Today, we’re answering a question from one of our dear students, Peggy.
She’s been grappling with how to apply A Course in Miracles to her thoughts and emotions about politics and the pain that politics is bringing up in our world today.
She asked:
QUESTION:
“How do I keep my peace during this political climate and work on the aspects of myself that are being triggered?”
I really wanted to break this down and give you six specific, practical steps—tools you can apply to your own mind and experience.
These will help you allow those political thoughts and emotions that rally you up to calm down, subside, and ultimately be undone and replaced by peace.
(Prefer audio to reading? Click here)
Here Are 6 ACIM Practices to Overcome Political Stress
ANSWER:
Practice #1
What is the Difference Between Peace and Conflict?
Peace comes from within.
It is not dependent on the outside world looking a certain way or being a certain way.
The Course reminds us:
“Nothing outside of you can bring you peace, and nothing outside of you can disturb your peace in any way.”
Peace is our natural state, as God created us.
It’s not something we strive for, but something we return to.
Practical Tool
Right now, take a moment to do this:
1️⃣ Place your hand on your heart.
2️⃣ Breathe deeply—as if you’re breathing through your heart.
3️⃣ As you exhale, send love through your body, rippling waves of relaxation through you.
4️⃣ Say to yourself:
“The peace of God is in me now.”
Let yourself melt into that energy—the energy of love, of peace, of God, that lives beyond your fear, beyond the world, and yet within you.
Practice #2
My Upset Is Not Caused by What’s Happening in the World?
The Course teaches us in Lesson 5 of the Workbook Lessons of A Course in Miracles:
“I am never upset for the reason I think.”
The reason why we are never upset for the reason we think is because we give meaning to the world that we see outside of us.
We give meaning to all of the things that we see.
We judge what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad.
And based on our own judgments, we will be upset.
But a lot of the time, we’re not upset at what we’re currently seeing.
We’re upset about the conclusions and the meaning that we put on what we’re seeing.
So, we’re learning to take our meaning off and our conclusions off what we are seeing so that that inner guidance, the Voice for Love, can give us new meaning instead.
And I guarantee you, the new meaning is going to:
✔ Give you a higher order perspective
✔ Show you what this is happening for
✔ Reveal what this means in the greatest sense for you and for all the world
✔ Help to bring you peace
But you have to rest in that space of, “Oh, I’m never upset for the reason I think.”
So maybe I’m upset for a different reason.
So let’s explore what that other reason is.
It allows us to become open to allowing our thoughts to be undone, allowing a shift in perception to take place so that we can take responsibility for what we’re thinking and realize:
“Hmm… maybe this isn’t exactly what I’m upset about. Maybe there’s something else.”
Because genuinely, we learn through applying a lesson like this that we are not victims of what’s happening.
That we are simply experiencing our own thought system of ego projected outward.
And because perception comes from the mind, it means we can change our mind—and experience peace again.
But that’s the thing.
What’s happening in the political climate right now is the dark shadow of the ego rising to the foreground.
And so, if we want it to stop out there, we’re going to have to stop our own ego from rising in here.
And so this is why applying a lesson such as this can be deeply, deeply helpful.
Since we can change our mind, and we can get in touch with the actual reason why we are upset, we must start here with this practical tool.
Practical Tool
1️⃣ Look at the thoughts and the beliefs that are coming up.
2️⃣ Own them as the source of your own pain, not what’s outside of you.
3️⃣ Return to the peace you’re cultivating in your heart.
4️⃣ Allow the fear of the world to dissolve in that inner truth.
I get it.
It seems easier said than done.
But this is a practice.
This is a skill of mind training.
And you’re starting to trade your thoughts of fear for thoughts of love…
Trade your thoughts of pain for thoughts of joy…
And it starts with a decision that you want to do that.
So my friends, apply that Course lesson:
“I am never upset for the reason I think.”
Anytime you catch yourself being upset at something that’s going on outside, instead turn your attention inside and say:
“Well… what am I thinking? What am I actually upset about?”
Because you know what?
Above all of this… I want to see it differently.
Above all of this pain and fear…
I want to see it differently.
So show me how to see this differently.
And then journal it out and see what comes down the pipes for you.
(Prefer audio to reading? Click here)
Practice #3
It’s Okay to Feel My Feelings?
Feelings are not wrong.
It doesn’t mean you’re a bad student.
It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.
It’s simply an indicator of whether we are in fear or love, ego or God.
And we can’t heal what we don’t feel.
The Course does not ask us to bypass emotions in the choice for love being what is real.
We are asked to sit with our emotions, allow our emotions to point us to what we’re actually thinking.
This allows our emotions to point us to what we are actually meaning when we look out onto the world.
And when we look at what we’re thinking and the meaning we put on the world, we can start to take it off.
But our feelings are our pointer.
They help us to know if we are looking at things correctly or incorrectly, and they will help us to really release the built-up thoughts that are collecting in our minds by allowing ourselves to release our emotions in an honest, safe, and loving way.
Practical Tool
Here’s a practical tool for you in regards to dealing with your emotions.
👉 It’s good to let your emotions up and out, but you, of course, don’t want to let them run you.
So when you feel emotional, pause and ask:
“Is this coming from fear or love?”
If it’s fear, call in Jesus or Holy Spirit.
Call in the Voice for Love.
Call in the Light.
Ask for divine help to meet you where you are.
When we’re in those moments of fear, we are calling to love.
So call to love. Ask for it.
So you can bring down the divine help that you need.
And then pray, my friends, and say:
“Help me to heal this from my mind and my body now. Help me to heal this from my mind and from my body now.”
When you meet yourself in love, you lift your emotions into healing—and that’s where peace returns.
Practice #4
Ask: “What Is This For?”
This is a really good one for those of us that are more intellectual in nature.
This step is to ask, “What is it for?”
The Course tells us:
“You will be told everything you need to know, but we must be willing to ask.”
When we inquire into purpose rather than appearances, we receive peace, clarity, and understanding.
The political tension and division can be seen differently when we ask the question, “What is this for?”
Practical Tool
So, what I recommend for your practical tool here is that when something triggers you—a policy, a leader, a headline—ask yourself:
“What is this for?”
When you do this, you will be reminded that you are in the midst of a great awakening.
Yes, it’s intense to see the effects of leaders’ decisions.
Yes, it’s intense to see what’s going on between the people.
But when I ask “What is this for?”
I see that the shadow is rising to be healed.
And in us, and in the world, we are being healed.
So we have to remember that when we’re feeling triggered, and we ask “What is it for?”, it is ultimately, first and foremost, for our own healing in the great awakening.
And it is when we realign with love that we can be in helpful service to love.
Because we know—we’ve heard Martin Luther King, who’s been part of his own great political revolution, say:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that.”
“Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.”
So if you want to shift things, ask “What is this for?” so you can claim responsibility and begin the process of healing your own mind so you can be an extension of love in the great awakening.
(Prefer audio to reading? Click here)
Practice #5
Begin Your Day with God
Your inner alignment is your strength.
Before the world can shape your perception, let God shape your mind.
Give your day to Him.
Receive peace before you attempt to give it, and your day will flow with far more grace.
When I wake up in the morning, the first thought that I have is:
“I give my day to You, God. What would You have me think, say, and do?”
And what this does is it postures me in service to love.
It postures me in saying, “I choose to think with love and not fear.”
The first decisions of our day make a really big difference in how the rest of our day unfolds.
Practical Tool
Your practical tool here can be:
1️⃣ Start each day by saying:
“I give this day to You. Speak to me and through me.”
2️⃣ You can also apply your Course lesson of the day, meditate, breathe, invite stillness, stretch your body.
There are so many different things that you can do to begin your day with God, but start with one new thing and commit to that one new thing for the next bunch of weeks.
And you will start to notice that you have more ability to:
- connect with your inner center
- ask the questions when you need to ask the questions
- shift out of fear to love whenever you need to make that shift.
And it becomes easier and easier because you’re now going through your day in connection to our Creator, instead of separate from it.
Practice #6
What are The Rules for Decision? (ACIM, Chapter 30)
The A Course in Miracles tells us that there is an entire chapter that’s dedicated to what is called the Rules for Decision.
This is in Chapter 30 of A Course in Miracles.
This section helps us to make decisions throughout the day with God, and not just in the morning
And it also helps us that when we all of a sudden take the reins back and we start making decisions on our own.
Without God—and things start going a little wonky in our day, the Rules for Decision help give us questions and contemplations to bring us back on the path.
So it’s really, really helpful to immerse yourself in this teaching and have yourself learn the power of making rules.
Give yourself the power to make decisions with love and not fear.
This is genuinely one of the most powerful and actionable tools in the Course.
It teaches us to stay in alignment with Spirit moment by moment…
And to return to peace when we forget.
Practical Tool
📖 Check out Chapter 30: The Rules for Decision.
🎥 I also have a video on this that’s on my YouTube channel called Rules for Decision.
This is one practical thing that you can do to help anchor your mind in God’s guidance.
After you start your day right…
You progress forward with following—
This one practice alone can transform how you walk through the world…
And anchor your mind in God’s guidance again and again and again.
So my friends, these are the few tips and tools that can help support you during this trying time.
Notice that all of these tools put the attention back onto what you’re thinking and your ability to rule your mind instead of your mind ruling you.
Continue the Journey With Me
If you want deeper support in listening to your inner guidance, my raw audio story of the miracles that led me to create my new upcoming book is the perfect next step for you.
📩 Here is the link—download it and receive exclusive bonus materials straight to your inbox.
And if you ever have questions, please don’t hesitate to reply to any of my emails.
I’m here, walking this path of mind training and miracles with you.
May peace and love guide you on your journey. 💖
If this message resonated with you, feel free to share it with others.
Much love to you, Beautiful Soul. ✌️
Britney
>>> If you find this topic interesting, click here, to watch a YouTube Video I launched last Wednesday.
P.S. ASK ME ANYTHING: If you have any questions or need clarity about A Course In Miracles, I’m here to help! Simply submit your question through this form.