The energies for awakening and spiritual growth are growing. So why does everything seem to be going downhill? Why does the world seem more insane than ever? Why do I feel so anxious? Why does the world, or my life, perhaps, feel as though it's skidding towards disaster?
Because thing often get Worse before they get better.
You may be trying to look on the bright side of things, to set positive intentions only to find that nothing improves. If anything, you might feel worse than you did before. But something's happening. Old stuff is rising to the top like scum, a sure sign that something is cooking, something good, you hope, though it doesn't feel that way.
You might have felt the energies of awakening, felt them stirring and moving through your body and mind, and not recognised their promise, for the effects of awakening are not always pleasant or easy. In fact, they can be dreadful: the painful, humiliating emergence of suppressed or ignored memories and emotions; eruption of sudden and seemingly inexplicable conflicts; stomach, bowel or lung problems related to elimination and clearing of toxic or accumulated matter; a deep sense that something needs to be done but you have no idea what it is.
The cosmos itself is part of these disturbances: flare after flare from the sun; hurricane after hurricane; earthquakes; extreme weather, all of which are affecting your inner and outer environments.
(The Snowstorm by William Turner)
Hold fast:
Some things get a lot worse before they finally start to heal. It's called a healing crisis. So if you are feeling jangled by strong emotions, memories and negativity; or you are experiencing diarrhea, vomiting, nausea for no apparent cause, or excessive coughing, again for no apparent cause, or simply feeling energetically depleted, relax. If you know you don't have a medical condition, your body probably is trying to purge itself of waste and toxins that can accumulate in your joints, organs and tissues due to stress, anxiety, fear, anger, and other kinds of negativity.
So is your mind. And so is earth, trying to shake off enough of the sticky negativity and pollution that we have so thoughtlessly generated.
Start with Acceptance.
It sounds counterproductive to accept what feels so wrong, but it is a necessary first step. Learn to be at peace with yourself, others and the world as it is. Start noticing and appreciating all that is right in your world, no matter how small - the love of your pet, the parts of your body that work well, small kindnesses, flowers in the garden, time to do nothing but daydream, being able to afford a little treat, an ice cream, a lipstick ... everything. Develop an attitude of appreciation and gratitude, and express it out loud several times every day.
Trust in the support of the invisible world.
Powers of goodness and light - your guiding spirits, your ancestors and other invisible allies - are continually working to ameliorate, soften, protect and heal where they can. And they need, want, ask over and over for your help. You, every one of us, are essential to healing. Every letting go of negativity, every effort to understand others with compassion, every prayer for your and their awakening and healing, every hopeful thought and utterance even when things seem hopeless supports and strengthens the powers of goodness and light.
Trust your own Inner Light
In even your darkest hours, you have within you the inner radiance and power of spirit, what some have called your Inner Gold. Learn to love your shadows and weaknesses as you love your strengths, for they contain necessary learnings for you, if you will pay attention to them. Instead of judging yourself for your faults or errors - or just as bad, taking foolish pride in them - learn to sit with them humbly and ask what they have to teach you. Patiently observe your thoughts and feelings when things are going wrong, and let them reveal their lessons - their gold - to you. Do this sincerely and often enough, and you will see that you will gain valuable insights that you can then use to choose to think or act differently.
Work with what you have
With an attitude of acceptance and trust in your own inner light, no matter how little of it you see, you can become more like the person you want to be, and you can be a force for good in the world. As imperfect as you may be, with the right attitude and a desire to do good, you can relate more constructively to those around you; you can be kinder to your family and work colleagues; you can be source of encouragement and support to someone who really needs it; you can do some good in the world.
Go forth bravely into the world every day, not as a hero to rescue maidens, or a guru, or as a bright perfect light to shed your perfection on others. You are none of those, and should not try to be. That's what Jung called inflation - a puffed up ego. Go forth as a decent, compassionate human being with human weaknesses, who truly desires the best for all, and is prepared to sculpt and polish the inner self into the best it can be. That is a life's work right there ... good work, brave work, noble.
