As a Healer, I often remind my clients that rising above a situation is an unhealthy approach because it removes you from the experience causing energy blocks and stored emotions that, eventually, can lead to illness and disorder. “Rising Above” can look like being in the middle of a situation that is filled with trauma, abuse, strong emotions, and/or huge “lessons” and saying with a plastic smile, “Me? Oh… I’m just f-i-n-e!” Then going about your business as though nothing special has happened. It can also look like trying to fix everyone else rather than focusing on yourself. Or it can parade around in the shoes of the Martyr – the one who is willing to die for everyone else but himself.
Another way that it shows up is a very sneaky, hidden way and one that people usually don’t see as rising above. I call it “Rising Below.” I put it that way because I realize the conflict created by putting those two words together. “Rising” denotes upward movement, but I’m saying they’re going down and I say it that way because that is exactly what I’ve seen people do. They rise over the situation by going below themselves.
“Rising Below” looks like extreme self beat-up and spiritual sacrifice. It looks like saying, “I’m fine,” then shutting themselves in a dark room – physically or mentally. It looks like a mental diatribe, “I suck. I’m an idiot. I can’t do anything right. I’ll never be enough.” It looks like lashing out at loved ones and being vicious for the sake of being vicious – because they feel so horrid inside and misery loves company. They become manipulative, abusive, self-driven, and, even, inhumane. It looks like getting so mired in how horrible they are that they no longer are even paying attention to what is going on. It is something people do when they feel so “bad” they become hateful, dark, mean-spirited, and destructive. Often times that force is turned inward and they violate themselves, but when it comes out, it is shocking. Rising Below is a practice of bullies.
I’m talking about this today because I imagine that there are people all around the world today rejoicing and there also are people who are mourning about the results of last night’s elections. I’ve caught wind that, on facebook, there are people who are Rising Below by being bullies. The cool news is, I’m not seeing any of that because I’ve so nicely trimmed my list so that every person on my list aligns with me. Now, I’m not saying they agree with me. But, they do behave similarly and carry themselves with a modicum of respect for others and don’t agree with abuse. That is a match for me.
Nonetheless, many of the statuses of my newsfeed read something to the effect of “Facebook is not a fun place to be today…” I didn’t know that prior to posting my status:
It is a new day and another chance to embrace my purpose. It is an opportunity to spread love, to BE love. It is an opening for forgiveness, accountability, and choice. It is MY day and I’m so very grateful!
Every moment of every day is a choice to rise above, Rise Below, or actually be with what is happening right now. It is a chance for each person to be accountable for their actions, thoughts, words, and emotions. By being with you in each moment and being accountable for that experience, you are available to receive feedback about your life in a way that can be loving and friendly, rather than abusive. By choosing to be with what is, you have the opportunity to begin healing, to begin truly living.
Choosing to abuse yourself or another is never the healthy choice. Never. Being “mean” to someone – or 51 million someones – because you don’t agree with their choice will not change their choice, will not turn the situation around, and will not bring you closer together. The only way a relationship can flourish is through clear, honest, respectful dialogue and interactions. The only way a nation can flourish is if its people have healthy relationships with one another.
On this day, you will be faced with a series of choices. You can choose to serve your highest good by embracing the good within you – which, my friend, is all of you, including those parts you really don’t like – and choosing to be in love, being with what is happening right then and there. Or you can choose to rise above or Rise Below and continue to further injure yourself.
What’s it gonna be?
