This blog is a part of the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable’s new blog series, “Teaching Artists Speak Out: Blogs from Quarantine.” As schools remain closed, we’ve invited some “Teaching Artists of the Roundtable” to help us curate a series of blog posts written for and by NYC teaching artists. We’ll be posting new blogs each Tuesday and Thursday for the next several weeks.
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Dear Reader,
Last month, I posted a CALM OVER HYSTERIA piece on my Instagram (IG) page and thought a similar post would be good to share with this community. I wanted to express how I am coping with the loss of lives throughout the world, loved ones who have contracted COVID-19, the shelter-in-place, loss of work, physical distancing, and the 10 trillion other things that cross my mind as this issue persists, while offering hope to the teaching artist community and beyond. As I sit here today on Friday, April 17th, I am at a loss for words. So much has changed since I wrote that IG post on March 15th. At the time, our mayor announced that NYC schools, nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues would close, while restaurants and bars would be limited to takeout and delivery.1 An announcement about postponed court cases, a delay in the state’s presidential primary, and an early end to the collegiate academic semester also came across New York City residents’ news feeds.1 By March 20th, New York City’s governor signed an executive order, ordering all non-essential businesses to close and urging residents to stay home if possible.2 The shelter-in-place which at one time was effective through April 15th and then the end of April, has since been extended through May 15th. As government officials learn more about this pandemic, the updates are constant and things are rapidly changing. The incidence and mortality data, which I will not regurgitate, is appalling and saddening. Still, I want to extend hope.
When I scribed the IG post, I mentioned that I am choosing the calm during the storm. I wrote about what I planned to do during this time. Productivity was a huge part of that plan. While I have been productive, I realize that productivity is not a reality for everyone. Consistently seeing posts/memes that suggest you are lazy or undisciplined if you’re not writing that bestselling novel (or doing any other grand thing) can lead to feelings of unworthiness. While productivity may be feasible for one person, another individual may need to process feelings. Perhaps journaling may be ideal for that person. Perhaps being still could work for another or indoor gardening for someone else. Whatever you need to do to make sure you are taking care of yourself is exactly what you should be doing at this time, while taking the current climate into consideration and all of the precautionary measures. I am a firm believer that everyone has to do what is best for them—ALWAYS in ALL WAYS.
Whatever you take from this, please know that I am not telling you how you should or should not feel, or what to do or not do. I hope to offer beneficial fodder to help you and your loved ones cope during this pandemic.
First, a bop poem (bop style created by Afaa Michael Weaver).
You Are the Calm
by AnJu Hyppolite
your inner child, a prisoner, looks through a shattered window
at a colorless sky—an offer of somber decay
poisonous smoke imbibed
intoxicatingly haunting a feverish embrace
that coaxes you to dance
longing to return to the green of your heart
You are the calm during the storm
muffled voices dazzle you rhythmically
into the dark womb of seclusion
a fire that once burned nightly is doused
broken days come bearing ice
bringing mired morning dew
sinister laughter lingers in an echo
of ghostly reverberations haunting you back
here is the past you could never escape
You are the calm during the storm
remember you are magic
hold on to your peace
grounded in rooted joy,
let it be your vast ocean of calm
celebrate your breath—it is sacred,
a blossoming flower that stops you in your frenzy
You are the calm during the storm
There is so much in this life that is beyond our control. Our breath is something we can control. Because there is an involuntary aspect of breathing, it is easy to take it for granted. What makes breathing such an amazing capability is the duality of our respiratory muscles: voluntary and involuntary control. Additionally, breath is a sign of life and when voluntary control is underway, it can be used to ground oneself to eliminate stress and anxiety in the body. What a special ability we have!
My fervent wishes for you and your loved ones: Safety and health.
My offer: Find what works for you and no matter what, go back to your breath. It will always ground you, bringing you to the present moment and yourself.
With calming hope and love,
AnJu ☥
1 New York City to Close Schools, Restaurants and Bars
2 Coronavirus in NY: Cuomo issues stay-at-home order for New Yorkers
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