Mind, Body and Soul – Wellbeing during Ramadan amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Ramadan is a time for deeper connection with Islam, in both personal faith and the coming-together with others in the community.  During this period of enforced isolation, we are presented with both difficulty and perhaps opportunity in how we address ourselves towards Ramadan and in what it can offer us. 

With this in mind, the following offers some reflections on what we can do to make the most of this time, whilst bearing in mind that we will be challenged in new ways. 

Pay Attention – Notice, accept and be curious about what you’re feeling

Living through the pandemic and all the changes it brings can be anxiety-provoking in many ways.  Our world has suddenly become a lot more uncertain, bringing up a lot more questions than answers.  Things that were once easy and normal no longer are – even a trip to the shops for essentials must be carefully weighed up. 

Anxiety in the face of this is normal.  For some of us, that anxiety might become overwhelming, perhaps over the safety of ourselves, our jobs, or the safety of loved ones.  There are often no easy answers, and we must start by being open to that:

·       Notice what you’re feeling, don’t dismiss it but instead pay attention to it.    

·       As uncomfortable as it might be, accept that this is how you feel right now, and it’s ok – this is a difficult situation, so why should you feel fine all the time?  You’re human aren’t you? 

·       Be curious about how you’re feeling. Wonder what the feeling is telling you, what it’s about and what it’s asking you to do.  Is it all about what’s going on now?  Does it have its roots somewhere else, some other place and time when you didn’t feel safe? 

These reflections can help us make sense of what’s happening, gain some distance from difficult feelings, and be able to choose how to respond to the feelings we have.

Surrender – Work to accept what is

As we know, Islam means ‘surrender’ – we surrender ourselves to God, to become His servants in this world.  COVID-19 has changed our world, for a period of time at least, and to a great extent there is nothing we can do about that.  We can let this disturb us, upset us, cause us anguish and anger, or we can allow ourselves to surrender to what is.  We can allow our need for control and certainty to be replaced by humility, to accept the aspects of this situation over which we have no control, and which we must leave in the hands of God.

Connect – Reach out to friends, family and others, for them and for you

There’s a reason why solitary confinement is used as a punishment – we are deeply social creatures, so it’s fairly obvious to say that in this time of enforced isolation we need to work to stay connected.  Of course, Ramadan is about connection – sharing in the traditions of fasting, prayer and meal times unites us with the community at large, as well as bringing us together with family, friends and loved ones.  The usual routes to access this communion are not open to us: we cannot attend mosque, break fast with the wider family, or visit friends.  We must acknowledge the impact of this upon us. 

Yet the gathering of Ramadan is not destroyed by physical isolation.  We can reflect that we are united through the traditions of Ramadan, alongside the communal suffering of the pandemic.  Ramadan also inspires us to reach out to others in charity.  We are lucky that we have access to technologies that allows us to stay in touch, so: reach out.  That call or FaceTime to a friend could make as much difference to them as to you, as we realise through this shared time of difficulty that we are not alone.

Routine – Care requires discipline, and structure

Even during enforced isolation there are some things we can control, and it is here that we must set our focus.  Ramadan asks us to be the best we can be, and that includes caring for ourselves.  Essential aspects of this are discipline and structure.  In isolation, a daily routine is essential, and Ramadan offers a blue-print at least through suhoor, iftar and the daily prayers.  In addition, think about how else you can structure your day in order to keep busy:

·       tasks for work if you’re working from home;

·       household jobs;

·       exercise;

·       reflection, through reading and writing;

·       rest, taking naps through the day if needed;

·       time to connect.

We’ll expand on some of these items shortly, but the important point here is to have a realistic list each day of things to do and times to do them, including day-to-day variation so you don’t get bored or run-down.

Exercise – The body matters

Fasting can make it hard to exercise, but being cooped up all day can lead to a lot of sitting around that is far from good for us.  We are allowed one trip outside each day to exercise, so make the most of that.  However, if fasting means you’re lacking energy, try less intense activities such as yoga or just basic stretching.  There are many videos available on sites like YouTube where you can follow along at home.  You could even exercise together with friends over videocalls on Skype or other platforms.  Get creative!

Reflect – Read, write, and learn

This is a perfect time to delve more deeply into Quran and discover how it speaks to you.  Perhaps as well as reading Quran, you could cross-reference with Islamic scholarship to broaden and deepen your understanding.  Considering this alongside attending to your feelings, you can take time to reflect on these experiences by writing about them, or discussing them with friends and family. 

The act of writing concentrates the mind, taking what can be disparate or perhaps even chaotic thoughts and focussing them into a precise meaning.  When we find the word for something, and express that word either through writing or through speech, we find our feeling shifts and perhaps even our perspective changes, freeing us from the feeling or chaotic thoughts.

If there’s a particularly persistent and troubling feeling, say anger towards someone, write about what it is that’s made you angry or upset.  Think about the detail – what was it they said or did that wronged you?  How exactly did this impact you?  In your writing, hold this person to account.  Now, think about what you did, in whatever way, that contributed to this event happening.  Perhaps it all started with you saying something unkind, or doing a misdeed.  Are you able to see that you too had some fault, even if you were simply unforgiving?  Holding on to all of this means we continue to hold a grudge, and to feel upset.  So place it all before God, your misdeeds and theirs, and ask for forgiveness for yourself and the other person.  Choose to let it go and, in doing so, to feel better.

Purify – Intoxicants come in many forms

Ramadan intends to purification amongst other things.  We are working to better ourselves in mind, body and spirit, to come closer to God.  Alcohol and narcotics are obviously intoxicating and sinful, but what else is out there that can harm us?  It’s easy during these times to slip into damaging habits, such as:

·       gorging on sweets when the fast is broken;

·       spending hours on apps, games and consoles;

·       being riveted to social media that’s less about connection and more about distraction;

·       staying up through the night to binge-watch the latest show; and so on.

Especially during Ramadan, we must ask ourselves: is this activity harmful?  Why am I doing this?  We go back to noticing how we’re feeling when we think about putting the phone down or not having those sweets.  What’s really going on?  This is not about punishment, but attending to ourselves.   We can then gently move ourselves away from the harmful to the beneficial, to what we need, rather than what we want. 

Be Grateful – Shift attention to the Good

Perhaps you have a hard time getting in touch with grateful feelings, and that leads to hopelessness.  Ramadan of course offers clear ways to connect with gratitude: we fast by choice, when others who have little often starve; we give zakat as we are able to give, to those who do not have; and so on.  Allowing ourselves to feel the impact of these activities, to wonder what it would be like not to have the things we take for granted, opens the door to gratitude, thankfulness and inspiration.

There are other ways to connect to gratitude too.  Start with writing a gratitude list, daily if you can, of 5 or 10 things you’re grateful for.  For some this can be hard, but there is plenty we can be grateful for if we pay attention, even if it’s having a roof over our heads and hot water coming from the tap.  The thing here is to make a note of the thing, person or whatever it might be, and then to write what it is about this that we’re grateful for, and how that makes us feel.  For instance, I might be grateful I have a home, as this gives me warmth, shelter and a place to rest, and that makes me feel safe.

Get Meaningful – Reflect, wonder, and decide

COVID-19 of course has taken away a lot of things we take for granted.  We may be focussing on the absence of these things as a cause of suffering, which is of course legitimate: we cannot go to the gym, see colleagues at work, or visit family we do not live with.  Some of these absences are inconveniences, yet other aspects of our lives that have been taken away or altered now show up as meaningful and mattering deeply to us. 

Indeed, through its absence or alteration, the very meaning of our lives can be shown up as that which matters most profoundly.  This period is therefore offered to us, if gratefully received, as a chance to reflect even more deeply on how we are living, and consider what we will do with the life given to us once the COVID-19 crisis passes.