This Isn’t A Lockdown, It’s a Free-Up! By Chong Bing Kuan

The Covid-19 pandemic is changing the world. Many are saying that this is the great awakening and we will all be more conscious and evolved, and therefore better, from it. How is this so?

Emerging Into A Changed World

Unless you had been meditating in a cave somewhere since November 2019, you would have been impacted in one way or another by the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. Speaking of caves and meditation, in March, the American actor Jared Leto did suddenly find himself in a locked down world when he emerged from the desert after 12 days of ‘silent meditation’. Now, that’s self-isolation with a twist!

My home country Malaysia imposed its version of the lockdown – ‘Movement Control Order’ on March 18 (and it still is in operation at this time of writing). All businesses were to be closed except the most essential ones; physical distancing was to be maintained. No unnecessary travel was allowed and everyone was to ‘stay-at-home’.

Never in my life could I have imagined such an experience – being shut off from the rest of the world physically except through the screen of my phone and laptop. Thank goodness for technology – at least we can still talk and see each other! What makes this event stand out even more is that every human being on earth is having the same shared experience. If there ever is‘unity’ in the world, then stay-at-home is it!

The Great Healing

Disease, like pain, is never the cause but the symptom or signal of an underlying imbalance. Healing happens when the body restores the balance by itself internally or with medicines or herbs. When the imbalance is too far out and can’t be restored, that’s when death happens.

We are part of the Earth and the Earth is a part of us. Our bodies are the same as the Earth’s with the same chemicals and minerals and the same body of water. As the Earth falls ill due to imbalance, so will humans. Consider how similar the main symptoms of the pandemic are to Earth’s imbalances from air pollution (short of breath), resource depletion (tiredness), water pollution (dry cough) and global warming (high fever). Now as the Earth restores balance and heals, so will we.

Human activities and their unbridled consumption of Earth’s resources have caused an illness of the animals came back after the city streets fell empty. Yes, Earth is reclaiming parts of itself and healing. This healing has however come at a cost which at the human level can be sad, shocking and traumatic.

The ‘Bad’

On the flip side, the forced stay home allows us to, for instance, meditate or to be ‘inside’ ourselves. Meditating gives us a way to reflect on what’s happening and how it is affecting us mentally and emotionally – our thoughts, fears and anxieties – especially for all those people who are worried about their jobs and businesses. Meditating helps us to clear the unproductive thoughts and emotions and clears the space for creative solutions to the situation. It is like how the sky and the rivers have cleared from pollution and we can see clearer.

Instead of jogging or the gym, we can take up yoga during this ‘homestay’. There are plenty of online yoga classes that one can sign up for to keep the body stretched and moving. As for groceries, food and all manner of products, these can be purchased online and delivered to our doorstep.

Pre-lockdown ‘normal’ activities seem more exciting because they are about being ‘out there’ and physically mingling with people other than family. We can still mingle with people with the many social and web conferencing apps in the Net, the only difference is that it’s not done physically ‘out there’. But do consider that this is a small price to pay for the Earth to heal itself. We’ll all be better off because of it.

Our biggest lessons are found through our families, don’t you think? That includes parents, spouses, children. The stay-home has forced us to face these lessons, not for hours or days but for weeks on end. No, this is not a cruel joke by the Universe but our saving grace. Through these relationship challenges, we find ourselves. But this will happen only when we take the time to go inside ourselves and see how that relationship has made us who we are and how we can change the relationship and thus ourselves. ‘No time’ is no more an excuse for any personal change.

Another good thing about being with the family the whole day is that we do not need to wear the mask for the world ‘out there’ anymore. We are getting used to being our genuine selves without the ‘makeup’.

The ‘Good’

As the Earth takes a breather from our activities, so do we, as we stay at home. There are those who feel despair in not being able to go out and do the usual routines like jogging or going to the gym, walking the dog, going to the grocer, eating out, having a day or night out with friends, getting a haircut, having a pedicure and all those other activities that make our lives so interesting. There is a feeling of being cramped in, like being a prisoner in our own home.

There are also those of us whose livelihoods depend on things going back to normal such as those of us who run businesses or who are employed in the travel, entertainment or hospitality industries, all of whom are feeling the financial brunt of the lockdown orders. It can be very stressful to not have income or job security when there are mouths to feed and bills to pay.

Relationships may also be strained with family members being cooped up at home all day. There may be more tension in the household from increased contact between family members who do not get along. Domestic violence may explode more frequently. As for romantic relationships, courting couples will feel the strain of being physically apart.

Don’t Get Locked Down!

Whether you feel good or not from the lockdown is really up to you. It really is a matter of choosing either to stay positive or fearful through this period. Admittedly it can’t be easy when almost the entire human population has created this gigantic bubble of fear about the pandemic. However, enough positive minds and hearts will overcome not only the fear, but the pandemic as well. Positive thinking will also help the Earth heal.

Don’t get stuck, keep moving. Utilize the new opportunities that are manifesting because of the great changes that are happening. Change is the only constant in the Universe. Let’s surrender and accept what we can’t control. The biggest prison is the prison of our minds. Be free! Don’t let the pandemic lock you down. Get creative with your life, because you are the creator of your life! Open your heart to discover other means of creating other than with your mind and thoughts.

Yes, it may be tough, but we all have to go through this phase of healing. As the Earth heals, so do we. This is the re-start that’s giving everyone on the planet an equal chance to start anew. The virus does not judge. Many have lost family members, businesses and have to re-start and re-build (my heart and love go out to them). How difficult is it for those who have not really lost anything? No matter which category you are in, this is your chance to re-start.

No, this isn’t a lockdown – it’s a free-up!

Be free!

Chong Bing Kuan has a strong passion for self-awareness.

He currently dedicates himself to helping individuals live happier, healthier and holistically empowered lives through realizing their life purpose. His vision is for a world of self-empowered people living in peace, happiness, and blissful fulfilment. He is easily reached at chongbingkuan@gmail.com.

Do write in as he’s most happy to have a chat, anytime at all!

To read more similar articles

Click Here