Kindness and Compassion during Covid-19

Fear? Anxiety? Isolation? Frustration? Anger? Hopelessness? Helplessness? Grief? Exhaustion? What challenging sensations have you experienced since our world turned upside down with the rapid spread of Covid-19 (Coronavirus)?

Strong emotions are an inevitable consequence of these times. But they can often result in us becoming increasingly self-critical. We might find ourselves feeling guilty, inadequate or ungrateful for experiencing such emotions when we are all too aware that there are others around us dealing with oftentimes unimaginable suffering.

To sense fear and anxiety, to sense isolation and loneliness, to sense anger and frustration or any other uncomfortable emotion you can think of while we all try to navigate our way through this pandemic is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s what makes us human.

My teacher Judith Hanson Lasater often reminds us of the mantra ‘How human of me!’ You may find it a useful mantra to adopt during these difficult days. Whatever arises for you, just sit with it. Look at yourself with soft eyes and an open heart and then tell yourself: ‘How human of me. How human of me to want to feel reassured that my loved ones and I will stay safe and well. How human of me to want answers as to when this will all be over. How human of me to need to know how this will all turn out…’

So now, more than ever, be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be compassionate to yourself. And from that place, you can extend true compassion to others.

I’ve been comforted during my own practice by a Metta meditation which I’ve adapted for these times. Sitting still however works best for you, silently recite the following aspirations to yourself three times:

May I be peaceful and happy

May I be safe and well

May I be free from fear and anxiety

Then you can begin to extend the same aspirations to others:

May they be peaceful and happy

May they be safe and well

May they be free from fear and anxiety

You could extend these aspirations to:

-the person(s) dearest to you

- all of the key workers upon whom we all currently depend

- those whose own fear and anxiety have led them to stockpile or to disregard government advice

Each time bring them to mind and think about looking upon them with soft eyes and an open heart as you extend the same wishes to them.

And finally, you could extend these aspirations to all beings everywhere.

May all beings everywhere be peaceful and happy

May all beings everywhere be safe and well

May all beings everywhere be free from fear and anxiety