Dear First name / friend

 

Happy Bank Holiday! What a beautiful day to kick off the long weekend. 

 

I open my blinds every morning with this slightly nervous anticipation of what truth will be revealed behind them. One of my windows is a stained glass window (I think it must have been the original front door of the building) and I find myself trying to guess the colour of the sky through the slightly distorted glass. And, much like a child at Easter, a little frisson of excitement runs through me when I see this incredible cornflour blue, uninterrupted and expansive. There is this incredible ombre effect as the sky reaches down towards the sea and I've come to enjoy the way the light reflects of the metal scaffolding on the houses opposite - because it only does that when it's really bright. I hurry out of my pyjamas and take myself, mug in hand, down to the seafront to be there, amidst it all before the light changes and another day is upon us. And it's moments like these where I feel most joy and I feel most alive. 

 

I struggle with depression, low mood - whatever it appeases you to call it - and its apparent unpredictability is in equal measures a blessing and a curse. How frustrating - and yet also relieving - it is that from one day to the next our moods can alter, lift, sink, rise and change. 

 

Recently, low mood has hit me at unexpected moments and that can be the hardest, because you feel hopeful that things are improving and then bam - this sudden sinking down can make it feel like you've not made any progress at all.

 

So moments like these, where the world behind the bedroom blinds reveals itself to be blue and vast and sunny and bright, are so immeasurably powerful and life-affirming.  

 

I get the sense that lots of people are finding things difficult recently, or certainly it seems that way within the circles I move in. I think the long stretch of cold weather months hasn't helped; is that it? 

 

Mindful moment: Embrace the moments of joy. Life reveals itself, constantly, to be impermanent. Pain and sadness are temporary; joy and happiness are temporary. Part of the spiritual (read: inner) practice is accepting the impermanence and the transitory nature of all things. Practising unattachment from thought and emotion allows us to find a constant contentment that belies all things and which, in yoga philosophy, we believe to be our true nature - beneath it all. We can do this through mindfulness and meditation and through practices like yoga which allow us to come back into our body and out of the mind. 

 

Yoga is a philosophy and a spiritual practice. The beauty of yoga lies in giving ourselves that amazing gift of time and space to be fully present and to practise all those things which help us on our path to unattachment and finding equanimity amidst emotion: freedom from ego in difficult poses like balances; moving with the breath (vinyasa) to help us come back to the body; breathing practices (pranayama) that shows us how we can alter our emotional state through connection with the breath; enjoying a different perspective through inversions, like downward-facing dog and headstand. 

 

Mindful movement: We can make any movement a meditative and mindful experience by simply becoming the observer of the event. I've found that noticing all five senses is a great way to really come back to the present moment. Regardless of whether you're running, walking, cycling or dancing: what can you see, taste, smell, feel and hear?

 

TWO WEEKS 'TIL LONDON! 

 

I was going to write about community today - ways in which we can contribute to our community and notice little pockets of community spirit - but seemingly that's not what needed/wanted to come out today! 

 

So I leave you simply to reflect on your own sense of community - from your favourite local shops, restaurants, hairdressers and nail salons to nearby friends and neighbours - and consider whether this is something that needs a little extra attention. Perhaps we can talk about it another day. 

 

Mindful moment: Giving to others is one of the best antidotes to low mood. How can you support those around you? What do they need from you? How might you be able to contribute to your local community?