Spring Has Sprung and Bouncing Back.
Photo by LOGAN WEAVER on Unsplash
Spring is when the Pitta Dosha arrives and puts a skip in our step. I have talked a little about airy Vatta, whose season is Autumn, and cuddly Kapha, who reigns in Winter. Pitta is the third Dosha on the list. Pitta is the feisty, red-headed cousin who has all the drive and focuses that Vatta and Kapha Doshas sometimes lack. Traits of Pitta are strength, decisiveness, and a sense of seeking new adventures. People who are Pitta dominant tend to be competitive, love lists, probably have reddish hair and/or freckles, tend to be impatient, and are very good at taking control of situations and inspiring others into action. I feel that Kapha and Pitta sort of duke it out in the first few weeks of spring as we shake off the melted icicles and make space for buds. As the days lengthen, so does the power of Pitta - instilling more vitality into our lives. It feels natural to open windows and doors to air out our homes, and have the overwhelming desire to clear out old things and get into some deep spring cleaning. Planning new projects, trips, and goals are conducive to Pitta's dominant force as the weather warms and nature comes into bloom.
Spring in 2020, though. Holy moly. The paragraph I wrote above was where my little corner of the world was heading in March. I stopped writing. Responding to COVID19 meant we all had to behave in contravene to our natural spring-like Pitta tendencies. Responding to COVID19 meant, for me, that I had to reconsider everything.
Where I live, there has been no running about, no shopping for spring (other than a lot of panic buying), no socializing on patios, no recommitting to outdoor pursuits. Vacations cancelled. Can you work from home? Do that. Schools and parks were closed for weeks. Medical and beauty appointments ceased. We have the spring cleaning down, though, I suppose.
I was reluctant to write about what was going on because, in my head, I was still asking, "WHAT IS GOING ON?!!!" I did not feel equipped to provide any advice or opinion on anything. The studio where I had taught regularly scheduled yoga sessions decided to close its doors. Closing the studio was a tough decision for the owner, and I feel my community has suffered a significant loss to no longer have this fantastic resource available. Many of my yoga instructor peers were struggling with the same problem and desired to continue teaching. The yoga community (particularly in Victoria, B.C.) has some phenomenal, trailblazing teachers who have the confidence and savviness to immediately start recording and providing their classes online in a variety of ways. I admire these teachers and supported many while they navigated these new waters. Considering online teaching as the new standard did not immediately resonate with me. I felt vulnerable because I was unsure about the technology and platforms people were using. Although I am comfortable speaking in front of others, the idea of recording myself makes me feel uncomfortable. I also think that Yoga is a personal practice, and it is a priority for me to provide a safe environment that fosters well-being and personal growth. Can I offer that through a webcam? Where in my home is it appropriate to record? Can I play around with teaching online and support the needs of my family? I needed time to process all this change.
Following the heels of COVID19, I observed the first subtle shifts in our society, which now moves like an unstoppable glacier carving new valleys into our society's consciousness. Gaps in support and supplies were drawing attention to the gross underfunding of our school and health care systems and showing weaknesses in our shipping routes. Quickly evident were stark examples of who is vulnerable in our communities and why - finally confirming that society's priorities have not been in-line with promoting societal health and wellness. Work-life balance, equitable pay, and non-inflated costs of living were not in place before this pandemic broke out, and now these unethical practices have come to the forefront of our attention.
The learning curve has been high for people, and the topics are enormous and complicated. Environmentalism was seemingly at odds with pandemic health when a resurgence of single-use plastic erupted. Yet, there were also some heart-warming examples of how quickly nature recuperates when humanity gets out of its way. We are still in an environmental crisis, while governments choose to take this moment as an opportunity to meet their agendas instead. The shift in purchasing and what is a priority to people profoundly changed. Suddenly oil costs nothing, and the cost of food increases incrementally. We hear the constant debate as to whether our civil liberties are in jeopardy when businesses close indefinitely, and people are required to stay home to try and "flatten the curve" of an uncontrollable rise in COVID19 cases. People are losing their livelihoods, the local services they depend on, and communities are unravelling. And finally, a global reaction to the systemic harm inflicted on Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC). Lessons can begin with understanding the difference between equality and equity to learning that it is no longer enough to "not be racist" and to rise instead and become an anti-racist. I see many of my loved ones working hard to keep up. I am too.
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
After all these weeks, we have collectively moved through grieving the loss of a way of life we took for granted, and the deaths of thousands of people worldwide who succumbed to this disease. We have experienced the anger of experiencing poor-governance, the despair of seeing many people become more vulnerable than they were before, and instability in the lives of millions of people. We have also been unified under the experience of rage when reacting blatant discrimination and racism.
I will say that I am very grateful that I have years of Yoga teachings to help me out right now. I have learned to embrace discomfort and change. I have had lots of lessons about the fleeting, uncontrollable nature of life. I am grateful for the light that has been shone on the great and terrible flaws in our communities because I feel like only now do we have the opportunity to make genuine, lasting changes for the betterment of all people. I think that things are going to be a bit sticky for a while, but with that struggle, I also firmly believe that we, as the human race, are on the cusp of something truly amazing. I am committing now to say; I will be an instrument to help make a change in this world possible. I believe that we can make this world a better place than how we found it. Commitments like these are only the beginning, though. We have a long journey ahead of us. I recognize that I am probably not thinking or saying the right things - I only have the ability right now to acknowledge that I can do better. I can do more.
I will start teaching online in small, scheduled virtual classes. In my classes, I will continue to focus on the practices that strengthen our bodies and spirits. I am actively seeking other ways in which to help my community during this time, and specifically how to support my friends and neighbours who are #BIPOC, #LGBTQIA2S+. I am reading and learning a lot. I wasn’t one to be polite and sit on the sidelines before, but now I am fuelled with more knowledge, wisdom, and self-confidence to realize how unimportant my comfort is if it comes at a cost to anyone else. May I never be comfortable again if my service means that everyone has the dignity and respect we all deserve. I hope you can take whatever time and measures you need to catch your breath, bring all of these changes in, and commit yourself to rise to the challenges of today. We will bounce back, and we need to make sure that no one is left behind.
