I miss my pre-COVID life. I had beautiful places to work at Stanford, Saratoga and Cupertino. The people in my classes were appreciative and interesting. My peers and partners were fun and supportive. I even miss the commute.
We are all struggling. There are people fighting over wearing masks and toilet paper, suffering from cabin fever and more stressful home lives. Each of us feeling the risk of going out for groceries, supplies or even coffee.
COVID is proof that we all share the same world (and it’s smaller than we think). Our actions effect each other (and the whole of earth) whether we realize it or not. We all share the responsibility to protect ourselves and others. This is not a political, freedom or individual expression issue; it is a life and death issue. The way we respond to COVID will determine our outcome. I ask myself, how can I meet this responsibility with more ease and grace?
The answer may be in my Feldenkrais practice. Every lesson is an opportunity to assume responsibility for my actions. I decide how much speed, force, effort and range of motion to use during the session. It is my call when or where to start or stop the movement. Being responsible, makes me accountable. If I hurt after a lesson, it is my fault (hopefully, I can learn from it and do better next time). If I pay attention and work mindfully, the benefits of ease and comfort result from my own doing.
There are also challenges during lessons; when I am not sure what to do. These are opportunities to practice grace. I used force and power through such difficulties. I learned that strategy created more harm than good. Now I simply pause, breathe and start to explore other options. Eventually, I find the path to ease and grace.
The responsibility and grace learned in a lesson does not stop when class ends. All of life is available to practice these skills. I cannot turn back time and go back to better times. I may, however, be responsible for making the best of each moment and live gracefully. www.s3nse.org