I'm feeling good today. It's the final move weekend back to Gentlewood, my home on Orcas Island, so there's much to be done. My home has been going through a months long renovation and I've stayed nearby off site. I sense things are falling into place. I look over at Mary Magdalene as we walk the beach path in my meditation. Her eyes are serious and straight ahead. This is an important talk. I wait and listen for her wisdom.
Mary Magdalene, looking forward at the horizon:
Sally, what comes to mind when you think of the word FEEL?
I feel confident with this topic. As an empath, medium and all-around constant "feeler," this is a subject that is near-and-dear to my heart. I quip to myself: "How much time ya got?!"
Sally:
I think of a few things. There is the immediate "emotion" meaning for me: energy-in-motion. What races through my body as I live and experience life. Then I think of the actual deep-dive feeling practice: closing my eyes, getting still, going into my body to generally sense what is felt in different places. This is the work I guide clients through when we are doing memory & event healing through spots in the body, or what you all named "flashpoint" work. That's how I recovered my repressed memories of early abuse. When I need to know how my heart feels, I go into a peaceful silence where I allow my awareness to sink, sink, sink until I get a feeling or a picture in my mind's eye of how my heart is.
Mary:
And how is your heart feel now?
I close my eyes and breathe deeply, falling into body. After about a minute I see a small red cartoon image of my heart and it's gasping for breath! I'm shocked! I feel calm right now!
Sally, in disbelief:
I'm surprised! My heart is gasping for air! I guess I'm anxious about what needs to get done this weekend, but I wasn't...I don't know...
Mary, with the slightest smile on her lips*:
Listen to what your heart has to say.
I go back into my heart space. I wait as my heart begins to catch its breath. After a moment, it says to me:
"It's important to be patient. One thing at a time. All will be well."
Mary:
Mmm. That's good. It's important to listen to what your body and heart have to say. It isn't always in agreement with your mind, is it? When you are confused, tired, or having trouble coming to terms with something, it is always wise to see whether there is agreement between the head, the body and the heart. You have an image for this.
Synchronicity sparked just as Mary finished her sentence.
Sally, excited:
Nesting dolls! Like eggs, our energetic fields and chakras lining up with one another like nesting dolls. Now that I know what my heart is feeling and I'm "synching up," I'm able to be better attuned to you and the conversation. I'm centered and grounded. That's usually when synchronicity happens. When people are attuned with one another, even if they aren't in the same place.
Mary:
That's right. You are grounded enough to be present for the other person. That's when "me" can truly become a "we". In a conversation-or an entire relationship. (Pause)
Anything else about feelings?
Sally, more serious:
Yes. There are feelings that linger long after an event has happened. They get stuck in the body and build last impressions. They have a life of their own! They generally don't serve. Staying in the body, that is.
Mary:
Yes. They are waiting to be acknowledged. They stay in the body because they long for conversation.
These feelings seek compassion.
You have a saying for this, when you don't meet your feelings.
Sally:
Yes. It's spiritual bypassing. It's using spiritual beliefs to avoid dealing with painful feelings, unresolved wounds and developmental needs.**
Mary:
That is the work you are being called to do, all of you. That is being on the Path. You are here to feel, not bypass.
It takes courage to fully feel.
Feelings are life moving through you. They are neither positive nor negative. They are not happening to you; they are just arising in you. It's what you learn from these feelings that is important. When you center and truly feel your feelings, you heal. We share with others and we help them see themselves in our experience. They heal. When we attune to our hearts, we meet our soul.
This is embodiment. Be present to your full body, Sally, and you fully awaken in your humanity and your divinity.
What I learned:
I can't assume that what I sense in passing is the same experience that my body and heart are feeling. I may not be aware when I am "saving face," even with myself.
Checking into my body and listening to my heart is a direct way of attuning myself so I can be in a genuine presence with others.
Feelings, in and of themselves, are a living energy that seek my attention and deserve my love.
Reflection questions:
Close your eyes, take a deep breath and feel into your heart space. What is your heart telling you right now?
When you consider what feels unresolved for you this Lent, what comes to your mind and heart? Can you be present with that feeling and offer it your compassion?
* For those new to my posts, in my conversations with Ascended Masters, they are able to sense my experience and thoughts in real time, so there is little need for me to explain what arises as it happens. This was truly alarming at first, but it sure makes learning more authentic and expedient. ^_^
** To learn more about Spiritual Bypassing, I suggest you look at this book. Browsing through the online chapter titles alone will give you a good idea if it's where you need to grow.