I'd like to look at the emotion surrounding the recent oil spill. This crisis scares and frustrates us all. As we watch the tragedy unfold we're angry, confused and upset and wonder what could have been done differently. We're afraid of the damage it is causing and want things to change, but it seems like we have no control.
Our hearts are calling out for real change and better options. You may have already found more active and direct ways to begin to look for new solutions. Indeed, for some us, this crisis may be a real call to action. This may be your time to take on a leadership role. For others, it might be a time to reflect on your environmental impact and what you can do to reduce it.
We're angry and unfortunately it appears that we have no place to vent, so our anger can build up. My focus here is on finding ways to work with your anger so that you don't end up hurting yourself or others. However, if you haven't discussed your anger about the crisis with others, then that might be a good first step. If you're stuck in anger, you may not be as effective as you could be for any cause that you support.
Another step, which I've talked about before, is to find ways to address your anger from a psychological perspective. In a catastrophe or crisis we're often dealing with our own
shadow material. By addressing this, we all can begin to more effectively work with our upset, frustration and anger and by doing so, avoid destructive personal behaviors and patterns. Your shadow has a potential to be powerful and destructive, but you shouldn't consider it to be bad. It has also has a great deal of positive potential stored within it. When you begin to work with it, it can be a great resource with opportunity for ideas, creativity and healing, rather than sabotage, destruction and wounding.
When working with your shadow it's important to understand that placing blame on others can be often be misdirected and amount to little more than finger pointing. Of course, in any crisis there can be plenty of blame to place and it is important to find a quick and viable solution. Working with your shadow might not be an immediate solution to a crisis, but it is an important, effective and vital one for our society.
Working with your shadow is especially important because most of us, including our leaders, do not become engaged in an ongoing process in which they work with their own shadows. Unfortunately, for many of us, our shadows remain hidden, active, destructive and charged. We see leaders and celebrities regularly apologize on television for self-destructive acts.
Working with your shadow is about recognizing all of the aspects of yourself. It's also about regaining control of your life and taking responsibility. If you haven't worked with your shadow before, then you can benefit by reading some of the articles and books by authors like
Robert Johnson,
Debbie Ford,
Connie Zweig,
Carl Jung and others.
Before you can effectively address your shadow, you may need to find a more immediate solution to your anger, and may also wish to look at constructive methods of
working with anger. Working with your anger can be more important than you realize. Consider that some people become especially vocal when they are angry and lash out at others.
Recent research has found that just hearing pain related words causes the parts of the brain that deal with pain to activate. So, our "words" can actually directly hurt others.
However you handle your anger, you should know that recent research shows that
anger and hostility are significantly associated with a higher risk for heart issues, especially for people with existing heart disease. One reason for being angry with ourselves, could be that we're not paying attention to what matters. We let our our anger be an excuse to put our dreams on hold, but it's vital to our overall wellbeing to pay to attention to our physical, emotional and spiritual health needs.
I've recently heard about are shops in San Diego and Japan where customers pay to go in and smash plates and other objects! The smashing is done in special rooms where customers wear appropriate safety gear and throw breakables, from behind a barrier, at the walls. It's probably a great way to work on releasing anger.
Additionally, you might begin to really look at how certain situations really make you feel. This is moving beyond saying that you are angry, and looking at where you store your anger in your body. It involves working with emotions, feelings and memories as they arise. It's about beginning to recognize how you hold yourself when frustrated, angry or upset. It is a way to avoid unconsciously sabotaging your hopes and dreams through destructive patterns and behaviors. It's about believing in yourself.
What actions, thoughts, or patterns are normally triggered for you when you are angry? Some of these triggered behaviors can be part of your shadow. Recognizing your shadow material is only the first step. Accepting your shadow means that you are willing to work with your doubts, fears and insecurities. It means that you are no longer willing to push them under the rug, or use them as way to hurt yourself or others. At one time, your insecurities may have served as a way to protect yourself from further pain.
Life is fragile. As humans we have the ability to appreciate life and our power and that makes our work with the shadow all the more valuable. Our personal work enables us to look within, while living consciously and intentionally. Many of us have witnessed events that scare and enrage us, and many of us have engaged in behaviors that we may regret, but we have the ability to heal our wounds and honor our capacity, and own our power.
