024 You’re being so negative!! (and I like it)
Hello friends,
This week, in honor of winter, I'm offering a short, sweet antidote to the power of positive thinking.
The power of thought
You’ve probably heard, in spiritual and wellness circles, that we create our reality based – in large part – on what we think.
The suggestion is that, if we think loving, peaceful thoughts, we’ll experience our internal and external environment as more loving and peaceful.
In manifestation circles, we hear that our health, relationships, finances, etc are influenced by our thoughts. If we think we are worthy and deserving of good health, loving relationships, etc, we’re much more likely to achieve/receive those things.
I’ve found all of this to be true. But I’ve also found that, at some point, almost everyone gets confused about one thing: What to do with negativity.
The obstacle
When we learn about the power of positive thought, it’s only natural that we consider the opposite: The power of negative thought.
Because, if our positivity helps us achieve what we want, wouldn’t our negativity do the opposite? Wouldn’t negativity be an enemy in our pursuit of healing and liberation?
A logical assumption. But it doesn't hold up in practice.
If we think negativity is our enemy, we’ll fear it. And if we fear our negative thoughts, we'll resist them. We’ll try to push them away or force ourselves to “think positive,” etc.
This doesn’t work – in fact, makes it worse.
Instead of releasing them, these negative energies are kept inside of us. They either build up and result in an outburst, or they’re pushed all the way down to our subconscious where they silently influence our health and perception.
Not only that, our fear undermines the times when we feel good. We find we can’t relax into our present positive state because we’re scanning for threats, for anything that may push us back towards negativity.
Simply put, we can’t create from our positivity when we’re afraid of losing it.
Looking beyond thought
Thoughts do not exist on their own. They arise from feelings, from physical sensations, emotions, and the subtle energy body.
A negative thought is not a threat. It’s an indication that something in us needs care and attention – a signal to pause and turn inwards.
And through somatic meditation, we can scan the body and locate the unsettled feeling. With patient, loving awareness, we can help the feeling express and release itself.
When the feeling is released, we find peace and stillness in its place. The negative thought, which seemed like a threat, actually led us on a direct path to an enduring positive state – the very thing we were after when we tried to thhhhink positive.
Which begs the question: Is there really such a thing as a negative thought???
Tip: Next time you’re struggling to connect to your body and you’re in a cycle of negative thinking, break out your journal and write out the negative thoughts in your head for 5-10 minutes. Let your thoughts pour out exactly as they are without judgment.
Not only does this release some of the pent-up energy, it’s a self-compassionate act of acknowledgement and care. Once your mind feels a little quieter, you can continue with your meditation.
See you all next week!
Energetically,
David
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