As we're nearing the completion of the general outline of the program, or as I also like to call it the basic framework, our journey is far from over. As we approach this milestone, I'm excited to announce that we'll be moving into a new phase of our work together soon.
I'll be expanding the program to address your individual letters and experiences, which I like to refer to as your 'trauma x-rays.' Your personal reflections will serve as the expansion, participation, and for our continued growth and exploration in the Tricks of Trauma Program. Together, we'll apply the knowledge and insights we’ve gained thus far, to assist with your healing and transformation, bringing about positive changes in your life.
As you may have surmised, the metaphor of your journey to reach the top of your mountain serves as a powerful symbol. However, it's important to clarify that your climb to the top doesn't mean that you have reached a permanent state of bliss or a life free from challenges. You know, that you will finally just be able to sit at the top, living your life happily ever after, never having to deal with anything bothersome again.
Rather, it represents the ongoing process of growth and self-discovery. Even after moving through the healing process, you may face new challenges or setbacks along the way. Remember, your journey to climb to the mountaintop is not about reaching a destination, but rather it’s about embracing the continuous path of expanding your awareness.
To discover new people, places, and to rebuild your life with new constructs, in your exploration as an earth traveler, that will shape your new reality. You will begin to experience life with a fresh perspective, as you address your patterns and trauma, and become filled with curiosity, enthusiasm, and a renewed zest for life.
What will you actually experience once you reach the top of your mountain you might ask? At your pinnacle, you will come to recognize your own power, your innate abilities, and most importantly, your power to choose. Your newfound awareness will empower you to know that you can turn things around even in an instant.
When you are mired in the role of playing the victim, your ability to see your choices becomes clouded. And what happens when you cannot see your choices clearly? This lack of clarity is what leads you to all kinds of conflict.
And remember, when you experience conflict, who has slithered up to you? You guessed it, the slithering snake of opposing energy. This is why breaking free from the victim vortex is so vital, as it restores your ability to act and make choices, that are to your greatest benefit. Escaping its swirling clutches returns your power back to you.
Remember, you always have the power to choose, in each and every moment of your existence, you get to choose. And oftentimes, we don’t realize that remaining a victim is also a choice. And that’s okay, as it's important to recognize that all choices are valid and acceptable. There is no judgment of right or wrong.
Life in this world is not meant to be utopian, and we are currently shifting paradigms, birthing a new reality on a global scale, which unfortunately will incur more trauma to its earth travelers. But remember, from chaos comes order, and we will shift into a new world and new way of being by walking away from what doesn’t serve us.
Now is the time for us to unite and rebuild what we've neglected, to uplift our community into the one we envision. It all starts with individuals prioritizing their own well-being. Why? Because, as I've emphasized before, when you prioritize your own growth and happiness, and do what is to your greatest benefit, you naturally uplift and benefit those around you. Can you begin to see the ripple effect we can create by embracing this mindset?
This is why healing past trauma is so important, because as you move through this transition, by healing your psychological wounds, you will have more strength, resiliency, and the tricks or tools to handle and move through the coming times.
This is not a message of doom and gloom, but rather a unique juncture which is an unprecedented moment in our human history, in which we are all playing a part. Together we are shifting ourselves into a new reality, in which each and every individual is precious, worthy, and valued. It’s a return to holding a reverence for life and ending the age of disposability, that emerged from the aftermath of World War 2. Let’s restore HONOR amongst ourselves once again, and reclaim our humanity in the process.
And in order to accomplish this, we must move ourselves into the position of our self-trust and acceptance. Always remember, you are worthy just because you breathe.
And now, let’s begin the next vital episode in The Tricks of Trauma program, as we climb up the mountain together, conquering the peaks of our doubts and fear, as you come to recognize the beauty and strength within yourself. By cultivating trust in yourself and what you can do, you pave the way for your healing and transformation, as you bask in the radiant light of your self-acceptance.
Let’s begin our next eye-opening episode,
Your Self-Acceptance and Trust Leads You to the Top of Your Mountain
So, let’s continue by defining what self-acceptance is and how it will transform your world. You can begin to move into your self-acceptance by perhaps imagining it like exploring a hidden treasure trove within yourself. As you delve into the following points, think of them as the keys to unlocking your treasure. Each point offers two different perspectives, just like looking through two different lenses. One is through the lens of your trauma response, followed by the lens of healing and acceptance.
Together, they'll guide you towards your genuine self-acceptance, so we can empower ourselves to transform our world one person at a time. This is the essence of reality creation – as you always have the power to choose, and as you transform or shift your perception of reality, reality itself changes. Which is why I continue to remind you, that you always have the power to choose.
Now, let's delve into twelve outcomes of self-acceptance:
1) You stop shielding yourself. - This is the moment you realize that you don’t want to be that person who always has put up walls to protect themselves from getting hurt. One day, you have an aha moment and realize that these walls are preventing you from truly connecting with others. So, you begin to let your guard down, allowing yourself to be more vulnerable in your relationships.
You begin to shed the protective layers you've built around yourself, much like a turtle carrying a heavy shell. This shell seems to shield you from harm, but it also keeps others at a distance. Over time, you realize that these barriers hinder your ability to form deep connections with those around you. Yet, despite your initial fear, you gradually dismantle these defenses, allowing your true self to emerge. With every layer you remove, you feel a renewed sense of freedom and authenticity.
2) You can be open and vulnerable. - Let’s think of someone who always keeps their emotions bottled up inside, afraid to show any sign of weakness. One day, they decide to share their feelings with a trusted friend, opening up about their struggles and fears. This act of vulnerability strengthens their bond, allowing them to receive support.
Look at it this way, picture someone who guards their treasure chest with utmost secrecy. Why? Because they fear being judged or rejected by what’s inside. Yet, one courageous day, they find the bravery to unlock it, revealing their innermost jewels to a trusted friend. To their delight, their friend lovingly accepts each and every gem with admiration and appreciation, fostering a deeper connection between them.
Through this act of vulnerability, they not only reveal their true selves but they also strengthen the bonds of their friendship. With newfound warmth and acceptance filling their hearts, they come to realize the power of being open and authentic in cultivating relationships that are meaningful.
3) You are allowing. – Are you a person who has always been a control freak, unable to let go of your need to micromanage every aspect of your life, or even the lives of other people? Ahhh, but then you come to realize and begin to understand that some things are beyond your control. You learn to surrender to the flow of life, and you take steps toward your intentions, by trusting that everything will unfold as it should.
So, imagine if you're someone who always wants everything to be just right, like you're the big director of a big movie, trying to control every scene in it. But then one day, you realize that some things are kind of like wild horses - you can't always control them. So, what do you do? You decide to let go a little, and you go with the flow, trusting that things will turn out just fine in the end.
4) You can receive. - Consider if you are someone who has always been uncomfortable accepting help or compliments from others. One day, you realize that it’s okay to allow yourself to receive a kind gesture from a friend without feeling guilty or indebted. This simple act of receiving opens you up to the abundance of love and support that is always available to you.
Imagine yourself at a birthday party, and someone hands you a beautifully wrapped present with a big smile. But you notice that you feel a bit awkward because you're not used to receiving gifts. But then you remember that it's okay to accept kindness from others. You unwrap the present and find something you've always wanted inside. Accepting this gift fills you with joy and gratitude, and you realize that opening yourself up to receiving, makes life even more wonderful.
5) You know you are enough. - Reflect to see if you are a person who has always doubted your worthiness, constantly seeking validation from others. Then, you may have a moment of clarity where you realize that your worth is innate, and it is not dependent on any outside sources to tell you otherwise. Now, you can embrace your unique qualities and recognize that you are enough just as you are.
Remember, when you heal and transform you won’t feel like you're not good enough anymore, or that you have to prove yourself to everyone all the time? Why? Because one day, you realize that you're like a rare treasure, valuable and special just because you breathe. You understand that you don't have to be anyone else but yourself to be amazing.
6) You know you are important, valuable and worthy, because you breathe. – Are you someone who has always felt insignificant and invisible, constantly seeking validation from others to feel worthy about yourself? Then one day you have a profound realization that your worthiness is inherent. How? You genuinely realize that you were born worthy, simply by virtue of being alive. You come to understand that you naturally have value and that you deserve to take up space in the world. After all, you are creating your world. You come to understand that you are important and an integral thread in the tapestry of life.
In other words, you stop feeling invisible, like you're just a speck in a big universe. You stop trying to get attention from others to feel important. Just like a light bulb turning on, you realize that you're already important just because you breathe. You can see yourself as a piece of a beautiful puzzle, and you and only you can make the picture complete.
7) You stop being intolerant. – Have you ever found yourself harboring prejudices and judgments towards people who are different from you? Then one day, you may have a transformative experience where you meet someone from a different background who challenges your beliefs, but you notice that you are not bothered by it. You realize that you can actually listen and learn from them, and embrace your differences as you enjoy the diversity of life.
Picture meeting someone new at work or at school who's from a totally different place than you. At first, you might feel a bit uncomfortable because they're not like anyone else you know. But then, you start talking and you find out they're into the same things you are, even though they grew up somewhere totally different! You learn about their culture and you share yours too. Instead of feeling weird about the differences, you realize it's pretty awesome to have friends who bring something new and interesting to the group.
8) Difference no longer threatens you. – Have you always felt uneasy around people who are different from you? Maybe you worried that those differences would cause fights, problems, or misunderstandings. But then, something amazing happens! You meet someone who's really unique, and you realize it's actually pretty cool!
You come to learn that having friends who bring diverse perspectives helps you to learn new things. It makes life even more interesting and exciting to see the world from different angles. You might even start to think that diversity is what makes life truly amazing, as it encourages growth and understanding.
And voila, you've shifted your perception, your outlook, to see that embracing differences is what makes our world the vibrant and dynamic place it is. However, embracing differences is one of the most challenging aspects of healing from trauma. Why? Because it automatically triggers a defensive response from a perceived threat, setting off a chain reaction of opposition between people.
Defense mechanisms, which are our instinctive reactions to perceived threats, can escalate tensions and it hinders our cooperation. When we are faced with those who are intolerant, it's easy to respond in kind by being intolerant of their point of view as well. We mirror back their lack of acceptance by responding to them with our lack of acceptance, perpetuating a cycle of conflict. But by fostering acceptance and understanding, we can break free from this cycle, and create harmony and cooperation instead.
9) You trust yourself. - Picture someone who constantly doubts what they can do. They question their abilities, hesitate to trust their own judgment, and they always second-guess their decisions. Then one day, they begin to listen to that little inner voice inside – you know, their intuition - and they learn to rely on their own wisdom. As they tune into their own inner guidance, they become more confident and assured in making their decisions and actions.
In other words, it’s like going from doubting and always feeling unsure about yourself, to having unwavering faith in your own abilities. You are good enough and capable enough. As you start to believe in yourself and your abilities, it's as if you have discovered a superhero within yourself that you can always count on. Remember, your journey towards self-trust and acceptance is one of your greatest super power.
10) You know that you can choose what you want, desire, and deserve. – Take a moment to see if you if you are someone who has always felt powerless and at the mercy of your circumstances. Then you have a revelation that hits you like a bolt of lightning, realizing you have the power to create your reality through what your ideas are, your constructs, what you believe, and what actions you take. You start to consciously choose what you want, desire, and deserve, manifesting your dreams into reality.
In other words, you are no longer someone who feels like they're stuck in a boring movie, just going through the motions of your life without any excitement. Then, one day you realize that you're not just the character in the movie, you’re the one in charge! You’re actually not only the director, producer, and writer of your own movie, but you are also the star of your own story. You jump for joy, realizing that you have the power to choose how your story unfolds. It's like having a magic wand and watching your dreams come true.
11) You have no need for revenge or any motivation to punish others. – Have you ever found yourself holding onto grudges, waiting for the perfect moment to seek revenge and get back at those who have wronged you? Maybe you’ve even told them that karma’s a bitch, coming back to bite them. But then one day, you have a moment of clarity. You realize that holding onto that anger only hurts you in the end.
You can picture yourself as a person who's no longer mad at someone for something they did in the past. You can see that holding onto that anger only makes you feel worse. So, you make a choice as you always have the power to choose, to let go of the resentment and forgive them. Now, you can finally move on with your life. It's kind of like taking a deep breath and letting go of a heavy weight from your shoulders that you’ve been carrying around. And lo and behold you have freed yourself from the burden of toxic energy and opened your heart to acceptance.
12) You can have caring relationships free from being concerned about what others are choosing - Consider if you are someone who has always been codependent in your relationships, constantly worrying about what your friends and family think of you, always trying to please others. Then, you learn to set healthy boundaries and to prioritize your own well-being. You cultivate relationships that are based on mutual respect and support, where each person is free to be themselves without judgment or control.
Then one day, like a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds, you realize that it's perfectly alright for you to embrace your true self. You discover that those who genuinely care about you will accept you just as you are. It's like shedding a heavy load of worries, finally granting yourself the freedom to simply be yourself.
In summary, these twelve outcomes of self-acceptance offer a profound guide for your journey of transformation. However, don’t let their apparent simplicity deceive you. When you embrace your self-acceptance, you hold the key to unlock your ability to shape your reality and redefine your perspective. From releasing old habits and patterns, to nurturing meaningful relationships and embracing diversity, each outcome serves as a vital stepping stone on your path to personal growth and healing.
Through self-acceptance, you not only reclaim your ability to make independent choices, but also to make choices that are aligned with your own aspirations and intentions. It restores your sense of empowerment and authority over your own life’s direction. Moreover, self-acceptance nurtures a deep sense of your worthiness, importance, and inherent value. Ultimately, it paves the way for you to navigate your life with grace, fortitude, and an unwavering trust in yourself.
However, when you lack acceptance what begins to rise? Defensiveness. You find yourself justifying your decisions and choices instead, vigorously defending your preferences, beliefs, directions, opinions, and observations.
Remember, defense is akin to the slithering snake of opposing energy, as it is always a form of opposition. This energy will always knock you out of balance, and well therefore, as far as cooperation goes, it becomes impossible.
Therefore, reviewing episode 8 is crucial to avoid perpetuating this cycle of opposition. You don’t want to continue the opposing energy by compromising or acquiescing either. This is about moving into cooperation, through the transformative power of acceptance, as outlined in episode 8.
Freedom and self-direction require you to pay attention to yourself, and to your energy. Are you opposing? What or who are you in opposition with? It could even be yourself. In other words, what or who are you not accepting, as oppositional energy comes in many forms, not just as aggression. You will find these forms listed in episode 8 as well.
Did you know that you can express your opinions, and not be opposing others with it, if you are sharing and participating with others in the spirit of cooperation? In that state of being, you are not expressing an opposing energy, you are not challenging them, you are not setting yourself up to be right and that they are wrong. Remember this well. You don’t have to like or agree with someone in order to cooperate with them. You can simply HONOR them, and accept their opinion if it is different. They are also an individual who is worthy, valuable, and important, because they breathe.
So, how do you expand your self-awareness? By noticing and observing how you are expressing your energy.
Now this is important, especially in understanding why victims draw perpetrators, and the resulting dynamics between them. Each and every person you cross paths with, in any moment in your life, you have specifically, precisely, immaculately drawn that person to you. How? By the energy you emanate. Whether it is a stranger or friend, family or foe, they are drawn to you by the energy you are projecting. They shall precisely reflect your energy in some manner in that moment. This is the gauge of your energy. Remember you don’t live in a random universe. So, ask yourself, “What vibes are you putting out into the world?”
Did you know that just one person who radiates acceptance and allowance of who they are and the world they live in, ripples that energy out significantly, and just that one person alone positively affects our entire planet earth. You are a powerful earth traveler, and the time has come for you to know that, and to be the change you want to see. And the power of trusting and accepting yourself is the gateway to that reality.
Otherwise, how can you choose what you want if you are not aware of what you are doing. If you are not aware of what energy you are projecting. Once you have mastered and discovered that judging is harmful and you stop doing it, you can acknowledge that your reality merely IS. The thing is merely the thing in itself. But remember, it’s not good or bad. It merely IS. Moving into this area of acceptance allows you a tremendous amount of freedom, for those constructs and beliefs that judge good and bad are no longer affecting. You have neutralized them. They stop being important.
The antidote to the Not Enough Syndrome is that you know you deserve. That nothing is out of your grasp, or too much for you. You can see that there is nothing about you that is unacceptable, that is broken, that needs to be fixed, that is wrong, or that needs to be eliminated or disposed of. We are all in perfect working order.
I would like to share a quote with you from a book I read years ago by Jane Roberts and it really had a profound impact on me. I trust that it will allow you to also shift your perception even if its just a teeny bit, to come to understand that you are someone who is born into a state of grace.
“You were born into a state of grace. It is impossible for you to leave it. You will die in a state of grace whether or not special words are spoken for you, or water or oil is poured upon your head. You share this blessing with the animals and all other living things. You cannot fall out of grace, nor can it be taken from you. You can ignore it. You can hold beliefs that blind you to its existence. You will still be graced but unable to perceive your own uniqueness and integrity, and blind also to other attributes with which you are automatically gifted.”
Embrace the innate grace that flows within you. I believe it is a divine gift that resides at the core of each and every one of us. No matter what the trials or tribulations you face, this grace always remains, an unyielding force of love and light that sustains you through your journey as a fellow earth traveler. It is my fondest desire that you come to recognize the sacredness of your existence, knowing that you are inherently worthy and valuable just as you are. Allow yourself to awaken to the beauty of your own uniqueness. Open your heart to the boundless possibilities that grace bestows upon you. As you embrace this truth, may you also extend compassion and reverence to all living beings, honoring the interconnectedness of life and the divine essence that unites us all.
