by Leslie Snow
Energy—how to manage it—is a familiar concept to readers of this newsletter. From my studies of Reiki, martial arts, Vipassana meditation, qi gong, and yoga, I interpret both inner, i.e., personal, and outer events through this paradigm.
Fortunately, I and my husband remain healthy, but I feel grief for all who suffer. This grief is balanced with the gratitude that I have my husband, my cat, my Aikido family, a few close friends, and my service as president of Ulster County Women’s Network (UCWN). Daily I count my blessings, including the great fortune that we live where we do, in beautiful Catskill Park.
The pandemic became real for me when the gym I worked at in Saugerties closed on March 16. I had already given my notice, accepting a job with the U.S. Census Bureau (that wouldn’t begin until July) after I realized that the time and energy I expended there far outweighed my compensation. After doing my taxes in order to apply for self-employed unemployment to help replace the little I was earning outside of the gym, I realized that it was time for new economic energy. I closed my business, Long Life Fitness, of more than a decade, and I’m letting all my dues, certifications, and insurance lapse. The pandemic unemployment payments helped us get through that initial period tremendously.
At first, I relished the solitude and free time of lock down, briefly revisiting several of my former passions of writing, drawing, ballet, and photography. My energy level was usually fine, but eventually it became sluggish: my legs felt heavy; nothing pleased or stimulated. I stopped yoga and quit meditating daily. Seeking stimulation, I found Lion’s Paw Kundalini with breath of fire, kapalabhati, pranayama to be stimulating and mood improving. My weight is up, but it doesn’t seem as important now that I don’t have to look buff for people to take me seriously. I still enjoyed Aikido weapons classes on Zoom once or twice a week; but I’m not as active as before. At minimum, a hike or a walk around the block and daily range of motion exercises suffice until I can get back to the Aikido dojo.
I’ll work with Census, hopefully, until the end of the year. The skills I learned with the Census and with UCWN may eventually lead to my next job. My relationships with the UCWN advisory committee women who help put together and market our monthly Zoom events helped me realize the value of this group to others. We’re keeping this 25-year-old women’s club alive until we can meet again in person. It’s satisfying to be able to network with each other on Zoom, because otherwise we would not see each other at all.
In fact, slowing down has been an important lesson of this pandemic. All I can do is pay attention to both my inner and outer energy, adapting, and helping others as well as I can. I look forward to the day when we, the volunteers of HCHR, can again meet to deliver our special brand of healthcare.
