Yoga Etc. (The things keeping things together)
I hope you are blessed with a heart like a wildflower
strong enough to rise again after being trampled upon,
tough enough to weather the worst of the summer storms,
and able to grow and flourish even in the most broken places.- Nikita Gill
I don’t have a lot to say today. I found it hard to put words to paper. There’s a vulnerability that comes with this writing, and I’ve been feeling a bit too raw lately. Every day, I’m being poked and prodded by stories of pain and suffering from around the world, and it’s all so heavy.
Today, it felt too painful to rehash some of these feelings and package them into a beautiful string of words. So instead, I started writing out a list of things I love. A list of things helping me get through this time. I took this exercise from one of my favorite writers Cleo Wade, who never ceases to inspire me. Here are a few.
feeling my bare feet on the earth (sand/grass/tiles/etc.)
a Zoom video of a friend marrying her best friend
writing this newsletter
coffee (forever)
holding my partner’s hand
the group chats that share funny memes
the group chats that discuss systems of oppression
the group chats that were barely active before the pandemic and now include happy glimpses of lives lived around the world
puppy cuddles (and puppy videos while I’m away)
planning coffee dates for when I get back to London
20-minute voice notes
moving intuitively on my mat
a best friend getting some great news
nostalgically listening to my favorite songs from college
turning off all notifications on my phone (literally all of them)
unfollowing accounts that trigger feelings of unworthiness or jealousy
inhaling fresh breath in; exhaling a massive sigh out
sitting happily in silence with someone I love
unstructured time/time to daydream
idly watching sunshine soak into a room through the window
I hope you’re staying healthy and safe wherever you are. Have a good week — see you on the mat.
Weekly writing prompt
- write out a list of things helping you get through this time (10 minutes)
Other musings
- The vital source of white supremacy is within our nervous systems
- Slice of life: you are people watching. these are fleeting moments
- White fragility, misogynoir, and the ruling against Caster Semenya
- On universal feelings, collective trauma, and the power of metaphors
- A sartorial coping mechanism for the modern pandemic age: the house dress
- On repeat: sweet disposition edit
This is the yoga etc., a weekly newsletter exploring mindful movement and mindful personal development in a busy world, written by me, Laura B. Childs, writer, teacher, and friend. You can subscribe to yoga etc. here.
