With the 2019 arrival of the most virulent version of the dangerous SARS strains, current generations have suddenly found themselves attempting to cope with - and make sense out of - an extraordinary public health crisis and extreme social, economic, and political situations.

It's not as if humanity has never dealt with an ongoing highly infectious and lethal virus. Since the 1500s when the first global influenza epidemic made the history books, we have continually dealt with ever-mutating variants of the flu virus. We have even experienced an extreme pandemic because of a virulent strain: the Spanish flu of 1918-1920 killed between 17-100 million people worldwide. But in our contemporary history, we have, in large part, been systematically - and emotionally - unprepared for the onslaught of SARS-CoV-2 and its yet unknown long-term effects and ramifications. 

Infectious disease experts have a fundamental understanding of the biological nature of the airborne virus, but what about its spiritual origins and the deeper meaning it heralds for humanity? Can we naturally assume there are profound lessons offered - and deeper awareness to be gained - by undergoing such major upheavals to our everyday lives? If so, what are those lessons and why did they originate?

The virulence of the SARS-CoV-2 is indicative of its impact on our densely populated planet. On the virulent scale of infectious viruses, SARS-CoV-2 packs a powerful punch. There are some viruses that attach to a host but are short-lived outside of their ideal environment. Some viruses have the potential to be latent (dormant) and are later activated when conditions are hospitable - and timely - for them to flourish. Other viruses are airborne but only survive for a short time suspended in the air. The most virulent and dangerous type of virus is one that is airborne and can linger in the atmosphere for an indefinite period of time. Thankfully, we are currently not dealing with the latter, and infectious disease experts believe the SARS-CoV-2 will eventually resemble the common cold. 

It's not just the recent strains of coronavirus or the continually mutating flu bug that have threatened the widespread well-being of humanity with the potential of a pandemic. Other deadly viruses, including HIV, Ebola, MERS-CoV, Smallpox, and Dengue, have plagued Earth for decades, some for centuries (and most have yet to be completely eradicated). Why do we continually experience such major upheavals? 

In certain cases, as our burgeoning population bulldozes its way into extensive swaths of pristine natural environments, we later come across undeniable evidence of how we have unwittingly upset the balance in those now human-scarred regions. These unchecked large-scale encroachments directly weaken nature’s immune system and indirectly weaken the immunity of our collective physical selves. Thus, we are witnessing the diminished defenses of not only our planet but of ourselves and, from a higher perspective, the aftermath of our decisions to ignore all of the obvious long-term consequences. It matters little if the SARS-CoV-2's human spillover was potentially due to a leak from a virology lab; the virus's known origins point to it being "zoonotic" in nature (i.e., a disease arising from animals transmitted to humans), and ultimately was spread because of human behavior.

In addition to our large-scale encroachments into natural environments, our compromised immunity has been brought about by other contributing factors:

• A Western diet consisting of processed foods that lack an abundance of essential nutrients;
• A weakening of the gene pool from existing in a "toxic soup" - our tainted supplies of food, air, water, and the chemical makeup of everyday cleaning and cosmetic products; and
• Inadequate physical and mental care.

But are the large-scale encroachments on planet Earth really unchecked? Could the arrival of a virus provide an opportunity for humanity to correct itself, and is this a purposeful product of our higher consciousness? If so, what purpose would this serve us as a whole?

Perhaps we can ascertain from this pandemic - or any pandemic - the deeper lesson it holds, which primarily is this: 

Our refusal to consider the future impact of our choices and their spiritual meaning can hold undesirable, and sometimes irreversible, consequences to our evolutionary path. 

Through observation, we can see that the natural laws which govern our reality determine the outcomes of our decisions. Natural forces at work on our planet move toward equilibrium through its own intricate, multi-layered, and well-evolved system of checks and balances. This natural order of our existence is what makes it possible for us to maintain a semblance of earthly stability. When we experience too many upsets to this balance, however, we have seen how it can tear asunder the fabric of our well-being and how difficult it can be, if not impossible, to reverse. 

From a more spiritual perspective, we can even surmise that events not in alignment with the invisible, conscious, and intelligent order of the universe cannot sustain longevity. In such cases, the fabric of the reality comprising such events is laid threadbare and weak when it lacks divine grace in its purest sense. Our past history is indicative of this truth whenever we have tried to drive the trajectory of our survival out of fear or ignorance: the fall of the Cold War, our continually diminishing drive to implement and utilize nuclear energy and nuclear weapons, and the lessening frequency of invading and conquering foreign lands. 

What key points then do we need to grasp from the whole of any major event such as a pandemic to start moving toward a more holistic way of living?

Our lack of awareness of the consequences of our choices negatively impacts our overall well-being. 

There are many memes and gifs on social media which describe the fact that a person can't "unsee" the unpleasantness they just witnessed. In this same vein, we cannot undo many of our choices once we start traveling down an unconsciously chosen path and ultimately pass a point of no return. It is akin to severing a part of ourselves and never being able to get back to our state of wholeness that once was. Making choices with more awareness, especially contemplating how we can be of service to others for everyone's higher good over the long term, will help us avoid such scenarios.

It is vitally important to continually gain knowledge about ourselves and the purest divine meaning of our existence. 

There is a saying of unknown origin that states: "The essence of intelligence is skill in extracting meaning from everyday experience." My personal definition of spirituality is the practice of following a lifestyle in which we simply acknowledge what holds meaning in our lives, especially because something greater beyond ourselves determines the essence of our existence. When we don't factor spirituality into our choices (i.e., determine what holds meaning in our lives), we suffer.

Science and spirituality can coexist to bring about more awareness of the consequences of our choices. 

In the book, "Proof of Heaven," Dr. Eben Alexander's account of his journey into the afterlife underscored the importance of accepting the truth about our spiritual nature, which he believes is the source of our consciousness and not our brains, and by doing so can profoundly affect our life here on Earth. Science has shown us - by positing outcomes through observation, exploration, and experimentation - what will likely happen under certain conditions, and then we can take that knowledge to not only help us determine the most appropriate courses of action to bring about a better future but also to understand how we got to that point of disease or imbalance and what kind of meaning it holds for humanity and the planet. We can look back into our vaults of historical data to understand the implications of certain events along our timeline to better understand certain trajectories that are likely to play out. 

Assuming the evolutionary objectives of our collective unconscious, viruses can serve to create circumstances that can ultimately correct humanity's violations against nature and bring about realignment to a more divine order of existence. 

Based on our expanded knowledge of the laws of physics, there is no denying that profound unseen natural forces shape our existence and ultimately the outcomes of our choices. It is whether we choose consciously or unconsciously that determines if we live in a more harmonious state of existence or continue to struggle through global and personal upheavals. The choice is always ours to make. 

We can begin to make more conscious choices by increasing our awareness through self-reflection, meditative and spiritual practices, and continually being open to learning more about our world, its history, and ourselves. The most profound gift from my spiritual awakening has been a greater expansion of awareness, and if more of humanity could experience at least this level of awakening we would surely be living in a far better world than we can even imagine.