Connection in a Time of Isolation
A Journey Toward the Collective Soul
Has there ever been a time where humans have felt so isolated? The uncertainty of our future feels more intense than it ever has, right now! Loss of employment, business, border closures, mask mandates, social distancing mandates, mandated lockdowns, law changes, inflation, social unrest, and fear are dividing us further.
We are not meant to be solitary beings connection is a basic human necessity. Yet, we have been increasingly isolating ourselves from social interactions we so desperately desire. We are becoming physically, socially, spiritually, and energetically distant from our fellow human beings. Fear of a virus, intense public health measures, differing opinions on what freedom is, or any number of the subscribed ideologies are making us feel distant from the next person.
Connection is a word we hear and throw around a lot. It is a prominent theme in the advertising and marketing of technology such as smartphones, apps, and social media. Unfortunately, they have turned the desire to connect into an addictive drug for profit.
We have never been so technologically connected, but how nourishing are those connections? Are most just shallow surface connections? Could we use these innovations to nourish our souls with deep human connection?
We are becoming engulfed in deep loneliness, despair, mistrust, disgust, and even hatred for one another. It’s a time where we can’t see a passing stranger’s smile on the street due to masks or screens. We can’t give a loving touch to our sick, old, and dying or celebrate and grieve with loved ones due to social distancing, lockdowns and boarder closures. How many people have died alone during this pandemic? We are working more from home than ever before, schools are closing, social groups are unable to meet, depression, anxiety, and suicide are on the rise, and we have no idea of when it will end.
Consequently, we are disconnecting from life within and around us and the beauty it holds in our being. What we need now more than ever is to learn a deeper level of connection. This type of connection stays with you through these times of isolation, offering a ray of hope, the knowledge that you still belong. Technology can help us do this, especially when we are forced to self-isolate or quarantine, but it is barely skin deep.
Some years ago, I found myself face to face with a total stranger about to embark on a scary journey of eye gazing!! For those who haven’t heard of this weird and witchy practice, two people stare into each other’s eyes for some time (e.g., a very long 5 mins) without saying a thing. Yet, I found that once I settled in and let go of my fear of being seen, judged, or failing I felt something magical come over me.
I felt like I was staring into the eyes of my soul, like I knew this person in the most intimate way. I saw their pain, love, fear, joy, and grief; I felt it course through my entire being. It was, in essence, a divine connection. These practices almost always end in extended hugs (assuming these are allowed at the moment). You have not said a word to each other, just connected in a deep, compassionate, and accepting way. In that moment, you feel like you know that person as you know yourself. After experiencing this, all material worries fall away, opening us to a sense of belonging and ease.
The experience of eye gazing, holding space, conscious festivals, and sacred sharing circles taught me to maintain compassion and love in my heart for all beings (including myself). Yes, it is confronting and terrifying to let yourself be seen and known without all the labels and masks we wear throughout our existence. Still, it is worth it, even if just for a short time!
When we can learn to connect, soul to soul, we may then see how to plug back into the soul of mother earth. Maybe then we will begin to repair our bonds to the life that sustains life itself, so we can live this extraordinary life together.
“A human being is a part of the whole called by us — universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” Albert Einstein
How can we use our knowledge of our history to ensure we lay the start of a better path for ourselves and the next generations to come?
We can start by showing respect and connecting to those who have been here before us. Listen to their stories and wisdom and let them light us a path to evolve into a better being. Then, learn to interpret them correctly without material agenda. This wisdom from history and our ancestors can show us what we have lost on our current path and all that we have gained from their lives.
Bare your soul for all to see, so others can begin to see it in themselves. Regularly share moments of deep connection through practices such as eye gazing, authentic sharing, conscious relationships, space holding, and being our authentic selves. Do it with loved ones and strangers alike, in person or with the use of technology, and maybe we can help ourselves take that step to a better future for all. Its time we rise above all that divides us from each other and connect back into the collective soul of the universe.
