This is an article that was written soon after the global outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. The contents are still relevant to us today!
As the world dawns, another beautiful day is born. I am healthy! I am safe! I am alive! I am full of energy! Yes, the whole world begins with me, within me, and radiates across the whole universe.
I am fully aware the world around me is undergoing difficult times and fighting hard to preserve humanity. But, if I want to make a positive contribution to what is happening out there, I have to start with me and be the energy that transforms. Our thoughts are powerful magnets. I need to begin by having positive thoughts, visualising that the good is happening and then believe that it will happen. These thoughts will resonate in the cosmos and attract the positive outcomes we need. We have to stop waking up and going to sleep with negativity. If we indulge in negative thoughts before going to bed, they breed in our sleep and multiply by the time we wake up. If our thoughts are positive before bed, and we believe that we will wake up to a better day, the universe will ensure your day is positive and productive the next day. Your day then is filled with opportunities and strengths that can make a tremendous difference to all around you.
The creation of man comes with immense capacity to think higher and solve any obstacles that comes in his way. He has been created to know the higher purpose in his life and understand the Supreme nature of his being. Man is the epitome of creation. As such, “I” am beyond the limitations that I imagine to have and beyond the obstacles that are thrown at me.
You will note that I have so far avoided the “V” word that is consuming the globe. The word people wake up to. The word we allow to change our outlook in life. The word that we are encouraging to knock us down and incapacitate. We have to break away from this. Instead of all the negative impacts that it can bring us, we have to look at all the opportunities that it is availing around us. When I say opportunities, I don’t mean financial or wealth opportunities. I am referring to those opportunities that allow us to be more natural, more humane and more divine. It is imperative that we put these opportunities to good use, as services, practices or observances that bring greater good to humanity.
When in the last several decades did we stop to hear the birds that sing in our neighbourhood? When did we stop to watch the clouds that rolled over our heads and reveal the blue skies beyond? When did we pause to hear the child ask a silly question and patiently try to explain? When did we hear the sounds of the nature in its full glory? When did we notice the dust free floors and furniture in the house due to less traffic and movement on the roads? When did we stop to care about those that are struggling to find their next meal because the day’s wages have not been earned? When did we feel that it is okay to have one less dish with our meals since it is excessive and unnecessary? When did we listen to the high and low violins in the music that we always heard on the radio? When did we feel for the person who was desperate thousands of miles away in an unheard of land and truly empathise? I can go on with a thousand examples of how life is becoming more meaningful and beautiful because we have paused our life from the mundane routine and cared to look around. We are slowly realising how beautiful life is and how much was taken for granted.
This is an opportunity for us to make use of the extra time we have on our hands for higher purposes. The quietness and slowness is giving us a chance to re-examine our priorities in life. The changing worth of all our wealth and assets is giving us a lesson on how transient this whole world we hold on to for security and how we cannot even control the minutest thing that lurks around us. It is teaching us to be connected with everything that is alive or inert and let us enjoy the bliss of our presence as part of this entire universe.
As we take time to self-examine and re-assess our priorities, let us not lose our natural instincts for compassion and love. Many think that giving material things away is the only way to express our philanthropy to humanity. Our immediate nature is to only think of human beings as those in need and support. No, everything around us is connected. Our love and compassion has to reach out to everything around us. We have to begin to be connected to all that is around us. This is a time to re-examine our values of wealth, religion, caste, colour, national boundaries, patriotism, ethnicity, intellect and outright ego and become beings that are beyond borders. We have to extend our compassion and love to the world and beyond. We have to realise we exist as a unit.
Catastrophes are not new to us. They have always been epidemics and pandemics in this earth, but man always recovered from those. When the bubonic plague hit the globe in 1905 and later again in 1920, millions died and it spread across boundaries. Thiruvannamalai, where Ramana Maharishi was at the time, was also not spared of the plague. The social distancing, wearing masks and isolation were practiced even then despite the lack of modern advances of epidemiological studies. In 1905, Ramana and his devout followers who resided on the Arunachala hill moved to Pachchaiamman temple on the outskirts of Thiruvannamalai to isolate themselves from the impact of the plague. Even as they isolated themselves, Bhagavan’s compassion and love for his assistant Annamalai Swami who was afflicted by the plague at that time, never diminished and he continued to care for him until his death. In 1920 when Ramanatha Brahmachari was afflicted, others around Bhagavan had the plan of isolating Ramanatha Brahmachari alone at Skandashramam and isolate themselves at Pachchaiamman temple and send food regularly to Skandashramam. Ramana Maharishi was distraught with such a decision, overcome with compassion and love, told the others that he will stay with Ramanatha Brahmachari who had been with him since young and asked them to bring food for him too at Sakndashramam. When the devotees heard this, they remained silent, fearing to pursue the matter anymore.
Afflictions will continue to come in the future. But humaneness should never diminish. Compassion and love should prevail. We need to recognise ourselves as a part of the entire universe and not just self-centred individuals. We have to stop being consumed by negativity and wake up each morning to another beautiful day.
Aum Namo Bhagavate Shri Ramanaya!
Sadhu Kailayar
Ramanalayam, Sri Lanka
