By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200
I’ve been reading about pandemic fatigue. I’m tired of the pandemic. It’s pretty easy to fall into complaining about the things I love, but can’t do until – when? I was talking with my doctor recently. She said that she asks her patients what new thing they have learned during the pandemic. For many of us, learning is a key to happiness. What new thing have you learned?
Things I’ve learned during the pandemic:
I actually like practicing yoga at home. It never dawned on me that I would. Truth: I’ve never really had a regular home practice until the pandemic. I have mostly taken classes in studios.
When I practice yoga at home, I often do a more physically challenging practice than in the classes I used to take.
I decided to stop shaving under my arms when the pandemic began. I was surprised to discover that I only have about three nearly invisible hairs in each armpit.
I feel better when I get more sleep.
I don’t miss the experience of waking up in the morning, reading a text in bed from one of my teachers that she has a sick child, blasting out of bed and somehow getting to the studio in time to teach her class. “Good morning, pregnant people, I’m Carol Gray. I’m so happy to be here. Welcome to MamaSpace Yoga. Let’s get started in Child’s Pose.”
Dog love is the best. I got a new pandemic dog – even though they are in short supply in Portland.
I would have never had the time to bring MamaSpace Yoga online without the pandemic shutting down my other two businesses (practicing and teaching CST). I had always planned to have an online component to MamaSpace. I had no idea how much time it would take.
It’s OK to read great books I have always been meaning to read (instead of always defaulting to professional reading) every night in bed.
I have learned how to be a pretty good videograqpher and a pretty good video editor.
It’s possible for me to build my own computer (with FaceTime help from one of my sons).
I love cooking. Even though I’m quite busy these days, I am making more time to cook and do it well. It’s very satisfying.
It feels good to reach out to friends – even if we have to do it virtually.
Monotony is monotony of mind only. Each breath is a new beginning.
What new thing have you learned?
About Carol Gray
Carol is the founder and owner of MamaSpace Yoga. She has been a therapeutic bodyworker in private practice for over 30 years. She specializes in Craniosacral Therapy for pregnant and postpartum people and infants. Carol has spent years developing hands-on techniques to enhance the mobility in pregnant bodies including the bony pelvis, the abdominal organs, the support structures and lower segment of the uterus. She is proud to have pioneered the integration of this gentle manual therapy into prenatal care, the birth place and postpartum care for birthing parents and babies. The goal is to give babies more room to develop, grow and get born. Her specially-designed yoga classes have grown naturally from the roots of bodywork and yoga.
Carol has dedicated her professional life to supporting expectant and new families by promoting gentle aware birth. She has attended births for over 35 years – at first as a doula and from 2000 to 2012 as a midwife. She has since retired from attending births in order to focus on practicing and teaching CST and prenatal yoga. Her many years as a birth worker have forever changed her and her worldview. Those experiences remain an integral part of who she is as a therapist and teacher.
Carol is the founder and director of the The Carol Gray Center for CST Studies®. She teaches high-quality, small group classes that are appropriate for bodyworkers, birth attendants and other health professionals. She is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education approved provider.
