As most of the world goes into lock down, I've been asked how to deal with the anxiety caused by the virus and how to boost our immune system.
Only a vaccination can make us immune to the virus. But there's still lots we can do. In the United Kingdom, where I now live, our National Health Service staff are asking us to play our part and stay at home to enable them to play their part. If we are able to do this, this is the best thing we can do for our immune system. Simply staying at home has the potential to save lives!
If you are front line staff then of course this isn't possible. In China, patients and doctors and nurses, took some time out of their day to practice The 8 Treasures Qigong in the hospital. I'm not sure that people will do this in the West but it's definitely something I would recommend. It's a gentle but powerful movement which strengthens the lungs and helps the circulation to flow.
It's completely natural to feel anxious at this time so give yourself panic breaks!.Sometimes if we repress our feelings, they can gather strength and jump up at us like a Jack in the Box. So allow yourself to feel stressed and worried and anxious for a few minutes then do something to alleviate the stress.
Exercise is a great way to alleviate stress. Make it a regular part of your day. Use the lack of perfection of your situation as a challenge to be creative with your workouts.
Shaolin Monks use Kung Fu and Qigong as a way to meditate and access their innate peace. The movement is a support for you to uncover the peace that is already in your mind. Peace is always there. It's just not always easy to find.
The people on the frontline need us to stay sane and healthy as much as we need them to do their job. There is a very clear interdependence between all of us. Don't underestimate the importance of this. If you can ease your anxiety even just a little bit, this helps others to ease theirs.
In the United Kingdom, people have been panic buying. This panic is like a virus in itself, creating more panic until the supermarket shelves are stripped. So I propose we create a virus of peace.
As our world shrinks to the size of our home - and my home is a tiny flat in London - our mind can still expand. And it expands through small steps and small moments. As we slow down, we can begin to get happiness from the colour of the sky or a cup of coffee now we have time to really drink it.
We can't change the present moment, we can't change what is happening, but we can adapt and support each other through these difficult times.
My way of support is to offer free home workouts on my YouTube channel. Please let me know if there's a specific workout you need and I will do my best to post this. And please share this article with anyone who needs this.
I've also created a specific 20- day workout during this Coronavirus Lockdown. It has helped me to deal with the anxiety of these uncertain times and I hope it will help you. Click HERE for details.