Guiding Thought

Knowing myself as Peace fortifies my inner awareness of the unity within. Through gratitude for the Life I Am, I connect with harmony. Through harmony, I am restored and strengthened, and am thus able to carry my Inner Peace to all of life’s activity surrounding me.

Reflection

First, let me say, that even though I have been doing these Journeys for several years, and a lot of the early doubt, skepticism, and fear don’t show up so much, I still feel the effects of my own resistance to expanding my consciousness.

It’s like a cleansing reaction: when toxic stuff has come in (to the body/mind/emotions), when those toxins are released, they cause toxic symptoms. Even though the toxins are releasing, it can look/feel like dis-ease. It is a skill of awareness of your own body/mind/emotions to know if your response (mental/physical/emotional) is one of release, or of a toxin digging in deeper.

I had a toxic release last night. I felt non-specific panic, anxiety, and fear, about nothing in particular. I know it was a release, and not a digging in deeper, because a) I am pretty self aware b) I’ve been doing the Journeys long enough that I know they “trigger” my stuff c) it was non-specific and about nothing in particular. All I could think was, “Yup, the Journey has begun”.

This is also a sign of growing pains, so I consider it very beneficial. Essentially, what happens is these Guiding Thoughts challenge the lower mind, and ask it to consider new ideas, new concepts…maybe even grow, and evolve. The lower mind can feel attacked with these new ideas; it can feel inadequate or unsafe: what if I’m not good enough? What if these new ideas take over? What if I disappear, die? 

The lower mind responds through these fears, which for me came out as non-specific panic, anxiety, and fear.

Recognition, awareness, and patience to get through it without being pulled into the feelings are key:

• If you think you are having a cleansing reaction, breathe (having someone who loves you to tell you “breathe!” really helps).
• Observe the feelings: where do you experience a corresponding discomfort in your body? Ask yourself specifically, “What is this?” Name it, if you can; that takes some of it’s power away. “I feel trapped.” “I feel threatened.” “I feel disconnected.”
• Ask yourself what other feelings are related to this feeling. Often, feelings act in layers. For example, feeling betrayed is often connected to feeling let down, not-heard, bitter, seething, etc. Uncover as many of those as you can.
• Ask yourself, “Where did this come from?” Go back as far as you can, even to the very, very first time you ever felt the feeling you are feeling–even into your childhood. This, too, takes some of the power away: this may be my past, not my present. If it is my past, it does not exist now.
• Remind yourself of the truth of who you are: I am not this feeling. I am perfect, whole, and complete. This feeling passes through me; I can watch it flow in and out. I experience this feeling, but I do not need to identify with it. Love and only Love is the Truth of who I am.
• Then, love your feeling. Transform the feeling into harmony with Love (see yesterday’s Guiding Thought). Eventually, the feeling will harmonize with your Love, and you will be restored and strengthened, and you will come full circle to Know your inner Peace.