MyBlog

The Move

I recently moved, which is, of course, one of the great unsettling experiences in life.
As the move-out deadline approached, the bags packed and my diet confined to caffeine and takeout, the days too full for practicing yoga. I all but lost the connection to my body.

I had no appetite, couldn't sleep, didn't notice the aches and pains from overusing some muscles and not using others at all.

Then, with the last of my belongings out the door, I spent a moment savoring the sweet home that had contained so much love and happines, but also tears, the last moments, and grief washed over me. I was eager to move but also nostalgic, and nervousnes about the future. As I felt the emotion in my body, I suddenly noticed the tightness of my chest, the breathlessness, the side effects of living on adrenaline.

I knew I needed to do more than unpack in my new space to regain a sense of balance. The first thing I did was cook, something I hardly do, a simple food : rice, veggies, lentils, some 'nasi goreng'. The ritual of washing, chopping, and stirring was caliming, leaving me with the quiet, unperturbed awareness that accompanies meditation.

And the effect of a nourishing meal was profound: It brought me back into my body, much the way a grounding meditation does. That inspired me to try a gentle detox plan, I cut out caffeine and sugar and lived on whole grains and vegetables for a few days. I slept alot. I unfurled my mat in my new bedroom, breathe deeply, rooted my feet into the earth, and began to stretch out into the next chapter of my life. I started to feel like myself again. In fact, I started to feel great.

The move has been a good lesson in dealing with stress and the tendency to become so singularly focused on pressing issues that I lose touch with the current of life flowing through me.This is something we all do, and it only makes hard times harder.
By resting, practicing, and feeling what you feel, but also loosening your grip on all that you "must do", so you can have a little space to see the bigger picture of your life.