“And people stayed at home. And read books and listened and rested and practiced and made art and played games and learned new ways of being and was silent. And listened deeper. Some meditated, others prayed, others danced. Some met their shadows. And people started to think differently. "~ Kitty O’Meara
While this pandemic turns out to be very confusing and difficult for many people, it undoubtedly offers mankind an incredibly rare opportunity to learn some challenging lessons. I think these lessons will trigger a much-needed change in the way we work on this planet and hopefully allow us to turn the page.
For a long time you had the feeling that we had lived in a way that violates everything that is natural and sacred.
We had lived in a way that served neither human beings nor the natural world, and yet we seemed to continue on this path seemingly powerless to stop what we were doing.
It's like we're all part of this machine that kept chugging, but nobody could find the stop button. Well, this stop button has arrived and it's nothing we could ever have imagined.
Our priorities have changed massively in the past few weeks, and the economy has largely confirmed this. Sales of food and health products have gone through the roof, while sales of clothing, makeup, cars, etc. (you know, the stuff we don't really need but think we need to achieve some kind of luck) has decreased .
In my private life, I can feel that my priorities have changed massively due to this pandemic, and it has opened my eyes to see how much can change in such a short time.
I recently looked at pictures I had taken of myself and my daughter a few months ago, and suddenly this strange thought came to me: in a way, life will never be the same again.
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I think most of us are wondering what the future will be like and how this pandemic will change the way we do things, but I think there is no way to escape the change of perspective they are doing will bring with it.
This is our silver lining, and hopefully it will allow us to look back at that time and feel that there were some advantages.
Here are six valuable lessons that I think we will learn from.
1. The power of silence.
Our lives were interrupted, many had to work from home, and we can travel longer when it is not necessary.
This gave us the power of silence and the opportunity to slow down without an excuse. There is no other situation than the outbreak of a virus in which our world would come to such a pause. This will most likely be an opportunity we will never get again (and ironically, we all hope we will never get it again).
As such, this is more than ever – for those who are still locked up – the time to go inside and still be with yourself. Heal, remove emotional blocks, meditate and practice yoga. Use this opportunity to do the inner work for which you have not had time before. If there was ever time for personal transformation, it is now.
And if the barriers are lifted, we may recognize the value of a quieter and more peaceful life.
2. Friends and family mean everything.
Probably the most difficult part of this trip for most people is the separation from their friends, family, and maybe even a romantic partner.
I once heard someone say that "connection is something that everyone needs, but we're just not very good at it." Who has the feeling that human interaction may have been taken for granted before? I will raise my hand to it.
Connection is something that is so important for our emotional and mental well-being, but which we often take for granted.
After this is over, I think people will reach out like never before and everyone will be so happy to see their loved ones again. And maybe we are a little braver and share our smiles and greetings with those we don't even know.
3. Nature continues to thrive even when the world is closed.
For many during this closure, including myself, nature was a lifesaver. No matter if we spend time in our garden, walk through a park, work in the garden, grow food (I admit that not everyone could enjoy this luxury) or just stick our head out of the window to get fresh air and sunlight We can rely on the serenity of nature. While the world stopped, nature remained constant.
There have also been incredible stories about wild animals that take over quiet city centers and dolphins that return to waters where they have not been spotted for hundreds of years. Nature never stops and the sad truth is that fewer human activities have allowed nature to thrive in ways that most of us have never seen in our lives.
However, if we see nature with all its beauty in full force, we may create new systems in which man and nature can thrive together. I can't stand thinking of losing our fresh air or the animals that have finally felt safe enough to get closer to us. Maybe this is the big wake up call we needed.
Anyway, I think humans will have a new relationship with nature and hopefully this could lead to major environmental changes.
4. Material goods mean nothing.
As I mentioned earlier, this pandemic has forced us to completely rearrange our priorities and I can't help but think that this is a good thing. What good are material things if your health, safety and access to food are at risk? They mean zero at times like this, which in my opinion only helps us to put into perspective exactly what we should prioritize in our lives.
Since I realized that this virus would be very serious, I hardly bought anything that is not absolutely necessary. And of course that doesn't mean that I'm done buying nice clothes or things to make my life more comfortable, but it shed light on how little I actually need and what really makes me happy.
5. Our health is gold.
Health is something that we take for granted until it is at risk. The possibility that our health deteriorates has led many of us to pay more attention to their food intake and cleanliness. Some of us have even taken preventive health measures and measures to strengthen our immune system.
If we have a working body without serious physical complaints, we should be extremely grateful!
6. Essential workers are heroes.
Every good story needs its hero, and in the story that is happening on our planet, our heroes are of course key workers – healthcare workers, deliverers, bus and train drivers, and those in work in supermarkets and in food distribution. These are the people who keep everything going and are currently risking their health and safety every day to do so.
In the past, so many of these professions were viewed as jobs that require little expertise or do not make a lot of money, but there is currently no word on what we would do without these people.
I hope that these professions will be highly valued in the future and that the soldiers fighting at the front will be remembered. If this pandemic teaches us anything, it is not to take anyone or anything for granted.
What will be the result of all of this?
I think everyone is wondering what exactly will come out of this crisis and whether we will really change our ways. Are we going to learn the lessons or go back to what we were before – our unhealthy "normalcy"?
It remains to be seen. However, as individuals, we can make our own decisions, and it is our individual decision that makes the difference.
Let us learn from this situation and do what we can to preserve nature, bring more silence into our lives and never take people or our health and safety for granted again. As always, individual changes and transformations will always triumph.
About Arabella Lumley
Arabella Lumley is the creator and author of Small Ripples, a blog that inspires people to bring about positive inner changes and to enter their “divine power”. She also created the “Step into Your Divine Power” workbook with meditations, ceremonies, and healing protocols to connect you to your divinity, which you can download here. Connect with her on Instagram for spiritual guidance, affirmations, and more!
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