So much has been going on in our country and the world that is devastating. I’m emotionally exhausted. Are you?

Much of what’s going on has to do with not having honest, respectful conversations about the difficult stuff – race, gender bias, religious extremism, cultural change, politics, and …

We don’t want to talk about these difficult issues because we don’t want people to get angry with us, we’re afraid we’ll choke up and won’t be able to get the words out, we don’t want a negative reaction…

Or, we don’t want to know about things that are scary and threaten our comfort. We don’t want to hear information that challenges our dearly held beliefs or unconscious biases.

Let’s face it, we all have unconscious biases. (One of mine is my tendency to discount the privilege I’ve had all my life because my skin is white.) If you’ve read my newsletters for a while, you’ve read about unconscious gender bias, so hopefully, you’re aware about how that operates for you…

So, how DO we talk about the difficult stuff?

It takes courage. It takes compassion, kindness, and real listening. It requires communicating, not just reacting.

It often means we have to WAIT to respond to someone, or wait to react to an event. We have to temporarily zip our lips.

Slow the whole thing down. Take the time to decide how to act (or NOT to act), rather than just reacting. Check in to see if you are triggered by an old story or wound of your own that has nothing to do with the other person.

Take time to truly listen with compassion to the other person, rather than thinking of your next point while they’re speaking.

Soften your 3rd chakra (at the solar plexus), and let go of the need to control the conversation or the other person.

Breathing into your belly, slowly and consciously, is a great way to start softening your 3rd chakra, AND to prevent your throat from closing up.

Yep, that throat closing thing starts in your diaphragm, which is in your 3rd chakra (the yellow one in the photo). I’ve seen it time after time, in myself and my clients – when the diaphragm locks up, the throat locks up.

Next, connect with your spiritual/divine self, and speak from the heart. Be kind to yourself, and kind to others.

Then, do the best you can. After all, we’re human.

Blessings!

 

 

PS – My Healing Your Soul’s Voice Meditation can help you in talking about the difficult stuff. Click here to get is as my gift!

“After listening to the meditation I felt so calm and relaxed. I loved it. I could feel the frequencies going through my body and I felt as though something shifted in my throat chakra. It’s always that area that needs a boost. I also felt like there was a weight taken off my shoulders. I felt totally at peace when it finished and plan to make it part of my regular practice. Thank you Ariana. It’s a wonderful experience!” -Su Davey