Nothing to Excess

“Your hand opens and closes, opens and closes. If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralyzed. Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding, the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as birds’ wings.”
~Rumi~

In a world filled with contrast we learn by experiencing the highs and lows, gleaning wisdom from both sides of the equation. Within karma too, there is a delicate balance that teaches compassion and understanding through exposure to opposites. Every action, pursuit, emotion, passion or grief can swing the personality wildly into extremes and it can sometimes be challenging to follow our bliss while remaining firmly grounded.

As an “all or nothing” personality, I’ve discovered that it easier to be completely immersed or completely detached; however, the road to enlightenment calls upon us to be mindful of our choices, to listen to our bodies, to pause and to be deeply aligned with our true nature, yet forgiving of the moments when we may miss the mark.

Simply notice when excess becomes a distraction and use that, too, as a tool for growth. Gently move with the energy at hand. Without extremes, enjoy the balancing power of Presence.

Psychic Vampirism

When someone is lost in dysfunction, they are completely unaware of their ability to connect to the Divine. Unconsciously, they replenish themselves by absorbing energy from the people around them.

This energy exchange can happen in a few ways but primarily it comes from strong reactions. Whether in the form of anger or arguments, frustration or egoic response, the action is the same. Your aura grows large (you might even feel a rush of energy at this point) and flows outward toward the other person. They absorb it and walk away from the interaction feeling much better… leaving you with the need to process and recover your balance.

You can stop this unhealthy flow through neutrality, genuine compassion or unconditional love. For most people, neutrality is the easiest place to get to quickly. When you choose not to respond or feed the energy in any way, you are protecting yourself. The people may (unknowingly) feel thwarted and try another angle, but if you can remain neutral and/or compassionate, eventually they will either move on to deal with someone more reactive or learn something from the interaction.

Choose to abstain from co-dependent energetic behavior. This gift of love allows each person to process through their own lessons and challenges while teaching you the art of compassionate detachment. When you do choose to consciously engage, you become a channel through which pure energy of the Divine can flow. This is invigorating rather than draining – uplifting and limitless – and a healthier way to assist one another on the journey.

Conscious Non-reactivity

“When I say it’s you I like, I’m talking about that part of you that knows that life is far more than anything you can ever see or hear or touch. That deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which humankind cannot survive. Love that conquers hate, peace that rises triumphant over war, and justice that proves more powerful than greed.”

~Fred Rogers~

You don’t have to be a master to be peaceful and non-reactive. Just do your best to be conscious. When faced with someone angry or offensive, your greatest weapon is neutrality. Rather than lowering your vibration to meet them where they are, seek instead to pause, check your own state of consciousness, and then respond.

This slight gap between noticing and reacting allows you to connect with your higher self rather than the ego-driven personality. To be moderate and mindful is a powerful way to interact. One can still speak truth or take right action without moving into judgement. Your integrity, wisdom and awareness can be a powerful example.

We can weave higher consciousness into the mundane aspects of our life situations. Your spiritual practice is in the here and Now.

Karmic Balance

Karma is not about good versus bad, nor is it punishment. The idea behind karmic interactions is to experience both sides of an equation (such as teacher/student or attacker/victim) until we achieve neutrality and balance. Typically, older souls are seeking to redress any outstanding karmic imbalance and arrange their lives at the level of soul to achieve that result. This often leads one into the role of wounded healer.

While it can sometimes be challenging to determine whether or not karma is in action, one indicator is that the situation is charged with emotional reactivity. Once the lesson is complete, we become neutral about the other person or event and can interpret it with wisdom, compassion, or gratitude.

We often have empathy for others who are going through something that we, too, have experienced. While one may not consciously remember past lives, the energy and insight we have gained from them is part of our energetic field. This is why older souls have the ability to step into compassion and also why younger souls cannot. We only learn through experience.

Act with integrity, do your best and accept what is. This is the pathway to understanding and unconditional love.

The Pathway to Enlightenment

“The pathway to the state of Enlightenment is via non-attachment rather than negation. Neutrality allows for participation and the enjoyment of life because, experientially, life becomes more like play than a high-stakes involvement.”  
~David R. Hawkins~ 

Neutrality creates a flow of acceptance in your experience and allows you to genuinely be at peace no matter what unfolds. It is also a wonderful indicator when karmic agreements have been completed. The emotional intensity subsides and the person or situation no longer creates an emotional charge.

Apathy, on the other hand, is a state akin to helplessness. One sees no point in living, feels like nothing will change and the personality becomes trapped in heavy energies that suck the life out of the people around them.

To find a personal state of grace and balance, we must cultivate the ability to allow life to unfold without attachment to outcomes. The dance between dark and light opens our consciousness to explore the space in between, a resting place, which allows healing to take place.

After this time of peace, we embark upon the next level of consciousness which is Willingness. The journey proceeds with a new understanding of hope, optimism and intention… and from there, anything is possible.