Overcoming Covid Stress Through DHARMA

These unprecedented times have brought unprecedented levels of distress upon us and taking care of ourselves is important though it can be difficult. Above all else, it’s important to be kind and patient with yourself, as you navigate your circumstances and figure out your dharma at this moment. Namastay healthy!

Unprecedented… This is our generation’s war… Nothing will ever be the same... Given the level of ambiguity and uncertainty about how life will look tomorrow, next week or a month or two from now, the level of anxiety many of us have had to process has been high. In the face of the financial and physical stress brought on by COVID-19, it can be difficult to consider our emotional and spiritual health.

However, in a world of uncertainty, Hindu teachings and practices are helpful in taking care of ourselves in the most essential and basic ways.

Accept your feelings

Angry, frustrated, scared, lonely… we’re all feeling a lot of big feelings right now.

It’s tempting to push them away and all the discomfort they bring. However, until we’re able to process and accept how we’re feeling, we can’t move on, and any suppression will just lead things to bubble up with other consequences down the line.

You’ll find that when you accept yourself, and your feelings, they pass.

Like waves, they crash over us, but then they pull away on their own, leaving our innate strength and resilience exposed like seashells on a beach. The next wave of emotion is inevitable, but when we accept this, rather than fighting it, we can tap into our inherent goodness more easily. We can see the things more clearly, and choose the positive frames with which we take in the world around us, and the opportunities that have become available to us to spend more time on ourselves or with our loved ones, even as they come at the expense of the sacrifices we’re making.

“Pay attention to your distress and understand when you could use some help. If you’re feeling aches and pains that don’t have a medical basis, they may be from suppressing stress or depression”

Understand what can and can’t be controlled

The Bhagavad Gita can be a particular source of comfort at this time.

Arjun’s war was very different from what we are facing today, but he too felt overwhelmed by the circumstances he was in, and Krishna encouraged him to let go of the fruits of his actions while doing the right thing.

For most of us, our dharma today is to first and foremost follow the guidelines being put out by our local, state, and federal governments to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities on small and large scales, despite the sacrifices entailed.

I say most because dharma is context driven, and many among us may have a dharma that drives them in a different direction as they provide health care and other essential services despite the personal and even familial risks they’ll incur in doing so.

Some of us will have to make difficult decisions that have an impact on the people around us if we are business owners or in other positions of power.

This can be harrowing and confusing, especially given the lack of information on how the situation will look over time.

Remembering some of the many principles of dharma: Satya (truth), Ahimsa (non-harming), Karuna (compassion), and Aparigraha (non-greed) all grounded in our individual context, to make decisions while letting go of expectations of the results can bring much-needed clarity and peace.

“Nourish yourself with exercise and food you enjoy, use the available time to do things that help yourself move towards your values, towards your dharma”

What can be controlled?

Even as much is outside of our power, we have the ability and responsibility to take care of ourselves holistically, on physical, mental, and spiritual levels.

Routines are important, and predictability can be soothing.

Nourish yourself with exercise and food you enjoy, and use the newly available time to do things that help yourself move towards your values, towards your dharma.

Kama, enjoyment of the material world, too is one of the four traditional goals of human life as per our Hindu teachings, and it is important to find both meaning and joy in these times.

Social distancing doesn’t have to mean social disconnecting and we can still find ways to connect with friends, family, and others who inspire us or make us laugh with the limitless potential of the internet.

What can’t be controlled? A lot

Just as we need to let go of the fruits of our actions, we need to let go of that which is not in our control. Hindu teachings and spiritual practices offer many ways for us to bring ourselves back to the here and now, and release ourselves from the pain and regret around thinking about that which has already passed, and the anxiety and fear around thinking about the future which we cannot predict or control.

Use hatha yoga and pranayama to ground yourself at the moment. If you don’t already have a practice you like and are looking for something concrete and app-based as you begin, The Breathing App by Eddie Stern is helpful.

Access Resources and Help

Pay attention to your distress and understand when you could use some help. If you’re feeling aches and pains that don’t have a medical basis, they may be from suppressing stress or depression. If you feel like you can’t control your racing thoughts, and are experiencing physical symptoms of anxiety-like sweating palms or shallow breathing, you don’t have to keep suffering. Yoga and pranayama can be helpful, but at a certain level of distress, are very difficult to do, and accessing another tier of help can be important.

Therapists are neither gods nor gurus, but their training does allow them to provide a function that’s always been valued in our faith the space to slow things down, process how you’re feeling, and to come to a clarity about what you need and how to get it.