Whoa…. fear can spread like wildfire. We can put that fire out.
A friend/colleague is part of several groups I attend here in Florida. She has cancelled the meditation group she hosts in her home and has reached out to another of our mutual groups suggesting the meetings be cancelled because “at least one, and possibly two, deaths in the county from corona virus.”
Her closing line in the email message is quite telling: I’m sorry to miss the group if you do go ahead and meet on Monday.
Admittedly, her husband is an epidemiologist, and we do not yet know the extent of risk.
But we do already know the results of fear.
Last evening I received (and passed along) a very mindful message from the Dzogchen Center and Foundation:
Dear Dharma family,
Lama Surya has asked that we lend our energetic support tomorrow morning. He will be leading a prayer ceremony in Northampton, Massachusetts, and has asked that, if possible, we take the hour from 9 AM to 10 AM EDT (Sunday, March 8th) to chant or pray with the clear and specific intention of pushing back on this destructive coronavirus, COVID-19, and purifying and supporting all those who have been / will be infected or otherwise impacted.-19,
He has specifically asked that we practice where we are, rather than trying to participate in person.
We look forward to holding the energetic space with you tomorrow as we lift our body, speech and heart-minds in unison, in support of our beloved Lama, on behalf of all beings.
Don’t forget to put your clocks forward tonight before you go to bed if you are in a place that uses daylight savings time. Oh, and don’t forget to wash those hands!
Warmly,
The Dzogchen Center and Foundation
I got up in plenty of time to chant for the hour with this group. I have recorded voice memos of many of the chants we do on retreat. Hari Om is one of the chants I did this morning. In Sanskrit, “Hari” is a mantra to remove troubles and pain. In Hindu, Hari references the god Vishnu, remover of bondages.
Omniscience (/ɒmˈnɪʃəns/) is the capacity to know everything. In monotheistic religions, such as Sikhism and the Abrahamic religions, God is omniscient. “God” has the capacity to know everything. In Jainism, omniscience is an attribute that any individual can eventually attain.
Since the 6th century BC, and continuing today, Jainism has three guiding principles: right belief, right knowledge, and right conduct.
Here is another of the chants I sang this morning: Seems like such a long time, Holy Spirit, waiting, since I’ve drawn your breath in, silent and all pervading.
It is important that we DO something with the energy of fear that can get stirred up. We can sing, pray, chant. We can dance. I clean. My sister sleeps.
It is vital to remember we are able draw in the breath of the holy spirit and extinguish the raging wildfire of fear.
Life depends on us….
If you have requested email updates for posts, click on the image below to listen to the audio of the Hari Om chant:
