What I Learned About Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Part I

 

In December 2019, I attended a vision board party.  I gathered magazines, pictures, a poster, scissors, glue and hope to create an exciting vision board for 2020.  My plans included travel, spending time with family and friends, yoga and exercise, cooking and enjoying life.  My 2020 vision board is still in my bedroom. I look at it occasionally reminiscing on what could have been.  Surely, I am not the only person whose 2020 turned inside out. The unfortunate reality is the COVID-19 global pandemic altered everybody's plans. Sadly, people perished, illness abound, businesses closed for good and the tragedies continue. We are still in the middle of the storm even as people are inoculated with the new vaccine. For over nine months, I have been sequestered in my home. My limited social contact with people, outside of my household, is through Zoom meetings, phone calls and social media. Life continues, albeit with new constraints.  Traditionally, in December, I review my previous year and ponder on my growth, lessons learned and change. This year is no different. Living during the COVID-19 global pandemic taught me new facts of life. Let's discuss…

Make it POP! The Power of Practice

 

Lena loves music. She hopes to join a community orchestra. How will Lena manifest her goals? 

Successful people believe in the power of practice. If you want to be successful in anything, you must invest in your abilities with practice. What is practice? Let's discuss…

What is Ho'oponopono? The Hawaiian Forgiveness Ritual for Peace

My copy of Ho'oponopono, The Hawaiian forgiveness ritual as the key to your life's fulfillment 

by Ulrich E. Dupree

Dear Readers: I hope you are well. Since mid-March 2020, I spend my days sequestered in my home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. My heart goes out to anyone who has experienced illness and/or discomfort during this time. May we all soon recover.

Tm.

As a result of social distancing, I challenged myself to reflect on my life, choices and circumstances.  During the Road of Trials, the hero spends time alone in a mountain, underwater or well.  This period of isolation is a chance for internal reflection and renewal. As I contemplated on my life, I recognized choices that I am proud of and situations that I wish I handled differently.  These experiences were opportunities for growth. I still have more to learn. While it is healthy to reflect on our lives, it is also important to practice self-compassion. Last month, coincidentally, I was introduced to a Hawaiian forgiveness ritual known as Ho’oponopono.  What is Ho’oponopono?  Let’s discuss….

Lessons Learned from Little Red Riding Hood and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Fairy tales are written for children and cherished by adults. The stories are like flower seeds which bloom in our unconscious as we mature. As a child, I read Little Red Riding Hood, a famous folktale. I thought the story was cute and entertaining. Recently, I revisited the story and uncovered a cautionary tale about the dangers of naivete. Folktales reveal insight about human nature so we will recognize these behavioral tendencies in ourselves and others.  This knowledge helps us wake up, and educate our wants to desire goodness for ourselves and humanity. Let’s discuss….

Ruminating: Why we can't stop thinking about negative thoughts?

Last night, I watched New Year’s Eve festivities on television. At midnight, the revelers cheered on the hope and possibilities of a new year. January 1 on the calendar is a sign of a new beginning. At the same time, it’s possible for our bodies to live in the present moment while our minds are in a different time zone. The past and the present can emotionally coexist. Last year was full of new beginnings and endings of my various stories. Some of them happy, while others were heartbreaking.  As I reflect on an eventful 2019, I thought about an ancient story about looking backwards. When leaving a city, Lot and his family were told, “look not behind thee…But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Perhaps, this story warns us of the consequences of constantly ruminating about the past.  Let’s discuss….

We Are Both Right?! - An Overview of Holding the Tension of the Opposites

In a previous post, we discussed ways to walk away from relationships gracefully. However, sometimes completely cutting off ties with our opposition is not an option. We are all unique individuals with specific personalities, ideas, complexes and tendencies: Introversion vs Extroversion; Liberal vs Conservative; Warm vs Cold. Relationships require flexibility and compromise. How do we manage our emotions when we are forced to consider ideas different from our own? Carl Jung and Analytical Psychology provide insight on this conundrum through a concept known as “Holding the tension of the opposites.” Let's discuss....

The Elixer, Boon: The Hero's Journey and Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o

Actress Lupita Nyong'o holds Sulwe, her bestselling children's picture book

In The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell, the acquisition of the boon, or elixir, culminates an episode of the Hero’s Journey.  Campbell explains on page 211, “The boon that he brings restores the world (elixir)." An elixir is a “medicine with the power to cure all ills.”  The boon, or knowledge, is the gift the hero earns for having the courage to undertake and complete the journey, but it belongs to the world. Like the sun shares its light with everyone, we are to share our wisdom, or boon, with others. Academy Award Winning Actress Lupita Nyong’o recently published a children’s picture book, Sulwe, about lessons she learned about beauty and self-respect. Lupita’s elixir speaks to the voices of many who felt unheard until now. Sulwe is a New York Times bestseller. Let’s discuss…..