Our New Reality

“Sticking with that uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic—this is the spiritual path.” - Pema Chodron

It’s hard to believe or succinctly put into words, but here we are: in the midst of a global pandemic, with the ground shifting beneath us by the minute, or perhaps more accurately, by the second. Social distancing, self-isolation, quarantining with our loved ones, quarantining by ourselves. Questioning whether or not it’s okay to go for that morning walk/jog, guiltily walking the supermarket aisles for necessities without gloves or mask on because you haven’t yet been able to gain access to either, trying to stay informed by the news while simultaneously not allowing oneself to be overwhelmed by it.

For those of us who have loved ones in different countries, it feels as though we are living in a race against time in different time zones as we witness the inevitable.

While these are deeply confusing times, one thing is abundantly clear: we are currently being asked to practice stillness. Not only are we being asked, we are being tested. Literally and figuratively. Individually and collectively. The consequences being life and death, nothing in between.

The “tests” come in many forms. Denial: thinking things really aren’t that bad so as to keep going about our lives as we were. Privilege: currently witnessing thousands of teenagers in America partying on beaches during spring break whilst knowing that much of the country does not have medicare or access to receiving the administration of the actual COVID-19 test. Financial: for many people, including self-employed people like myself, not knowing where the next pay check is to come from. Structural: what are the systems in place that will survive? The biggest test, however, is whether or not we are willing to sacrifice our own needs to save, literally save, our fellow man, woman, co-worker, neighbour, sibling, grocery store clerk, healthcare worker, or the parent or grandparent we so desperately want to be with, but is already immunocompromised and therefore cannot risk going near.

We humans, by nature, are social creatures. Ironically, in a time and age where social media interactions have replaced physically interactive relationships, we are more connected on a global level than ever before. As someone who has been on a social media cleanse (with the exception of twitter) for over a month and is currently in self-isolation, I must re-consider how effective this style of living is for my own mental and emotional health. It sounds trivial when comparing it to the atrocities that are happening everywhere in the world. Yet what seemed trivial once may now be necessary.

Each of us are on this collective journey individually. And we are each being tested in a multitude of ways. We are being asked to practice interconnectedness in a time where socially distancing ourselves from one another is key to the survival of much of the human race. Many of the structures that our societies have traditionally been built on are coming to a halt and may cease to exist altogether in the near future. The paradigm is shifting and willingly or not, we are simultaneously being summoned into a new reality. So, how do we deal?

The beauty of being human is that we have the privilege of choice. It’s the one major characteristic that differentiates us from any other species on the planet including animals. The prefrontal cortex, our human brain’s decision-making centre, gives us the opportunity to make a choice. And we can either make those choices either reactively or deliberately. In this time, we are being asked, rather, tested to cultivate stillness amidst the chaos. We are being encouraged to get creative because after-all, life is an actualization of creativity. Somewhere along the way we forgot that, but now we are being reminded. In the spirit of creativity, we are being persuaded to collaborate by using technology, spend solo time in nature, and to simply just breathe - a luxury that is being afforded to many of us and not others. We are being shown that what we once prioritized may, in fact, be folly. But most importantly, we have the opportunity and choice to commiserate with one other, cultivate our compassion, build empathy and get through this together, reflect, breathe, meditate and create despite isolation.

For those who just want things to go back to the way they were, we must embrace and rest assured, that cannot happen. We are finding a new way, both individually and collectively, to exist. We are being forced by power greater than us to co-exist in a new way. Do we choose to navigate this process with grace or inner chaos? Patience or fear? Acceptance or anger? Trust or turmoil? The choice is ours and ours alone, effectively deciding our collective future. And although we are in isolation, no man or woman is an island. Not now, not ever.

My personal test through this time is to harness my creativity, (starting with making a makeshift mask to complement my winter gloves), meditate and exercise at home.

What is your personal test through this time? Which thoughts do you choose to meditate on to get you through this time? I would love hear from you.

Ps. After writing this piece, I came across this article on Politico.com which echos many of the sentiments I have shared here, along with many other insights. Check it out below:

Coronavirus will change the world permanently. Here’s how.