I’m one of those people who has been mostly on a work sabbatical since my massage therapy practice was shut down last month. I am still able to do remote energy clearing and healing sessions for people, but most of my clients prefer the personal touch. My schedule literally lightened up overnight.
So, I’ve had more time to reflect on where I’m at in my life and work right now - and most importantly, how I’d like to shape that going forward. One of my helpful tools is a deck of oracle cards called Mystical Shaman Oracle. With oracle decks, the process is to ask a question, shuffle the cards, then choose one or more cards to get an answer. Actually, you very seldom get an answer, but you often gain insights into the subject of your inquiry.
For several days in a row, when I have asked the open-ended question “What is helpful for me to know right now?” I’ve pulled the Thunder card.
“When Thunder comes into your reading, it refers to a big dramatic change that feels like a herd of wild bison on the run. You feel it right through your bones, and you know that you are powerless to influence whatever events have been set in motion. This is a time to be prepared for anything. Your life is an adventure, and wonderful opportunities are arriving now. The trick is to learn to run with them. Qualities that you’ll need now more than ever are flexibility, dexterity, and a willingness to experience it all without dictating from where or in what form opportunities will come. Your destiny is arriving. Be ready!”
Well, that certainly describes what we are all experiencing, doesn’t it? A part of me thrills at the invitation to run wild with the thundering herd of buffalo, but the rest of me is completely overwhelmed by the realization that I am “powerless to influence whatever events have been set in motion.”
What I can do is cultivate the traits that will help me roll with the thunder that has been rumbling in other parts of the world and is now at my door. That means nurturing my flexibility, dexterity and willingness to go with the flow!
As a body worker, a natural place for me to cultivate flexibility is in my body. I’m the one in yoga class who does a forward bend and isn’t even close to touching my toes. In the last few years, I’ve been pretty hit or miss in getting on the mat. I know that committing to a regular yoga practice is a great way to improve my flexibility and willingness to go with the flow. But… even though I have more time these days, I have to admit, I’ve been in a funk and not especially motivated.
Before the pandemic hit, a good friend recommended a book called Atomic Habits by James Clear. Clear does a great job of giving you the science behind how habits are formed and maintained. When it comes to habits, he suggests that environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior. Maybe like me, your environment has changed in recent weeks. So it’s actually an opportune time to cultivate new habits by following some of Clear’s suggestions. These are three of his best practices that I’ve taken to heart:
Creating habits has a lot to do with how we think about ourselves. Even though I haven’t consistently done yoga in the past, right now, I see myself as a person who does yoga regularly to feel supple and flexible.
Make the new habit easy and fun. Clear recommends starting with the 2-minute rule. That is, just do the new habit for two minutes. Even if I’m not feeling inspired, I can do anything for two minutes. To create my yoga habit, I can start by rolling out my mat, bringing up a YouTube yoga routine from one of my favorite online teachers, and just do the first few minutes.
Use habit stacking to improve success. That is, trigger the new habit to follow an existing one. For me, I’ll do my yoga routine right after I put the dogs to bed (otherwise, they lick me all over and get in the way of my downward-facing dogs.)
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.”
These are the new habits I’m working on so that I will be more ready for the destiny that the Thunder card assures me is on its way:
For flexibility, I’m doing Home Yoga with Adriene. I adore this Texas Yogini. She makes it easy to show up on the mat and do as much or as little as I can. She makes me laugh and feel good about myself. These 30-minute routines tend to be on the yin side, so I can do them before bed.
For mental dexterity, I’m learning Spanish. I’ve had the Pimsleur Spanish Level 1 Lessons 1-5 audiobook for a few years. Never got past the second lesson. I’m about to purchase lessons 6-10. With the quarantine, I have to get out for daily walks to keep from going too stir crazy. It’s actually fun for me to walk and practice “Buenos días señor” and “cómo estás?”. With social distancing, I don’t have to really worry that other people think I’m crazy. They’re on the opposite side of the street.
To get better at going with the flow, I’m doing Qigong. I took a class a couple of years ago from Stephen, my acupuncturist. It was wonderful, but I didn’t practice once the class was over. I found a couple of beginner YouTube Qigong flows that I can do at home. For me, it’s felt pretty natural to do one of the 15-20 minute routines first thing in the morning- right after I drink my lemon water to hydrate my body after sleep. These are the two I like so far:
Eight Pieces of Silk Brocade (20 min)
Yoqi Yoga and Qigong (15 min)
I give thanks every day for the wonder of the internet, and the generosity of people who share their talents and passions. I am doing what I can to heed the call of Thunder. If you feel the beat of bison hooves coming your way, what are you doing to prepare? I’d love to hear what is working for you!
image from http://armedwithvisions.com/tag/american-bison/