Journey
Lessons of 2020
Shivi Verma reflects on the year gone by the year of the three C’s: Covid-19, co-existence, and contemplation
The year 2020 was different from any other year experienced by me or anyone else on the planet. The pandemic and the subsequent lockdown shook up our lives and our routine. Working from home and observing social distancing became the new norm, and after a few initial difficulties, I settled into the new lifestyle like everyone else.
However, for a spiritual person, confinement and isolation from the world is another opportunity to grow in realisation and not something to complain about. The changed situation brought about many learnings in its wake, and I would like to share a few over here.
I Am Not the Doer
Earlier, no matter how hard I tried, I could not shake off the feeling of being the doer of all the things in my life. The Divine was someone who simply assisted me in reaching my life goals. This time, however, I could no longer ignore that nothing was in my control and that the world was being swept away by a power beyond anyone’s control. I realised how insignificant and helpless I was before the will of the Divine, and it was His mercy which allowed me the freedom to do what I wanted to do.
Reckoning Time
Reckoning time has arrived. Those who had done the inner work and taken responsibility for their thoughts, actions, and their concomitant consequences, were safer than those who had not. 2020 was shake-up time for people who had been trying to sleepwalk through life, ignoring their inconsistencies, fearfulness, and the tendency to take things for granted. One cannot escape from issues or avoid facing them by lying to oneself. The truth stares you in the face.
Time to Help
Humanity can no longer afford to live in a bubble that insulates people from the suffering of others. If the haves do not extend a helping hand to the have-nots, in whichever way they can—whether material, emotional, or spiritual—they cannot predict how long their own stability and security will last. The law of cause and effect has become super-active. It is important to make yourself available to others and step out of your comfort zone to be there for them.
Time to Consume Less
This is also the time to wake up to the fact that we can live with less and that we are not in need of many things that we consume. Fewer outings, spending sprees, and lesser income have made people realise they can do with much less and still be happy. Furthermore, we also need to become more reflective and introspective about the mindless way we live our life. What was earlier an incomprehensible idea has now been actualized by Nature, and we better adapt to it; otherwise, the Universe will not be kind to us.
Time to Connect with the Divine
The veil of illusion that separated man from his divine nature has thinned. The more one genuinely connects with the Divine, the faster will one grows during the current times. This is a great time to work on your inner elevation and seek divine assistance as there is a huge influx of metaphysical energies on the planet, intent on flushing out elements which are deleterious for Mother Earth. Let’s join the global movement sweeping our planet. Let’s change for the better.