We all have triggers — seemingly inconsequential thoughts, words, and actions that send us into tailspins of reaction. How do we stop our self from getting caught in the whirling madness? And, once caught, how de we extricate our self from the barbed hooks of shenpa (what catches us)?
Not too long ago I found myself in a situation that really had me caught. No matter how I twisted or turned, I found the hook of shenpa embedded deeper and deeper into my being. Yet, I could not seem to stop twisting and turning. Mindfulness techniques worked for a little while — after a bit the angst resurfaced. Reaction edged closer and closer.
During some quiet time I remembered reading an article about a person who had spent a year living as if that year was the last year of their life. Then I remembered the five Reiki principles. Each one begins with “just for today.” Combining the two created a hybrid approach to my shenpa causing reaction dilemma. I decided to enter any potentially reactionary situation with the thought that “this time is the last time I will experience (fill in the blank).”
What did I discover? The aggravations and irritations did not magically disappear. They were just as profound as before. What changed was my relationship to them. When I felt the trigger simmering, I answered the question “how would you respond if this is the last time you experience (fill in the blank)?” My want to react diminished. I have to say that it was easier to let something go with that mindset. There were fewer places that the grappling hooks of shenpa could dig in.
What was really different about my experience was my awareness in the moment. I was able to focus on the impermanence of what was happening. In this circumstance — the one that I developed the hybrid approach for — I realized that I had been cleaning up after others. Frankly that was neither my responsibility nor the compassionate action. I was enabling “bad behavior” to continue and then getting upset that nothing changed.
If you are asking, “how can I focus on more response and less reacting,” here are my suggestions:
- Set you intent to respond instead of react
- Consciously breathe into the moment
- Be aware of the symptoms of reaction (physical, mental, emotional)
- Acknowledge what catches you
- Let go of what has you caught
- Breathe into the moment
It takes awareness and practice to notice and let go of the shenpa that catches you. Don’t give up if you are caught more than you are freed. It is all about being in the moment and living your best life.
Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is an Intuitive, Coach, Catalyst, who uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for personal and relationship transformation. She is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Contact Vanessa (vanessa@intentandaction.com) for life coaching, intuitive consultations, keynotes, and programs.
Twitter: @fyrserpent / ©2020
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