It feels like the world is changing faster than ever. It’s becoming harder to rely on past experiences to predict future outcomes and therefore feel prepared or secure. Many of us have given up even attempting to make sense of the chaos, and we find ourselves resigning to the emotional and energetic roller coasters that often wreak havoc on our nervous systems and mental health.
If you’re interested in mysticism, you might be familiar with the idea of the Aquarian Age. This astrological phenomenon supposedly marks the beginning of a new era, one of power returning to the people, of technological advancements to aid all of humanity, and of mass awakenings in the collective pertaining to purpose and the truth of being. You may subscribe to other areas of discourse where these themes are playing out in different ways. Perhaps you’ve heard the term “authenticity” become a buzzword in marketing and media spaces. Maybe you’ve come across cultural trend forecasters on TikTok or Instagram talking about the next wave of content creators to blow up: namely, those who can authentically communicate who they are. We are collectively and individually becoming allergic to lies and pretence.
Regardless of your personal belief systems or interests, what is clear to most is that we are witnessing the great disruption and renewal of institutions, governments, economies and society. We are beginning to see through deceptive systems that were previously opaque to us. It’s impossible to unsee the lies, corruption, exploitation and disrespect that have been exacted on the world by those in positions of power.
These unprecedented times may not look like the revolutions of yesteryear. We may not be storming monarchic residences or rolling out the guillotines, but we are, without a doubt, undergoing transformation, and with that a redistribution of power. Our revolution seems to feel like more of a gradual lifting of a fog that has been clouding our minds, eyes and hearts. We now look upon ourselves and the world with renewed vision. After many years of normalized inauthentic politics, media, products and people we, as a collective, are hungry for truth, not only from others and the world at large but from ourselves.
What does this mean for us as individuals? How does a shift in power manifest in our own lives? How do we use this time to gain greater self knowledge and self expression? How do we ride this wave all the way to the center of our own hearts and arrive at an ecstatic realization of freedom and truth? I have a few ideas…
Be curious about yourself.
Judgment-free curiosity brings the light of your awareness to corners of yourself in which there may lie shadows and wounds. Judgment-free curiously is a kind of attention that is healing. Healing leads to love and understanding. This approach really helps you know more about yourself and get closer to the truth of who you are. What you inevitably find within yourself when practicing judgment-free curiosity is compassion, perhaps alongside pain. You will find love and wisdom, maybe alongside sadness and fear. You will be surprised and delighted, maybe at times confused. Always maintain judgment-free curiosity. Follow the less pleasant feelings to wherever they may take you. You will learn interesting and wonderful things about yourself. This practice leads to healing and a deep self-love which becomes a source of profound safety and security.
Awaken to your gifts
What are your gifts? You probably have an idea already of something that you’re especially good at whether it’s practical, emotional or energetic—there are things that come easily to you that bring light and love into the world.
Maybe your power is listening attentively to a friend in crisis, or giving advice or input that lifts the spirit or helps shift the perspective. Perhaps making people laugh comes naturally to you, or you can find the humour in any given situation. Maybe you love beautiful things and are gifted at beautifying places and spaces around you. Maybe you love giving your time, money or skills generously with no expectation of return because it’s such a joy for you to share these things. Think about the things you have noticed about yourself that are the special or unique qualities that make you and others feel good.
It’s most likely that you will know intuitively on some level what your gifts are. Many of us are so out of tune with our own worth and have such a distorted sense of self that we may need help from a friend or two. If you feel you’re struggling to think of these special gifts you have, try reaching out to a loved one and ask them to help you.
Each of us is ladened with gems; we have no shortage of gifts that are so joyful to share with the world that it sometimes feels like more of a gift to share than for others to receive. How can you exercise yours and bring them to light more often? When are moments that make you feel like the source of love, abundance, goodness, fun or beauty? This state of consciousness is expansive and energizing. Try to revel in this state as much as possible.
Find within yourself a deeper, more profound state of awareness.
There are two yous that exist: a conscious you and a subconscious you. The conscious you that thinks—that’s its main job. The subconscious you that knows. There are a number of ways to make more space for this essential part of you. Quiet the conscious mind, release the incessant chatter, find the quiet that lives deep within you. This could look like journaling, meditation, or a solo walk outdoors. Find a meditation teacher, practice or even app that works for you. The more regularly you engage your subconscious mind, the more you will start to see and feel changes in your life, in your awareness of both yourself and everything else (they’re kind of the same thing after all).
Write a letter to yourself saying the nicest things anyone could ever say to you, all the things you deeply desire being told and read it to yourself whenever you need it. Here is something I wrote to myself last week and it made me feel so good to write and read back to myself.
I am the source of love. I look upon you with love and compassion and understanding. I know you. I see you, your fears and what you’re trying to hide because you don’t think it’s good enough. I see it all, and I think you’re amazing. The way you think, the way you feel, how you love and how you are, it’s just beautiful. Even when you get it wrong and when you fuck it up, I think you’re just wonderful. I’m interested in all that you do and think and feel, especially when you’re scared, when you wake up in the middle of the night and everything feels like it’s your fault. Even then, I think you’re brilliant and perfect.