10 Ways To Stabilize Yourself When You Feel Unsafe

How do you move forward after being hit with traumatic news that triggers your survival instincts because it is WAY too close to home?

For many of us, the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual shock can take a toll on our sweet system.

How do you know when trauma is showing up in your being?

Some symptoms that may appear are:

• Emotional numbing
• Extreme fatigue or exhaustion
• Emotional shock
• Tension being stored in the body
• Panic attacks
• Nightmares or insomnia
• Socially isolating ourselves
• Hypervigilance
• Overwhelming and fluctuating emotions

If you are experiencing the shock of witnessing trauma – whether it be through watching the news, seeing it happen to someone else, or having it happen to yourself – not only are you feeling some (or all) of the above symptoms, but you will likely feel unsafe, as well.

Any time we perceive our survival as being threatened, our Root Chakra feels like it’s under attack.

And, when we are disempowered in the process, our Solar Plexus Chakra, aka our Power Center, is challenged. (By the way, other people cannot disempower us without our permission.)

In Chinese Medicine, fear is linked to the Kidneys, and when we feel fear, Kidney Qi is depleted. Aside from fear, this will also look like: paranoia, a sense of floating, feeling deeply drained, memory and concentration problems, or lacking will power, calm, and strength.

So, what can you do when you feel like you’ve just had the wind knocked out of you (either literally or emotionally), when it feels like your center and sense of self has shattered, or when your essence feels like it’s under attack?

Here are 10 ways to stabilize yourself when you feel unsafe:

1. Send love to the pain that you see. Does it sound counterintuitive to send love to the person who caused you pain? Reframe this by understanding that the person who caused you pain is actually IN pain. It does not condone their actions, but doing this will help you develop compassionate towards what created the situation at hand. Sending love to the person will diffuse their power over you, create healing for your heart, help those you send it to, and interrupt the cycle of pain with love, which quickly shifts the dynamic. And, as you know, shifting the energy towards healing creates a ripple effect for everyone. This also holds true if you are the one directly causing yourself pain – send love to yourself. If it is a story on the news that you are watching, send love to those you see on the screen. If it is an article you are reading, send love to those involved in the story.
2. Access the support of your community (or find it). It may be tempting to just curl up into a ball in the corner (which does have its merits, for a certain length of time). But, after you’ve finished licking your wounds, and when your heart is starting to feel lonely in the pain, reach out to your community, because being with community when you are all witnessing the same thing is healing. If you don’t have a community, ask the Universe to help you find a community that is for your greatest good, and then start looking for it. If time is more immediate, or if you need connection but feel overwhelmed with being around loads of people, one-on-one healing through a compassionate therapist, healing practitioner, mentor, friend, or loved one can work wonders.
3. Learn how to verbally defend yourself. Part of feeling powerful is knowing that we possess knowledge to help ourselves in sketchy situations, even if you rarely (or hopefully, never) have to use it. Learn how to say “No!” from your Dan Tien, which is the Sea of Vitality in Chinese Medicine, located about 2″ below the navel. This is also the area of the Sacral Plexus Chakra. The Sacral Plexus Chakra, (which is the seat of our emotions and linked to creative expression) and Throat Chakra (which is how we speak our truth) are very closely linked. Because of this, cultivating your authenticity when speaking will help you when you need it most. For instance, speaking up for yourself in situations where you are not feeling honored, saying “No” when you mean “No”, and saying how you truly feel instead of creating a smokescreen around it. By saying what you mean, and meaning what you say, you train yourself to create habits of self-expression that will sustain your voice. So, when it comes time to verbally defend yourself, speaking up against things that go against your being will come naturally. It’s the same concept as when training with external martial arts – practicing not because you are looking for a fight, but so that if ever the time comes, the skills you’ve honed will protect you.
4. Learn martial arts. Speaking of verbally defending yourself, taking up (external) martial arts will help you be more aware of your body, know where your physical strengths (and weaknesses) lie, and help you feel more equipped to handle yourself effectively, should a situation escalate. A true martial artist knows to use their skill only when they REALLY have to (vs. showing off, which is more related to satisfying the ego.) Why? Because, although there may be nuances to developing your physical power, when you have to use it, it’s because you have no choice but to follow through.
5. Get physically strong. By physically strengthening yourself, not only will your muscles engage in ways that encourage optimal blood flow, heart health, easier digestion, move Liver Qi (believe me, Liver Qi is something you DEFINITELY want to move when you’re stressed), help you de-stress by activating endorphins and releasing toxins out of the muscles, and help you feel better on all levels, but it will also help you feel productive towards dealing with the painful emotions and how they are manifesting.
6. Practice grounding techniques. Grounding your energy is important when you’re moving through trauma, because it will root you when your Mind and Spirit are overwhelmed, and begin to float elsewhere. It will also remind you of your being at its original level, rather than getting caught up in the mental anguish and misrepresentations your ego may be doling up.
7. Include adaptogens in your diet. Adaptogens are healing foods that help balance, restore, and protect the body. Including them in your diet helps you feel less stressed. Some of my favorites include: Red Maca Root (I prefer the powder form), Astragalus Root (known as Huang Qi in Chinese Medicine), Ashwaganda, Panax Ginseng (known as Ren Shen in Chinese Medicine), and Schisandra (known as Wu Wei Zi in Chinese Medicine).
8. Use crystal allies and soul-healing essential oils. Using crystals imbued with the imprint of love can be helpful during times like these (however, make sure you clear them first!) Check out my post, “Crystal Work: How To Use Your Crystals” to learn how to best use them for healing. In addition to crystals that heal the Heart Chakra with love, use grounding crystals that your Root Chakra will love, such as Red Jasper, Hematite, Petrified Wood, Black Obsidian, Bloodstone, Black Tourmaline, and Boji Stones. You can also use specific crystals to help you get to sleep at night, if you’re dealing with insomnia. There are many essential oils that heal the soul. Geranium gently heals your heart with a loving energy, Patchouli will help you feel more grounded, and Frankincense clears your chakras altogether. Anoint yourself when you get out of bed in the morning, before you go to sleep, and as needed during the day for healing support.
9. Clear and protect your energy. When you are feeling vulnerable, it can leave your energy field open, too. Sometimes, too open, allowing other peoples’ energies into your system. The reason why this is not helpful is because while some people may vibrate highly, others may vibrate more densely. And, if you end up sharing company with those who are not in light, you will erroneously identify their energy as your own, leaving you in a worse state than when you began! In addition, you leave yourself open for psychic vampires who could gleefully leech your remaining precious energy away. The way to address this energy override is to take control of it. You do this by clearing your energy and protecting it.
10. Be selective of where you invest your energy. When we need to regain stability in our lives, the last thing we need to be doing is spreading ourselves too thin. Overcommitting ourselves with appointments, events, meetings, and tasks during a time like this is a recipe for disaster and burnout! Do only what you need to do, and leave the rest for when you are feeling stronger. Being selective with where you put your energy also extends to spending time with the right people. If you spend time with people with negative mindsets and lower vibrations, your energy will drain immediately. Conversely, if you surround yourself with supportive and nourishing company, your Qi will benefit immensely!

What are your favorite ways to stabilize your Body, Mind, Spirit, and Heart when you are feeling destabilized?
I’d love to hear about it in the comments, below!

May you be surrounded by angels of comfort and protection,

 

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All information on this website is my own opinion, and not to be taken as medical advice. Reliance on any information provided on this website is solely at your own risk. Please refer to your medical practitioner before making any medical decisions.