Generating Peace

Every minute of every day, we all are generating energy of one kind or another. Call it a vibe. It is our unique contribution to the collective vibe. If we want to experience more peace, would it not be beneficial to contribute a peaceful vibe to the collective vibe?

First, a note to be absolutely clear. Just in case you think I’m advocating for sitting around holding hands, drinking cocoa, and singing Kumbaya; I am not.

Peaceful does not mean compliant or complacent. It beens being present and regulated, the state where it’s possible to access inner wisdom and power rather than being clouded with revenge fantasies and urges to act out erratically on FB. It provides the clarity necessary to recognize propaganda and deep fakes, to activate your Spidey senses and notice when something smells fishy, AND to see your next, aligned move.

Today I got a head start on my taxes. While I am generally peaceful on the inside much of the time, my ire got stoked while calculating a hefty new-to-me local tax. I was having less than peaceful thoughts and feelings.

The contrast was so extreme, I caught it pretty quickly. It does not feel good to be hateful and vengeful. It wasn’t the vibe I wanted for myself, nor the contribution I wanted to make.

I recalled the late Wayne Dyer’s lesson about this very thing. What do you get when you squeeze an orange? Orange juice, right? Why? Because that’s what’s inside.

Ugh. The financial stress squeezed me and anger came out because there was anger inside.

This awareness sparked the remembering of all the recent times I’ve seen people acting less than peacefully whilst displaying some symbol of peace. The “good vibes only” tattoo or T-shirt, the bumpersticker or yard sign, the Jesus fish or crystal jewelry showcasing a message of peace do not peace make.

Wearing a costume and using the lingo is not the same thing as embodying an energy. Wearing a costume and using the lingo whilst emitting an angry or contemptuous vibe = an angry or contemptuous contribution.

Here’s where it gets a bit tricky. Stuffing those feelings down does not erase their power either. It just creates internal discord and fatigue. Pretending to be peaceful whilst simmering on the inside = an angry or contemptuous contribution. And probably an illness over time.

Long-term, I can look into addressing this tax situation, but for now, it is a reality that I need to face. The anger, however, is well within my sphere of influence.

There are two go-to plans that keep me mostly in the chill zone. I generate peace intentionally through meditation, walks in nature, Reiki, tai chi, I could go on. The point is, I take time every morning to build peace within me. So when I get squeezed during the day, peace comes out because that’s what’s inside (for the most part).

But once the unwanted energy takes root, it needs to be addressed responsibly; meaning I don’t want to pass it on like a hot potato or hide it in my belly. For the processing of the less-than-ideal vibes, I turn to the second plan. I find movement, vocalization, creative expression, breath, and intention to be efficient ways to return to my set point. I’m sure there are countless ways to shift energy, but these are tried and true methods that I can count on to alchemize anger.

I spent 10 minutes with some loud music bouncing on my rebounder. (It’s a mini-trampoline that fits nicely in my small apartment and allows me to dance hard as the springs absorb much of the impact.) Love it! I added in some consciously deep and cleansing breaths, flailed my arms about, and sang along at top volume. Sorry neighbors.

A magical transformation in just 10 minutes.

I don’t always need such a vigorous approach. Sometimes some alternate nostril breathing, mantra, and splashing paint on canvas or scribbling words that I later shred can do the trick.

Here’s what I didn’t do: bother trying to be grateful for the opportunity to pay taxes. That would have been an outright lie and an attempt at spiritual bypassing, leaving that anger to fester inside. I did not attempt to put a smile on my face and pretend that I’m too this or too that to let something as mundane as taxes ruffle my feathers. Another lie. My feathers were totally ruffled, why deny it?

I didn’t call a friend to offload, thereby spreading the vibe. I didn’t just ignore the anger until it came out sideways at some poor sap who stumbled into the crossfire. I didn’t shop/scroll/eat/drink/smoke anything- these options can offer a distraction or a temporary dopamine hit but do not transform emotions.

Nope. I noticed it. I faced it. I let myself feel it. And I let it move through me, metabolizing that energy and making space for the preferred calm.

Being peaceful has nothing to do with what you wear, what you buy, the photos you post online. It’s about who you are inside in each moment, which is based on your thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Every minute of every day, we all are generating energy of one kind or another. Are you generating peace? Or something else and pretending otherwise?

As always, I’m curious to hear about how this lands and your personal experience on the healing journey. How do you generate peace?