I was in a good mood, thankfully, since this has been a challenging time for people like me, who follow the teachings of Jesus, Buddha, Ghandi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I believe in nonviolence in the face of adversity, and TRY to remember to love my neighbor, no matter who they are.
It was this morning, 2 days after the inauguration of Trump as president. I was on zoom, gathering with my meditation buddies. Then one friend started the complaints. The statements of facts about what HE did now. Another one joined in. However, because I was able to see what was happening to us, I suggested we stop and prepare for meditation instead. The entire group took a collective sigh, gave thanks for the turn, and we began.
Have you found yourself triggered lately? Have you noticed that you were venting to someone who either agreed with you or alternatively, got into an argument with someone who did not? Have you innocently read the news, thinking your energy was stable enough to stay positive but then found yourself extremely angry to the point of hate? I assure you, you are not alone. I’m right there with you.
Before we go on, you may already be feeling a little triggered. In the next paragraph we will – together – work on that. But first, check yourself. Is your heart racing? Are you feeling sweaty? Do you feel angry, frustrated or hateful? Being honest about where you sit in the moment will help you walk through this moment. Just notice.
Next, make the intention that you will feel peaceful by the end of reading this article. Say it out loud. I am sure that you desire peace for yourself.
Ok, it is time to breathe again. Take in a very deep breath and visualize it filling your lungs, surrounding your heart, and filling all the cells of your body like a balloon. Now blow it out, sending all the negative feelings and tensions with it. Do it again. If you are spiritual or religious, you can imagine Spirit breathing Peace into your body. If not spiritual, imagine your physical body nourishing itself with clean air. Exhale with a big blow. Finally, one more time. This time as you exhale, send the Peace that you inhaled gently out into the air around you, sharing it with the world.
Come back to a normal breathing pattern. Notice how you feel. I imagine that 3 breaths are not enough to change everything, yet if it has, well done! If not, don’t worry, we have more to do. Just notice if you have lifted your spirits even a little. Tell yourself “Good Job!” for completing this short exercise.
This was about turning your energy around physically. There are many other exercises that can be done, but this is a quick start.
Next, we will work on turning the mind.
Your mind is hard to control. There is no doubt about it. We can be addicted to many things: sure, there is alcohol and drugs and video games. But what about sugar? The news? Social media? The addiction is very strong, at least for me in a few areas. So, the first part is to admit that you have trouble in an area. Since we are talking about finding peace today, we will look at how to “change our mind” about how we consume news.
I have a friend that chose to protect her sanity by not looking at the news at all. To stay safe in the event of an emergency, she has asked me to let her know of anything she absolutely needs to know. I can do that. This is extreme, however, for some people, the only way to control an addiction is to abstain. After a few days the need to check the news every hour slows down, at least it did for me, and now I check twice a day.
When consuming news, there are ways to reduce or eliminate the triggering. I have found that if I watch or listen, the news is much too real, and it replays in my head. I am better off reading it. Also, if I only read the headlines, rather than delving deep into “he said this” and “she said that”, I can become informed without being triggered.
Beware of the difference between news and opinion. If an article used words like “demolishing” or “outraged” or “most chilling words”, as I found on one site that calls itself news (left leaning by the way), then they are selling emotion over information. Be aware. The media is not in the business of informing you. They are in the business of making money, and fear sells.
If you are balanced enough to read headlines and notice which sell emotion and which inform, and do it without being triggered, good for you!!!! This is the goal. But, if you try it and realize your heart rate went up and they made you upset, then realize that they won for a moment, then go do the breathing exercise, get away from the news, take a walk or go to the gym or yoga class. Just get into a new physical and mental place, fast.
Finally, the next goal is to look for the positive in the world. It is out there! For example, there are blizzards today on the Gulf Coast. This weather is so extreme and unlikely, that many people would become fearful, even if they live thousands of miles away. However, I saw a headline and picture about some kids who went sledding for the first time in their lives. They had never seen snow before and turned the event into one of joy.
Where I live, I woke up to temperatures below zero. I could concentrate on how cold it is, or do as I did, which was to bundle up myself and my dog, then go for a walk, appreciating the crystal clear skies.
There is peace, happiness and joy all around you, if you make the intention to see it. What you surround yourself with is what you will experience.
So, while the Trump presidency does not appear to be going away, you can do as I am doing: turn away from it, look forward into your future, find the positive story, wallow in that, and then…
…Share it with everyone you know! Be the beacon of light, spreading it further and further, day by day. Thank you for your desire to be the change you want to see in the world.
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