It’s been a month since Omicron, the new Covid variant, first appeared. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the strain is spreading “at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant.” WHO also warns that although “Seventy-seven countries have now reported cases of omicron … the reality is that omicron is probably in most countries, even if it hasn’t been detected yet.”
Yet, the Omicron wave does not tell us anything that previous waves did not tell us. The only reason it is here is that we weren’t attentive in the previous waves, so a faster, more unruly form appeared. The more we ignore the message we are getting through the virus, the more damaging the strains will become, and other natural disasters will join them to deliver the message.
We think of creation as consisting of distinct pieces, but in truth, these pieces form a single unit, an organism whose organs operate in inseparable co-dependence. The only part of creation oblivious to this modus operandi is humankind. As a result, we behave contrary to the way all of creation operates, which puts us at odds with all of reality. This is why we feel that nature is hostile and belligerent toward us. If we behaved in sync with the rest of nature, we would feel harmony and peace in everything that happens.
The pandemics and other natural disasters are the consequence of our incongruence with nature. If we dedicate some time and scientific effort building a reciprocal society that is isolated from the rest of society, and whose members strive to build warm relationships, we might see the effects on the health of the members of the group.
Regrettably, I do not see humanity attempting this; we are simply too selfish to be able to do so. In almost every country there are protests and mistrust between citizens and authorities. Even heads of state, who urge people to follow instructions, are caught partying without masks or the required distance.
Nevertheless, the defiant spirit of the people is not necessarily negative, for it indicates profound changes. People today are no longer willing to follow orders of any kind. Drugs that were illicit just a few years ago are now permitted even for “recreational” purposes, and people are generally more pugnacious toward orders from authorities.
For all these reasons, the worst is yet to come. In my opinion, we are approaching a time when such a violent virus emerges that will force us to stay home, seal the window, filter the air we let in, wash the food we eat with soap before we touch it, and (somehow) clean our drinking water.
At the moment, a spiritual connection, where we all feel that we are part of a single mechanism seems far-fetched. However, it is what lies at the basis of nature. Hence, as nature’s blows grow more frequent and intense, it will make us turn to the connection between us as the only rescue. At that point, we will agree to learn how to form solidarity and unity, and how to make room for others in our hearts.
At that point, when we have inverted our nature from receiving to giving, we will discover the beauty and joy in giving. In such a state, no pandemic will bully us. Moreover, we will learn to appreciate the ego, which, in its crooked way, has led us to reveal the good and pleasant in creation. It is as our sages said, “As the advantage of the light from within the darkness.”
Photo Caption:
Molecular biology tech, Sarah Corcoran, prepares SARS-CoV-2 samples as part of the RNA sequencing process at Ohio State University, where the Omicron variant of coronavirus was recently identified in several samples from Ohio, in Columbus, Ohio, U.S., December 13, 2021. REUTERS/Gaelen Morse
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