The laws of physics say that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. This is in line with the idea that the universe is constantly trying to keep the balance. We see this in our bodies when there are subtle adjustments made when things get out of whack. The question is are your reacting or responding.
I was recently in a class with Dr. Christian de Quincey, author of Radical Knowing, and he introduced us to Bohmian Dialogue (there’s not enough time to go into the particular, but it involves sitting in silence awaiting for thoughts, ideas, etc to bubble to the surface). Anyway, one of the key things I learned was the importance of responding instead of reacting. As Zig Ziglar says, “Reacting is what you do when you take the wrong kind of medicine”.
Reacting is that gut, knee jerk reaction that we believe is a response. Actually it’s almost an instinctual opportunity to pounce on what was just said or done. Reactions are those things we need to keep to ourselves because they don’t further our own journey to wellness. These reactions simply alleviate the build up of tension and we all know what happens when we make hasty decisions without much thought of the consequences.
On the other hand, responses are those times when words or actions strike a chord with our inner mission. They are those instances when we’ve digested the input and assembled a gem that we share with the world. It’s kind of like the pearl in the oyster; we get some input that we turn over and over in our heart and minds and come up with a jewel of a response.
Reactions are impulsive and often not in our best interest. Responses require mindfulness. They encourage us to consider our options and develop a world view that promotes health and healing.
So are your reactive or responsive? How will you develop your responsive nature and try while working to squelch the reactive nature? I’d love to hear how your working toward this goal towards wellness.
Pilgrim Pathway/Surviving Strong 