The world has not seen a pandemic this severe for years. Many countries are in lockdown mode in their rush to keep ahead of this virus that WILL spread if left unchecked. Experience has shown that social isolation and distancing can help, and while it may appear severe when no one you know personally is actually sick from COVID19, unless we all do our part to stop this, the science and numbers indicate it will not stop.
We pray for everyone’s safety and good health in these extremely challenging times, and while there will no doubt be huge social, economic and health impacts, even lasting lifestyle changes should this quarantine routine become the norm rather than the exception, there are things you can do to make life easier, and to ensure you survive and yes even thrive in these challenging times.
Here then are 10 things to do in a lockdown:
1. SLEEP AN EXTRA HOUR
A lot of us in the hustle and bustle of daily life are lacking sleep. The disappearance of the daily commute to work allows that extra hour of sleep our bodies so desperately need. Working in one’s pyjamas does not need to compromise on the quality of work produced, although we do urge everyone to at some point change into day clothes, so we don’t slip into comfort mode and non-routine so very completely.
But here’s the thing. Did you know? Isaac Newton discovered the theory of gravity, calculus and many of his most famous breakthrough theories during the time of the Great Plague of London when he was sent home from Trinity College, Cambridge to work from home. Yes, the world already had the concept of social distancing back then in 1665, when the lockdown lasted over a year! But it turned out to be his annus mirabilis or “year of wonders”, when he had time to ponder, relax and think.
The famous image of Newton laying beneath the apple tree at his family estate Woolsthorpe Manor would never have happened had life proceeded as normal with the busy-ness of college life. He returned to Cambridge a year later with his new theories in hand and within six months was made a Fellow, and two years later, a professor. And of course, the rest is history!
This lockdown, use the time you would otherwise not have to pursue your own passions, change your work mode, allow yourself to get creative in a way that working an office 9 to 5 job would make impossible.
2. WRITE ABOUT A PASSION
The art and profession of writing is difficult under normal work environments. Even if one works in a writing profession, say as a journalist or copywriter, usually all your time is used up meeting deadlines and producing set pieces instructed by one’s editor.
During this lockdown is when you can pursue your own dreams and ambitions of finally crafting and writing that bestselling novel or blockbuster, when you have time to yourself without colleagues and bosses breathing down your neck to apply your skill in a direction that can ultimately lead to a whole new career.
And for those not in a writing profession who have always wanted to write, why not try giving your Emily Bronte free rein. You have the time now. Use it!
I for one did not start off as a writer, although one of my burning ambitions through life as a banker and then a department store owner was to write a bestseller. I dabbled in writing while in corporate life, producing during my days in Hong Kong a full colour coffee table book “The Chinese Dragon” – but this was largely a historical account of this fabulous mythical creature, highly illustrated with photographs and drawings.
It wasn’t only after I quit the corporate world and “retired” to become a full-time mom that I had the time to really write. That resulted in a whole new career for me as a writer, and the seeds planted by my part-time work on the Chinese Dragon led to a whole new movement around this mythical magical creature, leading eventually to many books on feng shui, and a whole business producing the beautiful items and images needed to practice feng shui in the modern world.
In this lockdown period, you can do the same. What is it that interests you? What are your true passions? Write about them! Then see where it leads you!
3. DABBLE IN DRAWING
There’s nothing like making art! It’s therapeutic, liberating and an activity where you can include the whole family. Today, anyone can draw and paint. You don’t have to have gone to art school to produce fabulous art you can call your own. There are so many YouTube videos and online tutorials, whether you are a total beginner or a sleeper artist who hasn’t picked up a paintbrush since school days.
And don’t let the myth of a lack of “talent” stop you. You don’t need to be able to draw to paint! Even the most talented artists were beginners once, and I firmly believe in the 10,000 hour rule, where the more you do something, the more you master the skill; and at the end of the 10,000 hours, voila, you achieve mastery over your skill. This applies to any skill that involves cognitive powers, anything that requires any kind of creative thinking.
Yes, one can develop talent!
And today, when almost anything can be considered art, the world literally is your oyster. There are so many styles and eras to draw your inspiration from, and with the internet, that inspiration is absolutely endless! Start by copying, then by adapting, then by evolving your own style.
So much fun and something you can do only when you have TIME on your hands. For many of us, this lockdown gives that – a little more time for ourselves. Count that as a blessing!
4. SMELL YOUR GARDEN
There is nothing more calming than strolling in one’s garden taking up the smells and making friends with all the trees and plants. There have been studies done that prove plants have personalities and can sense and react to human emotion. They are sentient beings too, and the more one talks to trees, the more one understands how they can talk back! No, not horror movie talking tree style! But they really are so very good for the soul.
I talk to my plants all the time. I make it a point daily to spend at least a couple of hours in my garden with my dogs, and there is nothing quite as satisfying as seeing each different variety produce different kinds of flowers. Plants also emit oxygen, which is so good for our systems.
There is no risk in catching the coronavirus from smelling the air of a spacious garden – don’t believe some of the utter myths going around! COVID19 is NOT an airborne virus! You can only catch it from breathing in the virus from being too close to someone else who already has it. And chances are, they have to cough into the air in the direct vicinity of your personal space.
Walking your garden is something you can do alone and in happy solitude, just as the government ordered!
5. SEND GREETINGS TO A FRIEND
How many of us never have time to catch up with friends, current ones let alone old and long-lost friends? Only today, a friend from years and years back from university contacted me, and we have not been in touch for over 20 years. In regular times, he would have probably never had a reason to get in touch, and if he did, I wouldn’t have had time to reply. Nowadays during lockdown is the ideal time to revisit old friendships and enlarge our friendship circles in a way hectic modern living would otherwise never allow.
6. REARRANGE YOUR LIVING AREA
This is one of the MOST important things one can do to ensure a harmonious existence – the constant updating and checking of one’s feng shui. We often do this but once a year, when the annual stars change location. But did you know, stars change on a monthly and even daily basis? Stars change all the time, the energies around us are constantly evolving.
And when we do not pay attention, sometimes we allow a new affliction to go unnoticed.
These days when we have more time on our hands and are confined to our own homes is the best opportunity to check our feng shui, and to move furniture and items about as needed. It is always good nevertheless to move the furniture around, as it prevents energy from becoming stale within one’s home – EVEN if you end up moving the furniture right back to where it was before.
We remind everyone that the MOST important sectors to take care of are those housing the monthly Illness Star, Five Yellow misfortune star, and Quarrelsome Star. Getting hit during these dangerous times by one of these afflictions can be no joke, so you really should take care of these corners.
This month of March, the monthly Illness Star is in the South, the Five Yellow is in the East, and the Quarrelsome Star is in the North. Place a health remedy in the South, a mini Five Element Pagoda in the East, and a red carpet or red Dragon in the North.
Next month from 5th April 2020, the monthly Illness Star is in the North, the Five Yellow is in the Southeast, and the Quarrelsome Star is in the SW.
7. THINK DEEPLY
Another benefit of this lockdown is the ability to think deeply. The positive effects of meditation are widespread, and we never have the time to pause and just philosophize over life. Our schedules are often too hectic and too full, and we are often too tired at the end of each day so we just go to sleep. Use this time to contemplate, ponder, philosophize.
8. GET A NEW TOY
Just because most physical shops are closed doesn’t mean one can’t satisfy one’s retail fix. Most eCommerce stores are still operating as usual. Our online store www.fsmegamall.com is fully opened and our warehouse and deliveries are still working as normal. Use this time to browse the online stores and get yourself a present for being good and staying at home and doing your part for social distancing!
9. PLAN A MENU
There will be many of you used to TV dinners or take-out food. How about use this lockdown period to try your hand at actually making dishes from scratch? Another extremely fun activity that can involve the kids and the whole family, and besides, it will be healthier than the fast foods that so many families often end up eating when there is no time to cook! This is the perfect time to awaken the inner chef in you! And to get healthy!
10. PROTECT YOURSELF WITH FENG SHUI CURES
Most important, no matter how many jokes we make on our current global situation, this pandemic is not really a laughing matter. We use humour as therapy – and why not – but we must not forget that even if this threat seems remote and has not yet touched our lives directly, we absolutely want it to stay that way.
In these uncertain times, we need to stay protected with health cures; but not just health cures, we want to protect our financial security and our mental health as well.
The effects of this virus is manifold and hits everyone from many different directions, and while the best way to deal is to keep a positive spirit, we must keep our feet on the ground and have a life to go back to when all this is over.
For many, the financial threat is extremely worrying. How long can governments prop up economies that will have massive multiplier effects from this total global shutdown? How long can businesses continue to pay staff when sales and income are rock bottom? How much will output fall as a result of decreased demand from consumers, shop shutting, reduced income? How can parents continue to work effectively having to look after the kids full-time following the (indefinite) closure of schools?
We recommend that everyone maintain sound mental health by feeding the soul, work as well from home as you can, encourage your kids to be independent in home and e-learning, and employ symbolic cures in your living space – because these really do work to protect us against the calamities of living.
To safeguard your health, you can pick from our range of health cures; our top picks are the Prayer Wheel Pendant for Health, the Medicine Buddha Mantra Wand and the Bejewelled Medicine Buddha.
To protect your wealth, choose from our range of wealth enhancers; wear the Prayer Wheel Pendant for Wealth, the Wealth Cabinet (to ensure your asset wealth is protected), and for those in business, you need the Double Humped Camel to protect your cashflow during these times when sales are bound to be affected.
To protect your well-being, carry the 15 Hums Protection Wheel Keychain. For those married, have the Marriage Happiness Ducks in your home to ensure marital harmony at a time when you will be seeing a lot of one another!
THE BEST BUDDHA IMAGE to protect against the NOVEL CORONAVIRUS and other contagious diseases is the Protector Buddha VAIROCANA.
Vairocana is one the 5 Dhyani Buddhas. He is head of the Tathagata family. He protects you from diseases, keeps your family safe from harm, protects against loss of income and encourages you to make good and wise decisions. In these unprecedented times, having the Buddha Vairocana in the home is hugely beneficial to shield you from all the negative effects – both direct and indirect – of this current pandemic outbreak.
To fight the CORONAVIRUS causing so many deaths, what is needed is to invoke blessings from VAIROCANA BUDDHA and recite the mantra here.
We wish all of you safety and good health, and may you all come out of this stronger, wiser and more accomplished!
