Souls in a lifetime of experience,
Circling round and round
Toward the One.
Souls in a thousand rites of passage,
Traveling cycle after cycle,
Toward the One.
Souls speaking in a thousand languages,
Telling tales, legends & myths,
Toward the One.
Souls dreaming within a body of light,
Delving deeper into the mysteries,
Toward the One.
Nina Massey
Perception and Projection
Ever wonder why when you go to a family gathering or a party with friends, everyone later has their own story about what happened? Each one of us sees the world through a different lens. Our perception of the world is colored by our experiences. Even in a family living close together each person has had a variety of different experiences, has learned and seen different things.
Unfortunately, all of us have ‘stuff’ from our lives that sticks to us, and arises when triggered by a similar situation or emotion. Sometimes we react in a way that projects part of the hurt from the earlier event out on the those around us. It is a sad thing that everyone does this in some unconscious ways.
Have you ever had an event, an interaction that runs through your mind over and over, as if you are on a hamster wheel, just going around and round on the same path? Ruminating, mentally chewing on the hurtful words and actions of family, friends, students, coworkers, pondering what you wish you had done differently?
Many people cling to stories of being hurt. They tell their stories over and over, embellishing the pain. They identify as a victim, and look to their friends and family to comfort them. This is not the happiest and most functional way to get positive attention. Perhaps you have a favorite story of being hurt by someone you have told many times. Consider what you are trying to get from your listeners.
The silence is oppressive
Unconscious material
Floating unexpressed.
Years of silence
Under another rule.
Now in the name
Of spirituality.
I am too silent
and still oppressed.
Nina Massey
Cleaning
Nearly every spiritual path in the world has some way to help people deal with their ‘stuff.’ After all, we all want to treat those we love with kindness and fairness. In the Christian tradition there is the practice of confession and forgiveness. In the Yoga sutras, Yama is the God of Death, and the practice of yama is non-harming or non-violence. In the Heartfulness meditation path, we clear our samskaras (emotional memories) by sitting and “imagining all the impurities and complexities are leaving our entire system.”[1] A psychological practice is to repeat affirmations of qualities that we want to have replace those we want to leave our being. Louise Hay has affirmations for pain in parts of the body. She believes that our thoughts and painful emotions are stored in our bodies, and can cause discomfort and illness. For knees, she recommends “I am flexible and flowing. Or I bend and flow with ease and all is well.”[2] Prayer can be used to invoke a guardian, such as a prophet, an angel or a saint, and creating a protective energy field around you.
Indigenous people often used scents, such as sage, to smudge or purify the atmosphere of a room. Sacred music is sometimes used to change the vibrations. Feng shui recommends the ringing of bells or chimes. Some believe placing crystals or certain stones around a room is helpful with difficult energy.
The bottom line with all these practices is believing in what you are doing, and letting go of whatever you need to. When someone hurts us, and we have no more recourse to find a way to work with them, we need to forgive and forget. It’s not saying that what someone did to us is not wrong. It’s saying that we don’t want to allow that hurting, that pain to continue to make us feel ill, to continue to come out sideways during our interactions.
The first law of energy is the conservation of energy. This law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be changed or transmuted. If there is negative energy in your environment it can be changed to positive energy. It is not easy, but it is possible.
One very simple practice is to watch your thoughts. When you find yourself thinking bad thoughts about another, turn your mind to what you love about them. If this is not possible, pray for forgiveness. I use the Ho-oponopono[3] practice, and ancient Hawaiian way of thinking. I simply begin to think over and over again, “I love you, I’m sorry, please forgive me, thank you.” This practice requires acknowledging that you have a part in everything that occurs, in everyone’s way of interacting with you. Over time, while using this practice, my mind has moved from resentment and hurt, to empathy and sympathy. I frequently can’t change another person’s behavior, but I can change how I react to them, the energy that I put into the atmosphere in response.
To sing the praises of God
Is the greatest of all pastimes.
Calling out from our hearts
The name of the One.
Making music of love,
The melody of sound.
Expressing our yearning,
Our longing for God.
Nina Massey
[1] Patel, Kamlesh D.. The Heartfulness Way: Heart-Based Meditations for Spiritual Transformation (Kindle Locations 116-117). New Harbinger Publications. Kindle Edition.
[2] Hay, Louise. 2013. The Essential Louise Hay Collection. Hay House, Inc.
[3] Hoponopono: How to Practice it in 4 Simple Steps. Retrieved from https://www.laughteronlineuniversity.com/hooponopono-4-simple-steps/