Before leaving Seattle to move to Arlington last October, my friend Suji told me I was going to “lay down tracks in D.C.” I figured she was lovingly referring to the fact that I do not drive, I choose to live in walkable cities, and craft a livelihood that I enables me to WALK everywhere I need to go for work or play.

What I did not realize until seven months into a new location during a pandemic is that the act of walking was going to be so much more than how I transport myself from A to B.  Suji is right I am laying down tracks. 

Walking the neighborhoods and city centers has given me the opportunity see and feel my environment, to smell and listen to what surrounds me. I’m gathering “ground truth,” that is information from direct observation/experience as opposed to that which is reported. 

At least once (if not several times) on walk I notice my breath. I observe the changes in pace and depth of my breath. I find if I make the effort to do a few rounds of what is called a “pursed lips exhale” (like you are slowly blowing out a candle flame until you feel empty of breath) my walking stride smooths, the muscles behind me eyes soften, my vision field widens, and I feel more lifted through my entire body.  Gravity has less of a pull on my 175 lbs. The longer exhales usually happen in conjunction with the discovery of something marvelous in the terrain I am traversing.  One long exhale helped me see the beauty in the bark of a tree beside me. Another time I was compelled to turn left at an intersection that led me to a multicolored sculpture in an alcove of the city I did not know was in the area.

Physiologically pursed-lips-exhale can lower blood pressure, shift our nervous system into parasympathetic mode (rest & digest), ease anxiety and stress. Various mind-body movement practices teach this style of breath as a means to getting us closer to our deepest wisest self.

From there we can observe, and act with discernment of what is right/non violent/nourishing for us individually and see how our actions can affect other beings around us. Are our actions right/nonviolent/nourishing to others? 

My hubby and I use the luxury of time we are gifted on Sunday mornings to wander extensively through areas that are new to us, several weeks ago we were in D.C.’s vibrant Adams Morgan neighborhood and our meandering took us through Meridian Hill Park. We heard music coming from the SE corner of the park and as we followed the sounds of hip-hop, disco, salsa and funk we came upon a dance fitness class. I would guess 30-40 adults of all ages, shapes and sizes were dancing, all were masked and spaced at least 6 feet apart. I felt my body do the pursed-lips-exhale, and from that deep wise self I knew what I was observing was a YES for me.

Since that chance encounter back in February, I have made the Sunday noon dance class a constant in my life. Dancing in community fills me with immense joy. It always has and always will. Several scientific studies have shown that movement, music and community are a recipe for human happiness.  What made THIS dance super special to me was it was the first time I was moving in a large community of strangers in person since the pandemic started.  The ground truth, the direct observation of humans adapting and adjusting to the demands of the pandemic to keep us all safe AND gathering to groove to the sweet tracks of the dance class was a sure sign to me that humans can evolve and change our ways as a result of the pandemic. Learning from this long, hard medical crisis, rather than pretending it would magically go away without us needing do exactly what we are designed to do… humans are built to adapt and adjust.

We are headed into June and the glorious height of summer solstice. Our nation is shifting its pandemic protocols, we hear of cities and states “re-opening more fully”. Those of us who are fortunate/lucky/privileged to have lived this far through this pandemic get to the make choices as to how we meet these shifting moments. I encourage us all to exhale fully, to bring ourselves home to our deepest wisest self. I encourage us all to gather our own ground truth for how we choose to adapt and adjust into what our future holds. What is right for you, and how do your actions affect others? 

At the start of the pandemic, I wished for things to be “normal again”. After 15+ months of the pandemic and a spotlight on civil unrest and institutionalized injustices in our nation I don’t want “normal again” anymore, I want better. Better from me. Better with my fellow humanity. Better for the world. If we can practice being in our deep wise discerning self, then we know whatever is the next step we are on the right track. 

Join us in the movement.