Mindfulness in isolation. As I am a very private person, I enjoyed the environment here on the Andaman coast. Small tourist village, full of people only on high season, but there are not many people another half of the year. When the Covid situation started, I thought it would be only a few months, with even fewer people, and I find this situation acceptable, even welcome.
As more than one year passed, even for me, it began to look a little bit too quiet. Even though we have an excellent internet connection here and all use Zoom, it is not the same. Too few people that stayed here can hardly meet by chance. The area is extensive, and you can stroll and not really see anyone for miles.
The human interaction
There is not enough in-person, human interaction. I know that, when all this passes, I will for a moment wish that I can have this peace again. But for now, it is too much.
To get things even worse, my yearly meditation retreat was canceled, so I did not get to go there either. Fortunately, the first part of the year was eventful. I managed to visit Krabi and Phuket and go Scuba diving on Liveaboard.
The scuba diving experience was something special since we were the only boat on the Similan Islands, a situation that will probably not happen ever again.
During this period, the only way to practice mindfulness meditation was at home. It was real mindfulness in isolation. It is not easy, but if you put some effort into it, it is genuinely beneficial.
Acts of kindness
Also, we had the chance to exercise our kindness and participate in the efforts to help people in need. The community, alongside the temples, did what it could. If we succeed in helping even a small number of families, it is the effort worthwhile.
This also shall pass
Looking now, my primary thought is one of understanding the impermanence. This also shall pass. All things and events, good or bad, have their beginning, duration, and end. The impermanence itself is at the core of Buddhist teachings, and that realization is truly helpful now. Whenever it ends, we will know that we kept our mindfulness and work towards new goals. The only thing we can not let ourselves sink into everyday gray existence and just wait. It is necessary to have a proactive stand and work to improve ourselves, using this quiet time the best way we can.
If you want to know more
If you want to learn more about mindfulness in isolation and other things I write about, check out my books. See also what the goal of this website is. You can check out my other post about mindfulness and share your thoughts and comments.
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