The Lockdown Series: Key 5 - Unlock The Monk

The need for introspection and realignment has never been more apparent. This is the only way to discover inner peace, which we all need now more than ever. With the chaos raging around us and no end to the lockdowns in sight, this may also seem like an impossible time to find your centre and achieve inner peace. However, in what is one of life’s many ironies, the coronavirus pandemic which has brought us so much grief, loneliness, stress, and economic uncertainty, also gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect. That breakneck pace of life that we have become accustomed to has finally been slowed down and we should seize the opportunity. Besides, freeing your mind and get inner peace during lockdown is the surest way to come out of this crisis even stronger than you were before.

So, how do you achieve these seemingly lofty philosophical goals and attain inner peace during lockdown? It’s actually not as tough as it seems if you take the right approach. Here are some points to consider.

Less is more

Begin with a good look around you. Do the scariest thing – take 15 minutes out of your busy schedule, open your wardrobe and really think about what’s in there. Chances are reality will hit you straight in the face; do you really need everything in there in your daily life? The outfits, statement pieces, casual bulk, the forgotten accessories once bought under the duress of a ‘sale’, the shoes, the home décor, all the elements in it – the excessiveness of it all becomes increasingly apparent when you ask yourself “how much of it all do I really need”? It’s time for us to change into active advocates of ‘minimalism’, instead of blindly caving to wasteful consumerism.

Sanitise- the mind

You’re now accustomed to cleansing and sanitizing your hands religiously, but it’s time to show the same dedication towards your mind like yogis around the world. Do you know how much the human mind can store in terms of negative thoughts, emotions, fears, phobias, experiences – all of which amounts to ‘excess baggage’? Now is the time to empty the mind of all the clutter and mental baggage that no longer serves a purpose and achieve inner peace during lockdown. You don’t need a degree in medicine or access to the latest research in order to start the process. It’s simple. “Open, Release, Forgive, Mend, Stay open”. Try it. It’s an excellent recipe for cleaning up the junk for your mental health. Besides, wouldn’t it be nice to travel light?

The ‘Now’ mantra

Never before has mortality stared at us so closely. Perhaps, this is a reminder to befriend the ‘now’. The pursuit of tomorrow has been rendered meaningless. Whatever you have, it is right here, right now. There is no getting away. So, make a to-do list for the moment and make sure it doesn’t get away without it being lived well, fully, and meaningfully. In other words, let’s find that peace, not procrastinate and put off ‘living’!

Fasten your dream belt

The world’s greatest ideas began with a thought. So, while you might be physically confined to your home, that shouldn’t stop you from thinking big and exploring the world in your mind. It’s time to visualise your intentions. Give them shape, colour, and form if you like. Go on and make that dream board – of whatever you intend for your life. The canvas is out there, but you need to put down your very own master strokes.

If you can hold your resolve and follow this path, this lockdown will be a turning point in your life. Seek inner peace during lockdown and Perhaps, a decade or two from now, you will look back nostalgically on the dreaded lockdown that changed your life for the better.