We can only experience our gross physical world, our universe, through the Five Senses that we are endowed with as Humans. What distinguishes us from other creatures that co-inhabit our planet is our ability to display emotions, to evaluate the subtlety of our thoughts and to develop a sense of wonder and curiosity about our existence. Our inner faculties, our unique brain that has been evolving for millions of years, process the signals we pick up of the outer world through our sense of smell, sound, vision, taste and touch. We are the only beings on planet earth that have the power to enhance and maintain the quality of life as we know it, or we could destroy whatever Nature has preserved for us over millions of years. Yet we are the most precious and prized objects of her creation.
However, collectively, consciously or unconsciously, using our attributes of blind greed and unbridled stupidity, we chose destruction. But this is her world, and she won’t have any more of this mindless, rampant vulgarity unleashed on her domain. Mother Nature will not standby and permit her world of unparalleled beauty and splendour to be used and abused any longer, especially by the irrational whims of her most favoured creatures. But we are still her children whom she cares for and for whom she lovingly, ceaselessly, provides for and protects. And forgives, for “they know not what they do”.
During the past months, almost every single person on earth has been going thru bouts of debilitating fear and inexplicable trauma, mental and physical; and it will continue for a good part of this year.
An Historical Year: 2020, Anno Domini. The Year of Rehab: So where are we? In Lockdown Land on Planet Mask, the new address for 7.6 billion human creatures, our Rehabilitation & Rescue Centre. We are here to have our skewered vision of the world checked, corrected and changed. It is said, when you finally meet your Guru, he changes your glasses. Coming out of this era of History that ended December 2019, we will be seeing a new world enhanced by our Grade A, 20/20 Vision. This New World will of course be designed according to our all-new Blueprint of our little Blue Planet, Earth Vision 2.0, only this time we have to get it right.
What will change? Several ironies will blossom: We were always told to love, to be close to one another, but now we are resoundingly advised to maintain a “social” distance. Yet ironically, with mutual apprehension for self-preservation, it has actually brought us closer.
Today, neighbours, relatives, friends, family, and even “enemies”, for whom we didn’t care, or whom we didn’t even know were there, are all now on your regular chat list. Indeed, with the threat of a curtailed lifespan, we have begun appreciating the value of their long forgotten love and concern, you for them, and them for you. Old grudges seem meaningless.
Our new 20/20 vision has begun to make us focus on the state of our health, mental and physical, our degree of immunity to the biological dangers that lurk unseen, undetectable around us. Our diet: as the highest, noble, most wise and discerning inhabitants on the planet, must we depend on the life of other creatures for our survival?
This new and intensive vibe that so powerfully now engulfs us all, has begun to incubate within each of us a high sense of trust and dependence on the people involved in the general sphere of our current existence. Good Samaritans have begun to appear from everywhere, not just that one solitary passerby that displayed his gentle compassion on a helpless, poor old sick man lying by the road side. That was indeed a testament of human kindness, many eons and pandemics ago. It’s here, now, all those thousands of Brave Hearts who have so precariously positioned their lives on the “frontline”: doctors, nurses, paramedics, sanitation workers, the police, the army, drivers, journalists, and also many of our much-maligned politicians, bless them all.
The silence and solitude that has been brought upon as an unseen and unexpected gift of pleasantness; no sound and atmospheric pollution, cooler temperatures, noisy air conditioners off in the midst of summer, are actually prompting us to look inwards, to scout the hidden recesses of our inner being, to “discover” who we really are. To seriously ponder on what we are experiencing at this time of our lives, and why has this life-shaking catastrophe been so drastically imposed upon the entire human race.
Our inner strength, our faith in the Supreme Being, which are in reality one and the same, may never again be tested in such a subtle and dramatic manner, which means we cannot fail.
Are we up to it? It’s not about how strong we are as a family, or as a society, or as a community, or as a nation, it’s up to each one of us as an individual. It’s not about how far our spiritual practices have brought us, not about how far our Sadhana has progressed. It’s time to muster all the power and energy and wisdom of life that we have so far accumulated during the course of our lifetime. Every ounce of knowledge and wisdom we have gathered up until now will come to the fore. We are about to come face to face with the real value and true substance of our lives, the very meaning of being human. This is what life today is telling us.
The degree of danger is in direct proportion to the fear you harbour.
We have collectively become that much more spiritually advanced. Our 20/20 inner vision has given us a deeper insight into the value of life and death. Take that meaning deeper; meditation is the tool to help you do just that. The source of stillness lies within, in the innermost cave of your Heart, THAT is the real you. Go there.
(The author is now a permanent resident of Goa after many years of living in Mumbai, New York and London)
