Politics & Power

Being with what is...

I woke gently on the morning of Friday 13th here in the UK and before even opening my eyes I “felt” a curious noiseless noise; it was reminiscent of the eerie silence following a huge explosion, or perhaps the quiet pause at the turning of a tide right before the force of a tsunami makes itself known. I wasn’t feeling personally invested in the outcome of the election, and I don’t feel pulled into any extreme emotions in response, yet in the early hours of a cold December morning this is the energy that seemed to  surround me - the silence of shock.

I have avoided being on social media much since then, but I have seen a few comments from those who had pinned their hopes on a change in government; despondency, dismay, despair, rage, heart-break, grief, confusion have all been expressed, and little bit of gloating, relief, optimism, and joy also in the mix from those happy with the outcome.

For my own part, I am with a sense of wonder, I find my lips curving into a smile - not because I believe the government are now in a stronger position to do better for us all; but because I feel this is all part of the dissolution of what has been, and an opportunity therefore for each of us to choose to be the best that we can be within our personal lives and beyond as we move forward. ​In yogic terms we are still in the Kali Yuga (dark ages) and will be for many years to come, chaos will continue, so how can we BE with all of this?

I have witnessed time and time again how living in “hope” that something or someone outside of ourselves is going to “do the right thing” and usher in the new world, or put things in place that assure our health, wealth and happiness, ultimately creates a reaction of disappointment, upset and despair when it doesn’t work out. I had the realisation a little while ago that unless we are born into a very small and specific sect of our society, our “role” in society (as perceived by those in power - heads of global corporations, government, armed forces, church and royalty etc) is to tend to the day to day functions that keep the economy and life at grass-roots level moving AND to pay our taxes. Beyond this we mean very little to these giant forces.

This realisation didn’t create a cynical “stuff them” attitude, it simply put things into perspective for me. No one outside of me is going to take better care of my well-being than me and the people I know who care for me; no political party is going to worry itself over the small lives of each individual, it simply needs to placate society at large with sweet talk and promises until it secures our vote and is assured of it’s cut of the public purse.

With this clarity in place (and yes, I’m aware the above is a huge simplification of something far more complex, but bear with me if you feel to)… with this clarity in place I can let go of false hope and get on with creating and making choices in life.  This isn’t about feeling repressed or being a mug, this is about claiming back any energy I had sent out in the form of hope, and claiming back the power that those hopes had inadvertently taken from me.  When we say “I hope…” we are actually saying “I don’t believe I have the power, (but I can hope)”.  It is a little bit like saying “I’ll try” as opposed to simply committing to doing or being whatever it is that is being asked of us, or saying “no” to it.

No matter which political party you align with, no matter which way you voted or how you feel about Boris being PM, we are all of us still swimming in a sea of uncertainty. So how can we take good care of one another in the midst of this? Well it begins with calling your full power back home to your core, remembering that whilst you may not be in the position to re-write government bills and ensure the policies that matter to you are funded; you DO have choice as to how to spend your own time, energy and money. You have choice as to who you hang out with and what and who to make your priorities in your life. You can choose to enquire… “How does love want to move through me today”, and then allow love to guide your actions. ​

So if you have been pulled into the political debate and are in any way struggling with the aftermath, and if this struggle has left you feeling that you don’t have choice or power, I invite you to try the following breath and visualisation practice... And if like me, you're feeling comfortable within the uncomfortable craziness of life, perhaps engage with the practice anyway so you and I can continue to show up to hold those who are struggling steady, until they find their feet again.

​With love and with blessings, Amanda 

Golden orb of loving power

Part One:

• Stop everything, turn off the phone, T.V and computer. Find a comfortable position to sit or lie in and close your eyes.
• Place your hands gently on your lower abdomen (or you might choose to hold them 2 inches away from the body)
• Enjoy a few lovely long and slow breaths.
• Smile (even if you’re feeling far from meaning it, let your lips curl upwards)
• Call to mind those close to you, those you truly love, family, friends, pets, your favourite beauty spot out  in nature etc. Think about your personal reasons for living - let all of this support you in finding and maintaining the smile.
• Keep on breathing slow and steady, now inhaling through the nose, exhaling through the mouth.
• Take your attention to your naval point, just below the belly button, and see, feel, imagine or state with words the presence of a golden sphere - make it more solid than light yet not as solid as a glass marble.
• As your breath moves in imagine that you are calling home to you all of your threads of thought that have been busy debating and arguing with the news, with TV, with social media and with the people you meet (or maybe some of your energy has been hiding in a corner somewhere). With each inward breath you are reclaiming a part of your energy and inviting it to come home to the golden sphere in your centre.
• With each outward breath (released through the mouth), you are letting go of all hope that any political party, corporation, or force outside of yourself is going to make your personal life better. Let it go!
• Every in breath, more of you, more of your power is coming home and the golden sphere is bigger and brighter.
• Every out breath, let go of false ideas of any outside entity being your saviour.
• Inhale - More of you coming home
• Exhale - Letting go of hope in outer forces

Continue with the breath and the golden sphere visualisation until you feel ready to switch the energy (you’ll know when you’re ready).

Part Two:
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• Place one hand on the chest/heart-space, and leave the other on your lower belly. 
• Inhale and see/feel/imagine/state the energy that you have gathered in your naval point (the golden sphere) to begin to travel up to your heart-space with each inhale.
• With each exhale make an offering of your power mingled with the strong loving intent of your warrior heart, your contribution to the betterment of your life and the lives of those that matter to you.
• ​Inhale - allow more of your personal power into your heart
• Exhale - offer your energy outwards for the betterment of your own life and the lives of others that you have connections with and beyond.
• Continue until you feel that you are seated in the centre of your own power and able/willing/desiring to share that power with truly loving intent.  (I recommend 7 minutes minimum; 31 minutes max for the whole practice)

NB As you move through Part One you might find that you enter some cathartic release of emotion, keep breathing and allow any tears to fall, any anger to be screamed out, move your body, dance or punch pillows, whatever you need to do to discharge the energy (just be sure not to cause yourself, anyone else, or even the fixtures and furnishings in your room any harm in the process). Keep coming back to the breath and visualisation after each release.

As you move through Part Two be aware of these two things:

1) Your energy is constantly returning to you so you will never become depleted. Each time you inhale, as well as the energy moving up to the heart from your naval, it is also continuing to be called home TO the naval as in the first part of the practice. There is a constant flow of power returning to you, therefore no lack being created.

2) You may get images, ideas, solutions and desires dropping in so pay attention, maybe jot them down as they arise or be prepared to journal or create art immediately afterwards.