Unpacking the Pandemic

Like you, my life has been hijacked by this pandemic. Many people are feeling alone, isolated, bored and uncomfortable. We are not used to spending so much time out of our usual routines.

We also underwent a powerful shift of a different sort, a natural turning of the wheel from winter to spring. On March 19th we had the spring equinox, one of two times a year when night and day are of equal length. This equinox signals the returning of the Sun out of winter's darkness. From the spring equinox forward, the days steadily outpace the nights, growing longer and longer until we reach the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.

Working with change

What does this have to do with us? Everything! This shift in life's natural energies signals our own bodies to shift as well. As the Sun's energy builds, so does our own. As cool rains wash the earth, so do we wash our beings of past heaviness. As spring leaps into fresh bloom, so can we.

We are not separate from the natural rhythms of life. We simply choose to attend to them or not. If we ignore these natural shifts, it doesn't mean they haven't impacted us. It simply means we have no control over how. No one is immune.

An opportunity through the pandemic

One thing about this pandemic and the precautions we must take is that it is forcing us out of our comfort zone, our habits, our stress comas - out of all our default patterns. Whenever we step out of our default patterns, we enter an opportunity for true change to take place on a lasting scale. This happens because we suddenly begin to "see" or notice things in ways we hadn't before. It's as if a fog lifts.

This provides us a powerful opportunity to heal on a Soul level and spiritually awaken ourselves. The process of spiritual awakening is like a flower moving from pollen to seed to sprout to bulb to bloom. We do it step by step as we're ready.

If we are paying attention in this very moment, we have a clear opportunity to enter this process, to heal and to awaken some part of us, to spiritually evolve into more whole, loving, joy-filled beings. Between this unprecedented time we have to be home right now and the movement of energy from darkness to lightness through the spring equinox, the container of our lives is primed and ready to enter such a journey.

Here are 5 simple yet powerful ways to turn this time of challenge into a sacred window of opportunity. Try any or all of them and more, to see where they lead your spirit.

1. Do things that inspire you. Anything that inspires you also raises your energy. Anything that raises your energy supports you in making desired changes in your life because you can't make them unless you have the energy to do so. This might be taking up a hobby you've always wanted to learn like cooking, a new language, making art, playing an instrument, meditation, yoga, or exploring new fields like astrology and Ayurveda.

2. Make a list of what you are wholly ready to release from your life—burdens, heavy feelings, unkind people, etc...anything that keeps you from shining your brightest. When your list feels complete, find a safe place to burn your list. Light a small fire. Fold the paper and hold it in your hands, feeling your readiness to let it all go. When you are ready, place it into the fire and watch it burn, banishing all it contains from your life. Repeat this as often as you wish.

3. Complete this sentence in your private journal every day: "I am ready to open to (blank)." Or "I am ready to experience the joy of (blank)." You can repeat the same thing every day, or pick new things, up to you.

4. Think of one thing that has felt as a burden to you for some time now. Feel into the impact this burden has had on your life. Write the word down on a piece of paper in lowercase letters. Then imagine what life would feel like without it. Come up with one word to describe your life without this burden. When you are ready, draw a thick line through the first word you wrote down that feels as a burden and draw an arrow on your paper from it to where you write the new word in capital letters, like this: fear ------> TRUST

Place this paper where you see it every day and use it to cue your mind to shift it's thinking. In time, this can actually shift the default neural-pathways in your brain to new, supportive ones. When you shift your thoughts, you shift your energy and that can shift your life.

5. Spend time outside enjoying the fresh air, sunshine, and nature around you. Touch the grass and trees. Listen to the birds. Watch the critters. Notice the colors and the clouds. See what scents come your way. Let your body release stress and tension to the earth or sun. Listen to how quiet the world is when life's obligations are put on hold. Enjoy the stillness.

The spring equinox along with this pandemic are providing a special opportunity for change. We can ignore it and keep struggling with old burdens, or we can honor ourselves by taking some simple yet powerful steps on your behalf. Why not become "pro-activists" on our behalf!

Remember—if we change nothing, nothing changes.