It's all about context.
It goes without saying that in order for us to understand why context is so important for living a peaceful life, we need to know what it actually is.
The context of a situation, thought, action, or attitude is a combination of all the circumstances which “add” up – or led – to it.Â
Many times, if you don’t know the context, then words, actions, or events will be misunderstood. Followed up quickly by upset, confusion, or even anger.
Why does it matter?
The reason I’m discussing context today is because it’s an undervalued and underused – yet critical component – of life in general. And it has great leverage over our peace. We live in a fast-moving world, so speed – quick answers and outcomes – are prized above all else. But despite our 24-7 ability to ‘tap’ into information to get all the answers we seek, instantaneously, a lot of the data we gather – while true as it may be – may not be true for you. And that’s because many times the information is taken or given out of context.
Context matters because the meaning of something can completely change depending on who you are, where you are, what your goals are, and so on. This might seem elementary at first glance, but context is something very few of us consider anymore. We tend to make very quick decisions with little consideration, then close the door on it.
Context is so important that I even discuss it in my Reiki 1, 2 and Master course in order to help students navigate the question “What does this or that mean?” whether it’s asked of themselves or by their clients, during a healing session.
Does it really make a difference?
Let us use a quick and simplistic example to make my point: you’re searching online for one of the best food sources of fibre. You find a reputable site that lists out a whole bunch of vegetables, including spinach.
The site correctly answered our question (“what’s one of the best food sources of fibre”) and it stands true on its own (I love spinach by the way). But without considering any context we cannot simply take that information and start gulping down tons of spinach like Popeye and recommend it to all our friends. We have to tap the ‘pause button’ for a second and ask ourselves, “How much will that information benefit or harm me?”
If you’re otherwise healthy but a bit low on fibre or iron, spinach will do you wonders. So off you go searching for delicious spinach recipes. But if you’re struggling with severe Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) then the huge punch of potassium in the spinach might do more harm than good. So you would skip that recommendation for another one with less potassium, like pears.
Does this mean spinach is bad? No, not at all. But depending on who’s going to eat it and their health situation, spinach could be bad.
So it’s easy to see from this little example, the same food can produce two completely different outcomes – all dependent upon the context. Thus context can make a very big difference in formulating the next steps you take (eg. to eat or not to eat a bunch of spinach).
You can now apply this same process to everything else in life. Someone may be acting up and upsetting you – but what is the context of their actions? It doesn’t make negative behaviour right, but would you be more or less likely to get upset if you knew they just lost their best friend in a tragic car accident? Would that knowledge bring out a bit more patience in your response?
This shows us that by simply considering context in our lives and in the lives of others, it can soften our hearts and evoke kindness, understanding, and peace. We just take the time to obtain it.
Let your best self blossom
Sometimes getting real context requires us to dig deeper than a Google search will allow. It can take more time than an ad-break goes for. It may even require us to break away from the endless stream of information coming from everyone else – so we can do some deeper thinking and consideration – on our own.
And we might just have to practice some patience for the benefit of understanding someone else – a simple yet selfless act that tends to bring out the best in each of us.
So go out there and thrive – live, love and learn – and shine your light all while remembering the importance of context. Keep close to heart that a single experience can have different meanings depending on that context. Change the context and see how the answers and responses change – then watch the peace that follows suit in your life.
Thank you so much for your time today, I’m sending you protection and #biglove always 💖
Please note: Topics and comments in this video are not a replacement for counselling and is not medical advice nor should be construed as such. If you’re in a medical emergency, please seek immediate help from your local hospital/emergency services.