By Steve Wells
"A teacher of fear can’t bring peace on Earth.
We have been trying to do it that way for thousands of years.
The person who turns inner violence around,
the person who finds peace inside and lives it,
is the one who teaches what true peace is.
We are waiting for just one teacher.
You’re the one."
(Byron Katie)
We all want peace in the world. If only some people would stop making war! If only they weren’t so evil. If they only tapped, I’m sure they would be more spiritual and more kind (like me) and less full of anger and hate!
I admit I have thought and felt similar things.
But this leaves us powerless, because “they” keep on doing what they are doing.
Maybe you find yourself getting caught up in doomscrolling, or watching the news, getting vicariously traumatized, and feeling ever more powerless.
So, you decide to do something positive, and join an intention experiment to create peace in the Middle East. Maybe you do some tapping for the people that are suffering. Or perhaps you pray for the hearts of the tormentors to turn towards the children…
And maybe you feel better because you have done what you can.
Then you go out in your car, and someone cuts you off in traffic.
What happens then?
Well, if you’re like most people, you get triggered into irritation, anger or even rage!
As strange as it seems, our best bet for creating peace on earth starts with what we do next in situations like this.
Do you try to teach them a lesson? Do you “give them the bird?” Do you sit and seethe? Do you collapse in a heap?
Whatever you do, the first step you can take towards peace is to simply notice your triggered reactions and accept that you are having them.
That’s right, just notice.
You don’t need to act on them. You don’t need to believe them. Just accept the reaction you are having and that it’s a triggered reaction.
Same thing if you are sitting in your living room watching scenes of violence and destruction on the news and feeling traumatized, powerless, fearful, or enraged.
First notice your reaction(s).
This is the first step towards all change. Simple awareness.
In the moment that you notice your inner reaction, rather than letting it control your action, now you can start to free yourself from being a slave to that reaction.
In Victor Frankl’s terms, you have put yourself in the gap between stimulus and response.
Not the gap between stimulus and reaction, it’s too late for that. Your reactions fill your mind and body before you know it.
No, don’t expect to not have triggered reactions (as in negative thoughts and feelings and body sensations). Simply notice that you are having a triggered reaction and accept that it is a triggered reaction.
Don’t make things worse by blaming yourself for having a triggered reaction. Or, even worse, acting based on your triggered negative thoughts and impulses.
Just notice them.
Then, as soon as you can, start tapping.
If you’re in your car it will help if you pull over to do this. The world will wait. After all, you’re doing the most important thing. You’re working on creating world peace.
And if you’ve been doomscrolling or watching the news, switch off for a moment, or at least turn your attention inwards.
And notice.
Then, see if you can identify one of your negative, warring, or fearful thoughts, and insert it into this intention statement:
“I release all my emotional attachments to (insert the thought here).”
Most of our warring thoughts are variations of “shoulds” towards others, towards ourselves, or both.
“He/She/They should not have done that!”
“He/She/They should be more considerate!”
“I should not be having this reaction!”
Whenever you identify a “should” or any negative thought, start tapping, and form this simple intention focused on that thought:
“I release all my emotional attachments to (this thought).”
Then, just notice.
Stay open to whatever comes next, be it a thought or feeling, memory or projection, image or sound, sensation or symbol. Whatever.
If you become aware of negative, disturbing feelings coming up, notice what you are feeling and where you are feeling it. Then, while tapping, form this intention:
I restore the right energy flow to this feeling.
You can also restore the energy flow to the area of disturbance:
“I restore the right energy flow to my chest.”
Or restore the energy flow to an emotion:
“I restore the right energy flow to this anger.”
“this sadness.”
“this fear.”
“this despair.”
Whatever it is you are feeling, simply make that the focus of this intention:
“I restore the right energy flow to …”
And just notice.
Accept and allow whatever comes next. If you notice another disturbed thought or feeling comes up, treat that as the next aspect and similarly apply a releasing or restoring intention, whilst continuing to tap.
Keep going until you feel a shift within that lets you know you are at peace, or greater peace than before.
Note: If you have an abuse or trauma history you are unlikely to get complete peace in one tapping session, so accept even small shifts and improvements. And be prepared to get help from someone else, as self-help can’t solve all things.
We each have so many ways that we can be triggered, so our need to do this work is going to be ongoing.
If you focus on releasing your triggered emotionally attached judgements when someone does something that upsets you, you will be doing some of the most important work you can do towards bringing about peace on earth.
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