Be Prepared (COVID-19)

June 22, 2020June 23, 2020 / Tunnel Vision 8 / Leave a comment

Last night I had a dream that I was practicing yoga with Buddhist monks. During the yoga practice, the lead monk told me to see myself floating. I tried my hardest to levitate, but I couldn’t do it. According to 10,000 Dreams Interpreted, by Gustavus Hindman Miller, “To dream of floating, denotes that you will victoriously overcome obstacles which are seemingly overwhelming.” I did not float in the dream – I tried to. So, that means I still have to overcome some obstacles.

Then my dream skipped to a place in India. I saw a great building that was over a mile long. Inside the building, I met an Indian woman. We sat down for lunch. She asked me, “What are you going to do for your community?” I didn’t answer her – instead, I woke up from the dream.

When I woke up, the dream was on my mind. Mostly my curiosity about levitation and what I can do for my community. I realized that this blog is one way I can help my community. So, today’s blog encourages everyone to prepare for uncertainty.

On my March 16, 2020 blog post, I said, “It is amazing how life can change so quickly.” In a few months, life can change again. It’s good to prepare or keep preparing.

Here is a home checklist summary (from http://www.theprepared.com):

Water: store 15 gallons of potable water per person (roughly 1 gallon per day) and have ways to treat dirty water via either a portable water filter or Berkey / Brita
Food: at least 23,000 calories per person (roughly 1,500 calories per day) of shelf-stable food that’s ready to eat or only needs boiling water to make
Fire: lighters, matches, and backup fire starters
Light: headlamps, flashlights, candles, lanterns
Heating and cooling: indoor-safe heaters, extra blankets, USB-powered fan
Shelter: a cheap tarp (anything you find at a local store) comes in handy for improvised shelter, plugging holes in the house, and clearing debris
Medical: list of 145 prioritized home medical supplies
Hygiene: wet wipes, hand sanitizer, camp soap
Communication: either a one-way NOAA radio or a two-way ham radio (if you know how to use it)
Power: spare batteries and rechargers (your bug out bag will have a solar charger, but you can also get a second one for home)
Tools: axe, shovel, work gloves, wrench for your gas lines, zip ties, duct tape, etc.
Self defense: depends on personal views, may include body armor, firearms, etc.
Cash: as much as you can reasonably afford to stash
Mental health: board games, favorite books, headphones, movies downloaded to a tablet, etc.
Documents: copy of deeds/titles, insurance policies, birth certificates, maps, pictures of family members, etc. in both physical and USB thumb drive forms
Local & emergency info: write down important contact numbers, know the location of the nearest hospitals, etc.

Be well. Namaste, world.

Affirmations for Expansion (COVID-19)

May 18, 2020June 2, 2020 / Tunnel Vision 8 / Leave a comment

The current pandemic is an opportunity to expand ourselves. How can we change our limited thinking? We have two choices, we can stay stuck in our “old” ways, or we can create new ways. We can increase our creativity by facing our fears, releasing them, and expanding our minds.

Here are some affirmations for expansion:

I’m glad I was born, and I love being alive.
I am relaxed and centered.
I am safe and healthy.
My intellect and intuition are increasing every day.
I am now creating my life exactly as I want it.
The present moment opens up new opportunities.
I am an open channel for love and creative energy.
I expand my mind to see things that I did not see before.
Creative ideas and inspiration are coming to me every day.
My inner wisdom is guiding me.
The light within me is creating miracles in my body, mind, and spirit, here and now.
God is showing me the way.

Namaste, world.

What would my Dad do during this COVID-19 Pandemic?

March 30, 2020September 8, 2020 / Tunnel Vision 8 / Leave a comment

My dad died on August 7, 2016. But if he were alive and well today, what would he do? If you read my blog post on February 24th, you know that my dad was a prepper (a person who believes a catastrophic disaster or emergency is likely to occur in the future and makes active preparations for it).

My dad was like a ping pong ball, one minute he was happy and calm, and the next minute, he was angry. He was an emotional man and a protector of his family. What would he do if he was here today? He would pray and prepare.

My family would pray when things got bad. Every night my mom and dad would have me and my brother’s kneel around my parents king size bed to pray. My dad would say, “All of us better pray.” I remember praying for our family and all of God’s creatures.

My dad prepared for emergencies. When I was young, I remember my dad stocked up on food, survival supplies, and collected gold and silver coins. My dad was a risk-taker, and he would not take crap from anyone. Many times, I was afraid of my dad.

Even though I was a little afraid of my dad, I knew that he loved me very much. Love is one of the highest vibrations. I can choose to let the current pandemic scare me, or I can fill my heart with love and gratitude. Negative forces will try to bring down my vibration, but I can stop that by increasing the love in my heart.

Love is our armor/armour (protection).*

*”Love” in French, Spanish, and Italian – Amour, Amor, Amore

In January 2020, I made an intention for the new year to work with my heart chakra. Now I know why I chose this intention. The heart chakra will help me transform during this time of change. Also, as a community, we need to increase the vibration of love in our hearts.

The heart chakra functions as a bridge between the drives of the lower chakras and these higher chakras. At this threshold, the energy of compassion and loving-kindness draws us upwards into the higher spiritual dimensions. – Layne Redmond

If my dad could talk to me today, he would tell me that this pandemic is temporary, God is love, and that I should pray every day for those who are suffering.

May you be well, happy, skillful, and peaceful.

Namaste, world.

Brave and Calm (COVID-19)

March 24, 2020March 25, 2020 / Tunnel Vision 8 / Leave a comment

When the crowded Vietnamese refuge boats met with storms or pirates, if everyone panicked all would be lost. But if even one person on the boat remained calm and centered, it was enough. It showed the way for everyone to survive. – Thich Nhat Hanh

Several months ago, my former father-in-law, Bill, was in the intensive care unit struggling to breathe. He was 86-years old and was hospitalized several times in the past year. I told my ex-husband that I would come to the hospital to support him and our daughters. I knew that Bill was going to die.

When I arrived, Bill, laid in his hospital bed with an oxygen mask as he struggled to survive. My former sister-in-law, Kari, wanted to remove the mask and let him go. Since I worked in the hospice field, I helped the family make end-of-life decisions such as when to increase medication, ordering a hospital chaplain, and explaining the dying process.

A few weeks later, at Bill’s funeral, Kari thanked me for my calm presence at the hospital. I was that one person who remained calm and centered during an emotional time. I kept all the people in the boat from panicking.

You, too, can be the one person to keep your family calm during this pandemic. We will survive this pandemic! Human beings are resourceful, adaptable, and creative.

There are a lot of worries about getting sick, taking care of someone who is sick, and how to pay bills. Hopefully, everyone can go back to work soon (as long as it’s safe and there’s a good plan in place).

The Vietnamese refugees set sail on small boats. They did not have any guarantees, but they were brave enough to face the unknown. We, too, can face the challenges ahead and be brave enough and calm enough to weather the storm.

Namaste, world.

Be Calm Amid a Storm (COVID-19)

March 16, 2020March 16, 2020 / Tunnel Vision 8 / Leave a comment

Be calm amid the approaching storm. We can see the dark clouds in the distance, but we don’t know if the storm will be bad or not. However, just like preparing for bad weather, we have our flashlights, extra food and water, medications, and shelter. It is time to be calm, so you can make good decisions and help your family.

It is amazing how life can change so quickly. We are interdependent as human beings. We are ONE – the coronavirus (COVID-19) demonstrates our oneness. We can use this time to transform human life on this planet. The storm will pass.

Do not be scared. Use this time as a training to help you become more grounded, peaceful, and resilient. You are a divine-human being, no matter what happens here on this planet.

What can you do to become more grounded and peaceful during this turbulent time? You can meditate, pray, do yoga, listen to calm music, journal, read inspiring books, help others become peaceful, and talk to loved ones on the phone or Skype (especially your parents or grandparents who are in lockdown). Make a decision that you will be calm and peaceful and remain that way.

There is a lot of uncertainty and confusion. It is best to stay in the present moment and take one day at a time. The world is not coming to an end. We can learn from this pandemic and become more strong spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.

We are ONE. May this pandemic bring humanity together, may we help each other, love each other, and find solutions to make life on this planet better for all living creatures.

Take a deep breath. “This too shall pass.”

Namaste, world.