I was approached by a sales clerk the other day who told me that she has so much fear that can’t leave her house unless she’s heavily medicated. In the days before and after this exchange I was part of several discussions with folks after yoga classes this past week about hypervigilance and difficulty leaving home alone or being in public spaces…without sweating, scanning, and seeking water (dry mouth much?). After two years into rolling with the waves of pandemic living and social strife, folks are feeling unsafe.
As these experiences simultaneously break my heart (so much suffering!) they also inspire hope. I too have felt like them, many, many times. For a long time daily panic attacks were part of my life, along with pain and fear. I am hopeful because I now find myself with the resources and skills to be a support. I can share my own similar experiences and the practices and techniques I’ve discovered that have helped me out of excessive and debilitating fear. Practices that have brought enough safety to my experience to be able to act in the face of my fear, without being overwhelmed by it. In sharing hope may it lead to a more powerful and ongoing faith in life and humanity, especially our own.
Fear is about not feeling safe, and we feel in our bodies. So…
Your experience of safety in the world is sourced in your body!
When you build your capacity to bring more conscious attention to the parts of your body that feel good, comfortable, settled, (or neutral when you are dealing with pain), you fortify the container of your body. The vehicle that you live in, the complex organism that carries you from place to place, that connects you to loved ones, to friends, to the world…
Your body needs your loving attention.
This is not an overnight solution, but a moment to moment situation. At any time you can practice finding a sense of ground in you. A part of you that feels strong, even if its your middle (?) finger;). Or attending to a part of you that has space, that can expand. When you dip into these experiences regularly, you build more capacity for security in your body. You create the conditions for healing.
Consider your heart. Not only the life giving muscle of your body, but also a center of emotion, and more deeply your center for connecting with spirit; with your divinity. It is on all these levels that we must come to understand ourselves better so we can integrate the goodness and power that resides in each of us.
To care for your muscular heart, living in rhythm with nature is an excellent start!
When you align your eating and sleeping habits with nature you fine tune your body to align with the circadian rhythms, preparing your body for unexpected changes in your environment…isn’t that what destabilizes us? The unexpected changes? With quality sleep hygiene, good for you foods eaten when your body can best digest and utilize its nutrients, and exercise that nourishes and enlivens you, you give your body the conditions it needs to thrive, aligning with the patterns and conditions our bodies evolved to thrive in.
When you care for your emotional heart, you get to know your feelings, welcome them with kindness and open to the insight and power that emotions can bring you. Cared for in this way, your emotions can leave you more expansive, connected, and empowered in your divinely human experience. It is when we deny our humanity, our emotions, our needs, that our bodies respond with agitation and dysregulation leaving you jittery, unsettled, anxious, fearful. Over the long term we might end up with disorders and dis”ease.”
Your spiritual heart simply (simple≠easy!) needs your presence. Your open attention. Your listening for the subtle. This is where you connect to who you really are and what you really need.
When you are clear in your heart, your life becomes a playground where you can safely explore, connect, create, and simply be.
Where life is more joyful and playful. Where others feel interesting to engage with, rather being pulled away into avoidance or exhausted by pushing through those interactions. And you can engage with these experiences because your body feels safe.
Exercise: Attuning To And Aligning With Your Circadian Rhythms
If working with your circadian rhythms sounds interesting here are some guidelines from Ayurveda, the “knowledge of life,” medicine practiced for over 5,000 years in India. This holistic approach to caring for ourselves takes into consideration the importance of our biological rhythms and digestive fire, among other variables. For our purposes, let’s look at the simplest basics…in terms of format, although perhaps more challenging in implementation, especially when we have habits and well grooved thought patterns that we are trying to challenge and change.
Sleep: Go to bed no later than 10pm each night and get out of bed by 6am each day; eliminating naps (if you are used to napping, I suggest replacing nap time with a guided meditation, body scan, yoga nidra, a walk or other energizing movement practice that appeals to you. What does your body want? Besides that nap, of course!
Meals: Eat 3 cooked, nourishing meals daily, no snacks. Eliminating snacks and eating cooked foods allows for more complete digestion. Eating times matter too! Eating around 7am, 12pm (largest meal of the day), and a light dinner around 6pm (no later than 7pm) gives your digestive system the space it needs to do its work completely…leaving you with more energy and improved well being!
Exercise & Daylight: Go get some! If you can walk daily, outside in the early morning sun and/or early evening sunlight you can use the immense fire power of the sun shining into your eyes and on your skin for deeper recalibration of your circadian rhythms. Being in nature will likely rejuvenate your spiritual heart too!
As with any new habits, take it slow and easy. This isn’t about creating more rigidity and contraction in your life, but freeing your body up for more ease and expansion! Start small, in one area, maybe finding new recipes for warm cooked meals; or backing your sleep time up in 15-30 minute intervals over a few weeks. Slow, steadying change is the invitation. And if this doesn’t sound even remotely interesting or approachable for you, no worries! You may have another plan from your doctor, healthcare provider, or dietician that is working well for you.
When you offer loving attention to your body, you send signals of safety to your brain and nervous system. When you honor the natural rhythms of your body, your body responds in kind. May you find these words and practices a support in your embodiment journey.
May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you both be and feel safe! May you live with peace and ease.
Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.
Credit: My Ayurvedic knowledge comes from my teacher, Dr. Kavitha Chinnayain, and my experience in applying her work in my own life. You can learn more in her book The Heart of Wellness.
