This article celebrates my first year as a contributing writer for The Eden Magazine, a conscious LifeStyle magazine. It has been a profound honour to share my thoughts and engage in heartfelt conversations with all of you.
Each article has been written with my heart and soul, with the intention of serving others and illuminating their paths with awareness, love, and light. I hope you can feel it through the words you read.
I want to share something with you all. I had a topic in mind and had already researched it. However, during one of my meditations, I experienced a clarity that urged me to shift direction. It became clear that what I had previously chosen to write about was not urgent at this moment. This inner knowing that, even though I would have had to touch on something delicate, I needed to shift direction. The more I tried to set that idea aside, the more it became evident that I needed to follow my intuition.
Bear with me for a moment. Before you continue reading, I invite you to read this article from your heart.
Take a deep breath through your nose. If it is safe, close your eyes. If not, find a spot on the wall indoors or an inspiring view around you. Breathe out, releasing anything that doesn’t serve you right now.
Bring your awareness to your heart center, observing without judgment. Take a few more deep breaths, and then continue reading.
Have you ever seen a boat drifting aimlessly without an anchor?
It is not a pretty sight, as an unanchored boat can be carried away by wind and current, risking a collision or grounding on shallow land. Without proper anchoring, a boat becomes vulnerable to unpredictable weather, and it creates dangerous situations for the boat and its occupants.
When we reflect on our world and everything happening in it—from political tension to wars, threats of economic conflict, injustice, and natural disasters, to the growing lack of empathy—it becomes clear that we are in a crisis, and we are living the bleeding consequences of collective trauma. This boat metaphor came to mind. It seems that our world is drifting, meaninglessly running aground in shallow waters and finding itself in critical situations as a collective. We are currently experiencing a mental health crisis with alarming statistics.
For example, the American Psychiatric Association’s annual mental health poll shows that “43% of adults feel more anxious than they did the previous year, up from 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022.” 1 This crisis extends to younger adolescents as well, as a study released in mid-2024 found that “suicide among 10- to 24-year-olds increased by 62% from 2007 to 2021.” 2
We are indeed experiencing unprecedented extremes and growing polarization, which is creating divisions like never before. Although it may feel that everything is outside our control and that we cannot change our circumstances, I firmly believe that each of us has a vital role to play.
Now, we may observe the “boat of our world” drifting away, which is unsettling and brings feelings of discouragement, fear, and uncertainty. While these sentiments are valid, the anchor came to my mind as well. I believe in our power to anchor ourselves and become a strong force in our tumultuous world.
But what exactly does it mean to be an anchor, and how can we achieve this?
An anchor provides stability, and it prevents a boat from drifting. When I think of an anchor, words like stable, solid, and strong come to mind, especially during tumultuous weather. An anchor must embody these characteristics to ensure the boat remains secure and does not drift away.
When I was 9 years old, one of my idols was Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison, yet he managed to live freely in his mind. He chose the healing path, refusing to be a prisoner of his thoughts and emotions. His message about the power of forgiveness reminds us that true liberation comes from within, even in the face of immense hardship. As Mandela once said, “We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.”
His teachings continue to play a powerful role in my life and spiritual journey. Now, more than ever, there is a profound call for us to connect with ourselves and heal our wounds to rediscover our true essence, which is love. When we heal, we begin to view ourselves and the world with compassion. Clearing our perspective, clouded by past pain, allows us to see everything through the eyes of our true selves, free from the burden of our suffering.
As we become aware of our conditioning, our coping mechanisms, and their roots, we create positive shifts in our lives and integrate these changes into our daily routines. When we connect with our essence, we recognize that division stems only from the ego. It becomes clear that those who manipulate others and create division are acting out of their trauma and ego.
We then face a choice: we can continue the cycle of division by mirroring the same tactics as those who create them, or we can choose to stay grounded in our essence, in the light and love that we truly are. That is what we become anchored in, and what we know of is light, which casts the darkness of division and separation. When we hold the light, we vibrate energetically in higher frequencies, impacting people around us.
We become catalysts for change. Change is in our personal lives, creating a ripple effect around us. These changes may feel very small compared to the magnitude of distress and craziness in our world, but every person who heals becomes more conscious and connected to their essence. The more light is spread, the stronger it gets. One of Dr. Martin Luther King’s most powerful quotes is, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
If we do not heal our own trauma and break the cycle of generational trauma, we only add to the collective trauma that our world is experiencing. Trauma significantly impacts both the brain and our perception of the world. It seeps into our lives, affecting how we act and react, often without our awareness.
How can we expect to bring about change in the world if we view it through dusty lenses colored by animosity, pain, and a wounded heart? How can we embody the light that we are if we are personally struggling with dark inner waters?
We cannot find a solution to our problems with the same mindset that created them. Although we may not have the power to change our leaders or directly influence their actions, since many of them primarily serve their own interests, we do have the ability to resist falling into the darkness of hate, division, and separation. We can choose not to engage in reactions that only contribute to that darkness.
We have the responsibility to become anchors within ourselves. No one can control our thoughts, beliefs, hearts, or souls. We have the power to do this!
We can be the builders of bridges that promote healing and uplift the energetic frequency of our planet. History shows us that when we unite and work collectively, miracles occur. I believe, with all my heart and soul, that now more than ever, we are called to connect with ourselves, to grow, to embrace this collective shift, and to hold the light for our world.
Love in action means acting from a place of purity, love, and compassion. Each small act can plant seeds that dispel the darkness of animosity and separation.
Everything begins with us and how we present ourselves in our lives. We have the power to choose how we show up in the world each day. By anchoring ourselves in love and light, we can help anchor the world.
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend” – Dr. Martin Luther King.
As we connect with ourselves and increase our self-awareness, we cultivate a love for ourselves and others, vibrating at a new frequency that our world needs to shift. We are certainly navigating tumultuous waters, but in the midst of adversity, great changes can occur. I believe that we all play a crucial role in this collective shift.
Are you ready?
With love and light,
Émilie
References
1. “American Adults Express Increasing Anxiousness in Annual Poll; Stress and Sleep Are Key Factors Imp.” 2025. Psychiatry.org. 2025. https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/annual-poll-adults-express-increasing-anxiousness?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
2. Cornman, Eva. 2024. “Youth Suicide Is on the Rise: Yale Aims to Save Lives.” Yale School of Medicine. September 11, 2024. https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/youth-suicide-is-on-the-rise-yale-aims-to-save-lives/.
by Emilie Macas
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