Have you ever been in so much disbelief that the world slows down. The silence becomes all-encompassing and it takes your breath away. You sank your hands into the earth on your knees in prayer. The pounding of your heart pulses through your ears and throat.
When we realize our perceptions aren’t reality it is like an earthquake. The ground is unsteady. Each day moves through a fog, eyes in the distance and never quite in the moment. Hypnotized by the dreams you thought were real. All of what was truth, real, solid, was actually a mirage. The foundations are ripped apart piece by piece and you are falling between the cracks of what you thought could never break. How can the ground itself disappear? It’s a shock like when the windchill in the winter suffocates your throat. It’s an ache in your heart that carries like a brick, dragged along minute to minute. The clock ticks long just waiting for it to pass. When will it pass?
There are many situations in life that test us, but few that shake us so hard that we sit uncertain about ourselves. It happens to us all at some point, maybe once, maybe more than once. It is a good thing to be shaken. It feels terrible and unbearable. No one in any way would call it beneficial without having a great deal of time and perspective. These points in our lives are points of surrender. They are the ideal opportunity for us to find meaning, find our way home and lay a foundation that can’t break. We think we dream when we close our eyes at night, but we dream each day thinking that our bodies, these possessions, the people we are, the relations, and the definitions we have, are permanent. The ultimate journey is the path to truth to remove this mirage before our eyes. It is so hard to see clearly what is real unless you remind yourself and connect constantly. When we join hands in prayer, bow our heads, when we look inside, we make progress.
This is how we find our way and the story of many who really connected to their religion through hardship. I hope if that is your day today, if today is the day that you are shaken and feel like it will never go away, that you remember that it does. You will find your way and it will get better. Do simran, listen to kirtan, kathas, inspiring stories. Follow the teachings of Gurbani, and open up your heart to learning. Connect to other sangat. That was me years ago, shaken. I am very appreciative in retrospect, to have found this path and started on it. Once the foundation of what is real is set, those individuals are no longer shaken. That is the spiritual avastha we shall be able to rise to and Sikhi teaches us to attain through daily practice. Once you attain skills, you never lose them. Each day we learn, we are stronger.
All of my life, ever since I have gained Consciousness(awareness of the world), It's been my experience that ONLY God was there for my in harder times. I was born a girl child in a male dominated Patriarchal society so it was expected in that society that I was of no use to my parents or my grand parents. In their world in Punjab a girl was a burden - to be protected until marriage, educated and then married off to be an Asset,of use to someone else(prai dhan - some one else' wealth. A girl in Hindu India was considered be of use to bore SONS and work for the well being of her husband's family. So my parents and grandparents, the latter who were the dominant force in our house - had no intention to invest in me emotionally and if they could help, financially. All of their emotions, attention was focused on the boys - whatever they did - it was for the boys, hoping the boys will grow up to help them in time of need. I was sent away to a boarding school at the age of 6 for some family reasons. It was not safe for me to go to a local village because my father's cousin had created some issue in our village. The other party wanted to harm our side. Any how, feeling lonely, missing my parents, siblings, and not having enough support - emotional or financial I turned toward God. When we Came to Canada - that same coldness from my family - no input from anyone - I turned to God. My older brother suppose to be like a father - helping the father guide the other children -BUT. Whatever. Irony that Now I have to take care my parents. My brothers have had no input what so ever. That's been like forever with my mother and fathers so many issues. We will go through this Crona virus issue too with God's help. When Push comes to Shove - the ONLY one left is GOD - as always. The illusion of Family - Lapel Griffin who wrote The Punjab Chiefs noted the same phenomenon amongst the "sikhs" - No wonder they lost the Punjab - No wonder they have to beg for visas from Muslims and Hindus - All that sacrifice of the Few gone to waste. But Gurbani will always be there regardless what happens guiding whomever reads with the intention of learning
ReplyDeleteThis is what I wrote On March at another blog
ReplyDeleteMillion times Agree with Elon Musk: "The coronavirus panic is dumb"
Could it be WORSE than the Last flue season?
February 20, 2020 - This data is from the US Center for Disease Control
In the U.S., there have been at least 26 million illnesses, 250,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths from flu so far this season. - CDC. Flue season of 2019 -2020
The WHO's director General is INCOMPETENT. He was complacent at the beginning then became an alarmist causing immeasurable damage to the World economy. China should be punished for hiding the outbreak
As a Canadian citizen of course I am worried about oil tanking. BUT Alberta COULD have prepared better. Norway saved over U$Trillion by charging higher royalties, while Alberta's CON-Servative govt was asleep at the wheel. Dumb Albertans voted them in AGAIN
Alberta and Norway: Two oil powers, worlds apart - The Globe and Mail
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/european-business/norways-sovereign-wealth-fund/article25973060/
My comment on Asymptomatic breakout:
ReplyDeletePerhaps China hid it for LONG time and the Virus is ALREADY here.They ONLY start reporting when they couldn't hide it. Many travellers to and from China may have brought the virus home ALL over the world. Lot of people got sick with flue - Who has it We may never know Unless ALL of us are tested for it. Some countries like India - a next door neighbor and Egypt( who like Italy) also has tourists from All over the World - How come THEY aren't reporting any deaths or major break outs? Mexico, and Africa are also quiet. Is because they have very unsanitary conditions - better immunity - OR they are HIDING the numbers.
March 6, 2020 at 11:07 PM
The Western world is becoming too cowardly or is it over protective or over reactional? Why the US couldn't defeat the Talibans whom the Sikh General defeated, 21 Sikhs were able to face 10 thousand Afghans(film Kesri - Saragarhi battle)
ReplyDeleteWhat if China had hid the outbreak - would be have reacted to this outbreak any differently? WHY The Flue which kills more people is treated differently
From the CDC again
Seasonal flu:
"The worst episode in the past decade, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was the 2017-2018 season, with an estimated 45 million cases, and 61,000 fatalities. During the 2019-2020 season, through February, the CDC estimates that there have been about 32 million cases of the seasonal flu in the U.S., though that figure will rise somewhat further in the coming months."
This PANIC will cost ALL of us dearly EXCEPT the Politicians who are Obliging the Panicky Public. While the Politicians give themselves raises, Seniors and People on fixed income will suffer. While Seniors' immune system is compromised, most deaths in the US were in a Seniors home in Seattle. Second, Seniors who were forced into the Stock mkt don't have the time to wait for recovery, The Interest income is basically nill, AND the BOC will say there is NO inflation(as when oil was at $145, Carney said there is NO inflation - hence No increase in pension!!! The Hospitality industry, the Oil and Gas industry etc will all suffer
ReplyDeleteSeniors and people on fixed income will also be the hardest hit.
ReplyDelete(if the are younger they most likely have a medical reason - compromised immune system) triple whammy for them
1) This flue like virus is hard on people seniors and already sick - data China
2) Seniors who invested in the stock mkt don't have the time to wait and recover loses.
3) Interest is cut - their interest income will be down
4) since the Govt's calculation of inflation is weird - even when Oil was at $145/bbl - Carney said there is no inflation - hence Senior's pensions were not increased
4) Real estate - Since Seniors are mostly the Sellers- if the demand goes down - they suffer.
My greatest respect for All the First responders: The Public health workers,Police, firemen, etc. It's they who help the Public during emergencies. Take care. May God bless you and the whole world.
ReplyDeleteDuring emergencies, First responders, the Angles, face many stress: Physical and emotional. This time it's not just the healthcare workers, Policemen but also people working in the grocery, Pharmacy, and other services industry.
ReplyDeleteThis is from the New York Tims.
Doctors Fear Bringing Coronavirus Home: ‘I Am Sort of a Pariah in My Family’
One doctor dreamed he was surrounded by coughing patients. “Most physicians have never seen this level of angst and anxiety in their careers,” a veteran emergency room doctor said.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/us/coronavirus-doctors-nurses.html
The nationwide shortage of N-95 protective masks has been concerning to doctors, who increasingly feel the need to use them in more situations to stay safe, Dr. Jaquis said.
ReplyDelete2 Doctors who worked with Corona Patients are critically sick
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/us/coronavirus-physicians-emergency-rooms.html?algo=top_conversion&fellback=false&imp_id=636169287&imp_id=570957640&action=click&module=trending&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer