Chin Up!
Many people are quite distressed by the alteration of our lifestyle as a result of COVID-19. It has been less than a week since the official social distancing campaign. Plenty of Aikido people post on social media how much they miss their Aikido family already. I share that sentiment, too. Indeed, it is unpleasant, uncomfortable and can be scary. When will this end? Will it end?
We have been very fortunate in this country that we have been spared by many episodes of epidemic that plagued other parts of the world: Ebola, SARS, Avian Flu, Dengue Fever, to name a few. The communities concerned came together and practice the necessary preventive measures. Many people fell ill, and some died as a result. However, the communities all survived. They could do it, we can, too.
There have bene accounts of people snatching up supplies like hand sanitizers, face masks for price gouging. There are also people panic buy and stock up everything big and small fearing that things may run out. If we would all calm down and think about it: Is it even possible for the rest of the community to be wiped out and only you survive because you have all the hand sanitizers and food? How are you going to live on? Doesn't this notion sound ridiculous? The truth is that we are all in this together. In order to survive well, we need to make sure the rest of the community is also doing well. As the Chinese say goes, 唇亡齒寒 -- "Should the lips die, the teeth will feel cold." We are all dependent on each other like the lips and the teeth. At times like this, stop thinking "Me, me, me!" Start thinking "We, we, we."
Aikido people practice Aikido not for nothing. In trying times like this, Aikido students, please use your Aikido:
Maintain discipline -- Take great care of yourself. Eat well, rest well and continue to exercise so as to maintain good immunity. Separate your street clothes from home clothes so as to avoid contamination of your home. Avoid touching things outside your home. Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Sip water often to avoid having a dry mouth. The entry point of the Corona virus is the back of your throat. Sip water often so as to wash any virus present in your mouth down to your stomach where the gastric juices will kill it.
Stay focused -- Be diligent in following health guideline. Put on a face mask before you leave home. If you bring something into your home, but it cannot be washed or sanitized, set it aside at a corner and let it sit for several days. The corona virus dies after a period of time without a host.
Stay calm and be mindful -- This is the ultimate thing your Aikido training equips you with. Live in the moment. Enjoy the nice things you gain from this sudden lifestyle change (like dinners at home, reading or watching movies in the evening) instead of fretting about the things that you don't get to do temporarily. Remind yourself that you are participating in a great collective effort in combatting a vicious virus. You are a brave Aikido warrior. Your Aikido training has been preparing you for this day. You can handle it.
Keep your Ma-ai -- Practice social distancing. Refuse to gather en masse no matter what. Maintain a good distance from other when you are out in public. In order to protect each other, the best thing we can do right now is to stay away from each other. The more patient we are and diligent in following the health expert's guidelines, the sooner we can win this battle. Before you know it, we will return to our Aikido lifestyle.
Gambatte. See you on the mat again soon.
We have been very fortunate in this country that we have been spared by many episodes of epidemic that plagued other parts of the world: Ebola, SARS, Avian Flu, Dengue Fever, to name a few. The communities concerned came together and practice the necessary preventive measures. Many people fell ill, and some died as a result. However, the communities all survived. They could do it, we can, too.
There have bene accounts of people snatching up supplies like hand sanitizers, face masks for price gouging. There are also people panic buy and stock up everything big and small fearing that things may run out. If we would all calm down and think about it: Is it even possible for the rest of the community to be wiped out and only you survive because you have all the hand sanitizers and food? How are you going to live on? Doesn't this notion sound ridiculous? The truth is that we are all in this together. In order to survive well, we need to make sure the rest of the community is also doing well. As the Chinese say goes, 唇亡齒寒 -- "Should the lips die, the teeth will feel cold." We are all dependent on each other like the lips and the teeth. At times like this, stop thinking "Me, me, me!" Start thinking "We, we, we."
Aikido people practice Aikido not for nothing. In trying times like this, Aikido students, please use your Aikido:
Maintain discipline -- Take great care of yourself. Eat well, rest well and continue to exercise so as to maintain good immunity. Separate your street clothes from home clothes so as to avoid contamination of your home. Avoid touching things outside your home. Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Sip water often to avoid having a dry mouth. The entry point of the Corona virus is the back of your throat. Sip water often so as to wash any virus present in your mouth down to your stomach where the gastric juices will kill it.
Stay focused -- Be diligent in following health guideline. Put on a face mask before you leave home. If you bring something into your home, but it cannot be washed or sanitized, set it aside at a corner and let it sit for several days. The corona virus dies after a period of time without a host.
Stay calm and be mindful -- This is the ultimate thing your Aikido training equips you with. Live in the moment. Enjoy the nice things you gain from this sudden lifestyle change (like dinners at home, reading or watching movies in the evening) instead of fretting about the things that you don't get to do temporarily. Remind yourself that you are participating in a great collective effort in combatting a vicious virus. You are a brave Aikido warrior. Your Aikido training has been preparing you for this day. You can handle it.
Keep your Ma-ai -- Practice social distancing. Refuse to gather en masse no matter what. Maintain a good distance from other when you are out in public. In order to protect each other, the best thing we can do right now is to stay away from each other. The more patient we are and diligent in following the health expert's guidelines, the sooner we can win this battle. Before you know it, we will return to our Aikido lifestyle.
Gambatte. See you on the mat again soon.
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