I had a question this week. “How should I chant about the COVID-19 ? Before I get into this topic, I just want you to know that these are my opinions. I’m not representing anyone.
We all know Buddhism is reason. And I think that reason is important when looking at something as panic producing as the COVID-19 virus.
CDC Stats
Let’s look at some of the CDC stats for the last two years.
Three years ago the flu epidemic had at its height, 45 million people. Out of that 45 million people there were 654,000 deaths.
In 2019 there were 32 million who caught the flu and 18,000 died.
Initially, health officials said that with our current virus, 81% of the cases are so mild that people don’t even know they have it., 14% are moderate and 5% are acute. That 5% seems to center around frail older people, who have underlying health conditions.
Clearly this virus spread rapidly but didn’t appear to be anywhere near as serious as the flu. However, in the last 24 hours the reports have taken a more serious turn saying that COVID-19 is three times as lethal as the flu.
The following is discussed by Richard Hatcher who is the CEO of the Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and has a 20-year career in the field. He explains the long term dangers of COVODd-19
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcJDpV-igjs
What Doctors Recommend
Buddhism teaches us to use common sense and do what your doctor tells you. So what are the doctors saying?
The doctors are saying that if someone coughs directly on you and the droplets settle on you, that could be a problem. Other than that, it is simply a matter of washing your hands, and using a hand sanitizer with 60% or more being alcohol. Get good sleep and live a balanced life, and don’t allow yourself to get too tired. I personally have an immune booster and zinc tablets to kill anything in my throat.
What Do We Know From Buddhism?
We know that when we chronically think about something, our thoughts today will create effects in our future. If we apply this in thinking about our health, we don’t want to dwell in fear or hang out in negative conversations. We don’t want to obsessively dwell on illness. I think about my mother who dwelt in fear for 50 years that she would get dementia. What do you think happened to her. She ended up with it and to be frank, I wasn’t surprised by what we know about the oneness of self and environment.
How Can the Mind Produce a Physical Effect?
Someone might ask. How can prayer or our thoughts affect a physical thing? When you consider our minds have the capacity to create what we want using the natural laws of the universe, then it is less mysterious. We do it all the time. That’s why according to the oneness of self and the environment, “We all walk around with our personal universe extending from the inner depths of our hearts outward to all the phenomena of our surroundings” World Tribune 7/21/03
According to quantum theory, when we put our attention on something, the quantum, instead of being a wave, fixes into being a particle. This is done through intention – a thought changing a physical thing. From “You are the Universe,” by Chopra and Katafatos.
To look at it from a scientific approach, a different point of view from our Buddhist training, read “What the Bleep Do We Know”. The authors are saying that mentally we can take quantum particles and actualize them into what we want. There is a manifestation process that science is more fully recognizing as time goes on, that we embody the spirit, the consciousness that organizes the physical realm in our experience. It is not the God outside of us – we Are it-. This, of course, is exactly what Buddhism has been teaching for almost three thousand years.
When you think about it, the body is very responsive to the mind. You are embarrassed, you blush. You turn white with fear or in shock. If we are shockedor discouraged, our strength of will goes down and with it the ability to mobilize our healing forces.
“Real health is the will to overcome every form of adversity and use even the worst circumstances for new growth and development” Ikedaquotes.org
This kind of will power comes from confidence in our existence and a strong sense of purpose and responsibility to this world.
”To experience illness is not in itself misfortune, but to be defeated by illness is misfortune.” This means giving up the inner fight.
Daisaku Ikeda is a perfect example of this. when he was a young man he had tuberculosis and his mentor Jose Toda wasn’t sure he would live to be thirty. But Ikeda took it on and with prayer and strength of will built the SGI while battling the disease. We all know how successful he has been as in January he turned 92, extending his life by 60 years.
You Are Not Governed by Circumstances
Remember none of us are governed by what appears to be reality on the surface of life. When fearful, it’s important to remember we have a power within that is more powerful than any circumstance and also has the answers to any questions you might have.
When we have doubts as to whether we can deal with illness or whether our prayers will be effective, we are setting up barriers in our lives with our own limited thinking. We also set up barriers when we decide something isn’t possible. Remain open to all possibilities.
How Should We Chant About the Virus?
1. When we chant for any challenge we set a goal for what you want. In this case, you want to be perfectly healthy. This is your goal.
2, When you chant, pay attention to any ideas that come up for things you might do to keep yourself healthy.
3. If you get such an idea, take action on it.
4. Have gratitude every day for your perfect health.
5. And since Buddhism is reason, take the advice of the doctors and wash your hands more frequently and live a balanced life.
Summary:
Today we discussed some of the statistics from the CDC on past flu years where many people died from the flu.
We discussed current cases of the COVID-19 virus, where initially it was thought to be milder than the flu but recent reports are now saying it is 3 times as lethal as the flue.
We covered doctor’s recommendations on how to take care of ourselves.
We talked about guarding our thoughts since our thoughts can negatively affect our bodies.
Finally, we discussed how we can chant about the virus.
Related URL’s
1. Recognizing Signs of Fundamental Darkness https://wp.me/p3V1J9-T8
2. Here’s a method to Handle Fears That Arise While Chanting https://wp.me/p3V1J9-Sn
3. Know Why It’s Important to Chant for a Positive Goal? https://wp.me/p3V1J9-Sl
Comments:
Thank you so much for sending me ideas for topics and your comments. I love hearing from you. See you in two weeks.