Civil Unrest Leads to... Self-Exploration?
The universe has an interesting way of forcing us to "do the work."
Trauma-Bonded in South America
I arrived in Cusco on Monday, December 12th, around 12:00 PM. Shortly thereafter, airports in Cusco and Lima—both of which I traveled through hours before—were closed due to protestors storming the tarmac. The country experienced civil unrest following the detainment of ex-president Pedro Castillo. Protestors swarmed the streets in major cities throughout Peru, including Cusco.
I sat and listened to other travelers as they shared stories about walking for hours to relocate to my current hostel, who had to cross through blockades and ward off demonstrators throwing glass bottles through the air. I woke up to the smell of smoke sifting through the windows and the outdoor spaces of my hostel on Wednesday morning.
I was reminded of the protests in New York City during the murder of George Floyd. Though the political contexts are different, the reactions are the same: a flood of emotion escalating to civil unrest. As a therapist, I get it. Chaos typically ensues when a majority of people feel unheard. The demonstrations in Peru are no different.
I felt oddly calm amidst the disorder. I was physically safe, surrounded by other travelers who experienced similar feelings of shock and uncertainty, and all of us were looking out for one another—the definition of a trauma bond.
The irony of landing in a new country, with the intention of exploring the innermost parts of myself, and being forced to stay within the confines of my hostel is certainly not lost on me. I took advantage of the sign from the universe to sit with my thoughts and start “doing the work.”
Since arriving in Cusco—regardless of the political turmoil—I’ve felt a longing for home; I crave normalcy and routine. My sudden upheaval from all things tangible that I’ve sought comfort in, like the feel of my Brooklinen sheets, or the familiarity of a first-world shower and skincare routine, pushed me so far out of my comfort zone that I almost forgot how to regulate intrinsically. Arriving in Peru forced the realization upon me that I could not care for myself in absence of materialistic comfort. What a demoralizing realization to have amidst a community of Peruvians who were quite literally fighting for their basic autonomies.
When the craving for home begins to creep in, I remind myself that my travels through South America are not supposed to be easy. I set out on this adventure to learn more about myself as a human—for better or for worse. It is my responsibility to deepen my understanding of how others perceive me, so that I can make conscious choices on how to move forward. Some of these new insights have drastically altered my own self-perception; I unveiled new layers of shame and embarrassment that I am now working through.
Throughout the next few months, I will lean into meditation as I begin to separate myself from these new perceptions, and reflect on the following mantras:
✨ I am not a product of my environment.
✨ I can make an active choice.
I am curious about what is to come knowing that I am consciously attempting to let go of feelings of discomfort. Will I settle into a new sensation of comfortability in South America, or will I simply accept that I am uncomfortable outside of my typical environment?
These next few months hold some professional updates, as well:
I am launching a 30-Day Relationship Upgrade course for couples hoping to:
Strengthen foundational skills needed for effective communication
Learn to negotiate needs and compromise to enhance conflict resolution
Reinforce connectedness and nurture emotional intimacy
I hope to have the course ready for pre-launch as early as January 7th. As a subscriber, you will gain access to the course ONE WEEK before it is released to the public!
🌶 Reminder: Valentine’s Day is February 14th. NOW is the time to spice up your relationship with the 30-Day Relationship Upgrade.
I am continuing my “Self-Aware in 25 Days” challenge into 2023 in an interactive, membership-based group. I LOVE how so many of you have shared your responses to my daily stories, and I want these conversations to continue. It is clear that we can all lean on one another for support in our self-awareness journeys, so I am opening the conversation up to a group focused on healing their relationships with the Self in the New Year. Members will gain access to:
Daily questions for self-reflection that foster awareness and intuition.
Weekly livestreams, where I will answer questions from the group that come up throughout the self-exploration process.
Intuition-enhancing resources, like guided meditations, mantras, and journal prompts.
Support with interpreting the Self-energy in spiritual exercises, like tarot and meditation.
Exclusive access to the member group chat, so everyone can bounce ideas off of one another and connect on their journeys.
💫 Be on the lookout for announcements about the Spiritually Self-Aware group, launching 2023!