Message from a Tree-Hugging Hippy

I’ve been pretty occupied lately.

Being a mummy.  Preparing food.  Washing clothes…

Practicing yoga.  Meditating.  Resting…

Studying.  Reading.  Learning…

There has been a part of me just itching to share more about what’s been occupying a large chunk of my time over the past eight months, because it has been freaking awesome.  Amazing.  Eye opening.  Life changing.  But … There has also been a part of me that has been hesitant to share, fearing negative judgement.  To be completely honest, I’ve thought way to much about what every single person I know will think of me if I share this part of my life.  I’ve learnt this lesson before – worrying about the opinions that other people have of you is futile.  However … I tend to be a slow learner!  I’ve been scared that people will think I’m a “tree-hugging hippy”, a bit weird, a fruit loop, a naive and silly little girl with my head in the clouds and a loose grip on reality.  But something subtle is starting to shift within me, and I can feel a mask slowly peeling away from me, leaving me feeling more and more ready to express without fear.  With abandon.  Because the people who don’t get me, aren’t the ones I’m supposed to be talking to.  My truth is that I’ve recently experienced some of the most profound and significant lessons of my life to date, and I feel moved and obligated to share with people who are interested, open, and perhaps searching.  For the people who think that I’m weird, that’s none of my business.  Thanks for coming, have a nice day.  Being free of the idea that I have to hide a part of me, is truly liberating.  Let’s get to it.

I’ve spoken a little here and here about my studies with Belinda Davidson’s School of the Modern Mystic (SoMM).  I’ve just completed Level 1, and to say it’s been a game changer for my life is, quite frankly, an understatement.  I feel like my entire approach to life has shifted.  Actually, it has.  The way I go about my day, my every waking moment, is informed and influenced by what I have been learning.  Let me tell you a bit about exactly what I’ve learnt.

The first module of the course is all about chakras.  Prior to this course, the only things I knew about chakras were that they are within the body, they are related to energy, they are the colours of the rainbow, and my yoga teachers often refer to them during class.  Belinda has taught me so much more.  In a nutshell, the chakras are a part of our energy system, which affect every aspect of our life.  Let’s go back a bit first, to explain how this works.  My (very limited) understanding is that according to quantum physics, all physical matter in the universe is essentially made of energy – that is, the smallest “part” of all physical matter is energy.  For example, a solid piece of metal, is not actually solid at all – it is made up of miniscule “bits” of vibrating energy, all squished so closely together that they appear solid (can you tell I’m using my best scientific terminology?!).  As such, the body is made up of energy.  The chakras are an energy system of our body.  These chakras generate, distribute, and absorb energy.  Our energy field is made up of 12 chakras – 6 in our physical body, and 6 above our head, and each one relates to different aspects of our physical body, health, and life circumstances.  Belinda teaches, in the School of the Modern Mystic, that we can positively influence the chakras, via our subconscious, during meditation (i.e. focused energy), in order to change our energy field, and thus change our life.  We do this by practicing a chakra cleanse meditation.  Belinda’s motto is “change your energy, change your life … get your chakras rocking, and life becomes magic”.

The chakra module of the course is very in-depth.  Level 1 covers chakras 1-7.  We spent two weeks on each chakra, learning the theory (i.e. it’s location, attributes, areas of the body it governs, how it impacts our life), as well as activating, balancing and strengthening our chakra, and reflecting on the state of it, and how our practices are impacting it.  In this sense, the course is extremely practical.  As Belinda explains, you can know all the theory in the world, but unless you are actually doing your spiritual practices, you are not treading the spiritual path.

This module of the course on its own, has been mind-blowing.  I have been interested in the benefits of meditation for a long time, but never committed to a regular practice, and frankly, found it boring (ha!), which made it difficult to stick with.  Like many others, for a long time I was mistakenly under the impression that meditating required me to stop thinking for lengthy periods of time.  Have you ever tried to stop thinking?  If you’ve never tried, I’d be willing to be that you won’t make it to a minute.  The guided chakra cleanse meditation that we use in the course made meditation so easy for me.  A 35 minute audio, guiding me through the meditation, during which I focus on each of my chakras.  No striving to stop my thoughts.  Simply focusing on each chakra as guided by the audio.  Six months ago, I could not have predicted that I would now be guiding myself through the meditation without the audio prompts, actually feeling and experiencing the energy of my chakras, feeling energy course through my body, and observing the effects that the chakra cleansing is having on my life.  Whilst I’ve always been interested in hearing about energy medicine and modalities like Reiki and polarity therapy, I could never understand or relate when people could feel or see or sense energy.  Now, I’m experiencing it for myself.

Early on in the course, I knew I had imbalances, weaknesses, and blockages in pretty much all of my chakras, simply by learning the theory, and analysing how it fitted in with my health and life circumstances.  As the course progressed, and I meditated more, and focused more on my chakras every day, I learned to feel the state of my chakras – to feel their energy.  Aspects of my life have certainly shifted and improved as I’ve worked on my chakric health, and when I’m having problems or difficulties in certain areas of my life, I now intuitively look to my chakras, and work on the issue from there.  Interestingly, sometimes I recognise an issue in my chakras before I notice its manifestation in my body or life circumstances.

Module two is all about the White Light – a healing spiritual energy.  I feel a LOT of resistance in talking about this module, as its sounds kind of “woo woo” to use Belinda’s words, however it was surprisingly fascinating, heart warming, enlightening, very practical and thrilling!  We learnt how to use the White Light, to strengthen our ability to cleanse our chakras, clear energetic blockages, and manifest our desires.  It’s given me a certain power to supercharge my creative action taking, and it’s filled me with unconditional love.  This module was the most surprising for me, as it cemented my true belief in this work.  I have been able to physically experience the energy of the White Light, which was initially startling (but beautiful), and I see the effects it’s having on my life – proof that it’s real and it works!

Module three covered a topic that is getting a lot of coverage these days, and rightly so: mindfulness.  We studied two texts as part of this module: The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle, and The Happiness Trap, by Russ Harris.  I view both of these texts as handbooks for life.  Tolle’s writing isn’t particularly easy to read, but it is full of profound wisdom.  Harris’s book is extremely practical and simple to read.  Both help us learn and understand how the mind works – that we are composed of two “selves” – the thinking self (the ego), and the observing self.  Our aim is to learn to disassociate from the thinking self, and learn to associate with the observing self, through practices of mindfulness and presence.  I can’t recommend these texts highly enough.  This module has taught us to recognise when our ego is taking over, so that we can align with our observing self – our “higher self” or “light-filled self”.  In this way, we can continue on our spiritual path, without getting sidetracked or high-jacked by our ego, which can only lead us back to pain and suffering.  I practice mindfulness every single day.  It is especially helpful when I’m dealing with screaming children, trying to get the kids ready for school on time, or lamenting the fact that I can’t seem to achieve all the things on my “to do” list every day!

So, put it all together, and these three modules give us the pillar practices for creating healthy energy, and thus being able to create the life of our dreams.

Where I’m at right now, at the conclusion of this Level 1 course, is a place of calmness and positivity.  That may not sound astounding, but it is.  I feel confident that I have the ongoing ability to deal with whatever life throws at me, as well as to create and live a life of my choosing, as opposed to drifting with the current.  This course has given me a foundation, I believe, to ensure that I never again find myself wallowing in self-pity and using “I can’t cope” as an excuse to opt out of life.  In a practical sense, this translates into an ability to keep my cool (mostly!) with my kids, no matter how severe the tantrum.  To experience contentment and peace in the present moment.  To trust that there is a path in front of me, leading me on the journey I am destined to travel, filled with so much joy and love.  To have eliminated the sense of despair and dread of a ho-hum existence or worse, as well as the incessant worrying that I’m a terrible parent, stuffing-up at every turn and ruining my kids for life.

As a gratifying extra, my husband has told me he’s noticed a difference in me.  He thinks I’m coping better with daily life as a mummy.  I’m happier.  I’m less stressed.  I’m more easy-going.

In the interests of transparency, I’m not suggesting that life is suddenly perfection and that there is no room for improvement, or that I don’t have times of struggle or pain.  There are ongoing issues that I’m still working on, and my manifesting technique requires much practice, but – THAT’S FINE.  I’m in a place where SoMM has given me the ability to recognise, on a moment to moment basis, that I am exactly where I am supposed to be, and that wherever that is, IS perfect.  Instead of stressing about why I haven’t manifested something-or-other, I know that I am on my path, and that it will manifest when it is meant to, if it is in my best interests.  When I notice myself feeling upset, or angry, or frustrated, I’m able to observe those thoughts or feelings, and recognise them as separate to who I am.  This doesn’t necessarily solve all my problems, but it helps me to move on from them more quickly than what I otherwise would have, or to find solutions instead of wallowing in pain.

In the aftermath of completing Level 1 of SoMM, I am now preparing for Level 2, which is all about learning how to discover and live your soul purpose. Completing Level 1 has prepared me and my energy field to embark on this new journey.  I have yearned for what seems like forever, to know what it is that I was put on this earth to do.  I am thrilled to have found a path to discovering what it is that my soul intends for me.

As I’ve progressed through SoMM, I’ve felt like I’m becoming better able to connect with the things that bring me joy.  I’m drawn to them, and I’m recognising the feelings they incite.  As I plan to begin Level 2 in July, the Universe is giving me little insights.  I’m learning that whatever feels awesome, lights me up, sparks an interest, is worth pursuing.  That my soul purpose is something that will make my heart sing with joy, not something that I will become begrudgingly obligated to follow.  That my spiritual practices will take me there.  That there is an abundance of guidance and help available to me, if I simply ask.

My spiritual practices, which have become part of my daily routine, are having the most beautiful impact on my life.  I’m astonished by the power of a simple daily chakra cleanse meditation.  I feel my chakras spin.  I channel White Light. It’s truly magical.

So I’m firing up.  Following the sparks.  Expressing what I can.  I still have no idea where it will lead me, apart from where I am destined to be.  And that, my lovely, is THRILLING!

xoxo

---

To learn more about Belinda Davidson’s School of the Modern Mystic, or to purchase the Guided Chakra Cleanse for Busy People, click on the images below.

I am a proud affliate of Belinda Davidson’s School of the Modern Mystic, and earn a commission on any sales made as a result of my referral.

---

Main image credit: crazy flare, by Yutaka Seki.  Under licence.