28 - On Certainty
The start of a new year, and the start of new things tend to bring a lot of uncertainty, and even anxiety to some people. Even leaving those things aside, looking back over the past two years of the pandemic, our brothers and sisters on a worldwide scale have all been feeling an undercurrent of helplessness. We all crave certainty to some degree, and the ambiguity the past years have imposed upon us feels like a threat - and this prevents our ability to focus on positive and constructive matters.
Our brains and our bodies yearn for certainty, an we are constantly trying to manifest it - whether we acknowledge it or not, we spend a lot of energy on this. But this ignores a fundamental truth, which is that nothing is truly certain. The only thing we can be certain of, is the absence of certainty.
We cannot let this run our lives, and here at the Temple we advise al of you members to actively turn their minds to some strategies to help fight this natural inclination to unproductivity. Remember the First Keystone - Strive to be efficient, competent, and autonomous. These six steps will help.
I. Accept the uncertainty. If you feel an internal struggle, do not fight fruitlessly. Accept the reality, and look forward, build towards the future. This can be difficult, and even depressing at times; accepting bad news foments feelings of despair and disappointment. But remember that acceptance is not the same as quitting, or resigning yourself to the situation. Finding solutions in spite of the uncertainty is the goal.
II. Build yourself up. Invest in your own mind and your own body. Preserving your spirit is the most key thing you can do. Though we may strive to be perfect, none of us do well when we defer self-maintenance. We all need rest when we are tired, food when we are hungry, play when we are seeking joy, and most importantly relationships that bring connection and meaning in our lives.
III. Filter your thoughts. One of the coping mechanisms for uncertainty is your mind thinking and over-thinking about every small thing. Do not take every conclusion at face value. Some of the things you come up with could be mistaken, or founded on poor assumptions - do not immediately believe the worst case scenario. If you catch yourself doing this, look for the silver linings - look for the best-case scenarios as well! All tings in moderation.
IV. Be judicious with your time. Do not mindlessly listen to all sources of information. Remember that uncertainty is not cured by the quest for certainty or solutions. It's direct antithesis is presence, in the moment. Instead of focusing on what we don’t know, or what could be, focus on what currently is, facts and feelings in the moment. Drop the negatives, and build on the positives.
V. Focus on autonomy. As the Paraclete told us in the First Keystone we are to strive to be efficient, competent, and autonomous. Autonomy means we ought not make assumptions and hopes that someone will come along and rescue us. We can feel powerless, but acting in accordance with this only puts us into a vicious cycle that perpetuates negative emotions. Being rescued feels good, but this often enables our problems to continue and may prevent us from taking up the quest to properly care for ourselves and those around us. We do not want to focus on others as heroes, but want to build the hero inside of ourselves and take responsibility for our own life and destiny.
VI. Find the meaning in uncertainty. This echoes the Fifth Keystone - to Seek and follow your calling in life. This asks us to connect to what we know and what is certain. IF we find a problem, we should seek a solution. This gives us meaning and purpose, which are eternal wellsprings of hope and salvation. Do not resign yourself to the uncertainty; instead, chart your own path forward in spite of it.
