Pandemic Perspectives (August 2021)
by Katherine Sanchez Trofeo
THERE'S A ME IN MEDITATE
Admit it. You might have been getting anxious about what you hear or read in the news about the pandemic. It's ok if that happens. There are so many stressors in our own lives that are compounded by what is going on in the rest of world right now, so learning to cope is an essential skill to learn.
I started practicing meditation way back in the 1990's when I was very young. This was a way of life for me and somehow, when I grew older, it fell by the wayside. I left my life in Manila to join Elevate in 2019 and when the protests in Hong Kong began I couldn't get a good night's rest. No matter what I did: exercise more, diet change, aromatherapy, whatever I could think of, these didn't make any difference. Finally I decided to go back to my "meditation roots". I reconnected with myself and began to finally sleep and recharge.
"WHY IS MEDITATION SOMETHING TO EXPLORE?"
It can help us cope with the anxiety and unpredictability of the future and of the pandemic.
It is a practice that grounds and centres us while there is a circus of information, ideas and opinions swirling around me.
It can help us befriend our own mind.
"HOW TO DO IT? " (This is how I do it... feel free to try!)
I choose a time of day (best would be after waking in the morning, to set the day with a recharged mind) and place with no distractions. I personally practise open-eyed meditation (like "soft vision") so I don't doze off.
I think about and choose a good thought, quality, or virtue of a spiritual power (example: gratitude or the ability to discern).
If I feel a lack in that quality, I visualise or try to connect with the divine (God, Spiritual Being, whatever name my background provides or my personal preference) who is a more infinite source of that good quality.
Focus on that quality. I normally meditate for 45 minutes up to an hour. You can start realistically by setting aside as low as 5 minutes everyday.
"WHAT IF I HAVE NO TIME, OR CAN'T REALLY COMMIT TO MEDITATION?"
You don't have to go into meditation at full tilt. There are a few things you can do throughout the day to help centre yourself and create some inner peace:
Let's say you've gotten up to take a water break. You would have at least 1 minute to take a peek into your thoughts or mindset and do some "traffic control". Weed out what you deem unnecessary or negative and perform a reset before continuing on with your day.
Give thanks. Being grateful for what you have when others have less helps us look are our situation in a more positive way.
Train to gain perspective. Similar to #2, listening to our mindful thoughts can reward us with insights that will enable us to cope with what is going on.
THINK ABOUT IT.