Erik Assadourian

Is COVID-19 a Collective Rite of Passage?

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Could COVID-19 be a collective rite of passage? Our current process of social distancing certainly feels like a classic “liminal period,” where we are in-between the previous stage and whatever comes next. In fact, this moment in time seems eerily similar to the adulthood ritual of the Xhosa Nation, where adolescent boys are isolated from … Read more

May Be, or The Luck of the Virus

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What if we applied Taoist and Zen wisdom to the coronavirus pandemic? Many of you have probably heard the Taoist story of “May Be.” Also called “Who Knows What’s Good or Bad” and “The Farmer’s Luck.” If you haven’t, here it is: in text (below) and a 2-minute video version as well:  “An old farmer … Read more