Transpersonal Integrative psychotherapist and Intuitive witch

What are the similarities between two parts within me, which are at play simultaneously. These two occupations, let’s call it that, have a lot more in common than one might think. I have experienced again and again the alignment between the two and it makes complete sense and feels whole.

At the centre of my work is intuition. It is my guiding, navigational, feeling system that allows me to relate and understand the other on a deeper level. Energies go through me and reflect back to whoever is sitting with me whatever I might be working with and it is that ‘going through me’ technique allows me to know what the other might need and benefit from.

Intuition is also used in ‘magical’ workings and 90% of my magic/spiritual work is intuitive, always has been from the very beginning as I stepped on the nature-based spiritual path. It is an exciting journey and I never once doubted what I do or did was somewhat ‘incorrect’, if I can call it that. There is not often right or wrong there is only better or poorer adjustments of what’s available. Some work can be intense and alignment is stronger and in other cases it is less so and effects are subtler. Intuition is something to be trusted and be open to and I am completely and utterly in its power knowing it will lead me where I need to go. It offers a well of possibilities of your own self-knowledge. All the treasure is already within us and one way to access that treasure is through intuition and listening to your inner voice of wisdom.

As an Integrative transpersonal psychotherapist I use myself and my intuition to decide and most of the time know what’s needed, when, how and for who. I pick techniques, approaches and a line to follow from my collection of tools, knowledge and experience through listening to the other’s story and working cognitively, emotionally, spiritually, using my body and being aware of the energy. I use my whole self to inform me of a direction and certain needs of a client. It is deeply relational, on a soul level, one might say, when myself and the other operate as one, as two humans on a journey of discovery. I work as a guide, support system, safe space and a container for the other while they go through a process of transformation. There is no judgement and we embrace an open heart, unconditional love and acceptance.

Magic is involved in psychotherapeutic work. There are often moments of connection and insight in a therapy room, which feel truly magical. Many of my colleagues would agree. It is the same in my work with the elements and nature, talking to trees, creating rituals and spells, working with deities. Magic in both contexts mean moments of divine connection when forces align and energies peak/flow in a certain way  that manifestation/transformation is possible. Results occur as a consequence of a way of working that is deeply spiritual and earthly at the same time. It is rooted in love and relating through the heart.

I am truly appreciative of how parts of myself align into one purpose whether I am being a therapist or a nature adventurer, ritual creator or a spiritual guide. It feels incredibly rich and immensely fulfilling. I can find magic all around me and I look forward to continuing my work with intuition as my guiding force and constant companion.

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Intergenerational Imprints

Inter-generational imprints and their effect on one’s life is not to be underestimated. It is necessary to apply our conscious awareness to a possibility that a lot of what we carry within our souls and bodies do not actually belong to us. Things can stick to us like glue and penetrate us easily especially if we are very open and have a sensitive nature. Most of the time we don’t notice it and a lot of material had already been passed on to us with our mother’s fluid and during our cell formation while still in the womb.

When we come in to the world we are considered brand new and pure and, of course, we are, as we are part of Spirit, which is all and everything, and we come into this dimension with those qualities intact. However, on the way down to this dimension there is a process that also occurs, which puts us through exposure to some materials, which need to be processed again on Earth and we become carriers, if you like, of all unprocessed and not so ‘pure’. We get injected with that what is yet to become conscious and it can be anything from abuse to war, hunger to pain, violence to mental health problems. It can be positive as well as negative. This is what I would refer to as material, which doesn’t belong to us as such, we simply sign up without knowing to carry the energy that got either stuck or polluted in previous incarnations and it somewhat becomes our ‘burden’ in this lifetime. It is designed to affect and add to our experience, which often can create a certain fate for a human if that human lives an unconscious life surrendering to what is presented to them through their family and environment.

For example, I have recently come to realise my over identification with pain and suffering, which had actually happened or sneaked up on me, if you like, due to my family environment and my parents’ scripts on life, as well as, me introjecting inter-generational beliefs through blood line and wider collective cultural consciousness. I have never been exposed to any religious teachings growing up, e.g., yet I realised how strongly I was always opposed to that energy. It is energy I am talking about, which can be the first port of call when getting in touch with this. Religion of old times I refer to is a very dark and painful place based on fear, punishment and self-sacrifice and the message at the top of it all is ‘the more you suffer, the closer to God you are’. I carried that energy for a long time and it has affected my relationship to painful experiences and led to glorification of suffering.

What is crucial aside from keeping in touch with consciousness when living a life is our connection to that innocent being that is uniquely you. That initial self that came in pure and light. It is vital to continue to keep hold of those initial qualities that you came in with, the part unaffected by previous lives and intergenerational imprints through self-awareness and conscious therapeutic work.

Transpersonal psychotherapy can help unveil unique soul qualities within a person and get them back in touch with their own power. Along with that, if worked in an integrative way, a person is able to sort through what is theirs innately and what was either imprinted on them as a ‘past unprocessed baggage’ or created through their family, social, political and environmental factors.

Self-work can also reveal experiences through generations, which made an impact on your life here today. Intuition, self-awareness, body care, regular meditation and creating and maintaining spiritual practice can most certainly help with getting in touch with and sorting through material, which might not belong to you, but became part of you through that imprinting process. If you practice tuning into yourself on a regular basis and noticing occasions when you feel ‘not like yourself’, able to interpret the energy around and within you and observing triggers that seem extreme or out of the ordinary somewhat, it might be a good idea to dedicate some sort of practice to sorting through some stuff especially when you become aware it is affecting your life in ways non-beneficial. This practice is also useful in times of ‘stuckness’ when you feel there is no movement and something is blocking your development. You experience less ‘breathing air’ and more restrictions in energetic sense accompanied by development of ailments in the body, particularly to do with respiratory tract, joints and muscles.

What would this practice look like in nature? This is something I practice. Nature can help loosen you up and open up a portal, a space to walk through to the other side. Trust is very much a factor here, as well as, following your intuition. Nature is so much attuned to your highest good, as it is Spirit itself, that if you experience nature on that level of unconditional love and joy and deep knowing, following signs and signals offered to you by natural environment when doing this work is not going to lead you where you are not meant to go. This process can be subtle or profound depending on context and issues you are allowing nature and the universe assist you with. In my experience it takes time to really begin to hear and feel what is being communicated, as often that voice can be coming from a single leaf or a twig and it is necessary to fine tune into everything that happens around you. I very often get sensory overload when in nature, as all my energy openings are trying to connect and communicate at the same time, but there are times when stillness is present and surrender to what is right allows for a single clear communication to come through. It can make the process more difficult, but I would discourage introducing any stress into this work and by simply being and trusting that something will become clear you can begin to practice this way of communicating. It is unique and it takes time to develop a relationship with nature and all its Elementals, just like with anything else. It is a life-long journey and relationship.

Shaman traditions, spirit communication and journeying, as well as, Constellation therapy in nature or within other settings (individual and group), in particular can play a beneficial part. Environmental Art therapy offers powerful assistance too with sorting through the layers of inter-generational imprints.

The image below represents well how we carry everyone else within us, as one comes out of another and how wounding and trauma can also be carried through from one to another until one becomes conscious and willing to break the cycle and fully commit to healing.

Image source: https://incognitopress.wordpress.com/

Exploration of Emotions – love and hate

Emotions are alive, constant and free flowing. They can come one at a time or overwhelmingly as a bunch vibrating as conflict and confusion. You might feel like you are lifted up by them and can breathe freely and easily with delight. You can feel you are drowning with your head spinning and the Earth falling underneath your feet. Emotions are powerful, unapologetic, but most of all they are deep and transformative messengers. Whatever they are, they seek your full attention. They have needs, they tell you something, and they work towards your potential growth and the good of your higher self.

Every time you feel something there is one question to ask, which is of the upmost importance and that question is ‘What do I need?’ Most of what you are feeling particularly if negative is trying to draw your attention to something lacking, confused, when you steer off course and need clarity. They intend to navigate you in the direction of YOU. When you are in pain, resentment, disappointment or sadness, ask yourself what you need, really ask yourself. Before you ask that question ensure you are sitting completely with whatever you are feeling. It needs your undivided attention and acceptance. For that to happen you need to stop and sit with it fully. Then ask what you need in that moment and see what comes to you.

Love and Hate – let’s look at these two primary power houses

Before you say that hate is negative, horrible and something to get rid of and reject immediately, let’s look at it closely. Hate is often love gone wrong. It doesn’t mean when you are in a state of hate that love is gone, no, it is simply appearing in its distorted form, i.e. hidden from view, not seen, heard or focused on. Hate, for sure, can be returned back to love, back to YOU. What you need to do is sit with it and focus on it and perform the process above. Look and feel all the layers underneath, do not simply try and force yourself into escaping into love or rather pretending that you are not feeling it. When hate grips it lets you know about it, you ARE feeling it. Question it to the depth of your soul.

Underneath hate you might find anger, disgust, disappointment, shame, greed, murderous rage and a feeling of wanting to destroy, eliminate, etc. What is it that you are angry about? Ask yourself these questions what are these undertones, where they come from, what they need in that moment and where you would like to go with it once you sat with it. Often just but allowing these feelings come to the surface, observed, questioned and accepted, it goes away or rather transforms into something else. Let it speak to you!

Go deeper into asking what or who hate is directed towards – other/s or self. That is important to know which part of you needs attention. The source of it always lies within you regardless of whether you have been triggered by something or someone external or you are aware of a degree of self-hatred.

Remember emotions do not last, they do not stay, and they always change for as long as we don’t bury them, reject them and try to run away from it.

When we are in a state of love, on the other hand, we feel light, grateful and clear. We are in a state of appreciation and acceptance of the whole, even hate. Love does not reject, deny or pushes away anything, it embraces the whole array of human emotions, as love is understanding of the complexity and all distortions that exist in us at one time or another.

You might want to try this process in your house, in your sacred place where you feel most safe and comfortable whether it is your bedroom or a corner in your lounge or in a bathtub. Or you might want to go outside in nature and speak to a tree, which can be very healing.

In nature, I find, whatever emotion is present in you grows and extends further out. It is magnified by all the elements around you. Nature can choose to get involved with you or not, it has its own cycle and intentions, but you can learn to bring nature into alliance with you to help better understand what you are feeling and why. Talk to a tree, stand in front of it and say ‘I hate you’ or ‘I am furious with you’ or ‘I am so in love with you I am about to burst’. Be creative with your expression of whatever you are feeling and listen, observe. Close your eyes and feel what happens when you express fully. I have done this many times and I suggest you do this exercise and see how things change for you. Share your experiences in the comments below.

Here is an example from last year, one of many, which I included in my article on nature spirituality and transpersonal psychology HERE 

Much love and enjoy FEELING whatever it is, as it all leads to a better and healthier you ultimately.

Image source: www.pcmag.com