WEEP, RAGE, BREATHE, SING

          When it rains it pours ...

It's hard to breathe when all you know is

The struggle of staying above

The rising water line    ~Kacey Musgraves, RAINBOW

Holidays bring attention to not being able to have in-person celebrations with our loved ones ...it sucks. It brought a friend of mine to write:  "Just wanna have a big cry every day. That's normal, right?"

And a mutual college friend to reply:  "I’m on an every other day schedule, keeps me from dehydration." 

And I replied:  "Normal, healthy, required, and somehow refreshing...the release has opened my heart though increased my Kleenex budget." It's like a cloud, a shadow hanging over us and winter doesn't help.

What do we learn from this shadow? from the dark of winter or shadows cast from our past in any season? is there richness available in the shadow place?

We're taught: 

Perfect God, perfect person, perfect being

God is the Light that dissolves darkness

As the Unity prayer says:

We humans may not be perfect in daily life, however in the spiritual life/being-ness, we are, and thus we hold the potential to move that over to our physical reality. We are taught to look beyond conditions. In fact to spiritually turn away from them, aligning consciousness with the Divine pattern of wholeness, completeness, and perfection. We also understand that sometimes we need healing of the invisible wounds in our soul. Those that show up in the trigger reactions, making trouble with our manifesting abilities. When we edge out God with limiting thoughts, it seats us in the shadow of fears and limited thinking and the subconscious ideas of not-enoughness and not-deserving-ness, victim-hood, and regret.

This lockdown, semi-lockdown, stay-at-home, very limited public gatherings stuff has invited loneliness, boredom, and frustration, and allowed shadow traits to rear their ugly heads.

So what do we do? how do we remember the spiritual truth of who we are?

To start with, we might want to actually welcome the Shadow, the fear, the isolation, and become aware of the feelings called inferior, worthless, unworthy, and the primitive side and feelings of human nature; one’s own dark side. As satirist Jonathan Swift reminds us:

Real vision is the ability to see the invisible. 

Seeing/recognizing/revealing it and its seemingly continuous presence is stepping onto the path of healing / transform it...even ridding ourselves of it.

And...You gotta feel to heal!!!

The 5 stages of grief and loss are:

• Shock and denial
• Anger...and pain and guilt
• Bargaining
• Depression
• Acceptance...and forgiveness and healing

We might want to begin with, as my friend suggested is becoming a constant, to just weep - a good ole cathartic cry. Why?

A. Has a soothing effect, relieves pain, and promotes a sense of well-being, and enhances mood.

B. Releases toxins relieves stress and lowers blood pressure

C. Aids in sleep

D. Fights bacteria and helps to reduce risks presented by bioterror agents if you get near such things.

E. Improves vision. Though don't throw your eyeglasses away.

After a good cry, you might want to rage a bit. Now, rage might not be the best word for it....maybe fury...no...let's say....intense, but controllable anger. Anger is usually about something we feel we have no control over. So...

Find that pillow you don't really like. Maybe it was a gift you felt badly about tossing out. And tear it to pieces. "It was COVID,” you'll say. Don't worry, Aunt Agnes will understand. 

You see, denying these feelings their short but necessary due, denies you the experience of a correction and results in an unconscious inner conflict which can suddenly erupt as aggression. The dark side, whether from past hurts/mind chatter / COVID crap, is a part of that which wants to come out, be said hi to, hugged, forgiven, and released. Recognizing the shadow can be the catalyst towards change and enlightenment - soothing the child in you.

 A shadow is produced when an object blocks light. Whenever we block the light guiding our life, we create a shadow. Only when we are transparent and in alignment with the source of light, as when the sun is directly overhead, does the shadow magically disappear.   ~Jacob Liberman 

When I get defensive or triggered or upset, I quickly take the time to recognize why, and sometimes from where and when:  Why are these feelings/thoughts charged with negative energy? and who is really in charge of them?

Me...You!

And then I apologize and communicate about what the heck was going on; thus putting me on the road or even at the finish line of healing it.

If you could see what I see

You'd be blinded by the colours
Yellow, red and orange and green
And at least a million others
So tie up the boat  

Take off your coat

And take a look around 

~from RAINBOW

The Source and Substance of our supply is the source and substance of our healing.

So now that you have wept and raged, it's time to Breathe; the third of the four stages of our reactions to the shadows that pop up in life.

We can sit in the shade or move into the sunshine. ´Sitting in the shadow, we do not really believe that there is any sunshine. But the sun would be there all the time, and all the time we are in bondage, the real freedom exists. It is there, but we must awake to It. … control the subjective and [do] not let it control us. [Do not] mistake the shadow for the reality; the form for real substance; the hollow voice for revelation and thereby be misled.   ~Ernest Holmes, Science of Mind

A pandemic is a terrible thing to waste. So let's observe where you are defensive! what easily triggers and upsets you. At the same time, let's cultivate the recognition of your divinity and unrestricted self-love!

'Cause the sky has finally opened

The rain and wind stopped blowin' ......

Let go of your umbrella

'Cause, darling, I'm just tryin' to tell ya

That there's always been a rainbow hangin' over your head

[And} It'll all be alright    ~Kacey Mulgraves

I wrote this on Saint Nicholas Day, the inspiration for Santa Claus. In that light, gift yourself the power of weep, rage, breathe and then take the final step to 

SING praises to the Divine in you that is you!

Sing praises to who you are! Through the power of weep, rage, breathe, and sing, you shall call forth the assistance to release the shadow. And with awareness, venting, and affirmative prayer, you shall bring the song of joy, Light, Love, Prosperity, Health, and Peace into your life

Weep, Rage, Breathe, Sing and let Love Light the Way

Affirmative Incantation

I accept where I am right now. I embrace any shadows in my life as something to learn from and step through with intelligence, compassion, forgiveness and courage. With  that I  reclaim  my highest good lighting the way. Divine Light dissolves the darkness and suffering in my life and that of the world with ease and grace. 

As I acknowledge the darkness and shadow which may surround me, I enthusiastically release them  right now. I surgically remove any hate, triggers, negativity, or victim-hood of the past. And I expand the Love, Light, Beauty, Wisdom, Power, and Joy of my Life; empowered by the luminescence and Intelligence of the unconditional Agape of Spirit. 

Love Lights the Way!