energy

A Clear Channel – Day 525

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Photo: L. Weikel

A Clear Channel

Although I didn’t set a schedule for implementing my idea of consulting an oracle or other means of guidance for us to bear in mind, I was sort of leaning toward choosing one tonight so we could start the week out with something new to think about.

Well, if nothing else, that just goes to show what happens when you only sort oflean toward doing something instead of making the firm commitment to do it.

Had I made a definitive commitment to choosing on our collective behalf this evening, I would not have had a beer earlier.

Stickler for Clarity

I know; it probably sounds dumb. But I do try to keep myself as ‘clear’ as possible when doing energetic work, even if it’s as simple as centering myself and selecting some guidance. And that’s particularly true when I act on behalf of someone else. And since this would be accessing guidance on behalf of all of us, it stands to reason I would not want any substance cluttering up my ‘reception.’ Or perhaps it’d clutter up my request; who knows?

Either way, I’ve decided to wait until tomorrow night.

Of course, that leaves me in a lurch. Here I am with nothing to write.

My Personal Policy

I might as well come clean on my personal policy. I’m not exactly sure when or where it originated. Perhaps it’s just always felt like the right thing to do. If I could point to a specific person who modeled this behavior for me, I’d given them credit, but I can’t.

This whole attempt to be as clear as possible in order to allow the energy to flow unfettered extends, obviously, to when I have a session with a client. That means when I have an appointment scheduled with a client, I don’t drink alcohol the night before. Obviously, then, I would not indulge on the same day as doing any work for someone. (At least not before the session!)

Sometimes I think I do it because it’s simply a form of dedication and discipline. It’s a commitment I make internally to being a clear channel – the best purveyor – of information and energy I can be for my client. And it’s a small sacrifice I make, an awareness I bring to the responsibility of working on someone, that reminds me that what I’m doing isn’t a game. It’s an honor.

I’ll keep it clean tomorrow. I promise.

(T-586)

What Day Is It – Day 421

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Photo: L. Weikel

What Day Is It?

Am I the only one, or are any of you finding yourselves in mid thought suddenly thinking, “Wait. What day is it today? I mean, what month is it?”

Life is coming at us so intensely, and situations are changing so rapidly, that the analogy of trying to digest each day’s events being akin to drinking water out of a fire hose is not hyperbolic. It’s our reality.

Reality Check

Reality check? It’s been 19 days since the House of Representatives voted to impeach the president. Not even three weeks have gone by.

And what do we have to show for it? A situation in the Middle East that has incited hundreds of thousands of Iranians to rally in stunningly powerful demonstrations of grief, outrage, unity, and determination in cities throughout their country (and elsewhere). This is not a situation easily (or wisely) downplayed, dismissed, or ignored. And yet…will any of us be surprised if yet another completely separate, yet stunning, revelation is revealed tomorrow?

Taking our ‘walkabout’ route tonight (the 4 mile path), Karl and had a weird moment of conversation when we spontaneously found it hard to recall what month we’re in. The weather today and this evening was peaceful and mild – not necessarily what’s expected in early January. And the schism in time appreciation was exacerbated by the actual holiday days having occurred on Wednesday last week (and the week before), creating an odd if welcome sense of never ending impending weekends.

Indeed, it feels like there’s been a sort of time warpish confusion of days, months, and even seasons since, well, since the solstice occurred on Saturday, the 21stof December.

It’s All Energy

I was taught over thirty years ago that the vibration of the planet (and hence all of us, as well) experiences an uptick at each solstice and equinox. The beginning of each quarter of Mother Earth’s journey around the sun is a seminal, predictable moment of acceleration in our evolution; a quickening, of sorts.

And as our energies speed up, things necessarily change. Those aspects of our lives that cannot hold the increase in our vibration spin off. There’s both evolution and devolution. It’s not as if we all increase at the same rate. And it’s not as if all can sustain the increase to their vibrational reality. I don’t profess to know why every creature and being’s experience is different.

But it is fascinating to observe what’s going on around us with at least some sense of awareness that this seasonal energetic shift could be playing a part in both our collective and personal experiences.

And then there are the planetary aspects to consider as well.

It’s a lot. We are undergoing huge shifts of tectonic magnitude to our perceived realities.

But we’re in it together. Keep holding your center; holding space for ourselves and each other.

(T-690)

Words Have Power – Day Seventy One

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Words Have Power

This is going to be a quick post. I don’t know if it’s the frigid weather (we actually have ice forming on the inside of some of our windows) (yea for old houses?) or what, but I am much more tired than usual.

I had a conversation today that highlighted a habit so many of us indulge in without even realizing it: using words in our routine conversations, often completely unaware of what we are “putting out into the Universe,” that can end up having unintended consequences.

I’m surprised I haven’t written about this before. I suppose it’s possible I have, and I’ve just forgotten. But I don’t think that’s the case.

The “Background” Noise We Make All the Time

Anyway, I know this is something that I will write about again and again because it is critically important for all of us to be aware of not only the specific obvious things that we say, but also the background noise that we utter.

For instance, I’ve seen many instances in which someone makes a comment such as, “I’m pissed,” or “I’m pissed off,” when describing how they feel about a situation or person they’re dealing with. Now, obviously, if this is a random statement, it’s rare that anything will come of it. But I have noticed both in observing other people and, sadly, in my own experience, that if you say such a thing (or a close facsimile) often enough, it is not a big surprise when a urinary tract infection or some type of similar physical issue pops up.

I’ve noticed a similar long-term-use effect in the oft-used phrase “such and such is a pain in the ass.” I guarantee you would be astonished by how many people end up experiencing some form of a literal “pain in the ass” when this type of a phrase is used often enough. From hemorrhoids to sciatica, I’ve seen it manifest.

I know. I realize this may sound like some really dumb, anecdotal stuff. And it is anecdotal. I’m not sure how one would go about proving this correlation scientifically. But you know what? Anecdotal evidence is good enough for me to watch what I put out into the world.

The Energy of Thought, Word, and Deed

I first learned about the importance of taking responsibility for the words we utter when I was first being schooled in the energy associated with thoughts, words, and (obviously) deeds. There is an order of magnitude associated with the power our words have on us and our environment. When those words exist in our thoughts alone, they most definitely have power. But once spoken, they have an even greater impact. And it is obvious, of course, that deeds, putting our thoughts and words into action, often have the most profound and most rapid impact.

The error is in thinking that only our deeds have the power to impact our minds, bodies, or circumstances.

The couple of examples I’ve used above are a drop in the bucket of the myriad ways in which I hear people using words (almost always unconsciously) that feels, to me, like they’re playing with fire and laying the groundwork for some serious ramifications. And it isn’t even that they’ll always manifest it in themselves. But speaking it out loud will almost always end up bringing some form of it into your life in some way.

It’s the Everyday Conversations

Which is why we need to take responsibility for the words we choose to use, not only when we’re speaking in front of a crowd or writing something for publication. Indeed, we are often more careful about the words we use in those settings. It’s the every day conversations that have the greatest effect, as these are the conversations we have over and over and over. And these are the situations in which we are most likely to find ourselves using phrases or expressions that we do not intend literally, but, said over and over and over again (unconsciously) can result in an unintended cumulative effect of manifesting in some way in our life.

Indeed, even more insidious than the words we use in our everyday conversations are the words we use when we speak to ourselves. Those repeated thoughts, judgments, and phrases that are only heard between our own ears.

Our bodies are listening. Our minds are listening. Our souls are listening.

Truth be told, I’m only speaking of the effect we might have on ourselves by the words we use in our everyday conversations.

Sticks and Stones?

As hard as it may be to believe, the old adage we were taught as kids, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” is definitely not as iron-clad a truism as we might like to think. And again: I’m not even talking about the damage I’ve seen inflicted by others on others.

I’ve been hearing a lot of really dicey use of words and phrases lately by a number of people I care about. I do not want them manifesting the flippant or unconscious comments they make in describing how they feel about what’s going on in their lives.

While I know I sound like a broken record, I’m just trying to call attention to the words we use. Please, pay attention. Try your best to be vigilant and refrain from using phrases such as, “That gave me a heart attack;” “I nearly had a stroke;” “He’s a pain in the ass;” “It’s killing me;” “I feel crazy;” etc., etc.

Listen to yourself. Realize that you are creating with your words, so choose wisely.

Go forth and have a great day.

(T-1040)

Weird Day – Day Fifty Eight

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Weird Day

The weather was cranky and miserable today, mirroring a lot of people’s moods, I suspect. It feels like no one knows what to expect anymore. We sort of lurch from day to day, hoping nothing earth shattering (either literal or figurative) happens.

I’m noticing this sense of edginess all around us, from the micro level to the macro. So many people are dealing with really big  – I’m talking tectonic – shifts in their lives and reality. From continents to countries, states, and towns to people world-wide, nation-wide, and all around us. Quite possibly right in our very own homes. Radical change is upon us.

And we need to know we’re not alone.

Holding the Center

Those of us who may not be experiencing direct seismic activity in our lives at this moment  need to hold the center for those who are feeling the ground move beneath their feet and watching structures they never thought would crumble do so.

Indeed, I had a long conversation today with a good friend who has had her share of times in the wringer. She, too, is feeling the present sense that her energy is best spent in holding the center, being a light, allowing others to reach out and hold her hand as the gale force winds buffet them and threaten to sweep them away.

And that takes energy.

It’s hard sometimes to appreciate just how much energy it takes to hold a calm and peaceful center for others (and ourselves). And it can look from the outside as if we’re not doing anything, which can sometimes make our contributions easier to ignore or at least remain unappreciated. And certainly, for some of us at least, we have no way of being compensated for our efforts. Even if we could quantify it, we probably wouldn’t.

We Need Each Other

All of which is to say: we need each other. And we need to be vigilant in these chaotic times to pay attention to each other and listen. Because sometimes the ones who seem to be holding it all together are actually hanging on by the thinnest of gossamer threads.

The good news is, gossamer threads can be woven together and become nearly indestructible in the blink of an eye. So, it feels like we should honor that possibility. Keep an eye on each other, and take care not to necessarily buy the ‘looks great on the outside’ façade. Listen to each other with our entire beings (and not just our ears).

I feel like a lot of the people I know and love are going through some really trying shit right now. And I want you to know, I’m doing my best to hold the center. You’re not alone.

 

(T-1053)

Permission – Day Thirty Four

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 Permission

 Permission. It’s an interesting concept, and securing it in my work is something I take very much to heart. But before I even get to the point where I would seek permission to do anything on behalf of a client, I stop myself – and the client – from getting there prematurely.

It has been my practice since early on in my shamanic work to make a point of not ‘reaching out’ to a client in any way before a session. In a regular, every day sense, that means that I prefer not to receive emails from them that contain details of their lives or the possible issues or difficulties they may be facing that caused them to make an appointment with me.

A corollary to that, which I’ve found intriguing but not entirely sure whether it was ‘real’ or not, was the sense that I should not even ‘think’ about my client ahead of our session. Not in a ‘block them from my mind in every way’ type of sense, but rather a feeling that I shouldn’t reach out to them energetically  (using a combination of my mind and my feelings, is sort of the best way I can describe it). And the sense that tells me that I should not reach out in such a way is two fold:

First, if I reach out to get a bead on what is at the foundation of how they’re feeling or what is going on with them, I could totally misread or put my own spin on things. This is especially true, obviously, if they have succeeded in making contact with me enough to have spilled in an email or whatever some details of what they’re dealing with or why they feel they need a session. And let me tell you, as a die-hard problem-solver, it almost used to reach addiction-level temptation to want to ‘suss out’ as much information as possible before a session. Or even just ‘get a sense’ of what their underlying stuff might entail.

But that’s ego. That’s thinking I somehow ‘know’ a lot more than I actually do, and it’s also a place where experience can lead to arrogance in the blink of an eye. It’s thinking I can figure things out ahead of time that can really lead me astray.

Manipulating Energy Without Permission – Even With the Best of Intentions – is Wrong

Second, though, is an even a greater risk, and that has to do with the concept of tampering or working one’s will in a situation; manipulating energy – or in some way intervening in a situation, even with the ‘best of intentions’ – without another person’s express permission . In other words, if I reach out energetically beforehand and happen to sense their malady (or what I perceive  to be their issue, which again, could be spot on or could be my intellect trying to ‘figure it out’), I might be tempted  to do something that I ‘think’ could ease their pain or even ‘fix’ an issue right then and there. Remotely, or from afar. And that would be wrong.

Those of you who have studied with me or done any work of your own beyond ‘just’ having a session with me know what a stickler I am about this aspect of energy work. I firmly believe in securing the express permission of anyone with or for whom I’m asked to help out in any way. Considered odd by many, I also extend that to ‘prayer,’ and ‘sending’ Reiki (just using this as an example – I am not a Reiki practitioner), or doing anything energetically on behalf of another. Personally, I do not feel it is right to ever assume that I know what is right or appropriate for a person to receive.

Permission from Parents or Guardians, too

And I’m persnickety about that permission, too. For instance, I do not subscribe to the ‘my soul asked their soul and they said it’s ok’ school of thought if, say, a person is unconscious or in a coma. If that’s the case, I then seek to secure the permission of the one who is charged with making care or treatment decisions for the person on the physical plane as well.

This is true in the case of a person ‘of tender age,’ too, so even with a child, I not only take great pains not to ‘check things out ahead of time,’ but I also make sure the parent or guardian has given me permission to work on the child as well.

I had two interesting experiences just this week that pertained to the issue of permission. But before I could even discuss them here, it felt important to explain my perspective and how I approach my work.

Sometimes it’s really, really hard not to step in and do what ‘feels’ right. But not without permission.

(T-1077)