Toxicity

What does it mean to be toxic?

In the spiritual and healing communities we hear this word thrown around a lot. I myself even use this word a lot and have grown to understand what it means but I feel at times don't always go in depth of explaining what it really means and why one would use this term versus another. I think in this community we tend to be overly saturated using labels or pushing agendas as opposed to taking full responsibility for how we show up fully as an authentic human being.

Things that may come to mind when you hear this word might be someone who is embodying only negative behaviors like a drug addict or someone who struggles with addictions or obsessive behavior. Or maybe someone who is abusive, overly critical of others, someone who is selfish and exerts control over others. The list can go on and on in terms of these really drastic examples, all of which are true in terms of what toxicity can represent, but there is more to the word.

According to Merriam Webster, toxic is defined as the following:

Definition of toxic (Entry 1 of 3)

1: containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation toxic waste a toxic radioactive gas an insecticide highly toxic to birds 2: exhibiting symptoms of infection or toxicosis the patient became toxic two days later 3: extremely harsh, malicious, or harmful toxic sarcasm 4: relating to or being an asset that has lost so much value that it cannot be sold on the market

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toxic

So from this definition it almost refers to death or to cause death. If we want to break this down to be "toxic" would be doing destructive things to yourself or others that can lead to "death." Death doesn't have to mean no more life but that you are no longer living life fully as a result of "toxic" behaviors/patterns/thoughts.

When we embark on healing, we are being asked to confront our true selves that includes our toxic patterns/behaviors/thoughts and much more, our shadow side you can say. Toxicity is merely the opposite of innocuous or you could say even safe. So as with anything in life there is duality. You wouldn't fully know yourself and what you're capable of without acknowledging your own toxicity or shadow self. When we engage in toxic thought forms, behaviors, patterns, etc. it reminds us actually how much we can use that energy in the opposite direction to become innocuous or find safety within. Wherever focus goes energy flows, so when we are deep in our own darkness just know if you're able to channel all of your energy into that darkness then the opposite can be said that you're capable of channeling that same amount of energy towards more positive and safer things in your life as well, you just have to learn how to and that starts with knowing what is toxic in yourself.

We tend to want to use toxic as an external word like, oh that negative thought isn't my own thought it comes in and bothers me, or that person is toxic and they ruin my life or this negative pattern keeps happening to me. Taking a very victim and personal account on viewing toxicity as opposed to realizing that toxicity is a trait that YOU possess, meaning YOU are the one operating from that space of toxicity, that person that YOU keep dealing with, YOU are allowing that person to be in your life. Those thoughts that YOU keep feeding grow into something bigger. We have the ability to transform anything that enters our space, we are the creators of our own reality. It is important to remember that we are the drivers of our lives and that we get to choose what thoughts we invest in, what people we allow in our lives, what actions we take in life and that starts with changing the way we view our circumstances, taking responsibility for what is going on in our life. We have to take ownership of what is happening and start to make the internal shifts so that we can release those burdens and turn a new leaf.

As always keep shifting your perspectives and finding the delights in everyday moments.

Love and Light,

Kate

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