Snap

Snap is one of those interesting words that sounds like what it means. It is one of many onomatopoeic words. (Class, say that three times… fast!)

For a moment, lets think about the sound of snap. The ‘sn’ can be elongated for effect, and is a constant and even flow of sound. At the ‘a’, there is a building of tension that is quick. It would be awkward to elongate the ‘a’, though one could.

And then, at the ‘p’, we release all of the tension at once.

Now think about an event this describes. Have you ever tried to break a branch in half, one that was just  cut from a tree? Because it is pliable, it doesn’t break as readily as a dead limb would. It bends. So we must keep adding pressure until we reach its threshold – and then snap!

Now you can snap a twig, you can snap your fingers, you can snap a snap, but you can also – simply – snap! And surely you’ve all seen someone snap. Their face contorts from a normal expression to one of pain, hurt, or anger. What follows the snap is a rather torrent emoting.

And yet, despite its gruffness, there is a way to snap with grace. And by that I don’t mean grace, as in graceful, but grace as in with the support of spirit.

Last night, in a dream, it was described to me this way. When someone snaps, they release energy (emotion) they’ve been holding on to for a long time.

Many years ago, a colleague of mine had this wise saying hung up in his cubical:

You are not punished for your anger, you are punished by your anger.

For whatever reason, that saying really struck me and has stayed with me ever since. And it does make sense. How often does one break something in anger only to have to fix or replace it later. Or how about when we say something in anger that we later regret. Certainly the expression of anger can punish us. It can hurt us or others (physically and/or emotionally). And it can change the course of a relationship, a job, or whatever permanently.

But all of this need not be so. It is possible to release “negative” energy without creating other “negative” energy. It is possible to release our pain without creating more pain. And that’s what I call snapping with grace.

So, why, seemingly out of the blue, am I talking about snapping in the first place? Well, it’s the word that came to mind when I considered what’s just ahead, Astrologically speaking.

Take a look at this chart:

That’s less than a week away. AND, many of those squares are already in play! That is an awful lot of tension to experience at one time. I suspect that under that kind of pressure, there’s going to be a lot of snapping. People will snap, things will snap, “camel’s backs” will snap. And in each and every case, there will be a release of some energy that was previously held.

In my dream, spirit told me that when a single person snaps with grace, the entire universe benefits because the sum total of negative energy held is reduced. Think about that the next time you see an accident, an argument, an emotional break down, or some other form of snap. Not all of them will create a net reduction of negative energy, but some will!

The snap is never pleasant to experience. Even the person snapping feels out of control before the relief sets it. And if they don’t understand the process of snapping, they might create more fear around it than relieve (regret being a form of fear).

So I am writing this post today so that we can co-create. So that we can intend and support snapping with grace. Many of us might not need to snap or even be witness to it, but we can still hold space for those people or situations that will snap.

One last thing to consider – death is another form of snap. It takes a huge amount of energy to maintain life. There are many levels of consciousness at play: every cell, every organ, every atom, and the being that sits inside of it all. At the moment of passing, all of that tension releases. First the soul moves on, then the body stops functioning, soon the atoms are set free. If we consider that time and space are illusions, the only thing that has changed is the construct of a life story. No one goes away, the story of their life simply ends.

Many years ago when my grandmother was alive, she came for an extended visit. During that trip, her dog died. My mother called to tell me about it and asked that I convey the news – in person rather than on the phone. This was no pleasant task, but what occurred surprised even me. When I told my grandmother what happened, she snapped.

My grandmother moved into a state of wailing grief I had never witnessed before (or since), and it lasted for quite a while. In shock, I held her hand feeling profound powerlessness. The me of today would probably see the whole situation differently.

This may sound really strange, but sometimes, in readings, when someone breaks down and sobs, I am tickled. I literally feel angels and guides rejoicing over the release and I feel profound joy in that moment. That’s because of the sacredness of the space, and the celebration over the letting go of pain. To witness a healing with an understanding of what is happening is truly joyful.

My grandmother was wise beyond her knowing. Her torrent grieving was the healthiest thing she could have done in that moment. When she passed years later, I held on to my grief for years. I don’t recommend it.

If some are already angry or in pain, let them snap. Let them release all of that hurt. And let’s all pray for snapping with grace so that the sum total of pain in the world can be reduced thus making life on this blue sphere a little bit lighter than it has been.