The news is troubling to me. And I know I’m not alone.
I hear from friends and clients who also worry about our country’s leadership, the economy, violence and oppression.
Among people touched by cancer, there is a genuine fear of losing health insurance benefits which could mean the difference between continuing to live and thrive and dying.
It’s a heavy situation. And yet, cancer survivors have faced heavy situations before. To survive and thrive, you must pace yourself. http://www.kellyinselmann.com/monday-morning-videos/learning-to-pace-yourself/
Rest is essential if you want to be strong enough to continue living and to stand up for yourself and others. Can you give yourself permission to nourish your body and mind by setting aside the unknowns and the fears for a few moments?
The rebel in me likes Child’s Pose.
I bring my forehead to the floor and feel relief. Closing my eyes, I temporarily
withdraw from resonating with the sorrows of the world.
Sitting on my heels, forehead to the floor, my arms are relaxed to the sides or along the floor above my head.
Knees are open to relax the hips.
In this era of “infomania,” we are stimulated by thousands of competing thoughts, fears, feelings, and ideas. There is much information and precious little understanding.
In this context, Child’s Pose is a subversive and vital act of rebellion.
Simple and intrinsic to our bodies; babies and children do it in their sleep and play.
In Child’s Pose, time slows down. I temporarily reject the outside world to experience my inner one. I feel grounded, connected to the earth, and aware of the sensations in my body.
Symbolically, it is a classic position of vulnerability and humility.Neck exposed, my head (and intellect) is momentarily surrendered. No more obsessing, problem solving, planning, attempting to control things.
In my Yoga and Talk ® Therapy Group, “Denise,” who suffers from chronic fatigue since her cancer treatment, feels a shift when she comes into Child’s Pose, dropping into her body and the felt experience of herself. She later describes child’s pose as a refuge– from her fearful thoughts about her condition, the expectations of others, and anxiety about the future. Over time, Child’s Pose has become an experience of safety she draws on when stressed or exhausted.
And for me, each time a group comes into this resting posture, or I do it myself, I feel the subversive power and potential that is cultivated through deep rest.
