What is behind the panic around COVID-19, and what to do?

Is the world going nuts over COVID-19? Clearly it is now a declared pandemic and given the fatality rate being at least 1%, we do need to be take it seriously. However, who feels like we are being caught up in an over-reaction? And what to do???

When panic buying starts – and continues – for things that we have assured supply like toilet paper, there is a need to question what is going on. In my view, the explanation may be due in large part to something we can all do something to alleviate, but first



Thought for the day

   An ancient traveller passes the devil
   Coming from the city he is walking towards.
   He asks
   “Why are you so happy this cold morning?"
   The devil replies
   “I have just killed 10,000 people
   in the city you are about to enter.”

   “How did you do that?”
   
“Easy” replies the devil
   “I killed one with cholera,’
   the rest will die of fear”.



Have been reflecting upon the panic around COVID-19 for a while and maybe this response will be helpful to some.

To me and many others I speak with there is a viral over-reaction to the virus.

Why so?

I suspect if we do want to lay the blame somewhere, or simply understand things better, anxiety would be a good place to start.

My sense is the general level of anxiety within the community has been steadily rising over recent years and has grown to quite a high level.

The environment, terrorism, financial uncertainty, the acute rate of change just about everywhere we look, failures in leadership; you name it, most places you look into warrant some degree of anxiety for all of us, except maybe those without reasonably well trained minds.



Most of us have been doing what we can to maintain some semblance of equilibrium and keep functioning amidst all the uncertainties. Life goes on.

And then, along comes something really worthy of our fear; but now this particular fear does even more. As well as the direct reaction, the threats associated with the virus bring out and give expression to all those anxieties that have accumulated just below the surface.

This can be compared to a commonly observed response to major grief.

When people experience the loss of someone really dear to them like a partner or parent, it can often seem from the outside as if there is an over-reaction.

One way to understand this is to realise that over the years we all suffer lesser griefs of various magnitude.

Usually we cope.

We find a way through what we may consider to be more minor losses.

Yet often enough things are not completely resolved and residual grief builds and lingers on.

Then a major loss.

And this grief can have the effect of bursting the dam banks; it draws out the many lesser, unresolved griefs of days gone by, leading to an expression of grief that seems from the outside to be more than the current grief warrants.

My sense is this is what is happening with COVID-19. It is drawing out, focussing and leading to the
expression of the accumulated fears and anxiety that have built up throughout our wider community due to the multiple changes and uncertainties we have all been living with for some time.



And so what seems like an over-reaction like the panic buying of toilet paper, makes sense because of the accumulation of anxiety to which the pandemic gives expression.

Now clearly, I am still saying we do need to heed the warnings and act in line with the best medical advice around this pandemic; just go easy on the over-reaction.


It is a time to accept whatever feelings and emotions all of this does stir up in us. At the same time, there is a real need to look after our own health and the health and welfare of those around us, and to commit to doing what is necessary. Acceptance and commitment; but it is not a time to over-react.

So how to do that?

How to manage the anxiety and fear of COVID-19?

1. Use relaxation, mindfulness and meditation
This is clearly a time where making time to practice is important.
Failing that, maybe a few deep breaths and a cold shower.
And some humour to lighten things a little

2. Put your mind elsewhere 
There is a media frenzy at present. Maybe a good time to tune in to other things – get out in nature (and be re-assured by what you experience amidst it), watch funny, inspiring, diverting movies; use your own mind to dwell on other things – change the movies in your head.

3. Use social media and technology to keep in touch
You know what to do…

4. Consider a home retreat
If you are self-isolating at home, or told to work from home, consider creating a more formal home retreat for yourself.

Decide upon a theme – maybe simply meditation, or maybe developing compassion or some specific topic of contemplation, and then decide upon a set period of study and practice for each day.

My guess is people and groups will soon be offering support for such home retreats…

5. If all else fails, resort to logic
There is much misinformation, false news and rumour circulating at a time like this. Seek out reliable sources of information and resist the scaremongers.

RELIABLE RESOURCES

In Australia, a good place to start is the Department of Health

            And visually, for a current update, here is Dr Norman Swan and associates on ABC TV

In the USA there is the Centre for Disease Control

For a global perspective, there is the World Health Organisation

What is enlightenment? - and where to seek it...

What is this thing called enlightenment and how do we experience it? This week we really go for it, as well as providing details of the only meditation retreat Ruth and I will lead together this year (Pre-Easter along with Melissa Borich), and the meditation teacher training program we will co-lead, but first

     Thought for the day
A human being is part of a whole, 
Called by us the ‘Universe,’ 
A part limited in time and space. 
He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, 
As something separated from the rest
—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. 
This delusion is a kind of prison for us, 
Restricting us to our personal desires 
And to affection for a few persons nearest us. 
Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison 
By widening our circles of compassion 
To embrace all living creatures 
And the whole of nature in its beauty.
                        Albert Einstein


All human beings have some things in common. For example, we all want happiness. But what sort of happiness?

It seems to me many of us have been misled and have come to believe pleasure is the source of happiness. By pleasure we usually mean that which makes us feel good and comfortable in the short term. A good meal, a good entertainment, a good…

But most sources of this type of pleasure tend to be transitory. They come and go quite quickly.

Now this is not to say we cannot enjoy them just because they come and go.

There is no need to feel guilty getting off on temporary delights.

Just do not be confused.

Short-term pleasure is not the same thing as long-term happiness.


No doubt many have worked this much out; but then we think maybe happiness will come with a bit more complexity. A good job, a nice car, the right relationship; maybe that will do it? You only need to reflect a little to realise the bad news. All these things come and go too – they just usually take a little longer than a good meal!

In seeking long-term happiness, we are seeking something constant and enduring. We will not find this outside of ourselves amidst people, things and events. True happiness, lasting happiness comes from our inner state of mind.

If that is what we are seeking, we need to turn our mind inwardly.

By doing so we can begin to experience inner peace, inner contentment, inner happiness.

As we do this, the true nature of our mind becomes more obvious.

We come to realise an inner truth – our minds have two aspects.

We all have an active thinking/ feeling mind that is intimately involved with our outer world, along with its pleasures and pains.

But then we all have a deeper aspect of mind that is more enduring, more stable and more constantly happy.

When we come to experience something of these two aspects of our mind, this truth of the nature of our mind, we come to experience something of enlightenment. Enlightenment then is the direct experience of a fundamental truth. The truth of who we really are. The truth of the nature of our mind.

Now to dispel some myths. In my youth, enlightenment loomed as some distant and mystical goal.  Something that probably could only be found in some far away exotic land, a prize to be attained after all sorts of trials and tribulations, disciplines and sacrifices.

But what if it were simpler than this? Closer than this? What if we all carried the seed of enlightenment within us? All of us? What if your potential to become enlightened was just as good as anyone else’s? What if enlightenment was less of an external struggle and more of an internal revelation? And if this were so, how could we come to experience this inner realisation?

Maybe it is as if this inner truth of who we are is like a precious diamond within us. It is there all right, but it is covered by layers of dirt – by layers of ordinary thoughts and feelings that prevent us from seeing it real nature, its real beauty.

Try to imagine you had never eaten a banana before and you became interested in the truth of what a banana tastes like.

Then imagine some wonderful friend produced a banana and offered to share it with you.

Some of us might gratefully take a few bites and say “Wow! So that’s it. That’s what a banana tastes like!”

But many might say “Are you really sure this is a banana? Even if this is a banana, are you sure there is not a tastier one, a bigger one, a different one, a better one?”


Our mind could so easily, so readily form concepts around the banana that we could get caught up in the thinking and miss the experience altogether. While thinking has many benefits, enlightenment is an experience, not a thinking.

How then do we experience our mind without thinking? Easy isn’t it – the answer is meditation. Meditation teaches us how to go beyond the thinking mind and to experience the nature of our mind.

But again, all too easily, as our meditation matures and we do begin to experience glimpses of this inner truth, the analytical mind can still come in causing us to lose clarity and confidence.

This is where a true teacher is so valuable. A true teacher offers the banana, confirms it is a banana, and after you have eaten it, tasted it, realised it, they confirm your experience.

And how does a teacher acquire the authority to do this? By being authentic.

It is just like a Professor at University. How do we know they are authentic?

They need to have been authentically taught by authentic teaches following authentic teachings (eg they need the right qualifications), and then they need to teach authentically according to the teachings they received.

So when it comes to ourselves, maybe we are lucky.

Maybe we meet a teacher at a time in our lives when we are ready.

All is right, auspicious as they say; we are introduced to this inner reality, and we get it in one go.

For many of us, however, even with a good teacher, I suspect it is more like eating lots of bananas. Having little tastes, little glimpses of this inner truth and building up to the point where we can say “Yep, I have tasted lots of bananas; I reckon I know bananas”.

The trick is to be patient, determined and to keep your sense of humour; to avoid guilt and shame and to be OK with your state of mind and your progress.

For most of us, our lives seem to vacillate between moments of confusion and moments of clarity.

Meditation eases the confusion and strengthens the clarity.

Meditation can lead to the dawning of wisdom, the experience of enlightenment.

So why wait?

Maybe now is the time to really go for it.

To meditate regularly.

To seek a teacher.

To actually follow their advice.

To take your own enlightenment seriously.

Happy meditating!


COMING ATTRACTIONS     :)
.
RECLAIMING JOY  

7 day Residential Meditation Retreat with Ruth and Ian Gawler and Melissa Borich 

Modern culture has taught us to look externally for solutions to feeling better… substances we can take, new and exciting experiences, the acquiring of new ‘things.

However, to regain balance and cultivate reliable, sustainable joy, we learn to go within.

Meditation provides real answers.

And all of this amidst the nurture and beauty of the Yarra Valley Living Centre…



Dates     Friday 3rd to Thursday 9th April (pre-Easter)

Venue   The Yarra Valley Living Centre, 55 Rayner Crt, Yarra Junction, Victoria

More details   CLICK HERE

Inquiries and Bookings    Call 1300 651 211   or  www.gawler.org


MEDITATION TEACHER TRAINING   with Drs Ruth and Ian Gawler

Ian and Ruth have been teaching teachers of meditation for decades. This is a unique opportunity to learn from them directly in two 5 day residential trainings – Module 1 on meditation, Module 2 – contemplation. Attending both modules will meet the requirements for provisional membership of the Meditation Association of Australia. Both trainings will be highly experiential and be based upon comprehensive manuals.

Venue     The Yarra Valley Living Centre,  55 Rayner Crt, Yarra Junction, Victoria

Dates     Meditation Teacher Training 27 April – 1 May, 2020 ; Full details  : Click here

          Contemplation 7-11 September, 2020  ;  Full details :  Click here

Inquiries  and Bookings   Call 1300 651 211 or www.gawler.org

Six Ways to Benefit from Nature in the City

How good does it feel to spend time in nature? Really good. We all know that so perhaps it will come as no surprise recent research does indeed validate spending time in nature is beneficial.

So this week, be inspired with 6 ways city folk can gain the similar benefits to their country counterparts via a guest blog from Maureen Cooper. Through Awareness in Action Maureen provides excellent on-line courses, blogs regularly and offers workshops and coaching on self-compassion, meditation, and kindness that can easily be integrated into a busy lifestyle, but first

     Thought for the day

Know from the rivers

In clefts and in crevices 
Those in small channels flow noisily;
The great flow silent.


Whatever is not full makes noise.


Whatever is full is quiet.

                           The Buddha



FROM MAUREEN
My partner and I have just returned from a short break in Drenthe, a province in the NE of the Netherlands. It is a beautiful area and we spent lots of time in nature. We were both struck by how relaxed we were when we came home and how well we slept.

It reminded me of a recent article reporting on research carried out by researchers at Exeter
University in the UK and Uppsala University in Sweden.

It showed people who spend 2 hours a week in nature are ‘significantly more likely’ to report good health and psychological wellbeing.

The thing is, what about all of us who live in cities and do not get the chance to be out in nature every weekend?

The study points out that shorter, frequent doses of nature are beneficial.

It got me thinking about how to maximise the nature we have in the city, so we can really feel the benefit.

1. Start your day with a moment outside 
Take a look at your morning routine. Do you have time for a cup of coffee in the garden before you start your day? Where I live in Amsterdam, most people in the city do not have a garden but they do have a balcony. Dutch people are great balcony gardeners.

It can be just wonderful to step out on to your balcony while the city is waking up. The birds make more noise than the traffic and the flowers are fresh from the cool of the morning.

2. Make sure to go out at lunchtime
Are you caught up with working through your lunch break? Maybe think about taking a short break
outside.

You do not have to go far.

Just find a spot under a tree, or maybe find an office window with a view.

Just a few moments in the calming atmosphere of nature, outside of the busyness of your workplace will be nourishing.

3. Use the city parks and squares
In Amsterdam there is a deliberate policy of planting as many trees along the streets as possible. I can stand on my balcony and look along a long street of beautiful trees. The Japanese favour forest bathing as a way of increasing wellbeing. Even if you do not have regular access to a forest, you can get a lot of nourishment from the trees in a city.

I find it quite joyful to watch the birds flying in and out of the trees. The patterns of the branches against the sky can be dramatic. It helps me keep things in proportion.

4. Bring nature into your home
I came across a lovely article the other day. One of the universities in Amsterdam is opening a plant hotel. The idea is to provide a place where students can leave their plants to be cared for while they are away from the university for the summer. The university recognises the benefit to students’ wellbeing of keeping plants in their rooms and wants to support it.

We have window boxes on every window ledge in our apartment.

It feels as if we are surrounded by flowers.

When we look outside, we are immediately connected with nature.

Another good idea is to have a bird box by a window to encourage birds to visit.

You have the benefit of watching them throughout the year.


If you do have a garden, you might consider re-wilding your lawn. By stopping regular mowing and trimming you can encourage the growth of wild flowers. This in turn will encourage bees. This is already happening along some motorways, where road side meadows are springing up.

5. Look for 5 beautiful things each day
You might like to get into the habit of looking for five beautiful things you can find in nature in your city each day. When we are busy and caught in our routine it is all too easy to miss them. Keep an eye open for a new window box in your neighbourhood, or a newly planted tree.

6.  Stay mindful so you do not miss it
In fact, a key to finding our 2 hours of nature when we live in a city is to be mindful.

If we are continuously checking our phone, or always hurrying we will miss a lot.

If we can be present to where we are and what we are doing, we will notice so much more.

When we notice, it will help us to quieten down.

So much of the beauty of nature is in its deep quietness and unhurried rhythms.

We will be more deeply nourished by tuning into that.

Has-Ian-Gawler-retired? And what is he doing now?

“But I thought you had retired?”

I hear this a lot as I go about my work (and am about to turn 70!) and understand it can be confusing, given I have retired from quite a few things. However, I am still actively engaged in several big projects, so thought clarification may be useful, but first

  

            Thought for the day

      Praise and blame,
      Fame and shame,

      Gain and loss,

      Pleasure and sorrow,

      Come and go like the wind. 

      To be at peace, 
      Rest like a great tree

      In the midst of them all. 

                            The Buddha 

You have to love great trees…



Anyway, I did write something on this topic a couple of years ago, pointing out we all have “retired” from many things. Many transitions. In fact, moment-by-moment everything is changing, so we could say we are “transitioning” all the time; even though we may not notice it so obviously.

Certainly, some transitions are way more obvious. How do we name them? Retirement? Moved on? Forced out? Found something new? Left it behind? Joyful change? Divorce?

What is next???

Here is a list of some of the major “retirements” made over the years…

1975   Retired as an equine veterinarian and retired as a committed athlete - having a leg amputated will do that

1984   Retired altogether as a veterinarian - to concentrate upon developing the Foundation, cancer programs and teaching meditation

1990   Took a year off to reflect on the work and planning the residential centre and programs

2009   Retired from full-time job at the Gawler Foundation

2017   Presented last cancer residential program

2018   Presented last residential meditation retreat at The Foundation


SO WHAT AM I DOING NOW?


1. Working with Ruth - retreat and trainings

i) Meditation retreat

Ruth has asked me to co-lead her meditation retreat this year Pre-Easter along with the sublime Melissa Borich and I readily accepted. We all love working together and this year the focus will be on how meditation leads to bliss and joy. There is so much anxiety about at present; so much doom and gloom. However, there is a font of joy within us all that is quite blissful and when experienced, does give us the strength, optimism and motivation to continue to do good in our world.

At the Foundation April 3 – 9 


ii) Meditation Teacher training at the Foundation
Again, with Ruth I will lead this year’s trainings for the Foundation. Paul and Maia Bedson have taken a year’s leave so we have been asked to step in and again, happily accepted. We both love teaching teachers – a real delight and 2 great programs will be offered :

                    Teacher Training focused upon meditation itself – April 27 to May 1


                    Teacher training focused upon contemplation. Contemplation is a   wonderful skill yet rarely taught in any detail, so this is a good opportunity to extend your range as a teacher of meditation – September 7 – 11


2. Meditation App
The meditation app I have been working on for quite a few years with my partner Saurabh Mishra is currently being re-focused to more specifically address the needs of people dealing with chronic degenerative disease. More about this soon…

3. Meditation retreats for younger adults
Have been working on this visionary and large project with Martin Hosking for several years now and it is gaining a good deal of momentum; likely to begin programs next year and close to having more details to share…

4. Public speaking 
Am open to the occasional public speaking event or conference appearance.



On the personal front

I continue with painting classes and the garden is flourishing.

Also, as well as having 3 considerable areas of work, there is a clear sense of more time being available for the more personal things including time with family and friends.

But overall, a greater emphasis on study and practice.

And throughout, moment-by-moment, the little transitions are constantly flowing.

Doors opening...   Doors closing...

The power of intention – and 4 simple steps that activate it

So January is moving into February and the honeymoon period is over for New Year’s resolutions. Did you make one this year? Has it been accomplished? Or forgotten? Or was there simply a sense of futility and none made this year?



Seems New Year highlights the difficulties most of us have with good intentions, so let us consider what might help… Let us consider the power of intention and how to activate it effectively, but first


    Thought for the day

He who knows the Bliss of Brahman, 
Whence words together with the mind turn away, 
Unable to reach It
He is not afraid of anything whatsoever.

He does not distress himself with the thought: 
Why did I not do what is good? 
Why did I do what is evil? 
Whosoever knows this regards both these as Atman; 
Indeed he cherishes both these as Atman.

Such, indeed, is the Upanishad, the secret knowledge of Brahman. 

                 From the Taittiriya Upanishad


Might take some contemplation this particular Thought for the day. Seems to be saying whether we do good or evil – no problem… Really???

Maybe we need to read the first line again – “He who knows the Bliss of Brahman”. This quote of course comes from the Hindu tradition, (“She” might have been a nice touch) but you find similar statements in all the great traditions; and they all seem to fly in the face of common sense. Surely it makes a difference what we do. Surely we have a “right” to be distressed if we know we have done evil.

How can that not be so???

Now, not meditating daily may not equate with pure evil, but in my experience many people beat themselves up over this almost as if they have done, or are doing something quite abhorrent.

So here is the thing.

Knowing the “Bliss of Brahma” is akin to being enlightened – with is all about knowing Truth on a deep level.

And it may well be on that deep level good and evil do not exist.


But for us mere mortals aspiring to know more of the Truth, on the path to knowing more of the Truth (which is what spiritual practice and meditation is really about); well for us, good and evil are as real as the head on your shoulders.

So in this relative world, how to get our good intentions done? First, consider this… Most people I meet when they get to that point of being honest with themselves, will tell you a curious thing. For most of us there is this weird fact. Most of us find it easier to do things that are not good for us, than to do the things that are good for us.

Go to a movie or a spiritual teaching? Meditate or watch TV? Eat healthy food or … ? No doubt we all have our own choices that seem to direct us towards the dark side.

So the good news is this is a common phenomena. It is not like you are the only one. You are in good company. However, this good news does not mean we do not have a collective problem. We do. So what to do about it???


There are many books written on getting the job done.

Positive Thinking books.

Motivational books.

Inspiring books.

Might have written something like this myself…

:)

But here is the big tip.

Action starts with intention.

A powerful intention is almost unstoppable.



I remember a friend with cancer who was asked how he maintained his way of eating and regular meditation practice over years. “Easy” he said, “I have not forgotten my life depends upon it”.

Many people in my experience compromise their good intentions. “I will do it when I can.” “I will do it when everything else is done.” “I would do it know, but it might upset someone”. Stuff like that. Or they forget. Or life gets in the way… Sound familiar?

If it does, and if maintaining a good intention has been tough for you, maybe it is time to revisit the intention and ask 4 key questions

1. How clear is the intention? 
The clearer it is the more likely you will follow through. The closer you can express the intention in a few words like an affirmation, the better. “I really enjoy Meditating for 20 minutes every day.”

2. How important is this? 
Is it a matter of life and death, or is it an optional extra? Answering this one is crucial.

3. How can I remember how important it is? 
Who do I tell and ask for help with this? Do I write it down? Put reminders on my phone?

4. How do I reinforce the intention? 
People? Groups? Books? Apps? Podcasts? Blogs?

Bon chance!

REFERENCE   :   The Mind that Changes Everything