This too shall pass…
In the Balinese tradition, New Years day, according to their calendar, is called Nyepi day, and it is usually celebrated during the month of March. Nyepi day is also known as Silent Day. A day when the island of Bali is supposed to be in absolute silence, for 24 hours. Everything is shut down: schools, temples, airports, stores, wifi, TV and radio broadcasts. People are required to stay at home, without using lights at night, and to observe silence; to dedicate this time for meditation and introspection. To rest their minds and bodies from their busy daily activities, and to enjoy the company of loved ones.
Needless to say it is definitely one of me favourite days of the year. You can hear the silence. You can feel how everything around you stops for a day, and the island gets a good rest from the usual daily sensory overload. Traffic, pollution, artificial lights, and surrounding noises all take the day off.
Since this recent pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 in the world, it seems like the vast majority of humanity will sooner or later experience the lock down and quarantines that are being instituted on a national and international level. It is possible that the street scenes in many cities around the world will resemble those on Bali during Nyepi day. They will be empty, with numerous flights cancelations and sparse shelves at the supermarkets.
Unfortunately these lock downs are necessary to hopefully prevent the virus from spreading, and save lives. Although these lock downs are not pleasant at all.
In my personal history I’ve experienced a few involuntary lock downs. Growing up in the time of the Balkan wars, we were often huddled in basements and shelters for days on end. During the frightening volcano eruptions in Bali, no one knew how dangerous the air quality would get, or for how long airports would be closed. During my high risk pregnancy total bed rest was prescribed, and I was home for months, concerned about my unborn child.
These recent events with the Coronavirus has made me reflective of my previous lock downs, as it appears that we are all stepping into a self quarantine.
All the lock downs in my previous experience awakened some of my biggest fears. They ignited a consuming sadness, and a fragile sense of vulnerability. Suddenly life is turned up side down. All plans are cancelled, and there is a great uncertainty about what the outcome will be. During these stressful situations we experience profound uncertainty about how to act, what to do, and what will happen to us and our loved ones. Being separated from our loved ones is heartbreaking in these times.
Fear of not being able to control our turbulent emotions can turn our daily worries into excruciating anxieties. Our personal anxieties, along with the greater public and societal worry, can transform our situation into a big mess. This potentially creates even bigger suffering for ourselves, and the people around us.
Right now we are going through a pandemic virus outbreak, accompanied by a pandemic panic outbreak. Never in human collective history have we had such immense access to the news, and that is great, but watching the news 24/7, and constantly scrolling through social media, can create unnecessary sensory overloads of fear, panic, and often misinformation.
It is important to be well informed during these challenging times, but there is only a certain amount of information that our brain can digest before we get a free ticket to the land of freak outs, irrational fears, and Prozac.
When I start the day by checking my phone, checking the news, my day turns out to be coated with a fine dusting of anxieties and restlessness. I am washing my hands even more obsessively and worrying about things in a far away future that may or may not happen.
If I end my day with this same news obsessions, I end up having nightmares, dreaming about apocalyptic scenarios, and checking on my daughter in the middle of the night to see if she is still alive.
These feelings of helplessness and despair creep in fast. It helps to remind myself that self quarantines are currently our duty, and they are something that any one of us can do to benefit ourselves and our community.
By accepting this situation for what it is, taking care of oneself, and being able to find calmness in this crazy situation that is beyond our control, we are ultimately acting in great service to others as well. The “act local, think global” recipe is very useful now.
This COVID-19 virus is reminding us right now that we are all interconnected. No matter how we look, where we live, in what we believe or how much money we have, we are all affected in the same way.
Along with physical distancing, taking care of personal hygiene, and the numerous other health suggestions we currently read about, incorporating meditation into our daily routine can teach us how we can meet this pandemic outbreak, no matter what we think of it, with greater strength, clarity, and compassion, to bring our scattered energy back to balance.
This is a good time to turn inwards. To get connected with your emotions. Meditation can help us to understand our mind and see what kind of thoughts are rumbling in our heads. Meditation enables us to be a silent observer without getting involved in our stories. The practice of mindfulness meditation is not only a tool to reduce stress, or get us more productive, but also an act of courage; the courage to sit quietly with whatever arrises, and hopefully to find a stillness in ourselves, so that we can meet this ever changing world around us.
Through a steady meditation practice we can become a gentle and compassionate warrior who can transform their fears and strong emotions into a source of wisdom. Meditation can show us how we are not alone in this. Everyone is suffering. Everyone wants to be healthy, happy and safe, just like us. Meditation teaches us to be loving and kind to yourself, to others, and towards everything that arises.
In my experience, keeping things simple always works the best for quieting the buzzing of the mind when there is chaos abound. It is my great hope that we will all find calmness while the world is getting cancelled. To help with this I’m sharing with you a simple breath meditation guide that I like to return to when my BPM’s are jumping. Focusing on the breath make us slow down, to ground ourselves, and create a space so we can act from a place of wisdom.
Simple Breath Meditation
First, find a comfortable place to sit. You can sit on the floor, use a meditation cushion, or if that feels uncomfortable use a chair. Create a safe space where you can return to, preferably somewhere quiet.
Commit to sitting. In the case of meditation, consistency works better than duration. For example, make a commitment to sit every day for 5, 10, 15, or even 20 minutes during the period of one month. Make an experiment and see how is it working for you.
A great time to practice meditation is after waking up, or before bed. Be clear with yourself that this is your time to learn how to meditate, and commit to that goal with your whole heart. Switch off your phone and try to be present.
Your body posture should be steady, with a straight back. Relax your shoulders and legs. Your body should be both alert and relaxed. You can use a wall to support your back from slouching, if necessary.
Extend your neck through the top of your head, and ground yourself through your sitting bones. Your eyes are gently closed, or you can softly gaze in a steady spot in front of you (useful if you start to fall asleep during meditation).
Your lips are gently sealed with the tongue resting on the upper palate. Relax your jaw. Rest your palms on your knees facing upwards. Give yourself a few moments to centre and ground.
Breath.
Start noticing your breath. Notice where you can feel your breath the most. Maybe it’s in the lungs, maybe in the nose, or even in the abdomen. Choose a place and just rest the attention there. Feel it. Be with your breath. Try to stay present with one breath at the time. You can even accompany a word with your breath, if needed to keep you more present. Simple words like ‘inhale- exhale,’ or ‘in breath — out breath,’ or any other repetitive words that speak to you. Your breath is alway there for you, and once you get more comfortable with this meditation you can use it anytime, anywhere.
Our mind is busy. The nature of the mind is to wander. To make our mind stop is almost impossible. Like trying to make our ears stop hearing, or our eyes to stop seeing.
Your mind will get distracted and wander away from your breath during meditation. And that’s ok! Sometimes we get absorbed in thoughts, sometimes we got lost in our stories or emotions that arise. The moment when we notice that we have been distracted from our breath is a magical moment. This is our moment of awareness of what is actually going on. We can choose to acknowledge that moment without judgments, guilt, or blame, then gently let go of that moment, and bring our attention back to the breath. We are trying to stay present, being mindful of just one breath at a time.
Keep it simple.
When your meditation time is done, open your eyes gently and finish. Notice your breath during the cource of the day and see how this practice can be useful to you.
If you find meditation difficult to do it on your own (meditation is very difficult and requires practice), there are plenty of apps and online courses that you can use. I suggest apps such as Insight Timer or Happify. Insight meditation society or Tricycle websites.
When these stressful quarantines are over you can find a traditional meditation centre nearby, and attend workshops or guided meditations. Group meditation at Vippasana centres or Buddhist community centres are a great introduction and support for one’s meditation practice.
Meditation is ultimately a useful skill that we can employ to maintain our equilibrium through out our life. Stresses and crises rise and fall all the time. This particular situation is testing us all. The more tools we have to stay calm, the greater is our ability to be patient and compassionate now, when we need it the most.
May we be happy.
May we be healthy.
May we be safe.
And live at ease.
