Ready for a spiritual awakening

Spending 21 days in isolation, out of which six days were spent in a hospital, taught me so many things. Apart from the constant doubt, it was the fear of the unknown that loomed over me. Add to that the fact that I am a diabetic was daunting, to say the least.

Staying away from my family members, it was almost like I began living in a world of my own. Of course, it was lonely without a doubt. But amidst such a life-threatening situation outside, all I did was to look inward. I decided to soul-search and tried to be as positive as I possibly could.

My day would begin with prayer and meditation, which felt similar to a spiritual awakening. I asked myself: “Does one need as much as one amasses throughout one’s life?”. While our needs are limited, our desires remain unlimited. As the days went by, I sensed an internal push and finally joined online classes to learn and understand the Bhagavad Gita. I slowly started replacing the junk on my mobile phone with recorded voice notes of shlokas from these scriptures. This entire experience was one filled with happiness. The journey that started seven to eight months ago continues to be a part of my daily life even today. Another morning ritual that I have incorporated in my life is light breathing exercises.
These exercises help improve my lung capacity, which was severely affected due to the dreaded virus.

There were other mandatory chores that I couldn’t shy away from when I was unwell. When in isolation, you have to wash your utensils and clothes; even tidy your room despite being weak. I have no idea where I got the strength to complete these chores every day. Even if one has all the means, such tasks were left only to be done by a Covid-infected person themselves. I often questioned myself: “Is nature trying to teach us something?” only to realise that each one of us must find this answer on our own.

As the days went by, I observed that the last thing I gave any importance to was the idiot box. When you think of it, television was instrumental in spreading more negativity than any other medium.

Was I, during this time, thinking of buying a car, a property, or investing in the stock market? Was I thinking of work? The answer is no. I was praying for my life and the well-being of my family. I also made a promise to myself not to venture out for fun. The stories of near and dear ones losing a family member to Covid started to emerge from every nook and corner. The atmosphere became sombre all around. We witnessed people scrabbling for oxygen, medicines, ambulance, hospital beds, and other basic amenities. In isolation, we are forced to take some time out to think: Where are we going? What do we want from life? Are we moving in the right direction? All these questions, among others, push and provoke us to seek the answers.

Something must change. We have refused to follow the law of nature, and when this happens, it forces us to move in the right direction. We must not lose hope. What we must do is introspect and take decisions, as well as ensure that every individual is responsible for nature. These are God’s ways to cure Mother Earth. Let us bow down and pray that eventually, it heals all of us.