Category: Blog

Music Can Heal

By: Stephanie Thompson

Have you ever watched a movie with the sound off and then rewatched the same scene with the soundtrack playing? It’s a marked difference. Or how about have you ever driven on the freeway with no music playing, stuck in traffic, and felt your blood start to boil, but then decide to play some uplifting music and start to calm down and feel the shift in your emotions? There is no denying music’s effect on us.

 

According to Music4life.com, as early as 323-373 BCE, Aristotle wrote that “flute

music could arouse strong emotions and purify the soul.” There is

proof everywhere that the medical community takes the healing of music

seriously in the evidence of the abundance of music therapy programs

offered and the significant programs in places like John Hopkins Center

for Music and Medicine where they provide money, research, and support in

the studies of music and healing.

 

In an article from “Harvard’s Health Watch,” the author cites how “music can ease anxiety and discomfort during invasive procedures, for example in controlled clinical trials of people having colonoscopies, cardiac angiography, and knee surgery, those who listened to music before their procedure had reduced anxiety and a reduced need for sedatives.”

 

Robin Spielberg, pianist, composer, and author, in her Tedx Talk, “The Healing Power of Music,” tells how when her premature baby was in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit, Robin played a CD of her piano music and the vital signs of her daughter and every infant within earshot improved. She also recounts how post-WW2, nurses noticed how veterans recovered quicker and got up on their feet faster when hearing big band music. One of the most profound experiences that she talks about is when she goes to play at a nursing home. She walks in and the patients there look depressed and she starts to play piano and no one really responds to her performance so she proceeds to play and finish out her set and heads out of the building. But, then a nurse runs up to her and tells her how one of the gentlemen listenings sang along with her on “Moon River.” The nurse tearfully went on to tell her that in the past six months after his wife died, he hadn’t talked to anyone including his family and that her performance had broken through to him and now he was willing to talk to his family again. In her own words, Spielberg tells how that was her most successful performance and she played at Carnegie Hall. I had a very similar experience in my singing career. I was presenting a concert to this retirement home as some volunteer work I used to do and it was a Memorial Day concert so I was singing patriotic songs. After my performance, I was walking around saying hello to the residents and one of the nurses came up to me with tears in her eyes. She told me how one of the gentlemen at her table had never spoken since he’d been there but today when I sang, he sang along out loud with me. I, like Robin, remember feeling very touched and moved by this and that’s when I really started to understand the healing power of music.

 

If you enjoyed this article, please check out my other articles and see how music can heal. I also do Facebook Lives on Thursday nights at 7 pm to share tips about singing.

Enjoy your music. ❤️

Why the Terms “Negative Emotions” and “Positive Emotions” are Misleading

By: Robin Hills

“Negative emotions” and “Positive Emotions” are terms that are widely used.  Indeed, they are often used by psychologists and people working in the field of emotional intelligence from time to time.

Emotion is complex state of feeling resulting in physical and physiological changes that influence our thoughts and our behaviour.

Emotions are controlled through interactions within the amygdala and hippocampal complex, which are parts of the limbic system within our brains. This part of the brain is often referred to as the emotional brain. It has no language processing capabilities. It’s the neocortex – the thinking parts of our brain – that assigns a label to the emotion.

Emotions have developed over the centuries – over eons – through evolutionary processes as a survival mechanism. They serve us well as long as we work with them effectively.

Emotions are emotions. We experience them for a reason, and they contain vital information. We can’t really put a judgment on emotion as to whether they’re “positive” or “good”, or whether they’re “negative” or bad.

It’s not the emotion that’s positive or negative, it’s the thought process and the behaviours that they provoke that requires the label. An emotion leads us to behave in a certain way. If it leads us to behave in a way that causes annoyance and upset to others, then that is the important thing we should focus on as being positive or negative.

Happiness is often referred to as a “positive emotion”. It suggests a state that we should all aspire towards all the time, but it’s not an appropriate emotion to show at a solemn occasion such as a funeral.

Also, happiness will limit us in our ability to communicate effectively, to negotiate well and to make critical decisions

So-called “negative emotions”, such as anger, sadness or fear, have physiological effects and can be used in positive ways. We experience them for a reason.

Anger can be used in a positive way to right a wrong and to overcome an injustice, and we can use it to stop something bad from happening to other people. Anger also makes us more attentive and careful in our thinking and drives us to motivate us at certain times.

Sadness is experienced as a part of bereavement. This is an emotion that can be expressed positively at solemn occasions. It allows us the chance to come to terms with our loss, to be thankful and then to move on.

Fear is often termed a “negative emotion”, but it stops us from taking unnecessary risks such as walking across a busy road without looking. Also, if fear is such a negative emotion why do we get so much pleasure from horror films and scary movies?

So, the important thing to remember is not to label emotions as “positive” or “negative”, but to look to focus on the behaviour and the outcome of that emotion and look at those as being positive or negative.

The way that you use your emotions drives the way that you act or make decisions and drives your emotional intelligence.

 

 

How To Unleash Your Creativity

By: Pragito Dove

What is creativity? Are your conditioned ideas keeping you in a box? How can you find out where your creativity lies?

Creativity has nothing to do with any activity in particular – with painting, poetry, dancing, singing. Activity itself is neither creative or uncreative. You can paint, or sing, in an uncreative way. You can cook, or clean the floor in a creative way. Creativity is the quality you bring to whatever activity you are doing; it is an attitude, an inner approach, how you perceive things.

Your creativity is already inside you, waiting to be unleashed. If you are feeling blocked then do whatever brings you joy. It doesn’t matter what you do, do it joyfully, lovingly, with totality, and not purely out of economic motives. Be fully present and you will feel something spiritual, creative, divine, arising out of you. Love what you do regardless of what it is. If you clean the floor with love, you have done an invisible painting. You lived those moments in such delight, the value is intrinsic. Small things become great by the touch of love and delight.

Some people turn into master chefs, others open a can of soup for dinner. But then maybe the master chef is a terrible dancer and the can-of-soup person dances magically. It doesn’t matter what you are passionate about — what matters is that you follow your passion, allowing your creativity to arise from that. Every child is born creative. Children are so in the moment, so in touch with their innate joy, and spending time with children can greatly enhance your own creativity.

If you believe you are uncreative, you will become uncreative – because belief is not just belief, it opens and closes doors.  You were born creative,  but your creativity has been pushed aside if you have been filled with ideas to become ambitious, economical, and political.

When ambition enters, creativity disappears because ambition is in the future and creativity is in the present. Your creative sources have been plugged, blocked, destroyed and your whole energy has been forced into some activity that society thinks is going to pay. You have been taught to be money-oriented, power-oriented, and power is destructive, not creative. Creativity gives to the world, it does not destroy.

 

You have to take your life in your own hands, purify yourself of all conditionings, and suddenly you will see you are creative. You have to find what you can do, and what you cannot do. You have to grope in the dark. It is not clear-cut, you are not handed a template, but that is good, because in the very search, something grows in you. You are an opening, a potentiality for a thousand and one things and you have to choose, to feel your way. If you love your life, you will find your creativity. Dance because you love to dance, walk your dog because you love your dog and the fresh air, play tennis because you love to play tennis. Whatever you love to do, do it!  Never hide behind masks – be real, authentic, true to whatever you are doing, and you will find your creativity.

To be creative is to be close to the divine, but this closeness is available only if you pour your whole energy into your chosen activity. Discover your innermost joy and passion, and do it. Make what is invisible inside you visible, make your dream exist on the earth. Transform your potential into reality: this is the greatest joy there is. You attain real bliss when you have helped the divine shine through, when you have made the world a little more beautiful, when you have enhanced its joy. Live at your optimum. Don’t think of life as a burden, a duty to be fulfilled. Make it a dance; let it be a celebration.

You were a child once. As you pay attention to magical moments from your childhood, you help your creativity, passion, and joy grow. A new life energy runs through you. You become more receptive, more loving.

Here is a powerful technique to help unleash your creativity:

Four-Minute Meditation: Gather Moments of Joy

Step One

Remember one moment from your childhood, from joyful times, when you felt that life was magic, that just to be alive was ecstatic, that just to breathe was enough. You didn’t need anything to make you joyful. Gather this moment. Close your eyes and remember it.

 

 

 

Step Two

Now relive this moment. Become a child again. Run, sing, play. As you continue this practice, do it for a longer time, ten, twenty, or thirty minutes. If memories are triggered of times your passion for a particular activity was cut off, reinfuse that activity with passion NOW. Your life becomes revitalized with creativity and joy.

Creativity is the ability to see what other people can’t. How can you be creative when your sight is clouded by an overbusy mind?

Spending time doing nothing, relaxing, walking in nature, sitting on your porch, enjoying any kind of downtime that you can fit into your day: all these help you tune in to your creativity. Laughter and dancing help you to loosen up. Having fun, being playful, playing sports and games, singing and dancing, and whistling all enhance your creative process. Laughter breaks up the serious grip of the mind so that your natural talents shine through.

Creativity means allowing the new to happen. Be courageous! Put aside memory so the past does not interfere. Let the new penetrate you and thrill your heart.

You are a human being, the very culmination of this existence; you are conscious. You have come into this world with a specific destiny – you have something to fulfill, a message to be delivered, some work to be completed. You are not here accidentally: existence intends to do something through you.

Reproduced with permission from Pragito Dove www.discovermeditation.com

Taking Chances on a New Career

By Judi Moreo

People find jobs they are suited for when they are young. At least, they believe they find the right kind of job. But as they progress, many feel disillusioned with the career they chose, feeling it isn’t what they thought it would be.

They think about changing careers, but that often means starting over. That is a scary proposition, especially if they have been in a certain career for several years. It’s likely they have climbed the corporate ladder and are earning a pretty decent salary. Starting over is sure to require a cut in pay and that can adversely affect the life of the employee and his or her family.

Taking on a new career is not only about a cut in money, either. It also means starting over as far as the pecking order or seniority that was gained after many years in the original career. This too, can be a scary proposition. Another factor for career changers is that they are typically older. If people do decide to switch, they tend to do it in their forties or fifties. This means they have as little experience in the new career as someone just starting out and younger. That can be intimidating.

If you are considering a career change and you have thought about the scenarios above, you should know there are positives that you should consider when making your decision. The first is that money isn’t everything. Sometimes, getting out of a bad situation is enough to overcome the objection of less money. Besides, the internet makes it really easy to earn extra income, either by selling online or doing work for others. It is no longer necessary to work at a physical location when trying to earn extra money.

The second factor regarding lack of experience in the new career is the fact that it will be new for you. This can be exciting as well as scary. Think back to when you first started in your original career. Any new achievement made you feel like you could rule the world.

The third factor where you have no seniority, remind yourself that you do have work and life experience that can still be brought to the table. If you have any management experience, it can easily carry over.  And you will know how to handle adverse situations better than your younger colleagues.

Staying in a career that you have grown tired of can make you bitter and take years off your life. If you have thought about taking a chance in starting a new career, remember others have done it and have made it work.

Judi Moreo is one of the most recognized personal growth trainers and coaches in the world. She is the author of 24 books including 2 international bestsellers, “You Are More Than Enough” and “Ignite the Spark.”  As a personal achievement coach, hypnotherapist, and NLP practitioner, Judi will help you discover that you really are More Than Enough to achieve the success you desire.  She has informed, inspired, challenged, motivated and entertained audiences in twenty-nine countries around the globe.   Judi has received many awards including the Woman of Achievement, Entrepreneur; the Nevada Business Person of the Year; has been inducted into the Business Hall of Fame; and in 2020, received a HerStory Award from the Women’s Federation for World Peace. To contact Judi Moreo, judi@judimoreo.com or 702-283-4567.

The Many Gifts of Christmas

By: Empowering Humanity

Ah, Christmas. A time for family, friends, and gifts. It’s a season of giving, and it seems like there’s always something to give. But what if we looked at Christmas a little differently this year? What if, instead of giving material things, we gave gifts that would really make a difference in people’s lives? Gifts that empower them to be their best selves? That is the true meaning of Christmas.

The Gift of Education

One gift that can really change someone’s life is the gift of education. Whether it’s paying for a semester of college, buying school supplies for a child in need, or donating to a scholarship fund, this gift can have a lasting impact. Education opens doors and creates opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach. It is the great equalizer, and it has the power to change lives.

The Gift of Inspiration

Another wonderful gift is inspiration. We all need someone to look up to, someone who shows us that anything is possible. By sharing our own stories of struggle and triumph, we can help others see that they are not alone and that they can achieve their dreams. By being a role model and an encouragement, we can inspire others to be their best selves.

The Gift of Love

And finally, the greatest gift of all is love. There is nothing more powerful than love. It has the ability to heal wounds, mend broken relationships, and bring people together. It is the light that guides us through dark times and the force that motivates us to be better people. When we give the gift of love, we give the greatest gift of all. 

This holiday season, let’s make a commitment to give gifts that will really make a difference in people’s lives. Gifts that empower them to be their best selves. ​​Click here: http://bitly/3BhO4C9 and give the incredible gift of knowledge and empowerment today!

That is the true meaning of Christmas. Merry Christmas!

“Music Can Transform”

By; Stephanie Thompson

I have never been a fan of going to the doctor or getting medical tests. I’ve learned recently that a lot of people experience that which makes me feel I’m not alone. My blood pressure is always higher when I’m at the doctor and anxiety kicks in. Recently, I had to do two different MRI tests. The first one was for my knee. I went to the imaging center and when my name was called, I was led back into a little room where the MRI was. I was told to lay down on the table and to be still. They gave me some headphones to put on to block out the banging noise of the machine and then slid me halfway inside. Now, the headphones helped a little, but I could still hear the clanging of the machine and it was nerve-wracking. The test seemed like it lasted forever. Finally, they told me they were done and slid me out again. I was so relieved to be out of there.

 

The second MRI was for my back and I was frustrated already going into the test. This MRI was at a different place that I had never been to before and I drove around and around trying to find the center. Finally, I found the address, and then I walked around the entire building attempting to find the entrance, dragging my feet the whole way. When I walked inside, I was stopped and had to undergo 20 questions because of Covid. By the time I signed into the front desk, I was feeling pretty frustrated about the whole experience. After filling out a ton of paperwork, I was eventually led back into a waiting room. There, someone came out and handed me two gowns to put on and instructed me to strip out of my clothes and put one gown on front and one gown on the back. My anxiety was rising, as I did what I was told. I took off all of my jewelry and clothes and then went back to sit and wait. When they finally ushered me back into the room to do the MRI, I was starting to feel more anxious. As they slid me all the way into the machine, I began to feel claustrophobic, and I couldn’t wait to get out. Then they gave me headphones, so they could speak to me through them. However, this time, they gave me the option of listening to music during the test. I told them yes, I would love that and when they asked me if I had a preference, I told them I wanted to relax, soothing music because I knew the effects of different music on the mind and body and what would help me calm down. Seconds later, beautiful music washed over me and filled my spirit to the point that I actually began to relax for the first time during the whole experience. I lost myself in the moment, with the sounds of the different instruments playing, and forgot about the earlier annoyances of the morning.

By the time the test was finished, I was in a much better mood and I found myself smiling and cheerfully thanking everyone as I left the building. Those two entirely different experiences proved to me what music has the ability to do for us in the way that it affects our emotions and transforms our thoughts.

 

Stephanie Thompson is a classically trained inspirational pop singer-songwriter, vocal coach, actress voice-over artist, and member of SAG/AFTRA and Actor’s Equity. She is the Entertainment Director and the main performer for EmpoweringHumanityTV.com, and the networking events. Currently, Stephanie is impacting many lives with her healing through music online educational programs.

“Helping People in the Grip of Anxiety and Depression”

By: Robin Hills

 

People in the grip of intense unpleasant emotions, such as depression or anxiety do not need advice, and certainly not from me!  What they need is someone who they can talk to, someone who they can open up with, and someone who will listen to them.

They certainly do not want people to sympathise with them.  Empathy is a fundamental component of both emotional and social intelligence, yet it’s a highly misunderstood term.

When people think of empathy, they often think first about sympathy and compassion. However, empathy has a much broader in scope. Empathising with another person isn’t the same as sympathising with them. They are two completely different capabilities.

Sympathy is about taking pity or feeling sorry for someone else, whereas empathy is the act of listening and understanding feelings to take on the other person’s viewpoint or perspective – what they see, feel and want – and working to truly try to understand their situation.

People who are feeling depressed and anxious will be unlikely to be looking for your sympathy.

Empathy is about accurately reading other’s feelings. It’s about respecting others’ feelings whilst creating a solution where both parties gain.

Sympathy, on the other hand, is an act of reacting to emotions to try to prevent alleviation of suffering. Sympathy is based upon pity and is not necessarily concerned with how others are feeling.

When you show sympathy, you take a position of superiority and, more often than not, you are trying to do something that will alleviate your own concerns and satisfy your own emotions.  So, sympathy is not necessarily concerned about how others are feeling – it’s more about doing something that makes you feel better.

People feeling any intense unpleasant emotions will be unlikely to be looking for your sympathy.  

Rather than showing sympathy, be kind and give them your time on their terms, not yours.  This is a more empathetic approach.

Sympathy sets people apart, whereas empathy brings people together.

Robin is based in the UK in the Greater Manchester area and is the Director of Ei4Change. With over 35 years’ successful commercial and leadership experience, he has worked in a variety of sales and marketing management roles with a wide variety of companies from small start-ups to large multinationals. These include the NHS, major pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, universities, charities, finance, and recruitment organizations.

Robin has the British Psychological Society Test User Occupational Ability (Level A) and Occupational Personality (Level B) certificates in psychometric testing. He is qualified to use trait-based assessments (NEO and Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire), type-based assessments (Myers Briggs Type Indicator Practitioner (Step I and II)) and behavioral-based assessments (Advanced DISC), and the EQ-i 2.0 assessment.

He uses all these with pragmatic business-focused applications. His special interest lies in emotional intelligence and, in particular, linking together the outputs from assessments to give real practical relevance to improve effectiveness and productivity.

“How Laughter Leads You To Deep Meditation, Peace & Stillness”

by: Pragito Dove

Laughter can lead me to deep meditation?

I never imagined such a thing was possible. As a child I longed to laugh, giggle and be funny but this was frowned upon in our household. Yet the giggles remained, albeit stuffed down deep in case inappropriate gales of laughter erupted at an inopportune moment.

As an adult embarking upon therapy to heal childhood wounds, I experienced a lot of sadness. Allowing those feelings was deeply healing, but unknown to me at the time, the laughter was waiting to bubble up to the surface and make it’s own powerful contribution to my physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

In my late twenties I  traveled to India to delve deeper into the expressive meditation techniques I had heard about, which were created by the enlightened mystic Osho. Amongst the range of expressive techniques, including laughter, tears, dancing, and gibberish, I found a different kind of therapy, a meditation therapy, that worked quickly and powerfully to heal and transform my fear and sadness into joy and inner peace.

The Laughter Meditation was my favorite. Just laughing for the sake of laughing was an inexplicable joy, awakening my creativity, innate happiness and sense of humor. Everything changed, as if life had gone from black and white to technicolor. I could hardly believe that so much joy was possible. I discovered there is always more laughter, more joy, more happiness because it comes from inside us, from our very source of being. It has nothing to do with anyone or anything on the outside.

The laughter washed through my body, opening my heart, releasing all the tensions, calming the anxiety and fear in my mind and allowing me, for the first time, to experience  deep, inner peace.

Laughter serves as a bridge to take you deeper into your inner silence. Laughter is an ordinary experience that can give you an extraordinary experience, a glimpse of no-mind, of meditation, of a transcendence of mind. It can be used as a preparation for meditation.

Through the Laughter Meditation technique, you can make a conscious practice of using laughter to release your stress and drop deeper into inner silence and stillness.

 

 

Laughter gives you a glimpse of freedom from the mind

For those moments when you are totally laughing, you are free of the mind. All your problems disappear for a few seconds, don’t they? In those seconds of hilarity you are brought from worry to joy, from tension to relaxation, from fear to trust, from timidity to courage, from the mind to the heart.

You cannot think and laugh at the same time. In those moments when you are out of the mind you are in meditation. In those seconds the mind is not and you are in the present moment. Meditation is being in the present moment!

THE LAUGHTER MEDITATION

Step One: (One Minute)

Start laughing. You can shout out “Yahoo” a few times and raise your arms up in the air, or use a funny Youtube video, or any idea you have to start yourself laughing.(It’s easier, especially at the beginning, to do this with at least one other person.) Do not speak in any language you understand (Gibberish is good).  Just laugh!

Step Two: (One Minute)

Sit in silence with your eyes closed. If there is still laughter bubbling up, allow it. Never repress your laughter. Eventually your laughter transforms  into a joy-filled silence.

You can do this technique for any amount of time that you wish. For example two minutes of laughter followed by two minutes of silence. Take the same amount of time for each stage.

Laughter is one of the easiest ways to free yourself from the mind’s constant thought process and find inner peace. It will make you more alive, more healthy, more creative, and more silent. Simply relax into the enjoyment. You will discover in yourself a tremendous natural talent for rejoicing in life. You may even laugh your way to enlightenment. Yes, it’s that good. Remember to laugh, a lot, every day! 

Reproduced with permission from Pragito Dove www.discovermeditation.com

Create a Mental Movie to Achieve Your Goals

By Judi Moreo

We all have something in life that we want to achieve. Most of the time, we don’t know how to go about achieving these goals, so we allow ourselves to fail by simply giving up. Creating a mental movie can increase your chances of success as it is a creative and simple way to program your mind.

A mental movie is a creative visualization technique used by Neuro Linguistic Practitioners to help clients reprogram their minds to overcome fears or phobias, heal past traumas or achieve work or life goals. If you know the goal you want to achieve, then you can take advantage of this powerful tool to help you create a successful outcome.

Step 1: Decide on your goal.

It is essential that you can identify the goal you want to achieve. It must be precise. Write it down.

Step 2: Create a blueprint.

You know the end point; the goal. It is important that you create a blueprint describing the exact change you want to make. For it to be useful and generate a successful outcome it must:

• Use all five senses;
• Be very descriptive; and
• Be written in the present tense

For example, if your goal is to become more confident in social situations, your blueprint might look like this:

I am at a party for a colleague’s birthday. The room is brightly lit with music playing. There are red, blue, yellow and green balloons everywhere. I can hear people talking and laughing. I am standing in the center of a group of colleagues talking about a movie. Everyone is listening. They are smiling at me and I feel happy. The beat of the music pulses through me making me feel invigorated. I feel comfortable talking and listening with others.  With every sip of my drink, I feel stronger and more confident. Each bit of the delicious food makes me feel happier. I am smiling…

You can include different scenes, just like in a real movie. So change the situations to include any that are important in helping you create the movie of the life you desire.

Step 3: Relax

It is important to relax as this is how you will get your subconscious mind to open up and be receptive to your mental movie.

Find somewhere comfortable. Close your eyes. Tense every muscle in your body and then release. Repeat twice more. Next, breathe in deeply through your nose to a count of five and out through your mouth to a count of eight. Repeat this three times or until you feel relaxed. 

Step 4: Play your movie

This is where the mental programming takes place. You play your mental movie visualizing you living the goal you set. It is important that your movie is played as if you are living it now. Feel the emotions, experience the sights and sounds. Don’t forget to include all your senses to make the experience feel real.

To make sure that your new mental program is fully installed you will need to repeat steps 3 and 4 every day for 30 days for best effect. 

“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” – Napoleon Hill

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Judi Moreo is one of the most recognized personal growth trainers and coaches in the world. She is the author of 24 books including 2 international bestsellers, “You Are More Than Enough” and “Ignite the Spark.”  As a personal achievement coach, Judi will help you discover that you really are More Than Enough to achieve the success you desire.  She has informed, inspired, challenged, motivated and entertained audiences in twenty-nine countries around the globe.   Judi has received many awards including the Woman of Achievement, Entrepreneur; the Nevada Business Person of the Year; has been inducted into the Business Hall of Fame; and in 2020, received a HerStory Award from the Women’s Federation for World Peace. To contact Judi Moreo, judi@judimoreo.com or 702-283-4567.

“How Do We Become Strong & Confident From Within?”

by: Pragito Dove

First, be one with yourself. Accept yourself. Love yourself.

Society conditions, educates, and “civilizes” each of us in such a way that we begin to condemn ourselves. For example, society states that you should not be sad. You should be happy. If your truth is that you are sad, you repress the truth, and become something you are not; you become phony. This phony side of you is what society accepts. A division is created within yourself. 

Psychological pain exists because you are divided, at war within yourself. As a result, life becomes complicated. When you lose touch with your inner truth, and are living from a divided self, pulled this way and that, by your desire to please and be accepted by others, you find yourself lost, isolated, and deeply unhappy. You create challenges, adversity, and difficulties to keep yourself distracted and to prove to yourself that you are worthy.

 

If, however, you are able to live your sadness with total authenticity, the division disappears. For example: you are sad: that is the truth of this moment. But your conditioned mind says: “You have to be happy. Smile! What will people think of you?” 

Here is the problem: you pretend, you act, you repress the truth. The phony becomes the ideal.

How can you know, and love yourself, if you don’t accept yourself?

Live your sadness in total authenticity, and you will be surprised. A miraculous door opens in your being, because the division disappears. Sadness is there and there is no question of any ideal to be anything else. There is no effort, no conflict, no war. “I am simply this” and there is relaxation. And in that relaxation is grace, and joy.

Psychological pain exists because you are divided. Pain means division, and joy means no-division. You might be thinking: how can feeling my sadness bring joy? It looks paradoxical, but it is true. Try it. However, please note: accepting your sadness with an agenda to feel joy, is not going to work. Joy arises through your authentic expression of sadness. 

Joy is a by-product of being authentic.

 

Joy is a natural consequence of being united with your sadness, because it is your truth, in this moment. In the next moment you may be angry: accept that too. And the next moment you may be something else: accept that too.

Live moment to moment, with acceptance, without any division, and self-love, self-worth, self-confidence arise within you, naturally, and automatically.

Drop all ideals of how you should be, and accept who you are, in each moment.

 

The journey of self-acceptance starts with becoming aware of your feelings, and allowing yourself to feel your feelings. We are human. Feeling is a part of the human experience. Get used to feeling because feeling is to LIVE, feeling is to be ALIVE. When  uncomfortable feelings arise: allow, experience and accept.

On the other side of your sadness, hurt, and despair is your magnificent, brilliant, luminous spirit, which is not damaged. Your spirit is love, and when aligned with your authenticity, guides your life with grace, and ease.

Accepting yourself, warts an’ all,  helps you become strong and confident from within, so that no matter what other people think or say, you are deeply rooted in your own self-worth. Your feelings are the key. Love is always waiting on the other side. The only thing blocking you from receiving more love is your resistance to feeling your feelings.

Are you thinking: I don’t want to feel because I don’t want to be hurt any more?

I understand. I went through this very same experience.  As I allowed myself to start feeling, something wonderful happened. I began to feel more love,  to laugh, and enjoy my life more. I was  liberated  from a prison of pain and opened up to more self-love, self-worth, and self-confidence, AND  to receiving more love from others.

Inner strength and confidence are an inside job. When you get to the point where you can accept yourself, the need for challenges, adversity, and complications, just falls away, because you don’t need to prove your worth any more to yourself.

Meditation: Accept Yourself– 4 minutes

Benefits: In the very experiencing of your feelings, a spaciousness is created, and miracles can occur. Trust that, even when you feel miserable, on the other side of the misery, is love. Our natural state is love. All we have to do is accept who we are, in any given moment, and love is there.

 

Start gently, with compassion for yourself.

Sit, or lie down, whichever is most comfortable for your body.  Breathe, relax your body, open your palms upwards, in a receptive posture. Allow your feelings, whatever they are, without judging, condemning or criticizing yourself. Accept what is happening, in each moment, without wanting it to be different. When you fight what is, you make it worse. You are the way you are: accept yourself with joy, with gratitude.

 

Reproduced with permission from Pragito Dove www.discovermeditation.com