Dear Yogis,

Turns out when we send out 10,000 newsletters per month mail chimp spits the dummy.  And it did.  I hadn’t realised how many subscribers we have… it is gratifying, thank you.  If you all sent me 50cents, I would be able to spend more time on the news, and more time with you.  There is an option for donation, maybe you could join it.  Buy me a up of coffee perhaps?  Thank you – skinny latte, short.

In his time of Covid and lock down a lot of us are not able to live as we usually do.  Our material needs may have been met to some extent by government money, however, our social needs are not met, and therefore have become increasingly important.  We can’t dismiss this.  One of the key aspects removed is COMPETITION.  We normally compete even if we are not consciously aware.   It is a natural biological aspect of our selves.  In the deep past those who competed more successfully had a better chance of survival.  Now we have a conflict, there is a threat to our survival, but our instinct to fight it has been curtailed.

In this time of covid, we can’t win, we can’t achieve, even our ability to meet a mate has been taken away, and the social status we may have at the workplace is removed.  If we realised that the frustrations we are feeling are part of our biological heritage we can see that this type of competition and material gain is no longer necessary in the same way.  However, we are what we are, and we have the DESIRE within us.  The Buddha told us that the only cause of suffering was attachment/desire.

We can change, and in this time of covid it is necessary to change.  We may have more time for simple pleasures and also for the pleasure of using our mind.  We can use the time we have been given in lock down to think, to experience an inner reality as well as the outer reality of material things, and by using the extra time we have to experience these things, our life becomes better for us.

The crucial step is the development of inner security perhaps through meditation. This will involve a reduction of anxiety which for some is a “new country”, a scary place.  We all possess self-regulating mechanism within the mind (and some wonderful chemicals which can activate ANADAMIDE being just one).  These will reduce our anxiety if we provide a suitable circumstance in which they can operate.  This can be achieved naturally through deep relaxation (Yoga Nidra) and by meditation.  In practicing these disciplines our anxiety is reduced, our defensive reactions lose their intensity, and the distortions in our personality reduces.

When we take this path we will have a greater understanding of the self, consequently feel more secure, and less disturbed by aspects of our personality.  In fact it could be said that we have in fact taken the first steps on the road to maturity.

HAVE A GREAT DAY.

NAMASTE.  JAHNE