Our Projections are Causing our Discomfort

After some reflection and help from my higher conscious and God this morning I had a whopper of a realization . Here it is:

My discomfort is caused by my projections.

This all came about because I was remembering something that happened to a dog I never met. He died alone in the driveway of his home. He had a doggy door in the garage and could come and go as he pleased as his family lived on lots of land. He was old and sick, and his owner knew the end was near, and one day he came home and his dog lay in the driveway. This always hurt my heart that he died alone, but then today I realized that maybe it was a peaceful way to go, laying in the sunshine taking a nap like he did so often.

I realized that I have a fear of dying alone, of not being cherished at the end of my life. This was my projection. I was projecting my fears onto this dog, and for all I know he didn’t care about that at all.

If that’s the case then the shame, anger, fear, etc. I hold onto I created. Well, it’s time to let it go.

Brad Pitt Gumball Machine

I was in meditation today and I suddenly got an idea for a watercolor painting I wanted to do of a bright red gum ball machine from below looking up. I went to google to find an image for inspiration as I sometimes do.

I wasn’t finding any from the angle that I wanted, then I heard, “Brad pit gum ball machine”. Intrigued I typed that into the search box. Then, holy smokes, the first image was a Pitt gum ball machine taken from the angle I wanted.

I was gobsmacked. It still amazes me every time something like this happens. Yet, I still have a hard time trusting my intuition, to God.

Just surrender to your higher self/God/the Universe/intuition whatever you want to call it, and follow where you are lead. Listen when it speaks. Then watch the magic happen.

I would love to hear when this has happened in your life. Drop your story in the comments and we can share the magic with each other.

All my love

-Gretchen

Am I Really Greedy?

When I first started addressing my childhood trauma I would say a prayer asking God what I needed to let go of or address before meditating. I would always hear Gods calm steady voice say greed. I was confused.

I began meditating on the word Greed, and I realized that trying to control everything is in fact greedy and I never thought of it like that. I would never have labeled myself that way.

I have always been hyper independent and a loner. I always wanted to do things myself because I couldn’t trust other people. I learned I couldn’t depend on anyone.

Also, I wasn’t involving God in my divisions either. I never held space for him to move in my life and guide me.

The biggest way I was trying to control was in my relationships. By giving my power away to keep the peace, and making myself small I could control situations. I also tried to control how people saw me.

So, yes, I believe I was being unknowingly greedy. I thank God for bringing this to my attention. It’s been life changing.

I challenge you to think about what aspects of your life you are trying to control?

You Can be Happy Anytime You Want

Our emotional reaction to the things that happen is based on our judgement of the thing that happened. If it’s based on a judgement, then we can change our perspective and choose to have a different emotional reaction. Given that rational then it would stand to reason that we can always be happy, or at the very least be at peace with the things that happen to us,

My Dogs Happy place…The Dog Park Trails

Therefore, you have everything inside you already to be happy in every moment. I’m not saying you should avoid your feelings/emotions, as these are very imports tools, but what I am saying is don’t wait for something to make you happy. Choose happiness and peace in every now moment. It’s only a perspective shift away.

Your Whole Body is an Intuitive Guide

We have all been given a vessel, our bodies, to inhabit while we live and breathe in this 3D life. Most of us, me included were lead to believe that our brain carries all the information we need to make decisions about our lives. That our brains communicate to our body causing reactions like goose bumps, or a tingle on the scalp, a tummy ache, or warm fuzzies.

It is in fact the other way around. Our bodies are very intuitive, and are full of senses and reactions to help us navigate our lives. I will give you a few examples.

Have you ever gotten the urge to turn off your main route and go the “scenic route” home, only to learn that there was an accident on the highway that would have delayed your journey home by an hour or more?

Or, have you ever been siting at a concert, large or small and suddenly felt goose bumps on your flesh when the band plays a certain song.

Another, when you went with your friends to the mall, and crossed path with someone that you just knew was a bad person and you got a sinking feeling in your stomach.

I could go on and on, but your body has so many ways to get your attention, and to relay information.

Long before us people have known that their body can give them information. There’s even superstitions from the past that are linked to sensations in the body like:

-When you left palm itches you have money coming to you

-When your ears ring that means someone is gossiping about you

-Itchy nose means company is coming

The point I am trying to make is we have to look at our bodies as providing us with information about our lives. How does it react to certain situations, ideas, people? You’re sure to find a pattern and when you do, you can use your body to help you make decisions.

An exercise that I have used to help me determine right and wrong is to sit silently in a quiet space. Say a statement to yourself to that you know is untrue like, ” My middle name is Pam.” Then notice how your body reacts to that statement. Do you get a tightening of muscles, tension in your jaw, a nagging feeling in your stomach? Then ask the same question using something you know to be true, “My middle name is Elissa,” and see how your body reacts to that.

It’s fun to notice what your body is trying to tell you.

Our bodies are way more intuitive than we give them credit for.

Why Can’t I Forgive?

Last night I had a conversation about forgiveness. Why is it that when we want to forgive we sometimes have such a hard time? We might even no longer feel the emotions of the situation, and we are no longer in “conflict” with the person or situation. When you have intellectualized and analyzed the situation to death, and yet you still cannot forgive.

There are many reasons that people have come up with for this, such as that you aren’t ready to forgive. Another is that it’s a process and a choice you make every day. You might see something of yourself in the other person that reminds you of yourself such as a motivation or perspective that you don’t want to address.

However, I was struck by a thought this morning in the shower, where I do my best thinking, might I add. What if we cannot forgive because we cannot forgive ourselves for the things that we have done? Holding onto the guilt/shame because we are afraid to process it and release it for good.

Ask for forgiveness from the person we offended, and acknowledge our wrong doing to God and we are forgiven. If we give our lives to Jesus we are saved from the burden of it because he died for them. This, I want to say, is difficult when you think of people who murder and commit child abuse. Surely, that cannot not be forgiven. Yet, they are forgiven by God. He’s the only one who knows their story. (P.S. I grew up a Christian, so this is my Christian belief, but I respect all religion and I believe that all religions lead to the same God)

I know this is a heavy topic, but I think it’s food for thought.

Let’s figure out how to forgive ourselves, and by forgiving ourselves we can set our self free to forgive others. That’s what God would want us to do, right?

Fun Word That I Never Knew I Needed

I find that as life keeps going whether we want it to or not and we are often coddiwompling. I find myself in that space right now actually. I want to find my life’s purpose, but I don’t know where to start.

I understand that God created me therefore I have a purpose. However, everyone has a different purpose, so it’s not like I can ask anyone else what my purpose is.

After doing a lot of reading and meditating on this I have come to the conclusion, that the journey will help you find your purpose. It’s off to coddiwomple I go. Plus, it’s just fun to say.