Day 6 – Reflections on Lock-Down

It’s been a day of movement and I feel so much better for it!!  I’ve made some physical changes in my flat, done some emergency plumbing, been working on some creative ideas to bring daily movement into my life and cut my screen time by about 90%.

The last two days my energy has been really sluggish, been feeling exhausted and had a headache.  I was starting to think that maybe I was going to crack (and I would be sharing this with you today).  That this situation and lock-down was becoming too overwhelming.  But with movement today I am starting to feel more creative and inspired.

At 1am this morning in the UK, the clocks went forward one hour to start British Summer Time.  I had set my alarm at 8am (new time), as I had a meditation group at 10am.  I’m not sure if Honey the Dog tried to wake me up, but I slept through the alarms and woke up at 9.15am.  The group were coming together on Zoom at 9.50am, so I only had 30 minutes to get up, walk Honey, give her breakfast, have breakfast myself, grind some coffee, make the coffee and be ready for 9.50am.  It was a rush, but I made it – just!

One Sunday a month, a group of us meet in Edinburgh for a day of meditation.  With the lock-down, we have agreed to meet every Sunday, 10am to midday on Zoom.  Its a closed group and I’ve been going along for about 5 years, if not more!  I have come very close to all those who attend and so was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours with a group of people who are so so dear to me.

It was just what I needed after such a weird week – I felt so many strong feelings and love for everyone there.  It was so special.

I then headed out for 6 km run on Arthur’s Seat with Honey the Dog.  I continued, my new running technique, from yesterday to not stick to the path and found the challenge of it a lot more invigorating.  There were so many people out and about, although social distancing.  It looked odd seeing so many people scattered across the hillside in their separate social distanced groups.

The morning meditation, coupled with the run – took me out of my head and into my body – giving me some inspiration to make some changes to my flat.

At the Virtual Pub on Friday night, someone said that what they were finding most challenging was the lack of movement.  This has been sitting with me ever since.  Outwith lock-down we take movement for granted – travelling to work, walking the dog, buying food, walking up the street, going for a walk out the office at lunchtime, travelling back home at the end of the day, maybe more travelling going out in the evening.  It’s all movement.  For me, these changes of environment and changes of energy helps me keep things flowing through life.  A new environment, is a new energy.  It keeps a kind of routine.  For example, when I get home late afternoon, I have the inspiration to do some tidying and cleaning in my flat.

But living in my flat all the time, there just isn’t this travel anymore.  I go out for my daily exercise with Honey the Dog, but most of the rest of the time I am stagnant in my flat.  I’ve lost all routine in my life – except writing this blog!

So I decided to convert my spare bedroom into an office – a place to work.  So I could ‘travel’ to work and just keep that space for working in.  Writing this blog, emailing, etc…  But also to keep my other rooms separate for specific things.  My bedroom for sleeping, kitchen for cooking and living room for relaxing, screen-time, social media, etc…  In the last week, everything has been all over the place.  Friday I wrote my blog on the sofa and yesterday lying in bed!  But today I am in my new office 🙂

I was just starting to sort the spare room and my toilet broke….

But before I continue with sharing that story, I wondered how you got on with the quiz, I shared in my first daily blog on Thursday, remember?  I promised the answers (well from what the WhatApp Group came up with and my friend Fi).  Here it is again and the proposed answers.  Stay tuned for a new quiz tomorrow!

Back to the story…my toliet broke – it wouldn’t stop filling up.  The toilet system is housed in, so I spent a good chunk of my afternoon working out how to get it off.  Then turned to YouTube to find a solution to the problem.  Without much success.  But I have found a solution for the time being.

Then I decided to take a walk with Honey, to some dog-friendly shops to buy some food.  It was great to be outside again.

So finally at 6pm, I started on my spare room, which recently has become a room to dump things.  With friends no longer coming over to stay and sleep in, it seemed crazy not to use it.  Honey the Dog usually sleeps on the bed when I leave her home-alone.  We now spend 95% of our time together, so that’s not an issue and anyway, I’ve found her a new place to sleep in the room.

The final thing I want to share with you is my creative idea to bring daily movement in my life.  I am going to start daily Zoom Chi Gong classes in my new office!  Just 20 minutes each morning.   I was hoping to start this tomorrow, but I’m not ready.  So hopefully Tuesday morning will be the first.

I will keep you posted.

If you have not used Zoom I happy to give you help to set it up (the day before) – once you have used it once, it is super easy.  Even my mum has mastered it 😉

Back in 2000-2001 I did a course called ‘Relaxing into Living’, which was a training for trainers to teach meditation.  Part of that included Chi Gong – which I have shared over the years in different groups, conferences, workshops, etc…

Chi Gong is a bit like Tai Chi – but with just a few simple moves, using the breath to come into your body.

So 20 minutes of Chi Gong every morning on Zoom.  I was originally thinking twice a day – at 7.30am (for the early rises before work) and 11am (for anyone else).  But maybe I’ll start with once a day at 7.30am and see how it goes.  If no one joins me, then I am happy to do this on my own!  No fixed charge, but you will be welcome to give me a donation if you want, when you want.

I know, for me, when I used to do Chi Gong every morning, it was a great way to come back into my body.  We live so much in our heads at the moment, with screen-time, worry, uncertainty and for many of us, no physical contact with others – not even a hug!  Plus, with daily movement, I think it will be a great way to start the day and get our energy going.

So as I come to the end of today’s blog, I reflect on movement and energy.  Today, I have had renewed energy and feel so much more hopeful.  Movement is so important in our lives, it keeps us grounded and in our bodies. In these strange times of lock-down, self-isolation or restricted movements we have to find new ways to keep movement in our lives.  Something we have taken for granted.

I also want to say thank you for all your lovely messages about reading my blog.  Now on my 4th daily blog.  It gives me a routine and something to do in the evening, which does not include looking at social media or the news!  It takes 2-3 hours each evening to put the blog together and some thought through the day.  But I am loving it.  It’s great to know that people are reading and enjoying it.  It is simply me sharing my mundane daily routines and thoughts, but seems to be inspiring you?!  Please, do write comments at the bottom of the blog and feel free to share to anyone who maybe interested.

Stay Safe

With much love

Jim xx