There is no doubt about it, right here (or wherever you are) and right now, it is a tough situation. And everyone feels it to varying degrees. COVID-19 has put a pause on life, both in the societal and personal spheres.
For many of you, many of us, this disruption puts a halt on something important – the ability to manifest! Usually when someone loses a job, they can go for others and eventually they will find something. Usually there is something you can do to shift your situation. There are actions you can take and resources to take advantage of to turn the tide in your favour. Being unable to work (i.e. generate energy in the form of currency) and having few actions you can take to remedy that situation can make a difficult situation hard to bear.
And because you’re dealing with your personal life, a lot of emotional energy can be generated with few or no places to healthily release. Brooding over Netflix, obsessively reading the news looking for the next signs of doom, worrying and complaining constantly about your situation are all indications that a shift needs to change for you. Your health, well-being, safety, and success are all part of the things that make up the quality of your life and when they undermined, limited or threatened, it is very natural to have a lot of emotion surface. These are things that you care about, so of course you’re going to feel emotional when they’re so limited without knowledge of when the limits will end and few actions you can take to remedy them.
But as I write this article, this is not the first time I have guided others through the process of dealing with personal problems caused by impersonal events and energies. Sometimes things in the world change and that change can be the cause of fortune or misfortune. As the 17th century Philosopher Baltasar Gracian wrote: “It is a great piece of skill to know how to guide your luck even while waiting for it.”
One change has occurred, perhaps to your misfortune…but you can always begin to guide things so that as change occurs again, it becomes your friend. The grandiose question is: how do I that?
So here are my 3 tips to strengthen your mind and spirit in times of global misfortune so that you can have the strength to guide your luck even while you’re waiting for it.
1) Don’t take things personally!
2) Stop resisting or arguing about the conditions you’re in
3) Band together and take care of each other
Tip #1: Don’t take things personally!
There’s a reason that I put this one first! Through my years of working and helping to spiritually guide people through challenges, the very first mistake they make is that they take worldly situations personally. And they mercilessly torture themselves with the notion that this is punishment or karma for some mistake of the past (or a past life). Have you ever done that?
So this is what I ask my clients: what could you have possibly done that the universe or God would seek to personally punish you by creating the Corona Virus (in this instance) and creating difficulties and casualties without a care? Now, somewhere out in the world, one person may be responding to that question with “I ate a bat (or pangolin).” But for the rest of us, there really isn’t a justifiable answer that we have can give to answer such a question.
The reason I point out the ridiculousness of taking the situation personally is because it happens. It absolutely happens and I have seen many good people waste so much energy torturing themselves for an answer to a question that could never provide you with a satisfactory answer to begin with! The wasted time in depressive thoughts and negative emotions weakens you over the course of time. You become bitter, weak and resentful, relying on the good nature of others to listen to your woes until they fatigue. I have watched people shun help, assistance and opportunities to change their situation simply because they lack the energy to engage – all because they beat themselves up over something completely impersonal and out of their control.
The law of cause and effect is one of the 7 Hermetic Principles and is always at play – as human beings we have the potential to be far more powerful than we can imagine. But we also have the arrogance to presume that our ability to cause is far more potent than it is. Worldly events require energies beyond the level of the individual – so stop worrying, you personally have not created the global/national situation you are in.
The minute you stop taking the situation personally, you will feel the negativity lift instantly! Your vitality and optimism will return and the minute the situation starts to shift, you will have the energy and outlook you need to start shifting your personal situation. The sooner you get rid of these feelings of persecution, the quicker your spirits will lift, and you’ll start to see opportunity where there was none before.
Tip #2: Stop resisting or arguing about the conditions you’re in
Another big point here! When we’re in tough positions because of circumstances beyond control, we as human beings tend to do these things:
1) You argue about the unfairness/lack of justice about our situation and how it shouldn’t be happening
2) You deny the current situation, arguing petty details of it hoping that your arguments will create a sudden shift in your current state
Neither of these is constructive nor healthy for you in the long run. They ultimately lead to a loss of discernment and the loss of perspective – how can you accurately gauge your next correct moves if you’re arguing about the current landscape and evidence proves your arguments wrong?
These forms of denial allow your hard conditions to persist! Yes, read that again: denial allows your conditions to persist! The simple truth is that denial changes nothing and is a huge waste of emotional energy.
In a culture where resistance against hardship is glorified, denial of reality can sound like the heroic, “empowered” thing to do. Refusal to accept a situation that does fit into your vision of life is part of the high-vibe culture and denial is one of the powerful tools used to promote that kind of mindset. How can you change the very thing you deny or resist? You have yet to grasp it and understand it.
True change can only come with acceptance, understanding and right action.
So here I come in with words that I hated for years: acceptance and surrender…
Truthfully, these were lessons that made their way into my heart (and mind) with my practice of Wiccan magick. One of the amazing things about Wiccan magick is that you are dealing with forces that are beyond your control! The cycles of the Earth, the seasons, the days, the Moon – I personally cannot interfere with any of these. And even if I could, I wouldn’t dare! The power of these cycles touches every living being on this planet and my comprehension of the magick of these cycles is not equal to their power.
But the reason I bring up Wicca is because the cycles of the seasons have taught me lessons about acceptance and surrender. Like many people, I could without winter. Spring, Summer, Fall and then Spring again! What an idyllic world that would be! But when winter comes, and indeed winter is a force bigger than any of us, we whine, moan and complain.
Now, I’m sorry to tell you this but our complaints don’t make a hoot of a difference to the outcome. I can complain about the cold all I want. I can tell Mother Gaia that she is incorrect to send frosty winds, snow, sleet and ice. She might even hear me…and if she’s benevolent she’ll send some soft snow to tickle my cheeks. If she’s annoyed, she may send some hail after me to force me indoors and leave her in peace. No matter what I say, the winter will persist until its time is done. Some years, winter is done earlier than others but in general, I know there’s a cycle and I can work with it (and appreciate it) until conditions change.
We are always in cycles! Personal and impersonal cycles – so what I’m telling you here is to learn from the wise witches of lore and appreciate whatever cycle you are in. Work with it. Why? Because working against it is futile and accomplishes nothing.
And if you’re having trouble surrendering to that cycle, check your ego at the door because it is telling you that you are beyond worldly powers and cycles and that is simply incorrect. And if you are above the weather and can change it at will, please come hang out with me and fulfill my fantasy of a 3-season year!
Tip #3: Band together and take care of each other!
Humans have survived catastrophic events for thousands of years! They didn’t do it through backstabbing, isolation or separation. Humans have survived catastrophic weather events, wars, and even plagues (worse than ours) by taking care of each other! There is a passage in the bible where Jesus states this exact teaching. It comes from Matthew 12:25:
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”
No man is an island they say – and indeed this is true. None of us is capable of doing everything completely unto ourselves. We are dependent on others in so many ways and when we start to recognize that we operate as a team (even unwillingly), we can handle hardship with more grace and ease.
So, connect with all of your loved ones and the people around you (while maintaining proper social distance, of course)! Just because we are required to stand at least 2 meters apart (6 feet for my American friends), that doesn’t mean that we can’t show kindness, care and compassion to each other.
I get it – sometimes it’s hard to admit that you’re going through hardship and even harder to humble yourself enough to accept help. But how often have you helped others? Perhaps even helped them with pleasure? How could you deny the very people who you care for, and who care for you the ability to repay or bestow the kindness their hearts so desire to share?
And if you believe that no one in your circle or community can help you, then you’re just simply wrong. There are people who can provide supplies and resources, there are others who have great ideas, others may have found information you need or can connect you to a service or any other multitude ways of helping that can get you back on track.
The whole point of this article is that your situation can change! If you can shift your perspective, your attitude and your willingness to connect with others, then a crappy situation can start to turn around. Even in a time of global shutdowns, you can turn your situation around! Even if turning your situation around doesn’t result in immediate monetary relief (the #1 situation people are worried about. I know you are! You can be honest with me!), there are other beautiful things that can happen right now that will make your life better like:
· Having better relationships with friends, family and your community
· Receiving a substantial lesson in how to manage stress with grace
· Recognizing the personal and impersonal forces at work in your life
· Gaining the wisdom you need to artfully handle future life stressors
· Achieving peace with your world and your place in it
These are only a few benefits that you’ll find if you’re able to follow these three steps that I’ve given you. So, don’t forget:
1) Don’t take things personally!
2) Stop resisting or arguing about the conditions you’re in
3) Band together and take care of each other
Take care of yourselves and let’s all take care of each other! If I can serve you in any way, please reach out and let me know!
Wishing you all healthy minds, hearts and bodies!
Aleks
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