It’s time to test my belief system. If I believe my thoughts create my reality, what have I done! If I believe all change begins within myself, how do I change? If I’m faced with more negativity than I’ve seen in my entire life, what am I going to do about it?
“Everything in the universe is within you. Ask all of yourself.” - Rumi
Where do I begin?
I am now clear that I’ve been very unaware. I was moving along in my own bubble without truly understanding how a great many people in this country think and feel. And most of all, I wasn’t aware of what they need.
Like everyone, I was focused just on what was working for me. We all do that. We’re all operating from what we need. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s natural, but it would serve us to develop a broader viewpoint — to see the other person’s need and beliefs.
What do You WANT to feel?
Feeling safe is at the top of a lot of lists. Safe to live our lives in the freedom of expression that we cherish in this country. I’ve managed to quieten my own personal fears because I’m pretty clear that taking away things from seniors is not very high on the list but there are many people in this country who have good reason to fear the current change in our country.
When you rely on and deepen your spiritual connection with everyone else on the planet, you can begin to heal. The group energy of oneness has the power to connect and balance.
What do I want to feel? Not scared. Not appalled. Not unbelieving. Not judgmental about the emergence of the total opposite of what I believe at my core — that we are one.
How do I feel like I’m one with someone who holds an opposite viewpoint?
In my daily life I avoid persons who don’t share my interests and viewpoint. I don’t hang out with them. I don’t have conversations with them — because our interests and beliefs are so polarized.
But that won’t heal me, or them.
It’s all very well to talk about loving others, but when high school students are making racist signs there is only one place they learned that — from their parents. And that means there are huge pockets of hatred alive and well in this country.
I thought we had moved beyond that.
How do you counteract what you feel is evil?
How do I want to feel? I want to feel accepting of others and somehow — I can’t even write this down — I need to feel love toward those who are expressing thoughts and emotions that I’ve worked hard to remove from my life.
All I can do is work on myself
How do I want to feel? Safe. I want to keep the planet safe. I want people to be safe. I want there to be kindness and cooperation and support. How do I do that? What do I do?
I don’t know. I visualize our wholeness. I join with others in group meditations to help feel and heal our oneness. I send energy to the well-being of everyone and everything on the planet. And I go within and trust. I trust that my spiritual belief and my spiritual practice will see me through this.
Peace begins within me. It begins with my own thoughts and actions. It begins with my understanding and empathy for the wide range of self-expression that’s present in our world.
We have power
I don’t mean power over others, but power to balance and heal ourselves. We have power to not participate in harmful words and actions. We have power to deepen our spiritual commitment and expression, whatever we choose to have that look like. That power is within us. It’s ready to respond to our choices. What do you choose? How do you want to feel?
Go within and heal yourself
Change what you can change in your own life expression. And trust. Trust that healing is possible, alignment is possible, compassion is possible. And begin working on yourself. Strengthen your own spiritual practice. Begin there. And hold to the emotion of connection that you want to feel.
We are one. Truly we are. It just doesn’t feel like it right now.
How do you WANT to feel?
To Sing a Deeper Song consider:
The 50/50 split
How Labels Dehumanize Us
In Gratitude for the Opportunity to Grow
The Creation of an Armchair Activist
How to Use our Interconnection to Heal the World
45-How to Become a Mindful Presence
43 – Intolerance and the Need to Be Right
