By Larry Rosenberg — Have you become aware of how confused, disoriented and worried people are these days? One hears more talk of gloom and doom, and the end of the world, or at least of the familiar, if very imperfect, world in which we live.
What is going on in our culture and psyches? And what can individuals, particularly those of us living in blessing-filled Sedona, do about it?
Our national and local economies are in sad shape, and our house and stock values are way down. As for society – families, schools, healthcare and public behavior – people increasingly perceive fast-moving, downward and severe trends.
Few of us are consciously (or unconsciously) immune to the constant and often shrill cultural buzz from the media (TV shows about surviving unthinkable conditions), sensational movies (“2012” with waves of natural cataclysms, and then comes the devastation of Haiti’s earthquake; “Avatar” on Pandora because Earth is unlivable; and “The Book of Eli” after civilization was wiped out), and the Internet where dubious websites and alarmist emails fan the flames of collective paranoia.
There is unease from worldwide terrorism and the probability of renegade nuclear attacks. Factor in the terrifying forecasts of global warming and ecological degradation. For good measure, listen to Day of Judgment and End Times prophecies of major religions. Hope may have helped get President Obama elected, but it is absent as the government avoids taking constructive actions. All this negative information feeds mass anxiety and fear.
Even in paradise-like Sedona, there is a chemtrail-like feeling of something’s wrong. The tourist economy languishes, jobs for seniors look scarce, city government underperforms, scenic beauty seems threatened, and fires and flood recur.
Many people believe, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Things are not working, and impending failures loom. It almost makes one want to head to a fortified subterranean bunker, concrete or psychological.
What can you and I do about it? First we have to realize that we are taking in excessive negative information that does not reflect the full reality of our vast, complicated and wondrous world. Beware of what you hear, especially when repeated. To the news and entertainment industries, bad information is good business. Choose to not expose yourself to the media’s assaults of negativity.
In times of heightened global uncertainly, complexity and change, it takes time for our brains to process it all. Meanwhile, one may well feel dizzy. Separate the subjective content, which flows so readily, from the objective content, which takes some work to find (and please share it when you do).
Rather than fret over what is happening out there, take a closer look at what is going on inside you. When the body is weakened, we are more vulnerable to negative thoughts and emotions. Monitor your health and energy. Take steps to shore them up, thus elevating your immune system. Consider more dancing, exercise, yoga, nutrition and meditation; in Sedona, high-quality teachers and classes abound.
Stress builds in the mind, and then causes tension and toxins in the body, which may well lead to pain, illness and disease. Be sure that this vicious cycle does not take hold of you. It starts with stress, which may be defined as a separation from Nature. Amid Sedona’s beautiful landscape, the great and cheap options of walking, hiking, and even looking at the views from a deck can empower your health, joy and serenity.
Make your home and garden into an enhanced-inspiration zone. Play music that uplifts your mood; the works of Mozart and the Beatles are sure bets. Sing along, as heartily as you dare, or at least hum the tune. Put more plants and flowers around you. Burn delightful-smelling candles and incense. Surround yourselves with objects of art. From old magazines, create a bold collage of a happy and hopeful scene, and mount it on a wall.
This is the time to maximize interaction time with your positive-minded friends and family members, and especially to minimize or eliminate contact with the negative-obsessed people in your network. With the positive folk, amplify your smiles, bestow sincere compliments, and share more and longer hugs. Play games together that will produce fun and laughter – Charades is a winner.
This is an ideal time for each of us to make contact with your concept of Spirit – whether God, Divinity, Creator, Universe, Gaia or whatever. With Spirit, have a conversation in which gratitude is expressed, prayers are spoken, infinity and oneness are evoked, and your soul is nurtured. Spirit can be a powerful compass in the apparent storm. Peace of mind can be a valuable resource in dealing with highly inflated times of trouble.
Larry J. Rosenberg, Ph.D., principal of Communication Miracles Consulting, Sedona, can be contacted through www.CommunicationMiracles.com.
