Every day lately, these song titles, Bob Dylan’s “The Times they are a changin” and REM’s “It’s The End of the World as We know it” run through my head. Times are changing and the world as we have known it is indeed shifting. These are uncertain times as COVID-19 spreads across the world and with it comes a whirl wind of fear as hundreds of thousands of people are now sick and thousands are dying. I have had years of teachings on impermanence, and I have a conceptual understanding of it, but now it is ever so present/ I mean right here — there is no where to run. This reality has brought me to my cushion of meditation often lately. When I become fearful, I can come home to my cushion, meditation, breath and thus the present moment. As I meditate, my breath eases my fear and calms my nervous system, my thoughts become become less rigid and more clear and my body relaxes. I find stability in this storm and I can rest. Again and again I have to return to my meditation, in this way.
I am offering a free zoom meditation on Friday mornings at 8:30 PDT for anyone interested. Just email me and I’ll add you to the list. Be well!
I appreciate how you bring meditation into your practice. I’m also contemplating how these times are calling on us to deepen our connections – with ourselves, our beloveds, Mother Nature, even those we don’t agree with. To deepen our empathy, and become more aware of how interconnected we are. To embrace our interdependence. There are silver linings in this, along with much suffering, and my hope is we stay awake to both in the aftermath of the pandemic. I have a sense Mother Earth is hitting “pause” and giving us an opportunity to make new choices that will be healthier for her and all sentient beings. May we listen and learn.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful response. I totally agree with you — we are being asked to slow down, pause, and listen in perhaps a new and different way! May it be of benefit!