It is a pattern that many of us enter into because it is addictive--the high of negativity. All it takes is one negative thought and then BAM it spirals into the next creating a wave of fear and a drought that sucks all the happiness dry from around us. The Course in Miracles says we achieve so little because we have such undisciplined minds. What that is referring to is that the cascade of negativity that runs rampant through us isn't the problem--that we cannot control, what is the problem is our reaction to it (or for that matter our lack of reaction to it).
It is our tendency to lead with our wounds (leaving the mind unchecked) that has been referred to as woundology. In every moment our mind is racing to discover what is wrong with this situation, this person, this moment. It doesn't relent until it has found not just one but many and even then it needs it's high to stay up and can find even more. Left unchecked this spiral towards the dark leaves us in a pit of disenchantment with the world--far removed from love, and far removed from our powerful creative spirit and vision of our heart.
The good news is that we don't have to stay within the spiral towards the dark, for our nature is light. The dark is a part of us too, but it's the part of us we need to remember that we have freewill. It's the limitation we need to remember how much we can expand. We can remain in the dark, or we can remember that we are love. Love when given a chance to create--shapes our lives in such a way that opens us up to more beauty in the world. It's remembering that the heart much more than metaphor is our connection to the light.
"There is a light that shines beyond all things on earth, beyond us all, beyond the highest heavens--this is the light shines in our heart"---Upanshads
If we so choose we can shift our consciousness from the wounds of the mind to the light of the heart. From the heart we can then return back to the mind and from the light darkness cannot remain.
Rumi says "Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built up against it"
When we live in the dark--every thought of darkness literally takes the life out of us. The research being conducted by the Heart Math Institute has shown that every negative thought we think throws the nervous system out of balance producing heart rhythms that appear jagged and disordered. Not only does it make the heart rhythm incoherent but elevates the level of cortisol in the body. High levels of cortisol have been shown to impair immune function, reduce glucose utilization, increase bone loss, reduce muscle mass, inhibit skin growth and repair, increase fat accumulation, and destroy brain cells.
This isn't good news for those who choose to live in the absence of love. What's more is that it's a powerful reminder that we are the ones who are responsible not only for what put out into the world, but also how we react to what the world puts into us!
With both the words of Rumi and Marianne we are reminded that we first need not to seek for love but look at the barriers we have built up against it--moment by moment how and why are we choosing not to love and receive love? Then from that place remembering that if we feel as though we are not being loved, not receiving love--are we really giving and putting love out to all those who cross our path--and even to ourselves?
A quote often recited by Marianne is "Love is what we are born with, fear is what we have learned here". Love is a radical shift that only the strong of mind and brave of heart choose to make. When the whole world is stuck in victim mode and the ideology that is common is woundology then it takes tremendous vision to choose love.
We have to be as committed to love as others are to hate and destruction! The Heart Math Institute's research into the heart has shown that the heart’s electromagnetic field is 5000 times greater than the brain. The field not only permeates every cell in the body but also radiates outside of us. It can be measured up to 8-10 feet away from us. When we are in a state of connection to the heart such as in a feeling of care, appreciation, or love--we can literally pull all the body's systems into state of coherence creating a cascade of well being though the body that revitalizes all major systems--boosting our immune system and heart health. Not only this but since it is a field that extends outside of the body we literally affect everyone else around us as well--affecting their brain and heart waves.
Every thought we think gives us a choose--do we respond with love or fear. Cumulative fear based living literally kills us (as shown by the heart math research)--and it affects everything around us destructively. Do we respond with love which is harder and takes more discipline? Are we willing to be committed to love? Are we willing to be as passionate about love so that in every moment we ground ourselves in the energy of the heart--bring to our focus a feeling of love, care, or appreciation?
"We have not come into this exquisite world to hold ourselves hostage from love. Run my dear, from anything that may not strengthen your precious budding wings, Run like hell, my dear, from anyone likely to put a sharp knife into the sacred, tender vision of your beautiful heart"--Hafiz
What is your vision--love or fear? If love are you willing to give your life as whole hearted response? If so your mantra is "I am love and my only response to this situation is love". Try it today. Start your day off in the heart. Close your eyes and take both hands on top of your heart. Take several deep breaths and connect to your heart beat feeling it all through the body. From here invoke a heart quality such as appreciation/gratitude, love, or care. Breath it deep into your body. Feel it all over and remember this feeling. Notice how the body responds, notice how the mind responds. Stay here, dwell in the heart, keep inviting more heart qualities in. Do this often and stay in the vision and leadership of your heart. I am love and my only response is love.
Peace and Love to you all!
For more info on the amazing research of the Heart Math Institute click here www.heartmath.org
Also stay tuned for my new book "Heart Fire Yoga: Practices to Awaken, Inspire, and Transform Your Heart" I am diligently working on it and hope for it to be completed by the fall.
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