What is your monkey mind trying to tell you?

Over the course of the last 6 months or so, we all experienced the notion of being collectively grounded. We were forbidden to leave our place of residence except for required activities. By definition, positive reinforcement was revoked and privileges were taken away. We have been tip-toeing around to ensure our punishment is not prolonged, or perhaps even rebelling a little as an act to defend our civil liberties.

During this time, we were told to wear masks, while hearing rumors of mask-related co2 poisoning. We were told to accept hand sanitizer as our new best friend, then hearing that soap and water was the only efficacious option. We were told covid-19 was being transmitted via respiratory droplets, while we questioned the risk of airborne transmission. We have absorbed so much information and anxiously waited for consensus, consistency and direction. At this point, it’s okay to feel a little angry; it’s difficult to plan when the goal post is constantly shifting, and it’s challenging to find peace when there are so many unknowns. So where does this leave us?

For many of us, it’s our very own, once-in-a-lifetime, brand new global pandemic. So, the fact that we are still finding our feet and figuring out what to do in a world where no one has clear answers should invite compassion as we go through the motions of daily life. Many of us may feel quite alone in our experience, and maybe for the first time in a long time, have leaned into vulnerability and truly felt it, rather than filling our day with distraction. Feeling vulnerable can result from a lack of control. Not knowing what will happen next. Perhaps this shared experience will help to cultivate a greater sense of togetherness and connectivity, even if we can no longer read people’s facial expressions.

Distance is a precursor to connection, and has the power to supersede physical proximity. When you remove the minutiae of life, it allows us to give in to the sensation of timeless presence. When you’re in that space, what do you feel? If you remove your job title, which friends you hang out with, where you go on vacation, then who are you? What do you care about? Who do you care about? It’s also important to check in with yourself and observe how much you’re moving throughout the day, how you’re fueling your body, and if you’re spending enough time away from screens. When you remove the distractions and chaos of daily life, you might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

Covid-19 to me has been like forced meditation that worked. We are all sitting in reality and experiencing each moment as it comes and goes (and wondering when it will end). The nature of our mind is to always be thinking and the goal to not let your thoughts be in control of you, but to serve you. If you don’t give your monkey mind something to do, it will be mischievous. Focusing your mind produces a finer energy, where your intention feels clearer, listening is more purposeful, and you feel more connected. Covid-19, has forced us to sit in a blank space filled with unknowns for an indefinite period, but instead of waiting for it to end, we can choose to experience each moment as it comes and goes, and make a deliberate choice as to what we would like to extract from this experience.