Photo Credit: www.facebook.com/angelsatticagain

We are now in a news cycle where we can't go a week without world tragedies and/or catastrophes (human created at this point). It's enough to drive most people to the edge--and we are seeing that if we aren't experiencing it. However, we have always lived in uneasy times--it's part of the human condition. Anne Lamott articulates that point here.   Many people are running scared, pointing fingers, and blaming others for what they see on the news. This is one way to deal with the situation. Sometimes the perpetrators of the horrific events are revealed and other times it is a systemic overhaul that is leaving people in a state of shock and panic.

Carl Jung said, "There is no coming to consciousness without pain. People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own soul. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious." What does this look like from a systemic or global perspective? We are currently seeing that played out. I don't want to sound callous and so far removed that I am not acknowledging the loss of lives. I am deeply grieved for what is playing out in our world. There are times when I am simply catatonic in my state of grief and tears. It's not okay, and I am just one person seeking to make sense of what I am experiencing and seeking justice.

Photo Credit: Pinterest/Google Images

Photo Credit: Adrienne Maree Brown (Instagram)

In my tradition (based on Bible and theology of Emanuel Swedenborg), we believe that heaven and hell are occurring now--with each of us. Heaven and hell are states of being as well as a "place" in the afterlife. I'm paraphrasing from the theological tradition: When a person is choosing to confirm a heavenly way of being, thinking, or doing--old ways, beliefs and any association with the hells (yes, it's true) need to be reconciled, removed, healed, and so on. A person cannot live from a heavenly way with hell still attached. What happens is a person encounters a form of chaos, a period of not knowing which way is up because their state of being is literally changing. The graphic I chose to illustrate this point is spot on...we are pulling back a veil.

…in order to be receptive of heaven’s life, we should by all means
​live in the world and be involved in its duties and business. 
~Emanuel Swedenborg

Am I able to guarantee any kind of certainty? Nope. All I can say is that I will walk with you through the uncertainty. What we are experiencing will shake us, cause us grief, and try to remove hope from our very existence. As both world and other faith leaders would say (and I agree), we cannot give in. I must admit that I have been in deep need of seeking out God in the past few weeks and there have been moments where this heavenly presence is palpable and at other times it has felt like the wilderness.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Photo Credit: Pixabay Photo Credit: Pixabay Photo Credit: Pixabay Photo Credit: Pixabay

Dear God, There is so much danger in the world today. There is so much insanity, so much darkness and fear. Our human resources are not enough to counter the evil on our streets and in our minds. Dear God, Please send a miracle. Into every country and every home, into every mind and every heart, may the power of Your spirit now trigger the light, activate our holiness, remind us of the truth within. May a great love now encompass us, a deep peace give us solace. For Lord, we live in fearful times, and we long for a new world. We surrender what is, to the bonfire of Your genius. Refine this metal. Refashion our creations. Remind us of the eternal truths. Return to us our native grace. Take back what we have kept and thus condemned. For You are mighty, Lord, and can do what we cannot. May the world be reborn. Help us forgive and leave the past behind us, the future to be directed by You. Hallelujah, for You have the power. Praise and thanksgiving, as You use it to save us, ​to heal us, to lift us from the past. ​And we accept. Thank You very much. Amen. Williamson, Marianne (2013-01-30). Illuminata: Thoughts, Prayers, Rites of Passage (p. 207). ​Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Photo: Pixabay

Here we are again. It's another week with tragedy and drama unfolding on the news channels. It seems like it's been that way more often than not.  My take--systems that need an overhaul and have been participating in years of oppression are finally seeing the light of day.

So what do we do with all the pain and trauma porn?
How can we find our footing again?

I'm glad you asked. As someone invested in helping others and specifically coming from an alternative healing position--it's time to process this negativity. Maybe you are someone who uses writing as a tool to get things out of your system. This is a great start. It's important to know what it is that needs to come to surface in order to be processed out of one's system.

Photo: Pixabay

Maybe you need something more. 
There IS something for everyone.

Photo: Pixabay Photo: Pixabay

Personally, I love Emotional Freedom Technique. This is a healing modality that can get to the root of issues and process the negative energy out. Grief, anger, hatred, confusion, and more are debilitating. I believe it is what can lead to a myriad of physical ailments. I know I'm not alone in this. Get that crap out of your body!! Donna Eden is a pioneer in energy medicine and all-around awesome spirit on this planet. She can help you get going with her energy routines like this one. Meditation is an ancient cure-all (well, you know what I mean). Centering and grounding are key to getting our feet back under us when it feels like the world is falling apart. Here's a good example.

Maybe you need to journey with your faith tradition to find answers and healing.

I get that it's not for everyone. The great news is that we have the freedom (in our country) to practice faith in all its variety of forms. I come from a Christian background and yet I also find ways to strengthen my relationship with the God of my understanding through a variety of spiritual practices. This week, it was a chakra balancing meditation that helped me.

Photo: Pixabay

And then there is a need for action.
I believe it is healthy to challenge systems of oppression.
We have the right to assemble and speak truth to power.

Photo: Pixabay

At the end of the day we have to pick our battles. It is my opinion that marching, protesting, speaking out, and preaching from the pulpit in favor of those who are losing their lives unjustly is what can shift the narrative. It's been used for decades as a way to better our nation--we need to continue this practice. By the way, just because I am taking a stand for justice does not mean that I am against other folks. Here is a video that makes this point clearer than I can. Also, you may need a refresher on the herstory of Black Lives Matter--the movement in question this week--a movement I support.

There is work to be done. Take care of yourself. 
You matter.

Enjoy your celebrations of our nation's independence wherever you might be.