I don’t know a single person right now who is not emotionally effected in some way by the recent COVID-19 outbreak. As a Buddhist priest and community mental health worker, I have counseled many people in the last week who are anxious about family members contracting the virus. This is perfectly understandable; I have also felt the anxiety and fear. Fear is a natural response to the existential (and very real) threat of death. But the people I talk to also feel powerless, confused, and are desperately searching for a feeling of agency in the face of potentially overwhelming tragedy. I believe these secondary feelings of powerlessness and confusion are perhaps more painful than simple fear.
In times like these, I am grateful for my many years of Buddhist practice. After initially feeling anxious about the virus myself (and doing my share of stress shopping… yes, I did buy dried lentils and canned food), I have started to feel more grounded and hopeful — or at least, equanimous — about the state of the world. And so I would like to share with you a few things that have been helpful for me in gaining equanimity.
1. Old age, sickness and death are inevitable
Buddhist wisdom points to the reality that suffering is an enduring and continual part of being alive. There is one foundational Buddhist parable…
