iRest Live: Facing Our Changing World Together
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The body is always going to have a survival instinct about it, so worry and anxiety are going to be a part of our daily life. But there are deeper movements and practices that allow us to self-regulate even when we realize things are out of control. —Richard Miller
As the world spins at a dizzying new speed and brings unprecedented change, we at iRest remain dedicated to offering resources for your health, well-being, and peace. In light of current events, we have canceled all in-person events through May 1st. Yet last week, we hosted the first of an ongoing series of free online meditation and discussion forums. Facilitated by Richard Miller and Stephanie Lopez, these live-streamed events are being held twice weekly each Tuesday and Thursday and include the opportunity for you to ask questions about how to cope with the new realities we all face.
In the first session, a range of concerns arose from curious practitioners from around the world, and together with insight from Richard and Stephanie, we held these questions. Below are some of the highlights:
Q: The news is overwhelming. How do we stay informed yet positive?
Many of us are indeed preoccupied with the constant tick of our news feeds. As the mind registers yet more urgent information, it becomes highly activated and distant from the body. Not only is social media addiction very real, says Stephanie, but we humans have a hard-wired predilection to gravitate toward fear. “We tend to run toward anxiety.”
With what Richard calls “little and often” interventions, we can integrate small acts to cultivate calm and nourish our Inner Resource throughout each day.
- Tune into the breath.
- Take breaks from your phone or computer. Wash the dishes, take a walk, dance around the living room.
- Open your senses: Inhale the aromas of spring, sip a flavorful tea, or listen to some favorite music.
As well, offers Stephanie, developing a practice of BodySensing allows us to more readily reconnect with the body and create ease.
Q: How can we support loved ones and community in this difficult time?
One of the very best ways to help ease the anxiety and pain of others is by simply allowing them to feel seen and heard. We do this not by changing and fixing our loved ones, but with the art of listening and presence.
Q: How do I cope with the strangeness of quarantine?
The circumstances of quarantine are certainly unusual and seem far from ideal. Yet we can nourish joy and peace and equanimity even when things are rough around us. This challenging time brings the opportunity for us to nourish skills at the core of our being. While we struggle with adapting to the reality of quarantine, we might consider setting up a home retreat that brings calm and ease. We’ll be talking more in the future about creating a home retreat in future posts, so stay tuned.
We remain dedicated to supporting you in this challenging time. If you'd like to join us for a future live-session with Richard or Stephanie, or sign up to recieve recordings of each sessions as they become available, kindly click here. Meanwhile, you can rewatch this specific session here!