The Coronavirus has wreaked havoc into the lives of many all across the world and as scientists, medicos and governments grapple to get the situation under control, people read with anguish reports on how the virus causes damage to the living body.

Basically, what is understood, without getting into too many details of the science would be that the virus merely enters the body in search of a host to replicate and seek shelter. The body in turn, launches an attack on the invader by releasing hordes of weapons including macrophages, antibodies and cytokines. The disastrous effect of the infection is not really due to the virus but by the cytokine storm released by the body’s immune system. Step back and think – More than the virus, the way the body reacts to it causes huge damage.

Imagine a beautiful house with hundreds of glass bottles filled with acids and other corrosive and destructive elements tucked inside a cupboard for emergency use. One night, a burglar creeps into this beautiful house in search of some loot for his personal gain. The security in charge upon spotting this burglar steps into action and reacts by opening the cupboard and flinging every single glass bottle at the burglar. Remember the bottles are filled with dangerous stuff. They burn and corrode everything it comes in contact with. The burglar is vanquished – either he flees or is caught. Has victory been gained? Have a look at the surrounding – Hundreds of broken glass bottles and fuming carpets and upholstery, furniture, and the inmates cannot even step out in such a condition for fear of stepping on this dangerous material strewn across the floor. The putrid rancid air makes breathing difficult. Has victory been gained?

Well, this analogy is just to connect to what we are to discuss further. What we saw at the Virus level and then at the material level is exactly what happens at the mental and emotional level too. We face an onslaught of dangerous emotions every single day, be it in the form of anger, frustrations, back-stabbing, disappointments. All these viruses sap our energies and strew negativities and wreck us down. Now, do these emotions and situations actually cause this state of mind in us? OR like the Virus or the burglar analogy, is it the way we react to these situations which actually cause the damage? When someone irritates you, you do have a choice – to detach and most importantly NOT TO REACT. Let it flow without causing any disturbance to you. Cocoon yourself inside your core being, let these onslaughts happen as always BUT now, you choose not to react. Let it happen as it does, BUT you choose not to let your emotions join the onslaught. Observe it like a bystander, merely watching from the stands, let the irritant come and stand in front of you – DO NOT REACT. It has never been wise to counter such negative emotions with our own feelings of anger, frustration, hurt, tears etc. Let it Go…all by itself. Do not React. The attacker loses its power when confronted by a calm, peaceful victim who is in control of himself. They lose their efficacy and die down in no time. Do not react. Safeguard yourself from the overactive emotional system which under the pretext of standing up for your benefit tend to cause you more damage. Do not react – for your own sake, for your own emotional well-being, for generating a peaceful aura around yourself. There are many anecdotes you may have heard of the calm responses of the wise when confronted with such emotions, right from Buddha to Gandhi, from Lokmanya Tilak to Mandela, or even in your own family or friend circles. Such people have risen to great heights by this simple practice of choosing NOT TO REACT.

Let us ruminate over this thought and gain mastery over our inner being and bring in the much-needed peace and calm into ourselves.