What to Do with Overwhelm

Linda Heron Wind, Ph.D.

The most common thing I hear from people lately is that they feel overwhelmed. They talk about too many things that need doing that they can't seem to get to, or feeling a sense of being lost in their life, not knowing what direction to go. Having felt this myself at different times, I began to contemplate its meaning.

One definition of overwhelm is "to be overpowered by a superior force." In applying this to myself, I would say that the part of me that is feeling overwhelmed is my small self, mind and emotions. So what is overpowering these parts and why? There are probably many answers to the "why" part of this question, but what is overpowering is easy - my Higher Self.

Knowing my mind as I do, even with all good intentions, it spends time trying to figure things out, thinking about what has happened and telling stories about situations, and having concerns about the future. These patterns of response take me out of the present moment and away from anything that is real. Once the patterns are initiated, they seem to run in endless loops that are difficult to break out of and overwhelm sets in. At that point, it feels like my mind throws up its hands and says, "I can't do this! I don't know where I'm going and I don't know what to do, I give up."

If I listen carefully, I can hear my Higher Self's response, "Yes, that is absolutely true, you do not know where you are going and you do not know what to do, so I am glad that you are finally throwing in the towel. Now maybe you will let me handle it and just get about your job of staying in the present moment."

Of course, it often takes a lot of stuff going on before my mind will concede that it is out of control.

So by this definition overwhelm is my Higher Self's way of getting my mind and lower self to turn over the controls of the vehicle we are driving through life. Another definition of over whelm is "being covered or buried beneath a mass of something." The question there is how much stuff do we need to be buried under to finally cry, "Uncle!" and let our Higher Self have the controls.

Now, what to do about feelings of being overwhelmed should be obvious. Let go of whatever you have been holding onto, get out from under the pile of "something," and surrender to your Higher Self. This is easier said than done sometimes, but there are several things that will make it easier:

Stop everything you are doing for a short period of time and just sit and contemplate space for awhile.
Switch gears and do the opposite of whatever you were doing when you felt overwhelmed - be still if you were running around doing things, do something if you were just doing nothing.
Read something inspirational and then take a few deep breaths.\
Do something child-like, like swing on a swing or play under a sprinkler.
Write down everything that you are overwhelmed about and put it on your altar for your Higher Self to handle.
Get a funny movie and laugh.
Most of all, get back to what is here and now and appreciate what is.

If all else fails, just wallow around in your overwhelmed feelings until you are so sick of them that you will do one of the above. I might add that being overwhelmed and lost is an important and natural part of being human. It occurs at times of great change both personally and globally. Some even say that it is a step before a great expansion in consciousness or enlightenment. I have been there many times and am sure that I will return many times more on this journey toward the light.

I feel overwhelmed
When I leave this moment for
The past and future

If you have comments on this newsletter or ideas for future topics,
call Linda Heron Wind at (585) 924-5620 or send e-mail to LHWind@aol.com.

Check out the article about CIRCLE in the D&C
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/news/02042S35QT0_news.shtml

Page last modified Aug 2007 by RMC