There's a strange irony in our habits of healing and self-realization.
When we're low,
Many tend to retreat inward,
Withdrawing from the world.
And yet sometimes the very thing that lifts the funk.
Is something outside of ourselves.
A bird singing,
Sunlight illuminating a tree,
A child laughing,
A cat purring,
A reminder that life exists beyond the thinking mind.
Likewise,
When we're confused about who we are.
We often look outside of ourselves for answers.
We search for answers in others' opinions.
But the true compass is within.
The presence that is always available,
Free of judgment,
Patiently waiting to be realized.
Ancient systems like Ayurveda have long understood this principle.
In Ayurveda,
When there is an imbalance,
You counter it with the opposite to promote harmony.
If there's too much internal heat or fire,
One may experience anger,
Irritation,
Inflammation,
A need to control.
So we bring in cooling remedies,
Cooling foods,
Gentle behaviors,
Coconut oil,
Abhyanga,
Or self-massage.
If you feel heavy,
Invite lightness.
If your mind is racing,
Slow the breath.
This isn't about fighting what is.
It's about noticing and finding your personal balance.
So what if we honor this ancient wisdom of finding balance?
If the inner world feels overwhelming and scary,
Step outside yourself.
For example,
Have you ever felt out of sorts and then saw a funny animal video?
It can lift the spirit because you're observing a being just simply being.
It isn't trying to be something it's not.
It just simply is.
It's in those moments when aspects of you remembers the joy of being.
When you're feeling lost.
Let the earth ground you.
Let other beings support you.
Whether they stand upright or fly in the air.
The balance here is to not get sucked so far outside of yourself that you dig your heels deeper into the imbalance.
This is the tricky trap as the discomfort becomes comfortable.
I know this firsthand and experienced it with the majority of individuals I've worked with.
The idea of change,
Even if it might bring relief.
Becomes far too scary for many.
Some might try to numb or dissociate through distractions like gossiping,
Scrolling,
Food,
Shopping,
Striving,
And mind-altering substances.
Personally,
I've tried all of these and more to no avail.
They all simply made it harder to get to the root of the imbalance.
It's like dieting to feel better about yourself.
For most people,
It leads to more stuff to unpack.
So when the outer world feels loud and confusing,
Which feels like the norm these days.
Come home.
Disconnect from the screens.
Connect to your breath.
Listen inward.
Let the answers rise.
From the silence.
But remember,
This is a practice.
It doesn't just happen.
If you're not used to it or if you're carrying unacknowledged wounds,
It can feel incredibly dysregulating.
And that discomfort.
That is part of the work.
Listening to and honoring your needs in those moments are sacred acts.
If it's too much,
This is when you ask for support,
Ideally from a trained professional.
This is the push-pull of moving inward and outward.
It's like following your own energetic tides,
Finding that balance between self-reflection and experience.
You'll soon find that there is a magical interplay between the two,
Because they are not separate.
The tricky part is also knowing what aspects of self are perceiving the inner and outer currents of experience.
The wounded inner child will see an experience very differently.
Than the authentic self.
Your healing is in the shift.
And sometimes the medicine is simply this.
If you're feeling the feels.
Consciously shift something.
Maybe you just get up and change the environment you're in.
Maybe you turn the screen off.
Maybe you call someone.
Maybe you cry,
Write,
Scream,
Drive,
Walk,
Dance,
Light a candle,
Pray,
Create.
Maybe it's a subtle lift of the lips to see what arises.
Maybe.
Just maybe.
You allow yourself to be present to the feels without judging them,
Without allowing them to create fear.
Maybe you take a moment and be present to the feels,
To see what is arising,
To see what needs to be felt.
So that it can be healed.
So that it can be released.
The world can feel like a lot.
Loud,
Chaotic,
Overwhelming.
But you're not powerless in the current.
You always have a choice.
Even a quote unquote small one made with love can shift the whole tide.
And until next time,
Friends.
Stay curious.
