Saturday morning I woke up feeling as though I was a character in a Science Fiction film. And as I reflected on the present I imagined that all the characters in the film are playing their roles. The villain–the anti-lockdown and anti vaccine people disseminating false information and creating panic. The heroes–the researchers, doctors and nurses working on the front lines to dispel fear. The media sometimes on the heroes’ side and sometimes not. And the rest of the population are trying to manage daily life in the face of a dire story line.

Who could imagine living in such a time? I have imagined wars, terrorism, violence but not a plague.

Little did I know that the day would add a scene to the movie in my mind.

I am grateful to be in Australia which seems to be one of the sanest and most responsible countries. Of course appearances can be deceiving as social media proves. There are lunatics and conspiracy theorists all over the internet.

I am thankful to be living in a spiritual community where life goes on as normal, except we can’t go out and programs are on line. My nature is such that the restrictions suit me. I have never been a party goer, or particularly social. I am more like a hermit.

Occasionally, what I consider a strange madness breaks out, but considering what is going on there are few random ripples breaking the surface of stillness.

An exception to this happened on Saturday. Our neighbour, a known anti-lockdown demonstrator decided to have a party and invited lots of people from all over Melbourne. He has hosted online rock and roll shows before. A lone and forlorn guitarist in a vacant pasture howling, what I thought was off key rock and roll, from morning to night for four days. A non-event it seemed.

But Saturday a small band started playing rock and roll early in the morning as cars with campers showed up in our parking lot after being told to park there. Not knowing who they were some ashramites became concerned.

The police showed up, some blocked our driveway and others went to the front of the house where the party was supposed to happen. They began to fine people and send them home. No party goers wore masks, some crossed the 5 kilometre restriction and some were belligerent taunting the police and obstructing their work. But the music played on.

Many neighbours and devotees thought that the police were investigating the Ashram. That we were somehow in violation of the restrictions or worse.

It calmed down Saturday but the music went on all day Sunday without an audience. Poignant and sad even though I don’t like his political views.

Lo and behold today there was clarification regarding the Ashram in an article in the Mornington Peninsula News. And, the FB page WTF Mt Eliza encouraged people to ‘not point fingers at the Ashram unless you have all the facts’.