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Coronavirus and our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing

Coronavirus and our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing by Shanti Gowans

Discussion around the state of the world, Coronavirus and us

Many people are deeply bewildered about so many unsettling events and the state of affairs taking place in the world right now. From politics to wildfires and floods, to viral outbreaks, and climate change, the news can be overwhelming. Many of these world events are out of our control, but what we do have full control over, is our reaction to them and how we choose to feel.

Today’s hectic 24-hour lifestyle promotes overstimulation and overscheduling, a pace that leads to chronic stress, ill health, behavioural, mood and attention adaptations. It is often difficult to pick which one of the current egregious matters has perturbed what matters most to us. Brought down by our naivete, suddenly realising one deadly thing or another… or not realising something soon enough, being ambushed and assaulted by various cultural and personal shocks to the extreme, we now have a history of being gutted.

When we succumb to limiting stories and their harmful narratives, and become afraid of being left behind in the human ‘race’, we can find ourselves willing to do whatever, in order to at least keep up with others. Additionally, with the varied challenges from nature, Australia has seen bushfires, floods and a continued drought, albeit there have also been reprieves, with wonderful soaking rains and luscious growth.

Nevertheless, new concerns arise around us on a daily basis. In addition, stressful environments, highly processed foods, chemicals, pesticides, pollutants, and imbalanced diets can severely compromise a healthy microbiome. In dark times, there is a tendency to veer towards focusing on how much is wrong and unmended in the world.

When we are in a state of fear, stress or anxiety, our immune systems become suppressed.

It is no secret that what has been going on with the coronavirus right has and is causing a lot of stress and anxiety in the world. Because this has never happened in our modern society, people just don’t know what to do or what to expect, which leads to a lot of fear. The challenge is that when we are in a state of fear, stress, or anxiety, two things happen, namely: our brains do not function in the same way, and so we struggle to make good decisions; and our immune systems are suppressed and this is, of course, not a time we want that to happen.

With rising cases of the coronavirus affliction globally, anxiety around renewed travel bans, disruption to businesses, job losses, the current fear and panic gripping so many people have them fall into being weakened by focusing on what is outside their reach and cannot yet be, and thus running their energy down by bewailing difficult times.

Tune into love and common sense, rather than hysteria and fear. 

The mantra is courage. Do not make yourself ill by being overwhelmed. One of the most important steps you can take to help calm the storm is not to be taken up by a flurry of overwrought emotion or despair. Tune into love and common sense, rather than hysteria and fear. To heal is to touch with love that which was previously touched with fear. Despite our attachments, frustrations, sloth, restless and stints of doubt, we are not without resources. We are the leaders we have been waiting for. We have been raised from childhood and spent a lifetime learning, and being in training, in preparation, to signal each other in our collective quest. You are not alone.

The challenges we face in our lives are how we learn, grow, and create solutions. We are only victims of our circumstances when we let the extraordinary power of our thoughts affect everything around us destructively, causing damage not only to our own lives but also to the lives of others.

There are limitations to future-proofing, which is why we need to aspire to be future-fit instead. We are high-functioning physical expressions of the energy that drives the Universe. We have access to amazing powers and capacities. All of our everyday challenges, both small and large, empower us to awaken to our extraordinary potential as human beings in our everyday lives. The key to the future of human civilisation lies in our personal empowerment. Yet, since we are all the One Life Energy, the only way we can ‘win’ is if all of humanity wins. We have the power to accomplish almost anything and change the world when we consider our humanness and Oneness first and avoid decisions that are destructive and regressive. We have surpassed the benchmarks many times when the puny ego contested the enormity of our universal presence.

Any small, calm thing YOU can do to help yourself or to assist another in some way, helps immensely.

New concerns arise around us on a daily basis. Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach. This does not need everyone on Earth. Any small, calm thing YOU can do to help yourself or to assist another in some way, helps immensely. It is not given to us to know which acts, or by whom, will cause a shift in the critical mass. What is needed for dramatic change is an accumulation of acts. Though we are not invulnerable, having been to hell and back, we are the living proof that that which has been exiled, lost, or crucified can be restored to life again. We have perfected the knack of resurrection and transcendence over and over again. You are still standing. To stand up silently and reveal your essence is an act of enormous bravery and great necessity. An unlit candle can be lit from another candle that is lit and willing to show it.

One of the most calming and powerful actions you can take is by staying healthy, and supporting and boosting your immune system. This can be achieved by:-

• supporting a healthy lifestyle
• changing the gut environment
• resetting digestive strength
• detoxing seasonally, and
• changing our eating habits by eating appropriately for our body type – with appropriate foods, spices, herbs, roots, seeds and flowers in season is an excellent way to let food be the medicine that keeps the body healthy.

Our immunity is also strengthened when we:-

• release stress
• reduce anxiety
• increase calmness
• improve focus
• sleep better
• find balance
• boost our energy
• shift our mindset to increase our positive outlook, and
• build resilience.

The best-kept secret to resilience and health lies in a quiet mind. The quieter we become, the more we notice that silence is not empty. It is replete with a quiet wisdom.

Coronavirus has been declared as a pandemic by the WHO, and with some of the restrictions being eased by various governments, many of us could get it. Although most will be fine, for the more vulnerable it could mean the difference between life and death. We all have someone we love who could be facing this. Our mission now is to slow it down, because the slower it moves, the more our hospitals can cope, and the more lives will be saved.

With the aftermath of the shutdowns, humanity is about to face serious adversity which can either split us apart in fear, or unite us in common purpose and love. Protect yourself. Prevention is better than cure. The most critical mainspring of social change isn’t coalition building or problem analysis. It’s deep, whole, and systemic healing, inside and out. Restoring your body, mind, and spirit amid change is an act of courage, empowerment, and hope. Trust the universe.

Here are some suggestions for being proactive in supporting your own health, and that of your loved ones:

• STOP THE VIRUS at our doorstep – by washing our hands regularly, avoiding unnecessary close contact with others, staying home when we feel unwell and seeking medical advice early.
• PROTECT THE VULNERABLE – by offering love and assistance to those who need it most, and supporting humane policies to keep them safe.
• SPREAD WISDOM – by sharing reliable, factual information with friends and family, and countering voices of fear and demonisation with love and connection.
• MEDITATE DAILY – to reduce stress and anxiety, access brain states that support you in building your capacity and unlocking your potential, and strengthen your immune functioning.
• PRACTICE HEALING SHANTI YOGA – and access the power of group consciousness in healing and wellbeing
• BOOK AN AYURVEDIC CONSULTATION – this can also be by skype, or online, for Ayurvedic herbal and mineral medicine support and to build immunity
• ATTEND A DETOX RETREAT IN NATURE, at Nirvana Wellbeing Retreat Sanctuary, to access pathways to healing and creating optimal states of physical and emotional wellbeing.
• PLACE AN ORDER FOR IMMUNE-ENHANCING AYURVEDIC PRODUCTS, such as Narayan Taila, Anu Taila, Chavanprash online
• BOOK FOR IMMUNE-ENHANCING AYURVEDIC PROCEDURES AND TREATMENTS