Mandatory Mindfulness! - theHumm April 2020
Mandatory Mindfulness! - theHumm April 2020
By Helen Antebi
To quell COVID-19 and do our part to support health care workers, not to mention our families, friends and our communities, there is one skill we must acquire if we have not already.
The skill or art (depending on your approach), of mindfulness has been “trending” now for some time. Maybe there was a reason. Virtually overnight we have had to become acutely aware of our environments, the contact — or rather the distance — we have from others, the way we touch things when we shop and the frequency of how and how often we handle produce. The habits we have of touching our face, mouth, nose, the way breathe if we have to wear a mask, the way we sneeze and cough, and the way we show our love and care for others. All of these entrenched habits of physical contact and proximity have come under radical upheaval.
What does all this have to do with mindfulness? Being mindful is about being present. Being acutely aware of and attentive to what is going on in our thoughts, feelings, actions and behaviour patterns. It is about being so self-aware that we are able “in the moment” to accept, evaluate and if needed, moderate or adapt what we think and feel about something and therefore how we behave.
Suddenly we find ourselves stopping and pausing old habits to rewind the tape in our brains and play a different tune. One we are not quite accustomed to, sometimes one we don’t like or take to easily. Finding ourselves closing in on a person in line ahead of us and suddenly being aware that we are too close and backing off. Many of these new behaviours have to become our default, our “go-to” tunes, at least until a new health and safety protocol emerges, in which case the newish tunes might need to go the way of all the other do-do tunes, and be cognitively erased.
Never was a time of behavioural fluidity and flexibility more important, a time of heightened sensitivity and social awareness, a time of compassion, understanding and cooperation.
Our mindfulness skills are just as important and valuable for living in new realities, whether due to a change in income, having new family members with us or without us, being physically and emotionally isolated from those we love. All of these things can create anxiety, tension and internal conflict.
Mindfulness can help us get through such times of uncertainty and feelings of powerlessness. When we get bogged down with the perceived weight of our situations, mindfulness can help us to regain perspective on the larger reality, help us to accept our situation, understand we are part of a community, of a country, of a world of people living with unique and difficult situations. Attending to our feelings and accepting them as valuable can be vital. We certainly don’t need another battle right now, so fighting our feelings, resisting them can be one fight that mindfulness can settle.
Accepting that the hug will have to wait, work will be reinstated or redefined, life —although perhaps different in some ways — will at some point resume. We can intentionally let go of the tension and reduce the intensity of our reactions, helping us feel re-grounded in this extraordinary circumstance. We have nothing to lose by remaining in touch with ourselves, by being kind and non-judgemental towards self.
Accepting what we are experiencing internally as being okay under the circumstances, as a natural human response to threat, allows us to remain rational and objective so we can reframe our thoughts, freeing up the energy to be “upcycled” and used for good! Many have tackled long-abandoned home renovation or repair projects; others have started new hobbies or activities; cooking, sewing, arts, music and crafts are making a well-deserved comeback.
Sensory and tactile activities can be very grounding and meditative. Sharing and helping others, safely supporting anyone who is in need, however we can, are ways to engage our brains in constructive and meaningful ways. Anything that gives us a modicum of control over our lives in a highly uncertain and unpredictable time can help.
If we were a little resistant to change before COVID-19, we have had to pull up our big person panties and get on with it. Exhaling slowly can help reduce your heart rate and regain calm… in order to carry on.
Here is information from the Mayo Clinic on the practice of mindfulness: mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356
And here is a useful site if you are up-cycling your energy in the kitchen! youtube.com/watch?v=voztwgixwtg
There are lots of great sites, references and reads out there on the subject. What have you found helpful that might be of interest to other readers?
— Helen Antebi is a Certified Professional Coach, assisting leaders, organizations and business owners helenantebi.com .
Re-purposing Your Gifts: from Costume Designer to Mask Maker - theHumm April 2020
By Kris Riendeau
In an article entitled “Covid-19 Cannot Harm Your Gifts!”, Bruce Anderson of the Core Gift Institute coregift.org writes: “…what is undeniable is that you have come into this world with gifts, and you will leave this world with those gifts, having given them along the way. Gifts form an essential part of our passion and purpose, and give us a lifetime of opportunity for finding our true identify and offering who we are to the world.“But, in times o......
Humming On in Uncertain Times - theHumm April 2020
By Kris and Rob Riendeau
Welcome to the first-ever online-only issue of theHumm. Back in mid-March as we were starting to put this issue together, we began to get emails from event organizers. They were watching the developing situation worldwide and locally, and were letting us know that they might have to cancel or postpone their events. It’s hard to believe that that was only three weeks ago. As a publication whose mission is to connect people through promoting community events, we made the difficult decision to not publis......
Supporting Canadian Authors, Bookstores and Publishers in Precarious Times - theHumm April 2020
By John Pigeau
In her profoundly moving memoir “This Is Happy”, Camilla Gibb wrote: “We are the storytelling animal; our stories are what make us human.” Indeed. Books bring us solace and pleasure in difficult times. Some help us escape to exotic and faraway lands, while others generously introduce us to different cultures. Books rinse our minds of the mundane, offering us instead adventure and intrigue, beauty and laughter, and meaningful insights too.
Books remind us, even in the best of times, th......
Reflections on Public Library Closures During COVID-19 - theHumm April 2020
By Meriah Caswell
The Carleton Place Public Library closed its doors to the public at 5:30pm on Friday, March 13, without knowing when they would reopen.
The previous day I had been naively trying to convince my staff and colleagues that with increased sanitation measures and enforced social distancing, libraries could remain open to serve our communities.
When I received the news that the library would have to close, there was an immediate whirlwind of activity. Library staff franti......
In-Between Days - theHumm April 2020
By Angie Arendt
Not long ago I was curled up on the couch in the livingroom with a copy of “Discover Canada” in hand, asking and answering questions Jeopardy-style while studying for my upcoming citizenship test. Who is Sir John A. MacDonald? What is the Order of Canada? What is July 1, 1867? I’m an out-loud processor, much to the delight (and chagrin) of everyone in the house.
So Canada has been on my mind for a while now, the excitement building about replacing my permanent residence card with a passport one d......
Just a Bunch of Country Kids! - theHumm April 2020
By Sarah Kerr
Okay parents, here we are in April after an extended three-week March Break. We now understand that this was just a training camp for our new homeschooling reality, to keep our kids and communities safe. All I have to say is, let’s thank the heavens we’re in the Valley, so we can “go country”!
Now, what does that mean? Getting back to our farming roots with our kids of course! Our family has taken this a little far and are renovating our neighbours’ old bunny hutch into a fancy new chicken coop......
Call Your Neighbour: Building Communities in Difficult Times - theHumm April 2020
By Jeff Mills
Remember the ice storm? We all have our stories, don’t we? Neighbours helping neighbours in every way possible. I remember driving a neighbour to my parent’s house so she could shower. We in the country were without power, so no pump and no hot water. My parents were in town, and but for one short interruption of power, they really weren’t affected. Although this weather event was a time of great inconvenience for some, those days of neighbours getting closer and helping neighbours are now seen as a period of great community building. We all have our stories. It almost sounds romantic in ......
The Power of Tech Shabbats - theHumm April 2020
By Kris Riendeau
Back when COVID-19 was just a gleam on the social media horizon, Rob and I listened to an intriguing podcast while delivering the February issue of theHumm. Presented by The Long Now Foundation, it featured author and life-long techie Tiffany Shlain talking about her new book “24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day A Week” blog.longnow.org/02020/02/03/podcast-24-6-th......
Stand and Listen - theHumm April 2020
By Glenda Jones
We call our oldest Sheltie “Miss Clockhead”. At precisely 6:35am she starts making little squeaky noises that indicate she is ready to start her day, and we should be as well. The other two are still sound asleep when Bonnie starts this morning ritual. If the squeaks don’t get our attention, she will chase her tail until she falls over. We were looking forward to the time change, thinking naively that we’d get an extra hour of sleep since it would still be relatively dark. ......
Local Residents Roll Up their Sleeves on Climate Action - theHumm April 2020
Back in early March, over 100 Lanark residents attended a day-long workshop to plan deep climate action for our community. This Climate Action Where We Live workshop was organized by the Climate Action Network.
“We originally booked a hall that would hold 60, but within days of opening up registration we were at 80 and so had to find another venue,” says Gord Harrison, one of the event organizers. “We finally capped the numbers at 115, with a waiting list… It’s very hearteni......
The Music Will Keep Playing - theHumm April 2020
By Tony Stuart
These are definitely interesting, challenging, and frightening times. I don’t think anyone expected to see society shut down the way it has. This shutdown is having profound implications for all of us, and I hope that all of you who are reading this are able to stay healthy and keep your spirits up.
Obviously, I have been particularly aware of how social distancing and self-isolation has affected musicians. We have seen all of our gigs completely dry up, with no end in immediate sig......
Updates from Area Museums - theHumm April 2020
By Jennifer Irwin and Michael RikleyLancaster
Most years, local museums begin fundraising in earnest with the return of spring. This year they are having to cancel or postpone events and close their doors, so they are reaching out to patrons and community members for support. Here are some updates that were sent in response to theHumm’s recent query.
The Carleton Place & Beckwith Historical Society and the Museum are thankful for the ongoing support of The Town of Carleton Place and of Beckwith Township; however, March and April are traditio......
greenshaus, inc. (aka the Thursday Lettuce Place) - theHumm April 2020
By David Hinks
“Not bad for a guy that knows nothing about growing.”
I am standing in the midst of hundreds of gorgeous heads of buttercrunch and romaine lettuce chatting with a very modest Rob Lyle. Rob is the owner of a modern looking high-tech greenhouse on the north side of March Road east of Almonte, just a stone’s throw from the border with Ottawa.
Rob is a relative newcomer to the world of horticulture, having worked in the banking system as an investment manager for 27 years. He lost interest in tha......
Mandatory Mindfulness! - theHumm April 2020
By Helen Antebi
To quell COVID-19 and do our part to support health care workers, not to mention our families, friends and our communities, there is one skill we must acquire if we have not already.
The skill or art (depending on your approach), of mindfulness has been “trending” now for some time. Maybe there was a reason. Virtually overnight we have had to become acutely aware of our environments, the contact — or rather the distance — we have from others, the way ......
Art… and Soul… and Social Distancing… and Advice on How to Cope from Valley Artist Valerie Fulford - theHumm April 2020
By Sally Hansen
Over twenty years ago theHumm appeared on the scene to promote the arts in the Ottawa Valley. April 2020 is our first non-appearance on your newsstands and at your local businesses and libraries since then. We, like the artists and arts-related businesses and events we publicize, are struggling to survive in the short term and to figure out how to revive and thrive in the future.
These are extremely challenging times. Humans dislike uncertainty and right now there are more than 7.7 billion pe......
Time for Takeout! - theHumm April 2020
By Sebastian Weetabix
Weetabix has long been of the view that food matters are well within the editorial mandate of theHumm (food combines art, entertainment and ideas!), but there is a key difference which is one of urgency. The famous aphorism of Rene Descartes “I think therefore I am” should perhaps be restated to “I eat therefore I am” since clearly if one does not eat, soon one is not. On the contrary side we have all experienced too many examples of those who do not think and yet clearly, they are. COVID-19 pres......
Aug 31 Amanda Keeley Quartet
Aug 31 Merrickville Antique Artisans Show
Aug 31 - Sep 2 Sundance Artisan Show
Sep 7 - 8 Fibrefest
Sep 7 - 8 Natives & Clay
Sep 8 Music at Mera: Nathan Sloniowski
Sep 11 Community Open House
Sep 12 Opening Celebration of the new Art Hub
Sep 13 Jason Kent
Sep 14 Art in the Yard
- Wendo Van Essen — Nothing Felt Better
- Be a Wild Child — Roar Against Climate Change!
- MUSICwestport Festival A Fun, Free Event in Beautiful Downtown Westport!
- Misi Zibi Mamidosewin (The Gathering Place)
- 40 ArtistsAlong a Riverbank Outdoor Show on Labour Day Weekend
- Paint the Summer Returns to Westport
- Stone Fence’s Miss Pringle’s Mini-Skirt
- Blueberry Teaat Union Hall
- Come to the North Lanark Highland Games!
- Almonte Potters Guild Open House