Our meditation practice can be so helpful when the world feels out of control, as it so often does these days. When things are going the way we hope or expect them to go, we have an illusion of control. When the storms hit, that fragile image is shattered and we can be left feeling destabilized .
In these times, taking even just a few moments to feel into the body, especially into the places where the body connects to the Earth ,can really help our nervous systems re-regulate or down regulate as it is often called. When our nervous system is anxious or over active (in yoga we call this rajasic), our rational brain goes off line. I am sure we have all experienced the consequences of what happens in those moments. A practice as simple as bringing your awareness into your feet, feeling the solidity, the support of the ground beneath you can help begin to bring the nervous system back toward balance and the rational brain back online.
I am often surprised by how quick this transition back can be once you find the practice that really feels right for you. For some it is touching the Earth in some way. For some it could be as simple as a hand on the heart or face. The touch that signal to your system that it is cared for. For some it might be deep steady breathing that draws them down from the energy of the head and back into the felt experience of the body- the body which always exists in the present moment. Thinking mind moves fluidly from past to future. Body stays in the present and can be your guide back whenever you get lost.
I often turn to standing practice when I feel unsettled energetically, especially when I am out in the world. I have a strange aversion to grocery stores. For whatever reason, I often get a swell of existential ennui when I am in a big store. Maybe the lights , maybe the disconnection from our food that feels exacerbated by everything in packages, prepared and frozen. It all seems a bit wrong and it takes a lot of energy for me to stay with it, to remain engaged and open with those I come in contact with. When I stand in line, I feel my feet. I let the Earth support me, steady me. My eyes are open. No one knows that in that moment I am actually meditating. My senses are open, mind soft and moving, I can speak and interact but all the time I am being bolstered by the strength of the earth and the courage of a heart willing to ask for help, even when it suspects that the discomfort it is feeling is a little silly.
Take some time to find the things that help you feel grounded and supported. Your nervous system will thank you!
Wholeheartedly,
Kim