Coronavirus: A Call for Inner Travel

The first thing that came to my mind after I realized that the coronavirus (Covid-19) is not your simple flu, was the Creator’s call to return to ourselves.

[I invite you to freely replace “creator” with what best expresses your inner belief system: God, universe, the energy field, the laws of nature – and follow my thought trail.] 

It is said that we are here on this earth, in this dimension, as human beings in this time and era with these predicaments to evolve

Evolving or growing is not the same for everyone. Each one of us starts at his given point, so there really is no point to compare or judge.

It is also a proven fact that when we don’t pay attention to the signs of our bodies, of our environments, of nature we move further away from our well being, from our core – which is always in health and balance – and we become sick and enter a state of dis – ease.

The idea is that if you don’t learn from your mistakes and your lessons, you’ll be seeing those same trying circumstances again and again. It’s basically the universe trying to tell you to get your act straight. 

Know one thing: the creator offers every single one of us dozens of chances for growth and correction. And the coronavirus is one such chance on a universal level to raise awareness and to get us each individually and together to change our ways.



Traveling Within: Tourism of the New Era 

Coronavirus: A Call for Inner Travel

As a tourism and travel professional in Greece, a country that has only just come out of a very dark tunnel of debt and poor politics; a country that is sustained by tourism, I can see the impact of the coronavirus on the industry and on the livelihoods of millions of people. 

At the same time, I can also see why not only Greece but the world as whole reached the brink… thanks to Covid-19. But the reality here is that Covid-19 is only a symptom of a much deeper ailment; a sickness which starts from each one of us individually and has spread – very much like the virus – to all of us as a whole.

This said, I strongly believe that “inner travel is the new tourism” and I offer in today’s post some food for thought and some ideas that will help us travel “the road less traveled”, the most important of all: within ourselves – before we can resume traveling to all the wonderful places on this planet.

Coronavirus Truths

  • The coronavirus pandemic has literally forced us all to be with ourselves… for hours and days and we don’t know for how long. 
  • Covid-19 is calling us to slow down and silence up.
Coronavirus: A Call for Inner Travel
  • The pandemic has pushed us back home among kids, parents, pets, plants, and long abandoned hobbies.    
  • The coronavirus spread is showing us clearly how much we are connected to each other. The Covid-19 ripple effect is here and now, irrelevant of color, race, religion, social or economic bracket, age, sex and sexual identity.
  • The virus is forcing us to face (or at least question) our biggest fear: Death.
  • Covid-19 is something we all allowed to happen and are now called on to find a way out of.
  • There is no running away from this one: rich or poor, from a strong or weak country, nowhere is saf-er.
  • The coronavirus pandemic has stripped us instantly of our false belief that we can control anything (or everything).
  • Covid-19 has urgently removed us from our toxic work environments so that we can come face to face with our addiction to crisis and our hunger for aggravation. At the same time, it has thrown us into our home environments bringing crucial questions to the fore, like why can’t I be with my family and loved ones in harmony?   

The Greek Vibe Tips to Inner Travel 

Coronavirus: A Call for Inner Travel

Participate in your health not your illness

Basic rule to health in every addiction: Acknowledge, Accept, Act. The same applies here. We first have to recognize that we are part of the problem. We then have to accept that we did what we did in the given time but now things have to change. And lastly we act, which means taking one small step at a time. 



▶︎The Way: Ask yourself (and answer honestly)

1) How did I contribute to the coronavirus spread?

2) What can I learn from this new reality?

3) What one thing can I change today to make my life better?

The body is the messenger  

Inner travel means being with yourself free of external “comfort creators” like social media, friends, books, movies, food, alcohol, the Internet and many other ‘safe and controllable’ distractions.

Now that everything is closed is your best chance to meet a new strangerintroduce yourself to You.

▶︎The Way – Ask yourself

1) How do I feel right now? Answer honestly and don’t shy away from the bad feelings… they too need to be freed.

2) Why do I feel the way I feel? Am I threatened in any way?

3) Am I well and in health right now, at this very moment?

4) If not, what can I do to change that?

The words we use reflect our inner reality

You now have the time to pay close attention to the words you use to describe your experience of the coronavirus epidemic and of every incident in your life. Very much like in writing, extreme adjectives are redundant and misleading. Just stick to the facts.

▶︎The Way – Ask yourself

1) What words can I avoid in my descriptions?

2) Why did I just say that? 

3) Why do I need to use extreme adjectives? 

4) What kind of reaction do I want to create using negative descriptions?

What we think we create –> What we feel we attract –> What we imagine we become

Scientifically speaking, energy flows can make something stronger or weaker. If you focus your energy on the “tragedy” and the “unfairness” of this whole virus affair, you’re basically feeding it.

But if you choose to focus on the positive at this very moment, you are removing your “negative load” and adding it to the creation of a positive new reality. Plus you are taking that one step that will change how you experience life from now on.

▶︎The Way – Ask yourself 

1) What one good thing happened today?

2) What can I do differently now?

3) Do I have a choice? Can I focus on something that makes me feel better?

Look for the miracle 

I know, most of us will cringe at this with that inner non-believing demon demanding proof and evidence to satisfy its need for absolute control, but the absolute truth is: We have no control. And in this present Covid-hit moment in time, we have two choices… to suffer or to change. So that leaves us with one thing… faith and trust.

▶︎The Way – Ask yourself 

1) Is the way I am reacting to my benefit? Does it make me feel better?

2) After realizing that I have no control over certain things, can I take anything for granted?

3) Can I say I am grateful for one thing in my life today?

Be Present

Coronavirus: A Call for Inner Travel

Being present means you are in the here and now and at this very moment have total control of the only thing you can have control over: yourself. It’s the free will each of us has been gifted with to imagine, create and experience the reality he or she desires.

▶︎The Way – Ask yourself 

1) What is it that I truly desire?

2) Can I allow myself to dream of it as far-fetched as it may be?

3) Can I now experience it as if it has already happened? As if it’s my reality right now?

The Road Less Traveled

I will close today’s post by referring to a Greek name-day celebrated every year on September 17 which according to the Greek Orthodox church annals, honors Agia Sofia (Wisdom), and her three daughters: Pisti (Faith), Elpida (Hope), and Agape (Love).

Religion aside, I chose to focus on the symbolism and meaning of this day which I believe is very relevant to our current coronavirus reality. We can only ever achieve wisdom (sofia), when we have allowed faith (pisti), hope (elpida), and love (agape) into our lives. First, and above all, into our own hearts… hence the most important trip for any traveler: Destination Within

We must in a very curious sense be grateful to the coronavirus, which though right now is causing us to feel great suffering, fear, and insecurity, is at the same time giving us a chance to identify where each of us – as individuals, societies, and nations – is at dis – ease, to put that very suffering part at ease, and to make things right. Then, our next travel adventure will be much more inspiring, rewarding and fulfilling.


And I close today’s post with our favorite James Bond of all: Sean Connery reciting an extract from “Ithaca” by Greek poet Constantine Cavafy about the grandest trip of all.

Enjoy!

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