Hope all of you are well. As these are trying times, it is best to use what we learned in yoga class to get though this hullabaloo. Remember those times in class, after a strenuous asana, you felt a sense of relief. Try to recapture that moment as much as you can during this time if at least in your mind.
Do your part to “flatten the curve.” If you are not familiar with that term, it refers to the statistical curve of people who are infected and need medical help due to COVID-19. If we can delay or prolong its onset, we will not overwhelm our medical facilities to the extent we have seen in Italy. Here is a very well illustrated explanation my wife found for me. Good advice is to act as if you already have the virus (even though you don’t) and are trying to minimize transmission. Also rely on legitimate sources for news about this virus. Some good sources are:
Centers for Desease Control https://www.cdc.gov
World Health Organization https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Canada Public Health Service https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html
That being said, it is probably not a good idea to go to group yoga classes until the curve flattens. These are extremely trying times for Iyengar studios throughout the world, as student attendance is a major source of income. Try to see if your studio is offering online classes and support them. My mentoring teachers are putting together some videos if you want to practice along with them. There are also plenty of resources on my blog for home practice.
Looking at the larger picture, one of the aims of yoga is for us to stop our mind stuff from overtaking us. As we see widespread panic and people hoarding at the grocery store, we have to ask ourselves if this is really necessary. Get what you need for you and your family and minimize your risks of spreading this virus. Stay safe and blessings to you all.
May you and your family be well and safe, Michael.Sending love from the North.
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Thanks k8. I appreciate the blessings. I’m concerned about my mother-in-law as she is in that vulnerable population. Canada seems light years ahead of the US now in terms of health care. Stay safe!
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Thanks for the video link. The studio where I teach and the one where I study are both closed. I have already referred people to the home practice instructions on your web site.
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Thank you Amber! I’ve been watching NM cases from Hawaii. It is scary to watch the numbers grow. Living remotely in the southern part of the state is both a blessing and curse. Not as many travelers, but if you need medical care, you may have to travel as far as El Paso. I don’t recall Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces being that great for infectious disease. Stay safe and wash your hands 🙂
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Sending love from across the seas. I hope you all stay well, in mind and body. It’s so nice to hear from you and your calm take on the situation. xx
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Thank you bc! My wife and I have good moments and freak out moments. I think that is normal for everyone. Please stay safe and follow sound advice. There is lots of weird stuff online about this virus.
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Yoga now more than ever. I was just thinking that thanks to the times we live in, it is possible to get the benefits of practice even at home. How else to make sense of a careening world? I am reminded of my privilege in being able to isolate but there are so so many, especially the daily wage earners whose lives have been disrupted at a very basic level of food. 😦
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I had to stop and think about your statement. I feel very blessed that I have the luxury of grocery shopping during this time and being able to store food. Even many in the US don’t have that option. These are very hard times. May you and your family weather this storm. Stay safe 🙂
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