Without doubt 2020 will go down as an unprecedented year in world history. As the world continues its lockdown, the widespread fear and panic is palpable and in many ways understandable. People legitimately fear for their lives, and businesses and society as a whole will struggle to readjust in the wake of the shutdown. Like many others with a platform, I thought I’d take a moment to share my thoughts and something of my own personal experience as it relates to this matter.
Unfortunately, I have more reason to be concerned about Covid-19 than most. My body is not well. Just a couple of months ago I was diagnosed with cancer and am now undergoing a fairly tough chemotherapy regimen. With an existing lung condition on top of that, I’m officially in the ‘high risk’ category. But while I have every reason to be worried, and although I’m certainly taking every precaution that I can, I’m neither worried nor losing any sleep over it.
Why?
Because, first of all, I know that I am not the body. Neither are you! The body is an instrument (or ‘equipment’ as Swami Chinmayananda put it), and it doesn’t even belong to us in the first place! The body is given to us on loan by Isvara/God/the Universe/whatever you want to call it. It’s actually Isvara’s body! Isvara is the landlond and we are merely tenants. While it’s our duty to pay the rent by being responsible with the property—which is to say, eating well, exercising, keeping it as happy and healthy as possible—the deeds and ultimate responsibility for the body belong to Isvara.
If you think about it, how much do you even really DO to keep your body functioning? You put food in one end and let it come out the other. With a bit of luck, you can ensure you live in a safe and healthy environment and choose the appropriate clothing and foods, etc. Aside from that, what else do you really do? Do you ‘do’ the breathing and circulate oxygen throughout your body and eliminate toxins and waste? Do you digest your food, grow your hair and fingernails or have to micromanage all the cells in your body? Nope, it’s all done for you! Complain though we often may, we actually have a pretty good deal.
The fact is we are not the ones ‘doing’ our bodies—or, ultimately, anything for that matter. It’s all being done for us by Isvara—the force that created and sustained this entire universe; the intelligence behind life both sentient and insentient; the invisible force that keeps the stars and galaxies in their pulse of cosmic motion. Not only is Isvara the intelligence running the creation—Isvara is the very form and substance of the creation. What else could it be? In other words, everything is God, from the tiniest subatomic particle to the vastest galaxy. Even the damn coronavirus is God!
Our bodies are here as long as they are needed. While we can control things at a cosmetic level, we don’t get to choose the length of our lifespan. All the fineprint has already been taken care of and, as far as the body is concerned, the “end” was written the moment it “began”. It’s impossible to die at the wrong time. Everything is already set up and determined by what we call our prarabdha karma (the karma apportioned to play out in this particular lifeform). Knowing that, we see how illegitimate our worry actually is. Why worry over something over which we have no control, but which is being controlled for us?
While we have little say over what ultimately happens to the body, we do have greater control with regards to the mind. Right now everyone is justly focused on maintaining physical hygiene, but it’s equally important to have a high level of mental hygiene. This is particularly challenging because minds across the world are on a state of continual heightened alert.
I recommend limiting media exposure. Stop watching the news 24/7! Secondly, try to talk and think about things other than the coronavirus. Focus on what you want rather than what you don’t want. Choose to see the many blessings that are around you; those daily miracles and comforts the habitual mind generally takes for granted.
Like any phenomenal experience, the coronavirus crisis has come, will have a certain duration and then it will pass again. My heart truly goes out to everyone whose lives and loved ones have been affected by this crisis. Life will continue, however, and I believe that some good will ultimately come of it. Nothing in duality is ever completely good OR bad. The terrible abuse human beings have inflicted on the planet has temporarily reduced, allowing some much needed healing and replenishment. I also like to believe that people—well, some people—will learn from this drastic scaling back and refocus on the things that truly matter in life, the highest of values; and that society will be restructured accordingly.
On that note, I believe we should all use this time wisely. Time is a gift and one that should never be squandered. Take this opportunity to devote yourself to your sadhana (spiritual practice). Use it to polish the mirror of your mind—making it an ever clearer, calmer and beautiful receptacle for the light of Truth and Love. If you can live calmly, optimistically and happily during a crisis time such as this, you have truly mastered living!
Finally, I urge you to immerse yourself in the Vedantic teachings of Self knowledge. Life’s highest goal and ultimate end is not achieving worldly ends; it’s not about chasing money, relationships or fame, or whatever the else the mind gets hooked on—it’s about moksa, or liberation.
When you know who you truly are — the Self (pure awareness/consciousness) and not the body or mind or any of its aggregates — you reclaim the freedom that is your divine birthright (and which, as you discover, was never truly lacking).
Although the body, mind and ego are subject to constant change and modfication, as the Self, awareness, you are untouchable by anything in this world…including the goddamn coronavirus!
Take it from me, before I realised I was awareness and not a body/mind/ego, I dread to think how I’d have coped with the past few months. Things are not easy at a physical level. But I endeavour to take each day at a time, and as it is—a gift. Isvara is taking care of everything, so why worry when you’ve got the force that births stars, planets and entire galaxies on the case?
When you realise beyond a shadow of doubt that you are awareness and not any of the objects appearing in it, you know that YOU—THE REAL YOU—ARE ALREADY FREE in spite of whatever craziness might be taking place in the world, and in spite of whatever condition you might find your body or mind in. You just accept these things, take care of them, and trust the landlord to fix the leaks and replaster the walls. It’s all taken care of, always, even when it doesn’t appear that way to the nervous, grasping mind. And you, as That which ever witnesses this divine play, are always and ever free!
