What are the steps that take us from a place of frustration, stress or despair to one of hope, new choices and clear vision? Are you aware of how you get from dark to light?
A client of mine writes her way out. Not that she intended to, but the progression emerged when she began writing about her life. I often experience the same with writing. The upward spiral is magnified exponentially when I imagine sharing with someone who already understands me completely. The pressure is off; grace enters; and a door opens to a higher viewpoint with more options and more hope.
This week I found myself sinking into a tired, dark place because of physical injuries and illness. I decided to witness the mechanics, and I discovered some keys to the prison of gloom. One is that I don’t exit discomfort just because I want to; I have to take action. The action can’t be running away from the problem, but rather giving myself every advantage to solve it. This might involve creating more space or time around a situation before I respond. It could mean choosing to take full responsibility for my experience so I don’t feel like a victim of anyone or anything. Most of all, it’s about shifting my perception and listening to Life as It tries to lead me. The message could be as simple as getting good food or good rest. Will I follow?
I also saw that I must calm my emotions before I can address what’s troubling me. If I’m churned up, I won’t see the simple solution right here. The other night, I found myself practicing this detachment from overwhelm in a dream: I was in a dark, crowded and low-consciousness city. I’d been asked to speak at a spiritual seminar, but I couldn’t find my notes, didn’t know where to go for the event, and was beginning to panic. Then, I remembered EFT [Emotional Freedom Technique], and I began tapping meridian points on my body while speaking uplifting words. I balanced out. A woman appeared to help me decide what to wear and get backstage. I knew I’d be fine giving the talk.
A third key I noticed involved waking up to how Life is supporting me right now. For example, I drove past a garden of bright, colorful tulips, and even though I’d been in a fog, I knew this was a gift—a flash of beauty to remind me that life is beautiful. When I arrived at the store to pick up medical supplies, a kind pharmacist helped me. Then the cashier, full of good humor, inspired me to shift my mood. Life kept bringing me these not-so-small gifts so that I could connect them, one to another, and hoist myself out of the quicksand.
Linking Life’s moment-to-moment gifts supports practical, upward momentum, step by step. Like climbing a ladder out of a swamp, we pull ourselves up to where we can breathe again in the light.