How to be mindful and meditate amid Sydney’s Covid lockdown

Wellness gurus are helping people flex their minds along with their bodies as NSW soldiers on through lockdown.

Taking a pause and being kind to our wandering minds are the essential exercises we need to do to stay sane and optimistic when we’re cooped up indoors.

Cognitive neurologist Susan Rossell said accepting the reality of uncertainty was an integral part of human instinct that we can draw strength from to survive during times of crisis.

“Our brains are hardwired to focus on the negative, and that’s important because it triggers the flight and fight response. We can’t completely pivot and ignore all this negativity because we need to be aware of it to help us survive,” Dr Rossell said.

“After finishing a task at work, laugh at someone’s joke or walk outside, even eat your favourite food. Pause at the end of these positive experiences and reflect on them because they’re more likely to be encoded in memories and that will lead to long-term structural brain train where more positive experiences are built into our memory bank.”

“One of the ways that the human species can cope is mindfulness.”

Luke McLeod from Soul Alive is running online meditation courses through lockdown. Picture: Richard Dobson

It’s a similar message from Soul Alive virtual meditation studio founder Luke McLeod, who believes meditation can also be a great way to look after your mental health.

“There is a lot of fatigue in the community and one thing I’ve spoken to a lot of my members and family and friends about is that it’s OK to rest,” he said.  

“There is a lot out there on how to be productive and that’s great, but you can also use this time recharge and unwind,” he said.

Mr McLeod urged people to not let homeschooling kids or working from home get in the way of practising meditation.

“My advice is to get the things that usually distract you involved in the meditation. A lot of our classes, the kids sit in for example,” he said.

“If you hear a car zipping past you, try and zoom in and explore that instead of blocking it out. Welcome it as part of the process.”

Yoga teacher Kate Kendall connects with clients in a Zoom yoga class. Picture: Toby Zerna

‘GO WITHIN’ WITH YOGA

As the stay-at-home state entered its eighth week, staying fit and sane has become a crucial tool for getting through lockdown.

Flow Athletic yoga director Kate Kendall, who has been helping clients do exactly that through Zoom classes, said that the age-old practice was the ideal way to “go within” when the outside world is full of uncertainty.

Yoga teacher Kate Kendall from Flow Athletic. Picture: Toby Zerna

“The main thing that we are championing is the breathwork … breath is 90 per cent of what yoga is about,” she said.

“It’s one of the most powerful things we can teach ourselves. We can’t control a lot of what is outside, but we can control our own state.”

Ms Kendall said she started yoga about 20 years ago when she was struggling with poor mental health and found it offered immediate benefits.

“I was more aware of my body and my emotions.”