The Coronavirus shows a breakdown in our collective immunity, at both physical and psychological levels. It reflects a greater breakdown in the biosphere, which we humans have disrupted in many ways. The biosphere sustains the integrity of the global Prana that sustains our individual prana as well. Prana is the energy that brings life and harmony to all.
Even if this difficult virus comes under control, its onset suggests more such difficult problems as our society becomes more artificial in terms of how we live, our air, water, food, urban and technological existence, as well as how we have polluted and damaged our natural environment in many ways from the soils to the sky.
Note we are not just proclaiming some doomsday but looking at the long term effects of our current developing technological civilization. The ability of viruses to spread is increased by the centrality and vulnerability that links the world by way of travel and communication for good or for ill.
The main force behind our immune system is called Ojas in Ayurveda, which refers to the essence of all the bodily tissues and the ultimate resort of both our nutrition and our genetic inborn strength. This can be increased by proper food and herbs as well as by natural living on all levels.
We also see a breakdown in the psychological immunity of people individually and collectively. Psychological immunity is indicated by our ability to withstand difficulties, opposition, stress and uncertainty. It is indicated by detachment, self-discipline and the capacity for introspection. Our current media based culture tends to weaken our psychological immunity, making us so outward in our views that we lose the ability to contact the peace of our own inner Being and Divine Self. This breakdown of psychological immunity is perhaps as dangerous as the breakdown of physical immunity and both go together—and both depend upon our connection with nature and a healthy biosphere.
Yoga, mantra and meditation can increase our psychological immunity and help us be less psychologically vulnerable to our current increasingly divided, stressful and disrupted environment. Outer difficulties push us back on our inner strength. We have been relying too much on external factors for our wellbeing. We must recognize that our ultimate strength lies within our own consciousness for which this current human life is but one episode in a greater cosmic existence.
