But to set the foundation for this article, just know that there were two halftime shows this year. Without getting into the specifics of who they were or why this occurred, let’s just say they seem to reflect the polarizing beliefs that exist in our country right now, primarily politically, but also on an identity level. What I’m going to share today is why, no matter which side you find yourself on, you may be missing something.

I use social media primarily for business purposes, but I’m still connected to many people on spaces like Facebook. I noticed a pattern in the two to three days following the Super Bowl last Sunday. One person would post their opinion about one of the shows, “I loved the Super Bowl A halftime show!” or “I hated the Super Bowl B halftime show.” Those were the nicer comments, if you can imagine.

Then, without fail, a handful of people would agree, and a handful would respond with the opposite opinion, usually fueled by disbelief, anger, or disgust. It was like an open forum for people to self-identify based on a musical act.

Now, without claiming right or wrong regarding why you may have been drawn to one halftime show or the other, which would just turn this into another one of those posts, seeing these reactions made me realize that there is something we are missing as a people. If there’s a way we can make this small shift, I believe it could be the beginning of the change that not only needs to happen, but that I believe is inevitable. And it may not shock you to hear me say that it has everything to do with prana.

There is one thing about all of this that does not compute with my beliefs about the world and the foundational wisdom behind energy.  Energy healing is built on the understanding that everything, including you and me, is energy.  Think of this as the bioplasmic field that surrounds and makes up our body and everything we are.  This may be a stretch for some of you to wrap your head around, but this field is actually the more fundamental state of us.

We are more than just the low-vibration energy that forms the density of the physical body.  Because we can physically see and feel the body, it is how most of us identify ourselves.  This could be a whole book in itself, so for now, let’s simply acknowledge that we are a collection of high- and low-vibration energy fields that extend beyond the physical body.

Even if one believes in the Big Bang, there is still an intelligent organizing principle behind unimaginable complexities like a growing flower, the human brain, and the human heart.

If I haven’t lost you yet, we’re almost there.

Given that there is a source of all things, and that we are all made of the same essential energy, one can derive that everyone is part of that source.  In Pranic Healing, this is called the Principle of Oneness.  It means that everything in the universe, seen and unseen, including individuals, nature, and energy, is fundamentally connected and part of one indivisible consciousness.

For simplicity, let’s call this consciousness “God.”  And for simplicity’s sake, let’s say that each of us carries a “divine spark”, a part of that source within us.

Hopefully, you can see where this is going.

Whether you like or dislike Bad Bunny, Kid Rock, or the angry man down the block who seems to deserve your criticism, we begin to see that they and we are made of the same fundamental energy.  Yes, we come from different backgrounds.  Yes, we hold different beliefs.  Yes, we face different struggles. But at the core, we are the same.

Where things become distorted is when we believe that if someone doesn’t see life the way we do, our safety, security, or happiness will collapse.  So we attack what is different.  We defend our beliefs as “obviously right” and label others as “obviously wrong.”  But there is an alternative approach.

One can hold strong beliefs, especially political ones, and still trust that the Source we all come from is intelligent, purposeful, and not accidental.  One can trust that, in the larger arc of existence, things will ultimately be okay.  It may take time. It may not unfold the way we expect.  But history and personal experience both show that what once felt catastrophic often resolves, transforms, or becomes a hidden blessing.

With that faith comes freedom.  Freedom from the need to force our beliefs onto the world through criticism, anger, or hatred.  We can stand up for what we believe.  We can disagree.  But we can do so with kindness, respect, and compassion, because we know that beneath the surface differences, we share the same essence.

It is not our job to fix everyone else.  Change begins within.  Change happens through inspiration, not insistence.  When you live the life you believe to be good, you either inspire others, or you learn, grow, and then inspire others.

When we place all our focus outward, we move away from oneness and contribute to division.

So let people hold their opinions, whatever they may be.  Focus instead on becoming the best version of yourself.  Try to cultivate even a small measure of compassion for someone who thinks differently than you.  Seek understanding rather than dismissal.

​​​To deny another’s humanity is, in a subtle way, to deny the Source itself, and ultimately to deny yourself the inner peace that is available to you and so deeply needed in the world today.