Our local Bangladeshi restaurant has a telephone message that really tickles me. “One of our agents will be with you as soon as possible…” Since the restaurant is called, “The Taj,” I now tease them about being, “Agents of Taj,”!!!

But what is an ‘Agent’?

An ‘Agent’ is someone who has ‘agency’.

An ‘agency’ is an “action or intervention producing a particular effect.”  [www]

As Moodscopers, there’s a lot that can happen to us over which we have no agency. We may be subject to chemical imbalances. Life’s circumstances may prove to be overwhelming. There may be forces ‘outside’ that become too much for us to cope with without assistance.

And yet, as Agents of Moodscope, there is so much we can take action on, intervening to produce a more desirable result…

For simplicity, let’s use the three categories: Body, Soul, and Spirit.

The Body is the easiest.

We know that by becoming conscious of our breathing, we can influence our heart rate and emotional state. Breathe, Agent of Moodscope, Breathe. I still relish my Nan’s gentle encouragement to “Count to ten, dear!” We also know that changing our physical position shifts the emotional state associated with each posture. And we know for sure that movement matters. If stuck, move! Walk, skip, run, dance. If you need a shift in mood, shift yourself!

Soul is usually understood as the Mind, the Will, and the Emotions. Do we have agency here? Most certainly we do!

Imagine have a garage or loft full of boxes that need to be sorted. Your will may be reluctant to make a start, but that very same ‘Will’ can ‘will yourself to have a go, starting, perhaps with a deliberately low commitment. For example, “I’ll give it 30 minutes…” Will yourself, Agent of Moodscope!

As for the mind, I’ve seen recently souls tormented by their past – and refusing to forgive themselves. This is a peculiar form of stubbornness. Forgiving oneself is not the same as pretending something didn’t happen! You may have committed the most serious of crimes against humanity, but remaining unforgiving towards yourself is like drinking a slow-acting poison as self-punishment. How much better to forgive yourself, and, as far as you can, to make amends.

As for Emotional Mastery… let’s leave that for another blog, another day.

Spirit is more transcendent. And yet, I still believe we have agency here too. So many of us talk of finding peace whilst being out and about in Nature. We can pursue deep peace. Isn’t it also fascinating that so many languages use the same word for spirit and breath?

So, rise up, as an Agent of Moodscope and make a difference by making a difference!

What are your strategies to shift state or mood or energy?

Lex

A Moodscope member