Something disturbing is happening.

I feel it in the air. Can you?

It’s a ferocious blend of tension, frustration, and desperation.

I always feel this around Election Time. It’s like a crushing wave of anxiety and toxicity, knocking me down full-force.

But I try. I try to remain standing. I try to remind myself that this is just a test, for every single one of us. It’s a way to know ourselves and to move toward higher ground, so that we can experience a deeper connection to all those around us.

This isn’t an article about who I think you should vote for and why, during this current election cycle. This is about all of the underlying angst that is brought to the surface during elections, and what we can do to navigate it.

Because it’s real. I know you feel it.

Social media, the news, the advertisements — it seems that a lot of it, lately, is drenched in the promotion of fear and separation.

Those feelings of fear and separation have been there all the time, in every single one of us. This is why we have conflict, misunderstanding, pain, negativity. We all share this. We all have to deal with the shadow side of ourselves. Some are able to acknowledge it in healthy ways, so that we can move forward and be the best version of ourselves. Others don’t have much of a handle at this, choosing to live their lives in such a way that promotes the fear and separation even further.

But during an election, when everyone has to take sides, those feelings of fear and separation come right up to the surface, presenting themselves with glaring stubbornness. For all of us. And instead of playing the game, instead of drawing the Fear Card and pinning it to our chests, we can do something better. We can use this as an opportunity to go deeper into understanding, into compassion.

All of us have our opinions and justifications for siding with a certain candidate. And we must aim not to demonize anyone who stands in opposition to those opinions and justifications.

We must go deeper than that. We must take a breath and radiate love instead of judgment.

This can be tough sometimes. Especially if the one we are radiating love toward is projecting hate right back.

That’s a steep, rocky mountain that must be climbed with care and patience. And really, the only way you can pull it off is to remain present and centered in your own being.

If you are centered in your own being, you have no reason to prove yourself. No desire to have your ego stroked.

And then the light that is within you can shine out, unfiltered. It can expand in all directions, uninterrupted, for thousands of miles.

Doing this, staying tuned to the inner light, is an art form. It’s not something everyone can do easily.

But it’s worth it.

It’s worth it to remember the love, the joy, and the compassion that exists within every single one of us. It’s worth it to feel those invisible lines of energy that connect us to everything and everyone, on and off this planet.

Don’t give up on the beautiful people you share this world with. Don’t look at them as “other” or “opposite.”

We are all One, whether we realize it or not.

Election time may draw out feelings of separation, judgment, rage, and a thirst for ripping the other side to shreds, but all of that is mere illusion. A distraction from the deeper reality within.

You must find that deeper reality within yourself, so that you can gift it to others.

Please join me in refusing to accept the Fear Card. It’s time, now, to move forward with compassion and love. This world needs it.