“Learn how to see. Realise that everything connects to everything else.”

Leonardo da Vinci

Our breath

Several years ago I ran a meditation group from home. We usually followed a Tara Brach recording which began with focusing on our breath. Initially deepening my breathing and appreciating the ease with which my lungs filled with air felt wonderful. The release from my lungs connecting me with all the breathing on our planet. 

I felt as if I sat in union with every creature human or not, who needs to breath to live. It was incredible to feel into this collective experience of the breath. The simple, effortless rise and fall as my body pulled in air and then allowed it to freely flow back out again, felt amazing. 

Unable to breath

But as minds do, mine wandered. I suddenly found myself thinking about all those who cannot breath, who have difficulty breathing, who labour to take a breath.

I thought about people I know who struggle in asthma attacks, with CPOD or other respiratory illness.  Then all those who live in areas where the air is not clean came into my focus. They still breath, but the quality of air going in and out is compromised. Even if they want to breath clean fresh air they cannot, it does not exist, and so they are forced to breath in pollutants and toxins.

Tears rolled down my cheeks, dropping onto my chest as I sat and connected with this second truth about breath. My heart ached for those unable to breath clean fresh air.

We are not all equal on this planet. 

Air pollution

So why did this story come into my mind now, I wonder? Perhaps you already know. In the last few months several pieces of research have shown that air pollution is one of the most common factors correlated with death from Covid-19. The first study done in China between January and Feb this year concluded, 

“Our study suggests that there is a statistically significant relationship between air pollution and COVID-19 infection.”

Further studies at Harvard University in the USA found:

“A small increase in long-term exposure to PM2.5 leads to a large increase in the COVID-19 death rate.”

I had to look up what this meant and found this explanation on the USA Environmental Agency website.

“PM2.5: fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller. How small is 2.5 micrometers? Think about a single hair from your head. The average human hair is about 70 micrometers in diameter – making it 30 times larger than the largest fine particle.”

Toxic air

Where do you live? What are the air pollution levels, do you even know? Interestingly places like northern Italy have one of the highest air pollution rates in Europe. Wuhan air was some of the filthiest in the world. In fact there were mass protests there about this very issue in the summer of 2019.

I can’t help but wonder why this information is not mainstream as it points to an obvious intervention for preventing and protecting people from further illness. 

Interconnected lifestyles

Toxic air is a huge problem on our planet. It is already linked to increased rates of respiratory illness. If we dig a little deeper, which isn’t hard, we see it in a plethora of other issues we currently face on our planet; climate change, oil dependency, economic growth, eco-system degradation to name a few.

We are all interconnected. Our modern lifestyles and the way we have been treating our planet has consequences. These high levels of air pollution already affect many people on our planet who struggle or die because of poor air quality. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 40,000 people die each year in the UK alone, as a result of air pollution.

That puts Covid-19 into an uncomfortable context. 

Is Covid-19 the problem?

Should we be scared of this virus? Or should we be more concerned about what makes us vulnerable to health complications or even death when this coronavirus is around?

As a root cause therapist I have been questioning our understanding of, and response to, this virus from the get go. My training is all about asking questions which dig beneath the surface. Working collaboratively with each client we investigate to understand what has happened to create this dis-ease or ill health, in this person, at this time.

The story of separation

In my opinion the interconnected nature of this planet has yet again been ignored in regard to this virus. Instead the emphasis has been on fighting and controlling an invisible enemy. This mainstream approach feeds the story of separation I talked about in Interconnected Part 2 – Interbeing. It encourages me to be wary of you and you to be wary of me and all of us to feel frightened and under attack from some unseen outsider. 

This leads to the power-over model where we need a fixer, a saviour, or hero to protect  and save us, to sort out the problem and make us all feel safe again. Roll in all the guidelines and rules maintaining us in a crazy holding pattern of social distancing until the protector arrives.

Another insult on our already toxic bodies, the knight in shining armour, a vaccine. 

Controlled by fear

Disempowered, frightened and desperate for help many will, I suspect. agree to have this toxic mixture injected into their systems. I find this very sad. It feeds the separation story, it maintains powerlessness and allows people to be manipulated and controlled by fear.

“Doctors won’t make you healthy. Nutritionists won’t make you slim. Teachers won’t make you smart. Gurus won’t make you calm. Mentors won’t make you rich. Trainers won’t make you fit. Ultimately, you have to take responsibility. Save yourself.” Naval Ravikant

May I add, vaccines won’t save you from air pollution or any of the other underlying root causes of why this little piece of RNA has been affecting our world in such a devastating way.