Have you noticed a change in mainstream cultural values especially regarding the way people treat others? You may wonder what happened to kindness, caring and respect? Have you sensed a growing acceptance of rudeness and disrespect as being okay? Somehow we have forgotten how to be nice....
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Opening into Compassionate Presence Last year of 2015 was the Chinese year of the Wood Sheep (Ram) where new possibilities, hopes and dreams were gestating. It was also a time of cleansing, releasing and facing difficult truths in order to form new patterns of connection. As you enter the Red Fire Monkey on Feb. 8, 2016, you step into a fresh opening where new aspects of yourself are birthing and developing a healthier connection to yourself and others. Monkeys are inquisitive, quick, adaptable, intelligent, inventive and versatile; monkeys always keep you on your toes. It will be an adventurous fiery year of unpredictability. Monkeys are known to hop from one activity to another, so it is wise to observe what you really care about and what brings you and others love, joy and connection. There will be plenty of creative opportunities opening up. The key is to walk into the year with compassion for your vulnerabilities as well as your abilities... My brother loves cars, Classic Cars, especially Chevy’s. The kind of car that defines “Cool.” There is nothing more stylish than a cool classic 1955 Chevy BelAir with two-tone paint and detailed polished chrome, leather bench seats modified with a sizzling hot engine made for cruisin’ and drag racing. Since Drake was a wee lad, mechanical vehicles with powerful engines fascinated him. His first foray at driving was sitting high up on Papa Louis’ lap at the wheel of the farm tractor. He was probably 3 or 4 years old at the time and he’s been driving ever since.... Is your worth based upon your performance, or perhaps on your status or what you have acquired in life? Maybe it is based upon others' opinions of you. When the voice of your Inner Critic disapproves of your abilities, performance, appearance, the possessions you own, or how you appear to others it can feel like a severe blow to your self-worth. This often happens after you receive some disappointment or loss in life. In that moment, you begin judging yourself as “less than” or a failure, and your energy contracts. You protect your vulnerability by attempting to shut down or ignore the criticism. You try to control it by pushing against the voice. Whenever you push on an object or energy, you meet resistance. The response of the superego is to push back harder and criticize louder. It is merely doing its job of safeguarding your beliefs and values, holding you accountable and attempting to motivate you. (the inner critic part 1) It seems counterintuitive to approach this voice and find out what it is pointing out yet listening to it tells you how you judge and criticize yourself and what matters to you. It reveals what may or may not require a shift in perspective or a corrective action. One gift it gives you is showing you your level of esteem and if that is externally or internally driven self-esteem... Does your inner voice judge you or demean you? Is a critical voice telling you what you “should” or “should not” do or experience? Do you have a feeling that somehow you are not enough or do not matter? At first, your Inner Critic may wake you up and try to get your attention; “better work on that project, get going, you are going to be late, quit procrastinating, you made a mistake, be responsible, exercise, eat healthier.” It informs and jars you into action. It can be helpful, nudging and prodding you into beneficial behaviors. If you haven’t paid attention, it often turns ugly and begins to berate you. It says mean things about your character; “you are lazy, stupid, ugly, irresponsible, wrong, weak, no good, damaged, you can’t do anything right, nobody will ever want to be with you and you will never amount to anything.” Those may be mild words compared with your critic... Spring is here! It brings energizing light and growth. The warm sun and the blue sky prod me out of my cocooning dormancy and beckon me outdoors. Just like the upsurge of sap rising from the xylem of a tree, waking up branches and twigs, I feel a surge of energy coursing through my body and lifting my spirit. It truly is a time of renewal and rebirth. There is a quality of spaciousness in the spring, which allows a natural expansion and our body breathes in the essence of growth and new life. My indoor winter chores are not complete, yet I could not hold myself back this past weekend. I just had to get outside into the orchard.... Stressed and can't stop feeling anxious? You just want relief. Anxiety and stress are the most common ailments I see in clients. We all get stressed; anxiety is a normal part of life until it isn’t. Normal anxiety is helpful when facing an intense situation. It gets you moving, it increases blood flow to your brain, helps you concentrate and focus your attention. When it interferes with your life, it becomes a problem. We have all experienced life situations that induce prolonged anxiety. Relationship problems, financial or health issues, worrying about the future and traumas are some of the culprits. Yet, before tackling the underlying cause of our anxiety and stress what we need in the moment is relief. Thankfully, relief is possible... You already have the ability to enjoy emotional freedom. You are capable of being centered, of experiencing pleasurable feelings, of opening your energy centers and living with an open heart. The knowledge of the incredible power of your emotions and how your emotions connect you to source is available. True understanding of our emotions and emotional skills were not taught in school nor were they taught in most families. We have been living with a simplistic and often negative view of the emotions. This lack of understanding of the true nature of the emotions has caused us to contract, live in fear, have stress, negativity, depression, conflict, difficult relationships etc. and to be stuck in the survival mode of the first three lower chakras. We have lived long enough in this dense consciousness and have reached a point where many are Ready to Connect with the Heart.... |
Psychotherapist MA
Clinical Hypnotherapist Relational Life Couples Therapist International Teacher Meditation Facilitator Shamanic Practitioner Dreamer, Visionary, Writer Recent Posts
March 2021
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