Quarantine Can Become Our Practice
In one of the Buddhist texts a sentence can be read: "Even if the Sun rises on the other side, the Bodhisattva always knows what to do." So, during this Coronavirus crisis, we can use the situation to strengthen our practice and center, to develop more compassion and empathy.We do not have to go to a retreat in Korea, the Himalayas or somewhere else. From the space we live in we can create a hermitage or a Zen Center.
The first thing we have to begin with is self-discipline.The important thing is to make a firm schedule and follow it, so that our lives are not chaotic and influenced by accidental impulses, such as television or chaotic things, information that comes into our lives. We always start with the morning practice. Everybody can choose their schedule: we start with Four Great Vows, then we can do prostrations, then half-hour sitting, then a little bit of chanting. Then we prepare breakfast mindfully and happily and try to be as much aware of the process as possible, so that it becomes a part of our practice. We mindfully clean apples, watchfully turn on the teapot, pour flakes or fry eggs.
After breakfast we work. Cleaning means getting rid of the dust not only in our apartments but also in our heads. We are getting rid of the old things, sorting and throwing away a mess we gathered for many years, we clean up our spaces. Then we can take a break. Listen to music, make something nice for ourselves, which makes us happy. Let’s not forget about physical exercise in our daily schedule. We can practice our Korean qigong, Soen Yu, yoga or any exercise that energetically strengthens our center and our immunity. Those who can sew can sew the face masks.
We help older people and neighbors with limited mobility do their shopping. We contact them and ask them if they need anything we can help them with. We try to reduce the mass media pollution. We can listen to nice music, we can read more books, study Zen literature, read about the Dharma, and so on. Then we do our evening practice. Our daily practice is finished by Four Great Vows. Daily practice can be performed in this form. If we have more time and space, we can intensify our practice by making a retreat —practicing more sitting, more chanting, more energetic exercise.
We stay in touch with the people of the Sangha. We communicate with our loved ones via phone or computer. And if possible, at least once or twice a week we take part in together online practice.
If you have an opportunity to donate blood, be sure to do it. In these complicated times, blood is even more deficient than usually. And of course, any initiative that keeps your lives joyful, is welcome at this time. If you have more time and may do more formal practice, you are encouraged to intensify your schedule so that it would be easy enough for you but you do not become lazy at the same time.
You can also profit from participating in online activities in the various groups and their activities to help alleviate this for many people in difficult situations. Be creative with your way of helping at this time. Let’s use this practice to realize the beautiful idea of Zen Master Seung Sahn, “Even a bad situation is a good situation.”
Oleg Šuk JDPSN
Bratislava, March 23, 2020