Turn Self Isolation into Self Retreat

Never has there been a better time than now that the entire world can collectively pause and reflect. Spring is naturally a time to retreat, cleanse and reset from an Ayurvedic perspective and now we can all do it together. This is a perfect opportunity to go in and if we don’t go in we go without.

I personally will not be feeding any reinforcing energy of fear to the current pandemic. My message is simple, remain calm, reconnect with nature and mother earth, get in touch with your higher self and avoid the distraction of social media, TV, alcohol, drugs and junk food. This is a pivotal opportunity to create harmony of body mind soul. The rest is our choice.

Self-isolation does not mean we should sit like coach potatoes watching movies or worse still the news (that’s not to say be ignorant) and gorging on the food that many of us have stockpiled! We have just hit Spring last Friday and on Sunday 29th March our clocks will be going forward and this truly marks the start of British Spring time. Let’s make this a memorable and healthy transition.

We have lost the art of learning how to use self-time in a healing and supportive ways. How can we best use our time during self-isolation or socially distancing? Here are some ideas that will keep you physically agile, mentally stable and emotionally settled.

It’s time for some positive transformation and energy shifts and underpinning the suggestions below is the fundamental Ayurvedic plea to maintain some routine and regularity to help balance our vata dosha and keep our circadian rhythms in check. While at home, create the separation of time and space for work and leisure.

What can we do while we are in retreat mode:

• De-clutter your cupboards – time to ‘Marie Kondo’ your spaces

• Organise your physical space (all rooms in house)

• Clear out your mail boxes, social media and computer files

• Time to mediate and self reflect –maintaining an attitude of gratitude will serve the nerves particularly at this time. There is no harm in having some introspection time – you will be surprised how much you might enjoy getting to know your new best friend – YOU!

• Learn a new skill – language, sport, readaing, photography, instrument, car repairs

• Get creative –paint, draw, build, dance, sew, knit

• Get into some home décor – perfect time for some DIY

• Start an online course – lots of things to learn and explore

• Transform your garden (if you have one) into an oasis of tranquillity

• Write letters to friends – I am a massive fan of handwritten letters (it’s just that I sometimes can’t even read my own writing)

• Don’t be a couch potato (she say with her laptop on lap in the living room), get moving, you tube yoga and exercise videos as great, get out into the garden and join friends online to work out.

• Time to get eco-friendly  - put measures into place in your home to recycle more and reuse things and utilise all this things stuck at the back of the cupboard if they still serve a purpose. Sell or donate what you no longer need (especially if you think ‘I might need that day!). I have got rid more than a 1/3 of my possessions so far and still working or reducing.

• Dust off the cookbooks and cook up a feast from all those things already in your store cupboard that might stay there and go out of date and end in the bin. It’s a perfect time to get the kids involved with some baking.

• Call and catch up with people not in your life regularly but you wished they were (tip - avoid talk on ‘the virus’)

• Create some natural home remedies – I will definitely help you out here, from face and hair masks to decoctions for the Spring season.

Please message and email me your questions and requests for information that you would find useful to help you spring along. Email Geeta