Post-Election Healing With Hafiz & Rumi

The B-Blog: “Post-Election Healing With Hafiz & Rumi” – Nov 2016

Who won last week’s U.S. Presidential election? While Donald Trump officially won, sadly the country is more divided than ever.

I have friends on both sides of this debate – and I love them all. It’s so tough to watch Mind Loops overflowing with anger, bitterness, depression, anxiety, worry, blaming, and even hatred sprouting up and growing like tough, thorny weeds… Family members not talking to each other, thousands of Facebook friends unfriended, strangers eyeing each other with distrust and sometimes violence. It’s been one of the saddest things I’ve ever witnessed in my life. And yes, I too have felt a ton of emotions about it the whole time, along with everyone else.

After last Tuesday, I realized reconciliation wasn’t going to happen in my world until I reconciled things within myself. That meant first and foremost taking care of myself.

I cut out reading, watching, or listening to any news about politics (just for the time being – and especially in the morning). I’ve been focusing on getting lots of restful sleep, eating healthy, yummy food, surrounding myself with friends who laugh, engaging my thoughts with inspiring books and movies, taking long walks in as much nature as I can get into – and doing the activities I love and know make me feel good.

It was about regaining equilibrium, by not letting Mind Loops hook me and take me down for the count. A little self care went a looooong way and I can’t recommend it enough!

After just a few days, I’m back to figuring out where and how I personally can contribute the most to help my fellow humans (of all persuasions), whom I love so dearly, experience true happiness in their lives.

As part of my self-care package, I open the books of two poets that always have the ability to lift the corners of my mouth or open my eyes to a new way of seeing something, even when I’m at my grumpiest: Hafiz and Rumi.

Both were Sufi poets from Persia, and scribed their brilliant thoughts waaaay back in the 13th and 14th centuries – and yet their poems still ring true to modern ears. (In fact, Rumi is the best-selling poet in the U.S. now!). To me, their poems feel more like music and light and joy all rolled up into a few choice words.

After all we’ve been through with the election, I felt it was time for a little Hafiz-n-Rumi healing. I hope you enjoy.