Slow, Mindful Yoga for democracy protectors
These are challenging times.
I believe that our democracy is worth saving, but it requires us to show up and do the work. It's about staying strong and resilient so that we can show up. It's also about knowing ourselves well enough to contribute in ways that align with our passions, skills, and talents. There's room for everyone in this effort, but we need to build our skills of resilience to keep going and supporting each other.
What has led me to this point?
The events of the last several years in this country have brought increased levels of anxiety and stress to all of us. Here's an example I wrote about: "Don't tell me to calm down." I know how stressful it can be for people who are engaged in the tough work of ensuring that our democracy, our human rights, and our planet survive.
But I am also uplifted and encouraged by the strength of individuals, emerging groups, and organizations who see that they are needed. That there is work to be done, and that they can - must - be part of the change. I see the roller coaster of emotions and energy as new leaders emerge, and at the same time, new challenges confront us.
While we become aware of the challenges, we need to calm the chatter so that we can rest our minds and bodies. Through that rest, we can recharge and do the work that we are called to do. Slow, mindful yoga can help.
The practice of yoga is the practice of supporting body, mind, and spirit, and at all levels, of self-understanding - of knowing your values, passions, and purpose, and aligning your actions with your values and purpose.
I look at the work of activists largely through the lens of slow, mindful yoga. The yoga that I offer has a goal of nervous system resilience. It uses slow movement, breath, and guided visualization/meditation to help people bring their system back into balance after being in a "fight or flight" state or a "freeze or collapse" state. Many (most?) of us move between those two states as we respond to events and attitudes we encounter with either high anxiety or total exhaustion.
But to maintain this work for the long haul, we need to be able to develop skills for resilience - for getting back in balance so we can refresh and recharge.
So through my lens of slow, mindful yoga, what I see is that people could benefit from small bites of skill-building for resilience that they can "snack on" throughout their lives and their work. Sure, an hour-long yoga practice several times a week has great health benefits, but who has the time or inclination to do that, when there is work to be done saving democracy, our planet, our human rights, and more?
There is mounting scientific evidence of the effectiveness of yoga, even in small bites, for well-being and nervous system resilience. I'll save the details for another time. My point here is that I see a way I can support activists - that includes you - by giving you some tools for de-stressing, energizing, balancing, and reminding yourself of your purpose when you get a little lost in the details of the work.
I've created a yoga resource for democracy protectors! (And that includes anyone who cares about saving our democracy, preserving our civil rights, reproductive rights, our right to health care, our planet.....) It offers lots of accessible, short practices for you to explore.
I believe that our democracy is worth saving, but it requires us to show up and do the work. It's about staying strong and resilient so that we can show up. It's also about knowing ourselves well enough to contribute in ways that align with our passions, skills, and talents. There's room for everyone in this effort, but we need to build our skills of resilience to keep going and supporting each other.
What has led me to this point?
The events of the last several years in this country have brought increased levels of anxiety and stress to all of us. Here's an example I wrote about: "Don't tell me to calm down." I know how stressful it can be for people who are engaged in the tough work of ensuring that our democracy, our human rights, and our planet survive.
But I am also uplifted and encouraged by the strength of individuals, emerging groups, and organizations who see that they are needed. That there is work to be done, and that they can - must - be part of the change. I see the roller coaster of emotions and energy as new leaders emerge, and at the same time, new challenges confront us.
While we become aware of the challenges, we need to calm the chatter so that we can rest our minds and bodies. Through that rest, we can recharge and do the work that we are called to do. Slow, mindful yoga can help.
The practice of yoga is the practice of supporting body, mind, and spirit, and at all levels, of self-understanding - of knowing your values, passions, and purpose, and aligning your actions with your values and purpose.
I look at the work of activists largely through the lens of slow, mindful yoga. The yoga that I offer has a goal of nervous system resilience. It uses slow movement, breath, and guided visualization/meditation to help people bring their system back into balance after being in a "fight or flight" state or a "freeze or collapse" state. Many (most?) of us move between those two states as we respond to events and attitudes we encounter with either high anxiety or total exhaustion.
But to maintain this work for the long haul, we need to be able to develop skills for resilience - for getting back in balance so we can refresh and recharge.
So through my lens of slow, mindful yoga, what I see is that people could benefit from small bites of skill-building for resilience that they can "snack on" throughout their lives and their work. Sure, an hour-long yoga practice several times a week has great health benefits, but who has the time or inclination to do that, when there is work to be done saving democracy, our planet, our human rights, and more?
There is mounting scientific evidence of the effectiveness of yoga, even in small bites, for well-being and nervous system resilience. I'll save the details for another time. My point here is that I see a way I can support activists - that includes you - by giving you some tools for de-stressing, energizing, balancing, and reminding yourself of your purpose when you get a little lost in the details of the work.
I've created a yoga resource for democracy protectors! (And that includes anyone who cares about saving our democracy, preserving our civil rights, reproductive rights, our right to health care, our planet.....) It offers lots of accessible, short practices for you to explore.