Yoga and the Current World Crisis

Yoga and the World Economic Crisis

Are you feeling the effects of the current economic downturn? Join the club because many are whether it be loss of their jobs, fear of losing their jobs or simply a growing sense of fear that life feels a little more insecure. Interestingly, many more people are taking up yoga to help them cope. 

So how can it help YOU?

The positive thing is that it's not just the age old knowledge that Yoga can help you to become calmer and more relaxed. At times like these your Yoga Practice can help you to see a time of difficulty as a chance for postive change in your life.

Let's look at a few examples.

If you are worried about finances then it is better to face these issues rather than running away from them or ignoring them. 

Try to imagine the worse case scenario and relax into a focus on the feelings that you invoke. This helps you to come to terms with them and find a way to prevail should it come about. You probably can cope if you bring all your resources to the problem. Making a plan in a calm and relaxed way is a better way forward.

You can make a few strategic contingency plans by cutting spending now on those unecessary items (you may already be doing this) and this may store a little extra cash to give you a buffer zone while you look for another job rather than rushing into the first one that comes along with lower pay!

This can also be a good time to ask yourself if you are really living the life you want to live, doing the work you want to do...is your current life in pursuit of that standard of living really genuine and true to YOU? It may be a time for change. I have met many people in the last year who are making thse kind of changes...moving out of corosive jobs and taking up lesser paid but lesser stressful jobs.

There are a number of postures in yoga that can help to soothe the nerves. 

The Mountain Pose or Tadasana (see p44 The Yoga Bible) and other standing poses can give you grounding energy and a firm solid feeling. Try to feel the 4 corners of your feet keeping the centre of the foot relaxed and slightly hollowed

If it is your tendency to freeze up under stress work on some balancing posture sequences both on legs and arms and this will develop your strength and courage. Remember as we get older (passing 35) our arms get weaker and legs get heavier! So strengthen and tone them. This will help you to go out and face the world with a renewed resolve.

If you are the hyper type who panics then try a more restorative session adopting mat postures like Savasana, Animal Pose, Legs Up the Wall, Child and other Forward Bends this will provide you with a deeper peace that the world might not be currently providing. 

Why not try meditation...many avoid this because they think it is difficult and of course it can be...but you don't have to make it so. Simply sitting quietly and observing the body for a while and maintaining stillness can work wonders...you can always move on to technique next year!!

Rememebr also to get some quality sleep...this is often overlooked by many of us and if you are not sleeping find out why, get to the bottom of it and start to get quality rest...it will pay dividends. Yoga before bedtime or an evening class is great for this

Try cutting back on some of those daily "Must Does" like checking you e-mails and constant cleaning.

Have a bed time puja or ritual...such as taking a bath 30 minutes before getting into bed or massaging yourself....get a red light bulb and fit it in a bedside lamp, switch the others off, red light induces sleep...or simply listen to some relaxing music.

You may not be able to influence the economy but if you are well rested and calmer you can face the day to day nagativity with gretaer strength and a clear head.

Read up about Kama Yoga and start cultivating it in your life...this is the Yoga of selfless service BUT don't be put off by the description...many misrepresent what Kama Yoga really is...it is not really about charity and giving, giving,giving...Kama Yoga is a mental attitude where you do everything without keeping too keen an eye on the rewards...this makes for a more positive outcome and attitude to life...you can still work and make money but you don't put as much store in the money or materialism.

In hard financial times the tendency is to close up and keep what you have got to yourself but this hardens the heart and closes us up to possibilities and our greater human potential....find something that appeals to you that gives you the chance to help others...in times of fear this approach can make us realise our inner strengths...remember that the world and the universe has always been insecure, tomorrow is always a speculation....but with these practices we can come to work in a more productive way with those fears and insecurities.

There is an old saying "All good things come to an end..." but the Chinese have an older saying: "All good things come to an end but also bad things come to an end!"

So too with the economic crisis. It might be bad now but it will come to an end when you will once again enjoy more prosperous times. Yoga can help you deal with the good and the bad in a more positive and fruitful way. 

Namaste

Barry