June 2020
What have the pros & cons of this quarantine been for you?
Lin Rose Troyer
I didn’t think I could be more grateful to be in Crestone and the mountains, but then COVID shows up, and as I watched the community response to the crisis my appreciation has deepened. From the kindness of wearing masks, to the grocery and hardware stores staying open, folks have responded with loving concern and consideration. It is a great gift.
Like most North Americans, it has been an adjustment to not have what you want when you want it and the immediate gratification of desires, like running to the store for cookies! However, in many essential ways, my life remains unchanged. I still paint, garden, read, cook and play outdoors. Because I have serious risk factors and an 11 year old that I want to finish raising, I have chosen to self-isolate. Community has made that possible. We have a person, originally a volunteer, who we pay to grocery shop and deliver to our deck. And wonderful CERT volunteers bring us supplies from the Elephant Cloud. So we are indeed blessed. We eat simply, but arguably more healthful. I make breads, cookies and yogurt. And because we are gardeners, we already had greens growing in our basement windows. Certainly our carbon footprint has lessened. Since the future is uncertain, these times enforce my personal practice of staying in the present. I hope to achieve something special during this time resulting in my becoming more grateful, peaceful and conscious.
Ramloti Wood
For me, it's been a time of deep introspection, peace and silence. It's actually very much appreciated, the quiet, because the ashram is a place that can have many, many people here every day of the week through the warm weather. Although I love that as well, it also keeps me from being quiet, as I am now. This gives me more opportunity to dive deeper into my spiritual practices here at the ashram, like Aarati (our morning and evening chanting), fire ceremony and doing the pujas in the morning, which entails dressing the Divine Mother and Babaji and things like that. So those have become more deeply meaningful to me as I give great time and attention to them.
With internet Zoom calls, etc., I’ve been connecting with people throughout the world more than I ever have, and also with my family and friends. We're livestreaming events, so more people around the world are being able to join us, resulting in a bigger universal family, and all the different prayers help us find deep solace during this time of uncertainty, for sure. But for me, like I said, it's been deeply peaceful. I'm grateful for technology, my spiritual practice, and this beautiful place, the ashram, where I am fortunate to live (with three other people).
Malana Faith
This quarantine has been very good for me and my family. I’m grateful to have this time to self-reflect on my business and what I want to do in my life, instead of rushing in and diving in off the deep end. I’ve been keeping up my aerial silks training and I’ve been learning how to rig aerial apparatus and having interviews with people online –not as fun as in person, but it's OK! I rigged off of a tree in my backyard and have been practicing my aerial, since I haven't been able to use the Crestone Charter School. And I’ve been spending a lot of time with my little brother, who is my best friend. He makes me feel like I have a purpose and I want to help him grow into the beautiful young man he's going to be!
It's nice to be outside and to do meditation, yoga and painting, helping my mom garden and going on hikes. With my art, parts and pieces of myself I need to work on come through in my paintings. I want to thank all of my teachers and family for supporting me through this time. We’re all in this together! I’m a senior at Crestone Charter School and about to graduate, and this quarantine has made it rough on people graduating this year at any school. We won't get to have the same ceremony and experience as everyone else has, but we can make it as beautiful as we can. Finishing all of the school work online was tough, but the teachers did a good job supporting us and all of the graduates are graduating, and we’re happy to be out of school!
Jeff Winsett
Living in quarantine hasn’t really fazed me, because I got a lot to do at home, outside and inside. I have my own soul searching I’m doing. Before quarantine, I was sleeping like crap, couldn’t sleep. Now, I sleep because I pray more. I started looking deeper within myself and fixing things within me, which was a pro for me, my wife and everybody around me. Now I'm able to sleep and I take off every night, and I fly. Not in a spaceship, I just take off and I fly. Because nothing can hold me. You might be able to lock yourself down, but no one's gonna hold your heart, your prayer, your thought. Being a sundancer, I sit on the hill for four days, no food, no water – never fazed me. I haven’t suffered any pain or hunger because I listened to my elders: "Know your land, know your water, know your garden, know your people," and that's what I've been working on for years. Another reason I listen to my ancestors is because the genocide they went through is the same genocide that we're going through. And it's coming, a whole nother genocide. Take this time to live within yourselves and pray, whatever that looks like for you. I pray outside with God, because no one's gonna hold you out of the church because you're sitting right in it. No matter where they put you, you're still in church. Always pray. I've also learned to give my wife more space, understanding and compassion, which has brought us stronger together. I also think we should consider a checkpoint on T Road, where you could still come and go, but it would make it safer for all of us.
Marshall Beck
Quarantine? What quarantine? Kind of kidding, kind of not kidding. Life keeps moving with some new ways of doing things, like wearing a mask in public spaces to help ease the fear of those living in it. I hope those who need to quarantine at home due to age and/or health reasons are healthy and happy, and please let me know how I can help! For cons, my business took a hit, but I’ll work through it. What’s more is witnessing the increased suffering among the human population. Yes, the virus itself is deadly, and also the suffering caused by the economic shutdown, disinformation, loss of civil liberties, and the pervasive fear and divisiveness in the hearts, thoughts, words and actions of the people. Praying for peace, thy will be done… and still, there are so many pros to be grateful for! From healing Mother Earth and all Her sentient Beings, growing my first beard, moving back home to Crestone with my husband for a fun project (and record low mortgage interest rates), the rallying support of those most vulnerable and in need, yummy vegan take-out meals, an awakening toward plant-based nutrition as preventative medicine for ourselves and the planet, good conditions for fasting, increased awareness in support of local & sustainable community building, governance & energy solutions, spending more moments in communion with nature, and sitting for two 3-day virtual silent meditation retreats with the beautiful Hridaya Yoga sangha… abiding in the unconditionally loving Stillness of the heart. Blissful blessings of love!