Poison in food
If you eat some old fish, you’re going to get sick. When we put poison in our bodies by eating bad food, we notice it.
Poison through all our five senses
Smell fresh flowers or gas exhausting from a car
Hear birds singing or ambulances, police cars, underground city transport
Touch a baby or poison oak
Watch a violent movie or waves in the ocean
Obvious? Yes. Here are less obvious ones.
What we watch
Our social media timeline is full of hate and lies (X “for you” is what it feels to me), violence in newspapers, conflict or war on TV, etc.
If we live in a city or walk through an airport, ads are constantly thrown at us and influence us. There is no way not to see them.
Our consciousness and our thoughts create poison for ourselves
Past guilt about things we did and regret, hopes, or worries about the future. Angry thoughts we spend our day on and live in anger (sooner or later, it might turn into cancer).
What we constantly want can become poison as getting obsessed with being able to acquire something (buy that new car that is going to be so much better than yours) or achieve any status (a politician who wants to win the next election to gain more power). Ambition is poison unless it is an ambition for happiness.
Collective consciousness, conversations, and people we hang out with
Talk to angry people, and we might become angry. Replace anger with obsession, fear, addiction, worry, despair, and stress, and we might become that, too.
I am not even talking about “energy fields,” but poison between people can spread without words. If we live or work where everyone is stressed or sad, looking at their faces will quickly make us sick.
Why are we doing this?
I started observing what I sensed was making me sick in one way or another, including when it was my thoughts. I try to conclude the day by seeing how I created or contributed to creating poison and how I received it anywhere.
We consume sugary food because it’s short-term comforting; we compulsively watch social media or war news or can’t stay a few minutes away from our phones because we need to cover our suffering. It’s easier to cover whatever is inside of us by outside issues and a nonstop flow of thinking, doing, and “busy-ness.”
It is so hard for us to pause. We always need something to occupy the space or do something. We can’t see what we really want from life because we are so busy playing the game society and others impose on us.
How do we avoid the poison?
First, we should see the poison by observing and being aware of it in our environment, others, and ourselves. It isn’t as obvious as it sounds.
This is achieved through calm, silence, and meditation. In other words, by bringing space into our lives to see the poison.
Once we see the poison, avoid it as much as possible. Change where and how we live, who we surround ourselves with, and what we watch, read, hear, and talk. We should avoid creating poison for others.
Bring beauty, love, and calm instead of poison.
We created a meditation group on WhatsApp, where members post when they meditate to generate motivation and positive group consciousness.
Meditation and consciousness at all times create a shield against poison.
Inspired by Silence by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Your insights on how our senses and environments affect our well-being are spot on. Beyond obvious pollutants, our mental landscape is heavily influenced by social media negatevity, distressing news and the never ending ads. These create internal stress and anxiety. Our thoughts and desires can become toxic, with regrets, anxieties, and obsessive ambitions poisoning our peace of mind.
Reflecting on and identifying these sources of poison in our lives, as you sugest, is crucial for mitigating their impact and fostering a healthier mental state. Your practice of daily reflection is a valuable step towards achieving this balance. Thank you Loic and welcome back to your writings, you were missed. ❤️