According to Brittanica.com, homeostasis is any self-regulating process by which biological systems tend to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are optimal for survival. If homeostasis is successful, it goes on, life continues; if unsuccessful, disaster ensues.
I feel like I’m experiencing this struggle for survival on an intimate basis right now. When two humans and three cats live together in an 1,100 square-foot apartment, a balance of energies must be maintained. When this precious balance is upset, everyone suffers.
Perhaps the balance was upset the day we brought Taco home with his larger-than-life purrsonality. Was it the additional time we’re spending at home since everything shut down in March? Or perhaps eating the same food everyday for 11 years finally caused Curry’s immune system to develop an allergy to it. Or maybe our move to this treetop, lakeside abode in July of last year exposed us all to more pollen and humidity, which in turn affected Curry’s ability to tolerate his food. But in any case, our household equilibrium is all thrown off and now poor Curry is itchy and miserable. We’re all kind of miserable. The humans are tired, getting little sleep due to worry and the incessant scratching and licking, and the other two cats are bewildered by their newly-imposed routine of being forced to eat outside on the lanai while Curry eats inside by himself.
It’s upsetting when tried-and-true routines don’t work anymore. Having a sick kitty who can’t tell you what’s wrong and who is dependent on you to figure it out is stressful. I’m frustrated at the lack of guidance from multiple vets and afraid I’ll make mistakes resulting in my sweet boy having to pay the price.
As I remind Curry when I lie on the floor and pet his scabby little body, we’re in it together. We might mess up, our healing path will not be a straight line, but wherever the journey may take us, we’re all going on it. Wherever Curry’s destiny leads, me, Mark, Haze, and Taco are all coming too. There will be hills and valleys, summits and pitfalls. Just when we figure one thing out, a new mystery will present itself. I’m hoping for small victories at first, like maybe sleeping through an entire night.
It seems that humanity and the earth are also currently engaged in a big-time adjustment that’s come to a head this year. Can we find a balance that is optimal for the survival of us both? Only time will tell, but the same principle applies. We’re in it together, and the destiny of one is the destiny of us all.
Yoga means union, and it helps us recognize the connection we have as individuals to something larger than ourselves -- a group of like-minded people, a family, the planet, even the Universe. 2020 is like a giant wake-up call that we need to make some big changes to alleviate the suffering. Before it gets better for some of us, we need to work together to make sure we’re making things better for us all.