A healing paradox

For the past 11 years, I’ve hosted 350 Dreamers, an online group of nearly 1,000 people worldwide who dream together several times a year for global healing in the face of climate change. For our most recent dream night on March 20, we had the pandemic much on our minds as well. The first step when we incubate a dream together is to set an intention. Usually, mine is simply:

“Tonight I dedicate my dreams to global healing.”

Then in the morning we share our dreams online and discuss how the imagery from our dreams can guide and inspire us to be better global citizens.

But this past week, as I settled into sleep and dream, I wondered what dedicating my dreams to global healing means at a time when a health pandemic is threatening peoples’ lives and livelihoods on a massive scale—while paradoxically having positive impacts on the environment.

As people park their cars and airlines ground their planes, pollution is decreasing. China’s air quality has been better than it has been for some 30 years, and in Venice, where the gondolas are now docked, the water in the canals has gotten so clear that residents have seen dolphins swimming in them.

I don’t mean to diminish the deadly impacts of Covid-19; the loss of lives and economic impacts are real. But for those who remain well and who have the resources to ride this out, there is evidence of—and opportunities for—a different kind of healing. 

Not busy-ness as usual 

I am taking this time to confront my own dis-ease of busy-ness (and I know I’m not alone in this). Even with everything shut down, I open my laptop and check emails and social media feeds; I join video-conferenced social events and somehow manage to recreate my hectic lifestyle.

But watching what’s going on around me, I am reminded that when we are in a hurry we take shortcuts. To save time we hop in the car for short trips instead of biking, walking, or taking public transportation. We use plastic bags, disposable towels, packaged foods, and bottled water because it’s convenient. When we do more, we consume more. Now that we’re not rushing around at a fevered pace, our planet is getting a chance to cool down a bit.

And those of us who are healthy and who have enough food and resources for the moment can take this opportunity to turn inward and experience solitude. We can learn to get comfortable with stillness and solitude and cultivate inner peace—without which we can’t create peace outside. We might even learn to exchange FOMO (the Fear of Missing Out) with JOMO (the Joy of Missing Out). I for one, am ready to give it a try.

Positive intentions

In the end, my intention when I settled in to dream for global healing was the same as always. The only difference was to remember that calming my (and our) chronic busy-ness is one of the best things we can do to help heal our planet.

Today it’s obvious: When I stay close to home, consume less and crave less, I help my body to rest and stay healthy, and I help keep my community safe and healthy, too.

When we all do this together our planet has a chance to heal itself. If only it didn’t take a pandemic to drive this simple point home.

© 2020 Tzivia Gover

To learn more about 350 Dreamers and to join our next group dream for global healing, CLICK HERE.

For more on dream incubation and intention setting, read this post:

Q&A: Can I choose to dream about a particular topic?