Holistic Integration: A Journey towards Joy through Shadow Work
UNDERSTANDING OUR CURRENT PROGRAMMING
Once in a while, I find myself ‘disaster prophesying’ or imagining the worst-case scenario. It usually happens when I’m starting something new and scary or I’m entering a new friendship or partnership. These kinds of events require vulnerability and courage, so it’s natural to get into a state of fight or flight. However, it’s important to notice what kind of beliefs we truly hold on a subconscious level that tell us that we always need to be on the spectrum of fight or flight to remain safe and sane.
When things are going really well for you, do you ever notice that you won’t allow yourself to fully enjoy it for fear of it being too good to be true? Or maybe you imagine that a disaster is right around the corner… that the other shoe is bound to drop. I used to be that way; regulating myself to stay firmly in the middle-ground so that my heart was protected.. not allowing myself to truly embrace expansive and extensive joy. It was a subtle form of apathy designed to protect myself from a fall.
SURRENDER WITH CURIOSITY
Things changed for me when I started to appreciate the lows (the valleys of life) as much as the peaks. When I started to surrender to inevitable pain and discomfort with curiosity instead of resistance, my deepest healing was activated. I realized that there was nothing I couldn’t overcome with an attitude of self-exploration - and, ironically, the deep dives into the shadow of my soul brought me a profound peace on the other side that paralleled the relief of joy. The act of surrendering to reality delivers us straight to the present moment - there is no beating around the bush, there is simply acceptance. And when we can learn to accept our circumstances instead of battle them by swimming against the current, we can receive the lesson we most need and eventually make a conscious change. This really comes down to self-awareness and looking at our lives from an objective perspective.
MAGIC AND MINDFULNESS
When we really drop into the present moment and experience everything it has to offer, the anxiety we may feel about a future event or ruminations about the past inevitably dissipate. That intentional presence enables us to shift from moment to moment in a state of grace and power. It allows us to experience joy fully without limitation, and without fear of falling from the highs because we no longer fear the lows.
In the willingness to explore the yin to our yang, we can truly understand what it means to be human. We made a choice to incarnate as humans on this Earth at this time. We chose to take a seat on this rollercoaster with a soul knowing that it would lead to a greater level of consciousness and prepare us for our next incarnation. The chances of you being born were 1 in 400 trillion and there is quite literally stardust in your veins. You are a miracle, my love.
Remember, the Universe is always working for you. Trust and know that - not only when you’re riding a high, but also when you are integrating shadow.
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