Paradise Lost or Gained: Dealing with Disappointment or Joy in the Wake of the US Elections

In this week's episode, as the results of the US elections become known, we focus on contrasting themes of disappointment and joy, and how to deal with these in an environment that has been especially polarized. As both US citizens and others process the results, we discuss how individuals on both sides can find peace and unity through compassion and understanding, and offer practical suggestions for dealing both with fear, disappointment and anxiety, and for handling joy and celebration with equanimity and empathy for supporters of a losing side. We reflect on the vision of a harmonious society, drawing inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s concept of a "Beloved Community," in which justice, equality, and love for all humanity prevail. We ask whether this is a Utopian ideal or one that can be put into practice to bridge divides and foster mutual respect in a polarized world? Crucially, in the days following the vote, we look at where our intentions and prayers might now be focused. Whether you are celebrating or mourning, this episode provides guidance on navigating emotions with grace, encouraging a collective intention towards healing and unity. Tune in and discover how we can each contribute to a more harmonious world, while perhaps receiving some comfort and hope if you are among those now feeling despondent. Suggested Intention Focus for this Week: This week, as the US comes to terms with the election of Donald Trump for a second term as its President, following a heavily contested election, we suggest holding as our main intention: We will that all US citizens will be moved by compassion to respect and love their fellow countryfolk, even though they may dislike their politics, words and actions. Please join us in holding this. Supporting websites, books and resources: How to be Mindful when Bad Things Happen – listen again to Ellen’s interview with Brother Dave, offering practical guidance on how we can respond to disappointment or dismay at what’s happening around us https://www.heartfulimpact.com/e/how-to-be-mindful-when-bad-things-happen%e2%80%93brother-dave/  The ‘One Tribe’ Challenge https://www.clivejohnsonministry.com/mOTT.html. A Challenge aimed at building personal resilience in the face of polarised feelings in politics and society. Note the Challenge is now archived and email registration no longer works, but email Clive at [email protected] to get links to the archived video prompts. ‘The Heart of Lovingkindness’ by Clive Johnson on Amazon: https://www.clivejohnsonvoiceovers.co.uk/lp/heartoflovingkindness.html Offers guidance on practicing lovingkindness in different situations. Clive’s daily lovingkindness practice runs from 0730-0750am on Insight Timer. See upcoming events at https://insighttimer.com/cliverj (it’s not necessary to have the Insight Timer app to join). Suggestions and resources to help deal with disappointment: https://www.charliewaller.org/mental-health-resources/managing-difficult-feelings/dealing-with-disappointment-and-rejection https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/how-to/how-to-deal-with-disappointment-and-let-things-go/ https://manhattancbt.com/how-to-deal-with-disappointment/ https://www.redonline.co.uk/wellbeing/a61697558/how-to-deal-with-disappointment/ https://mensline.org.au/how-to-deal-with-anger/how-to-deal-with-disappointment/ Guided meditation for dealing with disappointment – https://insighttimer.com/cliverj/guided-meditations/a-meditation-for-dealing-with-disappointment  Sources referenced in this episode: https://english.mee.gov.cn/Events/Special_Topics/AGM_1/2008agm/meetingdoc08/201605/t20160524_344816.shtml https://chinamediaproject.org/the_ccp_dictionary/harmonious-society/ https://www.hoover.org/research/harmonious-china https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/19thcpcnationalcongress/2010-09/16/content_29714563.htm https://www.r2hub.org/library/25-traits-of-the-beloved-community https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886919305318 Chapter Markers:   00:00:00        Introduction             00:01:38        Disappointment and Joy 00:03:16        Calling for Unity 00:04:32        Principles of a Beloved Community 00:06:32        The Challenge of Distinguishing Facts from Fiction 00:09:40        The Golden Rule and Political Differences 00:10:39         Practicing Lovingkindness 00:11:29         Celebrating Election Wins Mindfully 00:14:31          Dealing with Disappointment 00:19:23          Intentions and Prayers in the wake of the US Election Results 00:20:14          Support Resources for Coping with Disappointment   Join us in person for intention holding:   https://www.legacylabyrinthproject.org/events-1 Labyrinth Activist Network Zoom calls   https://insighttimer.com/cliverj Daily intention holding with Clive on Insight Timer.   Our websites:    www.heartfulimpact.com/   Our show website.   https://globalhealingresponse.com/ Global Healing Response ~ Offers a wealth of prayers, suggested practices and prompts in response to environmental catastrophe, conflict, and other world events.   https://www.legacylabyrinthproject.org/ Legacy Labyrinth Project ~ Creating global energetic connections through the labyrinth; inspiring active intention sending using the labyrinth via labyrinth activism.   https://www.clivejohnsonministry.com/ Clive Johnson Ministry ~ Events and offerings aimed at building beloved community, including weekly energy holding vigils and Power of Eight group.   https://insighttimer.com/cliverj ~ Daily intention holding.   Impact! Is presented by Ellen Bintz and Clive Johnson. It is produced by Impact Productions.   Our show content is hosted by Podbean and available from all major podcast platforms.   Our theme music is by Chris Collins. indiemusicbox.com.   Our logo artwork is by AltoClassic (Getty Images/istock).   Contact us via Facebook Messenger from the Impact! Facebook group, or using any of the contact methods mentioned on our websites.   Impact! www.heartfulimpact.com.