How does one find the middle way with so much chaos around us? Katherina Leili Dreith, a holistic health consultant, shares how we can find peace during the pandemic.
We are living in an exceptional time on planet Earth. There is suffering yet there is also beauty and grace. This is the duality of being human. Like a pendulum, we may swing between both states of being. We are seeing that there is surviving and there is thriving. How does one find the middle way of being while all of this is happening around us?
In the process of a few months, Bangkok went into two lockdowns, my birthday sparked deeper awareness, my parents returned from the US, I had to replace my computer, and I found myself totally procrastinating to write. I questioned what I can say that has not already been written or said. Then it hit me, what is my intention? I only know what I know and can only share from my experience, as opposed to spewing from a self-important pedestal, mentors and books. Working with many people and having dealt with my own chaos, I have learned how to create inner peace and joy. Sometimes I get triggered, sometimes I think a lot, feel a lot and get ungrounded. Maybe it might be helpful to share some tips that may support in some way as I feel it is important at this time.
Please be kind to yourself, try what resonates, and practice through your own experience.
The first thing I like to share – please let go of comparing yourself to others as this may trick you into an illusion of delusion. It is easy to get caught up in others’ fears and stories. When we are an observer we become less of an absorber of others’ emotions. Is it selfish not to feel pity for others’ suffering or self-pity? Once we let go of the judgement of good or bad and acknowledge how we feel within our own body, we are better able to contain our thoughts and emotions. If there is judgment, it can create discomfort or comfort in the body. Self-forgiveness is important initially: “Sorry self for judging you.” We become self-observer without getting caught up in our own story looking at ourselves from the outside in.
We may experience chaos in our own environment on top of the world environment. We may disagree with what we see, hear, feel or experience. We may react from external triggers originating from belief systems, deeply held emotions or trauma. If we dive deeper into the root of our feelings, we may see that we get triggered by fear. What fear you may ask?
Many fear mortality, but being truly honest we also fear the death of the ego/personality/beliefs. We may passionately share our opinions wishing another to change to make us feel more comfortable, which in turn is selfish. The subconscious belief systems we have inherited and created feel threatened. Triggers are gifts to observe the subconscious (shadow) to become conscious (light). If we force positivity or the dualistic concept of love/light, we can become complacent by dissociating from a judged uncomfortable emotion. An emotion exists to be felt, whether deemed good or bad. By not allowing a feeling to be felt, it can become suppressed in the body.
Judgement creates belief systems and belief systems create resistance to what is. Resistance creates stress in the body, density and lowered immunity.
With the acceptance of fear within our self, we can better accept others’ fears. Compassion (com=with; prefix in LATIN) is a result of observing; I acknowledge your fear because I acknowledge my own. This leads to respect for each soul on their path of learning as separate yet collectively for humanity. Thank yourself for doing your part in the evolution of Earth: expanding our consciousness through mastering our subconscious fears. I am not saying to become complacent if there is a real attack on the freedom of our body, mind and soul. We will be inspired to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Protecting the ego when there is no real threat, a perceived threat; observe it and it becomes disempowered over our action, speech and thought.
I was recently reminded by someone I deeply love and respect that many of us are doing our best in this world. I encourage you to include yourself in this equation. By remembering we are doing our best, we, in turn, have self-compassion.
If we can take a moment to pause, breathe deeply into the belly and observe what is brewing beneath the depths of our body, we allow our conscious to stir up our inner chaos and to heed the calling of our soul. Observe the duality that lies within if you lose your balance from the outer imbalance. How do you want to feel? We all crave it, yet we look outside for it. Step away from the things that throw you off balance and come back to your natural state… PEACE.
Peace within ripples out to our environment and out to the world. By replacing blame with accountability, we embrace ourselves as empowered, conscious human BEings.
COVER PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by Chungkuk Bae on Unsplash
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