Single Biggest Message from Covid to Humanity?

Vishu Hegde
3 min readMar 22, 2020

We Human Beings think we are sperate from Nature and the Nature (including the air, soil, rocks, water, plants, birds and animals) is at our disposal for us to exploit and enjoy. Actually, Nature includes us as well; we are very much part of the Nature — in fact a very small part of Nature and the vast Creation. We think we are very intelligent species and there is no intelligence in Nature. Imagine the Intelligence behind this mind-numbing Creation which is also creator of Human Beings — tiny creatures not even visible from thousand feet altitude on this Earth.

It’s indeed sad and alarming that Covid is spreading worldwide, infecting hundreds of thousands of people and killing thousands of them. It’s the number one enemy of Human Beings now and we have declared war against it.

While the Covid has locked down people all over the world in their homes, it’s time to take a step back and reflect the pre-Covid era a couple of months back — pause, introspect and contemplate a bit. In the pre-Covid era who is the number one enemy of Forests? — it’s Human Beings. Who is the number one enemy of Animals, Birds, Insects, …? It’s Human Beings. Who is the most polluting agent of air, water, rivers and ocean? — It’s Human Beings. Who is the number one enemy of Human Beings? — It’s Human Beings. More people are killed by war, violence, terrorism, road accidents, indiscriminate use of chemicals, drugs, man-made diseases, human induced mental ill health, than natural calamities. We Human Beings who are part of the Nature, have become the biggest ravagers of Nature. In Medical terms, if cells in a body turn against the body, we have given them a name called Cancer.

If somebody consumes tons of food, do we call that person a healthy person? No. But we define Hyper-Consumerism as Progress; Consumption-led Economy as Development; GDP as a measure of Growth. Is this Intelligence or Ignorance? Isn’t this because we think we are separate from Nature and Nature is for our consumption?

Is Covid a very intelligent force of Nature trying to turn around this Human Species?

It has literally clipped the wings of high fliers — the 20% population who consume 80% of the world resources. But hasn’t done any harm to plants, animals, birds, insects, …. unlike earthquake, flood etc. It has locked down people all over the world who have been running frantically for more & faster — has hit a paus button on hyper-consumerism. Mahatma Gandhi said there is enough on this planet for everybody’s need, but not for everybody’s greed.

It has united the people on the planet like no other forces –It is borderless, while nations war against each other. While the Organized Religions of the world are the greatest dividing force of humanity, though they are supposed be showing the oneness of everything in the existence, is Covid driving towards one unified Humanity? — Vasudaiva Kutumbakam, in Indian system — one world family.

It has created time and space for people by dispersing them and isolating themselves, to stop running for a while, contemplate and meditate upon who we really are and what the purpose of life is.

Is Covid a short-term pain for the long-term gain for Humanity and the Planet, by preventing Human Beings destroying other Humans and the Planet, in the quest of exploring & exploiting Outward?

Is Covid’s single biggest message to Humanity isTurn Inward’? Is Covid a beginning of a Nature’s mission to raise Human Consciousness?

Hello, Carona speaking! Are we listening?

[ If you want to explore Inward further, you may find this article Unmask your Virtual Reality and expand to Infinity interesting]

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Vishu Hegde

Partner, PM Power Consulting, involved in Training, Coaching & Consulting in Agile Transformation and Mindful Leadership areas.