I hate to admit it, but sometimes that old familiar pit in my stomach shows up again when I am watching the news. I see what is happening in the world and fear begins to creep in. My go-to reaction is fear starting in my stomach, then my jaw begins to clench, my shoulders begin to tense and raise closer to my ears. The truth I am witnessing on my TV is trying to replace the Truth that I know to be true. There is only one power and one presence in the universe, God the Good, Omnipotence.
In the face of my automatic reaction, how do I go from truth with a small “t” and rest in Truth with a capital “T”? How do I bridge the gap from what I just heard on TV to the peace and love I hear Rev. Steve speak about on Sundays?
First, I must catch myself reacting! I must be mindful that my stomach is feeling awful, my jaw is clenched and my shoulders are now 4 inches higher. My body, when I am mindful, is a wonderful indicator of where my consciousness is in any given moment. I drop my shoulders, open my jaw and breathe deeply. Does this come naturally? NO! But with practice, remembering to check in with my body periodically throughout the day and especially when I hear the news, it can become a habit.
In Unity we have a wonderful tool called Denials and Affirmations. When we deny something we are not saying “This didn’t happen” instead we are saying “This has no power over me” or “This has no permanence in my life.” Denials are a wonderful way to reign in your chattering mind to be quiet for a moment. An Affirmation states the truth of the situation and directs our subconscious mind to focus on the Truth.
I use my denials and affirmation, “This awful event has no power over me or my family.” “No one is lost in Spirit, there is only love everywhere.” “In this moment, I am safe, I am one with God.” “Divine Order is at work in this situation, I am safe, my family is safe.”
I repeat my denials and affirmations while breathing deeply until I have a sense of peace restored to me. Once my peace is restored, I can then begin to pray for others. I can pray for those affected by what I just saw, I pray for those who may have had a hand in creating in whatever event has disturbed me. I allow that peace of God to flow from me to each and every person who needs it, without judgement.
This process doesn’t take very long, but it can make the world of difference in how well my life flows throughout the day. I invite you to create your own process to bridge the gap between the truth in your world and the Truth.
