In an increasingly chaotic world, a curious phenomenon is emerging: a profound sense of internal alignment even as external structures seem to rapidly fall apart. This isn't a passive acceptance of doom, but an active, conscious effort to cultivate inner peace and grounding in the face of relentless disruption. The key lies in understanding where our feelings and energy originate, not just in times of crisis, but continuously, to build resilience.
Recently, intentional time spent with family and friends—celebrating milestones, enjoying holidays for their communal spirit rather than their jingoistic undertones—has brought a deep sense of ease. This personal connection serves as a vital counterbalance to the accelerating chaos in the world. It’s a deliberate practice of observing what is happening without absorbing what is happening. This distinction is crucial; it allows for thoughtful, analytical engagement with the world's depravity without becoming consumed by it.
The Midwest Mindset and the Art of Not "Jinxing It"
This idea of maintaining inner equilibrium resonates deeply. Reflecting on a Fourth of July celebration in a small Midwestern town, where commentators undercut moments of joy with warnings of danger and ruin, highlights a pervasive, quiet negativity. This mindset, which instinctively prepares for disappointment by tempering happiness, can be a subtle form of self-sabotage. It teaches us to avoid savoring good times lest they be snatched away.
Yet, a shift is possible. Despite disastrous external circumstances, many are learning to hold onto the radical belief: "Things aren't good right now, but I'm okay." This isn't naive optimism but a profound self-trust that, even if things fall apart, "I will survive that." It's about being present in moments of happiness, allowing them to replenish us, rather than constantly scanning the horizon for the next catastrophic move by political forces. When the inevitable disruptions occur, having a reservoir of good memories and a grounded self allows us to say, "That time was good. I'll be able to return to it. It's not going to fall apart." This mindset shift is challenging but essential for navigating these turbulent times without succumbing to constant pessimism or nihilism.
Overcoming the Tornado of Fear: The Practice of Presence
The strategy of those seeking to control us—the "chaos and menacing nature" of regimes like Trump's—is to trap us in a state of catastrophizing. The goal is to make us believe that the horrors we witness are imminent and inescapable, leading to panic, shallow breath, and overwhelming fear. This psychological warfare aims to lock us in a "tornado of fear," preventing us from acting consciously and thoughtfully.
The antidote lies in the practice of presence. When fear threatens to engulf, the immediate action is to ground oneself physically: squeeze your arms, feel your feet on the floor, and repeat, "You are safe, you are in your home, you are breathing." While acknowledging that danger is a possibility, it's vital to differentiate potential future threats from the present moment. If, in this precise moment, the feared outcome isn't occurring, pulling your mind and spirit back into your body is an act of defiance. This skill, deeply rooted in Buddhist, yogic, and meditative traditions, is no longer just intellectual; it's a practical, moment-by-moment defense against becoming paralyzed by fear. If fear becomes our constant present, "then they win."
Beyond Reaction: Reclaiming Freedom and Time
We are reaching a point where the sheer volume of destructive acts by those in power makes it impossible to track them all. This overload is deliberate. Take, for instance, "Operation Excalibur" in Los Angeles, where ICE and federal troops paraded armored vehicles through MacArthur Park. This wasn't about arrests; it was a "show of force", a chilling message that resistance would be met with overwhelming military might.
While acknowledging the very real threat of armed troops and tanks on our streets, we must simultaneously cultivate spaces of safety and replenishment. This dual awareness—being realistic about impending dangers while actively creating moments of joy and rest—is crucial. If we allow the constant threat to consume our present, "they win all of that." They don't just win the moments of direct confrontation; they win our quiet moments, our peace, our capacity to think and act.
The "noise of capitalism" actively works against this necessary stillness, constantly pushing us to "do, do, do," rather than sit with ourselves. But true freedom in this era means being aware of fear's insidious seep, preventing it from taking control. The Trump regime banks on a society of unconsciousness, of "artificial scarcity," which keeps us constantly reactive, terrified, and focused on self-preservation above all else. This state strips us of our principles, morals, and ethics, making us susceptible to manipulation and control. If we remain reactive, if we prioritize individual self-preservation over collective action, we play directly into their hands.
Slowing Down to Live: Cherishing the Remaining Time
Many feel the draining effects of constant "grinding"—a relentless pace that is neither sustainable nor desirable. The path forward, paradoxically, lies in slowing down. While the world speeds up, we must intentionally choose a slower pace, being conscious of what we give our time to. This isn't about resignation but about a profound appreciation for the limited time we have.
In midlife, amidst chaos, the realization that we may have only another few decades sharpens the desire to be conscious of how that time is spent. If weeks can be lost to an activated state, the imperative becomes to meticulously plan for joy and nourishment. This might mean detouring for a good meal, visiting a museum, or simply carving out moments of stillness. We cannot afford to lose more time to unconscious reaction. The simple act of choosing a pleasurable detour, even if it adds minutes to a GPS estimated arrival time, is an act of reclaiming agency and actively living life rather than merely navigating a pre-determined route.
This isn't simple. We might know the answer, but the constant pressures of life make it hard to enact. Think about the GPS with its estimated time of arrival. Suddenly, the idea of stopping for a good dinner or taking an eight-mile detour seems counterproductive because of a ticking clock. But what we're talking about is actually living life, not just hitting a prescribed destination.
Battling the Noise: Guarding Our Fleeting Moments
We fill our lives with noise—podcasts, music, endless doing—often to avoid being alone with ourselves. It's a fundamental truth that people don't want to be alone with their thoughts. Yet, the moments of true peace often emerge when we disconnect from this constant stimulation. Imagine grilling outside on a quiet Fourth of July, birds chirping, a sense of calm amidst global turmoil. Then, explosions—professional-grade fireworks, shaking windows—shatter the tranquility. This is the constant intrusion we face.
Those who seek to disrupt our peace, like the proponents of MAGA, actively work to taunt and abuse, to steal our attention and appreciation. The challenge is to hear the explosion, feel the activation, and consciously declare: "I'm not going to let this be taken away from me." How many moments of peace will we have in this lifetime? We cannot allow these fleeting periods of rest, relaxation, replenishment, and joy to be stolen because our adversaries are miserable and don't want anyone else to experience happiness. They are so consumed by their internal void, their self-hatred, that their only source of energy comes from making others miserable, from creating destruction and chaos externally because they cannot find joy internally.
Building Internal Infrastructure: Navigating the Fire Swamp
This isn't about constructing a cage of avoidance. Instead, it's about being deeply aware of the project underway, the emotional traps designed to sap us of hope, joy, and connection, to push us into a state of "deprivation and exhaustion." These traps isolate us, making us wonder why others seem okay, breeding anger and resentment.
The key is to create an internal infrastructure that allows us to recognize these traps, to prepare ourselves mentally, spiritually, and physically not to get ensnared. Think of the Fire Swamp in The Princess Bride: it's not about avoiding the quicksand, the fire spurts, or the Rodents of Unusual Size. It's about understanding their triggers, knowing how to move through them, and ultimately, surviving and thriving. We are in the fire swamp now. We must recognize where we are and manage accordingly, without getting stuck in the quicksand that will consume every bit of strength needed to navigate this reality.
Becoming Adults: Choosing Our Future
Much of the American empire's downfall stems from short-sightedness and hubris—the childish notion of "perpetual growth" in a finite world. We're now forced to confront realities like climate change and limited resources. We have to "grow up very quickly," becoming adults who consider the future, not just react to the present.
When faced with individuals like Donald Trump or Elon Musk, who, stemming from their own deeply unwell and traumatized pasts, derive energy from stealing joy and creating chaos, we have a choice. We can acknowledge their pain and their methods without becoming like them. We cannot simply cut these people out of our lives, as they hold power and influence over our shared reality. Instead, we must use their actions as a mirror: "Thank you for showing me who I don't want to be. Thank you for showing me how I don't want to live." This revelation empowers us to ask: "How do I want to live?"
We cannot wait for politicians or leaders to be the "adults in the room." We are the adults. We must make conscious decisions, rooted in agency and self-belief. This moment, as awful as it is, is a time of great revealing. The darkness, the willingness to participate in or ignore genocide, the swift rise of concentration camps—it's all being laid bare. With this truth, we have a choice. This regime wants us to believe there are no choices, only compliance. But their desperate "show of force" reveals their underlying fear of losing. They know, deep down, they're going to lose.
The Power of Quiet: Authoring a New World
When we embrace the discomfort of agency and choice, a "whole new world" opens up. We must fight back against the despair they want us to feel, recognizing that we deserve better and can create something better on the other side. This version of America, this version of the world, is crumbling, but the world itself is not ending. What comes next is still ours to decide.
Even if you don't fully believe it yet, "fake it till you make it." We cannot lose the agency we have in this moment, or we will be crushed into their image of what America should be. This isn't just about being angry at what's happening; it's about being clear on what we want to happen and creating the conditions for it. This might look like small, consistent acts: hosting Sunday family dinners, telling friends to come over because you have a pot of something on the stove. These "little acts" can create a domino effect, building the community and society we actually desire.
Finally, to know what you truly want, you must embrace quiet. We run from stillness with constant noise, work, distractions, and substances because we often dislike what we find there: pain, hurt, discomfort. But it's in this discomfort that revelations emerge. We cannot continue on the treadmill of capitalism and fascism, dissociating and running from our feelings. The answer to building a better future, to authoring a new world, lies in the quiet. The world is actively set up to prevent this stillness, but if you can sit in it, if you can feel the discomfort and ask, "Why can't I sit in stillness and quietness?", you'll find the answer: "Because this isn't okay, and because I want something else." This simple act of seeking quiet is a revolutionary step toward claiming the future we deserve.
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