The Greatest Freedom Lies in Not Reacting
Sometimes, in the midst of life’s minefield of triggers, we forget that we have choice to not react. At times because of our habitual programming and conditioning, we react automatically without even realizing. And we may have no idea that we can choose to consciously respond. You can!
But the good news is you always have a choice. I have found that the greatest freedom and peace lies in the simple premise: “don’t react to anything internally or externally.” So that’s easy to say, right? But what does this really mean?
Your reaction might come about as immediate complaint through verbal or even a physical reaction without even realizing it is happening. This could all be happening internally and silently, and you might even end up going in loops in your mind, feeling like a victim or feeling arrogant or getting caught in self criticism or external criticism or why is something the way that it is. Then you know you are caught in a reaction. And it can look many different ways. These are just a few examples. You are reacting any time that you have been taken over for even a moment by something that has occurred.
Your power lies in not touching this reaction, noticing that you're having it and pausing and stopping to proceed in the acting out of the reaction, internally or externally. This might only be going on in the space of your own mind.
This requires one incredible key ingredient, which I call “witnessing awareness”. In this way you stay back inside yourself where there’s a little distance, a bit of detachment as you, the true Self, are overseeing and witnessing these experiences, so that you are not caught or identified with whatever the passing phenomenon is.
Energy Practice for How Not to React, to Rest in The Absolute, Pure Presence of Your Being:
(You might want to practice this as soon as you notice that something is throwing you off center, even the slightest worry, for example.)
Take a deep breath, and perhaps even take several deep breaths and wait. You might even name out loud; “I am caught in a reaction”, then ask Source and your Higher Self to assist you.
Slow everything down and consciously breathe.
Imagine walking backwards inside of yourself, like you are taking steps back to lean more into your spine and the backside and the lower part of your body resting down and in. In this way, you show your psyche that you are stepping away from the trigger, that you don’t have to react to it, that you can give it some time and space and let it be.
Then rest in stillness on the breath, allow the busyness and any emotion or thoughts to simply move through as you are the witness.
Breathe in and out and let the energy clear through your body.
Welcome to the Absolute.
From this place you can then, say to yourself, “if a response is required, I will be guided what to do.”
A response is very different than a reaction. In a response, we have conscious choice, but in a reaction we are moving on autopilot, often without that choice.
Now some reactions are wonderful like moving away from oncoming traffic. But I’m talking about the subtler kind that happen through the mind and emotions.
I am not suggesting ever that you stuff your feelings, but that you find a choice point and how you are to be with those feelings. Crying when there is grief is helpful as it needs to move through the body and there is nothing wrong with this. Then as an emotion like grief arises you can allow this to move through the system without reacting to the emotion itself. A reaction may look like judging the grief or wishing you weren’t having it or thinking you’ve been in it too long. It should just go away. These are some examples.
It is a beautiful practice to not react to the body, not react to the emotions, not react to the thoughts, and much less to anyone else, especially the world. When you don’t react, these things will not have power over you and you will have freedom.
Notice where your hardest places are to not react. For you, it might be to not react to extreme body sensations because this might create terror in you. Or it may be that you have a really difficult time with people because this hits your deepest triggers. Wherever this is, study this in yourself, so that you will be empowered when these triggers arise.
This is not always easy, but it is truly a path of the spiritual warrior, and I have found it to bring endless levels of peace and freedom. I wish this for you. And I look forward to hearing about how you are practicing this and your experiences of what is happening.
May the peace that surpasseth all understanding be with you always.
All my love,
Isa Lara Marié
This is for all beings everywhere; may you know wholeness.