In Uncertain Times Your Inner Calm is Important to Everyone
by Christina Grant, PhD
Lately I’ve encountered more people than usual who want to be peaceful in the midst of ongoing stressors and uncertainty. It’s absolutely possible to cultivate peace, and it can help others survive these unprecedented times too.
When I think of maintaining calm these days, I first think about avoiding mainstream news. Never before have I been so aware of how anxiety-inducing it is. I’m reminded of something Buddhist monk and Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh said about the hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese people who escaped Vietnam on boats after the war ended in the mid-1970s.
“When the crowded Vietnamese refugee boats met with storms or pirates, if everyone panicked, all would be lost. But if even one person on the boat remained calm and centered, it was enough. It showed the way for everyone to survive.”
We each can be that person whose calm is enough to help others survive. We can demonstrate what calm looks like and inspire others to feel safe, hopeful, and stronger in times of distress. You are capable of being this person. You have it within you to show the way so everyone is helped along. And, while I do avoid the nightly news to maintain a sense of inner peace, there is another practice I’d like to share.
When under stress many of us disconnect from our body, either deliberately or unconsciously. This often leads to a state of free-floating anxiety. When we reconnect, the anxiety dissipates. To begin, breathe into your belly. Tune inward, feel your own weight, reclaim yourself, embody yourself. Pay attention with the conscious intent to be fully in your body. You will gradually feel more present. You have the power to be balanced and calm. Breathe into your own calm.
This is one way to become centered. When things don’t go the way you want, when all around you is out of control, embody yourself. Sounds strange doesn’t it? But just experiment. Come back into yourself. Claim your right to breathe in this minute. And at any time, even in the midst of conflict when perhaps you are facing another person, you can do this. Turn your attention inward. Feel your own presence. It’s powerful. You are calling yourself back and finding yourself again. This is how we become that person whose calm is enough to help everyone else get to safety. Let’s do this often.
Christina Grant, PhD is an intuitive counselor who uses your
astrological birth chart to help you on your path of personal and
professional growth. Learn more at www.christinagrant.com.