Wake-up… just look at the course of the Pandemic 100 years ago…
It’s been a tough year and some of us have sacrificed to stay safe and keep others safe. How about you?
Considering the virus surge of the past week, which will only get worst – winter is coming, each of us need to mask-up, social distance, and celebrate holidays with only family members of one’s household. Do you have the courage and empathy to self-sacrifice?
Self-Sacrifice
Self-sacrifice means some type of personal sacrifice for the benefit of others. Down through history, people have sacrificed for others and their wellbeing, and the wellbeing of their community during war and times of struggle and chaos. What does this tell you about yourself if you are unwilling to do a small sacrifice to keep safe others especially health care workers, first responders, and the elderly?
Emotions and Immunity
From our Seven Steps to Spiritual Awakening: It has been found that the duration of what we could call an immunological or emotional challenge is a key factor in determining its impact on the emotional or immunological response. Duration: Think COVID-19.
There are five basic personality traits (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism). Each has specific immunological features or defined susceptibility to immune disorders. Conscientiousness implies a desire to do a task well, to take obligations to others seriously, and an awareness of the impact that their own behavior has on others around them. It has been shown that there is a consistent association between conscientiousness and a reduced inflammatory response. Inflammation is a natural way our bodies fight harmful intruders like viruses. But long-lasting inflammation isn’t healthy and could undermine your body’s defenses when a real threat arises. Bottom line: be conscientious, wear a mask, social distance, and forgive – heal your past.
The research is not definite yet, but it would seem that a strong mind, the ability to “let-go” and forgive, laughter, the ability to express love and “love thy neighbor,” and wellness of body and mind will go a long way in strengthening our immune system and our joy of living.
Patience – Perseverance is Needed
Below is the Japanese kanji character Nin meaning patience with an implied meaning of perseverance. This character is made of two parts. The top is 刃 (yaiba), which means “sword or knife.” The bottom is 心 (kokoro), which means “spiritual or physical heart.” Philosophically, when we are in a dangerous situation, we need the enduring power of our spirit and heart to have patience and perseverance until the danger has passed.
Kokoro has a meaning of the heart and its functions; mind and its functions; and center, or essence. Kokoro is well understood in Japanese, but difficult to explain in English,” says Yoshikawa Sakiko, director of Kyoto University’s Kokoro Research Center. Conceptually, it unites the notions of heart, mind, and spirit: It sees these three elements as being indivisible from one other.
The concept of Nin is necessary for a martial artist and any person of power. It is not the providence of the weak-willed and uncourageous. Which are you? A person with a strong mind, strong willed, and a person of power or a weak minded, weak-willed, and unemphatic?
A strong mind may be referred to as a “mind of no mind, the immovable mind.” These concepts are fully explained in our Seven Steps to Spiritual Awakening.
In summary, during these trying times be a person of power and embrace this concept of Nin and keep enduring the necessary Public Heath directions such as: mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing.