The Stories of ME

Image courtesy of njaj at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Since June I’ve been considering discussing this huge issue: the ‘stories we weave’ and how they impact everything in our lives. I have had the great honor of interviewing a new author Christopher Papadopoulos on his book Peace and Where to Find It, twice now (in June and this month, July). He discusses how our ‘thinking mind’ is involved in every moment we are awake. To achieve true Peace we must get out of our minds and into our hearts (sound familiar J). The key to doing this is in his new book. I chose 2 interviews as I wanted to discuss the concepts and then I wanted to discuss the practices.

How does ‘Peace’ fit into the ‘story of me’, you ask? I’m going to explain it. I hope! Our ‘stories’, our ‘identities’, are tied up in our thinking minds, (our egoic minds) and we elaborate on our ‘stories’ every time we maintain being unconsciously caught up in our heads! When we are constantly ‘thinking’ we are creating and cultivating our ‘stories’. You know the identity that is ’us’. It is who we believe we are from our ‘human perspective’. It is the ‘perceived’ image we have about our life … the labels we identify with, how we perceive others and what we believe others think about us! This is the ‘story of me’.

And we use words like ‘always’ and ‘never’ to describe these ‘perceptions’ we have of ourselves. We like to embellish our ‘stories’ and recreate our identities whenever possible. You get the idea … it is who we believe we are when we are caught up in our minds all day long.

However, there is evidence to suggest that our perceptions are not truth, therefore all our judgments about others and how we believe they are judging us, isn’t the truth. Who we tell the world we are isn’t our true essence! When we are in our minds we are stressed, our muscles are tense, and we are constantly ‘doing’ things (including things to distract us from our discomfort and allow for unconscious addictions). When we are in our hearts with our hearts open and when we are in our bodies being aware of our subtle energy and breath … we are present. When we are present, we can BE peace! When we are present, we can change the ‘story of me’ and create from a place of peace, unconditional love, or your true essence.

However, first we have to clearly see our identity and our constant need to think. We need to know that who we perceive we are is our egoic mind, our thinking mind, our story that we have created due to our experiences and our perceptions of these experiences. We need to choose how we want to BE in our lives first and allow our inner feelings to guide us on how we experience the world.

Typically, we get up out of bed and just get caught up in our lives without a thought about how we want to experience it. We become unconscious once we begin ‘doing’ anything: from brushing our teeth, to driving our cars, to working. We tend to live in our ‘thinking heads’ believing this is the only way to get through the day. We are in a constant state of ‘thinking’, ‘doing’, and ‘reaction’! Then we continue through the day thinking about what we did and what we perceived was done to us, finding ways to justify what we did and how we are ‘right’! These are the very ‘stories’ I’m speaking about.

This is not to say that we aren’t here to ‘do’ things… we are, but we are to ‘do’ from a conscious place. Imagine if we not only consciously breathed but consciously ate and ‘did’ things from a conscious state of BEing! This would stop most of our ‘stories’ from continuing and magnifying. We could lie in bed, decide how we would like to feel today, maybe happy, motivated, confident or clear and relaxed… then we connect with how that feels. Once we choose, we can create a connection with that feeling and when we feel ourselves deviating, once life happens, we can make another choice to go back to that ‘feeling’ … or another feeling. And our Heart would be in the driver’s seat.

We could continue to make choices all day on how we would rather feel. Don’t confuse this with visualizations or positive thinking; this is about becoming conscious and aware at all times. Christopher uses the body and I believe this is the key. Whenever we feel ourselves stepping out (you know when sh@t happens or when we are feeling uncomfortable we leave our bodies or exist from the ‘thinking mind’ only) we can become conscious of our body and our breathing and this will ground us back into our selves. Then we don’t add to our story, we can choose create a new one!

Remember I was going to bring Peace into our ‘story’; well peace is our inner state of BEing. It is our true essence that always exists without our perceptions, without our judgments, and without our ‘story of me’. Have a listen to the interviews I have done with Christopher to understand how we both believe that peace comes from within and is not something that we need to ‘work’ on or ‘change’ outside of us … we just need to become conscious. Our ‘stories’ come from us being unconscious and from our thinking minds. We can choose to create a new story to include one where ‘peace’ is our constant state of BEing!

What story would you like to live?

Letting Go and Being Open

Surrendering isn’t easy, and staying open while letting go of things you want, is even more challenging.

Sometimes when we are going through change, there are little gifts being offered. Yet, most often we judge and try to control our lives. This closes us down and typically, we don’t even see, let alone allow these gifts to materialize in our lives. However, the gifts become more precious if we can remain open and allow them in.

Many have asked what “staying open” means or what it is like. This isn’t easy to explain in a world where we like to control everything and keep it the same. It means, allowing without judgement, all events and people to occur and happen within our experiences, consciously and with discernment. It means following the thread of passion or pleasure as it happens. To continue along this path as long as it brings you happiness. Also, it is about exploring your responses consciously. It means if you meet someone who makes you happy, even if they don’t meet your criteria (whether you are aware or not, we seem to have biases and a list of criteria for all people we meet), to remain open to it all. Because even if they may only be there for a short time, they ARE there to show you something. Even if it is just seeing your judgements!

We prejudge many people because of who we think we are. We have biases that restrict and control people we will be friends with, based on a definition of who we are, eg certain education level, similar interests and passions. Maybe our parents taught us to accept only certain people, and we limit who we let into our lives, and our growth, as a result. Relationships are the most key ingredient to our growth, and we often limit who we will be friends with based on certain criteria or judgements.

Our lives are controlled based on the decisions we make, and the only way we can grow is to let go and allow change into our lives. As I am going through my own metamorphosis and letting go of the predefined life I believed I “should” have… I found precious gifts waiting for me. Some have been to see my limitations and judgments. Others have been to allow me to open up and experience life from a different perspective.

I have realized that if we want change, we have to be willing to do, be and act differently. Opening up to all areas of our lives, letting go of the judgments and how we control each area is the beginning.

See more at: http://www.intuitivesoul.com/letting-go-and-being-open

Deepening Commitment with Self

I’m a firm believer in leading by example; I try and take 100% responsibility for everything I see happening around me.

But I’ve noticed lately I’m giving the same advice over and over again about people sabotaging themselves and I know I’m as guilty of sabotaging myself as those that I’m guiding. Why do we sabotage ourselves by refusing to foster a deeper commitment to Self? We all want to have a strong commitment and love with another Being and we all want to foster a connection with something greater, call it Higher Self, Soul or God/Goddess. Why isn’t the connection we foster, first and foremost with our Self?

One of the ways we sabotage ourselves is by continuing to put others’ needs ahead of our own, as if they were more important. This keeps our energy stuck in different areas of our lives, and then patterns become established and we become afraid to change them. We seem to be afraid to change aspects of ourselves (limiting beliefs like we are afraid of our own power) because we fear change; that somehow what has occurred in the past (conscious or unconscious) may repeat itself (we may abuse our power in some way). We don’t do what we need; instead, we give away our power and energies to others, helping them and not ourselves. Why are others somehow more important? What prevents us from treating our selves like we are equally as important as our family, friends and responsibilities? Why can’t we foster this deeper commitment to self as we do others?

What if we all learned to love and accept ourselves for who we are? What if we treated ourselves like we treat our best friends? What if we made a deeper commitment to ourselves? How can we be gentler to ourselves? What would that look like?

I believe it all comes down to “choices”. Sometimes small choices impact our life dramatically. From how we feel while making the choice, to the decision we make. Everything is a choice! Do you stay the same out of fear (sabotage) or deepen your commitment to self through love? Sometimes these are the only choices we need to consider.

I want to offer a support group for those who have goals that just aren’t realizing, in an online community and through meditations. It can be any goal from weight loss to getting that new project going. Let’s find a way to move through the self-sabotaging towards creating a deeper commitment with Self. Contact me at Laurie@IntuitiveSoul.com.

-See more at: http://www.intuitivesoul.com/deepening-commitment-with-self

Participation or Victim

Lately, due to some work I’ve been doing, I discovered something profound. It is highlighted in the Movie “The Lorax” and I’m beginning to grasp its significance in all our lives.

We feel the need to be victims, consciously and unconsciously. Because the alternative is Being responsible for not only our own lives, but that of our planet’s as well.

Through the centuries, to “participate” in life was a double edged sword. We were damned if we did anything, and damned if we didn’t’. An example of this would be during the crusades. To watch and not do anything or to not say anything, made us almost as guilty as those doing the killings, and certainly left us with the guilt and shame as burdens to carry. Yet, to stand up against the crusaders, whether to say “no” or to continue practicing religious beliefs other than Christianity, meant certain death.Many spiritual teachers (including myself) have reinforced that the only work we have to do is our own. But at what cost? Are we taking full responsibility and participating in life, while we sit by and allow our earth to be raped of all its beauty? We say it doesn’t affect us when the rainforest is being demolished halfway around the world. We don’t see it. We don’t believe we can make a difference, so we work on “us” and know (or is it hope) that real change begins within.

I believe that when we fight against something, or resist it, it will persist (ie when we give something negative energy and hold that energy, it keeps it stuck). So, is fighting against our raping and polluting the earth, is that the same as participating? Or by holding a love vibration is it enough to stop the destruction? Or am I just fooling myself and still afraid to participate because taking responsibility is too horrible to consider? Because what can just one person do? Do I just accept that I’m a victim?

I believe I am responsible for “my” world, but doesn’t that mean “our” world too? And how do we “participate”? Conscious Choices and Conscious Actions where our message is one of Love and Compassion and “service” as we do our part to take care of Self and Planet. To not “hate” when we see those in “victim” mode who continue to have disregard for our waters and land. To lovingly devote our hearts in service to pick up litter, to replant trees and foliage that has been destructed. To send Love and Wellness to the planet. Being like the Lorax, not fighting, but loving and “planting the seeds” of love and compassion to all.

See more at: http://www.intuitivesoul.com/participation-or-victim

What’s Your Motivation?

This past month I did a great interview with Eric Altman on motivation (http://www.intuitivesoul.com/news-for-the-heart-talks-with-eric-altman-on-motivation). To me this is an important piece to look at if we want to understand why we sabotage our own happiness. As you know, my personal journey has been focused on my health for the past couple of years, with the oncoming of Frozen Shoulders, heavy metal poisoning, and the realization that my body became pretty toxic as a result. In some ways it’s been a cosmetic reason, to lose weight but it has also been about having my shoulders functioning again. For too long now I have sabotaged my journey towards health by not doing what I know I need, and this process has dragged on, and in many ways has exasperated my pain.

While Eric and I were discussing what blocks us from attaining our goals, we touched upon an issue that many people have (Eric quoted that it could be as high as 95%). Many of us have an unconscious belief that we don’t want to be here. If it is such a high percentage, no wonder we sabotage out deepest desires! This is especially true when our desire is to be healthy. Up until 3 years ago, I didn’t have any physical distress. However, the chronic pain from both Frozen Shoulders and heavy metal poisoning brought about many changes. And many realizations about choices I’ve made and beliefs I’ve held, including that I didn’t want to be here. As well as decisions that if I were handicapped (chronic pain) I wouldn’t have to support myself. I didn’t have to take my chronic pain to this level or exasperate my condition further, because I realized the choices I was making and began the journey of healing.

Even though my shoulders are almost completely healed, I still continue to sabotage my health, even while I have consciously been focused on my health. And this is why I have continued to discuss it. This is the reason I want to discuss this with you. When you want something and you continue to sabotage your efforts, the place you need to look is your motivation. Conscious or unconscious, there is still a reason that you need to investigate, and discover why you continue to sabotage. Somewhere there is a conflicting motivation or belief that you need to uncover. Are you coming from a place from fear or love? This is critical when exploring your motivation.

Ask yourself if you are truly living? Where are you sabotaging your life? When you think about this life, do you often say you aren’t from here? Or are you looking forward to leaving, believing that the afterlife or your next life will be better? That this life you are being karmically punished?

When it comes to unconscious motivators we must remember that our “choices” come from the present! If we aren’t in the present, then we are reliving our past programming, our fears and our unconscious beliefs. When we are present and grounded, we can make better choices and observe and be more aware of our motivation. Both Eric and I have discussed how to become more grounded and that will allow for better choices (in our show http://www.intuitivesoul.com/news-for-the-heart-laurie-huston-talks-with-eric-altman). The trouble is that if on some unconscious level we do not want to be here suffering or for whatever reason, our motivation will be to sabotage the efforts of our conscious self who is doing our very best to live a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Beginning this Support Group with Eric Altman has definitely provided a new network of people to share and dream with. One of the most wonderful parts of being in a support group is that as you receive help and make progress on your journey, you are supporting others in the group on their journey. Likewise, as the other members of the group move forward on the issues they are working on, it helps you heal too! I invite you to share and explore your dreams and what is motivating them with us. If you find that there are certain things that you keep sabotaging, explore why. Discuss and share with a group of like-minded (or like-hearted) people. Find a way to be in charge of your choices and make sure all the parts of you are on board with moving in the same direction. Practice being Present and Grounded. This will assist you to be more aware. However, the most important thing to realize is that you are PERFECT just the way you are! Be Gentle to yourself and accept yourself! This will go a long way to Self-Love and Self-Care, the focus of 2015! And join our Support Group (http://www.intuitivesoul.com/services/eric-altmans-support-group) to support your Journey forward!

See more at:- http://www.intuitivesoul.com/category/blog 

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