Although wishing others more peace than I wish for myself may prove a wise stance when individuals present their emotional baggage, facing the masses unarmed makes it virtually impossible. Choosing judgment, frustration, and anger, rather than compassion, empathy, and love misaligns our intentions for a happy, peaceful, openhearted existence. Our indirect, internal conversations from our past lay beneath the surface and blur authentic communication, subjecting us to misunderstandings, complications, and painful interactions. Releasing one’s past, healing old wounds, and establishing independent reactions are possible and enable new responses that correspond with our thinking, heartfelt feelings, and desire for peaceful outcomes. When healing exists, triggers become delinquent.

Yet often words and emotions heard and felt as a child come barreling out of a metaphoric gun to shoot, maim, and injure innocent bystanders of our future. Each experience aligns with the next, affecting our ability to handle social and emotional situations. The past has each of us speaking with mothers, fathers, and a variety of hosts from a person’s past long after their influence was assumed vanquished. Perceptions are made, blame is handed out, and hurt is buried within the masses, affecting current day social behavior.  Anger, resentment, a need for control or to be right may have a ‘meetup’ with current situations and one’s reaction similarly feels and responds with a repeat performance from our pasts.

Triggered by history, harrowing effects felt within the human body, blood pressures may rise, cortisol levels may climb, and numbing agents may be sanctioned to alleviate the discomfort of past trauma. Numbing emotions through eating continue to plague the masses. Wanting to thwart the pain, rather than feel uncomfortable creates self destructive behaviors, undesired pounds accumulated, and narrows the path to optimum health, sometimes squeezing it out entirely.

Changing mindset, acquiring tools alleviating old reactions, and establishing novel approaches to newly define situations are crucial to heal elements that trigger self-sabotage, opponent-based interactions, and emotional upheaval. Recognizing and learning from lessons of the past often is the first step to healing. Freeing oneself from remaining entrenched in the past is step two. Self-respect, self-love, and self-acceptance finalizes the process, eliminating actions that misalign with one’s integrity.

All actions and responses made from a place of love, peace, and harmony alleviate any strikes inflicted by another. Viewing another’s hurt, pain, and struggle, from an understanding, compassionate, empathetic angle alters the outcome. When a fire attempts to spread, the flame is expunged by water created by a peaceful response. When a gun points and aims, the reaction is to defend with a superhero’s shield of love. When a ninja strikes without warning, the defense more powerful is a heartfelt connection of empathy, compassion, and blessing for the attacker, “I wish him more peace than I wish for myself.”

Reaching this poignant place is a process of trial and error, reaching a nirvana of self-love, and continuing to experience meditative, calm, and still surroundings. Fearless, peaceful, loving responses alleviate the triggers that misalign avenues to optimum emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Easy in theory, a lifelong learning process, and a practice perfecting peaceful interactions challenges painful pasts and relinquishes opposition. Releasing that which triggers us, we move with greater consciousness through the world. When we are healed, no longer will we be triggered.

“We will continue to be triggered until we are healed.” – Louise Hay