In the aftermath of the 2016 Presidential Election – aftermath sure feels like the right word, doesn’t it? – our society seems more divided than ever.
The first division being, only about half of eligible voters participated in this election, according to the statistic I saw. (I haven’t looked up how that compares to past elections, but in a time when we’re talking unity and oneness, it seems odd that half the country chose not to participate in an activity that unifies us all.)
The second division being between the people who feel triumphant about the outcome and those who feel…well, otherwise. Disappointed, frustrated, angry, afraid and many emotions in between. Both sides have been expressing themselves very clearly on my Facebook feed, and from what I see in the news they’ve been lashing out at each other in real life too, violently so.
All of that violence has been very evident since last Wednesday morning. But what you might not be seeing are the forces of love quietly working at the same time. Which is a relief to know, otherwise we’re left to wonder why everything looks so bleak – so angry and hateful – at a time when we’re being told that there’s more light and love enfolding the planet now than ever before.
Even now, in the face of so much obvious hate and anger, it is possible to be love. I would even dare to say that it’s more possible than ever – for me, for you, for everyone. Here’s what you need to know to access love in a world that feels all-too-real right now:
1. Feel however you feel, and let others do the same. This may seem counterintuitive to the idea of being love, if what you’re currently feeling isn’t love but anger or despair. Here’s the thing: Love is an experience high up the emotional scale; in order to get to it, you have to allow yourself to experience everything that comes before it. You can’t climb the emotional scale if you can’t acknowledge that you’re even on it. You have to feel your feelings. It helps so much to name your feelings, e.g., “I feel scared.” (Someday you might even love your feelings, but if that’s too much right now, that’s OK.)
Be OK with yourself not “getting it” yet. I see that a lot among lightworkers who think that in order to be enlightened, they have to deny anything within them that isn’t light and love. But that isn’t enlightened – it’s repression, and ultimately the very thing that will keep them from reaching enlightenment. What is to be healed must be revealed.
And BTW, if you’re judging others for expressing their feelings, that’s a good sign that you’re not in touch enough with yours.
2. …but don’t let your feelings run your life. This has to be said, especially given the ways that people have been lashing out for the last week. Just because you’re angry or afraid doesn’t mean it’s good to wallow in it. You are still in charge.
Constructive ways to handle your feelings include journaling; counseling, coaching and energy healing; artistic expression, and physical activity. (Your body was designed to help you express emotions.) Destructive ways include lashing out at people, vandalism, physical violence and insisting that others change their behavior to accommodate your feelings.
3. Remember the Law of Polarity, which states that if something exists, then its polar opposite must also exist, at the same time, to the same degree, in the same space. When you’re seeing anger, hatred, fear or other lower emotions in yourself or someone else, then remember that it is absolutely guaranteed by Universal Law that the possibility for accessing love is also available in that moment. And the stronger the negative reaction you’re seeing (or having), the stronger the love will be.
The most important part of this may be, don’t use it as a reason to judge another person. The Law of Polarity is not a reason to insist that someone else change their behavior. You are the person observing the hatred, fear, anger, etc., therefore you are the person that the Universe is calling on to find the ability to love in that moment. If you can ask yourself, “Who do I need to be to love this person?” or “What do I need to see that I’m not already seeing?” the Universe will respond and help you find the love that’s already there.
4. Let go of the need to be right. My mind was blown the first time I heard Neale Donald Walsch ask, “Would you rather be right, or be kind?” How much of divisiveness – the unkindness – in our society is because people fervently insist that they are right? Not just about politics, mind you, but also about religion and really ridiculous things like – oh, I don’t know – which smartphone brand is best?
If you’ve spent any time on the internet, then you know that there isn’t anything that people won’t argue over, and to shocking degrees. (Whatever happened to “agree to disagree”?) And then we walk away from discussions feeling unheard, unwelcome and unloved. (Thankfully, according to the Law of Polarity, how divided we feel right now is exactly how united we can become.)
For the next few days, let yourself observe your relationship with being right. For instance, if a fellow driver does something you don’t like – let’s say, cutting you off or speeding – even if the law is 100% on your side, can you be OK with what he did? Or do you yell a driving lesson at him as he speeds away?
If I could summarize all this in a few words, I might say that the way to be love in the real world is to realize that we’re not always love, and it’s OK, and that it’s possible – nay, necessary – for you to love even that which is not love.