some evidence: We do this unconsciously all the time; we ascribe to a belief and then look for the evidence that supports it while ignoring evidence to the contrary. You can purposely choose to believe in love, and then look for the evidence. Focus on the stories about the helpers and the heroes. Feel appreciation for all the good things that are happening in the world. Whenever you are experiencing uncomfortable emotions, bring your attention straight to the heart. What you focus on expands in your experience, so focus on love and more will into your life!