GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Many ideas, beliefs, philosophies and inspirational people have crossed my path since I realized I had one! These things have impacted my life in many ways, from opening my mind to new possibilities to turning my belief system upside down. What follows are some of the ideas that shape my life and help me to make sense of my experiences. These include:
1. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
2. We have four bodies.
3. A belief system is not static.
4. We operate from one of two places. May I suggest the latter.
5. Energy follows thought.
6. Make peace with paradox.
7. I AM __________ (fill in the blank carefully).
8. Feelings are energy.
1. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
This is so basic that I put it first, yet it is so easy to forget! I am a stream of consciousness that has no beginning and no end. This is Spirit. Occasionally, I drop into the physical world, take on a particular body and personality, stay for a limited time, then move on. Shakepeare said, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts" (from As You Like It). This metaphor is perfect. We arrive in the middle of the play, choose a costume, play our part on the stage, then exit when our scene is finished. Then we choose another costume. This costume is the life we have now. This sure takes the trauma out of dying! And living!
What costume did you choose this time around? Imagine all the variables that make up the human experience. Man? Woman? Heterosexual? Homosexual? What colour of skin? Disease or disability? Mother, brother, priest, hermit? Abuser or abused? Rich or poor? Not to mention birth circumstances (was I a "wanted" baby?) or personality types. What if every one of these factors is designed to give us a particular human experience with particular opportunities for spiritual growth? It changes the way I look at others. And myself.
This is one of the areas in which I experience the most amnesia. I keep forgetting! When I find myself judging another person, I attempt to change my consciousness and remind myself of this principle. This makes us all of the same worth, the same beauty, regardless of how we are expressing ourselves in our current costume. To further stop the judgment, I remind myself of the costumes I must have worn over my many lifetimes. It is worth repeating: we are spiritual beings having a human experience.
What costume did you choose this time around? Imagine all the variables that make up the human experience. Man? Woman? Heterosexual? Homosexual? What colour of skin? Disease or disability? Mother, brother, priest, hermit? Abuser or abused? Rich or poor? Not to mention birth circumstances (was I a "wanted" baby?) or personality types. What if every one of these factors is designed to give us a particular human experience with particular opportunities for spiritual growth? It changes the way I look at others. And myself.
This is one of the areas in which I experience the most amnesia. I keep forgetting! When I find myself judging another person, I attempt to change my consciousness and remind myself of this principle. This makes us all of the same worth, the same beauty, regardless of how we are expressing ourselves in our current costume. To further stop the judgment, I remind myself of the costumes I must have worn over my many lifetimes. It is worth repeating: we are spiritual beings having a human experience.
2. We have four bodies.
We are a complex combination of energy, which can be said of the entire universe as well as an atom. We have four bodies: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. This is expressed as our energy field, or aura. Each body vibrates differently, so that we see and feel the physical body most easily, as it is the densest energy. This is the energetic plane of the material world that we experience through our senses. The other bodies vibrate at levels that most of us don't perceive with the usual five senses, but they are there and just as real. I compare it to other unseen forces in our lives: radio waves, satellite signals, electricity. We accept they are there without question. It is the same with the unseen energies of our subtle bodies. I am certain that if we could "see" these other energies, we would see an amazing mosaic of ever-changing colour and light, a matrix of energy that connects everything, and beautiful angels and spirit guides. If we could only "see", we would remember who we are.
3. A belief system is not static.
I remember when I was young, I had a "belief system". This was based on "truth". I truly thought that what I believed was the truth, maybe not universal truth, but was true for me and I was somewhat stuck with it. How freeing to discover that my belief system is living, breathing, ever-changing. Richard Bach said it beautifully when he wrote: (I am still seeking this quote from The Bridge Across Forever: A Lovestory)
In other words, I will be constantly exposed to new ideas and it is up to me to take them in, try them out, keep what fits and let the rest go. I can also set some aside for consideration at a later time. An open mind is an essential tool for a happy life.
In other words, I will be constantly exposed to new ideas and it is up to me to take them in, try them out, keep what fits and let the rest go. I can also set some aside for consideration at a later time. An open mind is an essential tool for a happy life.
4. We operate from one of two places. May I suggest the latter.
There are many ways to talk about the split that we find within, from biblical to Freudian terms and many more. I will use "ego" and "spirit". We seem to operate from one or the other.
Ego is a powerful force. We often identify with it as it appears to be real, to be the totality of who we are. This is not true. It is the accumulation of defenses and shields we have taken on from birth to protect us from getting hurt, to make sense out of things that we don't understand, and to project a self that we believe will be more acceptable to others. When we are fearful, when we act out of anger, when we feel "better than" or "less than", when we put a steel wall around our hearts so "no one can hurt us", we are coming from ego.
Spirit is, of course, a much more powerful force that is always emerging, like a quiet and gentle whisper. When we feel vulnerable, when we suspect our own power and beauty, when we feel connected to a bud on a tree or a deer in a meadow, our spirit is speaking to us. When we forgive, when we choose to love again, when we welcome our cleansing tears, when we speak up even if it might be against the grain, we are coming from spirit.
Ego leaves us feeling smug, judgmental, self-righteous, suspicious and needy, but deep inside, it feels unsettling. Spirit leaves us feeling joyful, expansive, grateful, loving, serene, connected, happy, harmonious and trusting. It leaves us feeling warm and light inside. It sounds like a simple choice!
It can be a lifelong process to break the iron grip of ego and allow spirit to fully express itself. It is a matter of awareness, taking a risk, trusting and allowing. I have a deck of Mind/Body Makeover cards created by Mona Lisa Schulz that wonderfully depict the difference between the thoughts of ego and spirit. On one end of the card, she writes an ego-based thought. Flip the card around and you get the corresponding spirit-thought. I have chosen a few very relatable samples from this deck. Enjoy, and notice which thought you initially identify with!
1. Ego: I'm not smart enough to succeed. Spirit: When I balance my creativity with discipline and flexibility, I always succeed.
2. Ego: Money is the root of all evil and unhappiness. Spirit: True joy and happiness come from prosperity in many areas of life.
3. Ego: I'm afraid of change. Spirit: If necessary, I am willing to let go of an old identity, lifestyle, relationship or career so I can grow and develop my potential. Every ending is an opportunity for something new to emerge.
4. Ego: Things should be different. Life is unfair. Spirit: I now observe my life from a broad, objective perspective so I can give birth to healthier relationship and career situations.
5. Ego: If people really knew me, they wouldn't respect me. Spirit: My emotional fulfillment and satisfaction radiates to everyone around me.
6. Ego: I'm right, and they're usually wrong. Spirit: By being objective and having clarity, I know that true wisdom always transcends one person being right and the other wrong.
7. Ego: No matter how hard I try, I'll never be good enough. Spirit: With steel-like determination, I build a sucessful, prosperous and productive life.
Ego is a powerful force. We often identify with it as it appears to be real, to be the totality of who we are. This is not true. It is the accumulation of defenses and shields we have taken on from birth to protect us from getting hurt, to make sense out of things that we don't understand, and to project a self that we believe will be more acceptable to others. When we are fearful, when we act out of anger, when we feel "better than" or "less than", when we put a steel wall around our hearts so "no one can hurt us", we are coming from ego.
Spirit is, of course, a much more powerful force that is always emerging, like a quiet and gentle whisper. When we feel vulnerable, when we suspect our own power and beauty, when we feel connected to a bud on a tree or a deer in a meadow, our spirit is speaking to us. When we forgive, when we choose to love again, when we welcome our cleansing tears, when we speak up even if it might be against the grain, we are coming from spirit.
Ego leaves us feeling smug, judgmental, self-righteous, suspicious and needy, but deep inside, it feels unsettling. Spirit leaves us feeling joyful, expansive, grateful, loving, serene, connected, happy, harmonious and trusting. It leaves us feeling warm and light inside. It sounds like a simple choice!
It can be a lifelong process to break the iron grip of ego and allow spirit to fully express itself. It is a matter of awareness, taking a risk, trusting and allowing. I have a deck of Mind/Body Makeover cards created by Mona Lisa Schulz that wonderfully depict the difference between the thoughts of ego and spirit. On one end of the card, she writes an ego-based thought. Flip the card around and you get the corresponding spirit-thought. I have chosen a few very relatable samples from this deck. Enjoy, and notice which thought you initially identify with!
1. Ego: I'm not smart enough to succeed. Spirit: When I balance my creativity with discipline and flexibility, I always succeed.
2. Ego: Money is the root of all evil and unhappiness. Spirit: True joy and happiness come from prosperity in many areas of life.
3. Ego: I'm afraid of change. Spirit: If necessary, I am willing to let go of an old identity, lifestyle, relationship or career so I can grow and develop my potential. Every ending is an opportunity for something new to emerge.
4. Ego: Things should be different. Life is unfair. Spirit: I now observe my life from a broad, objective perspective so I can give birth to healthier relationship and career situations.
5. Ego: If people really knew me, they wouldn't respect me. Spirit: My emotional fulfillment and satisfaction radiates to everyone around me.
6. Ego: I'm right, and they're usually wrong. Spirit: By being objective and having clarity, I know that true wisdom always transcends one person being right and the other wrong.
7. Ego: No matter how hard I try, I'll never be good enough. Spirit: With steel-like determination, I build a sucessful, prosperous and productive life.
5. Energy follows thought.
There are many variations on this theme. Like attracts like. What we focus on expands. The law of attraction. There is power in our intention. The more we put our attention on something, the more of it there is.
All of these things are related, and speak similar truths, so I will gather them together in this section. We have a lot of power in our mind and in our thoughts, and it is very important to learn how to make this work for us rather than against us. It is as if our mind has a blueprint and our thoughts project it out. Imagine the blueprint for a house. Even if the concrete is just being poured, the blueprint is what drives the workers until the finished project matches it exactly. This is what we must do with our minds.
If we choose to focus on a negative aspect of our lives, such as a financial situation, we begin to worry. It takes up all our time and attention. This attracts more of the same: an unexpected bill, lack of an expected promotion. This feeds the cycle of worry and focus and we get more of what we say we don't want. The universe hears us and does not judge; if our focus is on lack, it will give us just that! As we become more aware of our thoughts, we catch the negativity and turn it around. We replace what we truly don't want with what we desire, send it out to the universe, and watch the results with peace instead of worry.
This also forces us to take responsibility for our circumstances. Let's not drag the "Did she deserve to be abused?" red herring situations into this. What we see around us is largely due to our thoughts. When traumatic things happen, it is not helpful to blame ourselves, but the next challenge is to choose how to respond to the situation. This is still a case of our thoughts shaping our reality. When our thoughts are in alignment with our spirit, we are less likely to attract negative results. More importantly, this mindset moves us through trauma more quickly so that we are not paralyzed by the experience, or scarred forever. We learn to put things into perspective. We learn to forgive.
Stephen Covey's 90/10 principle clearly shows how our thoughts and actions determine the outcome of a situation. He says that 10% of life is made up of what happens to us and 90% of life is decided by how we react. Please look this up on the internet for some clear examples.
All of these things are related, and speak similar truths, so I will gather them together in this section. We have a lot of power in our mind and in our thoughts, and it is very important to learn how to make this work for us rather than against us. It is as if our mind has a blueprint and our thoughts project it out. Imagine the blueprint for a house. Even if the concrete is just being poured, the blueprint is what drives the workers until the finished project matches it exactly. This is what we must do with our minds.
If we choose to focus on a negative aspect of our lives, such as a financial situation, we begin to worry. It takes up all our time and attention. This attracts more of the same: an unexpected bill, lack of an expected promotion. This feeds the cycle of worry and focus and we get more of what we say we don't want. The universe hears us and does not judge; if our focus is on lack, it will give us just that! As we become more aware of our thoughts, we catch the negativity and turn it around. We replace what we truly don't want with what we desire, send it out to the universe, and watch the results with peace instead of worry.
This also forces us to take responsibility for our circumstances. Let's not drag the "Did she deserve to be abused?" red herring situations into this. What we see around us is largely due to our thoughts. When traumatic things happen, it is not helpful to blame ourselves, but the next challenge is to choose how to respond to the situation. This is still a case of our thoughts shaping our reality. When our thoughts are in alignment with our spirit, we are less likely to attract negative results. More importantly, this mindset moves us through trauma more quickly so that we are not paralyzed by the experience, or scarred forever. We learn to put things into perspective. We learn to forgive.
Stephen Covey's 90/10 principle clearly shows how our thoughts and actions determine the outcome of a situation. He says that 10% of life is made up of what happens to us and 90% of life is decided by how we react. Please look this up on the internet for some clear examples.
6. Make peace with paradox.
Paradox. Contradiction. Conflict. Discrepancy. Inconsistency. Enigma.
My studies of esoterics have led me to believe that there are often different answers to any given question, and I have followed what has resonated with me. I believe it is important to make peace with these discrepancies, or else you will drive yourself around the bend reading 1,000 books and internet articles, each with its own interpretation or teaching. I have chosen what feels right for me, and pass it on the best I know how. Find what you are comfortable with, knowing that someone else may disagree and that you may change your mind over time. We are working with subtle energy bodies and fields, and it just may be that there is no one correct answer.
Some areas in which I have found great inconsistency include:
* Chakras: how many, where they are located, which organs and traits they govern
* Reiki: details of the life of Dr. Usui, including where he travelled and where he is buried, Reiki hand positions, symbols
* Angels: which angel guards over which aspect of our lives, which are archangels and which are not
* Auras: how many energy bodies we have, what they mean
* Medicine Wheel: colours of each direction, which animals represent what
* and more....
At first it was difficult for me to grasp that I could not find one clear, true answer to anything! My linear mind was tied in a knot. But I realized that if I were to explore this area that drew me so deeply, I would have to make peace with it. So I did. I know that there are also disagreements in traditional religion and biblical teachings, scientific "facts", sociological principles and on and on it goes. I believe that paradox is part of the human experience. The trick is to remember that! Therefore, I do not defend my ideas, argue them or try to convince anyone of their truth. I present them as part of my current belief system, as things that work for me, and invite people to try them out for themselves.
Even on this website, I might present ideas that seem contradictory. This is likely because I am continuously sorting out new concepts and am in the process of deciding what is right for me. That, or I am just being a Gemini!
My studies of esoterics have led me to believe that there are often different answers to any given question, and I have followed what has resonated with me. I believe it is important to make peace with these discrepancies, or else you will drive yourself around the bend reading 1,000 books and internet articles, each with its own interpretation or teaching. I have chosen what feels right for me, and pass it on the best I know how. Find what you are comfortable with, knowing that someone else may disagree and that you may change your mind over time. We are working with subtle energy bodies and fields, and it just may be that there is no one correct answer.
Some areas in which I have found great inconsistency include:
* Chakras: how many, where they are located, which organs and traits they govern
* Reiki: details of the life of Dr. Usui, including where he travelled and where he is buried, Reiki hand positions, symbols
* Angels: which angel guards over which aspect of our lives, which are archangels and which are not
* Auras: how many energy bodies we have, what they mean
* Medicine Wheel: colours of each direction, which animals represent what
* and more....
At first it was difficult for me to grasp that I could not find one clear, true answer to anything! My linear mind was tied in a knot. But I realized that if I were to explore this area that drew me so deeply, I would have to make peace with it. So I did. I know that there are also disagreements in traditional religion and biblical teachings, scientific "facts", sociological principles and on and on it goes. I believe that paradox is part of the human experience. The trick is to remember that! Therefore, I do not defend my ideas, argue them or try to convince anyone of their truth. I present them as part of my current belief system, as things that work for me, and invite people to try them out for themselves.
Even on this website, I might present ideas that seem contradictory. This is likely because I am continuously sorting out new concepts and am in the process of deciding what is right for me. That, or I am just being a Gemini!
7. I AM _________. Fill in this blank carefully.
In keeping with the theme of the power of our thoughts, we tell ourselves who we are. Every time we say "I am sick" or "I am so stupid" or "I am too sensitive" we strengthen that belief within ourselves. We also strengthen the outcome that goes along with such a statement. This is a place where we do not have the luxury to be unconscious. Every statement about who we are must affirm that we are a glorious reflection of the divine.
I am a believer in affirmations. Louise Hay, bless her heart and rest her soul, was one of the first teachers who came across my path with a message about the power of affirmations. Please visit Hay House or YouTube for her wonderful, uplifting words.
Affirmations are short, positive, personalized statements set in present time. Let's look at these elements more closely.
Short. Keep your statements short, sweet and simple. They will be easier to remember and easier to roll around in your mind.
Positive. It's really important to use positive phrasing. "I am not sick any more" still uses the word "sick", and that is what the subconscious mind hears. Instead, try any of the following: I am healthy and strong, I am experiencing perfect health, my body is healthy and well. Try out different phrases until you find the words that fit for you.
Personalized. Really own your words. Use "I" and "me" and "my": I am financially stable, my bank account is increasing, the universe supports me in my new venture. This is one time where it is okay to be selfish and focus completely on yourself and your needs! Hold the mindset that whatever you ask for is for your highest good and in alignment with your spirit.
Present time. Affirmations are always set in the present moment, as though we have already achieved the desired result. We affirm "I am peaceful and content". We do NOT say "I am not angry any more", as that just affirms our anger. We do NOT say "I will be peaceful" as that sets it as sometime in the future, always just out of our grasp. We set it in the NOW, so that is the blueprint from which our mind is projecting our reality. Our minds will rebel at first, saying, "This is NOT true!" and that is okay. Be patient and persistent, and over time, the mind will begin to accept the new thought.
I am a believer in affirmations. Louise Hay, bless her heart and rest her soul, was one of the first teachers who came across my path with a message about the power of affirmations. Please visit Hay House or YouTube for her wonderful, uplifting words.
Affirmations are short, positive, personalized statements set in present time. Let's look at these elements more closely.
Short. Keep your statements short, sweet and simple. They will be easier to remember and easier to roll around in your mind.
Positive. It's really important to use positive phrasing. "I am not sick any more" still uses the word "sick", and that is what the subconscious mind hears. Instead, try any of the following: I am healthy and strong, I am experiencing perfect health, my body is healthy and well. Try out different phrases until you find the words that fit for you.
Personalized. Really own your words. Use "I" and "me" and "my": I am financially stable, my bank account is increasing, the universe supports me in my new venture. This is one time where it is okay to be selfish and focus completely on yourself and your needs! Hold the mindset that whatever you ask for is for your highest good and in alignment with your spirit.
Present time. Affirmations are always set in the present moment, as though we have already achieved the desired result. We affirm "I am peaceful and content". We do NOT say "I am not angry any more", as that just affirms our anger. We do NOT say "I will be peaceful" as that sets it as sometime in the future, always just out of our grasp. We set it in the NOW, so that is the blueprint from which our mind is projecting our reality. Our minds will rebel at first, saying, "This is NOT true!" and that is okay. Be patient and persistent, and over time, the mind will begin to accept the new thought.
8. Feelings are energy.
Try as we might to deny them, we all have feelings. Feelings are neither good nor bad; they just are. Here is how I see the process of feelings when it's working as it was designed to: a stimulus (such as a thought or an occurrence) produces a response in the form of a feeling. We notice the feeling and feel it fully, we check it for any messages it might bring us, or any calls to action, and then we let it go.
And here is how the process goes so very wrong: we notice the feeling, we judge it and ourselves and proceed to blame someone for it. We then take it out on someone, who often has no idea what is going on, and then stew in anger and guilt. We then go into denial and try to stuff the feeling into the pressure cooker of other feelings, pretend it isn't there, refuse to acknowledge it, and wait for it to blow up. Or we may decide to regurgitate it so we can feel it again and again, reliving the anger and resentment, integrate it into our hearts in the form of bitterness and into our bodies in the form of illness and disease.
So there are three stages where it can so wrong. The first is when we make judgments about the feeling. It is just an energetic response to the stimulus. It is not the end of the world; it is just energy; it is just a feeling. Next, we make mistakes in reacting rather than responding: punching holes in walls, yelling at people, road rage, etc. This is not helpful! It only feeds the cycle of guilt and remorse. And finally, we hold onto the feelings, like a possessive dog gnawing on an old bone. We take the feelings out and chew on them every so often, sometimes until they take over our lives. It doesn't really make sense, does it?
When you feel a negative feeling, acknowledge it and pay attention to any messages it might have. Next, let it go. It is energy, and energy is designed to flow. Don't store it in a big reservoir with all the other feelings of pain, frustration, anger, sadness, bitterness, resentment, fear, and anxiety. LET IT GO.
And here is how the process goes so very wrong: we notice the feeling, we judge it and ourselves and proceed to blame someone for it. We then take it out on someone, who often has no idea what is going on, and then stew in anger and guilt. We then go into denial and try to stuff the feeling into the pressure cooker of other feelings, pretend it isn't there, refuse to acknowledge it, and wait for it to blow up. Or we may decide to regurgitate it so we can feel it again and again, reliving the anger and resentment, integrate it into our hearts in the form of bitterness and into our bodies in the form of illness and disease.
So there are three stages where it can so wrong. The first is when we make judgments about the feeling. It is just an energetic response to the stimulus. It is not the end of the world; it is just energy; it is just a feeling. Next, we make mistakes in reacting rather than responding: punching holes in walls, yelling at people, road rage, etc. This is not helpful! It only feeds the cycle of guilt and remorse. And finally, we hold onto the feelings, like a possessive dog gnawing on an old bone. We take the feelings out and chew on them every so often, sometimes until they take over our lives. It doesn't really make sense, does it?
When you feel a negative feeling, acknowledge it and pay attention to any messages it might have. Next, let it go. It is energy, and energy is designed to flow. Don't store it in a big reservoir with all the other feelings of pain, frustration, anger, sadness, bitterness, resentment, fear, and anxiety. LET IT GO.
