The Stories we Tell Ourselves and How they Control us

One of the things that adds tremendous stress to one’s life is the stories he tells himself and the impact they have on the quality of life. I knew a woman who was in her 70s and within an hour of meeting anyone she had informed them that her mother died when she was ten years old. Now it was true that her mother did die when she was young, but what purpose does it serve to educate random people as to that fact? What need is she fulfilling? Marilyn used this story to rationalize various developmental issues she had not dealt with. She did not feel she had a role model for femininity. (Television, movies, friends?). She believed she did not know how to be in an intimate relationship. She felt awkward about relationships in general. Thus the story, why am I not in a relationship – my mother died when I was ten. Why have I done this or not done that? My mother died when I was ten. And so it goes. Most people have stories they tell themselves. I have hard lots of them. I need to keep the job I have that I hate because I can’t make this much money anywhere else. (Result: misery and stress) My parents taught me to be humble, never toot my own horn or say what I can bring to the table. (Hence: no career advancement.) I must stay in this abusive relationship because who else would want me. (Result: low self-esteem and misery.) These stories either increase or deflate energy. Your story expands or depletes your self-opinion and confidence. Stories can keep you hooked into anxiety provoking positions. Example: I always get nervous around people; I am awkward, shy, introverted, backward, not good enough, not that smart, etc. I am Italian, Jewish, Albanian, European, a daughter of the American Revolution – you name it. People use these labels to identify themselves and the labels conversely create limitation and with limitation comes stress. Each label carries a meaning, or it wouldn’t be used at all. We provide the story to define who we are and then we are trapped by it. When the woman who lost her mother at ten tells her story, she is explaining why she hasn’t grown beyond the challenges of her early life. She has convinced herself that she cannot move beyond the stilted image she has created of herself. And, yet, in her life she became strong as she learned to navigate life without the nurturing influence of a mother. She really doesn’t need to keep telling the story. When we tell “our” story, it is important to note if it has become a prison, a safe haven, an excuse, or a jumping off place. Just because you were born an orphan and spent years in foster home and orphanages (like Wayne Dyer) does not mean you are any less equipped to manage life than someone who grew up in a “Father knows Best” family, or the Waltons. Living within various cultural, ethnic, locational, stories can squeeze us to follow traditions and cultural patterns that are not right or a bad fit for who we want to be. If we confine ourselves within the story, we may not have room (space) to explore new, creative possibilities. Consider the stories of your life. How do you feel about them? Do they serve you? Is it time to let go or look at them from another point of view? Possibly resolve them – rewrite a story or create a new one. Are there challenges and difficulties you have blamed on external conditions or other people when what you are dealing with is just a story that needs revision. Have there been opportunities you lost because you were attached to a story that precluded taking advantage of them. Observe your stories. You speak them all the time, to others and to yourself. It could be a “poor me” narrative that has been there a long time and has repeatedly gotten in the way of living a joy-filled life. Oh, wouldn’t you just know that I would get a traffic ticket, house fire, released from a job, lose a friend etc. (Name the pain.) This victim narrative keeps you small, miserable and anxiously waiting for the next shoe to drop. When you catch yourself in “story-mode,” step back and ask yourself if this yarn you’ve been telling yourself is making your life better or worse? Is it increasing or diminishing your happiness? Is it blaming someone else for your circumstances? If the answer is yes, the story is generating angst, self-doubt, and stress, and it needs to go. You are the one that can change it, revise it, eliminate it, and move on. As you master each story, you will find it easier to live without drama and judgment. You will be able to look for potential in each circumstance and be willing to address it as a matter of growth. With each step, you become calm and peace grows. Jean Walters is the author of: Be Outrageous: Do the impossible - Others have and You Can too! - Set Yourself Free: Live the Life YOU were Meant to Live! Speaker, Akashic Record Reader, Life Coach - you can reach her at jean@spiritualtransformation.com or 314 991 8439

Be Bigger than the Problem

The human egoic mind loves to focus on what is wrong – the problem. And when it is given license to do that, the result is unhappiness. Centering on what doesn’t work or what isn’t magically fixed according to your personal timetable brings on frustration and anger. It is the trick of the ego to run our lives – to be in control of the mind, mood, and outlook. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The truth is that who we are as energy, Spirit, and possibility is way bigger than the small ego centric, fear-based mind. A New York resident hosted visitors from a small town to his city. It was the first time they had been to a big city and they were overwhelmed and thought the place awful, dirty, and chaotic. Thus, Tom, the resident, decided to take his friends to the top of the Empire State building. He did this in the evening when the stars were bright, and the city lights were gleaming. In their view from the top of the building they could gaze out over the vast landscape and the sparkling city lights and observe the movement and flow of people. From this vantage point, they could see the beauty and life flow of the big city. “It is like a dance!” they exclaimed. “it is beautiful!.” Hence we discover that the point of view you take makes the difference in how you judge a situation. As you move above specific circumstances and observe from a higher dimension, possibilities open. The ego loves to keep the mind clamped down in judgment and it will always find “the problem.” Yet, at any time, we can walk away from the doldrums and drama of earthly life. We can let go of anxiety and annoyance and shift our perspective and as we view our circumstance from a different angle or dimension, we experience new choices and freedom. Jesus repeatedly went to the mountain to pray and meditate. We must do the same. We go to a higher perspective to release into our Greater Mind those things that seem bigger than we are and discover they are not. From this higher awareness, as we revel in the lightness and freedom of Spirit, material concerns disappear. We once again recognize that I AM greater than this moment and situation. The secret or the art to maintaining this higher focus is to remember to be in the world but not of the world. And, as we do that, we can experience our earthly journey without getting hooked into drama, impatience and fear. We can experience joy! The mind moves faster than the body and faster than the world. We see the correction and completion of the problem and yet it is not corrected or completed as fast as we want it to be. We are in a process. We must be willing to see it complete and yet go through the process, step by step. Slow down; enjoy the steps. With each step our mental vision syncs closer to material reality. Everything in good time. Find the rhythm and flow with it. Wholeness is achieved by going to the mountain (high place). In a way we must live there. We can view the earth as a movie or play from this high place, but we never leave the mountain. The mountain is our home. Jean Walters is a best selling Amazon author, Transformational Coach, Akashic Record Reader, and Speaker. You can reach her at jean@spiritualtransformation.com

Be Careful Who You Listen to

Switch off Negative Mental Chatter; Switch on Self Affirmation Don’t randomly accept other people’s beliefs and opinions. People project their beliefs onto others. It is called transference. If someone thinks you are not making the best use of your talents, then more than likely, he is not making best use of his. If someone believes that nothing works out for them, then it doesn’t (for them). That does not mean anything about you. If someone lives with a lot of “should messages,” it doesn’t mean that you have to. “You should play it safe,” “You should do as you are told; never make waves or take risks.” There is no flow, excitement or growth in shoulding yourself. In other words, figure out what works best for you and live by those principles. You pay a heavy price for hanging out with Debbie Downers. It conditions you to expect the worst in every situation and makes you slightly crazy. If you get caught with a downer, take a break, go to a quiet place and let yourself download the insanity and judgments until you can get back to your center. Remember all the insanity of negativity amounts to a child throwing a temper tantrum. I’m mad; I didn’t get my way. Let it go. Along these lines, never let anyone put you down (and that includes yourself). If someone is coming from a negative view it may not be enough to recognize that he is talking about himself. You may need to let go completely. It depletes your energy to deal with Negative Nellies and people who only want to see the worst in others. By letting go, you create room for those who choose to see the positive to enter your life. It can’t happen until you let go. Ah, a breath of fresh air! Recognizing these patterns helps you. It is like the Buddhist Monk who was told he was to deal with a negative situation. He said, “Good, I get to practice.” Yes, life is all about practice. In this case the practice is to decide what works for you. Letting others tell you what is true negates your responsibility to draw your own conclusions and will definitely lead to struggle. I had a client who bent over backwards trying to get her mother-in-law, Dottie, to like her. She cooked the foods her mother-in-law liked, and read the books she endorsed, and even changed her style of clothes to please her. Then, one day I asked Mary, what would happen if Dottie never approves of you? Exactly how would it impact your life? Mary pondered this question and finally decided the answer was nothing. From then on Mary decided to do the things that she enjoyed - eat what she liked, wear the style that suited her, etcetera. AND, nothing did happen. If anything, Dottie was kind of impressed and she knew that she could no longer push Mary around. That amounted to growth for both of them. Action: Do your own homework. Whether it's politics, news stories, or the best way to bake a cake, ask yourself what you believe about it before asking anyone else what they think. What makes sense to you? What do you think is the best way to balance the budget? Practice having an educated opinion and stating it without worrying what anyone else thinks. Own your beliefs and thought processes. Everyone has a right to a point of view. Even if you are wrong - so what! There is no need to debate, defend, or make excuses. As you understand your own position, you will grow stronger in your ability to state it and then let go. If someone disagrees, so be it. Along with weeding out negative people, consider releasing negative groups and thought systems. Don’t listen to the news 24/7. Don’t watch horror films and doomsday television. They carry negative energy and have a detrimental effect. A person who smokes cigarettes cannot logically think that his lungs are going to be healthy and a person who drinks heavily cannot believe that his liver is not burdened. The same is true with what you take in mentally and emotionally. Inundating yourself with violence, harshness, drama, and negativity does not bode well for your mind and soul. Do be selective as to what and whom you listen to. Everyone exudes energy. Make sure you are around people who project positive, high energy. In essence, find people who are happy and have purpose and hang with them. The fact is that you are powerful and have the ability to change your life at any moment and in any way. You are powerful and each choice you make shapes your future. Jean Walters is an Amazon.com best selling author. You can reach her at jean@spiritualtransformation.com or 314 991 8439

How to Cruze through Social Events when you don't know anyone!

There is an art to feeling confident at social events and it involves giving rather than getting. Oh, my gosh, you are going to a party and you don’t know anyone! This is either a disaster ready to happen or a great opportunity. It is all in how you approach it. Do you want to tune-up your social skills and potentially make friends? Well let’s do this! Introducing yourself without feeling awkward is an exercise and it is all about attitude. First, see this event as an opportunity to meet new people, possibly make friends, and get stronger at presenting yourself. Second, get clear on your intention. Is this about them liking you or you liking them and, in the process, strengthening your social and communication skills? What’s it going to be? Having a clear intention sets the tone and ultimately determines your success. Third, create a game plan. How do you intend to go about this? Fourth, do it! Here is a story to clarify: Years ago, when I was entering the singles world, I loved to go singles dances. In the beginning I did not know anyone, so I set an intention of speaking to at least five new people at each event. “Hi, I’m Jean. Are you new here? How long have you been dancing? Etcetera.” My effort was focused on making that person feel special. That required curiosity, interest, a smile, and active listening. Nothing elaborate, right? What I discovered was that it was easy to engage with people when you focused on their need, and most people were grateful and relieved that someone spoke to them. In fact, they were way more tied in knots than I was. (That is probably true of you too.) It was a simple enough exercise to reach out my hand and introduce myself and I made a lot of friends. To frame it so that I would be at ease, I thought of it as giving friendship. The key word here is giving. The reason this was important is that many people want to GET attention and friendship without first giving it and that puts them at a decided disadvantage. Why? Because people tend to avoid a needy person. Hence, in social situations someone has to be the giver and that was me. In truth, the giver has an incredible advantage because there is no neediness in giving. Plus, a person that cares about people and offers unconditional friendship is readily sought after. Therefore, after making my initial introduction I took an interest in the other person. I GAVE them interest. Do you know that everyone likes to feel important and speak about himself? Yes! So, help him out. Show interest. The beautiful truth about letting someone else “shine” is that the attention is not on you. Choosing to make the social experience an exercise to share love, support and friendship shifts the attention goes to the other person. It is a gift because it gives them a chance to feel loved, cared for and wanted. When you consider meeting people as a “giving” action, it is fun. That doesn’t mean that everyone will respond to you, but the vast majority will, and they’ll love it, and the few who don’t have issues you don’t need to mess with. Try it; you’ll like it! Jean Walters is a Personal Growth Consultant, Akashic Record Reader, Best Selling Author and Speaker. You can reach her at jean@spiritualtransformation.com How

God is Not a Personality

Even though many people have been taught that God is a man sitting on a throne tossing about orders (punishments and rewards) and you must stay on his good side, and, of course, there are various rules for doing that, it is NOT TRUE. God is not a personality. God is not a form. It is the energy of love, kindness, compassion that has the unlimited capacity to mold into anything you obsess over, dream about or ask for. You are never separate from this loving, guiding essence in that you are always in and of the Quantum Field of energy. It is that in which you live, breath, and have your being. In other words, you cannot sever your tie to God. You can ignore it or pretend it doesn’t exist, you can create mental constructs that disavow the existence of God, but you cannot separate from It. Your power is in how you choose to interact with It. In other words, what you think and desire, and how you feel and react are what mold your on-going reality. God has no limitation or judgment on what you choose to create. You have been given free will to envision chaos and drama or peace, friendship, and joy. You were blessed with this gift of free will at the moment of creation. Thus, the question, where do you choose to place your attention? This is a crucial decision because what you focus on, you increase/create. Period! Most people focus on the past and it is no shock that today is a replication of yesterday and last month. Why? because you have chosen to obsess about the past. It is your focus. Also, there is a tendency to give other people power over your life. Someone doesn’t like you or disapproves and that becomes the point of focus. It can literally ruin your day! It is called “other” orientation and can be consuming. The truth is that you can be fine and even excellent if someone doesn’t like you. All great leaders have been disliked because great leaders stir the pot and provoke change. Many people are afraid of change and will fight to sidestep it. Thus they create chaos and drama because they begrudge change. Yet change is the order of the day and it cannot be circumvented anymore than you can avoid day progressing to night or night evolving into day Do you obsess over what happened yesterday, who said and did what? Do you run the previous marriage (relationship) or ex-spouse through your mind on a regular basis – reviving the past? If so, you are still married to that person and you cannot move on. Do you ruminate over the boss’s mood or judgment from a week ago and, in the process, disavow the present moment? Do you rebel against your situation without putting forth new, positive energy and focus? You are in control of your destiny. The only person you trouble is yourself. Is it time to release resistance or be right? If you choose battle, someone will show up to battle with you. And when you are ready (your timing) you can move on to the next phase of an expanded life... greater joy, new friends, new work, more opportunity– whatever. Is it time to take the next step? To do that requires letting go of the old ways and listening for new possibilities. It starts with you BEING a new possibility. Go to your heart and let your inner Light begins to expand. This is an internal process. The external will follow. You will be guided. The ego loves battle; the Self loves peace. Be peace. Jean Walters is a Transformational Coach and Akashic Record Reader. You can reach her at jean@spiritualtransformation.com or 314 991 8439. http://www.spiritualtransformation.com Her books can be purchased on Amazon.com

Conditioning for Wealth

Did you know that to be rich you must “become one with wealth.” That means you cannot see yourself as lacking and experience wealth at the same time. You must condition your thinking and feeling to be so comfortable with the idea of having money (as well as all wealth) in your pocket, bank accounts, and investments that the thought of poverty or lack is foreign, outrageous, and incomprehensible. The poor person who thinks of wealth fantasizes. It is a fantasy because to him the thought of abundance is outlandish, absurd. Often, we will affirm that he doesn't have money or can't pay the bills. Therefore when he, through a turn of events, acquires money, something happens to push it away. This something could be an unexpected event – car repair, illness, storm damage, refrigerator breaks, etc. In other words, an unforeseen happening that makes the money go away... disappear. The poor person holds such strong mental image of poverty that he, in effect, rejects money. Whereas, an individual who identifies with money (and all good things) and knows he will always have plenty, carries himself in a totally different manner. When this person acquires wealth, he is comfortable – things are as they should be. He is one with wealth. Having money is a natural state for him. There are no repelling, anxious thoughts influencing his consciousness and causing rejection of wealth. The wealthy person’s mind is conditioned to accept and attract creative ideas and solutions. “Of course, I have money. I should have money. It is right to be wealth (have friends, vacations, parties, time to relax, a lovely home and vehicle. This is right according to the laws of the Universe. The Universe is abundant and so am I. “ (There are millions of leaves on every tree and they are grown without any undue effort on the part of the tree. There are unlimited varieties of flowers, people, cultures, foods, places to visit, books to read, creative ideas to play with, inventions to launch, things to learn and discover available at any given moment. Whatever you need or want, it is available and possible. If you want to have an abundance of all good things, become one with the idea of wealth. LOVE the abundance you already have – friends, freedom, comfort, kindness, work to do, choices to make. Feel a sense of expansion and wealth. Revel in it, think it, accept it, and become it. As you do this, ideas will flow to you and from ideas come wealth. This is how you develop receptivity and conditioning for wealth. Make this a practice every day. Start with gratitude and become wealth. Jean Walters can be reached at jean@spiritualtransformation.com - website: http://www.spiritualtransformation.com - 314 991 8439 She is a Personal Growth Consultant and Coach, Speaker, and Author

Physics, Forgiveness, and Living in Vastness

Ever since Albert Einstein discovered the Unified Field, Quantum Physics has made a great leap in understanding that the basis of all life is light. Of course, the reference to Light is as old as the Bible wherein Genesis states that God said, Let there be light and there was light. Thus the idea of light is not new and perhaps we are catching up to this concept that is as old as forever and possibly the key to life everlasting and living in joy. The science of physics now indicates that if you were to take a high-powered microscope and look deep within matter (any matter – a chair, desk, human body), you would find one element – light. So what does this mean to you and me? We are made in the light of God. We are the light of God. Another name for light is love. The great teacher, Jesus, said that if you want to know for sure that you are love, forgive your enemies. That might sound astounding but if you were to contemplate the concept you would discover that since love (or light) is the only infinite element, it is more sustainable, and enduring than fear, anger, animosity, resentment, hate or anger. Love endures, outlasts and outlives fear or “low energy.” As you forgive your enemies, you are not forgiving actions. You are forgiving people. To go a bit farther, you are forgiving distraught, wounded, misguided people. In other words, anyone with unloving intentions is grounded is trauma, fear, and woundedness and has lost his sense of connection with love – the deep essence and core of every being, the underlying reality. It is not that love has disappeared or dissolved for that is not possible. Love is the essential building ingredient of all life as expressed in Genesis. It is that folks have bought into a world of form and become distracted from their inner essence of love and because of that disorientation have limited their experience of life to a small body, a few friends, a 40 hour a week job, and mortgage payments. In other words, they are looking at circumstances rather than the beauty, vastness, and possibilities in which we live. Yet, there is more and now may be the time to expand your vision. The sky goes on forever and the oceans are vast. The air we breathe is limitless and so are the varieties of people and possibilities of what we can do, be, experience and become. Start each day with a moment of wonderment. Look at the world with the eyes of a child – amazed at the beauty and vastness all around you. Try to keep that sense of openness in every situation. If you get stuck in a conflict (mental or physical) remember that you are made of light substance – the highest vibrational element there is. As you remind yourself of this truth you will begin to feel love and lightness flow in you. Go to your heart for a direct connection. Ask yourself, what does my heart say about this situation? As you relax, you will have your answer. Each day that you do this, you will get stronger in understanding and identifying your true essence. Ever since Albert Einstein discovered the Unified Field, Quantum Physics has made a great leap in understanding that the basis of all life is light. Of course, the reference to Light is as old as the Bible wherein Genesis states that God said, Let there be light and there was light. Thus the idea of light is not new and perhaps we are catching up to this concept that is as old as forever and possibly the key to life everlasting and living in joy. The science of physics now indicates that if you were to take a high-powered microscope and look deep within matter (any matter – a chair, desk, human body), you would find one element – light. So what does this mean to you and me? We are made in the light of God. We are the light of God. Another name for light is love. Jesus said that if you want to know for sure that you are love, forgive your enemies. That might sound astounding but if you were to contemplate the concept you would discover that since love (or light) is the only infinite element, it is more sustainable, and enduring than fear, anger, animosity, resentment, hate or anger. Love endures, outlasts and outlives fear or “low energy.” As you forgive your enemies, you are not forgiving actions. You are forgiving people. To go a bit farther, you are forgiving distraught, wounded, misguided people. In other words, anyone with unloving intentions is grounded is trauma, fear, and woundedness and has lost his sense of connection with love – the deep essence and core of every being, the underlying reality. It is not that love has disappeared or dissolved for that is not possible. Love is the essential building ingredient of all life as expressed in Genesis. It is that folks have bought into a world of form and become distracted from their inner essence of love and because of that disorientation have limited their experience of life to a small body, a few friends, a 40 hour a week job, and mortgage payments. In other words, they are looking at circumstances rather than the beauty, vastness, and possibilities in which we live. Yet, there is more and now may be the time to expand your vision. The sky goes on forever and the oceans are vast. The air we breathe is limitless and so are the varieties of people and possibilities of what we can do, be, experience and become. Start each day with a moment of wonderment. Look at the world with the eyes of a child – amazed at the beauty and vastness all around you. Try to keep that sense of openness in every situation. If you get stuck in a conflict (mental or physical) remember that you are made of light substance – the highest vibrational element there is. As you remind yourself of this truth you will begin to feel love and lightness flow in you. Go to your heart for a direct connection. Ask yourself, what does my heart say about this situation? As you relax, you will have your answer. Each day that you do this, you will get stronger in understanding and identifying your true essence. Jean Walters is a Personal Growth Consultant and Coach, Akashic Record Reader, Author, & Speaker. You can reach her at jean@spiritualtransformation.com - her books are available on Amazon.com website: http://www.spiritualtransformation.com

I AM the Light of the World - How to Live in the Light of Your True Identity

We have been trained to think of ourselves as human beings as opposed to spiritual beings and as such we have been indoctrinated with the idea of limitation. In other words, because the body is limited (it requires food, water, sleep, housing, relatively small) as we identify with it, we believe that we are limited as well. Yet if you realize the body is just a temporary vehicle while the soul or spirit is a forever vehicle, we can adjust our view to identify as Spirit/Soul and we release the concept of material limitation that we have learned and adopted. For instance, I Am the Light of the World places you in the internal realm of Spiritual Light as your true form and identification. The question is how to release the dense body as the limited concept of who you are, that you may assume the truth of who you really are as the Light Energy of your Eternal Being is the question. Start with identifying the mental architecture (beliefs and stories) that you have constructed and accepted. Through this mental (imagined structure) you have contrived a life as limited and difficult. Beliefs: “You must work hard; the body is frail and victim to disease and viruses; other people have power over you.” These statements relate to the limiting concepts that have been taught, repeated, and accepted. They are truth for you as you adopt them. This Body of Light that you really are is all-powerful and will accept whatever program you give it. A computer accepts whatever software program you install in it. You have the power to delete programs, edit programs, and create new programs. The computer is invented and developed on this original idea of the mind. Our Divine Light Body will also morph into whatever we set as its program. This gives us immense power to change, become, and expand. Because we have spent so many years repeating the program, “I am powerless, helpless, sick, weak, and struggling” instead of I AM the beauty and Light of the world; I AM powerful, omniscient, and without limit, we must now edit and install new software (beliefs and stories). What would happen if you addressed every situation with the mental construct of vastness, mutability, and power? I Am the Light of the world. All power is mine and every possibility is available to me. I Am open to receive the highest possibilities and solutions. Try it and find out. If you are determined and persevering in this new program, you would eventually (perhaps sooner rather than later) open to a new you. You would begin to live more in the Light than in the dense expression of materiality. Does this scare you? Does this excite you? Check your reaction to these ideas. Your reaction will determine your readiness. A faint heart yields faint results. You decide what will be. I Am the Light of the world will call your Light Spiritual Beinginess to your awareness. You can frame this new self as I Am the Light; I Am the inner essence of Spirit. I vibrate in joyful connection to Spirit. I Am Spirit. Adjust the concept in accordance with your understanding. When Jesus said I AM the Light of the world, he also said YOU are the Light of the world. He was speaking of bringing your sense of identity to the truth of your being. We are all Light conceived. The dense body proceeds or projects from that inner point of creation. We can place our focus at either place and that decision controls our destiny. Are you ready to release the heaviness of the mental constructs you took on as a child? If so you have a new way awaiting. Begin the process. State daily: I Am the Light of the world. All possibilities are open to me. The egoic self no longer controls with ideas of limitation. I open to my Greater Self and every possibility – I AM the Light. With each day of practice your identification with the limitless potential you possess will grow. By the way, Light and Love is the same thing. Which is to say that you are the Love of the world too. Jean Walters is a Transformational Coach, Akashic Record Reader, Author, Teacher. Her books can be found on Amazon.com. You can reach her at 314 991 8439 website: http://www.spiritualtransformation.com

Intuition: What it is and how to trust it!

I am frequently asked about intuition… what is it? How do I know if I am connected to it? How do I know if it is real and not something I made up? Hey, great questions. Let’s explore the answers. As an intuitive, Akashic Record reader, and coach, I rely on my intuition in both business and personal life. I check each decision to make sure it is aligned with my highest purpose. That is a most important function of intuition, to keep you on track. Intuition is also the guide to your Highest Intelligence. Thus the query, would you rather be given advice from your High Self or your ego? Hence cultivating your intuitive voice is probably the most important thing you will ever do. It makes your life easier, less stressful, and smoother. I think of it as helping me get to my destination as the crow flies – or, the shortest path. As a professional intuitive, I depend on my still small voice for insights and instructions in every situation. When I work with clients, I am guided to the right energy, symbols and scenarios that supply the most meaning and impact for them. The messages that come through my channel are relatable, practical, and provide my clients the quickest way to accomplish what is needed and I mean as the crow flies. The truth is that we live on many levels. The physical/material world happens to be the heaviest (densest) energetically. The finer realms, where intuition resides, are clear, insightful, and packed with wisdom. By following your intuition, you will discover ways to heal and to express your highest energy, passions and goals. What is Intuition? Intuition is the still, small voice that dwells within that guides, and sometimes prods us. It informs us if something is right or wrong for us and it offers insights about situations and relationships. We are often tuned to it when we are quiet and heart focused as opposed to being in our analytical head or ego. When we dash through life, letting our intellect (head) lead the way, living by rigid rules and forced decisions, we are continually distracted by external noise and unable to listen deeply. The material world is loud, dramatic and demanding. As a result, we find it difficult to cultivate the deep inner listening necessary to access inner wisdom and life becomes chaotic and difficult. To connect to inner knowing, we must step away from external noise. Take a break; stop. Go to the heart, sit quietly and listen. You can begin with five minutes a day. This allotted time will naturally expand as you develop mental discipline. Is it real or are we making it up? There are studies that illustrate the benefits of intuition. A 2015 study presented in the Journal of Positive Psychology indicates that intuition is particularly beneficial when a person is stressed or under pressure. It states that intuitive processes often lead to conclusions of higher value than rational-analytic methods of reasoning. Another Forbes article states that scientists and researchers has proven that intuition is the highest form of intelligence. It is noted that gut feelings, hunches, or the still small voice of intuition contain power, insight, and truth. In fact, it offers far more than insight than the data available in the outside world. We can use these faculties together. Use reason to back up intuition in much the way that Einstein did. He would intuit a premise (the speed of light or the law of relativity) and then go to work with his logical mind to find the formulas to back it up. What’s the benefit? Our intuition never lies or steers us in the wrong direction. When we dwell in the intuitive mind, we develop clarity because fear is displaced with love. It is vital to never make a decision out of fear because it leads to conclusions that may seem appropriate on paper but are ultimately bad as they are reactionary and do not take in the long view of a situation. Fear drowns out intuition and blocks forward movement. It is restrictive, confining, and shortsighted. Love is expansive whereas fear constricts and creates anxiety. We may get an intuitive don’t do it signal, but the energy around that message is lighter and more insightful than the energy of fear. As you observe, intuition feels right, and there is a sense of clarity with it. When connected to your intuition, you feel calm. Peace is indicative of truth and conclusions come easier. Even with a "don’t do it " or "this is a bad idea" message, there is still a sense of ease. In fact, intuition never goes against your desire; it is actually moves you toward it. And clarity always produces confidence. How does it speak to us? There are a variety of ways that your inner voice can speak to you. Feelings are important – a sense of peace or repulsion conveys choices. With clarity and lightness you know you are on the right path; when repulsed you know you are not. Your body does not know how to lie and you can be easily guided when you listen to it. Dreams (day or night) are another way to receive messages. Dealing with dreams symbolically helps you understand the urges coming through. A person who dreams of being a super hero will probably become one – perhaps not with a cape and laser gun, but still a superhero. He may discover a new way to accomplish a purpose, heal an illness, rocket to space, or develop a higher technology. Recently I had a client who dreamed of earthquakes, floods and disaster and knew she must leave her job as it was having a negative effect on her. Another client met her beautiful, unconditionally loving mother in her dreams and was told that she is doing everything as she should and to continue. Both understood that they were being guided. Intuition also shows up in symbols. When I see ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks, I am alerted to be attentive to what I am doing. To stay grounded. Or, you may see a word that shows up everywhere you go, SLOW DOWN; or an animal, like a deer, which instructs you to be gentle. Or a hawk that bears the message to take the long view. Indeed the Universe communicates through intuition in many ways. Some exercises to Connect with Your Intuition 1) Get in touch with your authentic self. Through our lives we have buried and hidden our true selves under personalities and behavioral roles in order to stay safe and acceptable. We have paid a huge price for this as we end up creating blocks against recognizing our innate gifts and purpose. We must drop these false personas and get honest. You know what you love to do, how you love to express, and the things you find distasteful. These truths have been evident from the time you were a small child. If possible, connect with someone who can help you peel away the layers to free yourself and connect with your true self. By doing this, your intuition will get stronger and louder. Gaining clarity on “who you truly are” will assist you in letting go of the past and learning to love yourself. It is an essential shift as intuition resides in love. If you disdain yourself, you stay boxed in fear and closed-mindedness. Our higher self — the source of intuition — is pure love. Loving yourself stabilizes your connection to your intuition. Learning self-love can be a lifelong journey. Yet the more we accept ourselves, warts and all, flaws and mistakes, without judgment or self-denigration, the more we can live fully in our Higher Selves. 2) A most important practice is to learn to be still. Creating space to be quiet, meditate, breathe, and enjoy nature, will pay dividends. You will discover that connecting with your heart, gut, inner hunches, or intuitive voice gets easier day-by-day. Also, let go of negative or chaotic situations. They are draining. Also remove distractions and clutter. This helps to quiet the noise and drama of life. Within this space, your intuition gains strength. 3) Pay attention to your physical body to notice feelings that come up for you. Perhaps you feel uneasy about a person or situation, or you may feel a strong yes. Whatever you are feeling, take time to connect and explore it. With time it becomes obvious – is this feeling coming from intuition or fear. This is the work that must be done. 4) Another method of listening is channeled writing. Write a question on a piece of paper, take a few deep breaths, clear your mind, and write. You can wait for the words to start flowing or you can make circles on the paper until they surface. Once they do, start writing. Don’t filter, or concern yourself with spelling, grammar, sentence structure, or making sense of it. Keep writing until the words stop coming. Just trust what you are hearing. Your intuition is focused on helping you live your highest life. Often the answers that come are not the ones you think you want. But that goes to trust. Being honest is imperative to developing a strong relationship with your intuition. As you become stronger at trusting your intuition, making choices gets easier. Decisions come faster and are more aligned with what is best for you. Anxiety is minimized, as you don’t agonize, or let your rational/intellectual mind sort everything out. Because you are attuned to your Higher Mind, instant feedback becomes your method and it offers the best option for you. 5) Becoming familiar with your intuitive voice makes is vastly easier to put it into practice. For instance, let’s say you are looking to change jobs. You might start thinking about each job you are considering. Explore the fears, dreams and visions associated with each one. For example, ponder your current job. What does your work environment feel like? Going through the various activities of the job, how do they feel? Does it feel like you are learning something important and does it align with your career goals? How do you feel as you go to work every day? By asking questions, you define the problem. What is it you want to get clear on? Once you determine this, what are some possible solutions? Should you stay or go? And if you do go, what option is best for you — working for another company? Being self-employed? Being a full-time employee or a contract-based employee? Starting a different career? Doing something completely new? Write down various options and let your intuition guide you to what feels best. What feelings show up in your body? The body is a great barometer of truth because it does not know how to lie. It will always give honest feedback of what you really want. You can mentally rationalize, but your body cannot. What do you feel? Relaxed, relieved, or peaceful? Then your answer is probably yes. Or does your body feel tense, anxious or distressed? If so, you’re being told that the solution you are considering is not the right one. If you are still unsure, imagine going forward implementing each answer. With your imagination engaged, you will get immediate intuitive feedback. By imaging the new scenario, the body will actually feel it because it does not know the difference between what is real and what is made up. Visualize doing solution one. Move into it. How do you feel with each step? Are you fearful yet excited or do you feel dread and repulsion? Each feeling is an intuitive guide. Go through each possibility and you will know what is best. Take time to reference if your reactions are fear or love (intuition) driven. Remember, fear feels heavy and restrictive. If you notice that feeling, give yourself time to figure out what you are afraid of. In other words, explore the fear. It is possible the initial fear is not the real fear. By getting to know your fear, you also learn more about yourself. All fear is irrational. Yet, exploring it may help you let it go. To say this differently, the only valid fear is when your life is endangered, like being chased by a bear. More than likely, the fear you feel is a remnant from the past and not really relevant to your situation. Other fears might relate to being embarrassed or failing at a task or someone not liking you. These are the fears that keep you stuck and must be acted on. We are human beings having a learning experience. Listening to your intuition will help you learn. Life is a process and not a destination. When it feels right, walk through the fear and become free. As you use these tools you will create a strong connection to your intuition and your life will flow more easily, you will have more clarity and joy. Jean Walters is a Personal Growth Consultant, Coach, Akashic Record Reader, Author, and Teacher. You can find her books on Amazon.com. Website: http://www.spiritualtransformation.com You can reach her at 314 991 8439

Tips on Developing Your Intuition

Intuition, we all have it. Some use it every day all the time and others don't. Do you listen to your head or your heart? Head = intellect; heart = intuition (deeper knowing). Intuition can show up as feelings, a great idea, a symbol presented in your life (a sign, a person, an animal, or even a situation). In fact, everything, when viewed from your Higher Mind, has significance and everything is a symbol of some sort. All can be used to guide your growth Jesus said, "You shall know them by their works." He said works, not words. Often we get confused because people say one thing and do another. A radical example would be the fellow who says I love you and then smacks you. Words say one thing; actions state a completely different reality. A person is completely out of integrity when his words and actions don’t match. You are out of integrity if you believe him. My suggestion is that you ignore what people say and pay close attention to what they do. Is this person kind to the little people – waitresses, cab driver, and store clerks? Actions reveal the person. When we pay attention, we begin to observe life rather than be entangled in it. The more we observe without judgment (just watch it like a movie), the more we can cultivate our deeper sense of intuition. Why? Because we are no longer distracted with intellectual illusions. Once we become entangled with people or situation and make judgments, feign outrage, become attached, we lose our edge. That means we are distracted from the still, small voice that resides within the heart. That is a heavy price to pay. The truth is that love is action, not words. It is amazing to me how people want to be told how much they are loved when their friend or partner is going out of his/her way to show them. Can you see? In this confused state, we put words above actions and misjudge our situation. Yes, we are operating from our head and not our heart. The first step in strengthening your intuition is to FEEL. That means feel the situation you are in, sense the person you are with, notice the energy in a situation. FEEL it. As you move beyond your intellectual (head) self, you will find your feeling sense will prove a valuable ally guiding you to your right answers and direction. Many people ignore their feelings and that is a BAD mistake. Your feeling sense is to be trusted but it must be in the moment. That means that if you had a terrible experience with a tall Italian man in your past and now you react badly to all tall, Italian men, it is not your intuition speaking to you, but a past memory. It may take time to sort out memories versus true gut sensations. With practice, this can be done. Practice FEELING and be willing to be wrong, because for sure your intellect will try interfere. Nevertheless, practice makes perfect. When Jesus healed the blind man, the Pharisees (who represent our “letter of the law,” follow-the-rules mentality – rational but not intuitive) challenged him and said you must be a devil (evil) because you did something out of the ordinary and you had the nerve to help this guy out on the Sabbath – a time of rest. In other words, you broke the religious law of the time and that makes you bad. These Pharisaical thoughts, and everyone has them, are not spiritual or intuitive. They represent the way we have been indoctrinated. Our narrow beliefs in how things should be. It so concerned the Pharisees that Jesus healed on the Sabbath that they wanted to get rid of him, stone him. Think about it… you do a kind act – do you second-guess yourself – maybe they won’t appreciate it, maybe I gave too much or too little, perhaps they won’t understand or I overstepped the boundaries, yada, yada, yada. This second-guessing is Pharisaical. These are the thoughts that talk you out of living spontaneously, spiritually, and in love. They are based in egoic materialism in that they attempt to convince you to rationalize who you are instead of striving to feel the deepest compassion, love and kindness that you are and to operate from that. If you were listening to your deep love (heart) what would you do today? Can you do it without second-guessing? Can you do it now? There are different levels of intuition. Some guide you from past experiences as mentioned above – watch out for the tall Italian guy - and there are deeper levels of intuitive knowing that help you cultivate your highest essence. To access these profound levels, you must become non-judgmental, non-attached to specific outcomes, and non-resistant to what is. If you have not developed these qualities, then that is the next work to do. Parting thought: Whatever work you do to strengthen your intuitive understanding will bring you tremendous rewards. As you move your awareness to deeper, more profound levels, you glean peace, joy, wisdom, health, abundance, and knowing. These are the greatest rewards you could ever want. Jean Walters is a Personal Growth Consultant and Coach, Akashic Reader, Author and teacher. You can reach her at jean@spiritualtransformation.com, 314 991 8439 website: http://www.spiritualtransformation.com Her books are available on Amazon.com

Simple - How to Bring more Love into Your Life

Simple Practice: Bring more Love into your Life There is no question babies radiate love. People are drawn to these beautiful, little packages that know only love. We connect with them and want to experience the simple happiness of a baby. Puppies have the same effect. They automatically love you. You don’t have to do anything to earn their love. It is unconditional and knows no bounds. Guess what - This is our true state – radiant love without bounds. But what happens to reduce and diminish us to a consciousness of fear and restriction, of distrust and anger. When did we forget who we are? Instead of expanding our love to include everything and everyone, we start to retract and become selective. We become conditional. I will love you if you are nice to me; I will love you if we agree on issues! I will love you if we are from the same political party. What?! You love your ethnic group, family, tribe, religious sect and close out those who seem different. We are afraid of those we look, dress, or speak in dissimilar dialects. Soon we are retracted into balls of opinions, delusions, judgments, and preferences where before there was radiance. As thinking, rational beings we have the ability to make choices. We can look at the outer shell and project our own insecurities, fear, and unknowing or we can see the light in each person and recognize that the outer form is just a defense or definition – actually of little importance. Inside there is light (love) beaning its boundlessness and desire to share. Holding in love when it needs expression is painful. Why? because we are going against our natural state. On the inside, we are still babies ready to grin, giggle, and share our essence. Let’s return to that state of innocence and purity by making it a practice to smile at people. That is what babies do. Tell them (mentally, if you wish) how much you love them. You love their light. You love the purity of their essence, even if they have lost sight of it themselves. See it for them. This can be your practice with each person you encounter. See their inner beauty and radiant light and love. Bless them with a smile. And, guess what, through the law of cause and effect, what cycles back to you will be love! Take the restraints off your life and guess what – fear and restriction disappear. It is a choice. Here is an exercise to practice to help this your loving, radiance return. Everyday do something for someone. A small thing… sincerely wish them a joyful day, help carry groceries, writing a thank you note, share a resource. At the end of the day, ask yourself what good did I do today? And, you know what, you will be grinning like a baby in no time! Jean Walters is a Transformational Coach, Akashic Record Reader, Teacher, and Best Selling Author. You can find her books on Amazon.com and you can reach her at 314 991 8439 or jean@spiritualtransformation.com

5 Tips for a Healthy Relationship: How to Be Adult in Relationships by Jean Walters I recently discovered a book called “How to be an adult in relationships: The Five Keys to Mindful Loving,” by David Richo, phD. I loved the title and decided to investigate a bit. I have been in private practice as a transformational coach for over 35 years and much of it spent talking to people about relationships and it seems to me that there are a lot of illusions about what connecting and relating to one another person is supposed to look like. For starters we do not live in a Cinderella- Prince Charming world. Nor is it a Sleeping Beauty and Prince Charming (that guy gets around) reality. And it is my belief that these fairy tales have played havoc with our view of real-life connection and commitment because they are not real and often people want to use them as templates for their flesh and blood relationships. Plus I’ve noticed that the way people treat their special love relationship, as opposed to the way they treat their friends, is very different. This is unfortunate because we often give our friends a wide berth while we hold our loved ones with tight expectations. Getting back to Dr. Richo, I quote: “Love is not so much a feeling as a way of being present.” This one statement eliminates a lot of complications. What love is and what the component of a healthy relationship really is! Dr. Richo states that there are five keys to being present to the people you love. They are: attention, acceptance, appreciation, affection, and allowing. Let’s give each one of these some thought. We often meet someone and desire a connection. So we start by giving that person a lot of attention. This could be meetings, phone calls, text messages, emails, one-on-one time. Then as commitment or marriage follows, there is a sense of taking that person for granted, and the attention begins to wane. “You have them.” And the demands of life take over. The problem is that you don’t “have them” because attention is one of the elements needed to keep a relationship alive and healthy. With a friend you might have certain rituals that hold true. You talk to him/her everyday (think Oprah and Gayle). You have lunch or dinner weekly; you use them as a sounding board. In that regard, consider what kind and how much attention or ritual you give to your loved ones. Do you have dinner together daily, or a weekly date night? Also, do you accept these people – warts and all! Often with our friends we do just that. It is just as important to provide that same level of acceptance to our spouses, children, and ultimately everyone. We are all hanging out in the earth to learn important lessons and often these lessons don’t come easy. This is true for everyone. Have you noticed - there aren’t any perfect people running around - just folks doing their best. Be careful that you don’t have rules for people and they are expected to live by them. Folks need to make up their own rules. Next appreciation. Make a point to show appreciation. A note, a phone call, remember important occasions, say thank you. Tell the people in your life why you are happy they are there. Be demonstrative. Affection is something you do. It may be a pat on the back or a smile. It could be a hug or making out. Affection is easily demonstrated. Taking an interest in something that is important to the other person is a form of affection. We all need it and want it. So, give it. Allowing is about accepting the person and his/her values and allowing them to be exactly who they are. If they like to play basketball one night a week, you get out of the way and let that happen. You may not like basketball, but they do. So be it. The truth is that if something is important to your spouse or friend, they are going to do it and if they don’t, they will become resentful. The question is, does this activity make them better or worse? Allowing boys’ poker night, or girls’ night out, or going to a restaurant that is not your first choice, is okay. There is no loss in allowing, only benefits. Enjoy!! Jean Walters is a Transformation Coach who helps people solve problems, see a vaster picture, look deep into life and relationships by offering coaching and Akashic Readings. Check out her website: http://www.spiritualtransformation.com or call 314 991 8439