These can seem like dark days indeed. In the United States a president has been appointed and in just eight months our greatest fears are manifesting as his divisiveness and disregard for his people are beginning to unfold. There are earthquakes in Mexico and elsewhere; Popocatépetl sent ash a mile high yesterday; hurricanes and typhoons are becoming weekly occurrences and with unprecedented intensity; the list goes on. Each of these has happened before of course but it hard to feel like their co-occurrence is anything but the Universe upping the ante in its attempts to support us in growing through the hardships and fears and uncertainties we feel. The Universe never allows a hardship without a greater opportunity. It is up to us, however, to see it and embrace it. Even today, you see, you have free choice in how you will respond.
In the movie Finding Joe (http://findingjoethemovie.com/ ) it is said that when we do not heed the Universe’s signs to undertake the changes we must make the Universe will upend us. And indeed it will. And it is. The challenge as always is the respond from an empowered place while in situations that feel anything but empowering. Indeed, Viktor Frankl taught that the only inalienable right we have is to choose our response to our circumstances. This is a right, he said, that no one or no thing can ever take from us. Given that he wrote this while imprisoned at Auschwitz – an unimaginable challenge that he survived – allows me to read his words with all the more credibility.
How to do we apply Frankl’s teaching in these times around the world? How do we separate ourselves enough from the difficulties that engulf us to freely exercise choice of response?
The answer for me, always, is to do two things:
- Meditation – whatever that may mean. For me it means taking ten minutes to walk away from what is going on around and to reflect – not on what is happening but on my life and how I see the future. I take a few minutes to envision the coming days and months and years as I wish them to unfold without regard for what might be happening in the moment. It helps to have some music in my ears, both for distraction and immersion.
Meditation can be anything, anywhere, at any time. It simply means disconnecting to whatever degree possible, even for a moment, to something or nothing that takes you to a more supportive and healing place.
- Book of Positive Aspects – one of my favorite teachings from Abraham is the Book of Positive Aspects. In my case it’s a sheet of paper rather than a book. Feel free to go here: https://drmarkarcuri.com/book-of-positive-aspects/ for more information and a sheet you can download.
The Book of Positive Aspects has helped me tremendously in recent months. After the president was appointed the exercise helped me to see in a less reactive way the blunt reality of how damaged US America is. Despite this “reality” the Book of Positive Aspects allows me on a daily basis to redirect my focus to gratitude for how his appointment sparked the rise of the resistance efforts that bring people together in a unified statement. It allows me to co-create a new reality and one that no one can take away.
As I look at my sheet it is easy to redirect my attention to my chosen reality or, as Frankl said, it is easy to exercise our choice to focus on that for which I am grateful and attach to the faith that from the chaos will indeed come an order that is a greater representation of the highest good. The chaos has its place, and I am grateful what I remind myself what that purpose is.
I invite you to disconnect with your emotional reactions to what is happening all around and to co-create your own reality. Resist embodying the the reality. Resist allowing the reality to determine what is happening within you. Resist buying in to what you are told.
Instead, raise your vibration by connecting to your empowered place and allow your higher self to respond from a place that comes from your own free choice. Co-create a reality that is better suited to who you really are.
Feel free to try my go-to techniques or use your own. I promise that when you shift your alignment to what you can be grateful for amongst the muck you will automatically allow a more pleasing experience in this moment. And in doing so you will co-create a more joyous next moment, and the next, and the next. The effects on you and all around will be exponential! But of course you know this already. 
With Blessings and Gratitude,
From Santa Fé, New México
Dr. Mark
