Interpersonal Encounters and Touch: yoga’s emphasis on self-awareness

As we emerge back into life after lockdown we may want to consider becoming more aware of our behaviors as we redefine our “new normal”. Yogic behavioral support mechanisms highlight the value of cultivating awareness in terms of personal behavior with ourselves, with others, and with the environment. In short, increased self-awareness.

In a (former) society conditioned on handshakes, questionable handwashing use, supermarket open food free sampling, indiscriminate handle and button touching the almost orthodox and Eastern approaches are potential remedies.

In many South and Southeast Asian countries, such as India and Thailand, a handshake is considered crude and instead the prayer hand pose acknowledgement to the other party, often associated with the Hindi greeting of Namaste and the Thai Sawasdeeka, is both an extremely polite and non-contact greeting.

Similarly, a slightly more orthodox approach in these regions limits open-hand touching of common objects. A door can be opened using the edge of one’s sleeve or directly with a handkerchief.

“In many South and Southeast Asian countries, such as India and Thailand, a handshake is considered crude and instead the prayer hand pose acknowledgement to the other party, often associated with the Hindi greeting of Namaste and the Thai Sawasdeeka, is both an extremely polite and non-contact greeting. “

Though many supermarkets, delis and restaurants right now will limit or cut out open food and buffet counters be aware of their return, with indiscriminate public consumption of the exposed free sample tray that is both unclean and extremely unhygienic. An awareness on food contamination by multiple hands is ideally motivational enough to engender self-control. Do you really need to stick your hand in there and take that “free snack”?

Three personal protective behaviors of handwashing, not touching the T-zone of the face, and tissue use, have almost become required during the pandemic. A recent report by a team of public and mental health experts discusses the necessity of ensuring people know what to do, are motivated to do it, and have the skills and opportunity to enact the changed behaviors (1). Hopefully being polite, hygienic, and caring for the welfare of all is motivational enough.

Self-awareness is required more than ever as we emerge back into shared public spaces post coronavirus lockdown. The yogic approaches of cleanliness and purity as well as mindfulness of our behaviors and habits are being offered as the path forward for the good of all.

Read the full article here:

Non-behavioral approaches versus yogic self-awareness in pandemic stress

(1)

Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic: a call for action for mental health science; Holmes et al.; 2020, April 15, Lancet Psychiatry