The answer from Esther Seibt

- Systemic Coach, Kundalini Yoga & Meditation Instructor and passionate Vocalist - 

 

 

Lately so many of my friends seem to struggle with the idea, of the constant need to react to the daily dose of ever-changing challenges, waiting around the next corner. Challenges, that don’t even seem to have been possible, only a few months back. Followed by behaviours like erratic outbursts, they get tired, stressed, often say yes even they think no, become impatient or judgemental. And if I say them, I mean us, no me.

 

Big whoop. Everyday a flood of new information reaches ear and eye. Everyday plans get dismissed, and relationships do too. Every day, we keep trying to stay on top, act upon what we have learned to believe in and often enough remain unhappy with how we reacted towards increasingly unexpected challenges of life in 2021. We silently wish to hide inside a bubble, knowingly, that it won’t help the situation - Or does it?

 

In the spiritual world lingers the idea of having to leave the REACTIVE state for good, in order to being able to ACT upon our true purpose. But is this even possible, I ask? And furthermore, is it anyhow helpful, not to react to the world around us and instead live in a bubble?

 

I wonder, is reacting really that bad, and can it be made right in one way or another?

 

Since we, as human beings, are, and never will be, separated from this world around us but could even be understood as a fraction of the entire system, reaction is a natural state of evolution. Circumstances change and so do we. Supposedly for the better and the survival of the fittest, sometimes for the worst, depend on the state of inner clarity, awakening and consciousness for our own body, our needs and abilities, shortcomings, motives and intentions.

 

    

 

 

The experiment

 

In a psychologically based sociological experiment called rat-heaven, scientists studied the developments of a rat population, which was placed into a garden Eden: unlimited food, water, shelter, light and warmth for every rat. Ongoing perfect conditions.
 Stage one was the stage of entering the rat-Nirvana. They came, they lived, they loved, they existed under perfect conditions.

 

In stage two the population started to grow, and they became somewhat organised. The scientists witnessed the first division between the stronger and the weaker rats, which was understood as a kind of hierarchy.

Which resulted in stage three, a natural state of chaos. It was considered a turning point. As the population kept growing, so grew the inability for the females to get pregnant, carry out their babies or nurture them properly.

 

They denied copulating with their mates, became aggressive and retreated into their, what could be considered, safe spaces. Only leaving them in the dark to get food and water. Their male counterparts started to increasingly care about their looks and hygiene and lost interest in the females. Others got aggressive and turned against one another. Battles over living areas began and heaven turned to hell.

 

 

In phase four, population turned into overpopulation, killings, diseases and sudden deaths were the daily business and what was once a dream universe for rats became a graveyard - until eventually the entire population was only a memory of the past.

Even though this experiment was tailored around the results of overpopulation - and the resemblance in humans is undeniable - yet it can also be looked at from a different point of view. The inevitable need to be in constant reaction to others, when living in large societies and the possible outcome of unfiltered, unconscious reactiveness.

 

I am far from stating, that the choice of gender, sexuality or life preferences is determined by circumstance only, but this is not what this article is concerning. What it is concerning, is to raise understanding, that reaction is and always will be part of society and when used consciously it can lead to personal growth and evolution in alignment with who we are, no matter what.

 

IF, and here comes the twist, we truly know who we are.

 

It is said, that being a reactionary is not the best personality streak but allowing reaction to take place in order to evolve, still is an essential tool to personal growth and expansion and likewise necessary for the survival of our species.

Once we have gone the extra mile to really getting to know ourselves and what we stand for in all facets, we can finally be in trust and peace when being confronted with unexpected, uncomfortable situations.

 

‘Only very few of us sit on a mountain and watch the morning dew evaporate.’

 

Pretending to be detached from all outer circumstances, is denying reality in itself. Life in bigger societies will always force us to be reactive and we simply cannot pretend that it doesn’t. The more we live and shape our world in alignment with our soul’s longing and true purpose, the more likely we will show a reaction, that will be serving us and the situation or partner we stand in reaction to.

 

Also, the more conscious we are about really knowing our needs and boundaries, limits and ideologies, the better we will be reacting in the face of unexpected and influences, which inevitably has a great influence on our society as well. When you go with Eckart Tolle and his teaching of being in the now, the Now is more than just us in reaction to the world around, it is describing how everything is in constant reaction to everything. We are only a part(icle) in this vast and unbelievably beautiful everythingness, this universe, and as stars explode and suns seize to exist - and so do we.

 

    

 

Only very few of us sit on a mountain and watch the morning dew evaporate, most of us live lives surrounded by others. We need to make a living, create a life of joy and ease, live a good standard, we hope to experience, grow and evolve out of who we used to be into who we quietly always dreamed to become, and sometimes within this equation we explode or implode and often we just react. That’s life. As long as we choose our battles wisely, it will lead us to peace of mind, eventually.

 

So how about this, instead of pretending that one day, when we have achieved everything, aka the bubble-thought, we will be in peace and non-reactive to others anymore, we start looking at our achievements so far and decide what’s next for us to learn in order to evolve, knowing that with every reaction we define better and better the image of our self and therefore our future.

And then, next time when you think you have OVERreacted, don’t be too hard on yourself and just witness and evaluate, is that specific reaction getting me to step up in evolution, or have I been trying to protect my rat-heaven? Is this the way to heaven, or hell?

 

 

If you want to help yourself a little, sit down, pen and paper, and write down who you are, what you love, about yourself and the world around you, think who you would want to be when no one is watching. Seek out, ‘what will give me the deepest soul-felt joys?’ Access within yourself what it is, that you really would want to experience further on in this life of yours, and then: sharpen your tools, allow to vibrate this frequency on sincerity and consciously live your life happily reacting your way through evolution.

 

 

Esther Seibt