How To Reframe Coronavirus Quarantine As A Time Of Healing
Take some deep breaths; it's time to slow down.
by eternal happiness from pexels In these turbulent times, you've been asked to place yourself in voluntary quarantine for your own safety and the safety of your loved and vulnerable ones during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
The concept of “quarantine” can conjure up images and feelings of isolation, loneliness, and fragility. But what if you re-think this message as one of "retreat" instead? How will that impact your mental health and happiness?
A time of retreat into the warm cocooned caves of your home, into the quiet of slowing down, into a Shabbat from the business of the world.
You can use this time away from the busy-ness of rushing around to “treat” yourself to pay attention to who and what really matters to you.
Your health, your loved ones, your communities, and the health of the planet are all being impacted when you quarantine yourself.
The silver linings that have already begun to appear in the news include clearer air and cleaner water in many polluted parts of our world, and the delight of seeing more people out and about walking, biking, and spending time in nature.
At least, this is what I'm seeing in my neighborhood and when I go out to walk along the river and through the woods.
People are taking a moment to smile and say “Hello,” as they practice social distancing on these walks, which is not the same as social isolating!
Even if you can't spend time at your friends' and families' homes right now, you can still get out into nature to soothe your soul and greet others around you — at a safe six-foot distance, that is!
What happens to the body affects the mind, and vice versa.
The body/mind/spirit connection is the wholeness of who you are. When you meditate, not only does your mind slow down, but your breathing and body does, too.
When you walk outside, not only do your legs get exercise, but your spirit is enlivened when you remember to pause and notice the bright red cardinal singing his heart out, and the forsythia bursting into bloom along the path.
When you offer up a prayer to whoever and whatever you believe may be listening, you also create an energetic field of love and hope and resilience for all who are around you.
If you haven’t already been doing so, now would be a wonderful time to practice soothing and grounding rituals at the start and end of your day.
Maybe a moment of gratitude in the morning, to wake up each day and say thank you for having lived through the night, through your dreams and even your nightmares, to open your eyes to be able to say, “Thank you for this new day.”
And before you go to sleep at night, take a moment to surround yourself and your loved ones with healing, with a bubble of protective light, and invite your dreaming guides to share with you the wisdom of the night and the deep learnings you can get from this time of retreat.
Here are some simple practices you can do to help soothe you during COVID-19 quarantine whenever you're feeling isolated:
Practice reframing the idea of “quarantine” to one of “retreat” and see how that affects your mood.
See if you can find the “treat” and delight in this time of fewer choices, and more time to focus on what matters most to you.
Get outside every day and notice the beauty around you. Find one small thing to say “Oh, how lovely!” about.
Start and end your day with what you are grateful for. Let it be a blessing.
Attend to your dreams, for the night wisdom of your soul can give you insights and guidance during difficult times.
Continuing to practice social distancing, but changing the way you look at it can greatly improve your mental health state and impact your emotions while you're staying safe!
Linda Yael Schiller, MSW, LICSW is a body, mind, and spiritual psychotherapist, consultant, and international speaker. For more on how she can help you, look into her book, “Modern Dreamwork: New Tools for Decoding Your Soul’s Wisdom” or visit her website.