Albert Herdianto Widjojo
To be honest, what makes me bored lately is not the necessity to stay at home during this pandemic but the talk about the virus itself. If the various chats about the virus contain ideas that are fun, inspiring, encouraging, motivating, giving hope, good news and others, of course, I will not get bored listening and paying attention but if it contains more opinions, issues, news or information that spread fear, it’s very boring.
I think fear has dominated humans for a long time, even sometime after birth, both as intuition and thought. As intuition, fears and worries are natural signs of self-preservation but the constant fear and continuing worry are enemies of this body, even to the happiness and peace that humans often dream of.
“Anxiety dries blood faster than age.”
Some people have called me during this crisis, some say that my advice to meditate or relaxation or pray properly is useless in the current situation, while others say that they can feel calm and peaceful in the face of a crisis and even feel ready to face the worst situation (including death) if that has to happen. Well, of course, many factors can influence these various perspectives, but being hidden or said, fear (mainly of death) or sincerity in life really determines one’s perspective.
Actually I do not care about people’s assumption that my suggestion is useful or not, that is their right, but I care about their happiness and peace. They may say that my suggestion is useless but please do not poison their minds and bodies with fear and then spread the poison to others. They may also pretend not to be afraid but their various opinions and points of view illustrate that fear clearly. Of course “not being afraid” does not mean looking down on the situation, being careless or not careful. Not fearing at least means enjoying and fully realizing life at the moment, also ensuring that reality within is something supposed to shape reality outside and not vice versa.
Indeed, It takes effort to make adjustments to the mind, let alone to reprogramming, but the effort is worth doing both for now or later (if there is still later). Someone who does not know how to match his mind to the situation, then that person can be said been hypnotized (even hijacked) by fear or even to have died. Let’s turn our mind inward, and try to find (source) pleasure in yourself.
Only when the mind is properly controlled and directed can it be useful to its owner and to the surrounding community. An irregular mind is a loss both for the owner and for the surrounding community. All the chaos that arises in this world is the creation of humans who have not yet learned to regulate, balance and calm their minds.
Illustration: Digital Painting by Albert Herdie.
-
I’m sure you’re not overpowered by continuous excessive fear, right?
-
Yes
-
No
-
Fear can help us make wise choices to protect ourselves, otherwise, we could go through life ignoring the signs that tell us we will be in trouble. I have not always made wise choices … The conclusion belongs to you!🙂
That’s right, fear is an important part of us, like white blood cells to protect us, but if it’s too much, it will become cancer.
In the beginning, I read everything I found on the subject. By the time I decided that there were many false and provocative publications. I am now checking the figures for the Spanish Government’s day. I continue the rhythm of life as before Covid-19. Of course with some exceptions. I’m not afraid. I follow all the instructions.
Great I think it is enough to follow the official news as necessary to update information, and follow all the instructions, but most importantly establish confidence as you have done!
Our path is to bring the light!
https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-his-heart-bidding-it-have-no-fear/
William Butler Yeats wrote the poem at the link. It talks of fear but perhaps his most famous thinking on fear was that we, as humans fear things we do not understand.
In that lack of understanding, we lash out and destroy.
I wonder now, if we are not, forced into a cocoon. Ruminating, germinating, and growing within our cocoons of one, to emerge perhaps as a better world when we have matured.
I agree with you and William Butler Yeats that we, as humans fear things we do not understand which in my opinion the way to picturing it has been well described through “Transcendence”, a film starring Johnny Depp. Today’s human fear is quite contextual with the current situation, but other types of fear also come from desire (greed), and attachment, which then reinforce one another.
Thank you for the video link, Doc!
sure, i am a huge Yeats fan.
the fear we have is contextual I agree.
It seems like I can feel Yeats’s influence on you…
Mmmh… Joking…
there is much influence there!
you could also find influence from Blake, Buddha and Neil Young!
…and that is the reason why we can exchange ideas well.
i suspect that is very true. Thanks for that! gave me a smile!
I really appreciate what you have stated in your post. People need to learn to handle stress in normal times so they can handle tough situations like these.
It is silly that we want to control the world when we have no control over own minds
Thank you for your appreciation, dear friend.
Yes, controlling thoughts should be an important part of everyone for our own good, to overcome the dynamics of the everyday world, especially when a big storm hits.
You put a good point here, unfortunately, the reality that exists in our world, in general, is still like that.
It is the fake news that dominates the Net. I pay no attention to it.
Yes, somehow there are still many people trying to take advantage of other people at times like this. You have taken the right attitude, dear friend.
In the beginning, I regularly followed the news of the virus. But soon this started to kill me. So I stopped doing that. I listen to the news once a day. I try to use the rest of my time for things that are good for my soul.
The way you respond to the current situation is what I fully expect from you, dear Vida. It was great!
Thank you. I have to take care of myself first. 😊
Great writing! I believe that mental health is a big part of physical health.
Thank you very much, Ellie.
Yes, We can say such, even though at one perspective I agree that the two are one entity but stand as different factors and can influence each other. Which one is more likely to affect the others in your opinion?
Again, I agree with you that they influence each other and they are an entity. Many people don’t realize the importance of mental health/emotional state, and in that sense, I think it could have a big impact on interpersonal relationships.
My wife has a problem with her stomach, she has taken various medications and diets, but every time she feels tense, thinks a lot or stressed, her stomach will recur followed by dizziness and others. That’s at least the influence of the mind on physical health.
I am sorry to hear that. Everything in our body ia connected.
I don’t know why I’m just not really scared of this virus … I’m healthy I have no side diseases so I don’t think I have anything to fear …. I’m sticking to the instructions and this is the biggest prevention … but it’s true that I’m all honest sit
Wow! That is great confidence, dear friend! I am very proud of you for that.
But you are afraid of infection? dear friend
I have long believed that what must happen to me will definitely happen, dear friend. I have been on the edge of death several times due to various events that I thought had to happen, which have brought me to this point, and I am still healthy until now. So, to be honest, I’m not at all worried that I will be infected or not because, once again, what must happen to me will definitely happen, die or move on. Of course, I do not underestimate or ignore the suggestions and rules because it means arrogance, stupidity, and certainly can make my wife and my two daughters worried.
I totally agree with you, dear Albert …. what has to happen will happen when only god knows
“Anxiety dries blood faster than age.” Those words say it all my friend. We all needed to read your wisdom in this unsettled time all over the world. I am staying calm, cautious but calm. I try to immerse myself in nature and it works for me. I hope you can visit again soon to offer your profound words of wisdom my friend.
I am very happy just to know that you remain calm in this situation. I regret some friends who underestimate but then exposed as is also the case in many places in the world, but I am also sad to see many people afraid and stressed. May we go through this situation well, dear friend.
I have been preparing for this and did not even know. Many are stressed and I am afraid for the outcome. But I try to keep those I talk to as calm as possible and know this too shall pass.
Again, you show that you are not only thinking about yourself but also others by calming them. I am proud of you, Carol!