Monthly Archives: March 2020

Nature’s Cure

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One thing that will come out of global self-isolation is a deeper appreciation of our natural surroundings. As soon as lock downs were announced around the world people flocked to national parks and green spaces, many for the first time in several weeks, even months.

In the rising age of technology we are spending more and more time on our phones and laptops. Our entertainment comes from streaming programs and movies. Essentially, we live in a Wi-Fi world. Nature is something remote, removed from our daily experience. Perhaps the current crisis will lead us to find more balance between insular online activity and outdoor exercise. There is nothing like something being prohibited to cause a longing for it. Driving through open spaces, no matter how scenic, is still a step removed from the immersive experience that comes from walking, jogging and cycling, among other outdoor pursuits, while filling our lungs with clean air.

Maybe we are nature’s virus and it has sent us to our rooms, flats and houses to wallow in the comfort we so desire, while it recovers and regenerates. Everything in the universe is replication; the micro reflects the macro. The micro organism (covid-19) that is attacking human airways is a replication of the human attacking the atmosphere. While scientists work tirelessly to find a cure for the virus, the earth has found a cure – confining humanity within four walls until we learn to appreciate our natural environment and treat it with utmost respect.

When we finally emerge from our cocoons, I hope we have a deeper appreciation of the natural world and our responsibility to give it equal respect as if it were our own body.

Collette O’Mahony

28/03/2020

Cairngorms National Park, Scotland.

Finding inner calm in a time of crisis.

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What can get us through this time of fear and isolation?

It is true that worry never amounted to a solution, and fear never nourished a single heart. There is a lesson to be learned in our current situation as we wall ourselves off in our homes for fear of catching the virus, or to save others as we wait for our immune system to fight off an infection.

How can we access our eternal being when the mind is crowded by fearful thoughts as ego struggles to make sense of its crumbling world?

It is important to remain informed of new developments in our nation and globally but avoid being saturated by it. Take in the essential information and leave the rest. The ego thrives on fear just as the virus thrives on human contact. Ego and self are comparable terms in spiritual texts. Self isolation (ego isolation) can lead us to a deeper understanding of our eternal being if we take the time to tune into our ever present, underlying peace. This inner peace is generally obscured by mental noise caused by anxiety and stress, never more so than in the current financial and global uncertainty. Yet, when you can take a few moments to check in with your feeling body and allow emotions to pass like waves across deeper still waters, a space opens up where everything is calm. Sure, the waves of uncertainty continue to crash upon the surface but this is not who you are, it is merely a current created by the fearful ego.

We all play a part in the unfolding universe. Mental well being is crucial to our experience in an ever changing world. Clinging to foundations built in sand leads to drowning. Our seemingly solid world, our expectations, hopes and dreams all seem to crash against these fragile foundations creating more fear and anxiety. If your house was about to be flooded, you would evacuate. The ego is the house with shaky foundations, we are being asked to evacuate, to move to safer ground. Thankfully, this safe place is not outside of us, it is within. Go deeper into your inner space, let that safe place envelop you and reassure you that all is well. Flow with the universe, let it lead you to safety, trusting that everything is unfolding perfectly.

Collette O’Mahony

26/03/2020