As we all try our best, each day, to sail through these uncertain times that are also overwhelming in parts, we felt like beginning a collective exploration of what are some of the life-giving ways to embrace what’s coming our way.

We have been reflecting a lot on how most of the designed life right now is driven by fear and is compelling a lot of us to stay in our circle of concern, away from what’s grounding. In such times how can we lean on each other to find a sense of grounding? While the Health Advisory demands us to practise physical distancing, the time feels ripe to dig deeper for gifts through which we reach out as well as be available for support to each other as a community. It feels like a time to build our individual and collective muscle for “a capacity for connectedness” as Parker J. Palmer writes in Ways of Looking at Community.

Sharing some themes of finding life-giving ways that are emerging through our conversations -

A time to go inward

An essential part of building “a capacity for connectedness” is to create spaces to connect with ourselves. Environment dominated with fear and uncertainty can make our energies fearful, depriving us from our own innate body and mind wisdom. So while we take care of ourselves through precautions and physical distancing, how do we check-in with ourselves about how we are doing, what is driving our actions and thoughts. There are many mindfulness practices out there which can support in bringing stillness and also communities like Awakin have been doing online circles. If any of us have been seeking a space to meditate, go inward, let us call it out here or in our YA city circles or connect with any of the team members, and we will find an online way together!

Safeguarding ourselves from the information influx

We are amid a constant influx of information which is most of the time overwhelming and anxiety inducing. For the past couple of months, we have come across people experimenting ways to safeguard themselves like - not reading news for a day or two, to sticking to just some sources and being mindful about it to even appointing friends as buddies who will read news on their behalf to going on social media fast to accessing only one screen for reading news. What we have found essential is to acknowledge and honour our need to know and then finding creative, constructive ways to meet it, sensing what is our ability to take in information and being present to what impact it has on the way we live, each day.

Accessing Safety

The Announcement of Lockdown brings with it a certain amount of restrictions and most of us will find ourselves being at one place, be it Home or a College Hostel. We are praying that the physical space where each of us is right now, brings with it a sense of Physical and Emotional Safety. It is also important to acknowledge that there might be many of us (in the Country as well the World) who are stuck in a physical space which is not Safe! As a Community, let us be available to our friends around who may be experiencing this, be available to offer any kind of support that can create a sense of safety for them. It can be a phone call, a voice note or creating online time to do some things together that can take the person away from the unsafe thoughts, situations.

Expanding Radius of Our Sensitivity

For many of us, engaging as an active, responsible citizen to serve might be one of the ways to find grounding and come closer to who we are! These times along with being uncertain are also said to be times to expand our sensitivity and reach out. Each day we are witnessing inspiring stories of people reaching out to do their part! Some that we have heard recently are - Volunteering to bring groceries to senior citizen, checking in on neighbours staying alone, offering listening spaces, contributing to raising funds for the people whose daily livelihoods are affected.

Moment of Reflection as humanity

In an uncomfortable way, we are all together in this, each human being. Covid-19 and all the diverse responses have come to relate to the human condition, to what it means to be human right now. It is a collective moment that is opening a window into reflecting our journey as a species. The hidden interconnectedness has become explicit. The industrial streak of humanity to dominate nature is humbled by a microorganism - What does it take for us to remember that humans are part of nature and not above it - you could begin by watching Sustainable Human’s film or reading Humanity’s Wake-up call talking about our systemic failures.

If you are looking to begin your exploration of life-giving ways to live, here are some resources to begin with.

What we do now in response to the Covid-19, will create the world that we shall live into - once the calamity is past. How can we find live-giving ways to engage with, in these times?, is the question we are holding. We deeply pray we support each other in our ever expanding circles to be with the force of life that runs through all (even the virus ;)).

Youth Alliance Team