How to deal with just about anything

Interview with Sangitama by Yasha

Yasha: Sangi, in these challenging times, and with the news & social media bringing issue after issue to our attention, how do you manage to stay positive?

Sangi:  Well, said in the simplest way: Love is always the answer. Because it fundamentally is the energy that fuels and nourishes everything. We need it to feel good, to feel positive. Love makes the magic happen in your life.

And how do you get to that?

Every situation I am in shows me what position I am taking. Do I let myself get infected by the fear of others and withdraw, am I resorting to blaming or complaining about my circumstances, do I go numb and indifferent? Or, I could be curious and inquire within what my position is in what’s happening: What is my inner truth? And I always find that if I am not aligned with love, it’s not my truth, either.

How do you know what a position of love looks like in these situations?

If I am tense, stressed and negative, then I know I am not in a position of love. Then I know I need to breathe and relax, not to fight with the people around me or put more pressure on myself. When my body goes into relaxation, then I’m aligned with love. When my thoughts are kind, forgiving, and wishing the other person well, that’s a sign that I am aligned with love, and I’m creating good energy for myself and the world. No matter what happens on the outside, I can always look for that position and make that choice.

Do you have any more practical examples on how to choose for love?

Yes, it’s everywhere, really. If I am ill, am I going to suffer, or do I take this as an opportunity to cleanse and transform, maybe let go of something I don’t need anymore? If I am lonely, am I going into self-pity and depression, or am I choosing for love, which means reaching out for a connection? The trick is to find out what is needed; and often it starts with relaxation and kindness towards yourself.

How exactly do you move towards love? When I am all stressed out and tense and upset, it often seems very far from where I am standing…

Yes, sometimes it can be difficult to come up with another way of looking at things. That’s why my number 1 resource is sensing my body. It’s always there, and I can always notice and relate to the sensations that come up. It’s very simple, already just being present with my breathing can do the trick and bring me back to myself. It gets me out of my head and the stories that are circulating there, and it brings me into contact with what’s my part in this whole situation. Feeling the body can sometimes be intense, but there is always a way back to an inner balance. It’s something that I can do for myself, any moment, and I will always get an answer.

Ah, that sounds great. Are there other things you do that help you (re)connect with a positive attitude?

I love going swimming in the cold water, or taking a cold shower. It refreshes me, brings me back into the moment and into my body, and it’s good for the nervous system. It’s like a reset.

I also love dancing; it’s such an easy and straightforward way to change one’s position, literally. Maybe it’s too easy, that’s why we usually don’t think of it (laughs).

I also like to take space to sing a song, one that I like and that resonates with how I feel in the moment. While I’m singing, I’m processing what’s happening inside, I realign, and I end up feeling good.

Do you ever doubt if staying positive is the right way? Maybe it would help if we all freaked out? (laughs)

I believe that everything that happens has a purpose. It has a message for me, a learning. That’s what makes life interesting! So when I feel negative, it’s a sign that I need to check out where I am at. It doesn’t mean that there is something wrong, it just means that there’s a fantastic learning that waits for me to discover it. When I am being open and curious, it will happen, and in the moment it does, the good feelings will come. There’s nothing to be scared of.

And if ever you are in a situation where you cannot find a position of love – drop the whole thing; you’re caught in a mindfuck. Instead, give your attention to the things around you where you can imagine love, and then move towards it.