What can we conclude from the madness of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? How do we live normal, decent lives amid such dark age politics and barbarism? The way we respond can affect our emotional well-being and mental health.

For me, I make it a point to fold the paper and switch the channel when the unending tide of war news becomes a tsunami of agitation.  Following the news to stay informed is extremely important to me, but the relentless flow of reporting unimaginable misery can be overwhelming. I know when I have reached my limits of what I can take in before the veil of despair blots out the light.

It’s vital for me to stay connected to what feeds my soul. These disturbing times present questions so vast in scope and deep in meaning I simply cannot answer them on my own.  I must put the answer into ‘Spirit’s’ hands or whatever your visualization is for the undetectable but undeniable presence of our Source.

I wear a talisman in the form of a three dimensional eight pointed star, a tetrahedron or Merkabah, an Egyptian word loosely translated as the body’s spiritual connection to the light. It is a source of solace and wisdom as I face the eternal questions: who am I; where did I come from; where am I going? It is my constant reminder that I am consciousness; I came from consciousness; I am going back to consciousness.

I believe in the basic good that exists in all of us.  My choice is to remain optimistic.  For humanity, for our planet, there is no other choice. I want to believe that those who commit the atrocities and acts of monstrous cruelty take the space of darkness so we can see and embrace the contrasting light.

I often do an exercise with my clients asking them to visualize going into the heart, seeing, sensing and feeling what exists within. Unfailingly, it is clear that within all of us, the heart is the source of unconditional love; the core of who we are.

How do we live normal, decent lives in the face of the unleased carnage? Even as our revulsion forces us to turn away from the daily inundation of horrific scenes of war, we must remember that behind the grainy photographs are people like us. We must not become indifferent.  We must embrace our compassion and empathy.  When we shut our eyes to the television screen, we must keep our hearts open.

To do otherwise would make life unbearable.