Psychiatrist Tells Us What We Can Learn From This Lockdown

In the midst of crisis lies great opportunity….Albert Einstein. Dr. Jyoti Kapoor - Psychiatrist at Paras Hospital, Gurugram says that the COVID pandemic has created a situation for most of the world population to stay in limited space with limited means and even though the threat of mortality and economic breakdown looms large, the positive changes the lockdown has brought in the natural world has not gone unnoticed. While the earth rejuvenates itself, human beings also have an opportunity to contemplate and realise the importance of certain virtues long talked about by sages but ignored in the mad race against time.

Patience

Till a few months back, whatever we needed materialised with the touch of a button, if we had the necessary means. From groceries to food, to fashion, there was an app for everything with prime deliveries. Not anymore, now we wait….and waiting is not so bad because while we wait we are using what we have, creatively engaging our imagination. Patience is a virtue, that helps people live in harmony and peace without the impulsivity that makes the world restless. May we be patient!

Discipline

Initially, it was disorienting, not knowing what to do when we woke up and what to do at bedtime, then we had to realise our boundaries, staying in limits, sneezing in the elbow, washing our hands, exercising because even though we could not, our tummy did seem to protrude outwards. Discipline our senses because not everything is readily available, discipline our tongue to avoid unnecessary conflict because we have to live under same roof, discipline our vision to not look at the mobile screen every other moment, discipline our hearing to understand the newfound rhythm of birds chirping in morning….. may we learn the discipline beyond self-centric timetables!

Humility

We thought we ran the world, but while we stay indoors, the world goes on. The Sun rises and sets at its usual time, the stars shine in the clear night sky, the seasons are changing and nothing needs us to go on! A microscopic entity bound us in our cages, we are humbled. May we know our place in the vast scheme of universe and be grateful for the experiences we are able to perceive!

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Austerity

It all started with hoarding, but how much can we hoard, so we have to make use of the leftover chashni (sugar syrup) to make malpua (a sweet made of flour), and use the leftovers judiciously because we may have no delivery tomorrow, or no money to bear the cost! May we learn judicious use of resources because that’s what sustains the environment.

Empathy

The maid can’t come, but she needs to live, so does the cleaner. I may not be earning at present, but I saved for this eventuality! May we empathise with the neighbour who bore a baby but her mother could not come to help, and also the nurse next door who goes to the hospital daily so that the sick recover their health.

Tolerance

The migrants just walked down to reach home, they did not have to but they were afraid. The atheist has to visit congregation, even if it kills him. The delivery person did not wear his mask, maybe he dropped it or could never make one! I just read it somewhere, we are in the same storm but not in the same storm. May we have the capacity to tolerate what does not appear to conform to our standards of right and wrong. Everyone has their own cross to bear.

Gratitude

I am grateful that I am healthy, that I have the means to sustain myself while the world fights to survive, that I can witness the beauty of sunrise and stars in a haze-free sky, hear the birds and witness the bees sucking nectar to make the honey I put in my morning tea. Nature has given us a chance to introspect and reflect, why don’t we slow down and appreciate the treasures spread around us, like blind men we run for home while we are home! May we thank the universe that an invisible entity, opened our eyes!

This is an opportunity to imbibe the virtues, practice makes it part of our being. May we imbibe the virtues and complete the lessons!