You have probably noticed that when tragedies happen, even though not directly affecting your personal life experience, you and people around you experience a reaction. People may seem moody or out of sorts; perhaps mentally “foggy.”
You might feel strangely lightheaded or unusually confused and unable to focus your thinking around even simple scheduling and tasks. Perhaps you are overly emotional, even about things that might not have affected you before.
You might also be experiencing sleeplessness or difficult dreams. Are your previous traumas and memories of traumatic events coming to life?
This is certainly true about current hurricane and wildfire tragedies in Florida, North Carolina, California, and in other places. The lives and livelihoods of people, animals, land, and resources have been turned upside down and possibly destroyed.
How are you doing physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually? You might be affected in any or all of those realms by the magnitude of these mass events… even though they may be physically happening on the other side of the continent from you.
Any and all of these reactions may be signs that the waves of shock and grief are reaching you from all of your connections far away. And we are ALL connected.
The Square Root of 1%
The other, balancing side of this connection is that the same is true about positive results. Compassion and determination for good are shared in the same way as are the harmful effects of shock and grief. In fact, studies going back to the 1970s and 1980s support that notion and more.
“The minimum number of people required to ‘jump start’ a change in consciousness is the square root of 1% of the population. – “Internation Peace Project in the Middle East,” Journal of Conflict Resolution, 1988.*
Such results do not obtain from optimistic “thoughts and prayers” or “it will all work out for the good” concepts. The studies derive from a focused meditation practice intended to create peace in practitioner’s bodies, rather than only in their minds or praying. The difference is important.
Your body – specifically your nervous system – is the antenna that you have to communicate with all others in the neural network. That antenna has the capability to both receive and send signals, just like every other antenna. It is just as physical and operates on the same basis and frequency as what is causing you to feel the tragic emotional effects from across the planet, passed along the network from person to person.
You can sense that, too, in the excitement and joy you feel when someone you love receives good news. Your body can feel the “uplift” of the situation, even before you get that phone call. You might feel the urge “out of the blue” to call them to see how they are doing!
Moving Forward
The effects of these tragedies are going to be long-term. Now is the time to take stock of your energy and reserves. It is time to be gentle with yourself and with others – perhaps especially those with whom you are close. They are feeling it, too, even if they do not recognize it or have the internal emotional scaffolding to support the weight of what they are sensing.
It is also time to lean into your family and community support system. Remember, you are not alone in any sense of the word, even if you feel isolated. Take time to breathe and reconnect to the support systems around you. That’s what they are for.
Even so, the greatest benefit to yourself and to all others around you is to take some time regularly for quiet, body-centered mediation or other activities that bring you peace and a sense of positive purpose. Let the feeling of that settle into your body as often as you can.
And if you do have the emotional and energetic reserves, remember to be there for those around you. Being a part of the community support system is also healing for you. We will all get through this together.
Originally posted in The Journey of Personal Evolution, Gerry C Starnes. February 2025.
“Articles of this nature are intended to provide insights and ideas to help readers to integrate a shamanic worldview and practices into their everyday lives. The mission of the Shamanic Community of Austin is a dedicated, accepting community who expresses our core values through safe and sacred shamanic practice, with responsibility, support, and compassion. Through teaching, craft, art, and shamanic healing, we bring shamanic ideas and practice to our daily lives and offer them to the Austin community and beyond.”
About the image: “Dr. Annie Harvilicz, a veterinarian, bravely risked her life to help rescue dogs, cats and a rabbit from the path of the Pacific Palisades fire as their owners were forced to flee.” Unknown photographer. Source: New York Post 1/8/2025 via Facebook.
* Source: “The Divine Matrix,” by Greg Braden.