CHAKRAS AND POLITICS

Politics can wreak havoc on our chakras.

I've heard it over and over lately.  "If I have to listen to one more campaign ad, I'm going to throw something at the TV/radio/computer.  It just makes me sick."  YIKES!  It seems the political landscape has turned to mud, and all of us are getting dragged through it.  Still, if you are lucky enough to live in a country where people have a choice as to who or what they support, it is a privilege that must not be taken for granted.  Too many people in the course of history have given their lives for the right to vote. That being said, it is the nature of politics to be confrontational, argumentative, thought provoking and emotional.  Elections are akin to putting our chakras into a blender and turning it on high.  

Some of my thoughts on elections:  

1.  Listening to people saying vicious and terrible things about each other has an extremely negative effect on our chakras, both personally and as a society.  It shows us at our worst.  It is self destructive.  One documentary I recently saw describes the changes that took place in a man who'd been a relatively easy going person all his life and was close with his wife and kids.  After changing jobs, he had to spend much more time in his car commuting back and forth and began to listen to a talk show that spewed hate.  The film documents the change in his personality to the point where his family hardly recognized him.  Hearing a steady stream of hate talk left him angry, bitter and unsatisfied with his life.  Even the normal expression on his face changed.  That's right, he actually looked different.  The most interesting part of this film was that when he retired and no longer listened to the hate talk while driving to and from work, he became more like his old self again.  Although he has since passed on, the documentary clearly depicts how vulnerable we are to outside energy be it positive or negative.   

2. All too often, campaigning turns to invoking fear, which only amps up our anxiety.  Fear is a powerful emotion based in the lower chakras.  It helps us stay alive in a fight or flight scenario by sending adrenelin coursing through our bodies, and while it's tremendously helpful in a life-threatening situation, it's neither healthy or productive to be in a fearful state all the time.  The higher chakras from the heart to the crown offer the opportunity to find a more enlightened state of being.  It's far easier to remain in the lower chakras, but the point of chakra work is to move through them and explore the higher aspects of our personalities, such as empathy, creativite expression, art, love and the higher power which some might call God.    

3.  Nothing stays the same forever.  Change is inevitable.  

4.  The media makes every issue a reality show.  Staying informed about what's going on is a responsibility not to be ignored, but it can become an obsession given the 24hr. news cycle that seeks not only to inform us but also to entertain, sell advertising and provide jobs.  You can choose to turn it off, especially when it engages in hate talk.  

 Staying Grounded During Election Times

Take a deep breath.  Then take another one and exhale slowly.  Remind yourself that you belong to the Earth more than a political party.  Sink your toes into some sand or look up at a the changing leaves of a magnificent tree.  Think about roots coming out your toes.  Hold a rock, especially after it's been warm from the sun - better yet, get a hot stone massage.

Vote, and then meditate.  For every hour you spend watching political news, spend equal time listening to a guided meditation on Spotify.  Choose reading matter that is interesting and encouraging.  Take your dog for lots of walks.  Spend time with family and friends, but leave politics at the door - at least for now.