What a Pandemic Can Teach Us

This episode is a talk entitled “What a Pandemic Can Teach Us”, which I gave to a virtual Healing Circle in March 2020 (at the very onset of the pandemic).  Unfortunately, it is still quite relevant and timely as the virus rages and worsens globally in December 2020.  While being frightening and horrific, a pandemic also provides an opportunity to take a look at ourselves, how we live, and what we’re avoiding or ignoring in our lives.

On the societal level, the virus, being wild, untamed, and unrelenting, is acting as a messenger from the natural world, alerting us to our foibles of attempting to domesticate and dominate that world. These messages grow ever more strident each year.

 On the personal level, I discuss:

 ·      How intense adversity brings a focus and urgency to the forefront

·      The truth of interdependence

·      What a pandemic can instruct us about the workings of karma

·      How to work with and manage intense or difficult emotions

 To that last point, toward the end of the episode, I describe a four-step practice that can help to manage emotions that threaten to overwhelm us. It is called the 4 S’s practice, which can be done in a few minutes.   Since parts of this practice involve arm and hand gestures, I have made a video of the practice that you can view on my Unconditionalhealing.org site.  You will see a link for the 4 S’s practice at the top of every page.