Who Am I? Your Spiritual Identity

WHO AM I?

Each one of us at one time or another has asked this question and then experienced a spiritual identity crisis. A spiritual identity crisis is when you take on an identity which is not your own and when you ask ”Who Am I” you discover that how you’ve lived and/or the path you’ve been on is not really your own. You created a persona and lived an inauthentic life based on what you needed (or thought you needed) at the time. This is not wrong or bad it is what you needed at the time. It may take time not only for you to discover what has happened but to recognize and accept that the person you thought you were is not really you. Let me add here that when you receive that epiphany it’s not always easy to accept!

As human beings we identify with and play many roles in our lives. Like an actor we ‘become’ what/who we think we are supposed to be at any given time or in particular situations. We are employees or employers, brothers or sisters, daughters or sons, parents or children, husbands or wives, lovers or friends. I could go on listing the various roles that others see us as but I think you get the idea. If there was any invalidation thrown at you in the form of ‘not doing it right’ or ‘you’re wrong’ or ‘not good enough’ it makes sense you would try out something else. When you identify with invalidation (any type) and accept it as truth you may spend a good deal of time in effort trying to fix it by being someone you are not and never were.

Others see you and you even may see yourself in the roles you play but they are only seeing one very small part of you and what you DO is not who you are! There are even roles one takes on based on what we THINK they should be, how we should act (ect.) or we become the person we think someone else wants us to be. We create a picture in our minds then emulate and bring that picture to life. Having an identity crisis is when you falsely identify yourself with a particular role or are living by someone else’s tenets of who you should be and you have mistaken them for your true self.

Growing up I identified myself as the fat girl, the outcast and the rebel undeserving of love. As I immersed myself in energy work and healing I began to see myself as much more. I am more than just my body and circumstances. YOU are much more than your body or circumstances! You are a spiritual being with abilities which go far beyond this current lifetime. You have many lifetimes full of knowledge and experience and if you choose, you can tap into all that you are to create infinite possibilities. Asking yourself ‘who am I?’ starts the process of peeling back layers of who you are not.

I’ve been very amused at the new internet sensation spreading like wildfire: What People Think I do. (meme) There is a lot of truth to those posts. Each of us is perceived as doing or being a certain way yet how others perceive us and possibly how we see ourselves is not who we are. You are not what you DO! You are not your growth period or circumstances! Who you are is so much more. You are an infinite being of light who has taken a body to have a human experience. If you identify solely with one particular role or only as a body or as your growth period you are limiting yourself!

A spiritual identity crisis is not really a crisis. It is the conscious self coming to terms with the spiritual self being in a material world, encountering external forces, pressures and influences. We are spiritual beings having a human experience and it is possible to change the experience by recognizing how much more there is to you than meets the eye! WHO ARE YOU?~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

Feb 2 2012

For Happiness, Peace & Ease, SURRENDER!

“Life is the dancer, and you are the dance”~Eckhart Tolle

Many people struggle and fight their whole lives to find happiness, peace and ease. It doesn’t really matter what the fight is but it translates into a feeling of constantly being at war. There is effort at every turn and let’s be frank here, if you are looking for the negative side, it’s always there. For every positive there is a negative and you have the choice to sound the alarm, arm yourself and go into battle or you can SURRENDER.

Surrendering doesn’t mean giving up and losing nor does it make you a victim of your circumstances. Surrendering means putting down your weapons, letting go of ego, giving up the fight and accepting that which IS. Accepting that which IS in present time takes your energy out of the battle and frees you. It brings a sense of happiness, peace and ease which only comes from bringing all that you are back to you and accepting there is something going on which you cannot control. To be sure there will always be something you can go into battle for but when you surrender and let go of the fight itself you have actually just won the battle!

Are you in a constant battle in your life? Do you feel like you always have to ‘fight’ to get what you want? Are you struggling on a money quest, to find love or to lose weight? Are you fighting your body or resisting illness? Is there peace and ease in your relationships (including the one with yourself) or do you find yourself in effort and either ‘people pleasing’ or trying to live up to someone else’s vision of who you are? Are you in a battle with an addiction to sex, love, drugs, alcohol or some other type of obsession?

Whatever you are fighting and/or anytime you find yourself struggling the more you fight it, the less chance you have of winning the fight. I want to make it very clear here that I’m not referring to those who have an illness and are doing everything possible to fight for their lives. That is a very different kind of fight. Most of the people in that situation have accepted what is happening and take the necessary steps to heal their body and spirit. I’m also not referring to the things we must fight for globally like human rights, truth and justice. We all must take a stand and fight for those things. I’m referring to the battles which exist in your mind that imprison you. The internal dialogues and battles which take root and cause you to constantly feel like your fighting to become visible and valuable in the outer world.

Not one thing said here has anything to do with giving up. It’s just the opposite. Happiness, peace and ease comes from being one with your life in the present moment. Being one with your life is accepting what IS then doing something about it. If you are at war fighting your circumstances you’ll have very little energy left for anything else. Your circumstance (or growth period) is not who you are. You don’t live your life, life lives through you and your choices. It is when you give up trying to fight and control every little thing that comes up that you will feel a sense of ease.

Surrender to who you are and the feelings in your heart. Throw in the towel. Raise the white flag. Imagine how life will be when you win; And you do win the very second you decide to let go and surrender. Imagine a life full of happiness, peace and ease. Are you ready to step on to the dance floor, full of joy and BE the dance?~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

Old Prison Meknes © Dario Bajurin | Dreamstime.com

Jan 11 2012

Life is a Verb

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines life as a noun. It goes on to say it is ”a:the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body b: a principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive quality of animate beings.” If there is a “quality” that distinguishes us from being “dead” that quality lies in choosing to live life as a verb.

The meaning of life is only truly defined by what is important to each of us as individuals. There is not one ‘singular’ definition. Life is what we breathe into it. It can be dormant and bland or full of sparkle and excitement. It can be merely existing and responding or full of vitality and passion. We can let life pass us by unconscious to the possibilities that present themselves each day or we can live with conscious awareness knowing that there is growth, change and endless possibilities. Life is what you want it to be and you can live it as a noun or a VERB.

Breathe life into your life!

Engaging in life is what breaths life into it. Bring your passion and purpose to the forefront and create from that vibration. Seeing what you are passionate about come to life by creating it moves you beyond your fears and fills your heart with new purpose. Think about those things you’ve created in the past which left you feeling fulfilled. If you created something amazing in the past, trust in your ability to do it again. You know in your heart what breathes life into your life. Follow your heart and it will lead you to places unimaginable because what you decide to bring into being today opens doors to other opportunities.

BEing is not passive!

Engaging in life means engaging with yourself first. The state of being-ness is not merely sitting in a chair void of life and thought. In fact it’s just the opposite. It is a time of discovery, consciousness and healing. It is a time for facing your perceived fears, moving past them and feeling what YOU are feeling. It is a time to bring your spirit to life and listen to your inner self. It is a time for more of who you are as divine being to come in allowing body and spirit to live and work together. Can you envision what could be created when your body and spirit are in harmony? Imagine if you will what it would be like if you looked inside yourself to find answers as much as you look for them outside. All your answers lie within you and all it takes are a few quiet moments to listen.

Breathe new life into your life! Decide now, in this very moment to live life as a verb. Engage in life by turning your attention within and listening to your inner guidance. Shed the layers of responsiblity heaped on you by others which you have carried with you for years. Move past your fears and connect with your vitality and purpose. Live with the excitement and joy brought forth by breathing life into your life! Life is a verb…engage!~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

Nov 9 2011

There’s ALWAYS a bigger picture…What’s Yours?

As I gaze out the window of the plane at 32000 feet, I’m suddenly in awe of the landscape below and the infinite universe above. As we ascended into the sky the view of movement below becomes indistinguishable and finally vanishes altogether. For a time we are lost in the clouds which act like a comforting blanket of soft fluffy cotton in the sky.

What started out as a rainy, gloomy Chicago morning turned into being surrounded by magical, billowy cloud castles with the sun casting a pinkish red glow on the clouds adding to the beautiful sight. I slept for a time (truth be told I love to sleep on planes!) and when I opened my eyes the sky was clear, showing brown majestic mountains below and the brilliant azure blue atmosphere above.

There I was in a 737 bubble flying overhead while the earth was teaming with life below. People are going to work and getting on with their busy-ness. There is worry, stress, joy, happiness or whatever consumes and demands ones immediate attention. From where I sat in my bubble the vastness of the landscape and the limitless possibilities took precedence over the details and worries of the past or future.

There are times when what demands your attention creates a vortex which sucks you in causing you to be stuck in the middle of swirling energies. The bubble you sit in is filled with so much other ‘stuff’ that you lose your sense of self. It is this very ‘loss of self’ that causes you to get caught up in the bubble of demands which consume your thoughts until it is all you can see. When you begin to see the bigger picture, you will find that your immediate circumstances are a mere blip on the radar of infinite possibilities!

Losing yourself in the details it’s almost impossible to see the bigger picture and there is ALWAYS a bigger picture. If you take a step back for a moment you may even find an answer or two which has eluded you. There is clarity and comfort in the big picture. When you find YOUR bigger picture, you find there is a purpose to what you are going through. That purpose teaches you something and adds depth and meaning whether it is good, bad or indifferent.

It’s beneficial to step out of your routine and the details of everyday life for a moment to get a sense of the bigger picture. Take a step back, turn your attention inward and when you have gotten back to yourself, just observe.

How about a little game to illustrate? Stare at your thumb for one minute. Keep focusing on your thumb. Now, while still staring at your thumb, tell me the details of your surroundings. Not from memory, no cheating! Tell me in detail what’s across the room while staring at your thumb. Interesting isn’t it. You can’t see much else while all your attention is focused on just your thumb. It is the same with your day-to-day life.

Stepping out of the energy to look at the big picture gives you an entirely new perspective and you don’t have to get on a plane to do it! Take time to meditate and return to your own personal energy bubble. This separates you enough to stop you from staring only at your thumb. It allows you to come out of the clouds, see the sun which has always been there and gives you space to see the bigger picture. What’s yours?~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

Oct 17 2011

Connect with Spirit and Breathe Life into your Life!

BREATHE! Inhale freely, exhale freely. Can you feel it? There is LIFE in your breath. There is life-sustaining energy in your breath yet for the most part, you don’t think about breathing; You just do it. While there are beautiful moments which ‘take your breath away’ in the metaphorical sense, there are times when we need a reminder to allow our breath to fuel us with passion and breathe new life into our lives. Connecting with your spirit to remember what’s important also breathes life into your life!

In the world today there are many challenges to face. Some are bigger than others and at some point each of us arrives at a crossroads which can feel overwhelming if we are not connected with our passion, essence and spirit. When you become engrossed in problems, constant worry, lament about the past or become fearful of what the future might bring, you become disconnected from your physical body and your inner light. Anything which takes your attention outside of you can cause this disconnect.

I recently taught a workshop on past lives and karma. My goal for the workshop was to teach people how to ground and re-connect to their infinite spirit as a way to explore who they are now. Becoming aware of how much more you have experienced through other lifetimes can showcase your spirit to you in a powerful way. I honestly didn’t realize the true impact of this workshop until I began receiving emails from those who attended. I’m sharing what Michael wrote (with his permission of course ) not as a pat on the back to me but because it’s a true testament to the power of how connecting with your spirit can heal. It is also precisely why I do readings, teach workshops and write this blog.

I want to thank you for that last meditation workshop. It was one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve had in a long time and has helped me to remember how important spirituality was in my life and how I’ve put it aside for so long. Especially now with so much of my future unclear, exploring what made me feel in touch with life and what was/is so important to me is really what I’ve needed. So thank you. ~Michael

Michael thank YOU for reminding me why I do what I do! You did the work. I merely taught you a few meditation tools and guided you through it There are few things more fulfilling than watching as someone re-connects and begins to realize how much more they are than their circumstances. Perhaps what Michael expressed in how he was feeling before the workshop resonates with you?

YOU are so much more than your present circumstances!

Your spirit has lifetimes of information. When you tap into that information, you indeed awaken to the fact that all your answers lie within. The first step to connecting to your spirit is to breathe! Simply focusing on your breath brings your attention back to YOU. It is in the space of quieting your mind and calming the body when you start the process of re-connecting.

Breath in freely and get in touch with life! Breath in freely and remember what’s important! Exhale away your problems, challenges and pain! Re-connect and get reacquainted with the infinite being that you are and breathe life and energy into your life! Breath in freely, exhale freely and by all means while your at it, take a moment to smell the flowers! ~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

Jul 19 2011

Growth & Expansion: Is it a NEW you or more YOU?

In a conversation with a very wise friend I mentioned that I’m a completely different person today than I was, say, 10 years ago. I see and experience the world differently, spend time daily in meditation, write this blog and do a myriad of other things which frankly I never in a million years thought I’d be doing.

Yes, I was truly confident that I’ve completely changed and in many ways that is really true. How interesting that his response to my statement was ‘no, you haven’t changed. you’ve grown and expanded’. The comment sent me into a bit of a tailspin. He was absolutely right! With all the changes I’ve made, as well as the inner work of self-healing, the core of who I am hasn’t changed! In fact, I’m more ME then ever before!

Yes, there have been monumental changes in my life. My perspective has shifted, I have cleared out toxic relationships, lost weight and stopped living from other people’s picture of who they think I am. So I (with a capital I) haven’t changed. My life has changed because I’ve created change through healing, growth and expansion as spirit! Like peeling back the layers of an onion, layer by layer I uncovered ME.

Living up to someone else’s expectations doesn’t work. If it doesn’t come from your heart it comes across as inauthentic. Living to validate and heal others so they validate you doesn’t work. Those people will merely ‘take’ all you have to give and then eclipse out of your life! Living your life constantly trying to be the person you think someone else wants you to be doesn’t work. Who you think they want you to be is more than likely a picture steeped in invalidation that says who YOU are and what you bring to the table isn’t good enough.

If you’ve ever asked why someone can’t see you for who you really are then it’s time to peel back some layers. They certainly can’t see you for who you are if the YOU, you’d like them to see is buried under layers of other stuff. There can only be one YOU and ultimately you can’t keep up trying to be someone you are not. It is exhausting, frustrating and it will never get you where you want to go.

In essence, you can change your thoughts and actions. You can alter your life’s path. You can learn to love yourself. You can heal your spirit, uncovering the true you. You can grow and expand your confidence and have the courage to show yourself to the world. The cathartic events that ‘forever’ change you are learning experiences which allow for growth and expansion. You can create and BE the change you wish to see but that comes from strength within. The strength that is already there!

Take a journey within and look at yourself! Find the pearl that was created from those challenging experiences! Get in alignment with your passion and what you’d like to create. Bring more of YOU in and allow everything else to fall away. Find your ‘happy place’ inside and allow it to grow and expand! When you do this your life will truly be changed forever because your true spiritual essence shines through!~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

It Takes Courage to Heal… (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
~Peeling Away The Layers (spiritusilentium.wordpress.com)
Rejuvenate the Mind, Body, and Spirit with Energy Healing (blogcritics.org)

Nov 21 2010

The Attitude of Gratitude Changes Everything!

In honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday in the USA it is time to explore and tune into the energy of gratitude and giving thanks. Having gratitude for what you have and all that you are is a powerful energy that will change everything in your life!

When was the last time you took a moment to look around you and appreciate, I mean REALLY appreciate all that you have? How about yourself? When was the last time you sat quietly to appreciate and give thanks to your body for all it does for you? Been a while? If so, it’s time to CULTIVATE your GRATITUDE!

Gratitude and giving thanks allows you to have more in your life by healing what you wish to heal therefore creating a space for more! It takes your attention out of the past or future and into the present which is where all creating takes place. It sends a message into the universe that you are grateful for what you have NOW.

Think of it this way, if you brought a gift to someone and they didn’t say thank you then you brought another and they tossed it aside with no acknowledgement, do you think you would continue to give them gifts? You are receiving miracles and gifts on a daily basis. Having gratitude for these gifts sends a vibration into the universe.

As an energy vibration gratitude can heal a broken heart, clear communication & stuck energy, bring awareness to the abundance you already have in your life and is naturally steeped in forgiveness.

Gratitude and giving thanks is not mutually exclusive to the positive things in your life. It also means finding gratitude and GOODNESS in difficult times, or for a person who has hurt or invalidated you.

It may not be easy to find gratitude for, let’s just say, someone who broke your heart but give thanks and be grateful for the beautiful moments they brought you. You wouldn’t have had the experience if they hadn’t come into your life! There is a lesson you learned and more often than not, you discovered how strong and capable you really are!

How do you begin changing and shifting your attitude to gratitude? Very simply, begin by writing down the things you are grateful for! Include gratitude for the lessons you have learned and for those who brought you those lessons. Include gratitude for all that you are and the abundance that already surrounds you! Notice how your mood changes the more you write!

To cultivate your gratitude, keep a gratitude journal for 30 days. Each day write at least 5 things you are grateful for. Be sure to include those things or people you are having a challenge with. There is always something to appreciate and be grateful for when you look for it!

Creating change is a process and initially change is invisible because it happens on a vibrational level. That said, these changes ARE affecting your life. At first you will notice subtle changes, then as you continue the process, the changes you see and feel are more profound! You hold in your hands the power to cultivate the ATTITUDE of GRATITUDE! Take time each day to appreciate your loved ones, your body & spirit, ALL you are and ALL you have!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I want to extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to each one of you. You touch my life with your light and inspire me to continue doing my work in this world. Finally in the words of a dear friend BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS!~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

Sep 9 2010

It’s ALWAYS Darkest Before the Dawn~

Have you noticed as you walk the path of conscious evolution how those seemingly darkest moments in time are always followed by a time of great joy & happiness? In life there are certain truths and this is one of them. Everything has its own cycle. There is a reason and season for everything!

In terms of energy and spiritual growth the same is true. You are taking steps to heal, focusing on all things positive & loving, trying to be a good person then suddenly you find yourself in darkness and despair! Why does this happen when you are clearly doing what is necessary to find peace & calm within?

With each step you take to raise your vibration you are releasing more and more of the ‘stuff’ that you have taken on that really isn’t YOU. In the middle of this release all the energy, invalidation, programming and pain that is clearing is swirling about in your aura and it may be all that you can see!

What you see, feel and experience is filtered through the energy you are releasing. Think of it like looking through sunglasses. Things don’t look the same!

Another way to look at it is to think of it in terms of the dawn. There is the darkness of night and as the sun begins to shine her light on the horizon, it doesn’t light up everything, yet moment by moment more is revealed. The mist that appears to blanket the earth slowly gets burned off by the sun, finally revealing with clarity the surrounding landscape.

Thus it is the same with your energy! Those moments of darkness are a clearing, a lesson to be learned, a step you are taking or a raise in your vibration. It could be all the aforementioned at once! If all you are seeing is the dark, it’s time to remember that you have within you the ability to bring in the sun and CLEAR THE MISTS.

Each one of us experiences darkness & pain at one time or another. It’s not about NEVER going through those moments because so many times those moments are the ones that truly make us appreciate the light of awareness that much more. It is, however about how you handle those moments and what you take from them.

Whenever you experience a darkest of dark moment remember that it is there for you to learn, grow and evolve as spirit. Those moments are the perfect time to find your strength & resolve. Yes, you do have that within when you choose to find it!

Remember you are always evolving and this is part of your journey! Remember to have hope, faith and trust in the process. Most of all remember that it’s always darkest before the dawn and this too shall pass! ~Shine Your Light Debbie

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