Our Stories and Truths

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We all have our stories and our truths. We’ve gathered them from our life experiences – what we were taught in our early years and what we have learned during this lifetime. We hold onto these experiences and learning as our truths. But what exactly is truth?

I remember my first foray into personal psychotherapy decades ago. Early on, I told Carol, a Christian psychologist, that I just wanted to know what was true. Then I could act on that, follow the rules associated with that truth, and be happy. I’d been depressed most of my life for a myriad of reasons. Nothing I’d tried, nothing I’d learned, nothing I’d done had lifted me out of the despair. Yes, there were moments of happiness, of feeling good, but underneath it all was this hopelessness and fear. So, maybe there was a truth out there that I didn’t know about, a path to happiness, that would change all that. Didn’t Jesus say “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (Jn8:32)?

I really don’t remember her answer, which is strange because this was my QUESTION! This would CHANGE MY LIFE. What I do remember is a gradual shift from thinking the answer was out there somewhere to finding my truth within me. I began to let go of the layers of emotional entanglements I had formed in my life, the stuck places that kept me mired in fear. I began to trust my inner knowing, my own truth, my own divinity.

My stories are a combination of what I have experienced (situations) and the emotions I felt at the time (reactions). Until I recognized this, I continued to be stuck in emotional reactions from the past that then began to affect all of my present and future experiences.

I’ve let go of trying to find a truth out there that will bring me happiness, that will bring peace and joy to everyone. One size does not fit all…that is spurious thinking. Anyone or any belief system that suggests otherwise is false. I say this because it keeps us stuck in trying to make a limited understanding of our world the truth for everyone. What is true for me does not necessarily resonate as true for another.

Are there universal truths? Yes. I’ve written about Christ Consciousness or Unity Consciousness before…that place of wisdom that comes from letting go of what we think we know. This wisdom encompasses a higher, divine perspective of compassion, harmony, love, respect for self and others, service to others, peace and joy. Wisdom comes from clearing old emotional baggage from our thoughts and beliefs. This is a path to remembering who we are as divine beings, here in this body, having human experiences.

 Awareness –> Emotional Release –> Insight –> Integration

We become aware of some thought or behaviour that doesn’t fit with our divine Self. When asked, the divinity we know is ready to assist in making us aware of these. There is usually an emotional reaction attached. We don’t have to dig for anything…that emotion is right there waiting to be released. Just allow it to come up – often other situations with similar reactions will come up as well. Once released, we are open to new insights from a higher, divine perspective. Integration happens naturally as we allow this wisdom to permeate our new way of being.

I learned the simplicity and efficacy of sharing wisdom through stories from the Indigenous tradition of teaching. Most of us have been taught facts, theories and rules. Trying to change the thoughts and beliefs of others by challenging them in the old ways or spoon feeding them information just gives them more facts from their external world which may or may not be true for them.

Stories, once cleared of old emotional attachments, provide guidance with room for exploration of how the lesson might fit for the listener. I encourage you to give attention to your own stories, clearing them and sharing them when asked.  The possibilities of all being lifted up into Unity or Christ Consciousness increase exponentially. Generalizability is real, and it can begin within you.

[avatar size=”thumbnail” align=”left”]Quan Yin – goddess of compassion [/avatar]

 

by Eloecea

                                                 

 

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Sticks and Stones…

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I suspect we all know the old adage “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never break me” or “names will never harm me”. Wikipedia notes that it appeared in The Christian Recorder of March 1862, a publication of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and has since been used as a response to verbal bullying or abuse. It has also been widely debunked! A Psychology Today article from 2011 suggests another ending:

Lynn Greyling, Publicdomainpictures.net

“but words will cut me deeply”. I know we’ve all experienced this in some form. I wonder if you’re consciously aware of remnants of this pain that linger in your own conversations with yourself and others.

The words we use can be a powerful creative or destructive force. Awareness is always the first step in change…we learn how to speak and communicate with others at an early age. Our words reflect our environment during those years and are often buried deep in our subconscious. In Stuck Places, I begin a discussion of waking up to our language patterns and the possibilities of change in how we talk to ourselves and others. Here are some additional suggestions to assist you in shifting from old negative, destructive patterns into those that reflect who you consciously choose to be today:

Language Detox

Speak your Highest Truth. Our communications (spoken, written, thoughts) reflect what is within us. Is it Compassion, Love, authenticity, unique solutions? Or are we communicating anger, fear, doubt, shame, blame?

Your words are powerful reflections of your choice of reality. If your conscious choice is to become the experience of Unity and Harmony within and without:

– Become aware of distortion, duality, separation or judgment in your words

– Avoid self-deprecating language; honour yourself and others with supportive words

– Notice negative language habits, and shift/flip the language in the moment (this is awful, I am stupid, women are, politics is, etc.)

– Gently stop the conversation when it goes negative. Don’t speak ill of others, especially if they are not present.

– Practice heart-based tools: Shift the topic, pay a compliment, offer supportive solutions rather than negative complaints.

– Use the SO IT IS or AMEN. Say this after everything you speak, think, feel or do to become aware of what you are creating – or supporting.

– Stop throwing blame around. Take responsibility for your world, it is a co-creation with the divine. Move out of blame and into positive thoughts and creative solutions.

– Make the shift – override the old fear – focus on the truth of love, peace, harmony and open-hearted observation rather than judgment. Choose to become aware – wake up…make different choices as you co-create your reality from within. Write just one of these suggestions on a piece of paper and place it where you will see it frequently, and then begin the next step of change, feeling the emotional attachments around those words without self-judgment. Once released, the old patterns lose their hold and new insights are available with possibilities of creating your reality from a place of love, peace, joy, compassion and harmony…a place of Unity Consciousness.

Eloecea

Quan Yin – goddess of compassion

 

 

by Eloecea

 

                                   

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Generalizability

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Say what? Yes, generalizability. I thought I’d talk to your mind first because that seems to be where we spend most of our time. In psychology, generalizability is a measure of how useful the results of a study are for a broader group of people or situations. Also called external validity, it is an important aspect of research: If the 25 subjects in my study can find a way of being together in harmony, can I say that all people can find a way of being together in harmony?

Basically, the researcher must control as many variables as possible in order to trust the results of his/her study and generalize to larger groups. I get that…I’ve been there, done that. But science is science…scientists tend to think their way through to an answer they can trust.

However, we can also feel our way through to what we know as our truth, imagining new possibilities along the way. We can trust our inner wisdom, our knowing that the divine, spirit, consciousness moves in and through every situation and actually has more to say about the outcome than trying to control variables in research.

I’m talking about what we are seeing in the world around us: Law enforcement kneeling with protesters, government officials around the world looking at change in law enforcement, people from all walks of life, all races, ages, genders, faith traditions, cultures, etc.coming together to say “No more”!

My question is this: Are you willing to generalize, to say that this response to unjust actions can proliferate throughout our world today without trying to control anything or anyone but yourself? I believe the response to these specific unjust actions can generalize to other areas in which justice is still lacking. But what is our role in this potential tsunami of change in our backyards and on our planet?

We can begin by choosing to focus on new possibilities: They are showing up all around us right now in every moment. We can let go of trying to control all the variables, let go of the hopeless/helpless beliefs and other emotional attachments we have to the old paradigm. We can protest old patterns from this place of new possibilities and joy rather than pushing against the old and a distrust of what might replace it.

We know the divine is here, now, inviting each of us to be part of this tsunami of change. We can choose to focus on the miracles that are showing up. We can  imagine…we can generalize these new possibilities into many other areas of our lives and our world that are waiting to shift. We are creators of our moments through our choices. We can choose to be in a world of love, compassion, joy, peace and harmony.

There are many ways of speaking our truth, of advocating for change. No matter what avenue we choose, when we come from our connection with the divine, sourced in the love and compassion of spirit, grateful that change is happening, miracles become commonplace.

I know that who I am within is reflected in the world around me. Are you willing to allow the divine to transform you as a path to transforming our world? Are you ready to let go into a tsunami of love, a divine wave that is ready to change our world?

[avatar user=”admin” size=”thumbnail” align=”left”]Quan Yin – goddess of compassion[/avatar]

 

 

by Eloecea

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There’s Gotta Be More!

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I was honoured to share parts of my journey as part of a panel on Interfaith: An Inner Journey at VST’s Inter-Religious Studies Conference. This year the (virtual) conference theme was “Religious, Spiritual, Secular: Living in a Pluralistic Society”. These are my thoughts.

(The script from which I spoke is below this video and yet I strongly encourage you to watch the video. It’s short – less than 9 minutes long. As I began to share what I know to be true from my journey thus far, an energetic burst of compassion from the divine feminine came through filling my heart. The opportunity to experience this with me even as we feel our way through the words cannot but emphasize my knowing that there is more, much more, available to all of us – awaiting our choice to let go and allow joy to flow.)

 

Hello, I’m Eloecea. I came to Vancouver from the States as a retired psychologist three years ago, led here to attend VST. The search for meaning, for fulfillment in my life has guided me into religious, spiritual and secular places.

I was raised in the Calvinist tradition of Christianity amidst a great deal of thinking and doing. I attended many services, listened to hellfire and brimstone sermons of the 1950’s, memorized catechism and Bible stories, knew the books of the Bible and verses and sang in choir…yet, something was missing. Somehow, I was empty…I rebelled against all the ‘have to’s’ and ‘don’t do’s’…and left religion behind when I left home.

After a few years of nothing but doing and thinking in college and work, I shared my misery with a friend. She suggested that the Bible spoke of love and grace from her Baptist tradition (thank you, Phyl). The Living Bible had just come out in the ‘70’s. Reading these words without the emotional baggage I had accumulated with the King James version allowed me to feel into new possibilities. I found grace in Philippians first, and then in so many other places in the Christian scriptures.

In my early 30’s, I knew I wanted to help Christians who were unhappy and troubled…so I entered the doctorate program in clinical psychology at Fuller…AND I started my own therapy for the first time. It took many months to break through the shield of defences my ego had created to survive…but finally, I realized I was trying to fit into the mold of being a good Christian woman from a good Christian family, doing good Christian work. As I opened the well of stuffed emotions, I knew I didn’t fit there – and I finally found a door that offered More…I was lesbian. I loved women. I wasn’t sourced in the usual cisgender or heterosexual manner of relationships, be they intimate or more formal. And I wasn’t sourced by a religious tradition or God that considered homosexuality a sin.

And then someone outed me to the Fuller Board of Trustees. I didn’t know if they would expel me before I finished my 5 year degree program. In the end they did let me graduate, but I was done with the limitations and judgments of Conservative Christianity.

I was introduced to liberation and feminist theologies through the Metropolitan Community Church fellowship, a church founded by and for LGBTQ+ folks. The pastor at the time, an ‘out’ Southern Baptist, gave me new information from biblical archaeology and more informed translation work. God loved me exactly as I was…it didn’t matter what other people thought, including my family. This was the first time I remember consciously choosing what I Know, what felt right to me, over what other people told me was true.

Then this community that had supported and informed my own personal shift started changing too quickly for my ego mind to accept…changing the interpretation of familiar bible stories, the language of favourite passages and the words to meaningful hymns in the name of inclusivity. Remnants of my conservative self remained. It became less emotionally fulfilling to be part of that and I left religion altogether for several years – again.

And then, in 2000, another friend (thank you, Carol) suggested that I have a personal reading with a trance channel from a New Age group she belonged to…once again my life shifted. More on that in a moment…

There are three imperatives that come from my search for More, my Journey into Joy. I encourage you to feel through how these might impact your life today:

  1. We must leave room for emotions – all of the emotions. When we preach and teach about love and compassion and joy without acknowledging the presence of fear and anger, depression and anxiety, trauma and stress, and encourage ways of releasing them, we negate the experience of those who listen. Guilt and shame come in and the open heart shuts down a bit more each time. Encouraging ourselves and others to be who and where we are, to accept who and where we are and then open to new possibilities helps that door stay open for More.
  1. We must leave room for differences – all differences. Not that we accept another’s truth or their actions as our truth, but that we appreciate and affirm that their truth serves them in their journey. For me, it was finally allowing myself to be lesbian, queer and now, non-binary (new terms I picked up here at VST). I am both masculine and feminine and everything in between – I am gender fluid. Accepting myself in that way, choosing to live from that truth, has opened a door to feeling more whole, more real and more confident in who I am and what I am about…more able to love myself and others and to receive love.
  1. And we must leave room for a bigger picture of what is going on in our reality. You know, I was frustrated and then scared when the whole idea of alternative facts started coming out – what others were saying made no sense to me. But I think of Galileo and the church, of quantum mechanics and mainstream science, and other pivotal times of change. The normal human reaction is to push against new, unfamiliar thoughts. We see that today with COVID-19, not to mention the political scene. Who do we believe? What do we believe? When do we shift what we believe? In my experience, it means releasing the emotional attachments I have to old beliefs and allowing the Divine within to guide me in my choices as I think and feel through new possibilities, allowing new wisdom.

I really faced this head on in 2000 when I was invited to open to a new world view, a universal or cosmic understanding through a New Age group I met with for five years. Channeling? Ascended Masters? Reincarnation? This was anathema in my earlier years. And yet these new truths have opened me to More.  I am no longer a human with a soul. I am a soul, a spark of the Divine, of Pure Consciousness, having experiences in this human form.

What I can tell you is that it works for me. It gives me a different perspective on why I am here and what’s up with this Great Pause or Global Reset we’re experiencing today. It feels right in all of my being and experience that I am a Creator, not a pawn or helpless human waiting for, beseeching some outside force to intervene. We are finally realizing that life will never be the old normal again – I see this as an opportunity for all to begin to create a new future with every breath we take and every thought we have. I know together we can create a world of Unity Consciousness, where Interfaith lives for me.

Are you willing to open to ‘More’? Is there a new door, a new way of being that is available in your life, offering More?

[avatar user=”admin” size=”thumbnail” align=”left”]Quan Yin – goddess of compassion[/avatar]

 

 

by Eloecea

 

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Ascension: Then and Now (Part Two)

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That was then, and this is now…

For me, today, ascension is all about home. Some call it waking up or becoming conscious. Some refer to Unity or Christ Consciousness as a higher perspective, a way of bringing heaven to or being heaven here on earth. This is my path, my passion; it is simple and it’s an inside job…it begins with who I am:

     1. Waking Up

Most of my beliefs, thoughts, behaviours are unconscious until I become aware of what my ego mind is saying, or my body is doing. We all know about self-talk, that murmuring (or sometimes shouting) inside our heads that never seems to stop. These words and the accompanying emotion is the underlying truth of who I am. When I am quiet, I might hear critical, judgmental, or harsh words…or I might hear gentle, loving and supportive words. We learned this, of course, which means we can unlearn in and shift into another way of being. But it starts with a choice…a choice to become aware and a desire to change. It starts with waking up.

     2. Letting Go

Once I am aware of a thought, belief or behaviour that doesn’t reflect who I want to be, there are many tools available to begin to shift from the old and open to the new. You can find some of these here. We all know that change is hard – dislodging old patterns brings up old emotions associated with what was. Emotions become entangled energetically with our thoughts and act like glue which hardens over time. Letting go refers to releasing the old emotions to create room for new experiences, new thoughts and behaviours. Much of this part of ascension consists of grieving what is lost even as we shift to what we desire. So we can expect cycles of shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, testing and acceptance or letting go.

     3. Refocusing and Allowing the Divine

The ego mind doesn’t want to let go because it loses the control it had. It has no idea what comes next because it only knows the past. The unknown can be frightening. This is where our faith comes in again. In Part One, we’ve noted that most faith traditions tell of a higher way of being, offer guidance on thoughts and behaviours that are based in love rather than fear.

This is where we place our focus – on the most loving, compassionate and peaceful thoughts and behaviours we desire to have. In the Christian tradition this might be called becoming more Christ-like. We imagine what it will look like, how it will feel. We bring the full experience of what we desire into our conscious awareness, into our reality. And then we let go, knowing the Divine, the Universe will assist us in this transformation, in this ascension step, as we continue to consciously create a new way of being.

Ascension is possible today

You can see and feel the possibilities…You can begin to speak encouragement and love to yourself, to choose behaviours that are in harmony with who you choose to be. You can also hear and feel the push back from the old patterns. ‘This will never work’, etc. Just let that be and continue to let go, refocus and allow the Divine to do its work.

Who you are within is reflected in your external world. It’s not somebody or some situation out there that’s making you do or think or say anything, it’s within you – it’s your choice. The more we accept this and choose to shift our perspectives, the more miracles we begin to see around us until miracles become common place. This is living from a higher perspective. This is living in Unity or the Christ Consciousness.

What Might Ascension Look Like Today?

For me, I see change happening in me and my life that I never thought possible. Not in the areas my mind thinks it should change (which are many), but in who I am within as it’s reflected back to me in my external reality. This is the evidence, the proof for my ego mind that this works. I am happier, more fulfilled, more at peace with myself and the world than ever before. I feel as though my life is just beginning…a new life grounded in knowing all is well because nothing is as it seems while everything is as it should be. My ego mind doesn’t have to figure anything out because the Divine within me knows and I am choosing to allow the Divine, my SoulSelf, to be my new primary operating system.

It’s an exciting adventure, this path of ascension…one that my ego mind could not have predicted because it only knows the past and that is rooted in survival. But the Divine, Pure Consciousness holds new possibilities and potentials that come to each of us on our own path in perfect timing.

There’s a wealth of information available to assist us on our ascension journey – from our own faith tradition as well as that of others, from psychology and more and more from science as it explores the realm of consciousness. My search for ‘more’ spiritually has shifted from intellectual understanding in my earlier years to life experiences of the divine, moments of feeling that love and compassion and hope. There’s a balance, I know. I invite you to allow this balance to come to you today.

Your Reflection on Ascension Today

So far, this was a lot of words, a lot of thinking. Please take a few moments to feel into all that’s been written and all that’s come up for you. Relax into your body wherever you are. Breathe deeply a few times, letting your mind, your heart and your body open and expand. Then allow yourself to reflect for a few moments on what ascension means to you today. Let your mind go loose and allow the Divine to show you new possibilities…

I would love to hear from you – what came up for you? Let’s have a discussion in the comment section below.

Quan Yin, goddess of compassion

 

by Eloecea

 

 

 

 

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Ascension: Then and Now (Part One)

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Today is Ascension Day, 2020, in the Christian Tradition. When Cathy showed me the schedule of services at Living Interfaith Sanctuary this spring, I knew this was my time to speak. The following is the first part of my message at the LISanctuary service last Saturday.

Christianity

Ascension is what my life is about these days, but let’s start with honouring the Christian tradition. Ascension Day, or the day Jesus ascended into the heavens, is celebrated  on the 40th day after Easter. Along with Christmas, Easter and Pentecost, Ascension day is one of the main Christian Holy Days.

Image Courtesy of daily-prayers.org

Jesus had lived his life, been crucified in Jerusalem, resurrected on Easter and then he began showing himself to various people and groups during those 40 days. Imagine being one of the disciples. Your leader, your teacher, your friend had just willingly gone to his death, then showed up again! He tells you to spread this story, the gospel, to all the nations of the world and then tells you to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. He gives you a blessing and then steps away only to be lifted up into a cloud and disappear.

I would certainly be confused…and also sad and maybe a bit angry or scared. But, no… we are told the disciples were in joy. Stunned, yes, but in joy because they knew that when Jesus ascended, all the promises regarding His ministry to the disciples were about to be fulfilled.

The disciples accepted His ascension, for they had accepted Jesus’ word about the promised One to come, the Holy Spirit. Their doubts and fears were gone. They were convinced of who He was. They knew that He died to forgive them of their sins. They knew He was alive from the dead. In His resurrection, they had hope in victory over death, and knew they would be joining him in heaven with God the Father. Jesus was not leaving but shifting from a physical to a spiritual relationship. He was to be their Intercessor at the right hand of the Father, giving them hope and comfort and companionship.

This is the heart of the Christian tradition and Jesus’ ascension is the final piece of his work here on earth.

The concept of Ascension

Ascension has been around for a very long time. It is defined as a ‘raising up of a person above the heavens’ (without dying). Some suggest the most ancient definition is that which was used to describe the elevation of a visionary so that one is able to contemplate the heavenly world normally hidden from one’s eyes. In ancient Greek mythology it was known as entering the realm of the god(s). For instance, Hercules is said to have ascended. And then, as I was learning about and experiencing other faiths at the Vancouver School of Theology, I realized that other Abrahamic religions also had the concept of ascension as part of their tradition. Similarly, Ascension in these traditions refers to the translation or taking up to heaven of a few chosen ones, either to remain there in lieu of dying, or merely to receive revelations and then to return to earth.

Judaism

In Judaism, Ascension as a ‘taking up’ or the granting of a vision is associated with Patriarchs such as Enoch and Prophets such as Elijah. Jewish Rabbinical literature suggests that there were others, but Enoch and Elijah are the most often noted.

From the Hebrew scriptures we read that, during a life span of 365 years “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Genesis 2 v.24 (NIV) In II Kings 2 v.11-12 (NIV), we read that Elijah was walking with Elisha along the Jordan River:

Image Courtesy of Jewish News

“As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more.”

The Jewish tradition of the Elijah Cup celebrates this. A door is opened and a cup of wine is set on the table at the celebration of the Seder on Passover and reserved for the precursor of the Messiah, the prophet Elijah, who according to Jewish tradition may come anytime as a guest. Perhaps you noticed this during our Sanctuary Seder service last month.

Islam

The prophet Muhammad, in the Islamic tradition, is said to have ascended around the year 621 CE, specifically to receive revelations and then to return to earth in what is

Image Courtesy of khalifatworld.com

referred to as The Night Journey or Miraj. This is referenced briefly in the Quran and expanded upon in the Hadith.

The festival is celebrated by telling the story of how the Prophet Muhammad was visited by two archangels while he was asleep, who purified his heart and filled him with knowledge and faith. The Prophet, in this visitation, travelled from Mecca to Jerusalem in a single night on a strange winged creature called Buraq. From Jerusalem he ascended into heaven, where he met the earlier prophets, and eventually God. During his time in heaven Muhammad was told of the duty of Muslims to recite Salat (ritual prayer) five times a day. (Islamic tradition avoids the images of any living creature.)

A Brief Historical Perspective

An ascension narrative is present in each of these faith traditions. To give you some historical perspective, Judaism’s beginnings were in the 7th century BCE; Christianity’s in the 1st century CE and Islam’s in the 7th century CE.

As we focus on the earliest wisdom teachings, the essence of each faith, all Abrahamic traditions find at their core the same ethics and values: that of love, peace, compassion and service to others. Indeed, when specific language, doctrine and rituals are set aside, the foundation of most religions come from the same source: Yahweh, God, Allah. This is also the heart of Interfaith.

Of course, ascension narratives are also present if not a central tenet in Gnosticism as well as many of the Eastern faith traditions. To go there would mean those at the service on Saturday would have a very late lunch. It would also make this post’s length unwieldy. Just know that it is present everywhere.

That was then, and this is now…

For me, today, ascension is all about home. I’ll share that final piece of my message in the next post, Ascension: Then and Now (Part II).

Quan Yin – Bodhisattva/Goddess of Compassion

 

by Eloecea

 

 

 

 

 

Header image courtesy of NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope

An Invitation

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From my heart to yours:

In this time of quiet, when the world has slowed down and many of our usual distractions are no longer available, I invite you to join me on Our Journey Into Joy. I can’t think of a more perfect set up. Our ‘new normal’ provides the time, space and opportunities to reflect on what has been and choose to reset our intentions, individually and globally. We can begin to create a new way of being in a new world. Let’s use these moments wisely.

I offer you an opportunity to explore with me new possibilities, a new paradigm of who we are and what we are about here on earth. It is not a simple thing to let go of what we think we know. But in so doing, we allow new higher perspectives that can bring us into the peace and harmony we so desperately crave within ourselves and in our world today.

Our Journey Into Joy was originally created to encourage readers to explore ways to open into joy. Try different ways of going within, it might bring new life to those moments. For those who have a practice that serves you well, let’s journey together into new possibilities, create and share new awareness, new pathways that bring us joy.

2020 and Beyond speaks of my intention to look beyond what is and begin to create what we desire even as we seem to be engulfed in physical and emotional turmoil. The current pandemic will eventually die out. We can continue to shift ourselves and our planet into a more loving, compassionate, harmonious and peaceful state. And we can watch the fruit of our intentions manifest as shift begins to show up.

Please join me in this conversation. Each of you receiving this has enhanced my journey in some way and I am grateful. If you would like to receive future posts from me, you can subscribe on the sidebar here. You can add your own thoughts and enjoy the discussion as it unfolds. If you have already subscribed or are not interested, you need do nothing. However, I encourage all to find a way to participate in this conversation.

It is the moment of a perfect storm. Some call this ‘The Great Pause’ or ‘The Global Reset’. The old paradigms are being shaken or dismantled. What would you like to imagine and create, to bring into our new world now as we emerge again?

[avatar user=”admin” size=”thumbnail” align=”left” link=”file”] by Eloecea

 

Header image courtesy of NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope

From worry to wonder

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Our ego mind loves to chew on things, to think, to figure out, to fix. In The How and Why of Rewiring Your Brain, we learned that the human brain only knows the past. It stores our memories.

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Image courtesy of Pixabay/TheDigitalArtist

When one of the stuck places in our mind is a loop that is trying to figure something out, there are no new possibilities available, only old thoughts. You know what it’s like when your computer freezes, when that cursor just keeps spinning, or even when it spins for a long time before resolving the connection. This is your brain. It is a computer trying to complete an operation with glue in the operating system. All these old emotional attachments (the glue) slow or freeze the thinking process.

Stop for a few moments and just breathe. Your mind will not want to let go of its old pattern, but you have a choice now to shift your focus to your breath. Pay attention to your slow inhale and allow your mind to go loose as you exhale. Inhale…exhale…allowing your mind and body to relax. This simple shift may create enough space for something new to come to you, a new way to perceive the situation or a new possibility for change. Other contemplative practices can also serve as ways to shift your attention. Walking, listening to music or dancing may be your preferred way of letting go and allowing. If you are new to this, you will be starting the process of creating a new neural pathway, of rewiring the brain.

There are many emotional strings attached to your thoughts that keep you in fear, in the worry-mode of being. Shifting your focus from the mind’s loop to your breath is a good beginning. However, at times, awareness of your Self Talk, emotional release and a rewiring meditation will provide additional support in the process of gradually dissolving the loops your mind creates, the old pattern of worry. Dissolving the old magnetic attachments (the glue) to your thoughts can free up your mind to operate more smoothly. In today’s language, this can give your mind greater bandwidth. The more emotional attachments you release, the more space you are creating to receive higher perspectives.

These days, when I realize that my mind is chewing on something, stuck in a loop, I change my thought to “I wonder…”, an opportunity to open my awareness to something else. I wonder what the Divine can create from this stuck place. I wonder how this stuck situation will unfold. I wonder what it will be like once the problem is resolved. I bring in a new emotional experience of hope, faith, joy, excitement, or fun as I let go of my mind’s loop and allow joy to flow again. I feel the difference between trying to figure something out and allowing myself to be curious and open.

Allow yourself to let go of the old pattern of worry and open to something new, a world of possibilities in which you create your moments. Gradually you will come to realize moments you’re in a stuck place, a loop, and remember to shift your awareness to your breathing. As your mind and body relax with the breath, emotions may come up for release or you might find a higher perspective on your situation. Eventually, you will remember to go into “I wonder…” and enjoy the lighter experiences of curiosity and fun. And then you might remember to let it all go, knowing you have created a new neural pathway, a way of being where joy can flow.

Header Image courtesy of pixabay/spiral-jplenio

A Path of Transformation

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As a guide to this website, a rather simple path of change may help bring the means of transformation into focus:

Awareness —> Emotional Release —> Insight —> Integration

Contemplative Practices provide a container for the process of transformation. They invite you into the quiet and offer ways to calm the ego mind. Practices present the opportunity to experience awareness and insight, to release old emotions and allow for integration of the new you.

Stuck Places invites you into self-awareness. When you find yourself in a situation you don’t like, tempted to blame someone or something else, choose to look within. When thoughts come up or you do something that brings shame, look within. Awareness is a necessary first step that means letting go of old patterns of looking outside for either blame or rescue.

Emotional Entanglements speaks to your ego mind from a scientific and logical perspective. Information allows the mind to go loose, releasing the need to figure something out or protect. This provides greater access to the thoughts and behaviours you are transforming. Emotional Release suggests the why and how of dissolving the glue, the emotional piece of stuck places.

It is important to understand that transformation is not a linear process as suggested in the diagram above. The areas contributing to transformation are there, but your journey may bring them to you in a different order. The process is more of a spiral staircase as in the header image. Each step leads to a new awareness or a higher perspective or an emotional release which then integrates and continues into the next step and the next. You might revisit the same thought or behaviour often as you circle ever upward, opening the flow of joy in every moment.

Also, it is unlikely that any area of change will happen all at once. As much as you might like the idea of ‘RIGHT NOW’, change happens gradually. Most of our old thoughts, beliefs and behaviours have been in place for years. Anticipate and celebrate gradual changes in yourself. The good news is that as you focus on one area of change, you are creating a strong new neural pathway of change that will be in place as you begin to focus on shifting other old thoughts, attitudes and behaviours.

Header Image courtesy of pixabay/spiral-jplenio