How to Combat the Real March Madness
The Romans used to associate the month of March with the god of war, Mars. Thus its namesake: March. Within world history, March has been known as an ideal time to launch war attacks because it is the end of winter, and for the Romans, the beginning of a new year. In fact, many major NATO military interventions have been carried out in March. The Iraq War, the bombing of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War, the intervention in Libya and even recent airstrikes in Somalia (2016) and Iraq (2017) were all initiated during the month of war. Because of this charged nature the month elicits, it is now more important than ever to keep a peaceful outlook. Despite dialogues among world leaders with implications of global detonation, we must recognize how we can promote peace around our communities and “within” ourselves. Most of us, unfortunately, cannot be the revolutionaries we see in movies to fight the good fight against the tyrannical forces that be. Instead, we must use this fire that usually is intended for anger or war-like spirits and try to reincarnate it into more peaceful motives.So, what practices can we enact to reinforce peaceful vibes?
EXTERNAL
March --
Attend peace or love marches promoting ideas of unity. San Francisco and other big cities tend to carry out these types of events annually. The Gay Pride Parade (PRIDE), for instance, is carried out at the end of June, nationally.
Volunteer --
This could be as grand as serving food at a homeless shelter or as small as offering to tutor your incredibly energetic elementary school-aged neighbor. These outreach services don’t have to be done religiously, but if everyone did them sometimes, it would certainly promote a more caring and unified community.
INTERNAL
Meditate --
The idea of making time stand still is an incredibly hard, yet effective, way to promote a peaceful mindset. It slows everything down and lowers the tempo of brash, angry actions, giving you time to properly reflect. (Yoga can also have this same effect.)
Breathwork --
Both meditation and yoga rely heavily on breathing. The circulation of breath can calm the body, as well as cause anxiety and anger. Learning to control breath can help better quell negative feelings when they arise.
Prayer --
Not necessarily in the context of worshipping a god(s), but rather talking out loud and putting into words your anxieties and fears in hopes that the universe is listening.
Get outside --
Going on nature walks or hikes releases endorphins and puts us in that natural ‘high off life’ place we all strive to be. If there is not a huge nature arena where you live, simply going outside and finding settings -- however big or small -- that you appreciate can give you the same satisfaction.There are certainly many other ways to achieve a peaceful mindset, and I am not writing this to list all of them, but rather highlight in bold that there are ways to alleviate anger and frustration. (And these ways may already be present in your life.)So now, spend a silent moment to take an unbiased, in-depth look at yourself so that you may focus your energies in pursuit of true peace.
