The saying, “Wherever you go there you are” is something most of us eventually discover when trying to get away or make a change in order to feel differently. The state we live in is inside.

I wasn’t feeling particularly inspired as I began my work today. Nothing wrong, just that sort of ho hum lethargy that can easily slip in at times.  My solution was to put on some Aretha.  By the time I got through Chain of Fools, Respect, and found out I was a Natural Woman I was in good shape. We each have to figure out what to do when what we are doing isn’t working. Sometimes I just need to take a few long, deep, focused breaths.

Being able to switch our emotional or mental state is one of our greatest gifts. It’s not always easy. I just know we can do something, even if it is a small baby step. What happens though is we can get caught up in that heavy downward spiral until we finally figure out we are going down a dead-end road.

Everyone has to figure out for themselves what they can do in the moment to interrupt the negativity and shift in the opposite direction. I am pretty sure that is what Lord Buddha was telling us when he said, “Drop It.” These days He might say, “Get off it.”

There is no use denying that we have these moods.  Feelings and emotions are part and parcel of being a human being, no matter how spiritual we might be. Yet, the more aligned we are with our own spiritual nature the more we experience an empowering state of being. In other words, less stress, more equanimity and a lot more inner peace.

What can we do ~ what can you do to shift your state to feel even a bit more empowered in the moment? Some folks take a bath, a walk, pet their cat or dog, bake a cake. Giving encouragement to someone else having difficulties or doing some random act of kindness gets you out of the way. Being self-absorbed in your misery takes a back seat.

Achieving a state of equilibrium is a benefit of doing a meditation practice. If you meditate regularly, circumstances, situations, relationships, daily life just works better. Still there will be moments when emotions and feelings hit a low and there is no capacity to sit and quiet the mind. That is exactly the moment you do the thing that you have discovered will shift you toward getting out of a mental, emotional mire. Maybe Aretha will work for you too.

May We All Walk in Beauty

QUOTE: The last of human freedoms – the ability to choose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances.” ~ Viktor Frankl