Spiritually Surviving in the Time of CoronaVirus

When I am scared, triggered, depressed or anxious it’s really hard for me to maintain spiritual practice. Ironically, that is typically the time I need my practice the most. With many of us being on home isolation, you might be feeling the pressure to “accomplish” something, but when we are emotionally and spiritually depleted that’s not a simple thing to do. I offer you here, a few ways to spiritually survive in the time of Coronavirus.

Find Beauty

Before the shit-show we are currently living through became the reality, it was already challenging to find the beauty out in the world. Even before the 24/7 news coverage of this virus took over, people were already disconnected. Beauty is just right outside your window. You don’t actually have to go anywhere to find it. It’s right there. Right here. So much beauty in fact, that I wrote a whole book about why you need it and how to get more of it. Beauty reconnects us to something bigger than ourselves and reminds how brilliant it is to be alive. Beauty is the wildness and the rawness; the darkness and the light. There are few greater feelings than being awe-struck by something. That’s the power of beauty. Seek it out. Connect to it. Savor it. Remember it.

Do Spells

I don’t believe one candle is going to stop people from dying or make the virus disappear. However, I do believe in the power of focused intention, prayer, and magick. Since early March I’ve been doing a daily candle vigil that I have adjusted as the days and weeks have gone on. This spell incorporates glass-encased candles, sigils, a salt bowl, and daily prayer/chanting.

I have a white candle with the immune boosting sigil, Tempest shared on her blog, drawn on it. This candle also has words written specially calling to healthy bodies, strong immunity, and health. I have a second red over black (or reversing candle) where I have words like “stop the virus” and “slow the virus down” written on the candle. In the center of these two candles I have a salt bowl, with cloves, bay leaves, a bulb of garlic, and The Star card from a tarot deck. This is all done calling on Brigid and her healing powers to help us.

Every day I light the candles and send out my prayer. I also chant “Om Mani Padme Hum“, for ten minutes. These words translate as “Hail to the jewel in the lotus”, but they have a much deeper spiritual significance. This is a mantra of the Buddha of Compassion, which for many is believed to be the Goddess Kuan Yin. Part of my spell work is to increase compassion in the powers-that-be. I chant these words on calling Kuan Yin to help grow human compassion in those most lacking it.

Feel Grief

I’ve been feeling a lot of grief and I’m pretty sure this is collective grief. It is hard and sometimes gets stuck in my body. When I’m feeling overwhelmed I let myself cry. If I feel fear creeping in I write about it. When I feel lost or sad I walk around the house or go and sit in the backyard. I’ve taken to doing squats while waiting for the tea water to boil as a way to shift the energy in my body. Stuck grief serves no one. Folks who are more sensitive to collective energies need to make space to process or clear this energy.

Self Care

Yep, I know, blah blah blah, self care. Yesterday I took a shower, put on make-up, and got fully dressed for the first time in several weeks. Emotionally, I felt better than I have in several weeks, imagine that! During times of heightened challenge it’s important to eat as healthily as possible, get as much restful sleep as you can, and getting a shower in regularly can all help your spiritual self.

Now is a great time to start, or polish up, a daily practice. Start a meditation routine, sing, dance, play music, run energy, do divination, or whatever you need to connect to the greater world around you.

Survival

Spiritual survival can look many ways. There isn’t a right or wrong. There won’t be a test or quiz. Many of us are focused on the reality of day to day survival and our health, and rightly so. However, don’t forget your spirit. It can help you stay strong in challenging times and give you solace when you need it the most.