In these challenging, interesting, tragic, strange, revealing (the list could go on!) times, the awareness of how to best take care of ourselves and each other seems especially relevant. Though we cannot control much of our external environment, what we can perhaps do is find compassion, presence, and hopefully through that a little more ease and wellbeing for ourselves and those around us.
I share techniques and tools to help this in my series of talks and meditations for EkhartYoga members called Energy 101: Self-care in challenging times
The Basics – Everything is Energy
Quantum physics now shows us what ancient yogis and mystics have always known: everything is energy, and there is more to life than meets the eye. Everything, every person, every tree, animal, plant, piece of clothing, and even every thought and emotion has a measurable frequency, which can range from neutral to what we would classify as very ‘negative’ or ‘low’ energy, to what we might call extremely ‘high’ or ‘positive’ energy. This is, of course, all relative, but it’s useful to have terminology for our understanding.
Whatever we place our attention upon, to some extent, and especially if we are feeling a bit wobbly and unstable in our own self (who has not felt that way during this crisis?), has something of an effect on our energy fields. We could interpret this as it affecting the way that we feel emotionally, physically, how energised or drained we feel and even in the thoughts that we think.
In the energetic way of seeing and experiencing the world, things are not as separated and isolated as they appear to be through our eyes. The energy of every (living) being extends either a little or quite a lot beyond the boundaries of its physical body. And, next to being our own unique individual selves, we are also part of a collective energy. This plays out on different scales depending on how we choose to be aware of it in the moment. For example, during a lovely, warm yoga retreat, you may begin to feel very connected to your fellow retreat guests and there may be a group feeling present. At the same time, we are all drops in the ocean of the human, or even planetary collective energy.
With the challenging events of recent years, this awareness has some implications. In our collective now, there is a lot of fear and anxiety and uncertainty that is taking place. There’s a big chance, that on top of what you are dealing with personally, you might be feeling into this too. Sometimes, that might become quite a burden to feel. In those moments it might be nice to find ways of gently recentering in your own personal energy, and cultivating that in a kind, nurturing way. This is what we cover in part 1 of the series.
What’s covered in the Energy 101 series?
The Energy 101 mini-series is divided into three parts. This allows for choosing the step-in point that feels most applicable to your current state (if you are grief-stricken or totally burnt out, an exercise on positive focus and spreading love into the world will likely feel like an impossible stretch – or even just very irritating).
Each of the talks also has an accompanying meditation, that respectively soothes, balances and enlivens.
Part 1: First Aid in a Crisis
Looking at tools to help us protect and manage our boundaries when we’re experiencing heightened levels of fear or stress, including: practical grounding and self-care techniques, managing the information we consume, becoming aware of the differences between our personal and collective fears and stress, and acceptance and self-compassion.
Part 2: Finding Balance
In part 2 we look at understanding our unique energy signature. Becoming aware of the different things that bring our energy out of balance or that enhance our balance and wellbeing. With this deeper understanding, we can then make more conscious choices and can begin to implement daily rituals and practices that help support our energy.
Part 3: Thriving
In the final part of the series we look at how knowledge of the workings of energy can also work greatly in our favour! We look at how we can choose to take a more deliberate approach with regards to how we want to feel, then building our days and life as much as possible towards cultivating that energy within us. How we can use this to ‘fill up our own cup’ to such an extent that it runs over, and that we become a source of positive energy.
Maybe there will be moments when we will be the ones to be able to bring in more of the energy that we want to see in the world. More love, kindness, patience, humanity, compassion. Perhaps not constantly – no pressure, no being hard on yourself in order to be kind to others. But maybe with loving self-care, we will find the cliché to be true that our cup does flow over and that some of our love or presence or kindness will find its way to those around us and into the world at large.
It is my heartfelt hope that within everything that is going on, you may experience some (or maybe even lots of) care, soothing, nurturing, love and compassion for yourself and perhaps within the community. My best wishes go out to you, and I am happy to answer any questions or thoughts that might be there in the class comments.
For those interested in diving into the topics of quantum physics and energy on a deeper and practically applicable level, I can highly suggest the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza and the work of the Heart Math Institute as wonderful places to begin.
Lots of love,
Rose
Follow the Energy 101 program
6 classes of talks and meditations to protect, strengthen and harness your energy Energy 101: Self-care in challenging times
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