And the pandemic is over, so what?

Yes, it is not over yet, but we have gone through the worse… I think…

Anyway, part of my effort has been to design the next stage for myself, before the situations designed it.

So, it is important to have a vision of the future and to start planning for three things:

• What are the lessons? A worldwide reflection is probably the best solution, but if you and I reflect on it, that will do, at least for our circle of influence. By the way, a lesson is not something you know, but rather something you are applying to your life.
• Which of the new habits we adopted during the pandemic are worth to keep? Probably nobody will want to see a mask for quite a while, but what about washing hands so many times? Social distancing? Less car, more open space? There are not only good habits that came from this crisis; they may save us from a future similar one.
• How to adjust our new reality to live better and to prevent future crises? The pandemic was one crisis, but many others are underlying there such as the economic crisis and the social crisis. It is time that we change the route of our civilization – the pandemic and other crises they are an alarm we should not dismiss that something is very wrong.

So before going back to your favorite shopping mall or that party, reflect on these and let’s start a change that is really overdue.

Different types of fear and solutions

If we think about phobias, an irrational fear of something that really should not cause harm, there are about 100 different types - how to solve all that?

What about rational fears? Will I get a job? Will I survive this pandemic? My partner does not look at me anymore, could it be that...?

Fear has captured our civilization and there are three solutions that can serve fears, clarifying that it will work if they are not linked to psychological problems or trauma.

 

The first solution is the one that comes from instinct: to evade or flee from what causes fear. The image in movies of people who see something scary and run away is not so out of reality, but when looking at nature, fear manifested in this way is a positive force, as it helps the survival of the species.

In an urban and modern context it is lost; While running off because someone dressed in black showed up on the corner, while you were coming back late after a day of work at night may fit the definition of fear for survival, but what about the fear of being alone at home?

 

The second solution is the one that many would recommend: to face your own fears.

It is counterintuitive and requires a lot of willpower, but by doing what you are afraid to do, being next to what you fear or talking to a person who generates fear, you increase your own resilience and even help you face other fears.

 

The last solution is to work on personal resilience through self-empowerment which can be through meditation, reflection or something similar.

Specifically the development of the power of tolerance and conformity that arise with these practices improve the person being less scared. The reason is that by empowering yourself, there is the experience of safety and the clarity of what to do when something causes fear.

 

You know what? The most important thing and you can consider as the solution number zero to be able to get out of the atmosphere of fear: work on the fear that you feel of fear itself...

8 asana of the heart – when your heart is the size of the HORIZON

Use your imagination a bit and think that you are totally free from this world. Visualize yourself at the top of a mountain and taste the freedom…

But it is not any freedom. It comes with you allowing your love to flow in a limitless way.

Freedom can come because you fight or you just leave a situation behind. However, when it comes from love, it becomes something else.

Back to your imagination, just look ahead while you are at the top of the mountain. Look ahead and see the infinity of the HORIZON and let your love become just like that: unlimited and broad, great and powerful.

Your love can give you wings so that you can fly towards that horizon and just be part of it.

When you allow your heart to grow more and more, until it reaches the unlimited, you are enabling yourself to experience a very deep freedom.

The freedom of the past.

The freedom of attachments.

The freedom of your own personality.

The freedom of any limitations.

Now more than ever, the world needs that type of love; just practice this powerful asana of the heart and changes it into the horizon…

 

This post is part of a series called 8 asana of the heart.

I recommend you to watch 8 postures of the heart.

8 asana of the heart – a LEVER?

 

Love can be creative, so think of your heart as a LEVER…

Hard? Maybe, but the idea is that love can change the world…[1]

Just check your life and think of an area of your existence that is in crisis, a big crisis – maybe confusion, perhaps anger. Now, focus on your own love, the love that is in your heart… let that love flows through you and through that wound.

After one or two days doing that, just check because I am sure things would have changed, at least partially.

Why? Love activates the best of you and it is obvious that part of the best of you keeps the solution for your problem. When you feel love in a conscious way, you are also opening the door of many other beautiful things that you keep there in the cupboard of the self.

Love is the lever that opens a treasure within, but most of the time we don’t use love in that way. So, try again: think of your heart as a LEVER.

Another image you can use is your heart as a lift that elevates you, because by connecting with all that reservoir of love, you are also increasing dramatically your own self-esteem.

Problems look so small from up above…

Let your love make you open difficult doors or elevate yourself. Problems will still be problems, but you will have the key in your hand.

 

This post is part of a series called 8 asana of the heart.

I recommend you to watch 8 postures of the heart.

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[1] Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it and I shall move the world. Archimedes (c.287 – c.212 BC)

8 asana of the heart – my heart takes the form of a REFUGE

If love would flow like a river, eventually it would create a lake of love. You may use your imagination and visualize your heart taking the shape of a big area filled with that healing force, like a lake…

That lake is a refuge and when you feel pain, when life seems to be mean and cruel or when things are really going wrong, it will relief you of your emotional burden.

As a refuge, others may come at your door and by feeling that powerful love of yours, they will experience relief of their own pain and suffering.

Don’t forget to do maintenance of that lake, so the water of your love doesn’t get stagnated… and the best way is to experience it every day, to let others come and get some of your love or to let others feel your loving presence through your smile, some words or your extended hand.

 

This post is part of a series called 8 asana of the heart.

I recommend you to watch 8 postures of the heart.

8 asana of the heart – my love flows and turns into a river of FORGIVENESS

People do things that hurt us, sometimes very deeply.

And when we are honest, we realize we also hurt others…

FORGIVENESS is that beautiful and so necessary human feature that enables a person to heal and to open windows and doors for those who hurt them. But how does that work?

First of all, let’s not confuse forgiving with forgetting. Although the fusion of both may be the ideal, it is not always possible as forgetting may cause some damage in the long term (someone may try to hurt you again). Remembering with forgiveness is probably the best because your relationship won’t get tainted by what others have done in the past.

To really forgive someone, the first step is to connect the self to the deep love we all have within. Any love does not work; it has to be an unconditional love.

Many years ago, one of the founders of an ashram, a spiritual place, in Scotland shared how they worked so hard to create it, particularly her and the husband. But one day he left her for another woman who has come to this place. The spiritual founder reached the conclusion she had only one path due to her background: unconditional love. Eventually the miracle of that love brought her former husband back… along with the person he was now married. Still, she got a friend back and both worked together again until his demise.

That is forgiveness, to let love flow like a river that disintegrates all the bad things due to its speed and strength. To value the intentions and the quality of that person, come on, let your heart take the shape of a powerful river…

 

Whom are you going to forgive today?

Whose love are you going to experience today and feel you are forgiven?

 

This post is part of a series called 8 asana of the heart.

I recommend you to watch 8 postures of the heart.

8 asana of the heart - when love means COMPASSION

With a friend of mine, we got into a very friendly argument in relation to the difference between mercy and COMPASSION.

The word compassion is very specific as it comes from Latin and it could be translated as concern for others' suffering. That means whenever others are suffering (passion), a compassionate person will feel for them and will embrace them.

The best example I have heard and I am sure you too have heard is Mother Theresa of Calcutta, the one whose life was of pure compassion. Even though she was not an expert of the field of compassion she has chosen, which was related to health, her mission in life was to shelter all those nobody wanted to help. In fact, she literally embraced people with leprosy and other kinds of ailments, without taking into account her own health.

OK, maybe you don’t want to get into that extreme, but think of compassion as the love that washes others' suffering. Maybe the reason for that suffering is still going on, but the person will feel that healing love within their mind.

An image I use for compassion is a waterfall. By being brought up in Brazil, I used to go to many waterfalls in different parts of the country and the sensation was not only good, but it was as if I was been cleansed.

Now, imagine a waterfall of love, falling upon you and others. A waterfall of love that heals and comforts the soul, helping others to feel hope again and to expect a positive outcome even when all looks bleak or terrible.

The argument I had with my friend was not really finalized, but I think there is a point in common: with our love we can heal.

So, just change the shape of your heart, let your love flow in such a way that others feel relief from their inner pain. It can be done by sending them vibrations or by listening to them and make them feel they are important.

Or it can be just by you remembering their birthday and telling them that no matter what they are, you love them...

 

This post is part of a series called 8 asana of the heart.

I recommend you to watch 8 postures of the heart.