I cannot remember a time in my life when the energies in the world have been so intense. Do you feel it? Do you wonder how you can possibly navigate it all and stay balanced? Does it seem like you take in all the stress and suffering of others and the world into you?
I was born in 1961, and, as one of my favorite singer-songwriters, Jennifer Berezan puts it: “It seemed the world had just begun.” Those times seem so innocent in hindsight despite the assassinations of John F. and Bobby Kennedy, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War.
Then there was 9/11 and the destiny lines shifted to an escalation of war. Now, here in the United States where I live, there is the rising tide of the will to dictatorship and authoritarianism—true also around the world. There is the COVID pandemic from which family members of two of my friends have died. Then there is mounting and undeniable evidence of climate change in extreme weather and fires. Every day in the news cycle, these are the stories. My heart on some days weeps.
Among my clients and students, there are the twin energies of a radical rethinking of their lives and ancient wounds coming to the surface. Stress is high. We are all rocking and rolling together
But I was in many ways prepared for these times through the healing of my own wounds, my spiritual study, and my soul’s mission to know how to hold fast to peace and light. So I am here to offer to you what I do on a daily basis to maintain inner peace and a sense of safety even while I see no immediate end to the chaos and intensity in the world around us. If you do these things regularly, you will maintain a higher vibrational frequency of joy, balance and love to help you weather all tough times.
First, anchor in your mind in the guiding principles of the Essential Truths of Sacred Activism for Peacemaking. While you may not always believe them or feel you can penetrate your own fog of anger, confusion and fear to see the bigger view they represent, continue to hold them in mind and heart. Think of them like mindfulness: bring your mind back to them even if it has strayed. In this way, your own consciousness will gradually change and you will contribute to raising the vibration of all.
Our essence is love and light. Any darkness within us is but a passing cloud that, with focused intent, skillful action, spiritual practice, and healing can be dissolved.
Respond first to the pain underneath all actions and words that cause hurt or harm. Recognize them as arising out of confusion about what love means. Everyone’s thinking can become distorted consciously or unconsciously out of ignorance, fear or unhealed wounds. Love the human being who is hurting underneath these appearances, even while you recognize the error in thinking and action.
Aspire always to compassion. Kindness and caring are our guiding lights. Start first with compassion for self because without it, we cannot truly be so to others.
Unconditional love is available to all of us from Mother Earth, the Cosmos, the Great Beings of Light, and more. We are never alone. No one, no matter what their actions or view are loved, as are you.
There is always hope and optimism no matter what is happening within and around us. While things are challenging and may continue to be so for a while, this, too, shall pass and a New Earth of compassion, harmony and peace will emerge.
Now that you have anchored into the Essential Truths of Sacred Activism for Peacemaking, here are the practices that I use to keep my vibrational frequency as high as possible. In this way, it is easier to return back in my thoughts and actions to these guiding principles even when I have temporarily fallen away.
Open Sacred Space Daily. Say prayers daily to Mother Earth, our Cosmic Mother-Father/Creator/Spirit, All our Relations, the Spirit of the Directions (East, South, West, North), the Animal Allies, Star Nations, Great Cosmic Teachers of Light, Angels and Archangels of the Highest Order.
Visualize yourself inside a quartz crystal. The roots of the crystal reach down beneath your feet into the body of Mother Earth and her crystalline matrix. The pointed tip of the crystal reaches up above your head like a vaulted temple ceiling. The windows of the crystal are all around, with plenty of space for your to move. Light is within and light pours out. Feel the vibrational resonance of the crystal as all heavy thoughts, feelings and energies within you are transmuted into light. No heaviness or lower vibrational frequencies from within you are outside of you can withstand the light.
Maintain your connection and grounding into Mother Earth. Imagine a cord of light going from your root along with the roots of the crystal down into her body and reaching to her crystal heart. Feel, see, sense, and know that she unconditionally, unstintingly pours her rose-pink Love-Light up that cord and into you. Breath it in 3 times so that it rises up along the central channel parallel to and inside the spine.
Open your 8th Chakra and bring down its cosmic light of the soul. The 8th chakra spins about 8-12 inches above the crown of the head. Reach up with your hands back to back with fingers pointed upwards into the center of the chakra and, parting your hands to the sides and front to back, bring its illumined light like a gentle, protective blanket around you.
You may do the crystal visualization and the 8th chakra opening whenever you are going into a situation that may be difficult.
While life will always present its challenges and difficulties, holding fast to these Essential Principles of Sacred Activism for Peacemaking and doing these foundational practices will give you comfort, hope, light, and love. You will feel better and generate more joy for yourself, your family, community, and the world.
May peace reign. May love grow. Aho. May it be so.
Rachel Mann, PhD is a sacred activist, social scientist, healer, and spiritual mentor. She provides shamanic energy healings, an intensive 1-1 Mentoring Program, and offers courses and retreats supporting passionate individuals with a vision to integrate the wisdom gained through their own healing and spiritual study into creative service to others as a healer/therapist, minister. spiritual teacher, writer, artist, and/or socially conscious and spiritually awake entrepreneur. Through consulting and programs, she also provides businesses, NGOs, and nonprofits wishing to expand and anchor into the sacred values of positive inclusion, compassion, and a renewed, spiritual ethics with consulting and programs. Find out more at rachelmannphd.com.
