Most people I’ve talked to over the last week are holding some form of election anxiey. Whether you get in the weeds of the daily happenings or try to stay out of the fray, it’s virtually impossible to not be impacted by the noise/panic/anger/anxiety that is virtually everywhere in our media and in daily conversations we have.
So hopefully you’ve voted (all the way down the ballot), and if not, time to do that now. But now what? What might quell the low (or high) level of anxiety in your daily life? Do you have a strategy for staying sane, even grounded?
My husband’s strategy this week is to stay off the news and ride his bike as much as possible. Some others might need to be in action – knocking on doors, calling potential voters, sending last minute postcards. I’m busy studying (newly back in school – more on that another time), alternately texting political rants and hilarious memes with my closest friends, and turning toward my practice and toward the Source Yoga community.
Can we turn toward ourselves and toward each other during this time? Can we remember what we value right at the center of our core, whatever circumstances we might be in? Can we hold compassion for ourselves, our loved ones, our communities, our country, indeed, all beings, whether we hold the same belief systems or not? Because as a wise woman, mentor, community member Hira reminded us in Monday’s meditation group, we could stand in compassion of the deep suffering that is at the heart of some of the horrific, xenophobic rhetoric we are seeing and hearing in this election. She reminded us that root of all of it is suffering.
My invitation is to stand in the core of your values, and hold compassion for all of us. There is so much suffering. How can we be in action from compassion? AND – can we take selective and intentional moments to step out of the noise. Turn off the radio, the TV, close the social media apps. Protect your mind and your heart. Turn toward your practice.
As a support to our sanity during this next week, I have decided to offer an election day midday meditation next Tuesday and a post election meditation on Wednesday – join me if you want to ground yourselves in community and in the deep core of who we really are.
Next week, you have a few opportunities to practice in community in addition to the full schedule of yoga classes in the studio and online. Join us for a midday meditation Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
- Monday, November 4th, Meditation with Megan (subbing for me while I am returning from retreat), 12-12:30pm
- Tuesday, November 5th, Meditation with me, 12:30-1pm (note slightly different time from our Monday group)
- Wednesday, November 6th, Meditation with me, 12:30-1pm (again, different time)
Register for election week meditation classes here.
May you take many moments of pause in the week ahead, and care for yourself and your people with love.
Erin Joosse | she/her
Source Yoga | studio director
PS: No matter what the outcome of this election, we need to keep nourishing ourselves deeply and spending time in community. This never changes. Please join me for a special workshop Saturday, November 16th with guest musician Nick Rogers. Our theme will be For A Season of Self Compassion.
