How to turn our shelter-in-place into an opportunity to create a better world for ourselves
During our shelter-in-place, each one of us has been given an opportunity to change our old ways and create something new and better for ourself and the world. As we can’t go back to how things used to be and instead need to move forward, what has been your moment of pandemic awakening and your moment of pandemic resolution? I share with you what mine has been.Want to listen instead?
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I want to ask you– you see, I’m curious– what is your pandemic resolution?
What is your pandemic resolution? And what I mean by this is, I think that the situation we’re in, this COVID-19 world pandemic sheltering in place, has created a pressure cooker for us, like a meditation retreat over three months (or maybe even longer) where we’re forced to face ourselves one way or another.
And we’ve each been given an opportunity to jump to the next level, to grow, to change, to transform, to do something differently. And I think that we’ve each had a moment where we have realized that– that this is the moment that it was like, we are aware of this opportunity that’s given to us. And the question is, are we going to take it or not?
So that’s where my question comes from: What is your world pandemic resolution?
I’m Anna Gatmon and wherever you’re watching this, it’s coming to you from The Expansive with Anna Gatmon YouTube channel.
So I had such a moment, and it was early on in the first week or so, or 10 days of sheltering in place. It wasn’t really clear who was more susceptible to getting the virus. And so I was, you know, like anybody else, I was concerned, I was worried thinking about it. And I had this moment, which I remember very clearly where I thought about death. And so I’m going to be very vulnerable and share with you this moment that was a profound moment for me.
So I was standing in the living room, and I was looking out at the view, the trees outside, and I was thinking about death. And so for me, I have this knowing that death takes me to the ultimate expansive state. So I teach people how to be expansive in their daily life. But death is really the ultimate expansion. You are just liberated from the constraints and boundaries of the material world and go into a greater expansion. And so I thought to myself, okay, I’m 60. I turned 60 a few months ago, and I’ve lived an amazing life. I actually think I can say, honestly, I’ve lived an extraordinary life, and I feel very grateful for that. And I feel appreciative of that.
So if I need to leave, if I need to go, if this virus is going to take me, I’m okay to go, because life is going to stop as I know it– as me, as Ana, who I am now. It’s going to stop someday just like that.
You know, my father in law passed away not even a year ago. And he was on his way to the gym. He was already 94, but on that day, he didn’t go to the gym, and he won’t go to the gym anymore. But the day before, he could have gone. You know, it’s like at some point it just stops. Whatever you’re doing, it just stops.
So I’ve lived a wonderful life, a fulfilling, gratifying life, both spiritually, materially, emotionally, spiritually, community, family, adventure. I’ve had courage. I’ve lived to the fullest that I was able at each moment. If this virus comes and gets me, I’m ready to go; I’m okay to go. But then I thought, ‘Well, if I go, I’m really just going into this greater expansiveness and I’m going to get there eventually when I pass away, whenever that is. But staying here on planet earth, if I can, from the expansive teachings and expansive framework and expansive method, show people and bring people into this expansiveness that exists on the other side. But to have it in this side, when we’re living our material life, that is an adventure worth staying here for and living for.’
And at that moment, I felt so alive, and I felt that I had a purpose to stay here. I’m going to keep enjoying the material world and connections and love and friendships and nature, and people’s creativity. I’ll continue enjoying that, but I’m okay to go because I’ve had enough of it if it’s just about me. But to do it for you– to help you find your connection to an expansive state where you can experience more inner peace and blissfulness and your calling and your power and your expression in the world, and being aligned to your soul essence and your soul purpose that is worthwhile for me to stay around, even if it’s hard to do, even if it’s hard work, even if there’s going to be resistance, even if it’s not going to be perfect. I’m staying around for this.
So that was my moment, my pandemic resolution moment, to stay here. And so my question is: what was your pandemic resolution moment? What has it been? What was the lesson that you have been given or that maybe you are still resisting and going, “I don’t want that. I don’t want that”? But, if you just work with the resistance, and you go like, “Okay, I’ve had enough of this,” but stay with it a bit, explore what the resistance is about, on the other side, there is a gift that’s going to be your transformation, your empowerment, your direct connection to source, where it can flow through you and you can share your unique medicine, your unique gifts, your unique talents, your unique personality, your unique wisdom with your world in your life, the people you touch in your work and with our planet.
So if you know what it is, or whenever you discover, or after working with resistance, you’re able to see what it’s about and what you were resisting, then leave me a comment.
Wherever you’re watching this, leave me a comment. I’d love to know and to share with you, and to support you with what your pandemic awakening and pandemic resolution is.
Blessings.