Centered in the Storm: Seeing the Hidden Structure of Our Reactions

Have you ever been going about your day—feeling fine, grounded, relatively peaceful—when suddenly something small happens and you’re thrown completely off center?

A comment. A look. A tone. A situation shifting unexpectedly.

And before you even understand why, your body tightens, the mind races, emotion surges, and you feel swept into an inner storm.

We’ve all been there.

This Sunday’s talk, Centered in the Storm, invites us to look more closely at what is actually happening in those moments—not at the surface level, but at the level where real spiritual transformation occurs.

The Hidden Structure Behind Every Reaction

When something triggers us, it feels like our emotion is caused by the event. But as Ernest Holmes teaches:

“We do not see things as they are; we see things as we are.”

What knocks us off center isn’t the situation—it’s the hidden assumption beneath it.

A hidden assumption is an unconscious belief that quietly shapes how we interpret life. These assumptions aren’t logical; they’re structural. They operate faster than thought:

• “I’m not safe.”

• “I’m going to be rejected.”

• “I should be doing better.”

• “I have to fix this.”

• “Someone will be disappointed in me.”

We don’t say these out loud. We often don’t even know we’re carrying them.

But they run the entire emotional episode.

Here’s how it works:

The Construct (What Creates the Storm)

1. Something happens

2. We instantly interpret it

3. A hidden assumption shapes the meaning

4. A familiar “self” activates

5. Emotion surges

6. We feel off-center, pressured, or overwhelmed

It’s fast. Automatic. And completely unconscious—until we learn to see it.

The Moment of Power: Deconstruction

Spiritual growth isn’t about pushing feelings away or forcing ourselves to “be positive.” It’s about seeing the structure clearly enough that it loses its power.

Michael Beckwith says:

“When we become conscious of the unconscious, we become free.”

Deconstruction simply means looking honestly at what’s underneath the reaction.

Here is the simple, direct way to do it:

1. Notice the reaction.

What emotion is here?

2. Ask:

“What must I believe right now for this reaction to make sense?”

This reveals the hidden assumption.

3. Ask:

“Who is the ‘me’ that this belief is describing?”

Most people discover that this “self” is a role, an old identity, a conditioned idea—not the truth of who they are.

4. Breathe. Look again.

The belief often dissolves simply by being seen.

And what’s left is the centeredness that was there all along.

How This Brings Us Back to Center

When we see the assumption, we stop reacting from it. When we stop reacting from it, it stops running us. When it stops running us, we rediscover the peace and clarity we never truly lost.

This is what Ernest Holmes meant when he wrote:

“We already live in the Divine Presence; we simply awaken to it.”

You don’t become centered. You return to what is already true when the storm quiets.

And the storm quiets when the hidden structure is seen.

Why This Matters Now

We are a community committed to awakening, healing, and living a conscious life. That means we don’t just want second-hand inspiration. We want direct experience.

This week’s message is an invitation to:

• look honestly

• see clearly

• notice the structure

• question what’s beneath it

• reclaim the peace that is always present

• stand centered even when life moves

This is practical spirituality at its best—applied, embodied, lived.

A Reflection for the Week

When something stirs you, pause and ask:

“What unseen assumption is shaping this moment?”

The more willing we are to look, the more the old patterns loosen their grip, revealing what Holmes called “the inner light that has never been dimmed.”

I look forward to exploring this deeply with you on Sunday.

With love,

Rev. Tracey