A recluse is defined as a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people.
Corona Virus certainly has made me a recluse. Normally I am very social. My
days are full of human interactions. I enjoy my friends, my students and my family,
but these days I am like everyone else; in social isolation.
I’ve forgotten what day it is and time
simply slips by like a wave or a whisper; not really heard; not really counting
for much. I am in an existence that seems to be going nowhere and at the same
time I seem to be everywhere. Although I have retracted into my own little
world the world at large meets me every day through the news. I didn’t choose
to be a recluse, but I must admit I am getting used to being alone. It reminds
me to be present and in the moment; as
the saying goes; be here now.
Be here now is a familiar phrase, but
its true meaning often eludes us. It reminds us that the present is the only
moment from which things happen. You cannot prepare yourself for the uncertainty
of the next moment, or all the moments that will follow. Corona Virus has taught
us that. (Be focused like the warrior)
If you expect something to happen in a certain
way you will position yourself to deal with it. But if it should happen or come
at you from a different direction you will need to reposition and in the time
it takes you to reposition you will lose your balance. To be here now is to be
prepared to move in any direction as the moment dictates. That is why it is important
to stay centered and balanced. (Do a tree)
Reclusiveness has its benefits.
You get less pressure and stress from the
world and more control over your life. Your perceptions and attitudes begin to
change. What seems important at this moment might be meaningless in the next.
Just look at the empty paper good shelves in the stores. This tells us much
about human nature. (Humble warrior)
With time you become more independent and
your life can be more peaceful. You can limit your interactions with toxic
people and situations, and you get quality time to yourself and with your
family. But being a recluse also has its downside.
You can get bored, lonely, there’s less emotional
support from others, no one is there to help you and intimacy fades. Gone are
the friendly hugs, daily smiles and moments of quiet sharing. (Fold into child’s
pose and give yourself a big hug)
Becoming a recluse I am not trying to avoid people, but I am becoming
very adept at keeping myself busy. I’m not bored or lonely, but I do miss the
laughter and comradery of my students and friends. I think its Monday but it
feels like Friday; my days are all mixed up! Time, the only thing we really have, is
shifting our view of things. The days are irrelevant, but the moments are
precious.
In yoga they say liberation lies in the interval between thoughts. In
our mind one thought follows another without interruption until we link our
thoughts together creating a chain of emotion that often binds us into chaotic frenzy.
When emotions arise, and they will, close your eyes and take a breath.
Using the sitting Zen we sit
quiet in a state of contentment and peace using the three breathes to clear our
thoughts, and then in the split second that follows we find infinite bliss. This
is a reclusive moment; a moment of liberation. This is just you sitting here now in the moment. This is liberation; this is peace.
Whether we are in isolation or socially active time is all we have. Use
it wisely for in life you will soon discover that time flies whether you are
here now or lost to the chaos of the world. Being a recluse has its benefits
and one of them is the ability to appreciate the only thing we really have and
that is time and believe me it really flies!
Namaste~ may you go with health, happiness and peace
Doctor Lynn
Doctor Lynn's Nectars http://www.doctorlynn.com
Vim Vigor Vitality
