Social isolation gives us time to examine our lives in a new light, suddenly faced with economic collapse, empty streets, current panic and future uncertainty, and death appearing out of nowhere—in other words, the conditions that confronted every person on a daily basis during the lifetime of Shakespeare. What feels horribly abnormal to us was routinely normal for him and every member of the human race in the 16th century. In statistical terms, Shakespeare is just another survivor. Unlike his son, Hamnet, who died at 11, Shakespeare didn’t die as a child, nor did his mother die giving birth to him. He also escaped the plague. Ever since the Black Death swept across the globe in the 14th century, bubonic plague remained a threat, killing on average one to three people in every house where it struck. In Shakespeare’s lifetime, there were four plague years, 1582, 1592, 1603, and 1607, when London, including its theaters, shut down because of the disease. Syphilis had arrived in Europe from the New World in 1495, first appearing in a French garrison outside Naples, and it quickly infected every level of society. But Shakespeare didn’t die of it, either, or of smallpox. He wasn’t murdered in the street even though there was no London police force. He couldn’t have been executed as a witch, not being a woman, although the practice was not only current but growing. Finally, unlike his father, John Shakespeare, Will’s life and reputation weren’t ruined overnight due to charges brought against him by Queen Elizabeth’s huge network of internal spies. As a survivor, Shakespeare stands out because of his genius, but the horrible conditions surrounding him persisted more or less unchanged until the middle of the 19th century. The causes of plague syphilis, and deaths in childbirth started to emerge, and more mundane but equally life-saving advances occurred in public health, like the first sewer system in America, which was built in Chicago in the late 1850s. If humans were simply higher primates with very big brains, survival would be the beginning and end of our story. The Darwinian model for survival requires only getting enough food and finding a willing mate so that you didn’t starve before you were able to pass on your genes to the next generation. Nothing much mattered after that momentous event. Evolutionists persist in seeing Homo sapiens through the lens of basic survival, but we do all kinds of things to deliberately imperil our survival, from taking care of our weak and sick instead of abandoning them, to stockpiling nuclear warheads, just to make sure that total war can erupt if we feel like it. War, crime, and violence do nothing to improve human genes and in fact work against simple survival. But if you put Shakespeare and the plague together, something mysterious emerges. Despite every threat of disease and death, crime, poverty, political oppression, and religious fanaticism (the Puritans in Shakespeare’s day railed against the London theaters as ungodly, but luckily they didn’t shut them down until 1642, 26 years after his death), not to mention widespread illiteracy, no public sanitation, and no police force, these horrendous circumstances didn’t wipe out creativity, discovery, love, compassion, and a vision of a higher ideals. Homo sapiens are the only species that liberated itself from natural evolution, and this unprecedented achievement involved one thing only: going beyond. Not our higher brain but human nature envisioned life independent of physical circumstances. Miraculously, if you peer at the oldest cave paintings in Europe, such as those in Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, France, you don’t see primitive scratching from 30,000 years ago. You see art. The animals depicted are done with confident, artistic lines that are also scientifically accurate, depicting a wide range of Paleolithic creatures precisely enough that they can be identified by species. No one knows why sophisticated cave paintings suddenly appeared. The Chauvet depictions lie deep in the darkest heart of the caves. No sunlight penetrated, so the painters worked by the quavering light of torches. In addition, since the animals were not right before them, they worked from memory of how each one looked. This act of going beyond exemplifies a trait that belongs to the human condition, the trait of creativity for its own sake. In fact, even though the modern world owes everything to discoveries that improved life, the rise of technology and all the practical benefits it has brought, going beyond has always happened “in here” before anything could happen “out there.” Before the first primitive flint blades could be hacked out, the concept of “tool” and “weapon” had to come first. And before a concept can be born, there has to be a mind capable of concepts. My point is that you and I, like our ancestors, are the product not of genetic evolution but the evolution of consciousness. We were liberated from the Darwinian scheme by self-awareness. In other words, we said to ourselves, “I just thought of what I’d like to do,” and with the combination of awareness, vision, and desire, we evolved into the human condition. The Greek word for beyond is meta, and we should apply it to ourselves more often. To be human is an expression of the metahuman. Shakespeare was a meta-genius, but everyday people are just as meta in their own way. Parents sacrifice for their children, even die for them, because they go beyond their own selfish needs. Any creative hobby is meta, because it has nothing to do with surviving. The higher your vision, the more meta you are. Buddha was extraordinarily meta, but his followers, seeing the worth of his vision, had to be meta or Buddha would have preached in the wilderness. Likewise, without metahumans among Jesus’s disciples, Christianity would have perished on the cross. The COVID virus has put everyday life in peril for countless people, but it has actually risen the level of self-sacrifice, service, sharing, cooperating for the common good, laying down political antagonisms, seeking a global solution, and reflecting upon what really matters. Those are all meta qualities; they are perfect examples of going beyond. The fact that we can see a future past the devastation of the pandemic is a meta trait of huge importance. We aren’t human without being metahuman. For me, this is the lasting lesson and the deeper meaning to be taken away form a terrible time. DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book and national bestseller, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential (Harmony Books), unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.”

Deepak Chopra 6 min read June 16, 2020

 

How life would C.H.A.N.G.E for youngsters post the quarantine period? Dr. Rithvik Ryaka, International Business & Life Coach, Celebrity Wellness Mentor, Inspirer and Trainer Here are the six ways to take care of your Career & Finances from today! C: Change in Job? First and foremost, if you are employed as of now, try to get assurance from your employer that your current job is safe. This is important as the employer may also consider changes in the approach to the changing scenario. You need to be performing at your best than ever before, to be considered by the employer as of now, to stay on the job. This is crucial because you do not know when the employer might consider the removal of staff later. H: Hustle your time to learn If you are in college, you might be attending online lectures which are mandatory to cover the syllabi. What other webinars/lectures have you considered these days to study non-academic? There is ample time to consider a few things like Communication skills which will benefit you in the longer run. A sufficient number of platforms offer free courses online. Do check them out with the help of your mentors in college. A: Accept the reality of the world There might be a lot of initiatives by the Government outside your home, city and even the country. Remember that these are not in your control. You cannot consider doing something against the law, which might have been allowed earlier before the lockdown. It is better to cut down unnecessary expenses for the next few months. N: Not to accept rumours on social media This is a critical point to be understood. Do not follow the steps above with the opinions directly seen on social media. Every country has different scenarios as per their laws. Do not fall prey to few posts from unverified sources. At the same time, you should also not share any information if you are not sure about its origin. This is important because decisions related to finance and career should happen through sustainable ideas with mentoring from elders. G: Go online to learn and earn! This is the best time to learn a new skill and master it without spending much money. Remember that it is just not a resume-building activity. You should engage with it actively for its knowledge and not the certificate which is awarded later. You might even re-join a few courses you had left earlier due to lack of time or any other reason. You can freelance and earn with this skill, even post lockdown. E: Exercise out of the comfort zone! Do not neglect your health by getting tensed about the uncertain future! Remember that you are giving your best. You cannot do complete justice to your mind if you are ignoring your body. Do not expose your eyes to extreme screen time on laptops or mobiles. Stick to a proper routine to manage time as you may also need to assist family members for various errands during this tough time. Majority of youngsters have been pondering over the uncertainty because of the lockdown. The primary point to be addressed is that her professional life includes one’s own choices, but this is the crucial time to depend on your top skills than the passion for being realistic. Youngsters should reach out to elders who can help them to learn new skills. Whatever happens or is bound to happen, keep learning and updating yourself and also keep your family informed about your approach towards career and finance. Keep the hope alive and accept the CHANGE. Everything is possible with heart!

Dr. Rithvik Ryaka 3 min read June 9, 2020