In a recent magazine article a woman was explaining that she’d been struggling with life. A difficult pregnancy while already having a toddler, she’d been working freelance from home, when the little one slept. Then new baby came along and feeding was hard and she had to go back to work early because they were broke. Feeling overwhelmed, she couldn’t find or afford childcare, oh and then there were the continuing effects of climate emergency, the spirally economy and energy crisis.

Her response, to what was clearly a difficult time for her, was to look within and have her chakras balanced. A sceptic, she said afterwards that she felt a bit calmer and more able to cope.

My response, after spitting out tea through my nose was,

‘What the fuck?’

While I am glad she is feeling better, how did chakras become the answer?

For a while now I’ve been thinking about the role of the wellness industry in our lives, a role I freely admit, I have fully embraced.

I trained as an aromatherapist, did that thing when you can do Reki, so I’m a Reki Mistress. (why does it sound slightly pervy if I say Mistress instead of Master?) Facilitating a women’s meditaion circle, I also meditate and do yoga, all of which help me. I have drunk the herbal tea and feel calmer for it.

But still, what the fuck?

This woman is struggling with the financial need to have paid work outside of the home (never mind if she does or does not want to) while also raising a young family and, if she is like most women, still shouldering all the emotional heavy lifting for the family – the appointments, the birthday presents, the play dates. And that’s assuming her partner shares the housework and she is not doing all that as well.

Never mind what else is going on in the world – that is a lot.

How did this become the norm?

And when did the answer become Chakras?

Increasingly, despite the world going to hell in a handcart we’re told to look within for answers. Breathe more, cleanse, organise our house, seek control in small ways.

Again, ‘What the fuck?’

We’re not stressed and reaching breaking point because our chakras are misaligned. We’re at breaking point because our society is broken.

After years of brutal austerity, we’re struggling to keep warm, our weekly shop has increased and it’s an endless battle to pay childcare and keep everyone clothed.

No amount of meditation is going to fix that.

And with this looking within to find the answers to our lives, we’re constantly set up to fail.

In this individualistic wellness world, there is a hierarchy of wellness (and for that read moral superiority, class and goodness). If you’re not doing yoga and eating ‘clean’ then clearly you don’t want to look after yourself – the subtext being that you deserve the stress.

‘You need to help yourself’ the message goes, ‘only you can make a difference to you.’

Well, that’s all very well but it doesn’t really work when you can’t find a home to rent, or the kids need a new pair of shoes.

This individualism goes further.

‘You are choosing to let illness into your life,’ I overheard again this week. ‘The mind is a powerful thing and by harnessing the power of the mind you can defeat illness.’

This was followed by, ‘I just dont allow myself to be sick.’

‘Happiness is a choice.’

‘Have you tried losing weight?’

‘Why dont you just go for a walk?’

Let’s unpick this.

First, we have victim blaming for being ill. Some moral weakness has got you into this position where you’re not well. Illness is a choice that you’ve made, so make a better choice.

Let’s just ignore, I dont know, poverty, science, medicine, health inequalities, and all that nonsense. Do better!

Then we have the power of the mind.

To be honest, if the power of my mind could do magic I’d have it levitate biscuits closer to me when I’ve just sat down and got comfy.

What exactly is my mind meant to do about illness? Wish it away? Concentrate really hard, like doing maths? And if I can’t do it, what does that say?

A yoga tutorial this week talked of cleansing our mind to combat depression.

While I’m sure it was well-meaning, using words like ‘cleanse’ implies that our minds, our bodies are somehow dirty, that ill health – my mental and physical ill health, is somehow unclean.

(And lets circle back another day on the whole body-shaming, fatphobic vibe of many mainstream yoga sites)

Words matter. The language we use and the messages we are sending matter.

If after doing yoga I’m still struggling, what then? Do I remain ‘unclean’?

Oh, am I choosing to let illness into my life again?

And if we can’t cope with the demands of a busy family, an insecure income, pregnancy, the global energy crisis, caring for elderly parents, and the cat being sick, even after our chakras have been balanced, what then?

Basically, is it all our fault?

When are we going to realise that this is not ok?

I’m not saying that mindfulness and meditation don’t help us reconnect with ourselves. This kind of self-care is vital for our personal well being but it is not the only answer.

Our own spiritual journey through the world is being co-opted and laden with meanings that are not ours to bear.

No amount of yoga and green tea is going to fix an unjust, broken and divided society.

It’s not our fault if we cant cope.

This is all too much.

No one should have to live like this.

Namaste.