Community Support for Coronavirus Pandemic

Perhaps this Community Asks and Offers Group could be a place that members will find useful again?

Janaki Kilgore wrote to me the following after receiving this morning's TW Newsletter addressing the Coronavirus. She writes:

"Yes, definitely we need to take the Coronavirus seriously and stay home whenever possible. Perhaps now we can move beyond fear and gather the wisdom of our community to figure out what to do next.

Here are some thoughts I had:

Learn more about how the virus works:

The New York Times has informative science-based articles.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-bo...

What herbal remedies can we use at home:

https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/herbs-for-immunity.html?fbclid...

http://7song.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/An-Herbalist’s-Notes-the-on-COVID-19-Virus.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1lOvS4svLypxfjGSQXx8DULgf4N8h5nUVafOkDOjH4sp5J4qvDrrZBQjE

Qigong exercise to strengthen the lungs:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR15ydxX-k-Qy_BciLlUvMr_pJjxKt...

People can share info on nettle patches in their local area, organize supply runs by healthy people for their friends and neighbors, support local businesses/ farmers we want to stay in business, check in with those living alone. I am sure the community has many more ideas!

Thanks,

Janaki Kilgore "

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David MacLeod on March 15, 2020 at 1:28pm

from another thread , by Tirrania Suhood

we can think of social distancing as spacious connecting as Maryla Rose suggests, filling the space with the warmth of our human hearts.

SOCIAL DISTANCING - SPACIOUS CONNECTION?

How can we play with the space between us in a way that enhances our connection while keeping our bodies safe?

How can we respond to the need of the present situation of the coronavirus pandemic without denying its seriousness and yet without undermining our need for connection? Especially now.

The virus is a global concern and is invisible - we cannot see the virus, every one of us can be an asymptomatic carrier - so we cannot place the responsibility outside of ourselves. Maybe this challenge gives us an opportunity to see ourselves as one body within which we are asked to create together new spaces to keep our bodies and our larger body safe. One of the faces of this is ‘social distancing’ which could be better named ‘spacious connection’ - seen as an act of generosity extending the caring space between us, rather than growing distance from each other out of fear. In spacious connection boundaries are clear and yet the space itself can be experienced as connecting us rather than dividing us. In the unbroken space between us we can hold our heart-ache about the loss of physical proximity and other losses that coronavirus brings to us. And we can be informed by the felt sense of deep care for life and each other - our tenderness towards our bodies and every-body. This space when consciously experienced is filled with the warmth of our indivisible connection. A necessary medicine to keep our immune system, including our social immune system, resilient.

The simple act of washing hands and keeping distance in solidarity with older and vulnerable people in community can be seen as an act of love.
Every smile, wave, every warm hello, every loving note and thought sent to each other - a saving grace. A prayer. A blessing.

Language is powerful. Naming the need for distance as ‘spacious connection’ rather than ‘social distancing' may be a step in turning our world the right way up. But consciously filling the space of necessary social distance with the warmth of our human hearts might be the most demanding work of art we are called to create.

With warm heart and cool distance. Namaste.
Maryla Rose