Our range of reactions and coping mechanisms understandably run the gamut right now. And for good reason. Aside from our unique histories, we have massively different sets of circumstances. But no one has gone untouched by COVID 19. And odds are, no one ever will again.

As always, what is fascinating to me is that,  regardless of circumstances, some of us seem to cope well (almost as if nothing is happening at all), and others battle with anxiety and depression to the utmost degree. And it seems like social media wants us to react calmly, yet highly productively and creatively.

There doesn’t necessarily seem to be much correlation between circumstances and reactions at all. I know of a few unemployed but incredibly resilient and positive people, good at keeping focused on what they do still have; loved ones, food to eat etc. I also know there are people with well-paid jobs who are terrified and panic buying all the toilet paper and flour. Personally, I almost had a full blown panic attack waiting in a supermarket queue because the guy behind me was less than two metres away the whole time.

Then I wonder, isn’t it normal to be feeling a lot of things right now? Shouldn’t we all internally be freaking the f@*# out? Does anyone else get suspicious of people who are genuinely just super chill at the moment? I mean, I understand that watching too much news is bad for our mental health, but avoiding information completely has to be equally as bad.

I often come back to ignorance (lack of information) as the most serious, universal problem; though admittedly for many, ignorance is a direct result of the circumstances they were born into. Worldly knowledge and access to (accurate) information is in many ways relegated to the most privileged among us.

The all too common – what you don’t know can’t hurt you/ignorance is bliss attitude, can have an astounding butterfly effect. Actions we take as a result of our ignorance can certainly hurt a lot of other people, and the planet around us… Hang on a minute, aren’t we all involved with other people and living on the same planet? So could it be that the boomerang that came back and smacked you in the head because you hadn’t seen it coming, was actually the same one you unknowingly threw in the first place…?!

Now, if you are not living in blissful ignorance; if you know that the earth is overpopulated and we are currently NOT sustainably producing enough food, which in turn leads to pandemics and hundreds of thousands of deaths, why would you have more than one or two children? We know that at most, we should only replace ourselves. It doesn’t matter whether or not your personal family can afford to do it, we know the planet cannot, and that we are all inextricably connected.

I’m not laying blame. We’ve all done our part to cause these problems. I’m just saying; perhaps it is time to wake up. Read more. Feel the feelings. Feel the true weight of our personal choices. Surely, this is the time for unconditional love for all living beings, not only those who exist in our bubbles. When we know better we should do better. Remember that old chestnut?

At the end of the day I’ve got no idea whether or not ignorance results in an exceedingly relaxed reaction from people, or the opposite. I suppose it might be quite a shock to realise what is actually happening on the planet if you’ve previously been unaware. I think perhaps the ultimate goal is to land somewhere in the middle – informed, prepared and calm but moving.

Here’s another idea about “appropriate” feelings right now…

Brilliant, best-selling author, Glennon Doyle, recently told the story of her daughter becoming obsessed with polar bears after her teacher had informed the class that the ice caps are melting and the polar bears are losing their homes. Her child was the only one in the class unable to accept this news, and was therefore labeled a bit of a problem. She eventually explained to her mum that she knew that if it was the polar bears now, it would be humans next. In a profound realisation, Glennon realised that her daughter was having a perfectly appropriate reaction. The type of reaction which is in fact needed in order to propel us into action if humanity has any chance of survival.

 

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Those of us who feel things very deeply are possibly the ones who are most driven to take the action needed to get us all out of this mess. Emotions are neither good nor bad. They’re simply here to guide us. It is what we do with them that matters. And it’s very possible to both feel deeply while also thinking clearly.

Another fascinating person to listen to right now is Yale educated (but eastern spirituality experienced) writer and philosopher, Charles Eisenstein.

Eisenstein says that nothing that is happening now is even new. It’s all simply an intensified version of things which have always been going on. Suddenly we are becoming more aware of our connectedness, and how fragile our economic and political systems are. Of how corrupt our leaders are and how poor those in poverty are. And of what a mess our ecosystem is. His reaction to our pandemic was essentially a shrug. Well, duh… who didn’t see this coming? Pretty much everyone except our governments? To which he added that the US government at least does seem to be well prepared for marshal law… potentially anticipating an uprising.

In a recent Luminary podcast, he discussed the way the Covid-19 situation is being managed, and expressed that while science and the use of data is important, we must keep in mind that many people have experienced life in far broader ways. While applying logic and methodology is no doubt useful, so too are the less quantifiable or even unexplainable experiences.

Here is a simplified version of an example that resonated with me. Eisenstein explained that a person may, for example, feel a special connection to whales (could be any other animal or form of life). For whatever reason they feel called to save the whales. There is no science involved, it’s just a feeling. As it turns out, whales are necessary for the functioning of our overall ecosystem. They serve a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the planet (humans included).

Pretty much everything is like that. With each life form that ends up extinct (200 species per day now) , humans are one step closer to our own extinction. So, perhaps you feel mysteriously called towards something. Follow that calling and most likely you will instinctually be doing your part to save us all.

Thus, while logic, rational thinking and data have an important part to play, being in touch with our deepest feelings right now is immensely important too.

To get political for a moment, I’m quite sure this is why those countries with female leaders have fared so much better. Naturally I can speak more to New Zealand than elsewhere. Our leader has emotional intelligence coming our her ears. That means, she is empathetic and deeply compassionate, but manages those feelings well, and uses them to help her make choices for the majority, not only the wealthy. Not to say men don’t also have emotional intelligence, but this has always traditionally been something far more cultivated and encouraged in women. Jacinda Ardern is leading with both her heart and her mind. That, in addition to astounding communication skills.

So, let’s not brush aside all our feelings right now as pointless and overly dramatic. But rather ask them what they have to teach us. Use those feelings to motivate us into action.

What small changes can you make to help our world heal and grow? Are you connecting to others; and to yourself? Have you tapped in to your creative potential? Have you learned anything?

Have you investigated how this pandemic really began? Plenty of informed people have seen it coming for a very long time. Just as well-informed people are telling us that climate change is happening now. Those of us who do not live with our heads in the sand, know precisely what is happening to our planet and why.

Like Glennon’s daughter, I’ve known it since I was a very small child. Before I could even read I stopped wanting to eat meat. And as it turns out, global animal agriculture is one of the main reasons we are in this mess. Amazing how the gut knows before the mind does.

So.. what is the appropriate reaction right now? I can only suggest you go inward and feel it for yourself. Then… do something. Do anything. Don’t let that feeling beat you into submission.

“Act like your house is on fire, because it is.” said Greta Thunberg. The root causes of this pandemic are the same as the root causes of climate change: over-population, animal agriculture, deforestation, globalisation…. Granted, there are plenty more causes of climate change. But, let’s start to piece it together. If the appropriate reaction to climate change is to act like our house is on fire, then the appropriate reaction to a pandemic may well be something similar.

We cannot keep living as if we are not connected to everyone else, all over the planet, and to our planet itself. Every decision we make as individuals has an effect on everyone else. And until the poorest countries on earth are free from Covid 19, none of us will be free from it. This is that moment when we finally band together against the alien invaders. And no, the alien invaders aren’t some group of Chinese super villains who made a virus in a lab. We all did this to ourselves, in our daily choices, and our political choices, and by not raising our voices.

So, I for one hope we never go back to “normal”.

Time for a long-overdue revolution, starting from within. Yep, I suppose that’s what I think is appropriate.