SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE LAST FEW MONTHS
What a year it’s been so far, on every level, and it feels like years rather than 7 and a half months since I wrote my lockdown post back in March. We’ve all experienced this rollercoaster of a year in some form — for me, the year started with celebrating my big 40th followed by launching my eco collection with Needle + Thread, moved through the lows of watching a year’s worth of work booked in the diary vanish overnight and furloughing staff at our café, to the eventual realisation that our café in Selfridges could not continue under the current climate and hospitality regulations, which meant closing it for good in October after 4.5 years, to the ultimate high and blessing of finding out that we had a baby on the way.
Now we’re in lockdown 2.0 and living with slightly different rules, a slightly different landscape, but still the same waves of uncertainty in the air. It’s difficult to navigate and I know from messages from a lot of you that anxiety is doing the rounds, compounded with the earlier, darker nights, the sunshine of summer a distant memory and the prospect of a very different festive season potentially separated from loved ones.
As I often mention during my Lunch Break Soundscape sessions, it’s good to review, process and in effect digest your life experiences so that you can continue onwards and upwards whilst recognising what needs to be put to bed and letting go of any excess baggage that might weigh you down. The dark and colder weather here in the Northern hemisphere is actually the perfect time traditionally to go inwards and reflect anyway. It’s cathartic to review and to tune into reality as it is now rather than allow our minds to spin out of control trying to predict the future whilst replaying all the things that felt like they went wrong in the past and almost inviting history to repeat itself. I’ve journalled below what’s been going on for me and the positives that I’ve been able to take from our current situation. Writing down your thoughts can be incredibly therapeutic and bring comfort in times when you’re feeling overwhelmed and later when you read back through to see where you have grown. I’m writing this to process where I’m at — and if you feel like doing it, try it out!
HOW I’M GETTING THROUGH IT ALL (& HOW YOU CAN TOO)
Slowing down
Nick and I have always tended to be homebodies, but during this time we’ve really embraced it. Slowing down has really helped us to learn to celebrate the positives, no matter how small, which puts negatives firmly into perspective. Slowing down sounds like a luxury, esp for those juggling work, childcare and housework but taking a few deep breaths to work with what you got and prioritise what is actually important to you brings peace and clarity and you can embark on a wild journey that you hadn’t planned for with far more acceptance and oomph for the tasks ahead. When it came to generating work (we’re self employed and run our own company) we had to be creative — something that no longer rushing around and being drawn into the hectic pace of London life has afforded us — and while we’ve nearly always approached business with what we are passionate about rather than what is lucrative, we believe even more that this reaps mental and physical rewards. This year has highlighted how “change is the only constant,” how the best laid plans can change and how to be flexible and find strength in it. I dearly miss my wider circle of friends and acquaintances but have also loved finding more quiet and finding ways to connect with friends and family more intimately through virtual quiz nights, socially distanced walks in the woods and picnics (check out the online workout classes you can get your friends to join you on — and cue lots of giggles which you try to suppress with the mute button).. I’ve also been loving long phone calls rather than quick texts and finding ways to help each other out and support.
Finding some structure
Structuring my day — although working from home has long been the norm for me, the general “lockdown vibe” of things naturally slowing down made it all the harder to plan a routine and outline for my day. Quite early on during lockdown, I started hosting my “Lunch Break Soundscape” sessions: 15 to 20-minute crystal sound bath sessions on Instagram live. It felt like an opportunity to help others (and myself!) take a small break in the day for themselves, something I know a lot of people found difficult when they were taking on the multiple roles of parent, teacher, cleaner, cook, etc. all under one roof… It helped give me a purpose too, building a routine and creating a beautiful space in my home because I needed to be there in front of the camera at 12:15 p.m. every weekday. I’m still hosting them now too — you can join in over on @jasminehemsley. In terms of staying focused in those windows of work or cleaning or cooking or hanging out with the kids, I’m a massive fan of the Pomodoro technique - read more about it here. And I’ve created a downloadable sound bath called Focus to accompany these 20-25 min sessions.
Living with the seasons
I live with the rhythm of the day whenever possible and listening to and supporting my Agni (digestive fire). For example, wherever possible I go to bed early and rise early, which really works well for me (I never thought I’d say that!). Of course it’s way easier in the warmer months and not such a thrilling idea as it gets colder, but it always has such a positive effect on my day if I work my schedule around the natural rhythm of following the sun and getting outside as much as possible for natural light — especially in the winter. I eat my main meal at lunchtime when my Agni is at its strongest and eat a warming breakfast and a light supper. I keep difficult-to-digest foods like raw or heavy meals for lunch and I try to cook as much of my food as possible, which I find incredibly important for connection and nourishing myself mentally, physically and spiritually. Read more about sleep here, keeping a Dinacharya (daily routine) here and taking care of your Agni here.
Meditation
If there was ever a practice that could help you in every area of your life, from the physical and the mental to the spiritual and emotional to the creative and the intellectual, I would say it’s meditation. This isn’t going to be everyone's cup of tea and there are meditative practices that are more appealing and suitable for those who can’t begin to imagine “switching off,” such as sound baths, manifestation/intention-setting worksheets, etc., all of which I find immensely helpful to keep the balance and be more proactive than reactive, while also going with the flow of what life throws at me. The simple act of meditating twice a day where possible helps me be a better me — for both my own sake and others’! It makes me more efficient and decisive and less scared to change course when I need to. I practise Vedic meditation and am very grateful for my teachers just being a text away to help inspire and motivate me. For those in Sydney, check out my dear teacher Gary Gorrow, in LA and NY my good friend Susan Chen, and for those in London my friends Jillian Lavender and her husband Michael Miller at the London Meditation Centre and have a browse through my Sunday Slows on IGTV here for some meditation chats or download a sound bath here!.
Sound baths
I used to co-create big sound events, which was a wonderful way to share sound and our singing bowls with the local community. Lockdown and social media has given me a chance to enjoy sound on a regular basis with a round-the-world community (please come and join us if you haven’t already!) which has helped keep me connected and helps me to give back as well as making me commit to a regular practice and a chance to keep playing and experimenting with sound. You can start by tuning in or catching up with my sound baths on Instagram Live and take your pick of downloadable sound baths which you can access at any time for different occasions (from intention setting to stress relief) using the bowls as a focus to slow down the mind and become mindful of the present moment. Notice how you feel after each session — but don’t go into them having any expectations. “Busy” meditations or blissful, all of them work to help to unwind accumulated tension. If I find myself wired with no access to a sound bath or instruments I simply create my own one by beginning to hum on the outbreath. At first my breath is tight and the humming feels like an effort and the sound feels a bit “caught” and jagged. As I commit to the practice I soon develop a peaceful rhythm which allows a longer deeper outbreath and signals my nervous system to calm down.
Gardening
These past 6 months have also seen me dive head first into gardening. I’ve been using the “no dig” permaculture method to grow at least 15 types of veg in my garden and get me out into the fresh air, away from screens and into the moment — and of course the best bit is the harvesting and eating, all that Prana! — and a new appreciation of the work of people who grow and produce our food. It’s also been a wonderfully synergistic experience working with the microbiome of the soil (using the no dig method, you avoid disturbing the delicate harmony of the soil and the all-important microbial fungi), which is similar to looking after our own gut health — the importance of which is now reaching the mainstream and is what health is all about! If you don’t have a garden (I hear you — couldn’t even have a window box in my last place for 10 years!) then check out my blog post on the best of local foods from around the country and veg box deliveries to keep you connected to our farmers and producers.
Educating myself
With everything that’s been highlighted to us on social media during lockdown (and in the last few years) about racial inequality, gender inequality, redefinition of gender, as well as climate awareness and awareness of those who have it much worse due to the pandemic, it’s been heartening to see community and camaraderie in our immediate environments and in our social media tribes. Human creativity has opened up so many doors, conversations and opportunities. While I am mixed race and have experienced racism directly in the past, there’s still a huge amount I’ve learnt about bias that exists on every level. I’ve made it a priority to educate myself more thanks to new-found Instagram accounts, websites and books, and also committed to using my platform to support the BIPOC community wherever I can and share it too.