Are you fed up with the election news yet? It’s wacky and other-worldy enough, but then there is all the talk about the effects of the upcoming election on the people. Research shows that holding elections has a direct effect of increasing levels of violence close to the voting, and that the direct and indirect effects of elections generate a “political violence cycle” that peaks at the election.
When I heard this, I reflected on how off-center Ifelt for a while when I began to catastrophize what would happen if a certain candidate wins. I lost my center, and I begin to believe that what was happening on the world stage was the real thing.
I needed to get back to what was really real.
The truth is that many people are living far from their own center, and even more so at this time. It means that things happening outside of us—not only in politics, but in our relationships, our jobs, with our health, even with our animals—are calling for our full attention and pull us off center. Now that we can be contacted via text, email, phone, wassup, and whatever else has come down the pike to feed the illusion of connection—-we are constantly being asked to pay attention to countless things outside of ourselves.
It is impossible to give full attention to all those things at once, and maintain your center. We are told to live more in present time, but it feels as if present time is so overwhelming, which leads many people to drop into resignation, letting important things go, while others strive to respond to everything that screams for their attention. The resigners tend to be depressed, while the strivers tend toward anxiety.
Spiritual teachers speak of “ascension symptoms” that are similar to the flu, but the cause is not from a virus. The physical symptoms of joint pain, exhaustion, sleeplessness, etc, are due to shifting frequencies on our planet in the collective mind.
“Mental Illness” is on the rise, according national reports. I have noticed the shift away from the deeper work of growth and change in my office over the years since I began working with people In the early 90’s. Now there is more putting out fires and seeking quick fixes, and there is an astounding increase in anti-depressant use.
Most people have lost their center. Politics is reflecting that and the world is reflecting back the condition of the people—the very rich and the very poor. Earth is reflecting this in her extremes of weather.
Do I need to state the obvious? We need—each and every one of us—-to come back to center, to what is most important to us at the deep embodied level. This is called being present, or being in your own Presence. This Presence is how the intelligence of the universe that many call God is expressed through you. It’s how you send out light in a world that needs it.
Whether Trump or Hillary wins, the way you live your life needs to be based on something far more essential than politics. Freedom is an inside job. Freedom is based on wisdom, courage and love, and not on who wins an election. 
Those qualities are qualities of the heart that can be nurtured to bring you back to center. I have found the following essential to help me stay the course, each one contributing to establishing a ground for my Presence:
- Radical self-care for the body: Eat pure foods, exercise, drink lots of alkaline water, maintain even blood sugar levels, and get enough sleep.
- Connect to the earth directly, barefoot it possible. Hug a tree. Sit on a rock, walk in the sand. Breath with Mother Nature, consciously.
- Quiet time for your soul. Do this with #2 if you can. Call it meditation, or whatever you want. Set your pure intention to follow your breath or a mantra like “Om” or the word “love.” Stick with it and if you need support, find a teacher or group to work with.
- Consciously choose love in the form of compassion beginning with yourself. If you meet resistance, keep doing it anyhow, and extend it out to people and things you usually judge or have an aversion to. Think of this compassion as warm light emanating from your heart. Eventually, the people around you begin to catch some of it. Miracles can happen!
When I did #4 toward Donald Trump, everything shifted and I returned to center!
I will canvas next week for Hillary, from my center, and seek to connect with the people I meet, rather than attempt to convince them of anything.
Remember to be brave, joyful and kind as much as you can!
Love,
