Waves

BY LORI BROTHERS

The stress and chaos challenging our health professionals and all those working in grocery stores and other essential professions is beginning to hit the heart and boggle the mind. They are in the deep end of this global event. Our mindful cooperation will help keep infection from spreading. 

The ocean is just beginning to swell and many of us are unsure of our location in the sea of daily reports of confirmed coronavirus cases, deaths, and recoveries. How hard will it hit, where will it hit? How long will this last? How can we help?

We are riding a surreal wave and meeting ourselves (our fears, feelings, thoughts, reactions, and appropriate actions). Some of us are sequestered from family and friends. Others are connected to family and friends, and responsible for their safety and well-being. Required guidelines for safety and supporting the front-liners are changing our habits and patterns. In surfing terms, we have been hit with a bomb wave.

Riding the wave well means knowing how to find the sweet spot. Present moment awareness, and tuning-in to that calm still place within, helps navigate a smoother ride. A skilled surfer knows how to carve and maneuver the water to make the best of each wave. How we shape our inner landscape can help us carve a smooth and powerful “long turn” over these turbulent waters to make it all the way back to shore.

When the going gets rough -- when a wave is too big to grab, the first reaction is bail out. This is when the surfer gets drilled under, pummeled by a torrent of water. Self-determination and unwavering faith become the steady surf board. Courage is the paddle when confronted with a wave that seems too vast. Right now, the waves are emerging from many directions creating a tsunami of concern. Maintaining safety, uncertainty of finances, securing basic supplies, care of family, friends and neighbors all whipping up waves. Gnarly!

Maintaining a state of equanimity can keep you riding on the crest of every wave. Equanimity is the foundation for love and compassion. Translated from Latin, it means “to bear with a calm mind.” This inner state helps maintain a fountain of balance and wisdom to live from when the water feels over our heads. Mental maturity and emotional stability ground us. Maintaining equanimity takes a strict and skillful use of mind.

The inner ground is anchored in weeding out fearful thoughts and allowing emotions to flow. Then, ever-returning to the faith and trust that is steeped in peace. Not the peace opposite war. Rather, again and again the returning to the peace that is the serenity of God within. This God-Peace produces composure.

Spiritual maturity is knowing how to love your way through this unimaginable human challenge. The situation, sequestering and in some cases self-isolation, is setting us up for this time of silence to reflect. Use it wisely.

During this unfolding global event, make time to be quiet. Sit or lie down and in stillness. Allow serenity to be distilled from the chaos. This fine quality lives within you and is an elemental fabric. Feel it. Dedicate time daily to calm the mind and quiet the emotions, opinions and judgments that are bound to surface. Daily quiet is not only healing, it blesses others by producing balance and harmony. What you create, you share.

This is the ultimate wave we make as a unified humanity -- love, live, care and share. That’s the “beach break.” What’s beach break? Waves that break and land on the shore. If you’ve ever gone body surfing you know the experience of gliding on those breaking waves as they roll onto the sand. Let’s use our hearts and heads wisely to surf these waves while holding the inner sacred and holy ground. The deeper we go into these waters, the gentler the waves become.