“Don’t explain your philosophy, embody it.” ~ Epictetus
It is very common in the beginning stages of our spiritual journey for our newly found philosophies about life to slyly intermingle with our ego. As our excitement and hunger for more spiritual understanding grows, we may begin to want to shout from the rooftops that we have finally found it!
We have finally found “the truth” and naturally we want to share this with all of our friends, family, and who ever will listen that the world is not what it seems and they must know.
It all happens innocently enough as the old “us” begins to drop away to make room for the new us that is being re-born. However, there is a certain stage that most spiritual seekers encounter in between waking up from the duality consciousness of the third dimension (where everything is either seen as “good” or “bad”, “right” or “wrong”) and fully resonating in unity consciousness (where everything is seen as perfect and just “is”) where our ego is beginning to unravel but is still lingering in some areas.
This stage of our journey can be referred to as “spiritual ego”, and it is when we find ourselves talking about our faith, philosophies and beliefs rather than embodying them. This stage is often characterized by the person who is telling us who they are, rather than showing us. The opinions and judgments about others and life are still there, however they are more spiritual in nature.
As mentioned above, this happens innocently by our ego as it becomes excited by the new knowledge and understanding it has found and wants desperately to maintain it’s status in our being, and it attempts to do so by putting on it’s spiritual mask so that it may remain relevant. However, eventually it is important for us to unravel this part of our ego as well.
At a certain point, we must stop talking about our beliefs, truth and philosophies and only begin embodying them. We must wake up from trying to convince people of anything and simply become our truth. So how do we do this? How do we firstly know if this is what we are doing (because often it is happening so innocently that we have no idea it is even happening), and if we realize we are, how do we wake up out of it?
Are you living your truth or just talking about it?
“You either walk inside your story and own it or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.” ~ Brene Brown
Be your authentic self
As with many things in life, and this particular issue is no different, honesty is the best policy. The type of honesty I am referring to has nothing to do with anyone else, however.
This is the honesty where we get completely real with our own self and begin a intense self-inquiry that requires us to pinpoint the motivation behind all of our behaviors, and the emotional reactions that are brought about because of our interactions with others.
Some of the questions we must ask ourselves in order to decipher whether our “truth” is making use of us vs. us making use of it are: At the point where I realize that someone else is not necessarily agreeing with what I am saying, do I find myself trying to convince them?
Am I angered by the actions of others who I perceive as less “evolved” than I am? Am I angry or frustrated when I feel like I am not being understood? Am I judging someone else as “wrong” if they do not agree with my beliefs?
Asking ourselves these questions should not be as a means to judge our selves, but simply to get a more honest depiction of where we are and to form a more authentic connection with our hearts.
It is important to remember that there is no “wrong” place to be in our spiritual process, everything is happening exactly as it should but the more aware we become of why we are doing the things we do, the quicker fear based attachments and belief systems begin to unravel through our awareness of them alone.
And that is perhaps the most miraculous part of this whole process, the fact that we (our awareness) are the light that can disperse any darkness.
What this means is, the part of us that fiercely needs to cling to it’s sense of self, even if that sense of self is wearing a spiritual or philosophical costume, and promote itself with it’s own “sales pitch” is based in fear. Love never needs to convince anyone of anything because it doesn’t judge anyone else as “wrong” for being exactly where they are.
And since the truth of our being is the light that can dispel this fear, all it takes is being aware that we are doing it to begin to unravel it all automatically. The minute we become simply aware of any fear based attachment, emotion or behavior without judging it as wrong, and then sending love to these parts of our selves is the minute it starts to disappear out of our energy field.
Ultimately, unconditional love (and that means even loving the parts of us that are getting frustrated by not being understood by others) is the only thing that moves us through talking about what a good person we are to simply being a good person.
“When you exist as your authentic self, you live the truth of your being.” ~ Ora Nadrich
You are the light of the world
Living our truth is something that should never require effort. If we notice we are putting a lot of effort into maintaining our “image”, or to becoming more forgiving, compassionate or open-minded, we can be assured that we have missed a very important step in our journey.
We don’t jump from adopting new belief systems to completely embodying them all in one day, so we must be patient with ourselves.
The more real and intimate we get with our own hearts we will begin to cultivate a more humble and honest approach to life and our spiritual journey. This more authentic approach will over time begin to make way for a simple living of our own truth to be in actuality, the only option we have. At this point we realize that trying to change others forcefully never works.
What does work is surrendering to the fact that the only person we have any power over is ourselves, and that power never comes from becoming more disciplined but rather unconditionally loving of everything about ourselves to the point that all fear-based emotions and beliefs can’t keep fighting us when we are simply loving them.
As talking about our truth evolves into living our truth we find that we naturally become an inspiration for others, our light begins to awaken the light in others… and not one ounce of effort was required.
Sometimes, we have trouble settling into a calm, or meditative state. Most of the time, what I need is music that will not push me into a certain mood or mindset, but that will wash over and let me have my own meditative thoughts, without infringing their messages on me.
Here are some songs that let me do exactly that. Whether you use them for: reading, writing, meditating, working, or painting etc, I hope these songs and instrumentals put you into a relaxed and meditative state.
1) “Re: Stacks” by Bon Iver
Bon Iver’s lyrics are typically indecipherable, and nonsensical when you do decipher them. His music settles over you like a blanket and shapes itself to whatever mood you find yourself in.
2) “Watermark” by Enya
This song by Enya is perfect for meditating, writing, or just sitting and daydreaming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58zJNeq-sHI
3) “Maybe” by Yiruma
This nostalgic song will sit with you on a rainy day and help you concentrate on any task.
4) “Lover’s Spit” by Leslie Feist
Though it may not be the best song for meditating, it’s trance-like quality has been my loyal companion through many hours of writing.
https://youtu.be/P4vSxFIc0xo
5) “Oceans” by John Butler Trio
A little more upbeat than the others, this instrumental is perfect for hours of background music as you do anything, from organizing your closet to solving tough problems.
6) “We Can Begin” by C. Lanzbom
This meditative instrumental will bring you through the tides of many waters, whether you want to write, meditate, or ponder the wonders of the universe. (The song “We Can Begin” starts at 16:00 of the video.)
7) “Lullaby” by Sia
As the title suggests, this song has a beautiful lullaby quality, and can rock you into a peaceful sleep, or through a bumpy car ride.
8) “Holocene” by Bon Iver
Another Bon Iver song, because this song is a must for a beautiful meditative state.
9) “Down to the River to Pray” by Alison Krauss (“O Brother, Where Art Thou” soundtrack)
Overtly Christian lyrics aside, this vocally-layered and beautifully harmonic song is a meditative journey for any listener.
10) “Cello Suites No.1” by J.S. Bach
As for the classics, I chose Bach and his solemn, yet water-like, melodies.
I hope this playlist helps you find some peace, and the space needed to reach more meditative and clear places in your mind.
“The psyche is the greatest of all cosmic wonders and the “sin qua non” [indispensable ingredient] of the world as an object. It is in the highest degree odd that western man, with but very few- and ever fewer- exceptions, apparently pays so little regard to this fact.
Swamped by the knowledge of external objects, the subject of all knowledge [the psyche] has been temporarily eclipsed to the point of seeming non-existence.” ~ Carl Jung
The psyche plays an important role in the creation of our universe, the seemingly outer world is not separate from the psyche that is experiencing it, but is in fact a reflection of the psyche itself.
According to Jung, psyche is a self-regulating system, that seeks to maintain a balance between opposing qualities while constantly striving for growth.
Jung saw the human psyche being made up of 3 layers – the conscious mind (ego) where our sense of identity or conscious awareness resides, the personal unconscious, Jung’s term for the Freudian unconscious, that includes contents in the consciousness which have been forgotten or repressed.
The third layer is the collective unconscious which represent a form of the unconscious (that part of the mind containing memories and impulses of which the individual is not aware) common to mankind as a whole and originating in the inherited structure of the brain.
Jung in The Archetypes and the collective Unconscious said, “The collective unconscious is a part of the psyche, which can be negatively distinguished from a personal unconscious by the fact that it does not, like the latter, owe its existence to personal experience and consequently is not a personal acquisition….the contents of the collective unconscious have never been in consciousness, and therefore have never been individually acquired, but owe their existence exclusively to heredity.
Whereas the personal unconscious consists for the most part of complexes, the content of the collective unconscious is made up essentially of archetypes.”
In order to experiment, Jung tested several groups based on their dreams & fantasies only to find that Freud’s definition of the unconscious mind was limited.
There was another part of the mind shared by these individuals in form of symbols, which they had no conscious access to, and he referred to them as “ancestral heritage of possibilities of representation common to all human beings and, perhaps, even all animals.” These symbols & themes were further termed as archetypes.
The collective unconscious was expressed through ‘archetypes’, which appear as symbols, instincts and imagery throughout our existence, and manifest fully during sleep & imaginations and also during myths & fairytales that have been handed down from one generation to another.
“The main source, then, is dreams, which have the advantage of being involuntary, spontaneous products of the unconscious psyche and are therefore pure products of nature not falsified by any conscious purpose.”
Archetypes are also referred to as collective representations or primordial thoughts expressed through various cultures, traditions and ideologies. Jung highlighted a number of archetypes, including the ‘anima, animus‘, the ‘mother’, the ‘shadow’,the ‘child’, the ‘wise old man’, the ‘spirits’ of fairytales, and the ‘trickster‘ figure found in myths and history.
Adam Adamski in his paper on Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious of Carl G. Jung in the Light of Quantum Psychology said, “Archetypes are the means of action and may take the form of images, dreams, or they are a stimulus to a specific action. Jung says that dreams are archetypal guidance and are the wisdom of past generations. Unaware parts of the psyche are often associated with certain events with an archetypal pattern, with similar events taking place many times in history. Archetypes often carry a strong emotional charge, because relationships with people are the result of differences in the dominant sphere of archetypal feelings.”
Examples of Archetypes
The Anima & Animus
Both man & woman have the characteristics of the other as archetypes resting in their psyche.
While the mirror image of a man in a female’s unconscious mind is called Animus, the mirror image of a woman in a male’s s unconscious mind is called Anima.
Also, when a man or woman projects the psyche of anima or animus onto an actual woman or man, feelings like infatuation, idealization or attraction for the opposite sex is cultivated.
When we fall in love at first sight, then we have found someone that “fills” our anima or animus archetype particularly well!
Anima & animus vary in terms of exposure leading to male characteristics or female characteristics in an individual. Jung believed that we are all bisexual in nature, since we all have both masculine and feminine aspects to our nature, but due to society’s expectations we achieve only part of our society’s expectations.
The divine union of anima & animus is known as Syzygy, representing completion and this opens up everything, cracking our old, stagnant world view right down the middle and revealing that everything is connected just as everything is moving. Shiva moves in and out of Shakti.
The Shadow
The shadow is the darker side of our psyche or those characteristics, which are repressed by the conscious mind and considered unfit for exposure to the outside world. It is like a ‘latent disposition’, which is instinctive and irrational in nature.
Freud referred to the shadow as an animal within us & Jung considered it as an unidentified aspect of our ego. It is often projected on others, leading us to find the shadow in others. If we are able to merge the light & dark, we can experience oneness and harmony in our self and progress towards self-realization. If we are unaware of our shadow self, then it disassociates from conscious life.
The symbol through which it is projected is a villain figure, a dark warrior, spider etc. The shadow can also appear in our dreams as a despised person or even as a friend, sometimes. It is said that one can project Shadow archetype through waking life when he/she is expressing it in uncontrollable anger, aggression & furiousness.
The Self
It is the sum total of the psyche, with all its potential included. The self is the spirit connected to the universal assimilation of a person’s conscious and unconscious minds. Once we have understood the self, it leads to self-actualization – the ultimate goal of every being.
Some of the other archetypes are father – the controlling figure, mother – the compassionate & nurturing, the orphan- left alone with no one to care, the wise old man- the knowledge, the faithful dog – unwavering loyalty, the seeker – one who is looking for eternal wisdom but is a lost soul, the earth mother- nature, the trickster – one who uses misunderstandings & doom among many others.
Jung also believed mandalas (the ancient circles from the Hindu mythology) to be the direct window into the unconscious and the inner process by which individuals grow toward fulfilling their potential for wholeness.
The theory of collective unconsciousness is vast and extremely enticing as well informative. With understanding of multiple archetypes & symbols available to us, which are time & again exposed through our behavior, beliefs, dreams etc. we can witness the deepest levels of our mind.
Ever wished people with new ideas would just shut up already and keep it to themselves? Or secretly desire that people with alternative political agendas other than bipartisanism would just climb back under their rock?
Or secretly hope that all those heathen books with their anti-my-holy-book thoughts in them would just burn already? Then this article is just for you.
Here are seven ways to remain rigidly close-minded in an ever-awakening, consciousness-shifting, progressively-evolving world.
1.) Never question your beliefs
Questioning beliefs is scary. So it’s best to avoid it altogether. Remain in a fixed state. Cling to your basket for dear life. It has all your eggs in it, after all. Use your faith like a shield. Don’t let anything in. Be invulnerable to knowledge.
If anything seems even remotely threatening to your faith –which you’ve precariously built into a wall from the outdated steppingstones of sycophants past and which looms precariously upon the quicksand of ill-reason and sentimental flotsam– simply ignore it, suppress it, or just allow cognitive dissonance to safely wash it away.
The warm, comforting security blanket of your belief will keep you nice and cozy against a scary, never-fixed, ever-changing world.
2.) Practice apathy, not empathy
Whatever you do, don’t put yourself in another person’s shoes. They probably stink worse than yours do anyway. Leave empathy to Jesus or Buddha or Muhammad.
They are more versed in compassion and turning the other cheek. Stick with apathy. Be as indifferent about others as possible. If you give them too much attention, they’ll just rock your all-too-comfortable boat.
Don’t rock your all-too-comfortable boat! You need it to remain afloat atop the stormy seas of the unknown that constantly threaten to drown you. Cling to your pietistic and/or irreverent ego. The ennui will pass, and the certainty of what you think you know will wash over you and keep you “level-headed.”
3.) Don’t think outside the box
The box is warm and safe. The box is the state. The box is the church. The box is nationalism and patriotism. The box is anything you’ve been preconditioned into believing is necessarily the case, even if it isn’t. Stay in it anyway. The box is your safe place, and you want so badly to remain safe, comfortable, and secure, right?
There’s no reason to make yourself uncomfortable. And you can always decorate the box. Though I would stay away from art, especially radical art. It would just corrupt your safe place. It would bring too much color to your colorless view of the universe. Black and white is just fine.
4.) Don’t be open to new ideas
If, however, you actually manage to climb outside the box, make sure you never read anything. Stick to that holy book handed down to you from your forefathers. You know, the one reeking of self-righteousness and parochial values deemed uncouth by the passage of time. Read it anyway.
Quote it often. If someone gets in your face about a new idea that might propel the human race forward, lean on it like a crutch and stop their blasphemous momentum. New ideas are sacrilegious at worst and dangerous at best. Better to just ignore them. Once again, cognitive dissonance can be your knight in shining armor and save the day.
5.) Be intolerant of people who are different
Stick to generalizations. Stick to believing that those “others” from Whereveristan are all just immoral savages who want to destroy everything you hold dear. Best to just bomb them and be done with it. They bomb us; we bomb them. An eye for an eye, right? Who cares if our bomb kills innocent people?
It’s their fault for growing up in a third-world country instead of making something of their lives. Chock it up to collateral damage and simply get right with God & country. Who cares if those innocent people’s family members get pissed off and join radical extremist groups that just want to watch the world burn. That’s in “God’s hands.”
6.) Take authority very seriously
Never question authority. Whether it’s the state’s authority or the church’s. These structures are sacred and built to keep you safe and secure in your creature comforts. The state’s hired thugs guard all your things, things, things, while safeguarding the illusory borderlines between us and them.
The untaxed church guards the sanctity of your ascent into life eternal while sugarcoating death and relieving you of existential angst. Don’t worry that this means you’ll have to live a fear-based life instead of a courage-based one.
And don’t worry that you’ll be paranoid for the rest of your life. Who cares if authority consists of fallible, mistake-ridden, imperfect naked apes just like you. They know what they’re doing.
7.) Stick to self-righteousness
Make sure to take yourself too seriously. Imagine everything revolves around you. Force people into respecting you, your nation, your political bent, and your religion. And if they don’t, use the ad hominem approach. Attack their character instead of their ideas. Or just appeal to authority. Point at your nation’s principles or your holy book, while making sure to ignore any principles or books they might be pointing out.
It’s so easy it’s stupid. Before you know it, you’ll have taken yourself so seriously that you can’t see anything else but the enormity of your all-encompassing, obese ego that fills up the box you’ve pigeonholed yourself into. Who cares if you’ll have to remain the butt-end of the cosmic joke. It’s all a joke anyway. God forbid you laugh.
The Chakras are spots throughout our body that influences our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. They hold certain messages for us, and enable us to connect to these messages.
We are at peace when our chakras are balanced and sending us the right messages. But this doesn’t always happen naturally; as we go through life, we encounter a variety of experiences, which will inevitably push us off balance sometimes.
Not to mention the messages we pick up from childhood and such. So throughout our spiritual journeys, we must always come back and check up on our chakras to make sure that everything is working together in harmony. These messages can help anyone find the tools they need to lead a healthy and balanced life.
Tapping into the power of positive affirmations is one of the most effective ways to balance our chakras. Our thoughts create our reality, and by regularly practising positive chakra balancing affirmations, we can achieve astonishing results in our lives.
Chances are when you read through these affirmations you will feel connected to some more than others; this means you probably have work to do in this area (or that it’s a place you did work on in the past, which means it wouldn’t hurt to reinforce the messages).
I chose to arrange this starting from the Crown Chakra and working down to the Root Chakra, as I benefit from working my way down in a way of gradually grounding myself.
But if you are a person that would benefit more in being less attached to the world, then it would be helpful to work from the Root up to the Crown.
Feel free to go from top to bottom and back up again. Make it your own healing ritual and you will be left feeling centered and more at peace with yourself.
The Crown Chakra (located at the top of your head), honors spiritual connectedness. Imagine that it is the place in your body that connects you to the world above (a.k.a. the abstract and metaphysical).
Sometimes, we may feel that this connection is broken, or shaky at the least, and therefore have a feeling of being too connected to the physical world and not enough spiritual inspiration.
To heal the Crown Chakra, read these affirmations while focusing on the spot at the top of your head. Imagine a white or purple colored light connecting you to that which is outside of yourself.
(Note: while doing these meditations it is always helpful to rest your hand, or place something, on the body part indicated. This will direct the energy of the affirmations directly to the spot and help you focus clearly on the area.)
“I am part of the divine.”
“I seek to understand, and learn from my life experiences.”
“I am connected and listen to the wisdom of the universe.”
“I am one with the universe. I cannot detach from it, as it cannot detach from me.”
“I cherish my spirit.”
“I am open to divine wisdom.”
“I live in the present moment.”
“My life moves with grace.”
The Brow Chakra (a.k.a the third eye, located in the center of your forehead), honors and governs our psychic and intuition abilities. When our brow chakra is wounded we may feel that we are disconnected from our inner wisdom, and it’s power to guide our life. An inability to see our own fears, and learn important lessons from others may also be present.
To heal the Brow Chakra, focus on these affirmations while imagining an indigo light in the center of your forehead. “I am in touch with my inner guidance.”
“I listen to my deepest wisdom.”
“I am wise, intuitive, and connected with my inner guide.”
“I nurture my spirit.”
“I trust my intuition.”
“I forgive the past and learn what was there for me to learn.”
“I am grateful for the goodness in my life.”
“I am open to inspiration and ideas.”
“I am the source of my truth.”
“My life moves effortlessly.”
The Throat Chakra governs communication, expression, and creativity. One who feels that they cannot, or do not, have the right to express their truth or opinions, may have a wounded throat chakra that is blocking them.
To heal the Throat Chakra, touch your throat and imagine it filling up with a blue light. After reading these affirmations, imagine your throat filling up with your truths, opinions, or any blocked expression you feel, and breathe it out until you can no longer feel a blockage.
Since the Throat Chakra is located in the vocal chords, try to use your voice as much as possible during this meditation, whether it’s reading the affirmations out loud or just humming a quick tune to get your vocal chords vibrating.
“I am open, clear, and honest, in my communication.”
“I have a right to speak my truth.”
“I communicate my feelings with ease.”
“I have a strong will that let’s me resolve my challenges.”
“I express myself through creativity, writing, or art.”
“I nourish my spirit through creativity.”
“I live an authentic life.”
“I have integrity.”
“I can share my experiences and wisdom.”
“I listen to my body and feelings to know what my truth is.”
The Heart Chakra (located in the center of the chest), honors the heart and emotions. When our heart chakra is off-balance we may experience “over-loving” to the extent of suffocation, jealousy, feelings of abandonment, anger, bitterness, or loneliness.
To heal the Heart Chakra, place palm or object over your chest (close to the heart), and imagine a healing green (or emerald) light glowing in your chest.
“I deeply, and completely, love and accept myself.”
“I am open to love.”
“I nurture my inner child.”
“I am wanted and loved.”
“I live in balance; in a state of grace and gratefulness.”
“I forgive myself.”
“I am connected with other human beings.”
“I am grateful for the challenges that help me transform and open up to love.”
“I am open to love and kindness.”
The Solar Plexus Chakra (located under the chest area, and above the navel), honors strength, identity, and life force. When imbalanced a person may have issues with personal power and self-esteem. The inner critic comes out in this imbalance, and fears of rejection, criticism, and judgment may be present.
To heal the Solar Plexus Chakra, imagine a yellow light filling up your insides between the chest and naval. Since this chakra deals with self-respect, sit (or if standing, stand) up straight and feel the power filling you up as you read these affirmations.
“I love and accept myself.”
“I am strong and courageous.”
“I am worthy of love, kindness, and respect.”
“I am proud of my achievements.”
“I honor my self.”
“I choose healthy relationships.”
“I direct my own life.”
“I am free to choose in any situation.”
“I seek opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.”
The Sacral Chakra (located below the navel by the reproductive organs), honors the body, sexuality, and pleasurable experiences. When our sacral chakra is off balance we are blocked in our sexuality, commitment, and the ability to enjoy experiences or take care of our body properly.
To heal the Sacral Chakra, place hand over your lower abdomen and fill it up with an orange light.
“I love and accept my body.”
“I have healthy boundaries.”
“I am open to experiencing the present moment through my senses.”
“I am passionate.” “I feel pleasure and abundance with every breath I take.”
“I nourish my body with healthy food and clean water.”
“I know how to take care of my needs.”
“I value and respect my body.”
“I allow myself to experience pleasure.”
“My sexuality is sacred.”
The Root Chakra (located at the base of your spine/tail bone), honors the earth and our basic survival and physical needs. When our root chakra is out of whack, we may feel very disconnected from the earth and our earthly needs. A feeling of being unsafe or floaty in the world may also be present.
To heal the Root Chakra, feel a red light filling up the root spot and imagine it radiating into the earth; grounding and connecting you to your surroundings.
“I feel deeply rooted.”
“I am connected to my body.”
“I feel safe and secure.”
“Just like a tree or a star, I have the right to be here.”
“I have what I need.”
“I am grounded, stable, and standing on my own two feet.”
“I nourish my body with healthy food, water, exercise, relaxation, and connection to nature.”
“I trust in the goodness of life.”
“I make choices that are healthy and good for me.”
“I trust myself.”
These meditations can be done at any time of the day. Find a time and place that feels best to you, and repeat it as many times as you’d like. It can only bring more healing, the more it’s done. If you believe in the power of healing, you will surely notice the immense changes that positive affirmations can have on your spirit. I hope these meditations help you center yourself and lead a healthier, more balanced life.
![Sia - Lullaby [HQ]](https://fractalenlightenment.com/wp-content/cache/flying-press/796d601a55c6c0ccb615d6ccf83b3586.jpg)
