health safety protocols for public & private events world-wide 2021
__/--^--\__health safety protocols for public & private events world-wide 2021: a brief survey from the perspective of the charnel grounds__/--^--\__
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I have mostly been staying at home for the past year... But as my sweetheart & I just got vaccinated, last week... We are now contemplating attending carefully curated events with smaller groups.
I was wondering if any of y'all out there have encountered or envisioned any new protocols for moving beyond small private pod gatherings in the "new normal?"
I welcome the sharing of any thoughts, concerns, praise or criticism... Here in this thread, or by direct message!
I trust that all of you & yours are well in these bizarre times... Keep up The Great Work & enjoy The Cosmic Play!
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i welcome anyone's feedback, public or private, concerning rituals from absolutely any literary, oral and intangible cultural heritage concerning boundary negotiation, particularly regarding disease & death... the first that comes to my mind is something that I think Gurdjieff explains well (YMMV):
...an open system of symbiosis or reciprocal maintenance, (in Gurdjieff's terminology, referred to as the) *Trogoautoegocrat* <'Eating myself, I am maintained'>...
http://www.gurdjiefffourthway.org/pdf/THE%20RAY%20OF%20CREATION.pdf
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Similarities & relationships may be noted towards certain other ethical guidelines:
The Covenant of Survival states:
"Some must die, so that others may live!"
Callahan's Law (also known as the Law of Conservation of Pain and Joy):
"Shared pain is lessened; shared joy, increased - thus do we refute entropy."
Stated another way: "Just as there are Laws of Conservation of Matter and Energy, so there are in fact Laws of Conservation of Pain and Joy. Neither can ever be created or destroyed. But one can be converted into the other."
The Wiccan Rede, "An it harm none, do as thou wilt."
The motto of the Abbey of Thelema, by Rabelais: Fay çe que Voudras
Saint Augustine's maxim, " Love, and do what you will!"
The concept of Ahimsa (a Sanskrit term which means, "avoiding violence" ...about which, Ghandi had this to say: "In its comprehensive meaning, ahimsa or non-injury means entire abstinence from causing any pain or harm to another living being, either by thought, word, or deed.")
...and even the modern Hippocratic oath: "To practice and prescribe to the best of my ability for the good of my patients, and to try to avoid harming them."
__/--^--\__ I was inspired to look at this pandemic from the eyes of the Aghori, and this next section is my attempt to do so __/--^--\__
Regarding ritual during a pandemic, I began seeking particular inspiration from the Aghori, whose traditional ceremonies involve purification by fire, application of ashes to the skin & baptismal immersion in the river ganges... their "philosophy of nondiscrimination... challenges people to overcome their prejudices by confronting core fears and aversions, particularly concerning death & disorder" (as well as questioning boundaries that have been created to supposedly protect humans from one another, such as caste, purity & disease). Their comfort with embracing taboo has allowed them to care for those with conditions as controversial as leprosy and enables them to maintain connection with other dalit ("untouchables"), whether in the charnel grounds, or beyond... from pilgrimages, to ashrams, and from clinics to the government... from mythic tales to legendary reality!
q.v. _Aghor Medicine: Pollution, Death, and Healing in Northern India_
By Ronald L. Barrett · 2008
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Aghor_Medicine/BSeYR93tIzwC?hl=en&gbpv=1
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One might even hear an echo of that concept in recent words from a source of right-hand path Aghori wisdom through Babaji at the Sonoma Ashram here in the West... recommending redirecting suffering & conflict towards the purifying power of the heart and the breath of compassion... and seeking internal metamorphosis during this time of isolation, seeking new ways as our world is changing (and the first message is obviously from Mar 22, 2020... not 2019)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaUuVFpN6vs&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg7Fc5MW_-Y
https://sonomaashram.org/
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But to understand the traditions of the Aghori in context, please consider listening to or reading this entire program that I think covers an immense amount of profound material rather succinctly:
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/encounter/aghoris/3360380
Baba Harihar Ram: The principle is the same but the practice is a little different. When Baba, our guru came he said: "The time is different now. If you are afraid of something, instead of going to the cremation ground, embrace it, whatever it is." So he started a leprosy hospital. People are really afraid of leprosy. They're disgusted by it, they're afraid of it, fearful of it. So he embraced them. So the principle is the same, the practice is different. We embrace the orphans, we embrace that which is neglected, that which shunned, and in the process, you get the same result, and it doesn't look as fierce and unkempt.
Lesley Branagan: The leprosy clinic is in the Kina Ram ashram just outside Benaras. Long time devotee, Dr Singh, tells me "the ashram is keen to distance itself from the Aghoris (some of whom) eat human flesh on the ghats."
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Furthermore, one may benefit from exploring the traditional tales of an Aghori, such as those penned 1986-1997 in the classic trilogy by Dr. Robert Svoboda... who recorded the words of his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda.
http://www.drsvoboda.com/about/books/
"Forget all the externals; only when your heart melts and is consumed in the flames of your desire for your Beloved (Divine) will you ever come close to qualifying to learn the true Aghora."
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And here is a curious article about what life has been like for someone accustomed to the left-hand path of Aghori in India, over the past year:
...(Baba Julmi Nath) is sitting in the hall of an ashram in Surat Nagar near the town’s railway station-this is the place he is staying in for the time. He says he hasn’t caught the “infection” and “while I’m responsible towards other people’s health, I’m not concerned for mine.” He declares he is beyond “sukh dukh (happiness and grief)” and that, in fact, he performed his own “pind daan” ceremony when he was 12. “I’m now dead, corona cannot do anything to my aatma (spirit).”
Even so, he concedes he is “technically alive”-his “ID name” is Arvind Kumar. And he also graciously confesses that all said and done, somewhere within his heart “I too am worried for myself.” In fact, he and many of the aghoris he knows have been instructed by the elders of this secretive community to cease all travels for now, “especially after two sadhus were killed by a mob while on the road in Palghar (Maharashtra) some weeks ago.”
Discussing the kind of fear that seizes everyone, especially during a time like this, Mr Nath feels that it is the attachment to people that keeps us nervous. “We’re constantly scared of the possibility of death of those we love.” Indeed, he says, aghoris like him try to attain a stage where they go past such concerns. “A true sadhu won’t feel anything if he discovered his parents are dead.”
https://widgets.hindustantimes.com/india-news/delhiwale-a-sadhu-in-isolation/story-ojcLVj0Lrlk9hjcswx7UOP.html
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In this next section, I will share reports from a variety of international sources covering what health safety protocols are being used to allow worshippers to atttend religious festivals around the world...
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Now that the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage is underway (a year earlier than usual for extremely suspect reasons noted below), people of all backgrounds are coming out of lockdown for their holy journey to four cities along the River Ganges, to seek *purification* ...people from all different backgrounds, and Aghori are certainly no exception!
https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2021/apr/08/lens-and-lores-2287133.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56713993
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/kumbh-mela-2021-mythology-preparations-coronavirus-haridwar-6719596/
And however difficult some of these restrictions may be (balancing social distancing vs. being trampled by a stampede, for instance), authorities have instituted these restrictions for Kumbh Mela, this year (which has also been limited to a length of one month this year, instead of it's usual 3-4 month duration):
*Devotees and tourists visiting the Kumbh Mela will have to carry a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report. The report should have a test date 72 hours before the date of the visit.
*Use of face covers or masks will be compulsory.
*All devotees will have to register with the government of Uttarakhand.
*Devotees & tourists will also have to obtain a compulsory medical certificate in their state from the nearest Community Health Center/District Hospital/Medical College.
*Those who are above 65 years of age, or senior citizens, pregnant women, children below 10 years of age and those with comorbid conditions like diabetes, hypertension, chronic lung disease and cancer should avoid visiting the Kumbh Mela.
*Individuals should always maintain a distance of 6 feet from each other at all times.
*Wash your hands frequently with soap, even when they do not look dirty. Alcohol based sanitisers will be made available.
*Spitting is strictly prohibited.
*Aarogya Setu app should be installed by everybody. (for official registration to be admitted)
https://www.tourmyindia.com/kumbhmela/
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-how-covid-protocols-may-reduce-crowd-at-kumbh-mela-in-haridwar-7215612
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Meanwhile, in most places around the world, covid-19 protocols during Ramadan are much less restrictive than they were, last year...
https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2021/04/13/ramdan-covid-surge
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Saudi Arabia’s Public Security Department reminded residents to remain vigilant as stricter measures rely on the public’s adherence.
"The decision is in your hands, let's end this story."
https://twitter.com/pss_en/status/1380278125293096962
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During Pesach/Passover seder/dinner, it is tradition for the youngest child to ask questions
(Much of the seder is designed to fulfill the biblical obligation to tell the story to one's children, beginning with...
Ma Nishtana (Hebrew: מה נשתנה) "Why is tonight different from all other nights?" aka "What has changed?"
(many of the customs that have developed around these questions are designed to pique a child's curiosity about what is happening... in order to hold their attention!)
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Rabbi Olivier BenHaim had some pertinent thoughts about possible answers during our contemporary Pasach/Passover 2021, in the wake of our pandemic & other profound social uprisings. Some even having called Covid-19 an 11th plague, he suggests that we recognize that one can compare many of the cataclysms around us to plagues of the spirit, ecology, & socio-political body, as well as the biological virus:
"...A year into a pandemic, where does our list start? Yet, a year into a pandemic, we may be too fatigued to summon the will to answer. With the vaccine rollout in full speed, we may be more inclined to turn toward the light at the end of the tunnel. But are we ready to exit?
The Haggadah retraces parts of the story in the Book of Exodus: the Israelites enslaved to Pharaoh, God coming to free them, the ten plagues and, finally, the liberation. We eat matzah, dip bitter herbs in salt water and chew on eye-watering horseradish to symbolically taste the harshness and bitterness of slavery. It is a multi-senses experience meant to help one immerse oneself in the story and identify with its characters. Suddenly, it is all about us.
When Moses first came and told us of God’s promise of freedom, we couldn’t hear him, the Torah recalls, because of “shortness of spirit.” The Hebrew word for “shortness” is akin to the English for an electric short. We had spiritually short-circuited, disconnected. We had grown accustomed to our enslaved reality as our way of life - an abnormal “normal” to which we had habituated. We no longer knew we were slaves. And so, the plagues came. For us. To wake us up.
The plagues came. Of our own making. Massive fires, melting glaciers and polar ice, devastating floods and hurricanes, depletion of soils and desertification, societies breaking down, torn by war and gang violence from scarcity of food and resources, leading to mass immigration and, subsequently, to anti-immigrant sentiments and bloodshed. Far right parties and ideologies surged, as did antisemitism and racism. And then, a pandemic.
This past year, we have found ourselves stuck in our own “Egypt,” under extreme pressure and containment. But pressure and containment are also the ideal context for breakthroughs, for leaps in evolution. The movement for Black lives has awakened many of us from our habituated lives of white privilege. We have rededicated ourselves to democracy and democratic values these past elections. Nationally, globally, consciousness is shifting. But what about us? What have we learned? Have we taken advantage of this time of pressure and confinement, or are we just waiting for the vaccine that we might resume our lives as before, stuck in our habits, content with our worldview, human extinction be damned?
Yes, there is light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. But, like the Israelites in our story, have we reconnected to Spirit yet, to a consciousness that knows our inter-beingness, in order to finally, truly, get out?"
https://www.realchangenews.org/news/2021/03/31/mah-nishtanah-what-has-changed
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Israelis are used to carrying passports & official permits wherever they go, so their green pass experiment seems to have been rather successful, in eliciting a high rate of vaccination for its citizens, which has reduced the number of infections & allowed them to reopen for business, worship & recreation en masse.
Not to suggest that we should attempt to employ any kind of official "Green Pass" system, here... but I think that perhaps it's not a bad idea to encourage people to self-select options to protect themselves & each other, based on consideration of the same simple guidelines :
"Rolled out incrementally since March 7, Israel’s Green Pass allows holders to show either a phone application or a certificate issued by the Ministry of Health showing that they have (either): 1), 2), or 3) (many events also offer rapid tests @ the entrance for those who do not hold a green pass)"
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/in-israel-vaccine-passports-are-already-redundant
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/world/middleeast/israel-vaccinations.html
https://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/on-scarlet-letters-and-green-passports/2021/04/05/
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/in-israel-vaccine-passports-are-already-redundant
https://www.phillytrib.com/lifestyle/israel-vaccination-green-pass-may-offer-a-glimpse-of-a-post-covid-future/article_ee8596fe-c7d8-5946-8fc5-461b8dd7da9a.html
https://corona.health.gov.il/en/directives/green-pass-info/
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I had started to wonder if a veiled/masked washing of one another's feet might be a better greeting among participants, rather than the usual hugs that have been so common in burner circles...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maundy_(foot_washing)
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And then I noticed that they didn't even perform foot washing ceremonies in Rome/Vatican City, during Maundy Thursday preceding this Easter 2021...
https://angelusnews.com/news/world/what-the-second-covid-easter-was-like-in-six-parts-of-the-world/
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I can understand the concern for people wanting to maintain a further distance during an exoteric ritual that is open to the public. But, I can see people being more comfortable with getting closer to one another in a private/trusted/invite-only high protocol event.
But many people's personal boundaries are going to be different, no matter what. The best thing we can do when approaching another person is to ask! Honestly, I know many people who have expressed for years that were tired of getting awkward/creepy hugs from strangers at burner events. And I have even heard a preference from some people for the default to a higher protocol at exclusive/private events, requiring everyone to maintain respectful social distance and respect for bodily autonomy by requiring actual active consent/explicit permission before expectation of any kind of bodily contact (even a hug or a handshake). Obviously, this may be a local/regional failing, as I recognize that certain Texas regional events had to increase education/training for greeters to reinforce these principles of respect in burner-related events around here for the past decade. One of my friends even produced a cute little "how to give a hug" booklet... i will have to ask her if she has posted that online anywhere & see if we can do a covid-era revision!
Some folks have even reasonably objected to the elbow bump greeting/farewell ('cause we cough into our elbows, ew!). And i guess the "wuhan (foot-)shake" is just awkward unless you are a soccer/football player?! Thus, I have seen a rising popularity of the booty-bump as a greeting & farewell, in the past year! Some folks have even cleverly started bowing to one another at a reasonable social distance, all over the world!!!
And although there are people who are already throwing festivals again here in Texas, who say that they are observing covid safety protocols... I have seen from photos that the more people get intoxicated, the less careful they are.
There is a rather large (~30k attendees) festival planned in Texas at the end of this month called Ubbi Dubbi & they are at least planning to use a health safety protocol similar to the Green Pass system used in Israel... https://ubbidubbifestival.com/healthpass
I am honestly dreading the after-effects of the ACL fest that has already been given the green light for November in ATX (with it's inevitable mixing of viral vaiants from all over the world); but who knows, maybe an overwhelming number of people will actually get vaccinated by then? Even some people that I know, who have previously opted out of other vaccinations, have decided to get this one for one reason or another!
https://aethyrflux.livejournal.com/577678.html
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If you made it this far, thank you for reading... And perhaps consider these words from _Stranger In a Strange Land_ by Robert A. Heinlein:
"If one tenth of one percent of the population is capable of getting the news, then all you have to do is show them - and in a matter of some generations all the stupid ones will die out and those with your discipline will inherit the Earth. Whenever that is - a thousand years from now, or ten thousand - will be plenty soon enough to worry about whether some new hurdle is necessary to make them jump higher. But don't go getting faint-hearted because only a handful have turned into angels overnight. Personally, I never expected any of them to manage it."
*May you never thirst, may you never hunger, and may you always grok in fullness!*
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