Screen fatigue? You need to unscramble your energy
There has been a lot written lately examining the new phenomenon dubbed "zoom fatigue" — why interacting over screens is so mentally taxing and can leave us feeling empty and sad instead of connected (here and here, as some examples).
In addition to the social, psychological, and neurological challenges of virtual group interactions, I've been noticing how they scramble and frazzle the flow of energy through our fields, to use somewhat unscientific terms. I remember my first zoom yoga class in March and how awful I felt afterwards — irritable and exhausted. I realized I was going to have to either take more precautions or just avoid any more online gatherings.
Well here we are, still relying on these virtual interactions — young children, grandparents, and everyone in between — and on top of the "usual" excessive use of screens for news, entertainment, gaming, doom-scrolling... it takes a toll. Fatigue, fogginess, agitation, and an overall sense of physical, mental, and emotional depletion can result, especially for those who are sensitive to energy.
We may be zooming with bosses and teachers and relatives for the long haul, and fortunately we can take some measures to protect and fortify our energy fields so we don't feel like a jumble of frayed wires at the end of the day.
Here is a sequence of short exercises that can help center, balance, and realign our energy fields when they're struggling to process the onslaught of electronic "noise."
1. Ground
Start by standing or sitting with feet flat on the ground. Vigorously rub the palms of your hands together to generate some heat, and place your palms flat on your thighs for a few deep breaths.
2. Donna Eden's Four Thumps
Using the pads of three fingers, begin tapping on your cheekbones while breathing in deeply through the nose and out through the mouth three times. Then move on and do the same on the following points: the K-27 points in the divots beneath the collar bones, on the Thymus point in the middle of the sternum, and the Spleen points either below the breasts in line with the nipples or to the sides about four inches below the armpits.
3. Full-Body Sweeps
Rub your palms together again and then shake them off. Next, with flat palms smooth down your whole body like you're smoothing out wrinkles, with fairly firm pressure -- over your forehead, skull, neck, shoulders down your arms, across your chest and belly, down your lower back and hips, down your legs and off your toes. Repeat with your hands a few inches away from your body, imagining that you're sweeping away cobwebs.
4. Sealing the Aura
Rub your palms together again and shake them off. Then rub them again and with flat palms facing out, extend your arms all the way out in front of you. With arms straight, slowly sweep your flat palms above, behind, in front, and in back of your body, doing the same motion like you're smoothing out wrinkles on the inside of a bubble surrounding you.
5. The Hook Up
This helps align and seal up your energy. Place one middle finger in the belly button and the other between and a bit above the brows, then gently press in and up. Hold for 20-30 seconds with eyes closed while breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. You might notice a spontaneous sigh or deep breath as your system adjusts.
