When the Bottom Falls Out

If there’s one thing I love in the morning, it’s a strong cup of coffee, and I’ve become particularly fond of the pour-over method.

While travelling this month, I packed my high-quality Japanese glass cone and some premium filters. When those ran out, I switched to cheaper, flimsier ones.

The difference was stark – just as the water began flowing, the bottom would give out, sending coffee grounds cascading into my cup. What a waste!

This failing coffee filter strikes me as an apt metaphor for how many of us are feeling these days – our familiar ground is shifting beneath us in unpredictable ways. It can feel unsettling and overwhelming.

Where do we turn when it feels like the bottom has fallen out?

In these moments of uncertainty, as in all moments, we can return to our practices, their underlying wisdom, and the inner states they cultivate.

The unchanging sense of self you develop through yoga is your bedrock - an abiding, steady presence and a refuge of inner stability you can rely on.  

Whether you're focusing on your breath, observing your thoughts, or pausing within a pose, you can glimpse this ever-present awareness. It can never leave you because it is the essence of who you are.

Just this morning, my heart sank while reading the news. I noticed tension creeping into my shoulders and neck. I turned to my breath – simply experiencing each inhale, exhale, and the spaces between them. Just that was enough to center me so I could focus on preparing for the class I was about to teach.

In these tumultuous times, fostering your connection to the underlying ground of your being may be one of the most powerful ways to engage with your practice.

Unlike that flimsy coffee filter that failed under pressure, your inner foundation – cultivated through steady practice – becomes stronger each time you turn to it. Every return to it is like brewing that perfect cup: familiar, reliable, and exactly what's needed to move forward with purpose and presence.