The following talk is given by Tara Brock, meditation teacher, psychologist and author.

So we begin again, a Namaste and a welcome to each of you.

It's really one of those strange things with this virtual world that usually as many of you know, there's a live group that I'm with and I've probably had about 30 hugs before I sit down to give a talk.

So now I'm feeling a virtual collective hug going on and I'm trying to imagine you and listening from many, many different places around the globe and it's very sweet, very sweet to be with you.

I like to reflect on tonight is very much what is right in the times is what it means to face a pandemic, a time of really widespread fear, how we can do that with a compassionate heart.

And I really invite you as we will be doing some experiential reflections and so on as we practice together.

It's so powerful to keep remembering and visualizing that you are joining in with humans from all parts of the globe who beings like you who really want to live with presence and courage and love through these times.

And it's so important to realize our togetherness.

I don't need to name it really these are frightening times and I imagine like myself most everyone listening has some real fear maybe for yourself or for others that are close in or maybe it's the fear for so many in our world that are struggling.

And what is going on now feels quite different than personal suffering and what I mean by that is in contrast to if we get that cancer diagnosis or a relationship fails.

And in it there's that well known saying be kind everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

And what's growing clearer than ever is that each of us is having to face a different pace but face our vulnerability and it feels out of control and it can feel scary.

And personally if we were in a live group I'd be asking us to kind of talk to each other and share well how is it for you right now.

For me my daughter in law's pregnant and she's a nurse working at the largest hospital in the San Francisco area committed to staying on so she's super high risk.

My son's father who's a very dear friend lives with them because he's very ill he has a severe heart condition so he might not survive the virus and it's very likely to be brought into that home.

It's complex but that's scary.

And then of course I have many more friends and quarantine as probably so many of you and many many friends who are financially on the edge and we know pandemics are toughest on those who are most vulnerable.

It's been like this through history.

So those with the least access to good jobs and reliable incomes to the resources really of our society.

They're the ones that are most likely to contract the virus to die of it and if they don't die to be financially devastated.

And as I imagine this as I think of this and it's very much in my heart and mind of the close ones in and those that I know and those that I don't know and how our hospitals are quickly running out of supplies there will not be enough beds.

There won't be enough ventilators.

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