Many people who practice higher conscious divine living are reminding themselves to focus on what they want their realities to be like since we know what we focus on persists or is attracted in our life. I usually assume you know how to manage your thoughts and feelings to sustain that divine consciousness, but I'm finding many like minded people across the globe are reassessing their way of relating to the world. They are occasionally slipping into old thought and feeling patterns and allowing their ego, the part of them that takes care of automatic responses and has a tendency to want to maintain the status quo as a protective mechanism, to take a lead role.
Many years ago when I was beginning my recovery from deep depression I had an experience during a hypnotherapy session where I got to meet an aspect of my ego. They were a team whose told me their role was to keep me safe. At the time they were doing that by insisting I was a worthless person who was fooling everyone around me who thought I was generous, kind, wise and creative. So they became my critical voices saying nasty things to me about how horrid I was. If they succeeded in convincing me then I wouldn't change I wouldn't return to making career choices where I could make a difference and meet my definition of success. However the team believed these choices jeopardized my physical and mental health. If I was kept down then they would be safe too.
I learned to make friends with these critical voices which I believe were part of my ego desperately afraid of me realizing that in fact I was the driver of my life and they were merely the team of horses that I worked with and directed what I wanted to accomplish. I realized that anytime they got critical I needed to look at the choices I was making that were inconsistent with the reality I truly wanted to live in. They have mostly been silent over the years and my relationship with my ego has changed. It usually asks questions and I contemplate whether I am being my authentic divine self. We have a more collaborative relationship in which I take the lead.
Many self help books tell you that you must be the master of your ego. This power over someone or something view is not in alignment with my perspective of higher-conscious living. Your ego doesn’t have to be subdued. In fact, it’s important to acknowledge all it does for you, know what it does well and be grateful for that. The ego is great at doing things that are automatic in your life; habits like brushing your teeth -- imagine if you had to think about what to do every time you brushed. When you drive to work and you realize you don’t know what went on between the time you passed the first traffic light until you got to your parking spot, you can thank your ego. (and your lucky stars!!)
Ego allows us to complete higher functioning activities and be creative while it does more logical, routine things. Although we don’t want to have ego rule us, it is a part of us we want to integrate and collaborate with in order to make the best use of both our strengths and abilities. When you choose to live in higher consciousness, you recruit your ego and connect with it as an ally.
At times my ego pops up to play the what if game..... what if something terrible happens. I may engage with the fear and anxiety for a period of time. Although I recognize whats happening, sometimes I have to work hard to regain my highest frequency perspective. Often its a signal that big energy is wanting to work with me and really doesn't have much to do with whats happening personally.
Given all the personal life changes many are experiencing and all that's coming up in the world recently that is reminding us of our power to act and model how we want the world to turn out, you might be finding that your ego is perceiving a threat and wanting to maintain the status quo. I was talking to my great friend Dorothy West (who is also a masterful coach of the Happiness Company btw) and she just calls what I term ego as part of the brain that wants to pull us towards the familiar when we are facing changes. Somehow this perception offers me a more holistic view of my operating system.
So, If you find you are playing the negative what if game, if your voices are talking doom and gloom or if you are being pulled back into the familiar when you are wanting to perceive changes that are happening in a higher frequency perception, I've got some suggestions that might help shift you.
Helpful HInts for getting into the newest high vibeing aspects of change
As always, breathe deeply, connect with your divine observer Self, expand and align with the newest energies asking for the biggest picture.
Reflect on how you react to change and how you want to react.
Does your brain want to maintain the status quo and pull you towards the familiar?
Talk to that aspect of yourself and soothe it as if it was your inner child. Tell it it's ok, imagine yourself cuddling it, stroking its arm, saying everything will be all right. Say you're just experimenting and playing nothing has to be permanent. Perceive the feelings you may be having that you could call anxiety as really excitement at new possibilities. Imagine yourself in the future having made the change. See how happy you are and feel the high vibing energy of well being. Your body will create a chemical cocktail which will feel great and you can create from that place.
Do you engage in the negative "what if" game?
Occasionally, even when you are living a high vibe life, you may slip into old habits and worry 'what if'. I used to have an unreasonable fear not based in any adult life experience that something would happen and I wouldn't have money to pay bills. The credit card companies or my bank would make a mistake,and somehow I wouldn't have the resources I thought I did. It got so I was afraid to open my mail. Some people worry about their teens when they are out late wondering what if something happens to them. Worst case scenarios run thru their minds.
If you have 'what if' thoughts, you can change your thoughts by cultivating a new habit of expecting good things by playing the “What If It’s Something Good” game.
In the situation where I was afraid to open my mail, when I got mail from the government, the city, credit card companies, or anything that I worried might be demanding my money, or making other demands on my time, or hassling me in some way, I would start thinking: “what if it is a refund check? It’s probably just a notice about something”. I opened the letters right away and 99.9% of the time it wasn’t something bad. In addition, I also think “Well, I’ve always been able to manage before; I have more than enough to pay my bills; I am grateful for having money to buy the things I have purchased.” Then I pay the bill coming from a place of gratitude that I can pay it.
If you worry about a family member who is living on their own, your imagination can create mega disasters if you can’t get in touch with them. So, think about the good things that could be happening. He could be busy enjoying himself with friends and forgot to check his answering machine. He could be working extra shifts so he can get married and give you the grandchild you’ve always wanted. She might be tired of interacting with people and just want to have time to herself. Her cell phone might be misplaced, have fallen out of her purse, or run out of power and is misplaced and she can’t call but she is so busy enjoying life she hasn't noticed. You could think really big, like she’s won the lottery and had to fly to another town to pick it up and she wanted to surprise you. You could think small; maybe he had to wash his hair.
These optimistic thoughts keep you in higher vibrations and may bring a smile to your face, which also keeps you in higher vibration. It recognizes the strength and capability of your loved ones, and it has the benefit of improving relationships because they can sense your confidence in them.
When I`m in high vibration I attract matching good stuff. Ideally, I am always in the present moment, but if I do occasionally stray out of the Now, into past or future worry, I can choose to playfully shift the energy even slightly. If that doesn’t work I can choose something to focus on that moves me into high vibration. Having a pocketful of high vibration generating thoughts that feel good is worth its weight in etheric gold.
Do you have thoughts or voices that put you down?
Here is an excerpt from my book From Fear to Eternity: 212 Ways to Let Go of Limiting Beliefs and Shift into Higher Consciousness Living with a meditation to make friends with your critical voices.
Making Friends With Your Voices Meditation
The following meditation will assist you in getting to know and befriend your critical voice(s). I will interchange the use of it and them because the criticism comes to everyone differently. Allow yourself to hear whichever term is most appropriate for you.
You may want to record this or have a friend read this to you.
Begin by getting comfortable, sitting up or lying down. Take three deep breaths and as you release them, ask the muscles in your body to relax more and more. Allow them to become heavy and warm with relaxation.
Close your eyes and imagine you are in a favorite safe spot, one that you know or one you create. Know that any sounds you hear such as traffic noises, sirens, people calling their children, dogs barking, phones ringing, will not be a distraction. In fact, they will act as a trigger to make you feel even more relaxed.
Imagine you can see the sky. It’s a beautiful blue with clouds floating slowly out of sight. As the clouds drift by, any thoughts and worries drift and disappear from your mind. You feel peaceful, warm and relaxed.
Ask your critical voice to come to you. Imagine what it would look like if it was to take a form. How big is it? What colour? Who or what does it sound like? What else do you notice about it or them? What feelings does it generate in you? Do you experience any sensations inside your body?
Thank them for coming and tell them you want to get to know them. If you feel discomfort or lower vibration energy in their presence, you can turn them into another form. You could make it small enough to fit into your pocket and choose to morph it into something you feel comfortable with, like a child’s stuffed toy or a miniature dog whose bark can barely be heard. Or just accept them and allow them to take whatever form they first came in.
Then begin a conversation, without any expectations. Ask it why it says what it does. Don`t be defensive, but feel free to give examples that demonstrate that its perception are inaccurate. If it says you are stupid, you can calmly reply with facts. “I graduated from school with an above average grade, or, I am able to tally the cash at the end of my shift, or, I am very knowledgeable about X, Y, Z. They may have a comeback. If so, state some more facts, but don`t have any expectations about them changing their mind.
Then ask “What are you afraid will happen if you don’t criticize me?” When they raise concerns you could let them know that you realize these internal critics probably want what they think is best for you, or that they are truly afraid right now. Part of that fear is that you will no longer pay attention to them. You can tell them you appreciate their concern but that you are still choosing to do this. You might want to reassure them that what you are doing isn’t a forever change. (Remember there is only this moment.) Tell them you are just playing or experimenting right now.
At the end be sure and thank them and let them know you are grateful that they came to talk to you and that they care about you. Let them know how valuable they are for trying to keep you safe and that you would like to communicate in a new way. Perhaps you will ignore them when they criticize but listen when they express their concern directly. Perhaps you’ll listen and thank them for their opinions but you will make decisions consciously.
Perhaps you’ll just agree to know they are voices from the past and you don’t intend to pay attention to them. What you don’t focus on disappears eventually, and in the meantime, stating your truth will remind you to consciously empower your Real Self.
Remember you are in the newest energy and your relationship with your ego has changed so it is an ally. There is only Oneness in highest consciousness So ask yourself "what can I visualize that reflects a harmonious, collaborative, highest vibeing outcome for this situation that reflects my awemazing skills and talents?". One where your greatest being is recognized. We are realizing we benefit no one by playing small in the 3d paradigm of life.
Image by: Ion Chiosea purchased from 123rf