By Lori Lines
In today’s mass media culture, we are often flooded by a current of opinions, reflections, and perspectives. Go on any social media platform right now, and your feed will be awash with the statuses of celebrities, politicians, friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances far removed, like your brother’s high school girlfriend or someone in your spouse’s softball league; Do you genuinely need their political opinion? Many, if not most, of these opinions or responses could be left unsaid. Still, once they are presented to the masses, they will surely offend someone. And, inevitably, someone’s offense will offend someone else. Then, the original poster may apologize, and either someone will find an issue with the tone of the apology or the motivation to apologize in the first place. Don’t Take it Personally People tend to take it personally when they see or hear something offensive. People will say, “that is offensive!” But what they feel is, “you have offended me!” They confuse their personal feelings with the feeling of being personally targeted. When the truth is, it is rarely personal. We’ve begun with social media as an example—such as the off-the-cuff quip about a foolish politician. It is easier, at least for some, to take a step back and realize that despite feeling personally offended, the comment was not personal. Yet, what of the family member who reacts to your disinterest in having children by saying, “no family is complete without kids,” or the co-worker who assumes that “you don’t mind filling in for me because it’s not like anyone needs you”? These instances could be a little harder to distance oneself from. However, the family member may be unconsciously voicing their desire for children. Or the co-worker could be envisioning what it would be like if they had no children. Be the Observer To see things as they are, as opposed to how your ego, trauma, or conditioning has framed them, is to question the underlying intention of the offensive behavior, speech, or situation. Depending on your approach, it can be a fascinating exploration, like reflecting on a piece of artwork; Why did the artist use that color, put the brush stroke there, or paint that person or object? In other words, why did that person say those words, use that tone, choose that action, or express those emotions? When you look at an “offense” as something outside of yourself, it is easier to observe it objectively and create distance from it emotionally. When observing the offense instead of internalizing it, you can see beyond the ego mask and witness someone’s wounds and trauma. Take, for instance, the friend that has nothing good to say about your partner, “you shouldn’t trust him,” “he isn’t good for you,” or “he’s going to let you down”; instead of being offended, imagine how she must have been let down by her partners or possibly family or friends, that would cause her to say such disheartening things. With enough consciousness and willingness, you will soon see how offensive behaviors and comments often call for a generous dose of love and compassion! Rise Above or Go Under People who cannot override their trauma, ego, or conditioning remain easily offended. When we are easily offended, we get stuck in a vicious cycle of offense after offense until we program ourselves to seek reasons to be offended. Moving through life in a perpetual state of frustration, anger, hurt, disappointment, and angst won’t make unpleasant people, offensive words, or rude behavior any less likely or less objectionable; It will only lower your vibration, pollute your thoughts, and destabilize your emotions. Worse still, people who get stuck in the victim stance end up forfeiting their power and sovereign authority. They identify as victims and view themselves as vulnerable, helpless, and doomed. So, what is the solution? The only way out of this cycle is to look within. Never Stop Questioning An impersonal perspective towards being offended helps us see that these offenses are where wounds are, whether they belong to the “offender” or the “offended.” When we witness the pain of others, we can cast the light of love and compassion on them. When we acknowledge our own trauma, we must reclaim our power and accountability. The first step is to ask what is being revealed, what needs to be recognized, and what requires healing. To question creates possibility; to remain offended is limiting, pulling down your mood, vibration, and perspective until you are trapped in a prison of your own creation. You instantly lift your temperament, raise your vibration, and gain a higher, more objective perspective when you are willing to ask the right questions. Such as how I can show this person or myself more love, embrace forgiveness, and find the acceptance to move on. The Most Important Questions Ask yourself what this world would look like if nothing offended anyone. People who were intentionally distasteful or rude would get no response to fuel their behavior and instead be forced to examine their actions. Everyone else would enjoy a world of conscious thought, healing discourse, harmony, and compassion. Of course, each of us must do our part to create a world of love, unity, and peace. It begins the next time you feel offended; ask yourself a crucial question, how can you make the world a better place by choosing to see the world as a better place? In love and truth, Lori Lines
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By Lori Lines
Are you “living the dream” and relishing the “good life”? If one were to ask most people that question, the honest answer would likely be no. Why are more people not “living their best life”? Because often, we have been conditioned to believe that the best life is a one-size-fits-all ideal of what is supposed to make us happy. Early Education Many people in western society (and beyond) are taught from a young age, through media, family modeling, and social norms, that a life well-lived means a university education, a “respectable” career, and a committed relationship leading to marriage, resulting in children. Based on media depictions, idle adult chatter and gossip, and admonishments by teachers and parents, as children, we are programmed to see people who don’t want or don’t have what has been dictated as outliers who are lazy, selfish, aimless, and lost. But what does it really mean to be lost? “Midlife” Crisis We are all familiar with the idea of a midlife crisis when people deviate, at varying degrees, from their careers, relationships, value systems, or lifestyles. However, the truth is that this can happen at any time in an individual’s life. The sooner, the better in most cases, because this crisis of personhood is often a rejection of the conditioning, education, training, conformity, and spiritual imprisonment we have been taught to submit to. After doing everything we have been taught would make us happy, many are still met with unhappiness, lack of fulfillment, and emptiness. The career and relationship that was supposed to validate them have let them down. Now, because they have so closely intertwined their personhood with these external circumstances, they have lost their identity; they are awash with anger, frustration, apathy, angst, and depression. This is what it truly means to be lost. The Power to Question At this point, the “midlife” crisis, starts to look a lot like the Dark Night of the Soul. So, why would you want this crisis of self to happen sooner than later? Because the sooner it happens, the sooner you can begin to question! It has been said that it is not the answers that enlightens us, but the questions themselves. This could not be truer in this case. Beginning to reflect is the first step in uncovering who you are and what you truly desire; These are the first steps in revealing the soul’s purpose. What is soul purpose? It is how you chart the path of destiny, the role the Divine has bestowed upon you that no one else can fulfill, and to complete it is to ascend on your unique journey of enlightenment. Soul purpose may have everything or nothing to do with our education, our training, or our profession. It can be what you do full-time or what you can only squeeze a few weekend hours into. This higher purpose can be what you share with other souls or a gift of healing, learning, and loving you give yourself. It can make you rich with material wealth or in Spirit, and for some, both! The Light at The End of The Tunnel Finding your soul’s purpose can be an overwhelming prospect in a world of infinite possible callings. Where to begin? Start where the greatest truths are not known but felt; follow your heart. In a world where nothing is forever, and no promises are made, following your happiness and fulfillment must become your number one priority. Make no mistake; this can be a painful, fearful, and lonely process at first. First, you must admit that you have fallen off track and lost your way. Remember, your time has not been wasted; everything you have been through has brought you to this junction of cataclysmic change and infinite possibility! Next, you must step off the well-trodden path, forging through the unknown with tentative steps. Finally, accept that only you can walk this course. It is yours and yours alone; no one has ever walked it before, people may not understand, and they may judge. Still, casting off the shackles of conditioning by listening to your intuition and higher truth, following your heart, and eschewing the need for ego-comparison and conformity is so purely empowering, freeing, and enlightening that the sacrifices all but disappear in comparison to what is gained! The Ultimate Purpose When fully seeking and expressing your soul purpose, you will find that not only provisions for your needs and desires follow—but most importantly, wholeness, happiness, and fulfillment. Yet, ultimately, seeking purpose, the self-realization, self-actualization, healing, liberation, and awakening you achieve can be purpose and fulfillment enough. It has been said in many ways by many theologians, philosophers, and gurus that the fundamental purpose of life is to devote your whole heart to seeking purpose. When you can do that without ego-comparison, expectations, norms, and “obligations,” you no longer need to seek love, success, and wealth; it inevitably finds you! In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines
What is shadow work, and how do you do it? Therapists, coaches, influencers, and daytime tv hosts – everyone is talking about shadow work. It can be a buzzword to get likes, presume sagacity, or establish a pseudo-guru status. However, shadow work is more than a hashtag; it is a profound tool for meaningful healing, trauma recovery, relationship rehab, and self-actualization. Fundamentally, shadow work is a healing journey of personal reclamation and soulful integration. It is the recovery of lost parts of the self that have fallen into the obscurity of the unconscious – the shadow self. Meeting The Shadow Self Id, Ego, Superego, Inner Child, Higher Self, Lower Self, Mask Self, Conscious Mind, Unconscious Mind, Subconscious Mind, Soul, Spirit, and Shadow Self… There are many aspects and labels for states of being and aspects of personhood. The shadow self relates to all aspects of the self that do not respond to the ego ideal and become unconscious with time. Despite the ego and shadow, conscious and unconscious, or shadow and light becoming disjointed, they are still part of the same soul, resulting in dis-ease from a fractured spirit. This is painful because it is not a natural state! Each lifetime we arrive as an integrated soul, ready to learn, grow, and enlighten. Yet, over time and across interactions, we are conditioned to view certain aspects of ourselves as unacceptable and unlovable. These internalized beliefs, often established by what triggers the shadows of others, such as parents, define the shadows self. We refuse to acknowledge and accept these shadows as a defense mechanism to avoid dissonance resulting from shame, guilt, and self-loathing. The Darkest Shadow It is important to remember that the shadow self isn’t bad; we are only conditioned to believe it is “bad.” There may be gifts and talents repressed by the shadow self because we were mocked or punished for them, like the creative mind of a daydreamer or a little boy’s love of dance. What is actually “bad” are the harmful effects of denying who we genuinely are. Self-denial leads to disconnection from the higher self, Source, the destiny they co-created, and the path of enlightenment it leads to. As a result of this unnatural, disconnected state of being, intrapersonal issues arise, such as Emotional Triggers such as anxiety, depression, anger Emptiness and lack of personal fulfillment Lack of life purpose Negative self-talk Self-loathing Self-victimization Self-harm, such as alcoholism, drug abuse, overeating, overworking, etc. The harmful effects do not happen in a vacuum, extending beyond our inner being into our interpersonal experience. These challenges include Toxic relationship patterns – domestic violence, infidelity Jealousy and envy Being overcritical due to projection Alienation and loneliness Unhealthy or lack of boundaries – co-dependence, defensiveness Generational trauma Ultimately, we can’t be or give our best, or even better, selves if we cannot first be our whole selves. Coming to the Light Shadow work isn’t all love and light, nor doom and gloom. Recovering “unlovable” parts of who you are can be painful, jarring, and disorienting, but it is also profoundly freeing, healing, and empowering. It doesn’t take years and years of probing deep within the depths of your soul to experience the transformative power. Some people successfully embark on and accomplish a solitary journey of soul retrieval. Because shadow work can be facilitated by practices that override the conscious mind, like hypnotherapy, art therapy, and shamanic healing, some people seek therapists, counselors, or Shamans. But shadow work doesn’t take degrees, certifications, crystals, herbs, or leatherbound journals. Shadow work requires an open awareness of what has been hidden and a willingness to welcome it into the light. You neither forsake the light nor eradicate the shadow. There may always be aspects of yourself you are uncomfortable sharing or acknowledging, just as there will be aspects you want to put front and center. The goal of integration is awareness, acceptance, and allowing- awareness of both your shadow and light, accepting them both equally, and allowing the authentic experience of both. The Shadow is the Greatest Teacher There are many paths along the shadow work journey. It is your soul; therefore, you know best how to retrieve the aspects that make it whole. Still, the following past-present-future perspective should offer some illuminating guidance for every step of your journey. Past Review – Take an inventory of your life thus far; journal prompts can be very helpful in this respect. Examine your childhood, relationship history, personal accomplishments, and regrets. As you do inventory, take note of any recurring themes and patterns. Accept – Understand that you may experience some discomforting revelations and recover painful memories. Accept that what is done cannot be changed, but by acknowledging it, you can change your future! Present Observe –Practice being the watchful observer, taking a non-judgmental, unemotional look at your reactions and responses. Pay particular attention to your emotional triggers. Remember, not all triggers flare immediately. A midday occurrence in the office may come to a head in the evening during an interaction with a spouse. Question – Once you have gained insight as the watchful observer, identify any patterns that arise. Question the who, what, when, and why surrounding an emotional trigger. Next, explore where; At what point in my life did this trigger start? Finally, how does this connect to my shadow? Future Allow – Integrating the conscious self with the unconscious self is a process. All aspects of the shadow won’t reveal themselves at once, nor does unlearning conditioning happen overnight. Change and healing are not linear; trust that your shadow will reveal itself at a pace that honors your greatest good and highest purpose. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Honor – You may not love or even like all you discover as your awareness expands. No matter what you face, try to honor your shadow self, even if you aren’t ready to embrace it. Shadow work is a journey of awareness. The more awareness you gain, the more fully embodied you are as a conscious being sovereign over your personhood and path. Only in your fullness and with agency and authority can you live your destiny and follow your fate – your authentic and unique path to ascension and the brilliance of enlightenment. In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines
What Is the Hype? “Don’t believe the hype,” “believe the hype,” “create the hype,” … “Hype” has become mainstream vernacular, but what does it really mean? Hype can be more than a fast-spreading wide-reaching craze like Elvis Presley during the 50s or Chia pets in the 80s. Hype can happen globally, politically, socially, or individually. Hype is anything that becomes disproportionately admired, exaggeratedly important, and intensively influential. Manufactured Hype We’ve all witnessed the mass media “hype beast” at work, sensationalizing whatever whets the public’s voyeuristic, fear-mongering appetite. Capitalistic hype is also very familiar. It can be presented as “medical discoveries” such as the new popular superfood of each decade - ginseng, echinacea, goji berry, acai, or psilocybin. While these foods and herbs can be healthy, it becomes hype when acai, for example, is everywhere we look, in everything we eat, and touted as a cure for every ailment we have. There are other types of hype that can be harder to recognize. Over the holidays, you may attend a family dinner where everything your cousin says is viewed as insightful, funny, or beyond reproach by the family. The same cousin, or perhaps their parents, often talk at length about how much they know, possess, or have accomplished – This becomes a type of social hype. The hardest hype to recognize is the hype we create for ourselves. We can aggrandize someone or something in a way that is inconsistent with their actual power, influence, intelligence, or significance to our life and well-being. We may do this with social media likes or views, a parent, a love interest, a job, or even a lifestyle. This is an example of how we both create the hype and believe it. Don’t Believe the Hype Whoever first said, don’t believe the hype, had a valid point! Believing the hype can be very costly financially, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Hype can drain our bank accounts as we shell out hard-earned money to partake in the latest wellness craze. It can be tiresome and stressful to continually re-condition our beliefs based on the newest guru on the scene. And how emotionally exhausting to repress our own desires and thoughts to align with what has now become the most socially acceptable value system! What at first seems like going with the flow or staying current can have deleterious effects! Believing the hype can rob us of what we have, who we are, and what we believe. Ultimately, it diminishes our true selves, disconnects us from our higher selves, disrupts the path of destiny, and delays our spiritual evolution. Demystifying the Hype So, why do we buy into the hype? It is often due to ego-based fear and comparison. We are so afraid that we will miss out, be left behind, or be excluded, that we buy into what we are conditioned into believing. While getting swept up in the hype is nothing to be ashamed of (if it didn’t work to some degree, why would it be such a common tactic), it can be avoided. The best defense against buying into it is remaining grounded in your personal truth and conviction. You won't get swept up in the swirling waves of crazes and trends when you are rooted in your unique sense of integrity and values. You may sometimes find yourself swimming among them, but you won’t drown. Reconnection is Key You must first reconnect to yourself and then reconnect to the Divine. The best way to unlock these two doors with one key is by getting out of your left brain and reawakening your right-brained, higher consciousness. By quietening automatic conditioning, which is highly suggestible, programmable, and readily accepting and instead heeding inner knowing, intuition, and Divine Truth, what will become extraordinarily clear is that hype is temporary, and the truth is transformative. Dismantling the Hype Our approach to the hype determines whether it is harmful or healing. Ultimately, it is healthy, even beneficial in some cases, to be intrigued enough by the hype to try, explore, and learn about it. Instead of approaching the hype like a mindless participant, we strengthen our higher consciousness by observing, as mindful watchers, fostering the ability to disseminate and process our experience by connecting with intuition and truth. Similar to what Gandhi said, hype doesn’t become truth the more widely it is spread, just as truth cannot be denied no matter how deeply it is hidden. Yet, the truth is never hidden from those willing to look with their hearts instead of their eyes. In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines
The Man Behind the Curtain Do you remember the scene from the Wizard of Oz when Toto pulls back the Wizard’s curtain? It’s been a long time since many of us have seen the movie but close your eyes and try to recall the “wizard’s” reaction…It was filled with threatening anger, panic, and fear, and finally, when the man behind the curtain was revealed, profound sadness and a tale of loss. The Wizard of Oz is a whimsical tale of talking lions and flying monkeys, yet the anxiety of being revealed as who they are behind the curtain is painfully real to many. Another common childhood memory may have similar undertones. Guests are coming over, and your mom whips herself into an anxious frenzy, ensuring you are dressed and pressed, every hair in place, and the house is spit shinned. Mom may even caution you to be on your best behavior for the arriving company. Perhaps you are this parent today. Of course, we all have private lives that we neither hide nor advertise from the anime aficionado and weekend nudist to the grieving child or separated spouse. However, when masks become part of our daily wardrobe, we can become bound in the straitjacket of inauthenticity. Unmasking the Ego Why did mom scurry around the house, making things picture-perfect? Why do some people buy homes and cars beyond their financial means? Why do couples stay together when they no longer love or even like each other? It all comes down to three letters, EGO. The ego is the bridge between the outside world and the inner self. It can be a protector, facilitator, or translator when it is healthy and whole. When the ego self is wounded and damaged, it can cause us to respond defensively, aggressively, or deceptively. What hurts the ego, causing us to respond in this way? Ego wounds are emotional traumas that overwhelm our coping skills and defense mechanisms. This is why many ego wounds occur in childhood when the ego is still developing, and we have little recourse in response to the shame, guilt, fear, and pain we may encounter. Of course, the ego can be damaged at any life stage. And, because we all have varying levels of trauma tolerance, everyone’s ego can be affected by different events in different ways. Examples of Ego Trauma Parental Abandonment Academic Challenges Divorce from a Spouse Rejection from a Peer Group Disregarded by a Romantic Interest Teased by Family or Friends Professional Failure Mocked By a Teacher Feeling Like an Outsider (financially, physically, intellectually, etc.) Perfection, The Enemy of Authenticity Ego wounds often result in inauthenticity because people are trying to avoid reinjury. Consequently, wounded individuals strive to project a perfect image to avoid experiencing shame, rejection, guilt, or abandonment again, thereby protecting the ego. Defending an injured ego indefinitely actually weakens the ego instead of strengthening it. Think of it as a broken limb, for example. We wear the cast temporarily as we heal, but it must eventually come off, or the appendage will atrophy. And, what happens when the ego’s defenses atrophy? The ego becomes preoccupied with its defenselessness and vulnerability, causing fear, anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. Trying to hide this angst and sorrow creates a vicious cycle of masking and hiding behind façades. It is crucial to remember that the inner child or lower self, the ego self, and the higher self are all part of a singular individual. We are discussing it now as something separate to highlight our accountability for and sovereignty over the ego self. It is up to us to heal and strengthen our ego self so we can represent ourselves and navigate the world in empowering constructive ways. Authenticity is the Measure of Awakening It would be remiss to not acknowledge the price we often pay for living authentically. We must first be willing to be vulnerable. By exposing our true selves and living honestly, we open ourselves to the risk of rejection, abandonment, judgment, shame, and failure. We must also be willing to accept that not everyone will celebrate or approve of us. And we need to understand that when we are denied, it will be for who we are and not who we’ve led others to believe we are, which can be even more painful at times. However, the price of authenticity actually pales greatly in comparison to its gifts. The rewards of living an authentic life are plentiful. We gain freedom, self-love, self-worth, inner peace, joy, and empowerment. When we choose to honor our truth, live vulnerably, and let go of fear and a need for acceptance, we also find clarity, release, and awakening. The Authentic Self, the Soul Made Visible It’s rather miraculous how the routine choice to observe yourself, reflect on your truth, and respond authentically can be such a transformative practice, though not in the way you may think. By living authentically, you don’t change who you are becoming; you become who you were always meant to be, which is also the fundamental truth of awakening. In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines Let’s face it, everyone encounters adversity in their lives. It can be a daily inconvenience, like a parking ticket, a painful or disruptive circumstance like a job loss or breakup, or a life-altering event such as a serious illness or the death of someone you love. No one is exempt; Adversity is one of life’s great equalizers. So, why do some people crumble under the burden or hardship, with those that never recover, while others seem to withstand the burden, heal, grow, and perhaps thrive? While there can be multiple factors at play, ego dramatically influences how we face, endure, and overcome adversity. The Many Faces of Ego From the scientific study of psychology to the intuitive wisdom of spirituality, the ego has many faces. At times vilified, “the ego must die!” Celebrated by others as “the voice of reason and sanity.” With so much divergence, what can be agreed on? Ego is accepted across disciplines as the conscious part of the personality, a mediator between our inner workings and the outer world. It is who we think we are and often who the world believes us to be. The ego’s fundamental role is to serve as a gatekeeper between our outer experience and the lower and higher self. Like a switch operator, the ego decides whether it will direct adversity’s call to the lower or higher self. The ego makes this decision, actually all its decisions, on what it perceives as facts about the self. The types of “facts” the ego believes can be self-deprecating
The Burden of the Ego Those who are arrogant and self-loathing often bear the burden of ego. For these people, the ego becomes a locus of attack and defense. They often believe that adversity happens to them or at them like arrows flung in battle. They view themselves as either vulnerable victims or superiorly separate from life’s hardships. Self-loathing people often view hardships as a punishment, at times deserved, for being lesser than or failing. In this way, these people align with their misfortune, embodying it, becoming the suffering itself. This can worsen their hardships, making them harder to overcome. Self-aggrandizing people often view their hardships as beneath them, rarely deserved, because they are above it all. In this way, these people resist their misfortune, denying it, fighting it, and making the misfortune an enemy. This creates attachment to their hardships, making them harder to move past. In both cases, the ego convinces the self that when adversity stops, there will be peace. As a result, the individual becomes a slave to the ego because misfortune is inevitable and unavoidable. There needs to be another way! The Benefits of Ego Those who are self-honoring often heal and grow from the benefit of ego. For these people, the ego becomes a locus of acceptance and accountability. They view themselves as worthy, empowered, and self-knowing when facing life’s adversities. They often believe misfortune simply happens like a storm crossing the sky. These self-respecting people often view hardships as happenstance, learning opportunities, karma, or destiny. These people do not identify with their misfortune at all. Instead, they acknowledge, accept, overcome, and release it, neutralizing the adversity and the potential for suffering. This makes it easier to take accountability, learn, and adapt. In this case, the ego faces adversity with self-worth, empowerment, and self-knowledge.
Facing Adversity with Neutrality By seeing adversity as
You will no longer become attached to it and stop worsening your suffering by aligning with it or resisting it. When you face adversity with neutrality, viewing it objectively as something unavoidable and unbiased, like the ebb and flow of the tide, you can significantly minimize your suffering or prevent it altogether. Albert Einstein once said adversity introduces a man to himself. Still, there is more to it! Adversity also introduces us to our higher self. Ultimately, adversity is not just one of life’s great equalizers. It is also one of life’s greatest teachers! In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines
Have you ever noticed that during those times you were convinced something would go wrong, it usually did? “I’m going to mess this speech up; they’re not going to like me; I am not good enough.” On the other hand, in those times when you were convinced you couldn’t fail, things tended to go smoothly and successfully. “I can’t lose; I just know there is a connection; I have what it takes.” While we all have varying degrees of psychic knowing, these self-fulfilling prophecies have more to do with mindset than intuitive premonitions. Negative self-talk comes in many forms. It may sound factual, “I won’t get the raise,” prudent, “If I try, I’ll fail,” or like a realistic observation, “I am all alone.” Negative self-talk hinders our healing, growth, evolution, and ascension, creating adverse outcomes for ourselves and our lives. We all have an occasional dark cloud floating across our clear mental skies. However, it can’t rain every day! The more negative thoughts we have, the more negativity they generate, causing our minds to assume a generally somber perspective. This sea of negativity can soon swell over our heads! Contributing to feelings of helplessness, worthlessness, and hopelessness. Wait, don’t get negative about negative thoughts. The sun can rise again! Positive Affirmations to the Rescue! One way affirmations help is by programming the mind to have positive expectations. Studies have shown when we have positive expectations, we have more positive experiences. For example, when chronic pain sufferers believe their pain will be more manageable and tolerable, they experience less pain! Affirmations like, “I will succeed, I am talented, or people like me” can reprogram the mind to focus on the positive and foster a sense of empowerment and control over our outcomes. When we reframe our thoughts and experiences with positive words, they not only shift our perspective and alter our experience but also change our brain chemistry, structures, and processes, making affirmation practice both a quick fix and long-term solution for keeping negative ruminations at bay. The Magic of Words Positive affirmations are also powerful tools for manifestation and practicing the Law of Attraction. By gradually making positive affirmations a mainstay in your self-care routine, a shift will soon take place. The focus will go from neutralizing negative thoughts to amplifying positive intentions. Once you get the hang of them, you can use positive affirmations to fast-track your career, physical conditioning, relational prosperity, and personal development! Because affirmations profoundly affect your life, it’s essential to wield their incredible power wisely. Affirmations influence the linguistic processing centers of the brain, meaning your words are precious. To make the most of this life-changing practice, follow the 3 Ps, phrasing your words in a tone that is present, positive, and powerful. Present – State your affirmation as a current reality because it is if you believe it. Instead of I will be successful, say, I am successful. Or, in place of, I am going to find happiness, say, I am happy and filled with joy. Positive – Don’t focus on what you don’t want. Focus on what you do want. Instead of, I will not fail, say, I am achieving my goals. Or, in place of, I will not lack for anything, say, I have more than enough. Powerful –Use constructive, empowering language whenever possible. Instead of, I will be abundant, say, I am abundant. Or, in place of I can find love, say, I am attracting the love I desire. Creating life-changing affirmations is like crafting a spell. Your words are the magical ingredients needed to conjure up the best version of who you are and your best life! Manifesting Miracles There are three more special ingredients, perhaps the most essential for crafting transformative affirmations. The first two are confidence and conviction. To truly weave magic with your words, you need to genuinely believe in yourself, your ability to manifest your desires, and the Universe’s ultimately generous nature. Remind yourself as often as necessary that you are capable and deserving and that the Universe has infinite abundance for all who dare to dream and believe. The final ingredient? Gratitude! Gratitude turns what we have into enough. It is the secret sauce, the cornerstone, the missing puzzle piece! Be grateful for what you have, what you are attracting, and what you are yet to receive. Even rejoice in the unanswered prayers and seemingly missed opportunities because there is magic in them too. Never forget, “a grateful heart is a magnet for miracles!” In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines No News is Good News The modern era presents opportunities that our ancestors never knew. Yet, our ever-broadening possibilities also introduce unique obstacles. Through cable television and the internet, there is an infinite supply of information available with just a click of a button. This flood of information is often unsolicited. We go online to find a guided meditation or maybe a few relaxing asanas, and we are bombarded with information. Often presented in a manner meant to buttress the believability or evidentiary quality, there are no guarantees that the information heaped on us is factual. And so, what began as the age of information has become the age of disinformation. System Overload Information has become faster, more plentiful, but not necessarily better, leading many to feel powerless, hopeless, angry, and afraid. And who wouldn’t be when being drowned in a sea of depressing, panic-inducing information on a global scale. It is also presented sensationally because sensationalism gets clicks, views, and subscribers. The consequence? We become overwhelmed, burned out, and ultimately numb to humanity and ourselves. When we become desensitized, we no longer see people or their pain as authentic, impairing our ability to access our emotions, connect with others, or experience genuine empathy and sympathy. Everything becomes a talking point instead of a call to action, an opportunity for healing, or a moment of profound realization. A prison, not of brick and mortar but of “facts,” is cutting us off from ourselves, others, and our journey as spiritual beings having a human experience. Which is the primary pathway to awakening! Another pitfall of unlimited informational access, whether solicited or not, is that we are constantly giving the left-brain data to compute but denying the right-brain experiences and emotions to process. An over-active left brain and malnourished right brain result in a society that relies mainly on what they are conditioned to believe, trained to see, and taught to think. A left-brained society often fails to think, feel, believe, or experience life for themselves. They may be learned but not wise, and they never risk looking past the well-constructed façade of how things ought to be. In terms of ascension and awakening to a left-brained society, it is nearly impossible; a utopia never to be reached but only rarely imagined by those who dare. Taking the Off-ramp of the Information Superhighway We have been conditioned to believe that tuning out the informational noise is impractical, inconceivable, and socially negligent. What would we do if we did not know what was happening worldwide at all hours of the day!? Such conditioning causes us to feel anxious and fearful at the very notion. However, self-care demands that we turn off the noise and tune into the moment. This moment is rich with possibility, emotion, and learning. What’s more, any given moment can be an opportunity for love, understanding, or healing. Yet, when we are speeding down the superhighway, just trying to keep up, we cannot appreciate the beauty of the scenery. We need to actively shift our cognitive path from the left brain to the right brain as much as possible. Protecting ourselves in the dis-information age is not just about slamming on the breaks and going slower; it’s about shifting the route altogether. It is about mindfulness, meditation, communing with the Higher Self, challenging conditioned beliefs, pulling back the curtain, and looking past what we are taught to see. The High Road to Higher Consciousness Cognitive dissonance is the state of having conflicting thoughts, feelings, beliefs, or perspectives. When the right brain is engaged, we experience cognitive dissonance caused by attitudes that conflict with our Higher Selves and higher consciousness. When the left brain is in control, the dissonance we experience is due to conflicts with our conditioning and the status quo. Highlighting how dependent self-preservation is on an active, engaged right brain during the age of disinformation! As the doorway to higher consciousness, the right brain enables us to make another important distinction between healing divisiveness and damaging unity. We are often taught divisiveness is bad, and unity is good. Yet, unity with the dis-information age and agents of dis-information holds us back from enlightenment and awakening. Making it essential to heed the alarm bells of dissonance the higher consciousness sets off, triggering a need for healing division from the left-brained collective. When unity is the conditioned default and divisiveness is automatically shunned, we can become ensnared in the vicious cycle of panic, helplessness, hopelessness, and depression of the disinformation age. Final Thoughts… It is essential to draw a distinction between absolute alienation and healing divisiveness. We are not meant to be lonely and isolated from humanity. The path to ascension and the 5D reality of enlightenment is one of unity and love. However, to get there, we must align our journey with those who have similar goals, who choose to uplift and be uplifted instead of tearing down and being downtrodden. Love, happiness, harmony, healing, and fulfillment are not facts or data points to examine and study. They are energies and emotions to be experienced, felt, and enjoyed. They are the ultimate truth! And, though Facts can obscure the truth, the truth can never be hidden. In love and truth, Lori Lines QHHT Level 3 Practitioner, Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Intuitive By Lori Lines Your spouse asks you to join them for a show, but you decline, explaining that you must catch up on work. They go anyway, and you lash out because you feel abandoned. Still, you did tell them you were too busy. Your boss asks you to stay late and give her feedback on a project she's been working on, you have a prior engagement, but you blow it off because you feel elated to be "chosen" and acknowledged despite this being an unpaid infringement on your private time. You promise your friend you will come over and help her prepare for a party. You get absorbed in a Wordle puzzle at the last minute, ignoring her call when she phones to see where you are. You realize that you don't feel up to it but feel too anxious to let your friend know. What do all these examples have in common? They could all be indicative of a need for inner child healing! What is Inner Child Healing? Also known as inner child work, it is any healing practice that addresses needs that weren't met or wounds that were created when we were children. While inner child wounds are prevalent among victims of trauma and neglect, we all have an inner child who may not have been loved, guided, or even reprimanded in the way they needed during development. Inner child healing creates space for the child locked within the subconscious mind to speak their truth, needs, and feelings, drowning out the echoes of those who criticized, rejected, and labeled them. When we allow our inner child a choice and a voice, we self-actualize through integrating the shadow and light or the subconscious and conscious. The principal goals of inner child work are to acknowledge their wounds, recognize the maladaptive beliefs and coping strategies they use to navigate the world, and heal by hearing, protecting, honoring, and reparenting the inner child. Signs Your Inner Child is Wounded There are many "symptoms" of an inner child needing healing. They can be as seemingly insignificant as repeatedly playing hooky from work during a deadline or as glaring as multiple DUIs! The following are some of the most common cries for help from the inner child. Codependence Vs. Alienation – A tendency to adopt the belief that "I can't live without you" is just as indicative of wounding as "I don't need anyone." Healthy adults value their independence yet, allow themselves to ask for help when needed. Reactivity – When any inconvenience results in an emotional breakdown or disruptive acting out, this is the "adult" manifestation of a temper tantrum. We are intended for thoughtful and intuitive responses to life, not impulsive and impetuous reactions. Self-Destruction – When we think of destructive behaviors, we often things of gambling, alcohol and drug abuse, compulsive shopping, and infidelity. However, self-destructive coping also includes workaholism, restrictive dieting, overly people-pleasing, and serial monogamy. Toxic Attachment Patterns – Whether in platonic or romantic relationships, those with an inner child wound tend to struggle with unhealthy attachment patterns. This can include avoiding conflict, emotional expression, or meaningful conversation. This often goes hand in hand with anxious attachment, involving the pathological need to please others. There may be a tendency to dismiss their needs for those of others or vice versa. This is often associated with being a gas lighter or a reoccurring pattern of being gaslighted. Benefits of Inner Child Healing We are often taught the "adult" thing to do when suffering is to suck it up. This leads to a tendency to reject our inner child and look disdainfully upon the part of ourselves that is wounded and bereft. This contributes to a fractured sense of self, leading to self-loathing, inauthenticity, developmental and spiritual stagnation, emotional detachment, alienation from others, humanity, and Spirit. Embracing the inner child teaches us there is no shame in the shadows of our wounds, thoughts, and emotions. By accepting the self fully, we can integrate the shadow and light, self-actualize, and ascend – we are no longer fractured. We are whole! Inner child work enriches our lives on many levels, elevating our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, nourishing our relationships, fostering success in our careers, and contributing to an overall sense of fulfillment and joy. We are catalysts of generational and communal healing when we heal our partnerships and families through inner child work. Moreover, if every child was swaddled in love and had a heart overflowing with empowerment, we could heal the world, creating a wave of awakening and enlightenment! Methods of Inner Child Healing The best way to create space for the inner child is to quiet the left brain and activate the right. The left brain is a locust of logic, reasoning, and conditioning. The left brain is the source of life's "shoulds and shouldn'ts" and is heavily restricted by the limitations of the 3D and societal mores. Alternatively, the right brain is a flowing source of emotions, intuition, creativity, instinctual knowing, imagination, and higher vision. The following modalities are trusted tools for inner child healing. Art Therapy – By activating the right brain, creative arts and art therapy under the guidance of a trained practitioner provides the inner child a chance to play, create, and express themselves. Hypnosis – Bypassing the conscious mind and accessing unconscious resources, hypnosis can create space for the inner child to convey their trauma and wounds while also giving them access to healing. Journaling – Inner child journal prompts to build a rapport with the inner child, strengthening and honoring their voice. It is an excellent way to begin the healing journey by creating a safe space without shame or guilt. Meditation & Mindfulness – Quieting the mental chatter, self-criticisms, and internalized judgments of the left brain, these practices soothe the nervous system and create a peaceful, broad expanse for the inner child to explore and express. QHHT – Bypassing both the left brain and the ego-self, QHHT reactivates and strengthens the right brain while fostering a connection with the higher self. The higher self can then inform the healing processes by comforting and empowering the inner child, accessing repressed memories, and providing a safe space to explore "negative" or shameful emotions. Final Thoughts… Your inner child is a seed. Though small and hidden, it is the foundation of growth for your entire being. Therefore, while your inner child's wounds may not be your fault, their healing is still in your hands…your life depends on it! In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines Hopefully, you have taken some time to reflect on your connection to and embodiment of your higher self and role as sovereign creator. Often, when we first accept this position of power, we focus on what future experiences we wish to manifest, reflect on the present and how to improve current circumstances, and sometimes in our more introspective moments, we question how things could have been different had we assumed the authority of creator sooner. The past, present, and future of this lifetime are too minute to illustrate the vast nature of your power as a divine being. The higher aspect of who you are, your soul, has designed infinite lifetimes, some of which you are living concurrent to this one! With boundless wisdom, you chose what people, opportunities, challenges, blessings, and lessons you would encounter over your lifetimes to manifest your greatest good and highest purpose, enlightenment. Although free will can’t be disregarded, your higher self’s plans play a huge role in who you are, the life you lead, and your journey of personal development. “Even the bad things?” you might ask. “Bad” things happen for several reasons, a pre-orchestrated decision made by the higher aspect of your being to further your growth, your contemporaneous free will, or the consequence of your experiences and actions over lifetimes. Let’s use chronic migraines as an example. Your higher self may have decided migraines would guide you towards meditation, teaching you the value of mindfulness, inner stillness, and balance. They could result from the free will you exercised to stay up late and drink espresso shots throughout the day to stay up. Karmically, you could have experienced a head wound during a fight with a lover and must now heal the deep-seated emotional wound it caused in order to trust again. In this way, your sovereignty as divine creator is exponential, to the nth power! From this perspective, one can never be a victim of their circumstances. Let’s use another example…If you keep attracting partners who lie and cheat, this could be a path you choose in your highest state to learn self-respect and self-preservation, an unfortunate use of freewill to choose partners without discernment, or karmically it can be a pattern you will repeat until you decide to heal the wound of being abandoned in a past life. Meaning, any way you frame it, your circumstances are a result of your choices. Fortunately, you have the divine authority to change both your inner and external experience whenever and however you choose. Of course, this can sometimes be easier said than done. When the root cause of your undesired circumstance is unconscious or inaccessibly linked to past or parallel lives, it can be hard to identify, acknowledge, and release the blockages that impair your influence as a creator. This is where Quantum Healing Hypnosis can help. QHHT can reconnect you to the higher aspect of yourself, where your soul’s memories are stored. But, more than that, your higher self is also connected to the collective unconscious. By accessing all wisdom that has ever been and ever will be, your higher consciousness provides insight regarding your chosen life path, karma, challenges, wounds, and healing. Yet, before you can genuinely benefit from a QHHT session, you must accept the fundamental truth that despite any perceived distance or separation, you are your higher self! A QHHT facilitator is just that. They are meant to facilitate the connection. With hypnosis, one can clear the noise of limiting beliefs, temporal restraints, and conditioned “logic” to promote profound, discernable messages from your highest consciousness. It is not up to the practitioner to tell you what is "wrong" with you, that is your sovereign duty and privilege. Through QHHT and the alignment it promotes with your higher self, you can reclaim your divinity and creator power, learning to heal yourself, provide for your own needs, and fulfill your higher purpose. As long as you are willing to cast off the shackles of victimhood, stop waiting to be “healed,” don the mantle of creator and victor as your divine birthright, and heal yourself! In the next installment, we will discuss the systemic dis-ease of laziness and irresponsibility, how it is sustained on a societal level, and breaking free of the self-imposed imprisonment. In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines They say, when we dream of a home, all that transpires is a reflection of how we view our own inner experience. Moving ahead with this perspective, let’s explore the blueprints! The lower self is much like an unfinished basement. We store things like fear, anger, heartache, all our emotional childhood experiences. This lower aspect of self is highly reactionary and defensive, acting as a victimized, entitled, dependent, controlling, or otherwise maladaptive foundation for our behavior. We are accountable for renovating our energetic basement during this lifetime, clearing out baggage, and inviting in the light. The main floor of the house represents the ego-self. It is the part of us that people encounter. We decorate it and keep it presentation ready. Why? Because we don’t want to be judged for having the poor taste or being untidy. The ego is built upon and empowered by judgment. The primary ego needs are meeting external and internal expectations and being deemed “more” than others; more attractive, intelligent, successful, compassionate, or “spiritual.” Lastly, envision a refuge at the top of the house, but no ordinary attic. This is a sky loft with a beautiful skylight, filling it with illumination and a fresh breeze that always stirs, keeping the air pure and clean. It is a retreat you don’t get to visit as often as you like because you are busy keeping up appearances on the main floor. When you do visit, you are replenished and renewed. Now ask yourself, even if this loft is the most blissful yet least accessed part of your home, is it any less a part of the structure? The idea highlighted here is that the higher self, while expansive, pure, harmonious, and possessing profundity beyond description, is still a part of you. Commingling, for better or worse, with the lower self and ego. One of our primary undertakings this lifetime is to minimize the influence of the lower self, denying it control of the ego, designating power instead to the higher self, and teaching the ego to surrender to it. When this does not happen, the defensive, wounded lower self and the critical ego can lead us to assume the mantle of victimhood and helplessness. You see, the lower self assumes the role of defending the ego from being rewounded. Fearful, the lower self tells the ego that threats are around every corner. Being humiliated, taken advantage of, or hurt is not a potentiality it is a certainty. Thus, the ego throws its hands up in the air, too afraid to take responsibility for its inevitable demise. Going through life hopeless, helpless, and apathetic. There are also societal forces that take advantage of these listless souls. They are being ushered into the ignorant masses, who are too disinterested to call out the systemic façades and powerless to effectuate any real change. The matrix is thereby upheld by unconscious victims and those who fear accountability. These people are still imprisoned by the dank, dark basement of the lower self. When we awaken to the truth that we can at once be the lower self, ego, and higher self, we can no longer remain ignorant to the facts about our society and our divine sovereignty. We must assume responsibility for reparenting the lower self, forfeiting egoic power, and accepting the omnipotence of the higher self, breaking free of systemic fallacies. The seemingly trite adage, “with great power, comes great responsibility,” takes on weighty significance when you begin to recognize your role as a creator! Although the lower self, ego, and higher self comprise one being, victim and creator cannot! You cannot simultaneously create the personhood, experience, and outcomes you desire and remain a victim to them. Unfortunately, some people are afraid to surrender the mantle of victimhood because they fear the accountability of creator is too much to bear. They are more comfortable viewing themselves as “other” to the higher self because the divine authority to protect, guide, heal, and manifest becomes their own. The truth is while being a creator is a weighty undertaking, victimhood is more than a burden. It is a form of death, smothering life force and entombing your infinite potential. We can all benefit from looking at divine sovereignty as coming with a price that is far outweighed by its worth. Ultimately, it may be time to revamp the adage and instead declare, “with great responsibility, comes great power!” In the next part of this series, we will be discussing the infinite nature of our creator power as multidimensional beings… In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines Free will is a divine gift that endows each and every one of us with our own inner divinity. While a great endowment, the freedom to choose means every day we must choose between conscious and unconscious acts, positive vibrations and negative, right and wrong. Inevitably, some people will choose unconscious or willfully hurtful behavior, leaving you feeling hurt, betrayed, angered, or disappointed. Since free will is their divine birthright, you can do nothing to change them or their hurtful actions. Don’t be mistaken! This does not mean you have no power and are left with no recourse. You have the same birthright of choice. Whether these painful circumstances were pre-destined, to help you learn and grow, or they are weaponized use of someone else’s free will, you get to decide whether you will build a staircase to ascension on them or let them drag you down like an anchor in a sea of emotions. Though not the easiest path, the most constructive is to choose to cast off the mantle of victimhood and don the armor of victory. However, understand when you remain the victim, you are just as responsible for your path as choosing to be a victor. The hurt, helplessness, disempowerment of people who refuse to take responsibility for their own healing is their burden to carry. While it may seem like an injustice, there comes the point when the person who wounded them is no longer held accountable for the impact on the injured person’s life path. The Road to Healing If you choose to take back your power, bravo! Although it may be challenging spiritual work, you are more than capable of realigning yourself with your path and purpose. Keeping in mind that healing looks different for everyone, the following guide may help shape your journey of empowerment. The first step in your healing journey is to accept that the other person may never acknowledge they’ve done anything wrong. Accepting that painful truth is essential because it gives you back your power. If you can’t rely on them to right the wrongs, you will seek your own resolution. In the “light and love” society we live in, there tends to be a lot of spiritual and emotional bypassing. You must give yourself permission to feel all your feelings, including anger. It is only by facing your hurt that you will be able to release it- you can’t clean out the basement without unpacking it first! Once you have explored your pain, there is no need to linger there. Focus on the present. That is where your healing takes place, after all. You may want to come up with a healing affirmation to reorient you to your present and purpose, such as “I am present, I am powerful, I am progressing” or any other easy-to-remember positive declarations. Above all, be gentle with yourself! Perhaps you will find release in journaling, discussing (not dumping!) the events with a trusted friend or counselor, or seeking therapies like QHHT to dive deeper into the wisdom underlying your pain. Treat yourself like a dear friend, showing yourself compassion because we are all works in progress. Remember, “you can be a work in progress and a masterpiece simultaneously!” In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines
Anger is often perceived as erratic and unpredictable when in fact, anger is a process. It can be both adaptive and maladaptive, but either way, there is a formula. It all begins with an event that trigger’s the anger, something that could be inconvenient, frustrating, hurtful, disappointing…the list goes on. We’ve all been there before. Next, there is the mental response, how the occurrence is perceived. For some, it is pretty simple, “they keep cutting me off when I am speaking, and I feel disrespected." For others, negative and at times irrational thoughts are elicited, “they cut me off because they think I am stupid,” “They don’t love me enough to hear me out.” The emotional response follows. Once again, there are two primary courses anger can take. The more objective response, “that hurt me,” “I’m annoyed,” or an emotional reaction activated by the negative thoughts. These emotions tend to be intense and out of proportion, like shame, guilt, fear, rage, panic, and depression. These intense emotions often influence both the spiritual and physical body. Leading to bodily tension and spiritual disconnection from divine purpose and universal harmony. This disconnection from the higher self and stabilizing force of the physical plane detract from the path of self-actualization and ascension. This type of fury leads to what is known as open aggression, expressing itself as screaming, accusations, blaming, harsh criticisms, and emotional manipulation. In the worst-case scenarios, it can lead to property damage or violence against the self or others. It puts those in the immediate environment at risk and can threaten the infuriated individual’s health, mental stability, career, and relationships depending on the context and extremity of the rage. Open aggression is typically what we think of when we say someone has “anger issues,” but there are those whose anger issues are rooted in not being able to express anger at all. This type of maladaptive coping falls under the umbrella term passive aggression. Passive anger can look like sulking, subtle digs at others, and shutting down. What many don’t realize is it can also look like grief and depression. Frequently, people have been punished for displaying anger, struggle with abandonment, or suffer from emotional disconnection fall into such patterns. Whether outwardly volatile or passively despairing, anger is often rooted in trauma. Going back to the negative and irrational thoughts that a triggering event can evoke, these thoughts are elicited from the inner child and wounded self. When emotional responses lead to maladaptive anger, either grief or rage, we are not reacting to the event itself. We are responding to the traumatized parts of ourselves that are triggered by the event. Disproportionate sadness masks anger, and that anger disguises trauma. As such, anger and grief persist as long as there is trauma to repress. To heal excessive ire, we must uncover, acknowledge, heal, and release the trauma that necessitates it or risk being trapped in a toxic cycle of grief and rage. But how? When we encounter an anger-triggering event, we must explore the thoughts that arise between the event and the emotional response. What is the source of the anger, what automatic thoughts are aroused, who comes to mind, what circumstances does your memory recall? The answers to these questions will help you uncover any wounds the event is dredging up and the associated trauma that needs to be released. This can easily be done through a QHHT session, when one is ready to squarely face the underlying, core trauma rather than repressing it. Does this mean you’ll never get angry again? Hopefully not! Healthy displays of anger are adaptive, empowering, relationship strengthening, and beneficial. Healthy anger is balanced, proportional to the event, and expressive. There is no screaming. Everyone involved feels heard and listens, allowing all sides to be acknowledged, no “my way or the highway” energy. All parties can be impassioned while remaining patient and, above all, non-aggressive in word and gesture. Healthy anger, in short, means you may express your irritation, frustration, hurt, or disappointment with someone or a situation without losing control or sight of the real issue at hand. Interestingly, healthy anger can often play a pivotal role in healing and releasing trauma. They say, for every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness. Unhealthy anger blocks the blessings joy, presence, and love can create. On the path to self-actualization, anger is a towering gnarled tree in the middle of the road. You must remove it by the roots to ensure it never again casts a shadow on your light. In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines Let’s begin with an exercise. Say to yourself, I am, and then your first and last name. “I am Mary Smith,” for example. What comes to mind when you reflect on who that is? Are you reminded of your accomplishments, your obligations, material possessions, public persona? Now, say to yourself, I am and your first name. “I am Mary,” for example. What comes to mind when you reflect on who that is? Are you reminded of your hobbies, likes, and dislikes, how your friends and family perceive you? Now, say to yourself, I am, with no qualifier. What comes to mind when you reflect on who that is, absent of the assumptions of others, temporal circumstances, past experiences, and future responsibilities. A challenging concept to grasp for those who have never attempted to do so before. Those who return to this practice routinely through mindfulness or meditation find it profoundly liberating, empowering, and calming. Constructs like, I’m Mary, and I’m a realtor, married, afraid, affiliated “x” political party, or believe in “x” religion are limiting and burdensome. They suppress our inner divinity and true spiritual nature, distracting us from our higher purpose and path to awakening. Constructs hinder our ability to escape the matrix and socially determined concepts of reality that leave us blind to more high vibrational mindsets and perspectives. When we define our personhood by the organizations, religions, politics, or groups who claim to share our worldviews, we limit ourselves to the standards or qualities we believe these factions represent. There are times when we must proclaim allegiance, take vows, agree to contracts, or otherwise commit to these sects, placing further restrictions on our possibilities and opportunities for growth. Every affiliation becomes a negotiation between what parts of ourselves and our divine path we must forfeit to belong and uphold the values and world schemas of others. Interpersonal relationships are no different. When we fail to focus on the “I am” removed from extraneous constructs, we further limit ourselves and our ability to manifest our own reality built upon our values, principles, and higher calling. When we are dutiful to whatever our relational status or our relational selves say about who we are, we fall short of who the divinity of the universe believes we can aspire to be and eventually become. At its core, it is an issue of the temporal versus eternal nature of who we are. All of the utterances of who we are, our identity with friends, colleagues, spouses, families, and ourselves are primarily based on temporal likes, dislikes, experiences, and future projections. This construct-based “I am” is limited to this lifetime, this year, this moment. The great “I am,” absent of constructs, contracts, and allegiances, is eternal. It connects us to the soul we have always been and will ever be. It is our infinite existence from one life to the next and one dimension to the next. This is why when we meditate on the singular “I am,” we are free, empowered, and peaceful. When we embody this limitless spirit, we can relinquish our labels, constructs, and temporal identities without fear. A fear rooted in the belief that these limiting qualifiers make us who we are, give life meaning, and define our purpose. Those who cling to this belief think that these constructs are the glue that binds together the individual parts of our identity. What actually unifies our collective pieces into the amalgamation of who we are is our endless stream of consciousness. This stream of consciousness is the essential “I am.” It is a river fed from the current of the universal unconscious that connects us all to the bottomless ocean of the divine. In full awareness and acknowledgment of their eternal nature, we can move forward freely to heal, learn, grow, and thrive as both a vessel and conduit of love and abundance. In Love and Truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines Everything is energy, the emotions this article elicits, the thoughts it invokes. Your energy is an amalgamation of all the subtle energies you are made up of. Have you ever noticed that your annoying neighbor or irritating co-worker always seems to find you when you are having a bad day? That is because universal order is based in part on like attracting like. We naturally attract the energies we manifest. Polarity is another universal law. The balance of oppositional forces is represented by light and dark, yin and yang, feminine and masculine, positive and negative. Within each of us exists light and shadow. Enlightenment is realized not in the absence of our shadows but when our light illuminates all that exists within them. Spiritual growth is not a linear, quantifiable path. Viewing energy as a spectrum, some people's energy is more burdened by their darkness (lower vibrational frequency). In contrast, other people's energy is elevated by their light (higher vibrational frequency). Every interpersonal dynamic, platonic or romantic, has its own energy. It is the sum of both parties' energy. When two people who radiate more light are paired up, we admire their connection – "two peas in a pod," "meant to be," "soulmates." When two people who generate more darkness come together, we often dissent – "misery loves company," "match made in hell." Then there are relationships when opposite energies attract and a positive vibration is entwined with a negative one – "toxic," "enabling," "codependent." Think back to when you or someone you know was in such a relationship. Do you recall watching the "positive" person becoming increasingly focused on the "negative" person's wellbeing? Did their energy fade? Did their spark diminish? That's because the person filled with light was being pulled down into the other person's darkness. It's important to remember neither party is inherently good or bad based on this dynamic. We often glorify people who are self-sacrificing as heroic, compassionate, and kind. In turn, we paint people with lower vibrations as malevolent, "energy vampires," and "toxic." It is the dynamic that is toxic. What many don't realize is this type of dynamic is damaging to both people. It's as dysfunctional to pour all your light into someone else's darkness as it is to allow another's light to chase your shadows. It deters from your higher purpose by either distracting from your growth or undermining the need for growth altogether. While it may be easier to spot imbalances in others' relationships, there are some hallmarks you can look for in your own relationships. Does the relationship leave you feeling increasingly run down? Has your own growth become stagnant? Do you find yourself reverting to unhealthy, unserving mindsets or behaviors? Do you maintain this relationship out of love and affinity or concern over how the other party will fare without you? It's never too late to become aware of these unserving dynamics and regain balance! We often feel a commitment to people based on how long they've been in our lives. "I've known her since grade school," "we have been together for 10 years". The calendar is not always a good measure for a good, balanced relationship. It's about how people show up within the relationship dynamic, whether you've known them 50 years or three months, doesn't really matter. Ask yourself, if a food you have eaten since you were a child was making you sick, would you keep eating it because you had been doing so your whole life? What if you found a new food? Whenever you ate it, you felt satiated, refreshed, and nourished. Would you disregard it because you only knew of it for a brief time? That's because what matters most is how good it made you feel. Relationships are the same. The length of the relationship is not important. What is essential is how well it nourishes both parties' spiritual bodies, serving the greater good. If you find yourself in a chronically imbalanced dynamic, it's imperative to set boundaries. Focus on boundaries that make yourself a priority again, that stymie the energy vortex you have unknowingly been sucked into, and clearly delineate where your energy ends, and theirs begins. If someone refuses to honor these energetic boundaries, you may consider cutting them loose so they can no longer serve as an anchor that prevents you from taking flight on the wings of change. It isn't a complicated relational perspective. When you break it down, the principles are founded in simple math; a negative will always diminish a positive, and the sum of two positives is always greater than the parts! In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines There is a misconception that the ego-self sits upon our shoulders, urging us toward a selfish existence that is hedonistic and instantly recognizable as shallow. We don't often equate insatiable ego needs with spirituality. Though, it can be those who speak loudest about being a "spiritual person" that are deeply compelled by the voice of the ego-self. The zealous New Age pursuit of enlightenment is not always driven by an impending ascension. It can be motivated by the desire to remain current and appear superior to the "unawakened masses." When we ask how to become enlightened and fail to ask ourselves why we should seek enlightenment, we risk going down the perfunctory path of shallow awakening. Shallow awakening or false enlightenment has several hallmarks. As mentioned, among them is a braggadocios manner of proclaiming one's spirituality. People who do this often have the deep-seated belief that their spiritual nature makes them better than others, viewing themselves as virtuous and others as debased. Another quality of those who have been led astray by false enlightenment is the tendency to spiritually bypass. They wish to manifest peace and harmony that comes from spiritual awakening, side-stepping the often painful shadow work, dark nights of the soul, the heart, humility and ego death. When the real work is avoided, the words and actions that follow rarely amount to more than an elaborate pantomime of actual enlightenment. The trend arising is the unappeasable pursuit of spiritual information mass-produced by those who have found or claim to have found enlightenment. Amassing and regurgitating other people's words and experiences without personal experience or perspective. Seeking guidance from mentors you trust should always be encouraged, but the truly enlightened never intended for you to substitute your personal journey for theirs. Their intention is to inspire, not influence, to guide, not lead. Unlike their seminars and books, enlightenment cannot be bought and sold. When one follows the "just-add-water-and-stir" brand of spirituality, it is devoid of any soulful nourishment. It's like waking up with the flu, putting on your best clothes and jewels, making yourself up, and expecting to feel better. The behaviors and words of false enlightenment satisfy the ego, bolstering a sense of worthiness and pride but abandons the higher self and the process of self-actualization altogether. This is in stark contrast to actual awakening, when many are harshly judged, friends and family may walk away, and concepts like self-worth and personhood are very fragile. At the beginning of the path to enlightenment, we have to turn a blind eye to others' opinions. Towards the end, ego death means we no longer give much thought to these opinions at all, turning our intensified awareness to our higher-self. A fragile sense of self and losing the relationships that no longer serve are just parts of the price we pay for enlightenment. The process of authentic enlightenment can be likened to the education process. Making our way through primary, middle, high school, and university, we are given lessons and assignments, cumulating in proving our mastery to progress to the next level. The Divine timing of our spiritual growth is much the same, though you could say even more painstaking! We are given lessons and assignments, but there are never easy passes. We must repeat the same lessons over and over again until we get it right. Divine timing dictates when and where the tests will be administered and if we are ready for the next chapter. As hard as it can be to surrender to Divine timing and Divine order, we must accept it as the only "administrative" body accredited to appoint our degree in enlightenment. What does true enlightenment look like? It can't be chalked up to changes in speech and behavior. This can easily be faked. True enlightenment leads to significant transformation in how we interact with the world through meaningful lifestyle changes, understanding who we truly are, and perception shifts. More importantly, this transformation speaks to the profound changes our spirit is undergoing. Through all the wounds, cracks, and scars that have been uncovered through your journey, the light of awakening will begin to shine, illuminating your truths, your values, and your intentions. The way you care for your mind, body, and spirit will become a priority, not for the sake of how you are perceived or for the sake of vanity, but as a measure of how you FEEL as you align with and navigate your world - all the while taking responsibility and accepting accountability for your choices and their outcomes. You will live a life that honors not just yourself but all you meet, uncovering a deep sense of peace, regardless of where others are on their life journey. The greatest gift and perhaps the biggest dichotomy of enlightenment is the freedom that comes from the connection you will feel with all sentient beings, the Divine, and your existence. Liberation and oneness at once? Yes! When we align ourselves with pure love, compassion, empathy, and harmony, we are unencumbered by judgment, invulnerable to the judgment of others, and unburdened by the competitive ego that thrives on comparison. Enlightenment is the freedom to be exactly who you are intended when removed from the shadows and illuminated by the dawn of awakening. In love and truth, Lori Lines To Schedule an appointment, click here: By Lori Lines In the age of keeping things that only "spark joy," organizational specialists, and decluttering hacks, most of us have embraced the concept of out with the old, in with the new. Spring is a time when we tend to give the most attention to letting go and making way for the new items and projects that interest and delight us. If only as much attention was devoted to emotional, mental, spiritual, and energetic clutter! With each day that goes by, even the most "spiritually hygienic" among us take on baggage. The criticism of a co-worker, breakups and makeups, and outdated perceptions can all weigh heavily. This is without taking into account what we have stowed in the attic; trauma, parental conflict, negative concepts of self, toxic relational patterns… Without being acknowledged, accepted, and released, these emotions, thoughts, memories, world views, and maladaptive coping strategies begin to take up space. Remember, everything is energy, so these things all possess a vibration. When unresolved, these vibrations are often burdensome, cumbersome, and cloudy. They take up spiritual space! Leaving little to no room for the positive things you want to attract and manifest. When you are unable to attract and manifest what you desire, you can develop a negative view of self. What am I doing wrong? Why am I not enough? Am I being punished? Why me? Why do good things always happen for everyone else? The truth is, when you don't get what you desire, it doesn't necessarily speak to some sort of karmic punishment or a lack of merit. It is a symptom of spiritual dis-ease, a chronic state of perceived powerlessness. When we are disempowered through our life experiences, trauma, negative perceptions, and stagnant energy, our decision-making ability is damaged. We forget our divinely ordained power to choose, manifest, and attract our wants and needs and how to open ourselves to the abundance of the universe. When you are unreceptive to universal blessings, it is often because you are resistant to the truth. What is the truth? That you are part of an infinite and divine universal system that is ultimately loving, compassionate, and abundant. This system is not based on merit. It is based on unconditional love and unwavering trust. While trust in the plentiful nature of the divine is important, it is not paramount. The most essential form of trust is in yourself and your ability to manifest and draw the blessings you need. Keep in mind, what we want is not always what we need. You may want a new job but need to learn how to stand up for yourself at your current one and stay for that long-awaited promotion. You may want a romantic partner but need some time alone for shadow work before you meet "the one". Even after heartache, find strength that you will always draw those with both the wounds and wisdom you need to heal. The universe has divine wisdom. It knows not only what you need but what your heart, absent of fear and ego, truly desires. We must awaken to the awareness that as spiritual beings with a higher purpose, we are not only cared for but empowered. This empowerment is rooted in the trust that we can have what we truly want and need by doing what we truly want and need to do. You are not a vulnerable soul waiting on the divinity of the universe to land on your doorstep. You are a bold and courageous spirit who asks for what you want and aligns yourself with the energy and actions you need to receive it! Some of the things you must release in order to gain are resistant, untrusting, fearful, lacking mindsets. They slam the door squarely in the face of the blessings that await you and leads to a life of perpetual helplessness. Trust that it is already yours because you have the strength, tenacity, and wisdom to remove all blockages between you and the life of your choosing. That is the gift of free will and divine order. Are you able to let go? To invite new blessings and abundant energy into your life, you have to do the decluttering and Spring cleaning! You need to ask yourself what thoughts, behaviors, perspectives, and relationships are misaligned with your desires, hopes, and intentions. What mindset, actions, and people no longer serve your greatest good or support your spiritual growth? Lighten your load! Let them all go and make room in your life, heart, and soul for the blessings and abundance you long for. It's natural when we engage in release work to encounter blockages. By surrendering to the process, you will find greater ease and peace. Acknowledge the areas in which you struggle to let go. Surrender to the grieving process. When we release that which no longer serves us, we must also grieve what we thought it would amount to, who we thought it would help us be, and what it was supposed to accomplish. The greatest pain comes not from what these behaviors, beliefs, and relationships were. It is derived from what they never became. Find comfort that when you need to let go, it is because these things just aren't working. There is something and someone better waiting for you. These unserving energies are standing in the doorway of opportunity, growth, and victory. It may hurt to let go, but it hurts more to hold on. There is no need to force a shallow release. Through surrender, trust, and divine timing, any obstacles to your intended abundance and blessing will fall away as long as you are willing, allowing you to rise well beyond your current circumstance and reach for all that you long to realize and receive. Have faith that it is through release and letting go that you will be made whole again! In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines We all know that person who fails to take responsibility for anything that goes awry in their life. They’ll lament and shovel heaps of blame on others and when that does not work, they will have a laundry list of excuses to soften the blow. Bad things can happen to good people. Not everything that goes awry is due to someone’s fault, directly. Yet, people who play the victim have an M.O. They weigh themselves down so heavily with the mantle of victimhood that they render themselves powerless through their own negative self-talk and self-sabotage. To the awakening person, it’s common to see this behavior in others, which begs the question, “how am I at cause for the effects in my own life?” “What role, big or small, have I played in my own life situations and outcomes?” Those of us who have or still play the role of the hapless victim, unable to assume responsibility for the bad and ultimately the good that takes place in our lives, often end up experiencing a life that is akin to being tossed in the waters of a tumultuous sea. Anger, depression, frustration, anxiety, compromise the matrix of the 3rd-dimensional experience and 5th-dimensional projection. While some portray themselves as victims to manipulate and control others, most people do not intentionally burden themselves with the archetype. Victims are often born of trauma and betrayal. It is then they are taught that the world is a dangerous place, with dangerous people. After repeatedly experiencing traumatizing or hurtful situations, they begin to believe that bad things are bound to happen and keep happening, the result being a fractured individual. At its core, victimhood is a sense of disempowerment that goes unaddressed and unhealed, affecting the “victim’s” personality, worldview, and way of life. The state of perpetual victimhood is associated with the theory of learned helplessness. This is when an animal or individual is forced to face painful, hurtful, or otherwise undesirable stimuli or experiences and becomes incapable of escaping or avoiding the same situations in the future due to a learned or adopted belief their circumstance is inescapable and beyond their control. Even when solutions and opportunities become available, they are unable or unwilling to adapt to the changing events, sometimes due to fear of losing a part of their identity. Pause for a moment and ask yourself what things would look like if all of society, or at least a majority, struggled with learned helplessness. We would be in a continual state of decline, allowing ourselves, our homes, our jobs, our communities, our nations to fall into a state of disrepair because no one can be bothered to strive for better. We would cease to pursue more love, unity, advancement, growth. Vaguely familiar? There is light at the end of the tunnel for those who struggle with learned helplessness and perpetual victimhood! People with a genuinely optimistic worldview are less vulnerable to falling into the rut of perpetual victimhood. Meaning, assuming the mantle of victimhood is often a choice, and instead, we must choose to look at life with hope and faith, as opposed to fear and distrust. What most awakening souls understand is that the first step is to reposition ourselves as creators of our own lives and experiences. For better or worse, we must take accountability for the cause of the effects we encounter. When we confront circumstances beyond our control, for instance, being sideswiped by an errant driver or laid off due to company cutbacks, we must still view ourselves as possessing the wisdom, strength, and tenacity to be the cure of a changing, more positive effect. As creators of our lives, we may fear picking up the brush and palette out of dread that our creation will fall short of our expectations or the expectations of others. When we are fully responsible for the life we create, we fear a mistake or stumble could make us look foolish or lesser-than. This is the ego talking. Our higher-self knows there is no shame in failure. There are lessons and wisdom, as long as we are humble, willing to admit our role, and willing to learn. When we are receptive to the inherent wisdom in defeat, we no longer need to fear responsibility. Instead of thinking about the misstep, we begin to focus on the next opportunity to show what we have learned. Where we lose a person, an opportunity, a material asset, or a perspective that upheld our beliefs that taint our worldview, we must learn to find peace with the loss. By viewing these losses with a healthier attitude of gratitude for having even had them to begin with or for an opportunity to embrace new things, we are less likely to sink into a sea of despair and view the world as unjust and malevolent. When suitable, accepting responsibility for our defeats empowers us to generate new mental, physical, and spiritual abundance. Spiritual growth and abundance are the greatest reasons to cast off the mantle of victimhood and instead pick up the painter’s brush, the sculptors chisel, or the writer’s pen. By accepting your role as the creator and source of the outcomes you experience, you can learn how to prune and shape who you are, fostering enormous growth. Accountability is the first step of self-actualization and crucial to understanding the role we play in the universal balance of cause and effect. This understanding is key to shifting the matrix and ascending to the 5th dimension. A cause and effect most are sure to stand behind. In love and truth, Lori Lines P.S. If you have recently awakened to a pattern in your life and would like help to determine your cause for its effects, I'd love to process it out with you. Acknowledging our individual roles in life situations is 90% of the healing process. Appointments are now being scheduled in April! To book your appointment with me, click on the button below: By Lori Lines "Dark Night of the Soul" sounds ominous, doesn't it? In many ways, it is, yet, like your first real heartbreak or significant failure, many believe it is a standard part of spiritual growth and development - a major growing pain as seekers on the road to higher consciousness will pass through this rite of passage, an initiation of sorts, before the seeker is admitted into a regular connection with higher consciousness. The Dark Night of the Soul is described by some as similar to mild depression or general sense of malaise. You feel lost, stuck in a rut, wistful, and sleeping and eating are disrupted. Others describe it as a soul-crushing deeply depressed state, at times so profound people may believe they are truly dying. Having gone through this journey myself, it felt deeper than a depression and most certainly, "soul-crushing." To me, it felt as if my light had been extinguished and all hope was lost. Interestingly, we can undergo similar times of storms and stress socially. During these times, life can feel bleak, the inequity and hate paints a dystopian society, and the current social structures lose their meaning. The sense of meaninglessness is a feature of the dark night. On the communal or personal level, nothing seems to make much sense, including life itself. Many things can trigger a Dark Night, a loss, a death, a disaster, an injustice, an ego-assault, and an ego-death. Socially or individually, it can come when we can no longer explain maladaptive systems and structures, dysfunctional perceptions and thought patterns, and low vibrational automatic behaviors. By profoundly examining the frameworks of life, those that govern society, and those that shape our values become so askew that they collapse. On a personal level, this collapse may cause you to lose touch with who you are. This is called ego-death. It is symptomatic of the Dark Night. As your world loses meaning, so does your place in it. You can't fit in as you had before. You know on some level the reality of higher consciousness and yearn to be more deeply in communion with this part of yourself, yet you somehow can't fit in or feel at home in the company of those who you usually relate to, let alone yourself. The ego thrives on comparison and judgment, when existing measures are no longer sustainable, the ego's voice dies away. This can lead to feeling lost. During the Dark Night, the veil is lifted, and you begin to see what an illusion your old reality was. It is here we find ourselves in a state of suspended animation with no 'new' reality to cling to. At this stage, people often feel as though they live in a void of emptiness in which nothing is real. Days, weeks, months and years can drone on and the part that's so difficult to accept is there's no finite time we can cling as to the duration of this experience. Your motivation may plummet. Work, education, success, esteem, and popularity no longer drives you. Some people experience the need to rid themselves of material possessions, relationships, and pursuits that no longer fulfill them. Initially, this cleansing may seem like just what you need. In the end, it can trigger feelings of worthlessness. Your ego may start to press you, "who are you without your things or your people?" At some point during your Dark Night, memories and old traumas may rise to the surface. From your current realm of emptiness, these flashbacks can elicit an intense emotional reaction. In fact, everything you encounter may garner a more visceral response. This results from the ego falling back, and the subconscious (higher self) taking the helm, reactivating parts of yourself that have been long denied and repressed. As your subconscious awareness rises, you may feel like you are thinking with two brains. The subconscious mind sitting back with pen and paper jotting down notes as the conscious mind darts back and forth from one fearful thought to the next. When you are aware of your thoughts, this state of higher consciousness can be unsettling, to say the least. At worst, some people believe they are losing touch with their sanity. But, in reality, one going through this process is gaining their sanity. Another symptom of the subconscious taking the lead is the ego will wave a distress signal. "I'm dying! SOS!" Many who walk their path during the Dark Night of the Soul start to become profoundly aware of their mortality. This awareness can be so stark, some even believe it is they, themselves, who are dying, not the ego. The Dark Night can be a lonely time of isolation regardless of who may be around you. During this phase you must confront the fears and insecurities that emerge from the shadows. At times people's sleep is dysregulated, causing one to sleep too much or not enough. The same can happen with food and physical activity. Similarly, when we experience a Dark Night in the social context, we can be afraid to challenge old detrimental perspectives and social mores. Our daily foundations become dysregulated, and so can the unity we extend to all members of humanity. So, why must we endure it, for some more than once, this long, dark, difficult night of suffering? Because, as with most nights, when it is complete, we awaken. Awaken into a higher state of consciousness, if we will just allow ourselves to do so. In this transformed state of consciousness, we are set free to ascend to merge with our higher self. It is important to point out that not everyone goes through the above mentioned intensity of the Dark Night of the Soul. But, if you are, understand that this is YOUR way. And, once on the other side of it, it is a rite of passage that should be honored, as you will be completely transformed. This experience of being reborn is one of greater unity, love, peace and understanding of one's self and others on a very intimate level. Yes, it is a very dark night, but the sunrise is breathtaking. Stay tuned for Part 2. The Night is What Makes the Dawn So Bright. In love and truth, Lori Lines PS: If you feel you are going through a Dark Night of the Soul and want support from someone who has authentically gone through it and now can offer real compassion and insights into your process, I am offering a 6, one hour session package for $600 (a savings of $300). Just contact me at higherselfaccess@gmail.com for more details. Find out more about my services at www.higherselfaccess.com. By Lori Lines The late great Dolores Cannon used to ask her ailing clients, "are you willing to give up what is making you sick?" She would ask this question in the wake of a QHHT® hypnosis session. While this question may seem harsh to some, it's simplicity gives rise to our own empowerment as more of us awaken to our responsibility tending to our thoughts, actions and emotions that block us and make our lives...well..."sick." The majority of the people in the world are living mechanical lives based on social conditionings and false beliefs instilled in us since childhood and beyond. Our inharmonious thoughts and feelings, our desires and our compulsive behaviors create major blocks which densify our bodies and lower our vibrational frequency so that we become vulnerable to the negativity (or our created negative energy) around us. Consequently, individuals attract situations and people of similar energies based on the cosmic principle of "like attracts like." Mental blocks are nothing but dark energies stagnated in our consciousness over long periods of time. These blocks can unconsciously be held within parts of our bodies, too. When we cling to our negativity and appropriate our woes and sadness, we unwittingly trap them into our subconscious being, where they gradually crystallize into mental, physical and emotional blocks that affect us adversely at all levels. These blocks obstruct the divine flow of energy into our being and can shift us out of alignment with our Source, so that all our thoughts and emotions are tainted with pessimism. Our conscious-awareness is a sentry that guards our thoughts and feelings from straying away from the Source Light of Love and Peace. When some outside situation provokes us to anger, fear, hatred and the like, we must be aware of our emotions and our inner dialogue that expresses those emotions. It's important for us to be in control of our emotions before they overwhelm us. How to take control? Take a pause, watch your negative emotions as a passive spectator. Acknowledge each emotion that comes up, with: I am feeling "anger"...or I am feeling "fear" and so on. Observe your emotions without allowing them to ruffle your feelings. Your quiet vigilance prevents the discordant emotions to take possession of your heart, mind, even your body, and keeps them under control. Do not be tempted to resist and analyze them or reason with them, but simply be with them until they subdue and dissolve into stillness. With the power of presence we can get rid ourselves of mental/emotional blocks and choose to lead a wholesome life, free from the compulsions of our negative thoughts. It's helpful to challenge our fears that pose as obstructions to our success and well-being, and dare to break free from our comfort zone for a more enterprising life. Know that fears are illusory by nature, and appear real only as long as we give it our energy to dominate over us. Fears enfeeble the mind and cripple the spirit. Similarly, it helps to be conscious of our mental activity at any given time. It is typical of the mind to drift off to its shady haunts of dismal memories, bringing with it the dark remnants of pain and sorrow which cloud our present moment of sunshine and happiness and steep us into our own misery. Your conscious-awareness repels untoward thought, allowing only those which are in keeping with our health and well-being. When you catch yourself drifting down the bleak memory-lane, stop your thoughts right dead in their tracks and immediately replace it with that which uplifts your spirit and evokes joy in your heart. If the thought hangs on, I affirm, "I nullify this thought so that it does not enter into my subjective mind." It is helpful to engage in constructive activities that are instrumental in increasing mental cheerfulness and better concentration. Life is not meant to be taken so seriously. If we learn to laugh in the face of our trials and tribulations, we can understand that hardships are merely the lessons of life that we need to go through for our own spiritual progress. These are transient - here, one minute and gone the next. If we refuse to internalize other people's aggressive behavior towards us, we rise to the understanding it is nothing personal - it is just their way of releasing their inner turmoil and pent-up frustrations. So, go ahead and dare to laugh when ordeals compel you to cry; dare to love and forgive your enemies when they provoke you to anger and hatred; dare to be resilient when the blows of life bear down on you so that you are able to bounce back good and strong once they are through with you; dare to remain anchored in the Light of Peace when fears threaten to close in on you and jeopardize your happiness. Shadows and sunshine are a part of one's spiritual journey. You have to allow yourself to move on and enjoy the ride. Keep moving onward and upward, and look forward to new changes that bring with them surprises and opportunities. Cast burdens onto your Higher Power and live free like a child who is filled with hope and wonderment. Find joys in the simple things in life. A happy heart is a healthy heart. Afflictions and maladies can cease to exist in a body that resonates with true peace and joy. Though easier said than done, practicing presence and vigilance over our hearts and minds requires persistent effort and a sense of responsibility on our parts. It is a pre-requisite in order to gain mastery over self and to live by the power of our souls so that we become a source of attraction for Universal Peace, Abundance, Health, and Prosperity. In love and truth, Lori Lines To Schedule an appointment click here: By Lori Lines It is the human experience when life is fraught with difficulties. Perhaps even more so when we are on a focused and determined spiritual path of growth and enlightenment. It’s as if we bring in a manifold of problems in our lives to sit with us while we face the special challenges of awakening. But, I believe we should do more than to just expect difficulties and sit with them, we should welcome them. The problems we all face, on this path, are precisely the means that will help us to progress along the way. Facing life’s difficulties, today, will give us practice in confronting the problems in the rest of our lives and beyond. In time, we see what we thought were problems turn out to be stepping stones to greater awareness. The real key in facing our problems is the attitude we take toward them. Often our approach to life’s difficulties is avoidance of suffering. Rather than confront the deeper fears of our lives, we often attempt to mask or evade them in one way or another. To accept suffering, rather than to flee from it requires courage. Courage requires determination to take a look at our inner and outer difficulties straight in the eye and to finally deal with how we have dealt with our difficulties. Courage is the fundamental attitude for facing problems. Although we sometimes equate courage and fearlessness, courage is not the absence of fear. In fact, fear is an essential component of courage. One cannot be truly courageous unless we can feel our fear fully. One can be trembling in fear and still be courageous. If we are able to stand our ground, rather than averting our gaze or taking flight - THAT is courage. I often reflect on my QHHT clients’ experiences. When one chooses to undergo a full QHHT session, it appears that most, if not all, come to the session willing to look bravely into whatever their minds have churned up without implementing their usual exit strategy they have unconsciously used in the past. Most clients have come to understand (consciously or unconsciously), by the time they have arrived, that a session will help them keep their place when a difficulty arises, knowing that running away will ultimately cause more suffering than staying put and gazing deeply within to face challenges they innately hold. Courage, indeed. It always helps me to know that fleeing from problems and facing them can both be fearful. But, experience has made me more afraid of the consequences of evasion. To me, courage has become the matter of choosing the thing I fear less, but it hasn’t served my growth in that moment. Facing difficulties is made easier by viewing them as opportunities to grow in awareness, to deepen our self-knowledge and our skills of compassion. We progress farther by courageously meeting our difficulties than by not having them at all. For those of you who have bravely faced yourselves, I applaud your courage and your willingness to end certain patterns in your lives. So, I invite you to reflect on the history of your lives. You can see that the things that have contributed most to your personal development have been the trials you have faced and passed through. If you have not had a QHHT session or a Past Life Regression session yet, and if you are interested, you may be in the process of marshaling your courage. And there’s always progress in that one thought. In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines Critical thinking is glorified from early childhood. Children are encouraged to make sense of given circumstances, based on verifiable information. Children are rarely asked why they feel something happens. Instead, they are asked why they think it happens, or why they think something comes to be. The children who live up to these expectations can go on to become skilled critical thinkers and logicians. Being able to deduce and induce logically can solve a lot of problems. Most people engage in a logical deduction at some point in their day. However, when the critical thinker favors logic to the point that they neglect intuition, very valuable forms of knowledge and true understanding are lost. The risk the overly critical thinker is presented with is to grow dull to their truth, personal experience, and instinct. In the last few decades, there has been a new appreciation for the sacred wisdom from within. Children are being taught meditation in school and at home. They are learning to still the monkey mind and hear the whisper of their inner wisdom more clearly. It is important for children to become familiar with such practices young because what the overly critical thinker is often missing is confidence. As such, the critical thinker relies on facts. A fact is just a succinct term for a notion that is widely accepted as true. This is evident in this day and age when we find facts are not always facts due to the rampant disinformation that's churned out by most of the larger media outlets. In a world where the collective consciousness is stirring from its slumber, facts are not as trustworthy as they once appeared to be. There is a communal spiritual awakening to the wisdom of the universe, spiritual truths, and multi-dimensionality. Finally, the shifting of realities can be perceived. Facts are becoming outdated as the potential biases of “reality” are revealed. In a world where everything changes and old “truths” can hinder and hurt, what can be trusted? The sacred wisdom of the universe, spiritual truths, and personal truths. An individual's experience is what matters, not what others can confirm they have also experienced and is therefore deemed fact. The unresolved critical thinker must get off the fence now or risk being lost in an ocean of old truths, confusion, and antiquated "facts." Yet, the exclusively critical thinker often finds comfort on the fence. They fear commitment to their truths and the risk of being wrong. These fears can trigger either the ego’s insecurity or arrogance. The insecure ego is apprehensive about being responsible for their truth and will want to avoid looking or feeling foolish. Whereas, the fear of being wrong can be dissonant with an arrogant ego and the notion that they don’t make mistakes, when in fact, there is no eternal version of right and wrong. The human experience is always in flux. Naturally, so is everyone’s perspective and truth. The overly critical thinker would be wise to find courage, make a choice, and overcome their fears. If they are capable of reconnecting to their intuition, instinct, and spiritual insight, they will gain a compass of truth, integrity, and wisdom. This compass will have a true north, no matter what reality they perceive. In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines Spending copious amounts of time alone in reflection and meditation provides the space to feel and hear the language of the soul. It is when we acknowledge how we feel that we access the highest truth within. One cannot access truth when in a state of overthinking, overanalyzing and frantic daily actions that society has indoctrinated us. The key to all truth is to discover how you FEEL. It is digging through the layers of societal conditioning and mind-control. It is the set-point to accessing your power. It is your springboard to action that is in alignment with your soul, your true self, your essence, your purpose, and, ultimately, true happiness. In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines I’m a truth seeker. Truth about our world is uprooting from its deep earthly tentacles and truth is exposing itself. Finding out the truth, even if it’s negative, brings me a sense of relief because it helps me align with what my soul knows and what’s playing out in real time. My soul does not rest until I feel that sense of peace in the knowing. There was always a kernel of fear in my naïveté, in the past. I would become outraged when a truth would come out that went against the grain of my soul. Now, I rarely become outraged when I find out the truth. I think it's important to endeavor not to ignore truth, especially when it's staring us in the face, because it is in ignoring that gut feeling that we find ourselves in fear. There are people who can just go on about their daily lives, believing the lies we are told, and think nothing of it. I'm not one of those people. Someone I truly respect once told me I have a, sort-of, x-ray vision into the energy of people, situational dynamics, the connections of all things. It's the only way she could explain it to me and I now understand what she was talking about. It can be a blessing and a curse at the same time, but I digress... Lies and omissions stir my soul and cause discomfort. When I come across a harsh truth I now recognize the discomfort and choose to see it as "It is what it is" now. The way I see it, it's from the "is what it is" of acceptance, that I find my power. In that power, I have choices I can make in my own life that help me stay in my personal integrity and authenticity. Outrage is fear. When I know the truth, regardless if it's negative or positive in my mind, the fear subsides. It is what it is. And I can lay it to rest, for it was there to show me my judgements. In love and truth, Lori Lines By Lori Lines This past weekend was a humdinger. As you know the full moon was in psychic pisces. I'd venture to guess you may have had at least a tinge of emotion coming up recently. So, I'd like to tell you what happened this past weekend. As I was going about my day, all of a sudden I was hit with an anxiety that I’ve not felt in years. I ran some errands and, while walking away from the store, I felt it coming on. A huge wave of tears and profound sadness. So, when I got to my car, I let her rip. You know what I mean? That ugly cry where your face gets all red, swells up, mascara running? Yeah, that. All I could think of was, “what in the world is wrong with me?” My monkey mind began running amok as I tried to think it through. A list of questions began running though my mind: “Am I picking up on someone else?” Perhaps. “Is there anything going on, or not going on, in my life that I’m sad about?” Nope. OK. BREATHE. After shedding the last tear and regaining composure, it hit me. I’ve been working very long and hard. I have been diving very deep into my work, diving deep into its complexities and behind-the-scenes tasks. Diving deep within myself and asking the hard questions like how/what I can improve so as to show up, authentically, compassionately for my beloved friends and clients. Then I realized I have not been doing my usual self-love rituals that nurture my own spirit. Yes, it’s been a busy time since becoming a Level 3 QHHT® Practitioner. However, what I’m reminded of for myself, in this recent emotional experience, was that sometimes emotions well up and need to be let go. Duh, I’m telling you this ALL. THE. TIME. :) I lost sight of practicing what I tell you! After the ugly cry, I felt so much better and clearer in a way. I feel a breakthrough happened and through allowing myself to just feel the emotions before trying to figure out, logically, what that was all about, I have now made room in my being to keep going, to keep doing what I love. It also cleared out some muck that was holding back clarity on the next steps to take in my own life…in moving forward. So, back into practicing my authentic self I go! I guess I am telling you this to say, it’s OK to NOT be OK sometimes. Occasionally shedding the unnecessary is imperative to our emotional well-being and, lest we forget, to love ourselves first and to love ourselves THROUGH those times we might not feel like all is unicorns and rainbows. In love and truth, Lori Lines P.S. If you would like information on my “Practicing Presence” Coaching Series, feel free to contact me. It’s a 24 week, one hour per week commitment to taming the monkey mind and setting yourself into a neutral frame of mind. The results will last a lifetime if you choose to continue to practice this wonderful technique for yourself. I like to explain it as building a rock solid foundation to trusting in your own intuition. |
Author Lori LinesDisclaimer: Lori is a high-level channel. The information contained on this site is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment by a licensed physician. You should seek prompt medical care for any health issues and consult your doctor before using alternative medicine or making a change to your regimen. Categories
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