Calming the Fire

The world is on fire – literally and figuratively. It feels that way sometimes, especially with the tragic stories and apocalyptic pictures of the blazes consuming lives, homes and forests in the west. Adding to it are the other - just as combustible - fires of social injustice, political unrest and a pandemic still raging without end.

These dire external events can also light fires in our hearts and minds. Agitation, fear, rage and a sense of hopelessness can create a racing mind that jumps from one mental conflagration to another.

While spinning out of control, the raging mind can consume any sense of connection, empathy or hope for a better time. Our fight-or-flight impulse gets triggered - defenses are raised, others become the enemy, stress damages our health and our power feels lost to affect the outcome.

Just as water - applied in volume and with strategy over time - can help to bring wildfires under control, there are proven tools that can soothe an agitated mind and heart to calmness. And from that more open and centered place, peace and clarity can arise and better decisions can be made.

These centering techniques also help to mitigate the chronic health impacts of stress and to build the strength of the relaxation response. That means feeling more calmness, more often.