What Now?

I know I don't write much. But sometimes I have thoughts that seem to need the written word. So here we are 😊.

I am aware of the feelings of growing fears. The downside of fear is that it often flips into anger/rage. With the record heat we in the U.S. are experiencing, we don't need to add more anger. But what do we do with the fear and feeling out of control?

How many of us actually have any power over what is happening Nationally or around the world? Yet we do have circles of influence that affect the quality of our daily lives. And that influence may have more impact Nationally than you might imagine.

I will do my best to share ways we can help without sounding religious. I have friends from so many different backgrounds and I don't want to limit the reach of this message. But this post will discuss some suggestions that extend beyond the physical reality.

So, starting with the physical reality, we can make an effort to be kind to others in our communities. The only way our Country can fall is if we allow ourselves to become divided in our communities. There will always be those with whom we disagree, but we can be kind (and set healthy boundaries) without creating division. Do you know your neighbors? Do you say, Hello, to those you cross paths with every day? Don't forget to be kind to yourself! Simple things make a huge difference. Oh, and make sure to VOTE.

Mentally, are you taking care of yourself? Do you practice good mental hygiene? Or do you let your thoughts of darkness, fear, worry, etc...pile up like a hoarder until they choke the light out of your life. Make time every day, or throughout the day to sweep out the unproductive or down right nasty thoughts out of your head. Many people use meditation or exercise to do this, but if you are challenged by this, reach out to a positive friend or to a professional. Keeping your mind healthy is essential for good function and to be successful at managing the emotional/spiritual levels we will discuss next.

The emotional/spiritual levels are harder to speak about. For this, I will use the term Energy levels. This is based on my belief and experience that who we are is more than our physical bodies. So, our energetic bodies also play a part in what happens in our experiences. Have you ever noticed how, when you are in a bad mood, it seems that negative things keep happening? There may be a connection(not causation) between our personal energy and what we attract in our reality. I am NOT implying that when bad things happen to us, we caused it (not causation, just correlation). But I do believe that our personal energy, intentions, thoughts and words do add to our reality. Some people talk about it as setting intentions, others speak of it as prayer. But I experience that we do have a hand in creating our reality.

What do I suggest for this energetic level of participation in our reality? First of all, if you spend a lot of your energy wrapped in fear and worry, then you likely experience more reasons to be afraid. But, if you choose to use this energetic level to create a better existence for yourself and maybe for others, then setting positive intentions/ prayers can be helpful. I know that my energy can become overwhelmed with fear, so I find having a rote prayer or intention that I can quickly turn to when my mind is racing, is helpful.

What is the highest energy that you wish to create in this world? It is personal for you, but Love may be a good one. What else do you wish for? Peace, Harmony, Truth, Unity are all good options. I invite each of you to pick 4 pillars of "good" that you will use as your own personal prayer/mantra when your energy becomes stuck in the fear.

I have adopted 4 from a Brazilian Church that I was part of for many years. They are Harmony, Love, Truth and Justice. These 4 help me connect with a higher level of existence, which helps me send away the energy of fear and all of its related feelings

Will this change the ultimate outcome of all of the challenges we face today? Maybe, maybe not. But it does change my experience of reality and as I am not feeding the collective fear, maybe others will see they can also step away from the fear. People who react from Harmony, Love, Truth, Justice, etc...will likely have a more positive outcome than those who react from fear. I invite each of you to consider these suggestions. It is something you can do that will make a difference in your home, family, community and maybe even Country/World.

As always, wishing you the Highest Good!

Susan McGowan, PhD.