Calming and strengthening in difficult times

At WOMAD last weekend, I had a number of instances of discovering that people from different circles, and not even necessarily residents of Adelaide, were connected to each other in some way. So I appreciate the enormous task that the health authorities have when it comes to tracking down the people who have been in contact with people who have tested positive to COVID 19, and all their contacts. We are so interconnected. A virus's dream! And also our own, as a sense of connectedness is one of the most important things to our mental health.

Of course connectedness is the truth of all Reality, streaming forth as it does from one source "on the 'canvas' that is Herself"*. So our sense of connectedness is a little bit of ourselves recognising the truth and coming home to it.

Today I want to offer many ways your sadhana (yoga/spiritual practice) can support you and all others during these tricky times. It is true to say that when we are under pressure we have more tendency to grow and evolve. So if Corona Virus is making you think more about what you do and what you expose yourself to, use that to deepen and double your sadhana.

A strong energy body is a stronger immune system

Many yoga practices will assist you in warding off disease. Certainly practices that are aimed at your physical fitness will help - a fit body is always going to be better placed to resist disease. But I am referring to practices that build your energy body in other ways.

Breathing practices, practices that directly bring you into experiencing and working with your energy body, visualisations and mantra are all going to help you here. And there are practices also that you can utilise to assist others as well.

One great way to bring sadhana into daily life is to dedicate everything you do to the benefit of all beings. Start your day with the mantra lōkāḥ samastāḥ sukhinōbhavantu meaning May all beings in every realm be centred in happiness and joy, free from suffering and centred in the state of unified peace! May it be so. Listen to it here so you can learn it. It is easy.

Dedicating yourself and everything you do to the benefit if all beings in this way has an immediate impact on your state of mind, and it aids you in cultivating discrimination in all you do. It also navigates the mind away from fear and into a state of loving kindness.

Add on visualisations

There are many visualizations that you could use but I'd like to share this one with you that I have been practising for years. It once helped me heal from a very serious injury. Always frame this visualization in a way that will be personal to you. For example, you may have a personal relationship with a deity and could use the visualization of the deity as the golden light described below.

I like to do it this way.

Above me is a golden light. It is full of healing. As I inhale, the healing energy flows down and into my heart. As I exhale it spreads out into every corner of my body. If I have a particular part that needs healing, I will direct it there especially. After a few minutes, I am so full of healing light I can send it out into the world. The golden light above is infinite, and this process can go on forever, and nothing will be depleted, only filled.

Make hand-washing a sadhana

Since you will be spending more time washing your hands, spend every hand-washing with a mantra and it too becomes yoga. You need to spend at least 20 to 25 seconds on your hand soaping right? Three rounds of the lōkāḥ samastāḥ together with the Oṃ śānti śānti śānti will time it right. Or you might use the mahāmṛtyuṃjaya mantra which is powerfully healing.

Yoga is more essential than ever

Your yoga practices are more important then ever. Don't skip your practice because you are feeling fearful or stressed. Double it. Yoga will antidote your fear and literally build your resistance to disease. It may surprise you also that more than your physical yoga, thought that is also helpful, but your meditation, mantra japa, energy body work will build the system's resilience far more.

May you be peaceful and happy. Om.

* Quotation from the Pratyabhijñā-hṛdaya of Kṣemarāja verse 2 translated as the Recognition Sutras by Christopher D. Wallis.