Speaking in the Time of Covid-19

I’m so thankful to my students for the many discoveries that they bring my way.  Today, one student said that they were experiencing pain in the back of their jaw ever since they had been wearing a mask at work.  What a great discovery!

It’s highly probable that we are all moving differently when we are outside in these strange times, most certainly bringing our sphere of attention closer to our bodies and making it much more well defined and impenetrable.  You might feel the conflict between “don’t get to close” and “wow I just want to give you a hug.”  

But how is the mask affecting you?  What do you notice when you are wearing the mask?  Admittedly, the medical community is far more comfortable than most of us.  For the rest of us, the mask represents everything from the need for safety and protection, to care and concern for the well-being of others.  To have something on our face that obscures our face from the world can be off putting and seem invasive. It can also be an opportunity for observation and inquiry.  If you are noticing any discomfort from wearing the mask you might ask yourself:

Am I talking differently, louder or softer?

Am I moving my jaw more or less than normal when I am talking?

Am I clenching my jaw or pressing my tongue on the inner surface of my mouth when I am in public or wearing the mask?

How is the mask affecting my breathing – is my breathing shallow?

Do I feel like I can’t be heard or seen with the mask on? 

Do I feel like I can’t communicate with a mask?

How does my neck feel? Am I holding my head still with the mask on?

These are all questions that may lead you on a journey of discovery.  You might try reading something aloud with your camera, both with the mask on and off, facing the camera and in profile.  Look and listen for clues!  Try watching without sound; listening without looking.  Notice what you can.  When you try to speak normally with a mask on what challenges come up,  what emotions arise?  Your view of the mask and what the mask represents will affect how you speak and move with the mask on, so there is the potential for a lot to come up as you ask these questions.  Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to discuss.  I’m here to help…

Stay safe and well!