Notice Changes

The long hiatus from this blog was never intentional. It kinda just happened. I'm not saying I'm back with regularity, but there's at least this attempt to reengage my "writing for me" muscles.

I guess when I stopped writing regularly, it was because things had begun to change at home. The changes had been happening slowly. Things were getting more intense with elder care responsibilities - and like the frog in the pot slowly being boiled - we don't always notice when change happens slowly. And we don't always notice the ways in which we are coping, adapting. 

The ability to adapt to slow moving changes is a feature of human survival, evolution, and resilience. 

It is why my yoga classes are sequenced to have a soft build up - repeating poses to acclimate the body to a position or a feeling.

It would be unsafe to attempt certain asanas, say Hanumanasana - full split - without that build up. Unless your hamstrings and hips are naturally open and limber - full split takes effort over time to achieve. Or Ardha Chandrasana, half moon - without first testing your balance, working to stack hips and shoulders, strengthening the back body, and opening the front body.

In my life, recently, there have been some big shifts - sudden changes - so I obviously I notice them. Still I have to adapt. It can be harder and more clumsy feeling to adapt to sudden change. The build up of slow change gives you a chance to create space and fill space after experiencing change. But quick, rapid fire, suddenly noticing life is completely different now changes - they make you immediately think on your feet, can trigger fight or flight response, or render you immobile, paralyzed in confusion and fear about what to do next.

So I resolve to respond to sudden shifts as best I can by pausing, slowing down, breathing, taking my time to evaluate how the change impacts me, the people around me, and then I move forward.