Sharing one of my favorite messages which reminds us of the importance of human touch and connection. I have missed the depth of community connection during this period of social distancing. The current circumstances in the world have impacted each of us differently. The reasons for caution and isolation vary from one individual to the next. Beyond the pandemic, there is an undercurrent of fear that our words or actions will be misconstrued. So we have pulled back even further when we simply need to seek another approach. Replace Not Retreat.
Years ago I forged community and connection in the workplace. I was blessed to be surrounded by a fabulous team of professionals across all disciplines of the corporate world. Projects, problem-solving, responsibility, communication, creating, investigating. It all fueled me. Life was good, but somewhat out of balance. Life changed and I needed to find a new approach and solution for my inner drive. I sought first a deeper connection with myself which led me to teaching yoga. I began to value the connection between my mind, my body and my soul. I forged a new community and source of connection. NOW, life has changed for all of us. We need to remain in touch with the world and not retreat to complete isolation within the shielding walls of home. Replace Not Retreat.
I have learned it’s quite fun to connect with friends via FaceTime and practicing with my yogamates via Zoom. While the energy is different, I can still sense the excitement and passion in their hearts. And it feels good to see their smile. I take more time to greet a neighbor or a stranger, because I’m certain they too may feel the impacts of isolation. You can actually detect a smile behind the facemasks. It may take some creativity, but I’m determined to remain in touch to keep my heart soft and my back strong. Replace Not Retreat.
I do find myself stumbling on what to say or even do in regards to the energy around racism...admittedly I have retreated. I was raised in an area of the country where we were completely removed from the tensions of social prejudice and the information world was significantly smaller. So discrimination did not have a presence in our day-to-day life. Perhaps that alone can be construed as racist, but I disagree. Racism, to me, begins as a seed planted in your heart. A seed of animosity or bitterness that manifests into acts of inequality. But I also realize acts of inequality can be both intentional and unintentional. I have never been a protester. I have chosen a path of influencing one heart at a time. Consequently, waving a protest flag feels disingenuous. It is always best to start with my own heart. I will simply start with paying attention to my response and my thoughts. Giving attention to thoughts and responses means to look, listen or think carefully...what can I learn about myself and unintentional or intentional patterns in life. Replace not Retreat.
Do not retreat my friends. Find new approaches to remain connected to yourself and others across all paths of life. Invest deeper with this concept. Let’s remember the ripple effect of heartfeldt and healthy human touch. The touch of your voice, your gestures, your thoughts. Forge deeper connections between mind, body and soul. This too shall pass, Replace Not Retreat
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