Vanishing Act

A few days ago, a very dear friend of mine announced her intention to practice making herself invisible during meditation.

Fair enough, we both had a bit of a giggle and a banter about this, but at the same time, understanding that we are all just energy condensed to a slow vibration – which gives us the illusion of appearing solid - we were willing to go along with the idea that with some practice and focused, conscious intent, “fading ourselves out around the edges” so to speak, and becoming less noticeable to those around us was not only possible, but also quite a neat and handy trick. My husband swears that, as a small boy, he put this to the test when he was on a bus but didn't have any money for his fare. This was way back in the days of bus conductors (yes, we really are that old!) and as the scary man in the peaked hat with his money satchel & ticket machine criss-crossed over his chest made his way through the bus, Mike prayed and prayed to be invisible. The conductor simply walked past him.

So, all this talk about invisibility got me to thinking, and I realised that this was, in fact (amongst many others), one of the wonderful lessons Ibiza has been trying to teach me. Invisibility really is possible – not only is it possible to make ourselves invisible, but we can also make those people who are no longer serving a positive purpose in our lives, invisible to us.

As I've stated on countless occasions in this blog, living on Ibiza has been an eye-opening experience to say the least, and the lessons and new understandings I've been blessed with – whilst tough at times – have been invaluable and I wouldn't have missed out on a single one. And this particular one feels like an important one for me to be sharing with you all today.

Our relationships and interactions with other people are about the most complex thing we have to deal with whilst on the planet. No two relationships are the same, no two sets of feelings are the same – in short, we are completely on our own when it comes to us and our feelings about our relationships. Even the other person or people involved don't really know how we feel about them; it is absolutely 100% within us and nobody else can possibly be in there, experiencing our feelings with us.

Which is why things get so confusing when, for some reason, we don't resonate with someone (or suddenly stop resonating with someone), yet, other people we love and respect have no problem with them. We might even start to feel guilty – especially if others are telling us we “should” make an effort and like this particular person (and this happens more intensely when it's disharmony within the family). And when guilt kicks in, well, that's guaranteed to create an even messier situation because guilt loves to lash out, point the finger and prove itself right over and over again in order to justify its own existence. Then the whole thing escalates and gets completely out of control.

This has happened a number of times in my life since I moved to Ibiza and began being compelled to think things out for myself and make my own decisions, rather than just blindly conforming to inherited beliefs and behaviours. It's taken me a bit of time to get used to this new liberating way of being – it's flipping scary and hard work standing out against the majority, or those you genuinely care for but have a difference of opinion with. So, if you have a similar situation going on in your life, or if you've read so far and think you might as well continue, here's my take on the whole thing.

Every single person in your life is here to play a very specific role – as you are in their lives – and just because someone plays a supposed “negative” role in your life (in other words, annoys the crap out of you) doesn't mean that they will be playing that role in another person's life. So, try to grasp the idea that just because you dislike, disapprove, distrust a particular person, it doesn't always follow that they are a dislikeable, disrespectful, untrustworthy influence in someone else's life...even if that someone else is someone you are very close to. You've just got to accept that, for now at least, if they are a part of that person's life, then there's a reason – you might never know what that reason is because these are their lessons, their stuff and you've got no right to interfere. You've just got to let them get on with it.

Equally, you should never feel bad or guilty or pressured into tolerating someone in your life that you know is a negative or harmful influence to you. Your intuition and your emotions are the only things you can rely on here – not other people's opinions – and if you strongly sense that you are being affected in a bad way, or that a particular person/set of people are no longer in harmony with your current beliefs and intentions, then the gentlest way forward is to, quite simply, make them invisible to you!! Here's how...

First of all, it's important to take some quiet time, preferably meditate on the situation as whilst emotions are key to opening us up to how we truly feel, the problem with them is that they can get a bit carried away with themselves and get all out of control in our heads if we don't pay attention. So, sit quietly, accept your feelings and emotions and then ask for guidance...from whoever feels right to you; God/dess, the Tao, Spirit, the Universe, the Angels, the Faeries, the Source of All That Is...whoever. State your intention that, if it is truly for the greater good of all concerned, such-and-such a person(s) be released with love and gratitude from your life. This proviso of only if it is truly for the greater good of all concerned is hugely important, just in case you have let your emotions run amock and made some judgemental mountain out of a molehill rash decision that you will come to regret later.

I've used this technique a lot and it really is very powerful. There have been a couple of occasions when the people involved remained dominant in my life and I had to accept that it was my ego lashing out in a kind of how dare you tantrum over what turned out to be something and nothing, and I'm glad that we could find a resolution. However, on the times when certain people clearly were having a toxic effect on my life and were not to be trusted, it was almost as though Spirit had been waiting for the call. Immediately, these people vanished from my life. Poof. Gone. Obviously, they are still around living their lives, but I quite literally never see them. Now, this is a small island and I even live in the same town as some of my vanishees so you would expect the occasional “bumping into” wouldn't you? But no. Not even once.

So when this happens, you know without a doubt that you are on track. You just have to trust the process; if they stick around, there is a positive reason for that, if they disappear then that was the most positive outcome for all of you at that time.

But what is important to stress here...and I mentioned this earlier...is that this in no way means that these people are inherently “bad” - they just no longer play a positive part in your life, and they need to be released in order to make room for new people coming in who are more in alignment with you. So, don't view this technique as an “up yours” vengeful type of exercise because it's not. Be grateful for it, and be grateful for the people you've released.

And no matter what they've “done” to you, or however much they've upset you in the past, once this gentle release is activated, in order to keep it going, and to keep you protected from those energies you no longer choose to attract into your life, practice sending love and forgiveness to them on a regular basis. We're talking here forgiveness in the true sense of the word; not just letting people off the hook, or turning a blind eye to damaging behaviour, or tolerating abuse and disrespect from others because it's the easy option, or out of some misguided sense of duty. No, true forgiveness comes from the heart and releases you from negative patterns as well as those you are forgiving.

Remember, we're all one consciousness at the end of the day – it's just sometimes the human elements can clash – but it's all for a reason...if only to learn this technique and thus connect you closer to the Tao that guides and protects you always...and to remind you that whenever you need help with anything, all you need to do is ask and miracles and vanishing acts are just around the corner!

;)

A Day with a Shaman

And I don´t know what the future is holding in store
I don´t know where I´m going, I´m not sure where I´ve been
There´s a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me
My life is worth the living, I don´t need to see the end

Sweet, sweet surrender, live live without a care
Like a fish in the water, like a bird in the air
Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without a care
Like a fish in the water, like a bird in the air.

“Sweet Surrender” by John Denver


OK, let me be honest here...the last thing I expected to encounter during a workshop with a Shaman was a tribute to the late John Denver. That said, there was very little about the magical day and the amazing Lilo Ccoyllor (Morningstar) that I could possibly ever have envisioned. This was truly a life-changing day for me, and I dare say, for all the other fifteen participants of the workshop which was organised by Toby and Belinda of Ibiza Reiki, and held in the breathtakingly beautiful Buddha Land, high on a hill near San Miguel in the north of Ibiza.

Originally from Switzerland, Lilo´s Shamanic path started in California, where she lived for twenty years while she was married. She had had visions of Peru since the seventies and in 1998, after her divorce, she took the plunge, sold up everything and moved there, giving birth to the Casa de la Serenidad (House of Serenity), a Spiritual and Shamanic Retreat in Cusco, Peru. She is an Eclectic healer, Shaman, Lightworker and Visionary, whose main intention is to open her heart to the higher levels of consciousness of love and light, and to encourage others to do the same.

The day started with a Shamanic Cleansing. Lilo poured Agua de Florida into each of our hands which has wonderful cleansing and grounding properties and smells lemony-fresh and divine! This was used to cleanse ourselves and our auras, then we offered it to the Earth by putting our hands on the ground for a few minutes. Smoke sticks were burning in a bowl as Lilo then came around each of us, as we stood in a circle, with a feather and rattle, whispering uplifting and loving words to us. This, believe me, is a great way to start any day, and perhaps it would be a good idea for us to write to our local M.P.s and suggest it as part of the national school curriculum!

One of the highlights of the day, for me, was the group meditation we did just before breaking for lunch. In it, Lilo took us on a journey to the centre of the Earth, spreading healing and love and light as we went. Mother Earth then offered us a gift, and we gave her one back – I intuitively felt I was given a feather which, yes, of course may well have “just” been my imagination. But later in the day, when we had a Power Animal card reading, I selected The Raven, and Lilo immediately told me to be on the look-out for a raven feather which would serve me well, especially when doing my distance healing. Coincidence? Hmmm...some may say, but the warm, tingly glow I felt suggested otherwise to me.

There is much talk these days, as I´m sure everybody is aware, about 2012 and what will happen when we arrive at what the Mayans called the End of the Fifth Age of the Sun in December of that year. Theories abound from convictions that it means the end of the world, to convictions that it means nothing at all. Lilo spoke, in the most gentle and down-to-earth manner about this, and about where mankind currently stands in the evolutionary/ascension process.

The collective consciousness is shifting and we are at the threshold of an evolutionary quantum leap in human consciousness. As Planet Earth is ascending and vibrating at a higher level, it is now important that we work on our own electromagnetic fields. All issues (personal and of all humanity) are now showing up more than ever, causing confusion and chaos, especially in the big cities and this is happening because we are getting higher in the ascension process and the old stuff (in other words, anything not of the light) has to go. The Ascended Masters, also known as the Brotherhood of Light – which includes Jesus Christ and Mother Mary – are very much involved in this process – as are the Intergalactic Federation of Light who, like the Ascended Masters are...well, you know...ascended beings, but unlike the Ascended Masters, they have never actually incarnated on Earth before. They are channelling messages through people, and providing us with new tools to assist and speed up the process. For instance, a new chakra has been activated between the heart and the thymus to bring together heart and mind energy – heart energy being the most important energy of all – and to connect us to the fifth dimensional new earth. Another example is the Pyramid of Light, written about by Nestor Caceres in his new book “Encounter with the Science of Light”. This pyramid, when you stand astride it for a few minutes, provides an intense cleansing and clearing, very much needed for the transmission.

All right, let´s just take a breath here, shall we? Intergalactic Federation of what? Fifth dimensional thingumibob? Ascended Masters? Does this sound like a load of tree-hugging hippy nonsense? Well, that would certainly be the easy answer. But I think that any reasonable, intelligent, open-minded person readily accepts that there are things we don´t understand, things we have no grasp of due to our conditioning, and that just because we can´t see something, or “prove” something, doesn´t mean that it´s not there or that it´s not real. Sitting as I was that day, surrounded by a group of people, all totally different and unique, but all with one thing in common – the desire to make a positive difference to the world – and talking and listening to a fascinating Shaman, it was easy to understand and feel the truth and “realness” of everything she said. But, whether Intergalactic Federations and activations of new chakras resonates with you or not, the core of Lilo´s message, her gift to humanity, stands strong and is comfortingly straightforward and simple.

In a nutshell, it´s all about love, baby!

Love for yourself – warts and all. We should all love ourselves exactly as we are RIGHT NOW, no conditions. There´s no point in saying we will love ourselves when we lose weight, find the perfect job, meet Mr/Ms Right. It is only through embracing our “shadow” side that positive change can be brought into being. As John Bradshaw, motivational speaker and author, says “love is not a train station you are going to arrive at some day.”

Love for Pacha Mama (Mother Earth). It is important for us to now consciously show the planet love, respect and gratitude, to honour her, to realise our connection to her and to experience the undeniable interconnection between all living things.

Surrender. Surrender to love – to giving and to receiving love. Surrender to the mystery. And John Denver obviously knew a thing or two about this! This is a time when truthfulness is all important; we must stand in our own truth and realise that we cannot please everybody all of the time and that sometimes it is necessary to close the door. But as long as our hearts are open, we can do this more comfortably and with...yes, you guessed it... love.

Which, if you ask me, is a sound, common-sense approach to life – and I´m sure even the most hard-nosed sceptic would be hard-pressed to argue.

And that just leaves me with one more thing to share before I sign off – a lovely light affirmation from Lilo which you might like.

I think light
I breathe light
I feel light
I am light
Let light shine through me.


With love & light.
Namaste :)

(p.s. You might want to check out these sites)

http://www.shamanspirit.net/

http://www.ibizareiki.com/

Keeping Yourself Protected from Negative Energy

The first thing that we really need to get to grips with here, the most important thing to understand, is that energy – negative or otherwise – only ever comes our way as a direct reflection of what energy we have been putting out. What you put out, you get back. Usually multiplied. Think negative thoughts about someone – in other words, put out negative energy – then that negative energy will bounce right back to you (and not necessarily from the person you directed it to in the first place). The flip side to this, of course, is that all good & loving thoughts/energy you beam out will also return to you multiplied. So, you see what I´m getting at here – making sure you keep your thoughts positive and kind is a key factor in keeping you protected from negative energy.

But, come on, there are inevitably times when we feel downright bloody-minded and end up having a good old bitching session about this person, that situation. None of us are saints (and if there are any saints reading this, please get in touch and I will re-write this column!) and living in the World of the Ten Thousands Things (as the Taoists call it) can be confusing, fearful, frustrating and annoying – all the things guaranteed to get our negative juices flowing. All we can do is to be aware of the thoughts and energy we are projecting and if they are not so positive once in a while, to refrain from beating ourselves up and simply acknowledge the fact we are having a bad hair day, then consciously beam out some good vibes to get our balance back.

So whilst it certainly helps to be aware that, on a deep level, we are responsible for all the energy coming our way, I´m sure we´ve all had times in our lives when we´ve been on the receiving end of some-one´s negative energy (a psychic attack, as it were) and we haven´t a clue why. Why should it be that the first time you meet a particular person, you feel hostility emanating from them straight away? Why does this other person always somehow make you feel inadequate, or wind you up? You know the type of thing I´m talking about. Maybe it´s just their issues, perhaps they´re jealous of you, perhaps you inadvertently once said something they took exception to. Who knows? Shit happens. But the one thing we can be sure of is that we will receive a gentle warning from the Tao – a kind of “watch your back here” sensation. And this is tricky, because I believe all of us are a bit paranoid at times and we need to distinguish between the incessant chatter going on in our heads that tells us we are unworthy and the world is a hostile place full of hostile people, and that quiet voice that whispers only truths for our highest good.

The more we can be tuned in at all times to that little voice, the more protected we will be from negative energy. See my article on “Intuition Rocks” for a more in-depth explanation, but in a nutshell, anything in your head that sounds harsh and shrill and makes your stomach flip in a sort of “oh no” fashion is more than likely to be “monkey mind” and should be viewed with suspicion. Anything that comes through quietly and calmly, more from the back of your mind rather than the emotion-fuelled front, and gives you a comforting sense of “a-ha” will be what you truly need to know. The more meditation you do, the more you focus on your breathing (deep into your abdomen and not shallow in your chest), the more Yoga, Qi Gong & Tai Chi you can incorporate into your daily life, the more easily you will be able to attune to your inner voice and the clearer all things will be.

Affirmations and visualisations, as always, are wonderful tools. Start each day visualising a rose-coloured light emanating from your heart. Watch it as it expands and forms a bubble around you. Charge it with the power to allow in only good, loving, healing vibes and to bounce back to the universe any negative energy that may come your way, for it to be refined into something more positive. Then affirm as many times as you can as you go through your day - “I am safe and divinely protected always”.

And it will be so. For you and everyone you come into contact with.

And so it is. :)