A friend was recently musing and made a comment along the lines of “why are flashbacks always about the disturbing, negative stuff?”

This got me thinking again on something I’ve wondered myself. Why is it that it’s so seemingly easy to “fall into” negativity, whereas a habitually positive mindset needs to be cultivated, enforced and maintained, often with great discipline? Why do the negative elements of our experience, and our memories, actively draw our attention, while keeping positive takes our deliberate focus and cultivation?

Dealing with persistent negative interference, or even habitually negative people really brings this issue to the forefront, especially if one is sensitive to energy or empathic. It is often noted that negative entities are much more coercive in their approach, whereas our allies more often wait to be called on and engaged, and otherwise use more subtle means of contact. It is thought that this is because one respects free will while the other doesn’t – though I believe that while this may often be the case, this phenomena also has a lot to do with the types of energy we’re dealing with, and their natural properties. While positive influences are simply present, to be found, engaged with, acted upon… or not; negative unhealthy influences seem to exert an active pull on our awareness, our energy, our vibrational state. In an un-disciplined mind, positivity takes effort to maintain – while worries appear seemingly on their own until we learn how to stop. Why is it that if all things are equal and force of will is not being applied, everything seems to default or degrade in the direction of the negative?

And what does any of this have to do with strapping toast to a cat?

After meditating and doing some inner work specifically on this question, the answer I found could be summed up in a word: gravity.

The word “gravity” has two relevant meanings – one can refer to the perceived seriousness of a situation; the other refers to the force of nature that draws one object to another. As is often the case with linguistics, the meanings and origins of words can provide clues about “the way things work” that are known by the collective unconscious, but are not made completely conscious until someone notices the connection. In this case: the same principle that keeps our feet on the ground, also exerts an active pull on our thoughts, energy and emotions.

Many energy-workers can verify that having a high volume of positive energy moving through your system will make you feel like you’re floating. In contrast, having a blob of negative energy or emotion in your gut can feel like something heavy, dense, almost physical, and like it’s pulling the rest of your energy toward itself. “Pulling” is the key word there – negative energy has something akin to a gravitational pull, which typically draws energy and awareness toward itself if equal or greater force is not applied to direct it somewhere else. It’s like comparing a cloud of helium to a ball of lead: the lead has a gravitational pull; the helium does not.

Additionally, the navel chakra, which is in charge of our emotional processing, and also stores a lot of our most emotional memories, is associated with water element, and does indeed behave a lot like a body of water; the material it contains share many of water’s obvious properties. Of course, water doesn’t “decide” where to flow – it is naturally drawn by gravity toward the lowest point unless energy is expended to direct it elsewhere. Likewise, this explains why the attention of an untrained mind is naturally drawn to its traumas, its worries and its current problems, rather than, say, being magnetically drawn to a bright new possible future.

Enough of the high school science refresher course though – what can we DO about this?

Sci-fi geekdom came through with an answer. Anti-grav technology is a permanent fixture in every sci-fi universe; I figured, why can’t it be in mine? Could I make this gravitational effect optional in my internal space with intent?

Houston, we have a solution.

After some experimentation, I was and am very pleased with the results. I meditated with the intent of programming my chakras with the concept that my energy, emotions and awareness are no longer subject to the force of gravity, and almost immediately started seeing the effects I was hoping for.

The “pull” effect from negative and unhealthy influences is greatly diminished, the more that my intent fully sinks into all aspects of my mind and system. The implication of this is that I can set my inner state where I want it and it will stay there, or even move higher on its own momentum, without having to continually put effort into keeping it there and be vigilant that it’s not slipping. I can choose the direction of my thoughts (and by extension, my direction in general) without a bunch of resistance from various sources exerting a drag in other directions not of my choosing.

Without having to specifically devote a constant amount of my energy and effort to “staying positive,” I’m finding that, notably, my creativity and ability to be productive is greatly increasing. With negative influence no longer distorting its content and expending its energy, my subconscious mind seems to have a sense of humor all its own; recently its taken to making up amusing Family Guy style cut-scenes, in response to things people say in conversation. In other words, I’m pretty sure I’ve also accidentally discovered the cure for boredom.

Also very much worth noting is the change in experiences with manifestation. Before now if I wanted to manifest a positive outcome, my intent would have to be constantly reinforced so that I wasn’t being pulled off track toward a less preferable outcome between setting the intent and seeing it play out, especially if there was a stretch of time between A and B. Even then, results were not consistent enough to be reliable. Now? I basically only have to define my intent and state how it’s going to play out, and it happens at a rate I’m increasingly coming to rely on.

In normal cases, the practice of “being positive” pits a negative pulling force that often has a mind of its own, against a positive one that feels good, but usually doesn’t actively draw anything to itself. With gravity neutralized, it’s simply a matter of choosing what feels good over what doesn’t. There’s a tough choice… and by “tough” I mean “almost too easy.”

A quick word of caution to those who plan on doing your own experimentation with this principle (and sending me feedback and entertaining stories!): obviously just as if you were going to be without gravity physically, you need to establish your own strong sense of direction and intent, so you don’t just float aimlessly, or worse, send your life circumstances hurtling around randomly with great force like a pinball. That sounds a bit disconcerting I figure, so I wouldn’t recommend it. It is still necessary to break habits such as negativity, worry, emotional drama and taking things too seriously – the difference is without the extra resistance, getting away from those, and anyone trying to maintain them, is a lot less like trying to leave the mafia.

–Palehorse

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Hello, Gehenna here. I was giving a friend a pep talk earlier and realised that it applied to me too. So here is an explanation of why our prices have gone up..

We have been online doing what we do for TWO WHOLE YEARS now. If Beyond Within were a toddler, he’d be one who is walking with confidence and seeking to branch out into bigger projects. Probably chocolate smeared ones

We kept our prices low at first to attract customers.. newbies don’t have the benefit of a reputation to get them work. Well, we are newbies no more and have worked with many clients, for whom we are exceedingly grateful. We worked hard to build our reputation, and thanks to word-of-mouth from repeat clients and friends we are becoming well-known. Thanks guys

There are some pretty damn fine psychics out there that charge peppercorn rates.. however low prices often mean the service offered is misinterpreted by potential customers as “shit, low-quality and amateurish”.

I value my time. Performing the work I do is taking increasingly more of my day, which is fine with me.. but I put a *lot* of my energy into my work and it can be quite draining. The new price structure reflects this. Please read this post if you have any doubts at all about why you should pay for psychic services or energy work.

–Gehenna

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Of course I wouldn’t be writing this article if the Violet Flame hadn’t been brought back to my attention in a very powerful way. A few years after setting it aside, my first significant experience happened around the same time as I was refining my dynamite method. In a long meditation session one night I was merrily working through my chakras, doing away with any energetic and subconscious structures that shouldn’t be there. I was about to start disposing of them by fire as was my usual approach at the time, when a sudden inspiration brought to mind things I had read about the Violet Flame from a trusted source more recently. I intuitively felt that it seemed well suited for this work, so I went with it. This impulse may have had some “prompting,” because once I decided to use it on my offending blockages, I had a brief vision of a large metal bowl on a pedestal burning with this purple fire; an ancient Greek style building in the background. I sort of mentally shrugged, formed a torch for myself and lit it in this bowl. When I went to stick the torch into the chakra I had been working on… WHOA! If there was any doubt that I had been imagining all this, it was quickly dispelled by the very intense sensations going through my torso. I could distinctly feel the shape of this torch as I moved it through my system, and I could feel cords, blockages and other structures falling to the flames like melting butter. At that point I knew I had stumbled (or been nudged, more likely) into something very potent.

After experimenting like this for a few days, the thought occurred to me that the Violet Flame might be something one could be attuned to, like Reiki. For those not familiar with the terminology, an attunement is an alteration to one’s energetic system that allows access to a specific type of energy, which can then be channeled and directed by the intent of the healer. I went into meditation and asked to receive an attunement – and got one. I know I got one partly from the immediate whooshing sensation that went through me, but mainly because it then spent a good three days kicking my ass. Major symptoms of clearing, and energetically just completely wiped out; I had to stop all spiritual practice until I was sure that everything had stabilized. Compared to the relatively mild clearing after my reiki attunements, I’d guess that this was a matter of the Violet Flame doing what it does, i.e. cleaning me out – but doing a whole lot of it, at very deep levels, in a short period, as it was integrating itself into my system. After that was over, I felt phenomenal; my energy was in a state that it never has been before, and I had a great new tool to work with. That said, considering that I’ve been doing regular energy work, and clearing out my own baggage for years already, and was still knocked flat by this attunement for several days – I would not recommend getting too gung-ho about seeking this attunement for beginners, or those who have never done any internal work.

Speaking of what it does – what DOES it do?

Keep in mind that what I have to say about the Violet Flame is stated in my own words, and based strictly on my own personal experience since receiving my attunement. As such, it may or may not agree with what you might read from other sources online. In broad terms, the Violet Flame works by quickly raising energy that it comes up against, to a much higher rate of vibration. For practical purposes, this means that it gets blocked and stagnant energy moving, and it transmutes negative energy into positive. While it’s not literal fire, it behaves very similarly to how heat increases the vibration and changes physical matter from one state to another.

It is often said that the Violet Flame “dissolves karma.” Though I would agree with this, it should be noted that most sources that make this claim assume a view of “karma” that I strongly disagree with. What it does do, is change what you attract by changing you. As is often explained in this blog, your habitual thoughts, emotions and deeply held beliefs all shape the experiences you attract – and all are made up of energy at their most basic level. The transmuting properties of the Violet Flame work on these structures and patterns within your subconscious mind, and chakras, to transform them into a state that is beneficial to you. Of course, it can’t change your beliefs or habits for you – you have to do that yourself. If there’s a lesson that needs to be learned, the learning still needs to take place. Although in such cases, the Violet Flame literally “brings issues to light” – I often find that after a healing session, things like inspiration and awareness of things I should address is heightened, and I am inspired with the best means to do so, which can prevent instances of having to learn things the hard way. In this sense, the Violet Flame can prevent undesirable events by removing internal structures that would have attracted them, before they happen.

From the standpoint of an energy healer, compared to Reiki, the Violet Flame is a much more active modality. While it also seems to be a “smart energy” that possesses its own consciousness in a sense, it is much more suited to being consciously used and directed by the healer. This works well for me, as it’s something I can adapt, innovate and get creative with. In addition to the torch that I first used on my chakras, I also created a pit of fire to push undesirable internal structures into after I demolish ‘em. One of my favorite things to I came up with to do with the Violet Flame is to use it as a banishment of sorts, to clear a room of any negative entities or energy that are hanging around. To do this I vividly imagine and intend soaking the room with oil, and then tossing out a violet fireball to ignite it. Any troublesome entities in the vicinity tend to leave quickly, and others have attested to the atmosphere improving quickly without knowing exactly what I did. Alternately, a Violet Flamethrower works well too. For less epic but no less practical day to day use, it’s great for dissolving any fear, anxiety, or lingering “icky” vibes quickly by sending a blast of it through my system. I frequently find myself using it throughout the day as an easy pick-me-up to improve how I’m feeling. As for deeper work, nowadays it’s rare that I do any healing or repatterning on myself without the Violet Flame being involved. My experimentation to find creative new applications is ongoing, and I have no doubt that this awesome energy still has a few new things to show me.

After spending some time working on myself and other guinea pigs volunteers to familiarize myself with this tool and its capabilities, I am now confident and comfortable enough to begin offering Violet Flame sessions to those who would like to experience it directly, as well as attunements for those who feel drawn to incorporate this powerful tool into their healing practice. For more information, check out our energy healing section, and then get in touch to experience it for yourself!

–Palehorse

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My purpose in exploring this concept is not to prove or disprove a set of theological concepts which, by definition, are unprovable. What I am interested in, is personal sovereignty. I want to know how things work well enough that I’m free to choose my own experience, and let others know how to do the same. Ultimately, I want to know that choosing NOT to incarnate anymore is an option – and if it’s not, how to make it one. But before I get ahead of myself, it would probably be best to start the discussion with some historical background on the subject

What is Karma?

Karma is an ancient Sanskrit term that literally means “action” or “deed.” The concept comes to us mostly from Hinduism and Buddhism, though Jainism and Sikhism bear mentioning as well. There is a lot of variation among those traditions, but they all share the idea that karma is a universal law of cause and effect; that our actions have consequences which return to us. Karma is usually found alongside the concept of reincarnation, and thus it is thought that our karma spans across multiple lifetimes.

From there, the ancient traditions diverge. Hinduism tends toward a more theistic approach which involves deities supervising the karmic process and “giving people what they deserve.” This implies a built-in moral code by which deeds are measured, and indeed, Hinduism also emphasizes the concept of “duty.” Buddhists are more likely to believe the natural laws of causation are sufficient to explain the mechanism by which karma operates. Buddhism also makes several innovations, suggesting that our actions plant “seeds” in one’s mind which then bloom into the appropriate outcome under the right conditions. Buddhism also emphasizes the motive behind one’s actions as being important in determining the karmic outcome. Neither of the two traditions are likely to view the process in terms of reward and punishment, but rather the natural outcome of one’s actions. When combined with reincarnation we get the common idea that karma creates a sort of “balance” – when we create causes, we have to keep returning in order to experience their effects. If we can bring that balance to zero, and keep it there, we can escape the incarnative cycle. This is probably the quickest crash-course in these traditions that you’ll ever get, and you’re encouraged to do your own research into the finer points if you feel so inclined; it’s interesting stuff. But for the purpose of providing enough historical background to aid in our discussion, that’ll do.

Things got more complicated when Eastern ideas, including karma, were adopted by Westerners with little frame of reference for the paradigm in which those concepts originated. Western ideas of karma were largely shaped by the west’s own Judeo-Christian influenced paradigm, with its moral framework and emphasis on rewards and punishments. While many people seek to distance themselves from this framework while moving on to more recently founded traditions in western spirituality, it shows up as a recurring theme nonetheless. Wicca, for instance, has added extra incentive (or deterrent, as the case may be) to follow their moral framework, in the form of the Threefold Law. This is a bit like karma on steroids, as it states that everything we do comes back to us multiplied by three. Among the various schools of thought under the New Age umbrella, it’s not uncommon to find teachings like the idea that there are “Lords of Karma” who fill in for the previously mentioned Hindu deities, although in this case there is often a clearly implied sense of reward and punishment. Alternately, between lives we are sometimes said to appear before “councils” of varying descriptions, who either decide how we will work out our karma in the coming lifetime, or otherwise help us do so. So, having laid out the explanation of the most familiar and historical views of karma, now for the fun part: deconstructing them.

Back somewhere in the annals of time, a wise Yogi probably observed the same thing Newton would notice centuries later: that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This works great as a general rule for objects in motion at the observable level, but both Newton and our mystery Yogi attempted to apply it in ways well beyond its usefulness. Not that we should fault ‘em for it, as neither could have possibly forseen the advances of quantum mechanics. In any case, when we try to apply this physical law as a metaphysical explanation for “why bad things happen to good people,” (and conversely, why “bad” deeds often go unpunished), we run into problems.

Breakin’ the Law (of Causality)

Karma relies on the so-called “law of causality” – that every cause has a predictable effect. Therein lies a fatal flaw: there is no such law; as quantum physics is increasingly showing us, reality simply does not behave this way. We live in a universe of probabilities, not absolutes. While we can observe our surroundings and make generally reliable predictions about X event being followed by Y outcome, there is no guarantee that Y will always follow X for any given event. The best we can say is that there is a high probability that Y will follow X – but there is always the chance, however slight, that X could be followed by Z, Q or P (but not U; they’re overused enough as it is). For practical purposes this means that there is no guarantee that the outcome of one’s actions will correspond with the actions themselves in any way that makes sense to the logical mind. There can be no universal mechanism that infallibly balances out our actions as karma is said to do, because we can’t even say with total certainty whether a given action will produce the same outcome twice.

Caution: Free Will Ahead!

If I haven’t lost you yet with all the quasi-algebra – the plot thickens even more when we consider that anything that can be described as “karmic” takes place within the context of relationships and choices made between individuals. This introduces free-will into the equation – which, by definition, makes all outcomes even more unpredictable by definition. We live in a free will zone, where a broadly diverse cast of characters (some with more character than others) all coexist with the same freedom to do as they please within the limits of what is physically possible. If I walk outside right now and punch the first person I see, there are many possibilities as to what happens next. They could hit me back; they could press charges; they could pull out a gun and blow me away; they could run away. The outcome depends almost solely on the choices of the other person, and most likely will not be in any sense “equal” to my original action. To say that I might receive the backlash in some other lifetime would be a cop-out, as it is completely unverifiable. That’s not to say there aren’t consequences for our actions. If I make a habit out of mistreating people, the natural outcome is that I increase my chances of being similarly mistreated… which brings us back to dealing in probabilities. If we can’t guarantee that a negative act in this lifetime will receive a backlash, what’re the chances that it will in the next, when I may be in a completely different environment with its own unique set of influences, with a different personality, making different choices? Is there really any good reason to believe that probability increases across lifetimes?

Karma between individuals is often said to be one of the major reasons we keep incarnating. We have unresolved issues leftover from other lifetimes with other people, so we’re obligated to come back to “set things right.” Much like karma oversimplifies the way causality actually works, so too does it oversimplify the mechanics of relationships between people. Relationships are complicated, dynamic things, especially when there’s a lot of history behind them, and it’s not always possible for everything to be “resolved.” A sense of obligation to others who we form close relationships with probably does keep people stuck in endless loops of incarnations – but one thing I’ve learned about obligation is that our only real obligations are those which we place upon ourselves. For my part, I figure that if I’ve got any standing issues with anyone else by the time I choose to stop incarnating – our higher selves can just talk it out over an astral beer, with full memory of the specifics involved. Good way to cut down on the drama, methinks.

Beliefs and Subconscious Structures

The Buddhists may be onto something with this “seeds planted in the mind” idea, though I highly doubt that every single act creates a new one. What I can verify is that habitual thoughts, beliefs and actions create structures in the mind and energy bodies, which then exert a tremendous influence over what we experience. Our beliefs play a large role in creating our experience, as do the energetic structures created over time by habitual thought and courses of action. It may well be that holding a strong belief in a “law of karma” creates that structure within yourself, which you’ll then start manifesting in your circumstances. It’s worth mentioning that these structures can be nearly instantaneously changed or even destroyed, resulting in a corresponding change in the influences and experiences one attracts. Suffice to say that if there ever was a karmic mechanism at work in my life, I think I broke it. Oops.

These structures can influence us across multiple lifetimes, which may have given rise to some of the ancient ideas about karma. Similarly to how past aspects of ourselves can manifest old unresolved patterns in our present circumstances, these aspects of ourselves can also originate in other lifetimes. It becomes problematic to try and place these patterns in any kind of moral or ethical context, however. Invariably they are the result of unhealed trauma, and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Alternately, negative entities are known for implanting similar structures and interfering with one’s internal patterning (and by extension, the circumstances one attracts) without the awareness of the target. Over the course of my healing work on myself and others, where causes of present life patterns tend to be brought to light, I have yet to come across a case of someone “paying” for something they did in the past.

Nonphysical Allies and Adversaries

As you progress along your spiritual path, things tend to “heat up” which can produce an effect similar to karma. Once you’ve awakened to the idea that you’re on a specific path, your actions carry more weight, and wandering from your path, even unknowingly, can carry consequences. This may indeed be a natural mechanism, although I am more inclined to say it’s an extension of the free-will factor, involving positive and negative nonphysical entities and input from your own higher self. As we begin to awaken, we tend to attract attention from both sides. The possibility of seekers becoming the target of negative interference has already been explored in this blog. On the positive side, the saying “to whom much is given, much is required” applies here. Individual paths vary greatly, but in general, you will be held accountable for whether or not you are true to yourself and your nature as it’s defined at the highest level, with the stakes getting higher as you move closer to your Higher Self. Since this is unique for every person, exactly what you’re being held accountable for will not fit neatly into any broad-based religious moral code. Additionally, any positive beings (such as those we might think of as deities) who choose to work with you may also expect a high standard, complete with tests and seemingly harsh correction for not being true to your highest potential. Sometimes the “tests” can seem harsh while they’re in progress regardless of your own conduct, for that matter. Think of it like training under a venerable kung fu master. But again, this has nothing to do with universal mechanisms or what is “deserved” – it’s a matter of your higher self making an agreement with another being, likely one who specializes in a certain area, to work with one of its incarnations in order to develop in that direction. In any case, from my own exploration with various beings I get the impression that none of them are in the business of smiting the wicked and blessing the righteous across the board, and they don’t know anyone who is, either.

Belief in Karma Creates Suffering

At its worst, a strong belief in a law of karma can actually generate negative experiences in one’s life. There are many factors that could create a single negative experience – but combined with that belief in karma, one might begin wondering “what I must’ve done to deserve this,” which attaches guilt to the event. This guilt will attract more unpleasantness – and now we’re back to the vicious cycle created by the misguided idea of “deserved suffering.” Someone with a habitual victim mentality may well attract a person with sadistic tendencies who will abuse them – because they deserve it? No, because they can. If the targeted person feels guilt on top of their suffering (which is a tactic many abusers use to project the blame away from themselves!) they have only compounded their problem. As we have seen, suffering balances nothing and benefits nobody, because it tends to radiate outward and produce more suffering. Does this sound like an ordeal worth putting yourself through, over a supposed offense you don’t remember committing, that you can’t even verify? Hopefully not!

Another important factor to consider are the true psychopaths – people and entities who most would think have accumulated some heavy karma if anyone has, by deliberately causing others to suffer. However, the existence of this condition throws another monkey wrench into the wheel of karma itself. If someone literally has no conscience, then no amount of karmic backlash is going to give them one, or turn them into anything other than a psychopath. If that person were to hypothetically incarnate again without the psychopathy, their problem is already solved, and the backlash would fall on someone whose fundamental nature is not capable of committing the original offenses, and who has no awareness of having done so in the past. Once again: no balance or divine justice to be found here.

Putting it All Together

By putting the concept of free will together with the subconscious patterns and energetic structures that influence the circumstances we attract, we can explain the mechanisms behind the things that happen to us, in ways that are readily verifiable, without resorting to an external mechanism such as karma. With no way to verify its existence, and plenty of other ways to account for the phenomena it’s said to produce, karma is thus relegated to the position of a somewhat less psychotic version of the Christian Hell: a “consequence” invented to enforce a moral framework for which no natural consequences exist. We don’t like to think in these terms; that someone might commit an offense against us and “get away with it.” However, given the choice between embracing my personal sovereignty, and getting to see mine enemies struck down with great vengeance and furious anger (quite possibly by Samuel L. Jackson himself) – I think I’ll take the former. It is empowering to think that no universal mechanism or deity is “making me pay” for anything except, ultimately, myself – even if that means that the same goes for everyone else as well.

Look to no external authority to settle your affairs; all authority resides with YOU.

–Palehorse

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Unlike most of the other chakras, the heart chakra can’t be strengthened by working on it directly — its strength lies in the connections it forms. In that sense, it can be considered as an energetic network hub. Usually these connections are formed unconsciously; for instance when we connect socially, if the heart chakra is healthy and open it will send out an energetic connection to the other person as well. Today I’ll share some ways to make those connections deliberately, as well some benefits of doing so.

In addition to being a fun toy, the plasma ball (pictured) makes a pretty good metaphor of how the heart chakra works. This is also the basis of the technique I use to connect to others with my heart chakra. Before I go out in public, I’ll do some pre-stimulation of my heart chakra by raising some energy into it and pulling at it with my awareness until I feel that it’s active (although the more I do this, the more active my heart chakra gets by default!). Then while I’m out, I imagine and feel my heart as a plasma ball that continuously puts out those tendrils of electric energy in order to make connections with the hearts of others, and give them a little burst of love-energy. Bonus points if you mentally send a kind word to people you pass by; something like “all the best, friend” or “have a good one, buddy.” The more I use this technique, I’m finding that I can hold the “plasma ball” concept in the back of my mind, and my heart chakra will send out these connections without my direct focus or deliberate mental action. I figure eventually my heart chakra will learn this habit, and do its plasma ball thing automatically without any input from myself.

When I first started doing this, the result was an immediate, dramatic difference in the way people would respond to me. I was getting lots of random smiles and hello’s, and even people striking up conversations. At the grocery store, a woman actually asked me to go in front of her at the check-out for no particular reason that I could gather. Things like this are becoming pretty commonplace, and it’s amazing to me because these things have simply never happened for me before. As much as I’ve worked on being open and friendly, I’ve seen no change in the way other people would avert eye contact and hurry past — until I brought my heart chakra into the mix. Now people are initiating contact with me more often than not, and interestingly it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with my current mood or any outward attempt to appear friendly on my part — it’s all in the energy I’m putting out. This kind of energy is in such demand that you end up giving a little energetic boost to everyone you connect with, and people will naturally respond favorably to you more often than not, even without fully knowing why.

Once you’ve had some practice, get creative and find new ways to incorporate heart-energy into your daily life. Some possibilities I’ve had good results with — try doing it before making a difficult phonecall to connect with the person on the other end beforehand. When you get up in the morning, imagine connecting at the heart to yourself at the end of the day — with the idea that this heart energy will smooth out the path in between, and the day will go in your favor. Experiment with connecting to someone at the other end of a crowded room and see what happens.

I’ve also been trying to build myself an “energetic heart-based network” that spans the globe, with the idea that when I need something, it will be provided through that network, and I will also be put in a position to support others in this network as well. I do this by imagining myself very large, and far above the earth, sending my connections toward the planet as it spins, to be picked up on by those so inclined. I know some may be thinking “but we’re all connected already!” — which is true. But the everyday reality is that for most of us, connecting at the heart level, and making that sense of interconnectedness part of our normal awareness, takes a lot of practice. This is one way I’ve found that strengthens my heart chakra as well as my sense of connectedness.

If you’re using these techniques and not seeing or feeling any results, your heart chakra may have blockages that are preventing the energy from being able to connect. If this is the case and you feel comfortable doing the necessary energy work yourself, I recently posted a technique to clear these sorts of blockages. Alternately, the energy healing sessions we offer will clear your heart chakra of obstructions and give you the relevant information to keep it that way.

Of all the work I’ve done with my own energetic system, working with the heart chakra has been by far the most rewarding and fun. Get creative with it, and share your experiences with us!

–Palehorse

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Many personal development techniques involve things like repeating endless affirmations to implant an idea in one’s subconscious mind. Others recommend passive forms of meditation that, over years, possibly lifetimes, cause the mind and personality to integrate on their own. While these techniques will work to affect change, eventually — in the meantime you’ve still got all your old habits, blocks and fears, limiting your ability to fulfill your potential. If you picture one of those blocks as a brick wall, passive meditation techniques could be likened to removing it with wind and water erosion. Repeating affirmations takes time not only to gain access to the wall, but could be likened to replacing it with another structure, by hand, brick by brick. Technically effective, but very time consuming.

To each his own — but when I’ve got a wall in front of me, and I need it gone, I’d much prefer to pull out a sledgehammer and do some smashy-smashy.

One of the reasons I love symbolism and metaphor so much, is that they are the language of the subconscious mind. Since the subconscious is arguably the foundation of how we experience our lives, where much of our experience is created even, learning to speak its language is a powerful tool for those who want to be conscious, deliberate cocreators of their experience. To this end I have found that if I can frame an issue in symbolic language, and then interact with those symbols in meditation — they are often found to exist as literal energetic constructs that are performing some function in my system, for better or worse. These structures are often the result of long-held beliefs, faulty coping mechanisms, and reactionary defensiveness. Adopting healthier beliefs and habits certainly helps — but if they ever make a dent in those subconscious structures, it will be a very gradual process; meanwhile the structures themselves continue to carry out their old function until they’re completely removed. The following technique is used to quickly and directly remove structures in your subconscious and energy that aren’t serving your best interest, including but not limited to fears, anxiety, bad habits, bad coping mechanisms, habitual negativity and faulty belief structures.

The Technique

If you have a favorite meditation technique, do that. If not, do some stretches, get comfortable and clear your mind as best you can while taking ten or more deep breaths.

When ready, with eyes closed, mentally ask to see the structure representing the issue, beliefs or pattern you’d like to remove, being as specific as you can. Picture it as a building, though if a structure appears in your mind’s eye on its own, go with that.

Demolish the structure. My usual method involves rolling explosives in through the door like a bowling ball, and pressing down on a somewhat cartoonish detonator. Feel all these actions as well as you’re able, as if you were really there. Don’t just picture it; DO it, mentally. Push the proverbial “red button”; hear and feel the blast; see the structure reduced to rubble. Feel the sudden release and clarity it left behind.

Now imagine yourself driving a bulldozer, and push the rubble into a pit of violet flame, so that there’s now a clean flat surface where the building once stood.

After you remove an old structure, you may want to leave it at that, or you may want to put something better in its place. If you’d like to implant a new belief, suggestion or operating procedure, I recommend the technique for changing beliefs at their root I posted on previously.

Explanation and My Experiences

The significance of most of the symbols should be pretty clear — you symbolize the issue in question in a way the subconscious mind understands, and send a clear message that you want it gone, removing any associated energetic structures in the process. The reason I use violet flame is that violet flame is a type of energy most commonly associated with spiritual alchemy. The significance of using it in this exercise is that any part of the debris that isn’t in your best interest is either burned away or transmuted into something beneficial, and anything worth keeping is left for future use.

Don’t worry if you don’t feel like you’re great at visualizing. I’m not great at visuals myself — most of my visualizations are more like a series of brief snapshots than a continuous movie, and a lot of what I do is more by feel and intent in a more abstract sense, than literal sight. It’s something I’m working on, but for the sake of effectiveness with this exercise it doesn’t seem to make much difference either way. I also don’t worry too much about physical realism — i.e. rolling some dynamite in through a door wouldn’t make for a neat, well controlled demolition in the real world, but my imagination doesn’t seem to care. The key is the symbolism and a strong intent; those two things are much more important than the actual form used, or the ability to hold the visuals. In fact, I would encourage you to tweak it and make it your own; make it fun for yourself.

I have used this technique numerous times to great effect. The first major issue I tackled had to do with a low level, almost constant anxiety I had identified causing problems in my system, and creating a lot more nagging resistance than I wanted to deal with in the average day. With a combination of tarot readings by Gehenna for insight into the problem, the dynamite technique, belief reprogramming and energy healing afterward, I was able to uncover that the anxiety actually had multiple causes, remove the related structures, put something better in their place and heal a lot of old wounds as if they’d never been there. Over a period of a few weeks, I was able to completely eliminate a huge amount of anxiety and tension from my system. This has vastly improved my overall quality of life, as well as my focus, ability to meditate, and my productivity in an average day.

The second major problem I solved was a massive structure blocking my heart chakra’s ability to fully function. In my last post I described negative beliefs as mercenaries, hired to build a fortress around one’s heart chakra. I found this to be a very accurate description of what was actually going on in mine. This subject may actually be worth expanding on in a future post because I believe that the majority of people who have not done deliberate internal work probably have their heart chakras blocked off to some degree. For now, suffice to say that during a time in my life when I was more vulnerable and less able to address conflict (and deliberate negative interference) in a way that was healthy for myself, I unknowingly built a massive wall around what I would identify as my feminine aspect — the more intuitive part that feels, reaches out, draws others in, and forms meaningful connections.

Interestingly, this came out when I asked to see any structures preventing my attempts to get better at spirit communication. I was shown a massive fortress, which I thought was probably blocking my crown chakra. Normally my ability to “see” these things is limited to brief flashes without much detail. This one though, was extremely vivid and well formed. If it was any more well formed, I’d probably be living in it. I could see the grains of sand in the mortar between the stones, it was that vivid. I took this to mean it had been there for a long time, and a lot of “work” had gone into forming it. I did my usual dynamiting routine — and clearly saw that it only took a small chunk out of the structure. Well… shit. So I walked around it (again underscoring how BIG this thing was), placing dynamite every few feet. That got ‘er down. When I went to bulldoze the rubble, I could actually feel the bulldozer straining against these huge blocks of stone — pretty crazy. It wasn’t until after I removed this structure though, that I found out it hadn’t been in my crown chakra as I’d thought. In reality, I was now face to face with a now very exposed, and very upset, part of my heart chakra, that hadn’t seen the light of day in two decades. Long story short, after two days of sessions spent dialoguing with this aspect, getting it updated, comforted and apologizing for bad coping mechanisms, I made peace and got it integrated. The difference in my heart chakra was nothing short of stunning — it was more open, functional and “connecty” than I’ve ever known it to be.

At this point it’s worth noting that while I wish everyone could experience the enormous benefits of a fully open and functional heart chakra, it’s important to make sure you’re in a supportive (or at least not actively abusive) environment before doing work of this nature. The unblocked aspects will likely be the source of stored pain, and I’ll be honest, it’s not going to be pleasant until they’re fully integrated. Those aspects will also be very vulnerable, so I would strongly suggest not doing so if you’re in an abusive situation or overly negative environment. Ideally you would have someone on hand willing and able to give any emotional support, feedback and help with self-monitoring that is needed, especially when dealing with issues of past trauma. In those cases, the supervision of a qualified hypnotherapist or mental health professional may be advisable. Energy healing has also shown itself to be extremely helpful in the reintegration process. With that said, I’ll address some common questions I’ve been encountering about the dynamite technique.

Common Questions

What if I destroy something I probably shouldn’t?

It doesn’t really work that way. The way I understand it is that there are two kinds of internal structures. One is based on beliefs, entrenched habits, socialization, fears — all unproven “stuff” that gets piled on top of your true identity over the course of your life, distorting your perception of reality, and acting as an obstacle on the path of self-knowledge. The other kind is based on knowledge and personal experience — I use the term “gnosis.” You couldn’t demolish something you KNOW to be true if you wanted to — because you’ve experienced it firsthand. If you recognize that a structure is causing you to fear, or limit yourself, then you already know you’d be better off without it — this is just a symbolic way of letting your subconscious know “I want this gone, and gone yesterday.” Remember that you’re not working physically here, you’re working with symbols and intent — so it’s not like you’re going to aim at one structure, accidentally knock down another and find yourself convinced you’re a duck.

What if I don’t know all the specifics of what I’m demolishing?

I wondered this myself, but it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference whether you have full conscious knowledge or memory of the structure, its origin, history and everything it’s currently doing. I’ve used it on structures where I did have all this info, and I’ve done it with some where I didn’t have much more information than “there’s something in my system causing me anxiety”; in which case I simply said “show me the structure relating to this anxiety response.” In all cases its been about equally effective. Sometimes the instances where I have little info to go on are actually more fun, because I’ve had a lot of pleasant surprises; positive changes I could not have anticipated. That said, Gehenna’s readings were a tremendous help to me in gaining insight on what to target for maximum benefit. There was a period of a few weeks where this allowed me to zero in on and plow through a lot of major stuff in a short period; bam, bam, bam. So, consider that a recommendation for anyone who wants some clarity and insight before you start breaking stuff.

Is this an instant cure-all that will remove all my problems?

No. If anything it should be thought of as a way to get rid of entrenched resistance… but you still need to replace the old structure with better habits and knowledge gained from experience. Think of a bad habit as a thread that has looped around your legs, over and over, for a period of years, and your goal as something in the distance that you’re trying to walk toward. The structures that are removed by this technique are like the thread — it’ll be a LOT easier to achieve your goals with that resistance gone, but you’ve still got some walking to do. Without actively planning a course that’s different from the one you used to be on, and moving toward something better, you risk simply building another structure just like the one you got rid of. You can blow through the entrenched patterns that give you an overwhelming compulsion to procrastinate for instance — but for practical purposes, you still need to stop procrastinating.

WARNING: I’m not kidding when I say this technique will make changes in your system in a very fast and direct way. Fast changes can be disorienting, and cause symptoms of heavy clearing. This can mean a sense of “emptiness” or mental discomfort as your system adapts to operating without the former structure — like reaching for a security blanket that isn’t there anymore. It can also cause physical symptoms, much like detoxing the body can cause temporary physical discomfort. One should take it very literally that you’re getting rid of a structure, possibly one held for many years, and leaving nothing in its place. This should not be taken lightly. So if you plan on trying it, I’d strongly recommend experimenting with caution to start out, being very sure and specific about what you want gone, and not doing this with too many issues in too short a period. Treat it with the same respect you would physical explosives.

This exercise is not recommended for people with a history of mental illness, those in an emotionally vulnerable state, or especially fragile physical health. If you have ANY doubts about your ability to handle the effects of this exercise, please consult your doctor beforehand.

When I first came up with this technique, I got a little too excited about how effective it was, and did a lot of it at once. Bad idea. I was doing a major structure or two a day on average, and it went a bit like… “yay it’s working! Yay it’s working!” (Day 5 or so) “Ohhh crap it’s working a little too well, what did I doooo. *falls over*” I ended up completely drained energetically, mentally scattered, emotionally out of whack, nearly sick, and had to stop all inner work for about another week and a half until my system reorganized and recovered. For anyone who wants to try the technique, I would strongly recommend using it on ONE structure, and waiting for a minimum of three days to see how your system responds before going ahead with more. Since personal responsibility is one of the major themes of this site, I respect my readers enough to offer this information with the understanding that those who choose to apply it do so at their own discretion. Listen to your body, use common sense and find the pace that works best for you.

Be safe, have fun and by all means share your experiences with us!

–Palehorse

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Related posts:

1. The Violet Flame
2. Internal Time Travel
3. Lifelong Problems of Unknown Origin Solved by Implant Removal

Coming to a general understanding of how one’s energetic system functions is the first step toward working with it effectively. On that note, allow me to introduce you to your two best friends and most reliable support system on the path to fulfilling your highest potential, as the wise and benevolent ruler of your experience. You may know them as your heart and solar plexus chakras, or energy centers. I call ‘em “Love ‘n Shove.”

Love

In my estimation, the heart chakra may well be the most talked about, romanticized, and least understood part of the human energy body. I will be elaborating a lot more on what it is, and what it does, in my follow-up to the What Is Love reader-participation exercise. While we’re waiting for enough feedback to make for an engaging compilation (HINT HINT! ), I will say that this is where you’ll find the means to smooth out any passive resistance on your path. At its best your heart chakra reaches out and forms connections that are mutually beneficial for both parties. The cool thing is that simply connecting in this way is a benefit for both parties in itself — it strengthens your heart chakra, makes you feel good and gives others who are receptive to it a shot of positive, loving energy. The “stuff” of the heart chakra is in such high demand that it acts as the force that puts the right people in the right places at the right times, exactly as you need it to be. This is the invisible foundation of your visible earthly support network, and where the “magic” of things like positive synchronicities happens.

Where the heart chakra often runs into trouble, is due to the fact that its only natural defense is passive. Which is to say that some people (and entities) will be of such an orientation that they find its energy distasteful. There has been a tendency in New-Age circles to view love energy as the only necessary defense against active negative interference, but unfortunately this doesn’t always work in reality.

Imagine you’ve got a plate of food in front of you that isn’t your favorite. Whether you go ahead and eat it anyway will depend on a number of factors, such as availability of alternate options, how hungry you are and otherwise whether you have a good enough reason to disregard the taste. Similarly, the heart chakra’s energy does have the effect of repelling some things that aren’t compatible with it — but if the source of interference is determined, and sees a way in, or if one habitually allows their good will to be taken advantage of — then your path will present obstacles that waltz straight over your passive defense.

Anyone who has lived on planet earth for a while will know the feeling of a wounded heart chakra, which could come about via misunderstanding, rejection, betrayal or even deliberate maliciousness. The most common mistake at this point is to try and defend the heart using the mind. After a painful experience, people have a tendency to shut the heart down, and take on negative beliefs about themselves and others. These beliefs are like mercenaries, hired to build a fortress — they’ll do what you tell ‘em and take your focus and energy as payment, but they care little about the condition of the heart itself. The heart thus ends up inaccessible to you or anyone else, unable to form its connections, and eventually shuts down. A stone fortress is a good description of the literal energetic construct many people build around the heart chakra; I know this because I’ve found and demolished mine directly. Not knowing that this is what’s really happening, but still valuing the concept of love — one then may try to substitute other things in its place: money, sex, control, approval and so on… meanwhile wondering why they continue to feel so isolated. Obviously, these things are no real substitute. What the heart chakra needs is a separate security system that lets it do its work freely, yet selectively allows some influences to pass through and engage with it directly, and keeps others out — by force if necessary. Such a security force is readily available, willing and more than capable of doing its job. Which brings us to…

Shove

Say hi to your solar plexus chakra. (Altogether now: “hiiii Shoooove!”) Whereas the heart “walks softly” — the solar plexus is where you’ll find your proverbial big stick. (I said stick! STICK!!) Ahem.

The SP is your center of personal power and will; at its best, it is where healthy boundaries are created — and enforced. When the energy here is integrated in itself, and balanced with the heart chakra, you’re much more likely to know what “healthy boundaries” are for you, and how much force is necessary to keep them from being crossed in a given situation. The great thing about working at the energetic level is that ideally you won’t often need to enforce those boundaries directly — your solar plexus chakra and the boundaries you’ve tasked it with will do that for you. This happens at a subconscious level that is picked up on by anyone you encounter (and even those you haven’t yet!). Ideally, solar plexus energy acts as a deterrent much like carrying a visible weapon — you could use it if you had to, but just having it visible makes it a lot less likely that you’d need to. The solar plexus is also a processor of sorts, where raw bio-energy is converted into things like motivation, direct action and effort. It is the “oomph” that works to convert one’s desire to create their environment in their own image, into physical reality.

Those who have a longstanding habit of either using too much or too little force in their daily interactions will still need to find their own balance through practice and personal experience. If you have been conditioned to believe that all use of force is “sinful”, you’ll need to challenge those beliefs before being able to take personal responsibility for creating your personal reality. Think happy thoughts, make plans and move to carry them out by all means — but know that it’s your solar plexus chakra that contains the driving force which largely determines whether you’re an effective creator, a leaf blown around by every passing breeze, or somewhere in between.

Putting It All Together

When the heart and solar plexus chakras are functioning together and working in balance, they form a unit very reminiscent of the yin yang symbol shown above. The correctly functioning solar plexus is the security system the heart needs to form its connections, boldly and freely. When the heart reaches out, the SP keeps an eye on things, and sends out a warning when it senses an unacceptable amount of risk. When boundaries are crossed and our good will is taken advantage of, the solar plexus steps in to see that the offense is resolved and not repeated, so that the heart is not wounded beyond its ability to remain healthy and open.

In turn, a properly functioning heart chakra is equally important to ensure that the solar plexus chakra performs its functions in the most beneficial way possible. The energy of the solar plexus is pure force — which, by itself, runs the serious risk of being misdirected. Willpower alone only encounters increasing resistance, and results in frustration and isolation. When informed by the heart chakra’s energy, the solar plexus’ drive to press onward is one of passion and inspiration. It naturally directs you toward your most fulfilling possible path, resistance is minimized and the effort required feels effortless — and fun!

The next post will begin to explore how I’ve been working with my heart chakra to dramatically improve my daily experience. For those who are interested in exploring their own chakras and energy system, I highly recommend Robert Bruce’s New Energy Ways. This is the foundation of my own energy work, for being both extremely effective and easy to use. NEW can be found online, as well as elaborated on in the following two books.

New Energy Ways (Online tutorial)
Energy Work: The Secret of Healing and Spiritual Development
(aff.)
Astral Dynamics: A New Approach to Out-of-Body Experiences
(aff.)

Related posts:

1. Love: Here's the Scoop
2. Power, Wisdom, Love
3. Love Vs. Control

When a king planned to travel into a city in ancient times, preparations began well in advance. There were people whose job it was to go out ahead of his procession, make any necessary road repairs and remove things like fallen trees, rocks or other debris. The goal was for the king’s trip to be as smooth, efficient and pleasant as possible.

Of course, trees and rocks weren’t the only potential pitfalls on the king’s path: wild animals and highway robbers posed a threat as well. Do you think either of those dangers would cause a king to fear making the trip? Of course not! Would you say he stood a serious risk of being overtaken by them? Not a chance. Why? Because he didn’t travel alone, of course. He had a security team whose job it was to make sure that if anything intended to threaten the king’s safety and well being, it was forcibly dealt with before it could even get close. If everyone was doing their jobs properly, including the king, then he had a safe and pleasant trip, and his arrival was willingly celebrated by everyone in the city.

At your best, YOU are the king or queen of your own experience. You make your plans, and move to carry them out. If everything is balanced and aligned as it should be, people and situations move to give you a clear path, and any potential deliberate threats are removed before you even meet them.

Obviously we’re not always at our best, and real life doesn’t always play out that way. The average person is like a king who makes his plans, but hits the road on his own, and doesn’t tell anyone in the next city that he’s coming. He may have some vague idea about keeping a positive attitude about his trip, but otherwise most factors are left to chance. His path is bumpy, he may or may not get to the next city in one piece, and whether there will be any kind of reception is anyone’s guess. There’s also a possibility of becoming like a king who isn’t exercising his authority — and thus gets jerked around and completely usurped by his advisors. Or like a king whose brutal, iron fisted rule causes so much resistance that even his closest allies turn against him.

I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to leave such a large part of your circumstances to chance, and that there is a balance between the two extremes. Like the wisest of kings, you too have a staff on hand waiting to make your daily experience as smooth, efficient, beneficial and fun as possible. The problem is that most people have no idea that the support is available, much less where to look for it. I’ll give you a hint: you won’t find them by looking to other people, institutions or even God. Who does that leave? Yep: the foundation of your support system is IN YOU. It’s energetic, because energy is the foundation of your entire experience. Positive thoughts and well-informed actions are actually the effect; energy is the cause. If your energy is unbalanced or not being used properly, the best plans may be thwarted; the most proactive, optimistic possible approach may still find itself blocked at every avenue. When your energetic system is functioning as it should, planning well, thinking positively and taking the correct action will be the natural outcome. Putting those things first may work, sometimes, but that’s a path of more resistance, effort and struggle. Forming good habits in those three areas is an indirect way of getting your energy system to step in line with your goals, but this takes a lot longer than simply working with energy directly.

As with most things, I favor the more direct approach. (Bet you never saw that one coming…)

Reaching a solid understanding of how one’s energetic system functions is the first step toward working with it effectively. On that note, in the next post I’ll introduce you to your two best friends and most reliable support system on the path to fulfilling your highest potential, as the wise and benevolent ruler of your experience. While you’re waiting in suspense, consider weighing in on the soon-to-be-posted “What Is Love?” reader participation exercise! *prod*

–Palehorse

Related posts:

1. First Experience with Orgone
2. The Adventures of Love 'n Shove
3. Your Energy: Valued Treasure or Free Buffet?

What I didn’t learn, and should have, is one of the most fundamental skills where energy is concerned. Considering how important this skill is, I’m surprised I haven’t seen more sources address it.

How to manage my own energy efficiently and hang onto it until I need to put it to good use.

One of my biggest problems has been energy drain. No matter how much I’d raise, or how good my defenses were, there was a time where I was losing more energy than I could ever hope to take in more often than not. I would often wake up after a full night’s sleep even more tired and weary than when I went to bed the night before. Difficult encounters with other people would leave me a lot more worn out than I might’ve liked. It was as if my system had a low-level, continuous leak, and at the worst this was attracting draining people, situations and nonphysical entities into my life just as blood in the water is likely to attract nearby sharks.

For a long time this issue was buried somewhere on my “things to fix eventually” list because I really had no solid idea what to do about it. My strategy at the time was to simply raise more energy to make up for what I was losing. This was fine for staying active and functional during the average day, but it really came into sharp focus when I became more interested in developing my natural psychic abilities. For best results, developing these abilities requires a balanced approach, where your system maintains the energy you need to stay functional in a “real world” sense, but are able to handle a greater energetic demand for use by the higher chakras.

Houston, we have a problem.

What eventually came out was that this leak in my system was being caused by old beliefs I picked up when I very first started looking into alternative spirituality, metaphysics and energy work, but before I had any awareness of people and entities who get their energy by draining it from others. These beliefs amounted to a disorganized mishmash of ideas that I think is pretty common in spiritual circles — ideas taken from New Age thought and Buddhism, some leftover vestiges of martyr mentality from Christianity, with some basic concepts from quantum physics tossed in for good measure. Maybe some of these will sound familiar to a few of you readers.

–”All is energy.”
–”Energy is free.”
–”I am made up of particles and empty space. The guy next to me is made up of particles and empty space. The only thing between us is particles and empty space. Therefore we’re all just points of consciousness swimming around in a sea of particles and empty space.”
–”Desires and attachments are bad. Therefore I should desire to rid myself of them.” (Err…)
–”Give freely to anyone who asks, and if someone wants to take something from me, so be it” (Roughly paraphrased with apologies to Jesus).
–”The physical world is an illusion”.
–”All is one.”

I could probably give more examples but this paints a pretty good picture of where my understanding was at one time. As of now my opinion of that list is rather mixed. I’ll save those rants discussions for future posts though. For now my point is this: our beliefs are the basic commands that tell our energetic system how to function. Thing is, even as we evolve, old beliefs can stay in the subconscious like outdated software, continuing to influence the way our personality and circumstances play out, until they’re addressed directly. What these particular beliefs were telling my system was that MY energy is free to anyone who wants a piece, there’s no point in getting attached to it since it’s everywhere, and I can always take in more. Is it any wonder that my attempts to hold onto enough energy to learn new abilities were the spiritual equivalent of eating soup with a fork?

Not all of those ideas are necessarily bad or wrong; some of them I still hold in some form. The problem is that, for practical purposes, most of them aren’t very relevant to my current frame of reference. I may “transcend this illusion” some day — but if I’m ever going to get there, I have to work with what tools and options I have NOW. For now I’m living on a physical planet in a body that requires energy to function. Most of that energy is NOT free, in the sense that converting it for my own use costs time and effort on my part, whether by eating or raising it directly.

My goal is to strengthen my connection with the Source to the point that it’s providing all the energy I need directly — but as of now I’m pretty sure that learning to appreciate and consciously manage our energy was one of the lessons we signed up for by disconnecting from it in the first place. Once humanity learns that lesson, we’ll have all the free energy we need. This statement can be interpreted on a number of levels.

In light of all this I have come to regard energy more like I regard money, since they’re both resources I have to work to obtain. Once energy comes into my system, it is mine and mine alone, to use as I please. I may choose to give it away, via healing and such, — but the important distinction is that the choice is mine. No person or entity has any right to invade my space and drain my energy without my consent. Energy drain can happen directly, but this can just as easily refer to any situation where we give away our personal power to something outside ourselves.

Enforcing those rules of engagement in difficult situations is a whole other subject, and another key skill to master — but just purging my old beliefs and instituting those ideas, in itself, made a swift and dramatic difference in my personal energy levels. Since my system got that memo, I find myself much more conscious of not letting myself be taken advantage of in regular interactions. I am able to sense pretty quickly if anything negative is in my space, but the difference is that now I’ll simply feel it as a sense of pressure on the outer edges of my aura — there’s no longer any invasive energy drain.

Info on my favorite method for changing beliefs at their core quickly and directly can be found in my post Beliefs Create Experiences. Any limiting or detrimental beliefs you may have about energy may not be the same ones I had to change (though something tells me I may have described a good percentage of the metaphysical community, there ). Whatever the case may be — the question of how we regard energy, our beliefs about it, and managing our own in an efficient and beneficial way, is a tremendously important set of topics to think about for anyone who’s serious about regular energy work, and especially healing work. Even more than that, it is a crucial component of the path to self-mastery.

–Palehorse

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One evening a few years back, I cut my lip shaving. And for whatever reason, it would not. Stop. BLEEDING. For four hours. It kept soaking through bandaids, toilet paper and whatever else I put over it, and putting pressure on it would only stop it while the pressure was applied. I had to miss class that night, because I couldn’t very well go in looking like I had tried to make out with a piranha. Besides, if there were any vampires hanging around, I’d only make myself a target, and we just couldn’t have THAT. Err… Ahem.

At some point I came up with an impulse I wished I would’ve had a few hours earlier. I bounced some energy around the site of my battle wound until I felt it tingling, and then tried to heal the spot with a technique I came up with on the fly. For a visual I used, of all things, the rapid self-healing scenes with Wolverine from the X-Men films, and Eric Draven from The Crow. Amusing, yes — but the idea was that modern CGI special effects have advanced to the point where if someone really could heal instantly that way, that’s exactly what it would look like. Thus it seemed to work as a good way to communicate to my subconscious, which understands symbolism and concepts more readily than words, what I wanted. What I did was more than visualizing though; I really tried to feel it as well, to pull the wound closed and feel it sealing up. Those familiar with Robert Bruce’s method of energy work known as “tactile imaging” will be familiar with what I’m talking about here. Literally thirty seconds later, the bleeding had stopped completely.

I have had many similar experiences since. In some cases I’ve noticed that I could make a nagging long term problem or old injury that never healed right feel better for a short period, but it would soon go back to the way it was. In those cases I would often find an underlying energy block in the affected area. Once cleared, the physical issue would heal more permanently. I can’t help but draw a parallel to the western medical paradigm’s tendency to mask symptoms rather than looking for the root cause of an issue, but that’s a whole other post.

My experiences have confirmed to my satisfaction what mystics have been saying for ages and modern medicine is just beginning to admit: the mind has a very powerful ability to change the physical state of the body. My million dollar question is: if I can heal something like a cut, an old injury or the flu, shouldn’t healing something “bigger” be every bit as possible based on the very same principle? Consider the fact that the body’s cells are constantly dying and being replaced; indeed, that the body you have today is not the same body you had several years ago. Consider also the research that is currently learning how stem cells can be triggered to develop into any kind of tissue in the body. If the “stuff” we’re made of is constantly replacing itself, why does it regenerate things like scars, injuries, disease, instead of reverting to its original healthy state? Is there an underlying “blueprint” for our bodies that can be altered by sickness and trauma? If this is the case and it were possible to access this blueprint, could it be reverted to a previous state just as we can solve many computer problems by restoring a previous save? Could deliberate changes to the blueprint be made? Why do our bodies age if the cells are new?

Do we have to stick with the reality that we’ve always taken for granted, or is reality a bit more customizable than we thought?

–Palehorse

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Related posts:

1. Thoughts on Reincarnation
2. Three Rules Governing Soul Fragmentation (Part 2)
3. Enlightenment, Salvation and the Rejection of Power (Part 3)