Ten Important Lessons From Coronavirus

With many self-ordained prophets portending the end of the old world and the beginning of a new world, what can we, realistically and practically, glean from this unprecedented experience? Here are ten important lessons we can learn.

1. Go inside, physically and figuratively

Government advice is to stay indoors to curb the spread of contamination. As we self-isolate, we have a prime opportunity to reflect on what really matters in our lives. Of course, as many households are filled with numerous technological gadgets — including the almighty television — to keep us ‘connected’, the important thing is to disconnect from the media, the hype, the bullshit and to connect instead with your inner self. Shut out the noise. Remove the distractions. Meditate. Find your heart space and spend some time searching your inner state. What does this experience reveal to you about your values, your beliefs, your true self?

2. Survival, not of the body but of the mind

As people panic buy foodstuffs and household amenities out of fear, it would seem the emphasis is on physical survival; but perhaps more importantly, what matters is how we psychologically survive these unprecedented times. What matters is how we develop inner resilience in the face of fear, change, and the unknown. Meditation and grounding exercises can help, spiritually and psychologically, to survive these uncertain times.

3. Compassion not fear

There is nothing like a global pandemic to reveal people’s attitudes and behaviours. At a time when the world should be coming together to face this crisis, many people are acting irrationally and out of fear. Fear is, of course, a natural survival mechanism; but in this context, fear leads to selfish, even paranoid behaviors, whether in the form of people stockpiling goods, or in the form of one country accusing the other of manufacturing the virus. But in the face of fear, frontline workers are striving to manage the situation with love, selflessness, and resilience: healthcare professionals, emergency services, shop workers, and military and so on. Compassion, not fear, is the key to our survival.

4. Gratitude

Whilst it is important to look at the big picture in terms of where humanity is heading on an existential level, let’s not forget food on the shelves, access to healthcare, going to the gym, getting a haircut, going to the pub, going to a gig, or going to a football match. And of course, let’s not forget the availability of toilet roll. When all of this chaos is over, maybe we will have more appreciation for what we have in our lives, rather than taking it for granted.

5. Nature is taking time out to heal

With more humans shut up inside, Mother Nature can heal. Within just months of the outbreak of the virus, canal waters are clearer and skies are free from pollution. Nature is taking back her power from humans, who have exploited and abused her for too long. When the chaos subsides, it is up to us whether we revert to our old ways or seek to build a new environmentally friendly world.

6. Grounding

Conspiracy theories and ‘out there’ interpretations of the virus are at risk of bypassing the reality of the situation. And the stark reality is that this global catastrophe has led to many deaths as well as many people losing their livelihoods. Many self-ordained prophets foretell the end of Capitalism in the wake of the virus; but at what cost: more deaths; the end of the economy; a return to the dark ages? If Capitalism collapses, then many things we take for granted are under threat: electricity and hot water in our homes, international travel, fresh food in our supermarkets, access to the internet and so on. It’s time to get real and not bypass the serious reality of what is happening. Our world as we know it — and everything we take for granted — is changing. We must not lose ourselves in otherworldly mentalities that simply add to the madness. Visions of a utopic new world are all well and good, but people are dying right here, right now. Simple. Let’s gain a sense of perspective. And when all of this is over, let us ask ourselves, how can we rebuild our world, not necessarily on a global scale, but on a diurnal scale? How can we heal from the devastation, not by bypassing the reality of it, but by adopting the psychological and practical tools that will enable us to carry on in our daily lives.

7. How we can be psychologically prepared in the future

If we choose to do the self-exploratory work and adopt a grounded approach to the situation (see points 1 and 6) then we are better prepared for the future. I don’t mean in the event of another pandemic, I mean in the respect that we are better prepared to confront fearful realities — on all scales, personal and global — with more compassion and resilience.

8. Social distancing happened long before carona

‘Social distancing’ is a term which has been born out of the pandemic, as if it were a new phenomenon. Since the rise of social media we have been disconnected from each other: our social networks may be broader, but the depth of our relationships is much shallower. In many respects, social media has sounded the death knell for real personal interaction. Social media provides us with an endless world of information and ‘communication’, but where is the real depth, the real intimacy, the real connection? The reality is, we have been socially distancing our selves for decades.

9. Social media is the instrument of fear and of love

Scroll down your news feed on Facebook and you will see an abundance of memes and comments relating to the virus. Some people spread fake news, suspicion, hatred and fear; others express genuine love, hope, and gratitude for the frontline workers who are keeping society free from total collapse. Now is the time to take a step back and decide what value social media can have in our lives, if used responsibly.

10. Reflect on what truly matters

This unprecedented occurrence represents, if anything, an opportunity to remove our selves from the fear, the fake news, and the chaos to look inward and to look deep, to discover what we truly value. Strip away the commercial distractions, the social noise, the spiritual fluff, and what do we have left? What is it that burns inwardly? What is it that keeps us surviving? What drives us to get through this, and to come out of it as better people? For some, it may be spending time with family. For others it may be discovering their true calling. Whatever it is that fuels our soul, now is the time to discover it, embrace it, and to never let it go.