A Few Tips from Yoga.

Here are a few yoga-based suggestions that can help ease your perception of events and calm your inner state.

1. You are what you think about. Watching war footage and constantly monitoring the news is an important part of our current reality. But the mind works in such a way that, when absorbing any information, we mentally place ourselves in the position of those who experience it. This mechanism allows us to read books and watch movies. Yet in critical situations it may harm us — the mind forces us to relive everything that happens to others. Do not track the horrors of war every minute; give yourself rest. Create pleasant inner images, even unrealistic ones. Dream, invent your own stories — and believe in them. Anything that will allow your mind to rest. What you experience creates a certain hormonal and chemical state in your body, and the initial shock gradually turns into deep exhaustion. Treat yourself and your body with care, do something for yourself. Not only for the army or your loved ones — but also for yourself. You are allowed a moment for yourself. Indulge in music or sing something. Anything that brings comfort to your soul. You already know what soothes you. At first it may not work well, but give yourself time. Just keep doing whatever should help you calm down. In about a minute you will feel relief.

2. Any physical activity distracts from thoughts. If you do not have a specific task that needs to be done now — create one. Something mechanical, simple, and not heavy. Simply act and observe your actions. You will notice that every action contains many details. Your body moves in surprisingly interesting ways, but due to constant speed and haste we fail to notice it. Even in the pattern of concrete there are countless images — you only need to look for them.

3. Those who do not practice yoga often do not know what the body truly is. We perceive ourselves as the body. But in reality, the body is a blind and voiceless creature that suffers from any change. Speak to your body as you would to a small child — soothe it. Tell it that everything is alright, that nothing is threatening it. You will be surprised by the relief you feel. Fill yourself with love for your body, and it will return to you with well-being, clarity, and strength. Respect your body, and it will become your helper. If the body wants water, give it water right now — do not act as a tyrant. Of course, not every desire can be fulfilled immediately in every situation — but speak to your body, ask it to wait a little, promise what it wants later. And the body will not fail you.

4. The events happening now are frightening and dangerous — but we have lived our entire lives in a dangerous world. At any moment, we could be hit by a car, fall and injure ourselves, get sick, or find ourselves in a technological disaster. Yet we survived up to this very moment — and nothing happened. Do not overestimate the threat. Yes, the situation is dangerous, but so is all of life. Even in peaceful times no one is insured against tragedy. There is no need to wait for disaster — you only need to protect yourself, but not anticipate threat. It may never come, and you will suffer from waiting. Live in the present moment. Do not live in the past or in the future. Notice your thoughts about time: whenever you think about time, you suffer. These empty sufferings will not help you now. Thoughts about time are your enemies. Push them away. Live now. Now is safe. Now is enough. The past is gone, the future will come even if you resist.

5. Remember: everything passes. No matter how frightening or difficult things may be — everything passes. Nothing stays the same, everything changes. And you will change. Do not resist change. Do what is right, and remember that this too shall pass. Both the good and the bad — everything changes, because that is the nature of the world. Nothing is permanent or stable — everything is always in motion.