Musings

BY CAROL BEDROSIAN

Remotely Possible

Ayear ago, last spring, many populations around the world faced grave unknowns as we entered an unprecedented period of global pandemic lockdown. Confined to our homes except for masked grocery store excursions, emergencies or other necessities, and plagued with conflicting sources of reliable information, pervasive fear and anxiety easily rooted in our lives. Would we survive a virus outbreak? How long would lockdown last? What would happen to our lives and livelihoods without being able to engage with the world?

Sounds like some dreadful futurist novel plot, but this spring — perhaps not so unlike our outdoor mammal cousins — we find ourselves cautiously emerging from our strange year-long hibernation at home. Some of us have lost loved ones or careers or financial solvency, while others have faced the torment of depression and suicidal thoughts for the first time in their lives. Despite the many hardships the lockdown imposed in being cut off from family, friends, familiar routines and cherished traditions, as well as its devastating economic impact, in return, it has provided significant new perspectives in our lives.

As indoor pandemic restrictions tightened last spring, people flocked to the outdoors for space, for healing, for freedom. In a world where you could no longer reliably presume what tomorrow might bring, a simple walk outdoors still made sense. Indoor activities were quickly adapted so outdoor dining, learning, shopping and entertainment could take place to a limited extent.

Suddenly, our perception of nature’s vital role in our lives had been sharpened. Not only does indoor quarantining make us more appreciative of our essential need for fresh air, green plants and sunshine, but also shows us how vulnerable we are to the much greater forces of nature, as climate takes on greater significance in our lives.

We wonder where the virus came from — nature or man-made? Perhaps it’s some of both. Evidence suggests that the COVID virus could have been deposited at our genetic doorstep as a natural consequence of humans overstepping our territorial boundaries, and increasingly coming into contact with other species’ DNA. Our insatiable desire to consume and develop new land and waterways for profitable use has turned our species into invasive super killers, inserting our footprint where it should not be, and wiping out hundreds of other species daily in the process. According to author and Virginia Tech professor Eileen Crist interviewed in this issue beginning on page 20, “If we keep going as we’re going, we will likely lose 50 percent or more of the planet’s species in this century…The killing of wildlife is so profound that scientists have coined the term defaunation to capture it. We’re emptying out the planet.” While the pandemic has brought us outside into nature more often, the sloweddown pace of quarantine life has also given us space for inner reflection and transformation that would have been all but impossible pre-pandemic, simply because we were too busy. Over the past year we have witnessed powerful actions for social justice and racial equality, millions marching in the streets, and an increasing awareness of climate change as the most critical threat of our time. Much of this was due to the pandemic’s launch of a new web of virtual learning, social networks and meeting platforms created with amazing speed by businesses, governments, churches, schools and entertainment venues to continue sharing their services remotely. Many have seen memberships and business boom. Even mainstream medicine went virtual very quickly with insurance-reimbursible services, as patients and insurers discovered that many health concerns could be addressed much more easily and inexpensively that way. The transition to providing more remote learning and healing sessions has especially benefitted alternative medicine, which has long offered many remote healing modalities. These mental and energetic healing techniques work no matter where the practitioner and client are situated. Even some modalities that previously relied on in-person sessions have discovered that their techniques are adaptable for remote use. This means more patients can access services, and more people can learn how to provide these healing benefits to themselves and others. Now is the time — when you have the time and transformation is in the air — to invest in learning how to heal yourself. I see a connection between the discovery that we can conduct much more of our lives and business remotely than we ever thought possible, and the adoption of many new forms of remote healing in the future of healthcare. Quantum physics tells us we are not solid, but vibrating energy particles, even though we don’t experience ourselves that way. The power to manipulate and balance the energies within your body to heal is yours to claim as soon as you believe it is possible and start practicing.

Unfortunately, efforts to license energy and other alternative practitioners at the state and local levels, despite no claims of harm, malpractice or fraud against these professionals, have begun again with the start of the new 2021-2022 legislative session. For generations, or perhaps even centuries, holistic practitioners have shared their healing skills with family, friends and clients without government oversight and the collection of licensing fees. Why start now? Ironically, but understandably, one recent licensing bill draft encouraged remote healers to get certified in the in-person version of their modality, since it was impossible to license what could not be defined. Please see the next page for actions you can take to keep holistic health vibrant and accessible to all in Massachusetts.