Ubiety - Let us not just do it and move on!
The word means existing and being localised at one place.
(Frankly, I do not know what localised means. Adapting it to our current situation of being bound at one place.)
Don't we all relate to this really very well! We have all been in this state together, it has been just over a month now. The entire World has come to a standstill!
People are working from home, children are attending schools from home, post school activities are being done from home even physical play is happening at home and via various video calling apps across screens. All from the 'comforts' of our homes. However, when we ask someone 'how's it going?', "Surviving" pat comes the reply. The Actual Question I feel is "Are we only surviving?"
What is it that we are doing nowadays? Are we surviving or living our lives? Or do you think it was earlier that we were living? That is, before the strike of this deadly novel virus - Corona Virus Disease 2019.
Here is my take on this recoup period bestowed on to us.
My understanding of how we should carve the coming days, weeks, months of social distancing.
Being a marketeer and having closely studied consumer behaviour and trends. I have always maintained if the consumer was not gullible consumerism would not have boomed and been a movement. Industrialisation and Consumerism have played a large part in how civilisation has shaped. How has it evolved over years. Each of us individuals are and have been one of the mice in the rat race at different levels and at various intensity and paces. However, I believe the measure of how worthwhile one's life is when we stand still and watch the clouds go by.
I urge you, my dear reader, to participate with me in this exercise. Read through this process and pray, do it once and test this practice.
At meal time, give yourself a minute or two before digging into your dish. Close your eyes and track the travel path of the grain in your plate. Visualise its journey and the numerous people who helped you get that meal. (This may sound crazy, do try it once even if just for fun!).
For example, if I am about to eat strawberries, I will thank the farmer, the berry pickers, the sorters, the person who packed them in boxes, the truck loader, the driver who go it from the farms to the city markets, the green grocer who procured it from the city farmers market and then sold them to me. Now that I do this, I bite into the fruit being mindful about its existence, the strawberries I bite into feel more fleshy, juicy and invoke a fulfilling experience.
Try it and let me know how did it make you feel. A technique as simple as tracking the journey of the fruit, from where it was created, to where it landed for me to consume makes me more aware about things around me; even the air I breath!
This my dear friends is life! Life gives us experiences and opportunities; it is for us to make sense of it and live it completely rather than just survive.
Having shared this, I am in no way asking you to do it with every bite or every meal; but it would just be awesome if we are more aware and grateful for things we do and own.
I believe, living a life with mindful involvement forms the essence of life and brings meaning to this never ending journey of the soul.
COVID-19 has given us an opportunity to live our lives once again. To pause and start afresh. We have been bombarded with news, media and lots of content across various mediums of influence in the name of comfort and fear. It is us, the higher order living things, who must pause and ponder on how much would we want to be influenced with.
This interlude in our lives is another of Nature's gift for it's beloved mankind. Our lives have been designed to enjoy this stillness - to "turn inwards" (words borrowed from my mentor Geetanjali Shetty Kaul).
Let's reflect where have we come from to as far as we are right now and where is it that we are going here on!
This forced breathing space has given me a chance at living - at life! #thankful
I am using his time constructively, yes of course, writing more and reading more, and experimenting more in the kitchen space, but mainly thinking, preparing, planning, reiterating plans for the things to unfold and the days to come.
This is a much needed "slack in schedule" which we should cash in on - planning and the paving way for a much more "lived lifestyle".
Citing the World Health Organisation's current chief, Director - General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus, speaking about the novel corona virus - "Make no mistakes; we have a long way to go. This virus will be with us for a long time. There must be a 'new-normal', a world that is healthier... safer and better prepared."
Ardently looking forward to being more equipped for the life which awaits!
[This article is written for the publishing platform SPARK - Igniting Minds.]
(Frankly, I do not know what localised means. Adapting it to our current situation of being bound at one place.)
Don't we all relate to this really very well! We have all been in this state together, it has been just over a month now. The entire World has come to a standstill!
People are working from home, children are attending schools from home, post school activities are being done from home even physical play is happening at home and via various video calling apps across screens. All from the 'comforts' of our homes. However, when we ask someone 'how's it going?', "Surviving" pat comes the reply. The Actual Question I feel is "Are we only surviving?"
What is it that we are doing nowadays? Are we surviving or living our lives? Or do you think it was earlier that we were living? That is, before the strike of this deadly novel virus - Corona Virus Disease 2019.
Here is my take on this recoup period bestowed on to us.
My understanding of how we should carve the coming days, weeks, months of social distancing.
Being a marketeer and having closely studied consumer behaviour and trends. I have always maintained if the consumer was not gullible consumerism would not have boomed and been a movement. Industrialisation and Consumerism have played a large part in how civilisation has shaped. How has it evolved over years. Each of us individuals are and have been one of the mice in the rat race at different levels and at various intensity and paces. However, I believe the measure of how worthwhile one's life is when we stand still and watch the clouds go by.
I urge you, my dear reader, to participate with me in this exercise. Read through this process and pray, do it once and test this practice.
At meal time, give yourself a minute or two before digging into your dish. Close your eyes and track the travel path of the grain in your plate. Visualise its journey and the numerous people who helped you get that meal. (This may sound crazy, do try it once even if just for fun!).
For example, if I am about to eat strawberries, I will thank the farmer, the berry pickers, the sorters, the person who packed them in boxes, the truck loader, the driver who go it from the farms to the city markets, the green grocer who procured it from the city farmers market and then sold them to me. Now that I do this, I bite into the fruit being mindful about its existence, the strawberries I bite into feel more fleshy, juicy and invoke a fulfilling experience.
Try it and let me know how did it make you feel. A technique as simple as tracking the journey of the fruit, from where it was created, to where it landed for me to consume makes me more aware about things around me; even the air I breath!
This my dear friends is life! Life gives us experiences and opportunities; it is for us to make sense of it and live it completely rather than just survive.
Having shared this, I am in no way asking you to do it with every bite or every meal; but it would just be awesome if we are more aware and grateful for things we do and own.
I believe, living a life with mindful involvement forms the essence of life and brings meaning to this never ending journey of the soul.
COVID-19 has given us an opportunity to live our lives once again. To pause and start afresh. We have been bombarded with news, media and lots of content across various mediums of influence in the name of comfort and fear. It is us, the higher order living things, who must pause and ponder on how much would we want to be influenced with.
This interlude in our lives is another of Nature's gift for it's beloved mankind. Our lives have been designed to enjoy this stillness - to "turn inwards" (words borrowed from my mentor Geetanjali Shetty Kaul).
Let's reflect where have we come from to as far as we are right now and where is it that we are going here on!
This forced breathing space has given me a chance at living - at life! #thankful
I am using his time constructively, yes of course, writing more and reading more, and experimenting more in the kitchen space, but mainly thinking, preparing, planning, reiterating plans for the things to unfold and the days to come.
This is a much needed "slack in schedule" which we should cash in on - planning and the paving way for a much more "lived lifestyle".
Citing the World Health Organisation's current chief, Director - General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus, speaking about the novel corona virus - "Make no mistakes; we have a long way to go. This virus will be with us for a long time. There must be a 'new-normal', a world that is healthier... safer and better prepared."
Ardently looking forward to being more equipped for the life which awaits!
[This article is written for the publishing platform SPARK - Igniting Minds.]
Wow!! Loved it. Didn't realise earlier that my girl has grown up so much. Bravo 👍
ReplyDeleteThank you! Children always remain so, I guess.
DeleteWell written Poorabie, this is just what we need to remember.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Happy you could relate. :-)
ReplyDelete