Lockdown 13

Lockdown Day 13 - 8 April 2020

Sudden cold temperatures in April is the Free State's way of reminding me to get my winter wardrobe ready and unpacked. I yanked open the cupboard and stared at all my day clothes I haven't been wearing the last 13 days. Another tick in the truth box. I simply closed the door and decided to decide tomorrow.  Instead I decided to try out slow living today. I started with my regular stretches and strength routine, adding extra breathing for good measure. Breathing has a very important role to play in this Lockdown scenario. It lowers our stress and anxiety levels and helps focus the brain on the here and now. A very good exercise to do when you feel your housemates are playing space invaders with you, is to breathe in deeply through the nose with a closed mouth. Hold for a few seconds and then breathe out through the mouth. Do this 3 times. This way of breathing releases serotonin which is our happy hormone (now retaliation won't be an option so put away the Darth Vader looks). You can use the same technique with a few tweaks if sleep evades you at night: I call it the 4:7:8 principle. First, breathe out all the air in your lungs while lying in a sleeping position. Then you breathe in through your nose with mouth closed for 4 long, slow counts. Then hold for 7 quick counts after which you breathe out through your mouth for 8 counts. Repeat 4 times or until you fall asleep. It really works! You can also combine the two when doing your 10 minutes in the sun where your oxygen levels are freshly replenished. This also releases those backpack items weighing down your lockdown journey and sharpens your inner spirit man. And that, I have a feeling, is going to become a necessity in the coming days. A sharp spirit tuned into God's plan for this world will become a survival tool because He is for sure the ónly one who has got this firmly in His hand!