This week Singapore went into a nation-wide sort of lockdown as part of tighter measures in the fight against COVID-19. In an act of solidarity and social responsibility, we are all encouraged to STAY HOME as much as we can. A rallying call has been heard on the Internet: “If you can’t go outside, go inside...”
At HOA, we are of course huge advocates of meditation. Our Lunar Rituals, Gong Meditation and Yin/Yin Yang yoga practices are based upon deep introspection. With our Gong and sound bath techniques, we hold space for you to go deeper inwards. We are no stranger to transmuting awareness into empowered change. During tumultuous times, we can return to our breath to ground into the present moment. Meditation helps us keep a clear mind.
However, quarantine doesn’t magically turn us all into accomplished meditators. We imagine that a lot of people would find it difficult to spend ALL their time meditating. We recognise that humans are social animals, and our social energy needs to go somewhere.
A lot of humans may fill their isolation with TV and the internet, because that’s where they can have an experience of other people. Others respond by live-streaming everything or sharing their art. The media is going crazy on virus-related news. Some other people provoke conversation and claim there’s definitely a conspiracy, a celestial war, or the end times. In this Internet age, it has never been easier for humans to talk to each other. But there is a cacophony of voices and perspectives out there, and they’re not all good.
Being connected to so many people at the same time may cause us to feel a lot of heavy feelings. Anxious energy may lead to compulsive thoughts, which usually traps us into doing the same things again and again, even if they are bad for us. We may feel compelled to check the news every morning, even when we know we will feel awful afterwards. When this happens, we need to take a few steps back from the screen.
HOA believes we can break this cycle by moving the body and focusing on the breath. We can direct anxious energy out of our bodies by moving, dancing, stomping or shaking. Put on some of your favourite tunes at home, and work up a sweat. It’s impossible to be miserable when you’re doing ALL that! Feel free to step out of those sweatpants and put on something fabulous. You are in your personal temple, you are free to celebrate yourself! Scream if you must!
During this time at home, we encourage you to browse our blogs to find a relevant practice that may help you manage compulsive behaviour. With a combination of movement, breath-work and meditation, you can overcome the mind virus that spreads through our screens. How have your current self developed better understanding of handling crisis? Write to us at we.are@houseofascend.com. We want to know how you are doing!
** Stay tuned on the upcoming HOA online where we feature our sessions on the web. All you need are great earpiece, headphones or sound system, essential oils, a zen and smudged space. Eyes are closed! So subscribe to our mailing list here, and get updated!
Written by Izzy Liyana, content creator & writer for HOA