No matter where you find yourself on the globe at this moment, you’ve likely been inundated with news related to the novel coronavirus, or to COVID-19. Coming to light in mainstream media a few of months ago, news of the virus has taken over as flights have been grounded, nations have locked down, and coronavirus anxiety and panic has permeated through our communication streams. If you’re feeling anxious and fearful about what it all means, you’re certainly not alone.
We can’t deny that this virus is contagious, but what we seem to be overlooking is just how infectious fear and anxiety are as well. Known scientifically as social contagion, the spread of emotion from one person to the next has blossomed in a way few of us have seen before. Resulting in panic purchasing, fear of going outside, and hefty debates about proper protocol via social media, none of us are immune to this emotional transmission.
If you’ve found yourself caught up in fear and coronavirus anxiety these past couple of weeks, I invite you to consider exploring the following mindfulness exercises. These practices will help you to step beyond the habitual thought loops that are keeping you down. In doing so, they’ll provide you with a deeper sense of peace, calm, and contentment despite what’s going on in the world around you.
The rise in fear, anxiety, and panic related to the recent spread of the coronavirus is an opportunity for us to explore our emotions beyond the lens of the limited mind. This resource takes a closer look at our universal emotions and provides insights into how we can witness them mindfully and compassionately without becoming consumed.
This seven minute meditation led by Sean Fargo is a soft and soothing exploration of the experience of stress. By tuning into the body, we move away from the mind, witnessing our experience from a place of non-judgment.
This talk with Joseph Goldstein explores the edge of our comfort zones as a way of working with fear. Is fear of the unknown, fear of change, fear of death, or something else present for you? This talk helps us to deepen our understanding of the experience of fear and how we might move through it.
When tensions run high, we can find ourselves acting on instinct rather than from the heart. This meditation script is a gentle reminder to see everyone you interact with as a human with the same needs and emotions as you. You might apply this to the sales clerk when you feel impatient in the check-out line or when communicating with loved ones who have different views on the coronavirus outbreak.
Last but not least, if you find your stress levels rising in the evening when your head hits the pillow, this bedtime meditation will help you to re-center yourself. It will help you to reconnect with your body and to soften any fears that may be present.
Wherever you are in the world, you are likely feeling the direct or ripple effects of the novel coronavirus. From border, school,
Finding Peace Amidst a Global Scare It is understandable that these unprecedented times are causing a rise in fear, worry, and anxiety.
8 Mindfulness Exercises For Dealing with COVID-19Three months into 2020 and it’s evident that this year will be one like no other.
