See below- some words, practices, and resources for these times of coronavirus.
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Dear generative somatics (gs) community,
We hope this finds you safe and well.
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Some words about coronavirus/COVID-19
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These times are not easy. Many of us are anxious and scared. We humans and all living things are facing too many challenges. It is not a simple question:
how can we be with one another in ways that allow us all to be safe and well?
But we have choice in how we respond.
Facing into coronavirus/COVID-19, we at gs are humbled to be a part of communities that are showing up for one another in ways that support the collective to be safe, well, empowered, and in solidarity with and taking leadership from those most impacted and at risk. We join you in rejecting the dangerous surge in xenophobia and racism, and resisting individualism and other capitalist ways of addressing safety. We are moved by a collective approach to staying safe in the time of coronavirus as
an opportunity to practice interdependence, community care, resource sharing, and mutual aid.
This is a chance to
embody our values and draw on our collective resilience and creativity
. We are learning from Disability Justice leaders and others who have been in this practice for a long time. It has never been clearer that we need to do things differently. In the words of gs teacher,
Prentis Hemphill
,
“
Can our moving away be a practice of care for ourselves and others and not only fear?
”
At gs, we’re doing our best to make choices that help contain COVID-19 so it doesn’t become a regular annual virus, and to protect those most impacted and at risk (this includes elders and those with compromised immune systems, and also people with diabetes, heart disease, and lung disease). We’re canceling in-person programs and reckoning with the impact of that on gs teachers, practitioners, participants, and our Movement Partners. We're looking at how we can offer body-based practice in virtual settings and moving some programming to Zoom. We're working from home, while recognizing not everyone can; and we continue to support fights for paid sick leave, housing rights, justice for prisoners and detainees, and other critical demands on the state.
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Spenta Kandwalla, gs co-founder and teacher, recently posted
this
, urging us to: Take some slow breaths, drink water, talk with a loved one. Repeat.
We can also proactively cultivate resilience by listening to music, singing, making art, connecting with nature, spending time with pets and children, etc. etc.
What’s your resilience practice?
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We know there is a lot of information and resources coming at us right now and this can be overwhelming. Panicking can take us out of our bodies, which often means we don’t make grounded choices. We offer
these resources
not wanting to contribute to that, but wanting to lift up what we hope can be useful. These resources are focused on supporting personal and community practice as well as for movement organizing making demands on the state. It is important to adapt resources to our specific realities, narratives, lives, peoples, and communities.
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Thank you for being in practice with us,
Jo Ann, Yashna, Danielle and the whole gs team
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