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Sue Staropoli, April, 2020
The Pachamama vision invites us, individually and as a society, to look at changing our relationship with ourselves, each other, other species, and the planet. Especially now, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, I find my perception shifting and opening.
I ask myself, how do I actually perceive the Covid-19 pandemic? How is our society relating to it?
- Do we see the pandemic as the enemy, as something to be at war with? As something to fear and fight against?
- Do we think of the pandemic as something “outside”, that needs to be managed by control?
- Do we view the pandemic as punishment for something we’ve done?
As I reflect I wonder - could there be another perspective? What if we viewed the Covid-19 pandemic as a teachable historical moment, something we could learn from? Could the pandemic be a necessary disruptor of the status quo where, out of necessity and enlightenment, something new and better can be created? Might it be an awakening for us, exposing what isn’t working in our personal and collective “normal” lives and showing us where changes are urgently needed?
The Covid-19 pandemic is costing many lives and causing much suffering. Yet, could this unprecedented crisis offer us possibilities that we might not otherwise ever have imagined?
The pandemic does not take away the power and responsibility of personal choice. Understanding this could bring to each person the possibility of a different vantage point. We might choose to see these times as signaling a change of direction, something new that wants to be born.
Having witnessed how quickly society can be mobilized into concerted action, as we have done with the requirements of social distancing, there is no denying that together we have the power to bring forth changes for the good of all people and all life.
The question is how to do it, where to focus, and where to begin.
Here now, in various levels of quarantine and confinement, some of us have seized the opportunity for reflection and meaningful dialogue. Among the questions I am exploring are these:
What have I come to notice and appreciate during this time of slowing down and “staying safe at home?”
What changes am I noticing in my perception of self, as well as my view of other people (those I know and those I don’t know), other species, and the planet?
What habits/practices in my “normal” life do I need to let go of?
How do I construct a richer life with an ongoing sense of connection to the world?
How do I participate in shaping this new future?
As I contemplate these questions, I challenge myself and offer the challenge to each of you to pause, to question, to listen, and to search for what is authentically ours to be and ours to do, for the good of all beings, in these times.
No one is alone on this journey. Collectively within the Pachamama Community, we are ready to learn from the Covid-19 pandemic and use these lessons to bring forth the world we have long envisioned and worked toward – one that is environmentally sustainable, socially just, and spiritually fulfilling for all.
The time is now.
© 2020 Sue Staropoli
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