Dealing With World Convulsions

This was not the article I intended to send today. But I know that many of my readers, all over the world, are upset about the results of Tuesday night’s election in the US. And those results did not happen in a vacuum. Sure, there are always political swings one way or another and wars and financial crises, etc. But right now those things are happening on a global scale and affecting far more people than usual. The world goes through this kind of global upheaval now and then and it is intensely uncomfortable when it reaches your part of the world. Some of my readers, I know, live in parts of the world that have been convulsing for a while. Maybe you have never known much but chaos. But most of my readers are in the West and are used to stability. Paradigm shifts are rare in the modern history of their countries. It is much nicer to be past it and reading about it in history!

But here we are. And what are you to do to deal with the stress? Of course the size of the stress does not really change the approach you need to take to be at peace. It also does not matter if you are stressed about something going on personally or globally. I recommend my 4 Habits for Inner Peace. If you have the book you may want to re-read the habits. I will discuss them in this context here. You can do them in any order. And if you find only one or two work for now, just do those. Use what works!

Habit #1: Commune with Truth Daily

This is the most transformative of all of the habits. And it leads to the other habits. It means turning your mind inward, stepping out of time, and resting in Truth for a while every day. When you go to do this you will probably initially find your mind processing. (See Habit #3). Let that happen and let it wind down. Then remind yourself that this is your time to be with Truth. You can return to the world afterward.

This practice is necessary to help you to detach from the world.

Habit #2: Turn Within to Truth Throughout the Day

This is a mini-version of communing with Truth. Simply take moments throughout the day to turn your mind inward and remember that only the Truth is true. You can do this at any time, no matter what you are doing or where you are because it occurs only in your mind. It’s just a moment. If you have more time, then you may want to close your eyes for a minute or two. This practice, too, will help you to detach from the world.

Habit #3: Call on the Teacher of Truth for Guidance

If your thoughts are churning then have a discussion with the Teacher of Truth (Holy Spirit) in your mind. It may help to do this in writing, which can take you into your deeper thoughts and feelings. Just lay it all out to the Teacher of Truth: Your thoughts, your fears, your hopes, your anger, your guilt, etc. Doing this can help you to quiet your mind so that you can commune with Truth afterward. It can also help you to see how your beliefs, not the situation, cause your feelings of upset.

Habit #4: Allow Love to Extend Through Your Mind to Remember That You Are Love

When you look on something that upsets you, turn your mind inward to Truth. When you touch Truth, It automatically extends to what you see. How this shows up for you will be unique to each situation. But each time you will feel liberation from guilt and fear. This is not something that you make happen; it is the result of willingness to have Truth in your awareness.


You will only find detachment from the convulsions of the world when the Truth is true for you. These habits are how you use your experience in the world to grow your awareness of Truth. At first they take conscious effort. But in time they become, well, habits. They will be your automatic response to stresses in your life or in the world. Detachment will come easier.

Comments

will said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Christina said…
Thanks Liz I needed this today
Christine said…
This is a meaningful and helpful exercise even when we seem to be "getting what we want"...it is rare/harder or impossible to "turn to Truth" (unless one is aware) when "everything is going their way" (his/her way).....in fact, almost no one "turns to Truth" when "getting"...I practice turning inward to Truth - when I'm happy, seemingly having things "go my way", or just sitting there doing nothing, thinking nothing...just have to practice it.
Things don't have to be at the upheaval level for us to turn to Truth...but that usually is when we turn to Truth. Just saying.
will said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
will said…
Well that's twice I got suckered into commenting by my insane personal mind. I stopped watching cable news or reading newspapers or anything else that has to do with what is going on in the world over two years ago. Damn politics is like smoking cigarettes or taking a drink.
ES said…
In short: TURN TO TRUTH NOT TRUMP!
will said…
Christine I don't doubt you believe what you're saying and it isn't the first time I've heard it. The video of the mystic I watched the other days said the same thing. He told a story of this 'advanced' spiritual person who prayed for hard times so she would remember the glory of God. It sounded like something they teach you at the ivy league schools. I have lived a hard life and hard times is hard times. You don't go looking for trouble so you'll remember God. I have so much to be grateful for in my retirement that I can sit with God all day long and enjoy the sunshine when I can get it. I don't begrudge people who need trouble to remember God but for me all trouble does is take God away.
ES said…
Will,
I think you have misinterpreted Christine's comments. She was saying that she turns to Truth EVEN WHEN things are going well, but that it's most difficult when things are going badly. She was not advocating that we hope for hard times to turn to Truth.
Christine said…
Wait a minute, I think I am saying that it's easy to ":turn to Truth", or God, or to help when things are "going bad"!! That's when we usually "need" or ask, etc...it's harder to "turn to Truth" when we are enjoyin' our personal selves!! I know both - no bliss ninnie here!
Driving home from bagpipe practice tonight, I really felt that "only Peace is Reality"...it really hit home, so to speak....as I drove, I looked at the road, the lights, the other cars, and buildings...I thought and really knew how Consciousness (God, Divine Love, Spirit) is the Substance of all of this form...I think as the split mind, we are always looking for meaning, and we seem to love it when everything is FUBAR!(look it up, WWII expression)...we love to blame "other" for our upset. The personal self demands to be the innocent victim.
A classroom is not a jail cell...we're students, not prisoners.
ES said…
Whether or not turning to Truth is hard or easy relative to a given situation seems entirely dependent on the individual. Regardless, turning to Truth is always appropriate.

"Stay with me," said the Holy Spirit to the weary traveler,
"stay with me."
nicci said…
you just never know where you are going to find God.
"stay with Me, stay with Me . . . "
thank you.
n
will said…

Copied from the NY Post online
•  The University of Michigan offered its traumatized students coloring books and Play-Doh to calm them. (Are its students in college or kindergarten?)
•  The University of Kansas reminded its stressed-out kids that therapy dogs, a regular campus feature, were available.
•  Cornell University, an Ivy League school, held a campus-wide “cry-in,” with officials handing out tissues and hot chocolate.
•  Tufts University offered its devastated students arts and crafts sessions. (OK, not kindergarten — more like summer camp.)
•  At campuses from elite Yale to Connecticut to Iowa and beyond, professors canceled classes and/or exams — either because students asked or because instructors were too distraught to teach.

And they ( the parents) all should consider that their reaction to Trump’s win goes a long way towards explaining precisely why he did.
will said…
ES
What Christine said was "it is rare/harder or impossible to "turn to Truth" (unless one is aware) when "everything is going their way" (his/her way).....in fact, almost no one "turns to Truth" when "getting"...

It needs no defending. It's perfectly alright to have that belief. I just offered my belief which is what goes on in my life.
Anonymous said…
I can't help but wonder if the sentiments expressed above regarding the college students and their parents belong in this forum. They strike me as harsh and based on some kind of wild logic which we as a country have had a bellyful of. I don't wish to be sarcastic but I recommend to the writer to spend some time with a therapy dog of his own or better yet, as per ES above - Turn to Truth not Trump.
hannah said…
this conversation brought to mind the words 'love opposes nothing'. and then i realised.. i dont know how to express that idea without seeming to be in (being in?) opposition myself! like, i wished to respond to anonymous comment above, about how this forum is one place i have found where, due to its goals of (scuse the presumption and generalisation) releasing judgement and guilt, increasing trust in truth, and accepting innocence and peace, all our views, crazy or otherwise, have a place. its all potentially helpful! i have been learning here that trying not to express what i 'really' think is not helpful, it increases my sense of guilt. and there are times when ive felt so much fear that turning to truth inwardly felt impossible, but i could do so here, could trust that here i can access the teacher for truth. um, but what i was really wanting to say is that turning to truth doesnt always look like what we think.. so its not always directly about trying to let go of any harshness, and being more loving, just as an example. the first step might be to learn to look at the harshness with loving eyes. otherwise we are left vanquishing enemies rather than dispersing illusions.

liz, im wondering about this, the way i felt writing this. ive been really recognising that not only what i defend myself against is attack, but also almost all of the caring for, or championing, or defending of other people. like.. the louder i proclaim that 'x' or 'y' doesnt matter and that we are all perfect in truth and equal in value/worth/acceptableness, the more deeply i buy into the 'fault' as faulty, and the more i see a victim. and a perpetrator. whether im seeing something physical, or unloving perspectives on life.. i do it all the time! deb triggered an experience in me on the blog 'trust takes time with people and with truth' which brought it home that i was choosing insanely. and i keep seeing more and more of those choices though they still usually FEEL like logical effects! so im wondering, liz, do you feel that what ive written here (in relation to my responding to anonymous comment to wills post) is an expression of opposition, or of joining? i felt there was a lack i could fill, a gap in understanding i might bridge, (a harshness i might help smooth ;) ) so the ego probably jumped in first.. then what happened??!
will said…
Anonymous your attacking me, judging me, being condescending and disingenuous about it. Of course you wished to be sarcastic. It's OK.
will said…
And anonymous I did not write any of the Post quote. It's all from the article. And I take no offense towards you at all. It's hard times.
will said…
I give credit where it is due but this blog was not was not well thought out.
hannah said…
why do you think that will?
Anonymous said…
Will you need to own up to the fact that you are just as upset about the election results as the college kids and their parents that were maligned in the article you either wrote or referenced. Hence your anger, defensiveness, your guilt projection - things we all feel and do.
will said…
I don't know what to say Anonymous other than I'm not taking what you're say personally.

Hannah I don't feel up to going through that right now.
Anonymous said…
To provide additional insight on the same subject that also addresses the content of some of the comments here, I point you to Corinne Zupko's blog and who is another teacher of God. If interested in listening, it can be found at www.fromanxietytolove.com/

Carinos, Deb
will said…
Anonymous, I took a quick look at Ms Zupko's site. I watched some of her election blog. I am heading out to take pictures of the Beaver Moon here is a few minutes so I can't put to much time into it right now. She is giving her understanding of the Course which is fine. She pretext's it with the "horror" of the election results. It's all OK. I'm moving away from the Course on to some other things and will wind down my stay here on Liz' site.
Anonymous said…
Grace is leading to the perfect unfolding and includes the perfect teachers. Jesus' Course of Truth, Ken with the gift of teaching It's form and content and the importance of non-seriousness and Kindness, Liz's plain language of understanding and sharing her mind's path to peace and books and blog and a great practice of 4 habits. All instrumental to growing trust and bringing this mind to neutrality which this past week helped confirm. Mooji's simple pointings made simple because of the teacher's of God that came before. As I keep on with the remembrance of Self, I find the space of neutrality and stillness. Now the great inner Silence is and always has been available now. The power of now, thank you Eckhart. So many teachers that came to point me Home. My hearts gratitude to all the mighty companions that share their Light here, peace and joy.

Carinos,
Deb
will said…
I don't know Deb, your emails to me didn't sound like non-seriousness and Kindness, and trust, that you are coming from a "space of neutrality and stillness." Just sayin....
Anonymous said…
Words are just symbols and thus don't always capture what's in one's heart.

You are loved my dearest brother.

Just saying;)

Deb
will said…
Thank You. I was just trying to raise your level of self awareness.
Anonymous said…
Will, there are two anonymous that have commented here. I always sign as Deb. This may have placed confusion here.
will said…
Thank you for that! My apologies if needed.
Deb Baczewski said…
Thank you Will. Everything is used for my classroom. I am reminded that staying neutral to the Self takes some effort.

The past few days was in this looking. Talking with others I would take a breath and a pause and ask, who or what am I identifying as? The effort is remembering to pause and allowing silence. Letting go the idea of awkward silence has helped to make space as Presence.

So it be written or spoken I pause and ask, who or what am I identifying as?

The classroom carries on.

Peace Out,
Deb

ACIM Mentor said…
Hannah, if you perceive a lack then you are seeing from ego. So the lack is in you. Turn what you want to do outward (heal the situation) inward. The sense of lack is always within you.

Remember, you are never upset about a situation in form. You are upset by your thoughts about the situation.
hannah said…
thanks liz. ive been studying hard the last few days, staying with lesson 105 from practising acim, and listening to a talk from ken and gloria wapnick called 'love does not oppose'. my understanding of the dynamics of the special relationship and what that feels like in action, what im saying and thinking and feeling and what beliefs im trying to prove at the same time im trying to hide from them, have been very apparent. and while confronting, ive also experienced the recognition with a weird growing detachment, which certainly did not start out calm, (i felt very very weary and like the mountain of self was simply to high, lack felt unfillable.. (hmm, trying to 'fill' a mountain! lol, perfectly impossible!) ) rather it was just surreal, i felt distant, disconnected and tired.. but yesterday in meditation i had an impulse to 'sit with' my 'future self' (with future hannah, i wasnt actually trying to connect with true being as such, but with this experience, this life) and see what came to my mind. after a period of silence i heard 'thank you' and the 'youre welcome' that followed was heartfelt. i realised in that moment that that was the ONLY time i have consciously felt trust that peace for this mind is actually guaranteed if i truly want that, and let go of wanting something else more.

ive been practising 'come into the room, woman!' a LOT, (even during the surreal days) it has a wonderful domino effect if i let it! and what you wrote here "Turn what you want to do outward (heal the situation) inward." just released the quilt behind the question you responded to. i felt guilty about trying to change/heal/fix, but your reminder that healing was still my goal, though i was miscreating, projecting, and making not truth true, just dissolved the guilt! so when i feel that urge in the future, i can come into the room a few 'levels', smile at what i was 'doing', and then see what comes from a space not driven by lack and needs and importance.

i CAN do this. whether i will or not ;) remains to be experienced! lol, ok ok, chosen :D
Unknown said…
We are in the "room, dream, illusion,etc.," but,Thank God, we are not of them.
hannah said…
laugh george! exactly.. phew!

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