03/15/2020
Beloved Community,
In light of the uncertainties we are facing while this global pandemic escalates, I’m choosing to cancel my public yoga classes, women’s circles and retreats for the next few weeks.
Please know I am making my decision out of love, not fear.
This is challenging terrain to navigate! As a long-term yoga practitioner and teacher, I’m always examining how to skillfully respond to the situations life brings me, in a way that honors the highest good for my individual self and the collective.
(Have you thought through your own choices and actions at this time?)
My thoughts:
I don’t trust the media hype...
I prefer to live very present in the moment with what is in front of me rather than contemplating what-ifs, and...
I value the power of positive thinking and maintaining good health and high vibration...
So part of me would like to simply say, “We’ll be fine,” and carry on as usual.
(The me of 5-10 years ago would definitely have done that!)
I’d also like to think, “Yoga is needed now more than ever because it’s stress-relieving, immune-boosting, healing, strengthening, and offers valuable connection and support,” and carry on as usual.
(This is true!)
However, I am genuinely concerned by projections suggesting that the number of people needing intensive care from the rapid spread of this virus might overwhelm the capacity of our health care systems. (This appears to be happening in other places already.)
We can’t be certain, in this moment, if that will happen in our own neighborhoods...
And I can’t claim to know that the concept of “flattening the curve” through social distancing is the best or only solution...
But my heart feels like the most caring and socially responsible choice is to *pause everything non-essential* at this moment. If there is a chance that my personal actions (retreating) could help to slow the spread of illness and keep the most vulnerable members of my current community safe, that feels like the right thing to do.
My deepest intuition says the same as my heart-thoughts, and honestly, I felt so much relief and ease the moment I stopped questioning “what should I do or believe” and made my decision.
Siam and I have retreated into our home sanctuary for a while, and I know that many of you are choosing or considering the same.
We do not feel fearful at this time; we are excited to embark on a “staycation” adventure together! We’ll seek out all the beauty in this new experience, as we do in each new day with whatever it brings us. And we feel joyfully empowered in our ability to choose to do what we believe is right to contribute to the wellness of all beings.
We’ll know in a few weeks if these seemingly extreme measures were needed or not...
Hopefully social distancing will work so well that it will look like nothing happened at all!
But if this pandemic doesn’t pass uneventfully, the alternative is potentially devastating. My conscience cannot rest with the possibility that inaction (or too-late action) on my part could contribute to a situation where hospital staff become so overwhelmed they are forced to choose who will receive the care they need to live and who will be refused.
And so we’ll retreat.
I trust that each of you will find your own way through this situation. Listen to your hearts as you make the choices you perceive as best to support the wellbeing of yourselves, your loved ones, and our local and global communities.
I respect each individual’s personal decision; I know there is no exact right or wrong here and, as always, we all have our own paths to walk in this precious human life.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, ideas, and personal choices at this time, so please feel free to respond and share your perspective!!!
Yoga deepens our discernment, in our practice and in our lives. I don’t know the absolute “right” way here, but as a long-term practitioner I feel well-prepared to navigate these times with a steady mind and an open heart, and to hold a vibration of strength and love to support all as we move through whatever will come.
Next week I will adjust the private online yoga classes and courses I run at Yoga | Food | Life to open them to the public, to support more people with yoga and wellness practices through this time. My current offerings are paid programs, but I will create some new free options as well so there is something available for everyone.
Let me know if there’s something specific you’d like me to offer; I’m open to ideas of how to best serve your needs.
Be well dear ones. Stay calm and centered, keep up your personal practices and/or utilize this time to develop the practices you need to support your wellbeing, and remember to choose love over fear!
We’ve got this, together.
In peace + love always,
Shelley
