The four domains of resilience
Personal resilience is fundamental for our transformational work. We can only build resilient communities if we are resilient ourselves. Resilience is holistic, and it touches at least four domains of
Personal resilience is fundamental for our transformational work. We can only build resilient communities if we are resilient ourselves. Resilience is holistic, and it touches at least four domains of our lives.
I Physical and mental resilience
Strong emotions and reactions point us to something that has not yet healed. That could be an experience that’s not fully integrated, an illness that’s suppressed instead of processed, or an aspect of our self with which we are not aligned. The more we heal ourselves and integrate all those fragmented pieces of our lives, the more resilient we become. That’s the first stage of physical and mental resilience: healing ourselves.
The second is our ability to deal with whatever shows up. Those strong emotions and reactions show up mostly in situations where we do not welcome them. The circumstances could be challenging, and we fear being overwhelmed. Being resilient is the ability to stay upright even amidst internal turmoil. It means being able to hold strong emotions in such a way that they don’t interfere with our current situation, without the need to suppress them. We contain them, and sometimes we might put them to one side until we find a quiet moment to work with and dissolve them.
II Societal resilience
Good parties work best when you have a clear understanding of whom to invite and whom to exclude. This principle applies to your daily life as well. Everything you take in is a form of nourishment; it can be nourishing and healthy, or it can be toxic. We are living in a toxic culture, and we can only reshape our societies if we remain sane. Our technology is a significant source of stress. Not only do we have constant access to information from around the world, but this information is deliberately crafted to capture our attention and evoke strong emotions. We need to choose when and how we consume information and media, and when and how we communicate with each other. We must understand how technology and societal communication affect us and influence our actions and reactions.
III Financial resilience
The word “wealth” comes from “well”, and in its original usage it meant “well-being”, similar to the German word „Wohlstand", which literally means that everything is in good order. Thus, being wealthy and resilient means having and enjoying everything we need, no more and no less.
For most of us, money rules our lives. We either try to successfully play its game, or we attempt to avoid it because we do not want to be manipulated. We are resilient when we are the master, not the servant, and when we know how to manage money so that we can control our lives. Money is simply a means, a medium for social interaction; it’s a fundamental part of our societies and culture. Certainly, the way we have constructed it is toxic, and we need to change that. We live in a greedy culture, constantly confronted with what we might need or lack. That sense of neediness reveals our inner deprivation. Once we heal that, we can be at peace with money and its culture. And we will be able to effect change that creates a nourishing wealth culture.
III Spiritual resilience
We are an active part of the infinite intelligence in which we are all embedded. This relationship can nourish, support, and guide us if we allow it. Most often, we don’t. Sometimes, we engage in a spiritual practice that imposes a sort of obedience. At times, we hold onto the belief that we are unworthy, unimportant, deceitful, or failures. Like every living being, we are a gift—to ourselves and the world. We are here to enjoy our lives in all dimensions and aspects, even those we tend to avoid. We are unique, and we ought to unfold and explore that uniqueness. It is our true self. Only by fully embodying that self can we gain our strength. This self possesses both a bodily dimension and a spiritual one. We must appreciate and nurture both to unlock our potential.
Resilience is not a fixed state; it’s an ongoing process. It evolves as life evolves and as we change. Like everything else, it’s a path to our true selves, and the genuine nature of who we are.
If you want to read more:
https://www.onunfamiliarground.org/p/fundamentally-resilience-is-self