The Coronavirus and the Ways of Karma: 
A Conversation with Death

I am sitting in meditation, and the vision of me sitting on a pile of bodies arises — bodies of family members, students, friends, and strangers. Around me are workers wearing masks performing the grim duty of removing bodies. But even many of the corpses have masks. Above me is the sun shining down upon the scene. A ray of light, like an umbilical cord, is attached to my forehead, my Third Eye. There is no fear, only an Awareness. After a while, I open my eyes. Yama is there sitting on the chair opposite me, smiling at me. On his face, he places my teenage son’s Plague Doctor mask.

YAMA: Have a lovely vision?

DISCIPLE: A nice touch with the mask. (He takes it off) Not sure if I would say a lovely vision. Quite the opposite. I am not surprised, with all the news about the coronavirus swirling around in our world’s consciousness. There is so much fear as well as there is so much denial that it will be coming to everyone’s communities.

YAMA: Coming to a theater near you! It is quite a drama you all are finding yourselves in. And what about you? Are you fearful?

DISCIPLE: I am concerned. I am one in the higher risk category with my respiratory issues, and I am now a senior. But I do not feel so much concern for me but for the chaos that will ensue if it moves into a major pandemic. There will be a lot of suffering — a lot of fear. Yet I trust that this is all part of the Plan — a Plan that I cannot see.

YAMA: Good. I guess my time with you is paying off. You are getting better at stepping back and observing, without the knee-jerk reacting that most do in such times of sudden change and transition.

DISCIPLE: Is this our group karma that we are experiencing? Is this a punishment for all that atrocities we have done to the world and to each other? Especially when you lump this in with all the climatic upheavals we are going through, it all seems pretty apocalyptic.

YAMA: It is karma. But it is not punishment. Punishment is a human notion projected onto a deity of some sort. Karma is simply a way of keeping balance in the universe. As the ancient teachings have said in various ways: “As you give, you shall receive. You reap what you sow. Treat others as you would want to be treated.” This message keeps being repeated over and over. It is quite simple. However, humanity seems to be quite slow on the uptake.

DISCIPLE: And the ‘others’ does not just mean humans, but animals as well, yes?

YAMA: Not just animals, but all things. Animate and inanimate. For you see, there are beings that most humans are not aware of, who are creating, maintaining, and dissolving every aspect of the world around you. These are the hidden ones that can be very helpful to humanity if gratitude is shown to everything in one’s life. They want to serve humanity, to work in cooperation.

Your indigenous people knew of them and worked with them and honored them. Some still do. But these invisible ones can also be forces to reckon with when they are treated oppositely, when resources are exploited out of greed, when food and water are wasted or dishonored by the way they are simply consumed. Then they seem vengeful.

DISCIPLE: I understand what you are saying. However, what about those people who seem to work in harmony, who follow the Golden Rule. Many of them have and will fall prey to this rebalancing of which you speak.

YAMA: There are many forms of karma — at least in appearance. In the relative world, where people seem separated, there is individual karma, family karma, soul group karma, nation karma, race karma, any karma of groups or organizations you have joined, and planetary karma.

It does not stop there as your consciousness grows. Once you clear out, so to speak, one lower set of karma, you take on a bigger chunk.

DISCIPLE: Isn’t that what Jesus did?

YAMA: Yes, he took on planetary karma to help others move on with a lighter load.

DISCIPLE: Did he truly suffer?

YAMA: Well, it wasn’t a picnic. But let’s say, when you can hold the Christ energy, that which is One with Source, the Dynamic Principle, suffering appears to the beholders who are not in that state of consciousness that is beyond all reckoning.

Remember, all karmas deal in the arena of time. Your true Self is untouched by time. It is Eternal. Jesus knew this, and is this. Just like all Masters do. Even though They appear to sacrifice to help humankind, They know there is no suffering.

DISCIPLE: In the meantime, what do we do? How do we get through this?

YAMA: Well, you won’t get out alive!

He smiles a big grin.

DISCIPLE: Yeah, very funny.

YAMA: Follow that Golden Rule to each other and to all things, no matter how “bad” things get. Be fearless. Act out of love. Soak up that sun that is above it all.

See isolation that you find yourself in as a gift. It is a time to go inward. Meditate. Create. Spend quality time with those around you. And hold onto the Imperishable.

Remember, every crisis is an opportunity to make a change. And you are living in a time of rapid change. If you, as a species, do not make the change, then change will make you rather uncomfortable.

DISCIPLE: Will humans ever get wiped off the planet, as some people fear, or, for that matter, some people hope, seeing humans as a planetary virus?

YAMA: Great change, as all your cultures still remember, have happened before. And you are still here. They were not pleasant. But they did wake people up from their comfort zone. This is a time of awakening. Rejoice. And awaken to the You who You truly are.

That is the only refuge there is.

And with that, he is gone. I walk back into my studio and look at the mountains in the back. My Sentinels, as I call them. And I express my gratitude to them and to the gathering clouds swirling over them. And I feel a warmth pervade me as the hair on the back of my neck rises. This feeling is a resonance of which I am part, of which I AM.

I am ready to meet another day and any adventures that may come my way. All is well.

More Writings of Yama

The Teachings of Yama: Compassion in a World of Idiots

Intro to Yama