Lungs in the Time of Corona
Take a deep breath in…
In order to do this fully, you must trust the air, you must invite the outside in. You must expand in order to accommodate an entire microcosm of something other than yourself becoming you, for a moment, and in doing so, allowing you to continue becoming your self.
and let a deep breath out…
In order to do this you must give away part of yourself, trust the world to receive you, to accept what has been inside you into the realms beyond. You must contract in order to let go, to transform into something, even imperceptibly, different that what you were a moment before.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine 5 Element theory, the Lungs hold grief and are responsible for the difficult work of transforming grief into wisdom. In the 5 Realm understandings of Post-Daoist philosophy, the study of which I am currently deeply immersed in, Lungs and the Metal elemental realm to which they correspond are additionally understood to be the place where discernment and valuing live, where we ask ourselves difficult questions and carefully evaluate our experiences in order to fully receive their teachings and medicine. It is also where we come into the fullness of solitude required for such careful processes, and in doing so, come into contact with the vertical dimension, the non-human world of spiritual power and numinous forces.
The powers that be are currently calling us into the realm of the Lungs, and like any time of immense challenge, there is profound opportunity here.
The Metal Realm has been severely deficient in our cultural sphere for quite some time now, as we are so often discouraged from asking difficult questions and truly taking the time to examine and integrate the deeper learnings of our experiences and our grief, but rather expected to continue focusing on endless productivity, consumerism and perfecting and presenting our social identity and personal brand.
And suddenly here we are, finding ourselves pulled inexorably into solitude.
Can each of us take the deep breath required to welcome the opportunity it holds into our beings?
What would it look like for each of us to rise up and meet the medicine of this moment?
What are the modes of being, the systems and strategies that seemed to be working but upon deeper reflection contain patterns of disharmony with the Dao, with that largest pattern of reality’s great dancing?
What is it that somewhere deep inside we know we were born to do, to make, to offer, to become, that we have been consciously or unconsciously avoiding?
What truly holds meaning, for you, upon a reflection less encumbered by societal conditioning and manipulation?
Together we sit inside solitude.
Breathing deep.
