Facing a global pandemic of a virus that is spreading at increasingly alarming rates can feel scary and why it’s so important to stay calm and healthy in mind. When we are in our peace, we can see more clearly, and act in ways that are the most sensible for our health while saving as many lives as possible.
Here’s what I needed to know from China’s lockdown, common sense & Spirit that has been helping me navigate this challenging unprecedented time we are all facing.
Getting a Handle on What’s Happening
First, how did we even get here? This video explains how the virus likely first originated in a market in Wuhan, but really began much earlier during a time when China was poverty-stricken and people were encouraged to rely on wild animals to survive.
Later, it would become a breeding ground for viruses to travel from animals to the human population.
It was initially difficult to understand the severity and spread of this virus, and how it could cripple our health care system based on comparisons with past influenza outbreaks (Spanish flu, Ebola, SARS, and H1N1).
Perhaps I didn’t want to believe it.
But NOW the imperative need for all countries to practice social distancing is just common sense. This video shows How Each of Us Can Help Fight the Coronavirus describing how you going out in public can so easily spread this virus and cripple our health care system.
It’s not necessarily so much that you will die, it’s that the spread will increase the death rate of others more susceptible (older or pre-existing health conditions), and prevent others in regular need of hospital care.
By staying home, we can ‘flatten the curve’, the same way 2 U.S. cities – one that allowed a crowded parade to carry on while another restricted social contact during the 1918 pandemic (Spanish flu) that killed approximately 50M worldwide, and proved this graph.
Today China has achieved fewer new cases coming out after it’s lockdown measures, while our numbers continue to rise.
Here at Home in Canada
Initially, I was monitoring the # of infected cases and deaths on the live worldometers.info. trying to make sense of how it was spreading.
My niece attends Juilliard, and on March 9th despite no known cases, they cancelled all in-person classes, and she was soon on a flight home from NY.
I wanted to know whether to book my daughter on a flight back from the U.S. & wondered if my husband who was working in Germany should come home.
Strange Happenings from the Start
Dr. Li Wenliang was the first to alert friends of this mysterious virus at Wuhan Hospital and was charged by local authorities (China’s control on freedom of speech) and tragically died from the Coronavirus on Feb. 7th. It had by then killed 636 people.
The day before, Chinese lawyer & social activist Chen Qiushi disappeared on February 6th, taken in by authorities for speaking out about the outbreak & conditions people in hospitals faced in Wuhan. He’s still missing.
What was going on??
A friend sent me this strange coincidence from a page in a fictional book by Dean Koontz published in 1981. A scientist named Li Chen carrying info about a deadly biological weapon (virus) named Wuhan-400? I see a lot of ‘signs’ some of which do have a deeper meaning, and wondered just mere coincidence?
I’m aware of so many ideas getting into the consciousness with interesting ways sometimes of ‘coming alive’ down the road. Events can be set in motion by what we cannot understand in our timeframe.
It just reminded me to pay attention, and that there is more sometimes than meets the eye.
When Italy closed its borders as deaths escalated, and our prime minister’s wife picked up the virus in the U.K, I was still looking for answers, and listening to friends and family sharing what they were noticing.
Time to Make Decisions
Once the World Health Organization announced the Coronavirus as a pandemic on March 11th, things were beginning to feel like we were entering the Twilight Zone.
I texted my husband who flew back a day earlier from Germany on the 12th. The Frankfurt airport was deserted – only 40 people on a 400-seat plane. He’s in self-isolation for next 14 days – thankfully no symptoms.
I booked a flight immediately for my daughter who was in Las Vegas with global students traveling with Up with People. She was devastated. The tour hadn’t canceled…yet. I told her I felt bad for her, and explained how all the Universities had closed down here in Canada – her siblings were both home, and things were starting to shut down.
Toilet paper wasn’t available at the grocery store!
I knew more travel restrictions were coming, and I didn’t want her to be leaving amidst chaos without a way to get home.
The next day came the announcement – lots of tears among these life-long friends as the cast prepared to head home – March 16th. I was especially concerned for the students from Europe.
The Lockdown in China Contained the Virus
It wasn’t until I watched this 30-minute documentary describing what happened behind the scenes on January 23rd when the city of Wuhan’s 11M residents went under lockdown that I began to see the severity of what was coming.
People could not leave their homes. Everything shut down in an effort to contain the virus. Within days, the lockdown had expanded to several other cities totaling 60M people.
I awoke to the real threat of how this virus was spreading and wondered how people would cope mentally and emotionally being confined for so long in their homes living in fear with so much uncertainty.
What We Can Learn from the Lockdown
In China, resources are mobilized fast. Whole stadiums and hotels were turned into quarantine centers & 30,000 medical workers were ordered to assist from other provinces, as a new hospital got built in a week, and another one right after for thousands already affected.
It made me wonder how we will contain this virus in our own countries that don’t operate in this way. Can we rely on people to stay calm, and self-isolate as this coronavirus plays out?
China’s lockdown as you can imagine had a dark side that was not shown in the documentary as it was funded by the Chinese government and naturally had some bias, but was there more I was missing?
I asked my brother who often travels to China for work as a VP with Moody’s. I’ve been surprised at the way effective business there focuses on close relationships. The level of censorship and control I can’t imagine living with, but he confirmed, “Yes..the documentary is mostly what you see..they get stuff done, work together, and are efficient”.
You will find Western footage of the same Wuhan lockdown showing how hard it was in the hospitals for workers, and residents with symptoms being dragged kicking and screaming by police out of their homes to be quarantined, which was unsettling to say the least.
What’s Next?
It all makes you question what’s morally right to do in these situations in an environment when so many lives are at risk.
To what extent do you enforce rules to be obeyed because it’s a matter of life and death?
How will we manage in Canada, and around the world knowing we are nowhere near this efficient even as containment measures get stronger, and people react to the impact of restrictions. What about the toll on the economy for people?
When people live in fear, their stress can fuel disease. Countries preventing cruise ships (mostly elderly) with coronavirus-infected passengers unable to dock and breathing re-circulated air feels no different to the extreme cases of the lockdown in China where doors were being welded shut to keep people in.
We are facing a pandemic, and we all need to stay calm.
There’s many ways to calm our fears and worrying mind with mindfulness, yoga, and positive affirmations. Staying connected with loved ones. When we can stay in our peace, we can much better handle what’s happening outside of us.
I can’t emphasize enough the value of an early morning routine to start your day. I start my morning with stillness in communication with my spiritual guides, and later do a sun salutation with candles lit, which is usually followed by a 7-minute workout.
What early morning ritual could you implement to help keep you calm first thing?
I also have to thank Steven Colbert for his humorous lens on the craziness in our world that has my son, hubby & I laughing instead of feeling depressed. The increased vibration really does help fight off sickness!
Letting Go and Surrendering
One of the most important ways you can stay calm, clear, and making your best decisions is learning how to surrender, let go, and trust in something bigger.
First, reminding myself that uncertainty is the one thing in life I’m certain to experience, so instead of trying to control everything, the practice of letting go of that paralyzing need to control makes a huge difference to our stress level.
Once you aren’t attached to an outcome, you can live in the power of the present – get prepared, and do what you need to do.
The Serenity Prayer
For years, the Serenity Prayer was my morning practice. It helped me get in touch with my own calm, and now feels ingrained in my consciousness…accept the things I cannot change (what are these?), have the courage to change the things I can (what can I do?), and the wisdom to know the difference (do I know this?).
Surrendering, and having faith is a much healthier place to respond to anything challenging life throws your way. Even a pandemic. You get suddenly clear on what most matters. It feels easier to move quickly into making your right decisions when you can remain calm.
Guidance from Spirit
Finally, the greatest sense of serenity I experience comes through spiritual guidance, and how we all fit into the bigger cosmic universe. You are a spiritual being, and you have a divine fragment of God (or Source Creator/Universe) within you that reminds me that we are all in this together.
I met someone at a workshop back in 2011 who has become a friend and spiritual mentor to me. She is clairaudient meaning she has developed an ability to hear from celestial teachers. Something all of us can learn to do.
It takes a lot of practice, and I’m still working on it!
When this pandemic hit, I was scheduled to speak with her at 9 a.m. on March 13th.
I emailed her the night before asking if perhaps Monjoronson (her main teacher) could provide us with guidance around the Coronavirus pandemic. She said she never knows if he’ll come in, but sure enough, Monjoronson (our planet’s Magisterial Son) came through her channel very clearly 30 minutes before our call.
(You can find 921 transmissions of his messages here channeled by various people around the world, some translated from different languages that began in 2001 up to today.)
Monjoronson is here to help guide us through what I understand to be the 11:11 Correcting Time, and bring our planet into the age of light and life. An awakening to a higher consciousness really is happening for all of us who are open to spiritual growth.
I find his words both comforting and practical, and knowing who He is…I am always in awe. I’d like to share some of his guidance below.
Friday March 13, 2020 – 8:35 A.M.
Vicki: We are in the middle of what could be the most significant pandemic we have experienced in our lifetime. There are those who wonder if we are taking adequate measures to ensure the care for all who may suffer from the Coronavirus. I have been asked to approach you with your take on this.
Monjoronson: Let me say this, you cannot be overly prepared for what is about to take over your world. You have some world statistics in your hands. Now the question is whether the leaders of your countries are willing to take the appropriate measures to ensure that there are enough resources to adequately fulfill the need for hospitals and clinics to respond.
We have already seen where those who are taking a very aggressive approach to this virus have been able to curtail the rising number of serious illness and death.
Vicki: You mention the statistics and yet there are some who feel that our statistics here in the U.S. are not accurate due to lack of testing resources. Is that a concern?
Monjoronson: Yes, I would say your statistics are woefully underestimated. Your communities have been exposed to this virus for quite some time before testing occurred. Your statistics do not represent the number of people who have already been exposed and who are unable to verify this through testing.
The steps that are now taking involving increased testing, travel restrictions, working from home, social distancing and temporary financial support for the needy are all highly effective measures and I commend the citizens and leaders of these countries for having the courage to do this.
This will indeed save lives.
Please remember, in a pandemic as dire as this one, the most important resource you must manage is time. You cannot delay the need to prepare ahead of time over your concerns for monetary issues.
We have consistently seen within some of your governments, a naivety and stubbornness that has resulted in life-threatening delays to mobilize your resources in preparation for the spread of this virus.
In addition, we also discourage those who choose to respond in fear of this situation. This is a time when a level head is necessary and when common sense must reign in the minds of each and every one of you who has the potential to be exposed to this virus.
Undue stress is a recipe for reduced immunity. Educating yourself and also maintaining calm is the best formula for surviving these times.
We are hearing from some of your leaders that there is a need for you to help loved ones and to take responsibility on your own to protect yourselves and your families. We are hoping that this will exemplify just how much humankind is interconnected with each other and with their environment. We are also hoping that lessons will be learned to maintain a position of preparation and readiness for the next pandemic even as the number of infections decrease.
Vicki: As you know, in our society there is a huge divide between our people and what they consider to be true. How do you suggest we respond to this?
Monjoronson: Where we in the spiritual world acknowledge and respect diversity, many of you are threatened by a divergent point of view. We have seen this develop to the degree that some will compromise their own values to believe someone or something that is not true.
Much can be accomplished when people truly listen to each other, when sincere questions are asked and thoughtful answers are given, when one can objectively look at both sides and choose exactly what would be the moral way. This one ability to be open to diverse opinions will be the tipping point of whether you will continue with the current status quo or whether this pandemic and the struggles that accompany it will open your heart to become more compassionate and united.
Monjoronson often speaks of unity, compassion, forgiveness, and unconditional love. He has told me that the most important work is to understand your relationship with your “God fragment” who resides within you.
“The kingdom of Heaven is within you” really was meant for us to develop this awareness of who we really are.
How we co-create our reality when we choose to lean inward to do the will of God in service to others, in love for one another allows our mind to become more spiritualized.
Our purpose here is to experience all of life’s ups and down, learn to love one another, and grow spiritually in the midst of whatever it is we face. As our ‘soul signature’ grows, it affects our ascension path beyond this world where we – if we choose – eventually become ‘one with God’. That’s my understanding anyway : )
There is a peace that surpasses all understanding here when we follow this inner path to our soul. During this very strange time – remember this higher spiritual picture, and trust that your life is part of something much bigger than you can imagine.
As we move through the turmoil of this Coronavirus pandemic, may you find your true inner voice to help keep you calm, healthy, and growing forward.
P.S. This 3.5 minute video shows under black light how exactly washing your hands with soap (anti-bacterial soap not necessary)& water for a MINIMUM of 20 seconds breaks apart, and washes away the Coronavirus — now I understood why my mother (a physician) made me wash my hands the second I arrived home!
