Yesterday morning I reached for something in the cupboard and a vase leapt off the shelf and shattered into a thousand pieces when it hit the floor. I spent the better part of an hour vacuuming and cleaning up the mess. Glass shards flew everywhere.
At first I was irritated with myself for not being more present when I opened the cupboard door. But then I recognized this as a gift. The remainder of the stress and anxiety I had been feeling since the middle of November released with the breaking of the vase.
This is not the first time things have broken in order to release built-up energy. At one memorable weekend in the medicine wheel, we broke the glass from a picture frame, the glass lid to a crockpot, and a glass bottle of Rescue Remedy. Although the details of what we were working with that weekend escape me, I remember acknowledging that these objects took the hit for us – so that the group wouldn’t have to experience a direct release in a potentially more harmful or uncomfortable way.
This extra energy is created in certain situations when we are not aware of our feelings –particularly the more volatile energies such as anxiety, anger, and frustration. The term is “kinetic energy.” Kinetic energy has movement and life to it – similar to electricity. When we are particularly ungrounded and unaware of our energy, it grows until it finds a release or exit. In my case yesterday, it caused the vase to break.
This same phenomenon also explains why when we are hurried, frazzled, or frustrated our computers, cell phones, and other electronics may go on the fritz. They are responding to the build-up of kinetic energy. Often, if we put down our devices for a few minutes and walk around the block or get a drink of water, they will work normally again when we come back because the energy has been released.
I’ve learned about kinetic energy in doing compassionate depossession. In extreme cases, kinetic energy creates poltergeists. If a lost soul who has not gone to the light carries a lot of anger or frustration, the residents of the home can experience paranormal activity like items flying off shelves or doors slamming shut. Often (but not always) poltergeists are teenage lost souls.
The first time I aided a poltergeist in crossing to the light, my helping spirits guided me to call to Mother Earth and ask her to drain away the kinetic energy before doing anything else. This electrical energy was the fuel that enabled the suffering being to act out and move physical objects. Once the energy was released, I worked with the suffering being and it easily released and went to the light.
In dealing with kinetic energy, whether it’s items breaking or problems with electronics, the answer is being aware of our energy and finding proactive ways to skillfully release our anger, anxiety, and frustration before it builds up to the breaking point. Putting down our grounding cord and calling to Mother Earth to come and take the excess energy is effective. With our grounding cord established, we can also go for a walk and invite the nature spirits to help us release the energy. And of course, breathing deeply always helps.
We can also find ways to express our feelings without venting them at another person. We can journal. In the case of anger, we can hit a pillow. It’s also satisfying to smash clay pots because when they break, they release the kinetic energy. One of my favorites for releasing anxiety is to stand under a hot shower, open my grounding cord, and let the water wash away the anxiety.
When we are present with our feelings and work with them a bit at a time, they don’t build up in a way that is likely to cause harm to ourselves or our physical items. We come back into greater balance again, at greater peace and ease.
This work is real, and it matters.
(This is a stock photo, not an actual picture from yesterday.)
December 28, 2021