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

What an organ the brain is! All its wrinkles and folds, nuances and enigmas, powers and abilities, working in perfect alignment and synergy…until it doesn't! The brain can be separated into different lobes, functions, and systems. The primary distinction is that of the right and left brain. Sometimes referred to as brains, these two hemispheres are meant to work together, making up for what the other lacks. The left brain is responsible for logic, analytical thought, scientific and mathematical reasoning, and processing what we have been taught to believe is factual evidence.

The right brain processes holistic perceptions, creativity, imagination, art, music, and insightful reasoning. When the two hemispheres are balanced, together they give us a grounded perspective in which we can function in our day to day lives yet aspire, envision, and manifest a more fulfilling, high vibrational future.
 
Unfortunately, some people are out of balance, listening solely to their left brain. This can be referred to as literalism. Defined as "adherence to a meaning in an exact sense, or an exact representation or portrayal without idealization or inference." In simple terms, understanding and judging everything at "evidence or face value,"…but is it really evidential face value?

From an early age, based on our culture, society, and family values, we are all taught what to attend to, who to trust, how to perceive information, what is "fundamentally" true, and what is "fundamentally false." This is called social conditioning. Social conditioning is how we have been taught to function and think, somewhat like a default state for an electronic device.
 
When we rely solely on the left brain, or literalist perceptions, we limit ourselves, our consciousness, and our opportunities. We give our power away to social, religious, political constructs and people, we've idealized and over identified with, to determine what we see and how we see it. In this way, literalism is taking everything at face value or basing our perceptions on factual evidence. Instead, it conforms to what we have been socialized to believe is accurate, proven, and apparent. 

Spoiler Alert: Knowledge, grounded in literalism, always comes to a stop. There's nowhere else to go to expand on ideas to grow! Repressing our natural tendency to question, to think beyond what appears to be physically present, and to grow as the spiritual beings that we are, stifles our true expression.

In my opinion, this has been the crux of a trickle down effect and why our generation suffers from systemic depression and that people, collectively, are suffering the Dark Night of the Soul.

All that we perceive and experience is transient, except for the experiences that change our soul. The soul or spirit is the entity that exists and bridges us from one life to the next. It never dies. We explore the universal consciousness through our soul, commune with the higher consciousness, and reach the higher dimensions. Locked within the soul is a template of our life path, all that came before and will come after. Alignment with this map or template is how we self-actualize, awaken, and achieve enlightenment through connection to the universe and Spiritual consciousness. 

When we rely too heavily on the left brain's literalism, we tie ourselves too tightly to the physical realm's perceptions, experiences, and fleeting events. We lose touch with our higher selves, the universal unconscious, and the realm of the soul. Quickly we can become locked into the functioning of the day to day, observing the rules and regulations we have been conditioned to. A divide grows between who we are and who we are meant to be. We are not meant to follow, but to do the soul's work, honoring the template we come to this world with and the higher purpose we are destined to achieve.
 
As the division between who we are portraying and who we are meant to be, grows, life becomes challenging. We can lose our way, lose our sense of purpose, and life can lose all meaning. When we lose our "why," by habitually conforming to what we think we KNOW, we also lose our how and when.

There has never been a time where it is crucial for individuals to begin their self-actualizing, integrative process by whatever means is necessary than now.

Trusting the left brain too much can lead to not trusting ourselves at all! Our intuition and inner knowing repeatedly takes a backseat to what we have been conditioned to believe is right, even if it goes against what we want or what we feel. Like any other relationship, when we lose our own trust, it is difficult to regain it.

 This state of feeling conflicted towards the answers "out there" and having the answers within withheld can render us powerless. This powerlessness can lead to depression, anxiety, and general apathy towards the very life we are living. If you have experienced this or are experiencing it, you understand how difficult a cycle it can be to break. Yet, nothing can change within your spirit or in your outer world until you do the spiritual work it takes to amplify and hear your inner truth again. 

By bypassing social conditioning and the left brain's reasoning, the Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique can access the part of yourself that can hear and feel your inner knowing again. QHHT can help you reconnect with answers that you have lost along the way regarding your everyday life and your spiritual calling. QHHT accesses the higher self and the collective unconscious through your spirit, your everlasting nature, and eternal awareness, rendering the confines of social conditioning and literalism powerless. In turn, returning your mental, spiritual and emotional balance and restoring your power!

I have spoken to many of you who are afraid of the QHHT process, those of you who know, on a deeper level, that you've clung to your literalism for far too long and believe you would not be successful at this practice. My answer to this is my Mindfulness Meditation and Awareness Series of coaching sessions that can help prepare you for a QHHT session. Practicing mindfulness to strengthen awareness naturally opens up the mind to balance and trust in your inner knowing rather than just accepting evidential proof, "out there" that may or may not be true.

When you can once again perceive the bigger picture, you will start to realize how "small" your physical existence truly is. Through connection to your higher self and your countless lifetimes, you can once again appreciate how infinite your options and opportunities are. You can begin to realize yourself and your exponential gifts and visualize unlimited new ways of living, and it takes trusting yourself to do so.

In love and truth,
​Lori Lines

By Lori Lines

The mind can be construed as a double-edged sword. It is capable of providing us great benefit as well as great injury. Naturally, we want to cultivate our inner processes in such a way that we maximize or minds' capacity for doing good and to minimize its tendencies for causing pain and suffering.  

It is important, in this juncture in our evolution, to nurture our minds in a way that will bring us greater joy.  The mind tends to operate in a rather haphazard way, bounding from thought to thought with little or no apparent prompting of direction. Our minds seem to have a mind of their own.  It might appear that our minds are thoroughly out of our control as if we have no choice of the kinds of things that drift across our minds.

Although thoughts seem to come out of the blue, they are, in fact, conditioned
by previous patterns of thought.  The thoughts that our mind produces now have been shaped by its history of thinking. This history can connect all the way back to previous lives we have lived as well as our current life history of thinking.

Neuro-scientific research has shown that routine patterns of thought make incremental but substantial changes in the way the brain is structured and the way the mind functions. These alterations make the brain more effective at doing what it is asked to do.  If we habitually think in certain ways, then our minds become more adept at these patterns of thought. Patterns of thought becomes belief.  Beliefs manifest patterns of behavior and circumstances that can benefit us or injure us.

Thus, as the concept of conditioning suggests, positive or wholesome thoughts create a propensity for more positive or wholesome thoughts.  Fortunately, we can use this dynamic principle to our advantage.  While we may not be in conscious control of each and every thought, a meditation practice can show us that we can choose which thoughts to entertain and to develop and which to observe and release.  In this manner, we can influence the kinds of thoughts we are more likely to produce in the future.

Knowing this, we can use our power to select and foster or relinquish thoughts that can help us to cultivate a skillful and clear mind that serves us well.

I invite you  to become aware and observe your thoughts as they arise, but also identify the kinds of thoughts you are having. Once identified, we can make conscious choices about how we will handle them.

What can occur in a QHHT session or in a Mindfulness Coaching session is when one begins to wake up to the types of thoughts they habituate, one comes to an understanding of how these habitual thoughts have manifested problematic patterns in one's life. And, with this self-knowledge, one can begin to shift and change the trajectory of ones life altogether.

In love and truth,

Lori Lines
​

By Lori Lines

Awakening is a journey of spiritual transformation that can occur in a moment, across a series of events, or over a lifetime.  The first process of awakening is the expansion and intensification of our awareness.  We begin to see beyond day-to-day mundane trivialities, as we move away from low vibrational mentalities and towards transcendence.  Our experiences can become both more vibrant and otherworldly as well as starker and jarring.


It is then we enter the second phase of awakening, when we begin to observe and examine the distorted societal mores, relational patterns, and inner processes more perceptively and questioningly.  At some point during this secondary process, we may feel we have lost ourselves, lost our way, and lost our connection to reality. This can also be a phase of the dark night of the soul, as perplexing circumstances in which things have never made less sense and so much sense all at the same time.  It is a confusing time where we may find our belief systems crumbling.

To adjust to our higher, clearer vision, we must explore the next phase of awakening, forgiveness, and surrender.  We are challenged to forgive ourselves and others for the wrongs we feel have been committed and to surrender to this transformative and, at times, disillusioning transition.  We must be willing to take responsibility for our thoughts and actions.  No need to harshly judge yourself, you may not have known better, so you could not have done better.  Guilt and responsibility are not the same.  In fact, if we assume too much guilt, we will be more reluctant to accept responsibility and bypass it altogether, rendering us stuck in a pattern until the lesson rolls around again for us to understand.

Similarly, we need to hold others accountable for their thoughts and actions.  The objective is to do so from a place of love, or at least neutrality.  Anger and resentment may arise, but ultimately one should allow people to accept responsibility from a place of non attachment.  For instance, if a parent abandoned you as a child, you should hold the parent responsible.  Healing comes from acknowledging they were wrong for what they did, whether the one responsible is ready to admit that or not, understanding that you are not responsible for the effects the abandonment had, and accepting while what they did was not right, you choose to work towards releasing anger and resentment for the sake of your own healing and growth. 

It is here where we must surrender to the process of realization, acceptance, and release as the cycle will arise many times throughout the process of awakening, in my opinion, to test our resolve and to hold us accountable for our own shift into healing.

Step 4 is alignment.  As we forgive and release repeatedly, we untether ourselves from the limitations of victimhood and raise our vibration, aligning more with our Spirit and higher planes of realities.  As we find greater alignment, we become more united with our true selves.  This often leads to changes in perspectives, attitudes, values, goals, careers, lifestyles, and relationships.  This can lead to those we are close to feeling shut out, alienated, and unloved.  While some relationships will not mesh with our newly awakened consciousness, many can continue to grow and benefit from the healing energy we now embody at this stage.

The one caveat being our loved ones must accept the heightened vibration we bring to the relationship.  Instead of yearning for the relational energies that were, they must learn to accept the new energetic alchemy the shared  connection holds.  This doesn't mean they must find awakening at the same time and at the same intensity we do.  It means those you love must respect your path, must accept that you and the relationship will change, and must be willing to acknowledge past transgressions.

The process of awakening is currently being presented simultaneously for many on the individual and societal level.  The same steps and understanding of awareness, examination and observation, forgiveness and surrender, and alignment can manifest healing across the social landscape.  As we grow increasingly aware of what is wrong with the world, we must each own our part in how it came to be, we need to extend grace and forgiveness to ourselves and others and be willing to align with higher principles and perspectives.

By doing so on the micro and macro level, we can achieve the final stage of the awakening process, unity, with Spirit, our higher selves, and each other.  Unity is where we find enlightenment through love, acceptance, peace and freedom.  It is liberty from hatred, judgement and all low vibrational energy. 

Furthermore, it is the realization that Godly resonance resides in ourselves and  every member of humanity.  An enlightened world is where we all receive respect, acceptance, and love.  Some may say it is heaven on earth, and as Abraham Maslow famously states, "a single glimpse of heaven is enough to confirm its existence."  

In love and truth to you and all,

Lori Lines

By Lori Lines

Entering the realm of higher consciousness is  spoken about with positive intentions, however, the spiritual journey of expanding consciousness can be gritty and painful as we are bombarded with truth about the way we have been living under a type of spell or dream in an unconscious way.  

Of course, we are not aware we've been living in a dream world until we experience a series of catalysts that wake us up. Some of us wake up like a bandaid ripped off, exposing our wounds, while we are left to deal with the aftermath of pain, disappointments, guilt, remorse, fear, and even depression. It is where the dark night of the soul can enter, encountered with our darker side, where exposure of traumas and fears are commonly felt.

Some of us wake up over a period of time and its subtleties are barely perceptible when one day, we are compelled to look back at our life progress and see, really see, how we have evolved from where we began to where we are now in our souls evolution. 

Suffice it to say that waking up is a journey to a new reality that's based in truth we've never perceived before. And, when that time comes, those who are near and dear to us may or may not be on that same path as this new reality we suddenly find ourselves living.

To be supported and encouraged by those we love and trust would be a wonderful aid in the process of waking up, yet you may find yourself feeling alone and isolated. At this crucial time in one's spiritual evolution, one may feel judged and mocked by those once thought would champion you.  In fact, this is very common.  Yet, this sense of isolation can be a side-effect and a further catalyst for awakening.  However, all is not lost.  Interpersonal relationships can still be navigated during awakening, once we come to understand and accept certain principles.

One principle is you will lose people.  People come into our lives for a variety of reasons. Even close friends may decide your notions, your belief systems and your new paradigms to be too "far fetched" for them.  They may even determine that you aren't the person they have come to know.  Or, as you ascertain new truths that change your vibrational frequency, you may decide that they no longer resonate with you and, sadly, may have to let them go.  

Once you accept that everyone is responsible for their own spiritual journey, even if they do not understand you or they haven't figured out they are on one yet, you will be more at peace when others walk away, eventually.

Another perspective you may want to consider is that you aren't here to change anyone's mind.  When we try to do this, it becomes a waste of energy, especially when others are not ready to hear you out.  Some people that seemed so reasonable before you began awakening, suddenly judge you or dig in their heels when you try to express yourself while their paradigms are challenged.  There will be people who will be dismissive and disagreeable no matter what you have to say. And, you know what? That is OK!

My suggestion is not to argue with people who are committed to disagreeing with you or who are committed to misunderstanding you. Because they will. Believe me. In no longer attempting to sway others to your new way of thinking is not spiritual bypassing; this is acknowledging that it is not your duty to change a closed mind.  There will be people who will be open to have these discussions with you, to open to hearing what you have to say, all the while checking into their own triggers. And if there is not, then it's not time...even more reason to go within, to journal, to meditate, to explore your new reality on certain matters, and to connect to your newly-found higher consciousness.

An important distinction to make is your spiritual itinerary is your own. It does not need to align with anyone else's until you have integrated your newly found self and have become more confident in who you have become.  As you expand your consciousness, coming to new realizations and connecting the figurative dots like never before, you will want to share the invigorating and revitalization energy with those close to you!  But, I would not recommend it unsolicited.  Not everyone has the same timetable of spiritual awakening.  You could present frightening ideas, that challenge another's reality and their ego.  This doesn't make these people unevolved or "lesser-than," it simply isn't their time. And, it may never be their time.  I always try to err on the side of being respectful of that.

What's important to remember is you are not alone.  Even if your friends and family don't see eye-to-eye with you, there are people and communities that you can become a part of when you are ready, there is spiritual literature you can read and mentors you can learn from.  Just be prudent and discerning of the information you ingest and the people you trust, as during a spiritual awakening process one can feel disoriented, vulnerable and unclear, therefore, one might attract those whose vibration is the same, rendering them to be untrustworthy in the long-term.  And, it must be said, that not every philosophy warrants credence.  

There are a lot of credible, loving people who may not have experienced your unique journey but have experienced the highs and lows of spiritual awakening, when they, too, felt alone.  Your journey is as unique and personal as you are, yet it is communal.  Know that many people have walked a path of awakening that have become self-realized and even more enlightened. Those are the people to seek out, of course, with an eye toward discernment.  And rest in the knowing that the collective consciousness is awakening overall.  

In love and truth,
Lori 

PS: If you are suffering in isolation during your awakening and for tips on how to navigate these challenging times, I'm here to help. To make an appointment, click below:

By Lori Lines

The ego-self is an amalgamation of beliefs, some positive and others negative.  These beliefs can be added to the ego by you or those around you.  Ego thoughts are typically founded on polarities such as ideas of being better or worse than others. These thoughts can also be self-serving.  For instance, believing you are smart is rooted in the foundational belief that you are smarter than another or others. What's more, the ego is hungry, "I want, I need, I am entitled to..."  The hungry ego makes us vulnerable to things such as disappointment, hurt and resentment of yourself and others.

Who would we be without the fallacious ego?  One would be a being without judgment of one self and others, without selfish motives like besting others, preserving ego beliefs or egocentric desires based on entitlement.  Detaching from our ego-self connects us to our higher-self.  It is the best part of who we are when the ego has fallen away.  The counterfeit concept of self is no longer needed, and we are free from resentment and disappointment from this life and the last.

The higher self is both a spiritual entity and a conduit.  Once we connect and communicate with our higher self, we are deeply in touch with our truth. A sign of connection to our higher self is a strong sense of integrity and a profound alignment with our life path and life purpose.  Our higher self also provides guidance and understanding, through intuition and spiritual knowing.  When we are connected to our higher self we will have keen instincts and trust our senses.

The greatest gift our higher self has to offer is the spiritual wisdom from guides, angels and ascended masters...all of whom are a part of us.  This sacred wisdom can help us break karmic cycles that we carry from lifetime to lifetime, and helps us see the delusions of the material world.  This knowledge is the essence of transcendence.  As such, our higher self is the catalyst for enlightenment and enlightenment itself.  The enlightened individual inhabits this world and yet resonates with a frequency much beyond it.

Connecting to the higher self is not complicated.  However, for some, the challenge is to quiet the mind.  To connect to the higher self, one must quiet the nervous chatter of the ego.  This can be achieved through the practice of mindfulness and presence. Being fully present in the now, observing ones experiences, emotions and thoughts, without judgment is a means to connect with the higher self.  When we do that reflexively, across different circumstances, and around different energies, it is a sign we are connected to the higher self.

Meditation is another practice that fosters a deep connection to the higher self.  Calming the busy mind and quieting the chatter of the ego is a valuable practice when connecting to the higher self.  Being able to maintain a deep mental stillness throughout the day and maintaining a distance between our inner peace and the external busyness of our surroundings is another indication one is connected to the higher self. 

To receive communication from the higher self, some people use divination tools such as scrying mirrors, pendulums, oracle cards.  Automatic writing is an easy divination tool that requires nothing more than a pen and paper.  The practice involves setting the intention to connect with the higher self, ideally after meditation, and writing on the paper.  One may start by doodling, scribbling or writing nothing at all.  With time, and without expectations or prejudgment, one will start to write words, perhaps even full sentences from the higher self.  No matter what tool is used, even if one opts to use nothing at all, the best means of connecting with the higher self is receptivity and openness to the spiritual messages we are guided to.

Openness and receptivity are strong signs of connection to the higher self.  When the delusions of the material world begin to fall away, one will be more perceptive to spiritual truths and energies, helping us transcend our current experiential existence and begin to authentically merge with the higher self across the ages.

Although the higher self is a part of who we are, it may seem like a far climb and a lengthy process to connect with ones divine essence.  The advice I give to clients is to not overwhelm oneself.  Having intention to begin the journey is a sign you have already begun to connect to that part of you that is divine and spiritually connected to Source.

In love and truth,

​Lori Lines

By Lori Lines
No matter how many courses you take, no matter how many lectures you attend, no matter how many books you read, no matter how many gurus you adopt, no matter how many mediums or healers you see, no matter how much you pray, no matter how much you live, no matter how well-articulated you are, no matter how often you attend church, you will spiritually awaken and ascend when your heart and soul are ready.  It is not a mind decision, it is a very intimate heart and soul decision.  You are right where you are meant to be. Right here, right now.