Your energy affects everyone around you.
If you choose restraint you encourage others to restrain themselves. If you choose to stay calm and focused in the middle of intensity then you encourage others to choose to remain calm and focused in the middle of intensity.
In yoga, as a yoga teacher, I watch this happen all the time and it’s fascinating. When the group is focused and present (even newer students who have trouble staying focused and staying present), get caught up in the group energy and are pulled along. Everyone stays focused.
The reverse is also true. When several new students are in class together and are unable to focus and unable to stay calm in the middle of intensity, the whole class starts to become distracted. Everyone gets caught up in the group energy and pulled along. Sometimes even the strongest students get caught up in the distraction and are unable to stay focused and present.
I’ve watched a new student get up in the middle of savasana and leave class early and a moment later two other students nearby suddenly become distracted and get up and leave class early too. I always wonder when this happens -- Did these students hear the first student? Did they suddenly give themselves permission that it was okay to leave now because someone already did? Were they even aware consciously that someone else had left or did they just become distracted and decide to leave?
They’ve done studies that people are less likely to throw garbage on the ground in a park if there is no garbage around but if there’s one piece of garbage already on the ground, a higher percentage of people give themselves permission that it’s okay to litter.
Your energy affects everyone around you.
It’s sad all of the violence that is happening right now in the world. Some of the violence is perpetuating more violence. Anger is leading to more anger.
It is up to each of us to stay calm, breathe into it and let it go. Spread as much light and as much love in the world as you can. Right now, make a decision to not get caught up in the anger.
There are people in the world who don’t know how to love. They don’t know how to stay calm and focused in the middle of intensity. These people are like new students coming to class. Stay strong. Don’t get caught up in their energy. Stand your ground. Encourage them to get caught up in your energy. Teach them. Show them how calm you can be. Show them how loving you are. Show them that their anger and violence doesn’t encourage you to become angry and violent. Stand your ground.
Don’t be the first person to throw garbage on the ground. And if you see something pick it up. If you are strong enough to hold the space for someone else then hold the space for them. Don’t get up in the middle of savasana just because someone else had to leave early. Don’t get up in the middle of savasana, period.
We are all in this together.
What do you want to see more of in the world? Be that. Do that.
