Breath of life

I am always impressed and awed with the power of breath.  Many people approach and are interested in a spiritual path due to the fact that one can heal ... one does heal on the road to enlightenment/spiritual development.  The breath can HEAL.  

I am also fascinated with the fact that the breath is one of the keys on the path of Kung fu, Chi Kung and Yoga... among other paths.  One is not able to progress to higher levels without management of the breath.

In panic, fear, anger, anxiety... and other labels we have for various illnesses, the breath can be observed as unsteady, imbalanced, shallow, constricted and otherwise inharmonious.

The breath tells us so many things.  Observe your breath.  Tell yourself that today you will observe your breath in all moments.  This will show you how much awareness you have and how much sleep you engage in during the day.  If you promise yourself that you will do this and find you `forget` ... that is a form of sleep... remember the previous blog on fragmented self (many I's and unifyng the self)?  If one part of yourself says it will take on this practical challenge, and you find that you 'forget' most of the day, that shows how another part has come forward which is not engaged in the Work at all!  Remember, this Work is also about waking up more fully in your daily life.  This is a great tool and a useful practical exercise to show you where you are really at.

You will notice how your breath changes around certain people and before, during, and after certain experiences.  Follow your awareness and observe without trying to change it ... just watch without judgement and be interested in these patterns you will come to see.   How do you breathe?  Deeply?  In the chest only?  Is your breath constricted anywhere?  Under what conditions and how...

When we sit for long periods, our breath tends to naturally slow down ... sometimes, when we are engaged in an activity and sitting for a long time we may lose awareness of the breath and how it is flowing.  We may not be naturally breathing deeply and fully.   

Remember to take breaks, move around a bit, stop .... inhale and exhale slowly 20 long deep relaxed breaths in fresh air during the day ... and do your daily practice with awareness.

When we do Kung fu, Chi kung and Yoga, we cultivate breath awareness and it is a major part of our work.  We can feel, in our pulses, the difference before and after practice ... we can feel it in our pulses if we are not engaged in full breath throughout our being ... and this, in turn will affect our inner flows of energy and eventually our physical form and organs.  

Check this out yourself (meaning there is research on this) ... it has been found that cancer does not survive in a highly oxygenated system ... it can not grow... it requires an acidic and low oxygen system.  How do we eat ... think... breathe ...  There is other research with various illnesses and the breath ...  

We all have things we work with while here ... while walking our path ...  we will have moments - even periods where we forget ... continue to walk on ... apply and use your tools and practical exercises ... remember to avoid labelling, judging, comparing, measuring self and others ... simply work with where you are at ... continue to learn and observe your self ... observe others and learn from them as well.

The breath is a major key ... this is another reason we do formal practices every day ... it becomes clear to us that this really works and we now have a tool to use ... if we REMEMBER ourselves and do the Work.

The breath can HEAL and bring us to higher levels of awareness ... prove it to yourself ... with consistent work over time.

Many I's and Unifying the Self

Today's topic is about unifying the self.  One way we have become fragmented is a way in we have all been affected in one way or another ... our experiences growing up with our loved ones, friends, teachers ... strangers .... experiences in life and our ways of reacting/responding to these things.

There are many ways to approach this Work we do.  We look at the body and it tells us things.  We observe behaviour and it reveals certain things. We use our feelings and intuition and learn from that.  We move and learn from that too.  Everything we do ... everywhere we go ... every moment reveals something to us if we look, sense, hear, feel beyond the ways we are accustomed to. 


Ever wonder why it is that we may have a genuine desire ... a feeling to do something ... a goal ... a dream we may have ... a desire to improve our life or something about ourselves ... a desire to be free from the dramas we engage in  - in life and in our relationships .... and come up against inner blocks - or even external circumstances that appear to be preventing us from achieving these things?  How about the famous New Year's resolutions ...

When we examine the foundation principles of many genuine spiritual paths, we find a common mention of the unification of the inner self ... an inner and outer harmony and balance in the energy flows.  While each path may have a unique way of wording this, it is none the less the same. 

Within all of us, fragmentation of the self exists to different degrees.  As we grow up, we learn that people do not always appreciate us exactly the way we are.  Babies are the first to learn this and it goes on and on from there ... each parent is different, our grandparents are different, our friends and teachers and all others we come in contact with are unique .... we learn from an early age what is acceptable and to whom.  We respond to these things by masking the genuine expression of our self in the moment.  We all do this in different ways.

Observe a child over time - many very young children (babies...toddlers) will behave more naturally and genuinely whomever they are around.  Then there is a point at which they begin to learn, through experience, that when they behave a certain way, different people will react differently.  Over time, they gain the awareness that they can attain specific results with a change in their behaviour, tone of voice, words etc.  They begin to consciously and unconsciously alter their behaviours in order to get responses they like or to avoid the one they do not.  Over time, this solidifies into a set of unconscious behaviour patterns we can call conditioning.  With Work, we can alter this conditioning and our personality.

As adults, we are a unique mix of many ways of being ... inside ourselves... we can call this many I's ... there is the I that says I wish to eat well .... there is the I that wants cake and eats it ... there is the I that comes forward around certain people and behaves this way ... there is the I that comes forward around other people and behaves that way. 

Life is not rigid ... all of life is moving and changing - even if slowly.  Some of us develop rigid ways of being that we present to all people - we may imagine that this is unification, unless we see that we have no flexibility and freedom of expressing and being whatever we feel to be in the moment.   Our rigid ways do not allow us to feel or experience many things, and can often be seen in body structure.   Our bodies reflect what we hold onto and how we restrict ourselves from feeling and engaging with the energies inside and around us.

Most of us are not aware of these subtle shifts inwardly and we feel and talk of ourselves as though we are One and United inside, while we are not.   There are many ways in which to experience that we are not One within ourselves ... here I will mention a few.   If we were One (or whole, as some say), then we would have the ability to do what we say we will do ... we would not experience inner conflict, as this is the result of different aspects of ourselves not in agreement with each other, therefore we are divided inwardly ... we would be aware of ourselves as we are with each person, and if we behaved differently around different people, we would do so with the awareness of it ... engaging in the moment and acting according to how we feel with each person with awareness and not due to our conditioning, attitudes, or reactions.  Instead, we have excuses, justifications and explanations for why we behave the way we do around different people and we really believe these things ... as though we had no inner responsibility for our selves and the way we behave, talk, hold and express our self. 

Control is a good word, here.  We have no control over emotional attitudes or reactions when there is no awareness of our inner state ... no inner wakefulness and self-reflection.  We feel justified, instead, when we react.  Control (not in the usual negative sense of the word), comes with awareness of and engagement with inner and outer movements of energies.  The first step is development of awareness and ability to see ourselves as we really are.

Natural is a great word to use here.  Prior to the conditioning we are all exposed to, we are more natural with people ... we may behave differently around others - not due to unconscious patterns, but due to a natural expression of what we are feeling in the moment ...  this is different - it is genuine.  Babies and toddlers are more genuine ... ever hear a toddler say something like - that person smells, mommy - or yuck, that smells bad - when sitting down to eat a meal at a restaurant or your friend's house .... we may cringe, wondering if anyone heard them, but they are genuine and do no know about hurting people's feelings (there is no intention to do so) ... they simply feel and express the truth ... then they begin to learn what is acceptable according to what they are taught.  But what is acceptable is not always what they are really feeling, and so they learn to mask what they really feel.  What is acceptable is different to different people ... how confusing this is to a young child developing ... soon, for most, it becomes more important to view the outside world and respond according to IT rather than from their own genuine SELF -- with wisdom and discernment  developed over time and with proper guidance. 

The degree to which we are separated and fragmented from our genuine self depends on our own unique experiences growing up, and how we responded inwardly to these experiences.  There are differences in our ways of responding to similar things - even as a child in a similar environment ... working where we are at currently and consistently with useful tools will alter us inside and out.  Comparing ourselves to others and/or judging ourselves or others for where we/they are at will not assist us in any way.

We are also born with certain influences, tendencies and characteristics ... some of us look at these things in relation to the energies present at the time of our birth ... natal charts etc. ... we can use these things as another sort of tool to gain insight into our tendencies, and strengths and weaknesses.  It is useful to remember that we can Work to alter our level of Being and it is not wise to assume that we are limited to any system's way of viewing or labelling the many ways we appear to be.  Personality tools, elemental descriptions, natal charts etc. are wonderful tools to assist with our understanding; remain open to your opportunity to be something NEW, and focus your awareness on NOW ... the work is here and now ... work from where you are here and now ... know how you are here and now ... you are what you are in THIS moment, so this is where the Work always is ...

If we are truly fragmented and disconnected from our genuine self; what do we do differently?  How can we access our genuine self?  This is what genuine spiritual paths can lead us to depending on our ability to do the Work.  For example, taught properly, Yoga, Chi Kung, Kung fu and other Ways are all Paths to the genuine self ...  Yoga, Chi Kung and Kung fu are examples of paths which work with the body in order to unify the self and to unite with the Source of all things. 

So what do we do with all this?  Embark on the journey of a spiritual path and do your Work.  Find out for yourself if there is a better way.  Know yourself.  Develop a higher level of awareness.  Learn to see your self as you really are in the mirrors of self-reflection all around you in every day ... not as you wish to see yourself ... or as you are accustomed to seeing yourself ... or according to how others see you ... Enjoy the benefits of discovering how to consciously co-create your world instead of unconsciously attracting things which you are not enjoying ... or which you may superficially enjoy to your own detriment ... Consistent Work over time reveals to us that there is truly more to us and Life than we have experienced. 

Martial Arts and Spiritual Practice

While Kung fu has practical combat applications, and some schools train participants to enter tournaments, Kung fu is also a spiritual art and path to enlightenment when taught, practiced and walked as a path in life in this manner.  This is the way we teach it.  

Some people wonder whether this art trains one to have a big ego ... or to be aggressive and combative in approach to life.  All these things depend on the teacher and often, more importantly, on the student.  Just as numerous priests have been known to divert from their spiritual path and behave in questionable ways, teachers and students of any spiritual art have been known throughout time to do the same.  The same can be said for a follower of any faith and student of any path.  It is very difficult to judge a path based on stories or the behaviours of some of the people associated with these things. 

At times, a student may go through very challenging stages in their Work ... things may seem to get worse (in many ways) before they get better, as aspects of the self are brought to light for transformation.  How much of this is there? ... How long does it take?  It is individual.  In natural medicine and other holistic healing modalities, a healing crisis is a common theme ... in spiritual texts, we come across mention of the dark night of the soul.  The light is brighter on the other side of this Work. 

Kung fu and Chi kung, in the way I was taught, is a spiritual path with side benefits which include practical combat applications (which some people enjoy demonstrating in tournaments), and high levels of health and fitness.  According to the work the student puts in, and their current level of health and Being, it is obvious that people will get different results in the same amount of time.  

Many other benefits are experienced according to the level of Work put in by the student and their level of being.  The art can build up the inner strength and confidence of a student ... this is not the same as having a big ego ... though some people might view it as such.  Some students do develop an ego of self-importance ... or self-pity ... (perhaps they come to the art with these traits) ... this has more to do with where they are at internally at that time and they may, as they develop over time, come to see themselves as they are and Work to transform.  This is not only seen in arts such as Kung fu - one can see it in the spiritual self-importance projected by Yogis, religious people, healers of various disciplines, Tai Chi practitioners, kick-boxing clubs, Karate schools and Gyms... not to mention anyone we may come into contact with in the general public!  We must always be aware of judgments, comparisons, justifications and labelling ... and avoid playing these games.  Work on self ... cleaning our own mirrors and focussing on higher more worthy things is Work enough for all of us.

We do not have a filtering system or a specific characteristic we look for .... like the hopeful aspirants at the gates of the Shaolin Temple or those waiting at the feet of gurus in stories we've heard and movies we have seen.  Many schools in the West (and now the East too) open their doors and work with the general public at the level they are at, with the hopes of planting seeds and watching students reach their potential ... whatever that may be.

Over time, practiced and walked in the highest manner, one can attain extra-ordinary abilities in mind, body and spirit... and real change in Being.   Aggression and ego (the many forms of ego manifestation) ... among other things are to be faced, seen and transformed.  This will occur only to the level at which the student is prepared to clean their own mirrors of self-projection and Know Themselves ... willingness and ability to travel their own inner landscape and their own unique ability to see and to Work ... All these things are factors in this.

The body is the physical tool used by the student (as in the path of Yoga etc.) ... with which to transform energies and their level of Being ... as this occurs, all can be new inside and out.

Kung fu Chi Kung Life System

I have been a student and practitioner of Kung fu and Chi Kung since 1997.  The style I was taught is a Southern style (Southern China in origin) - 5 Animal, 5 Element Kung fu.  My teacher called this the Kung fu Chi Kung Life System, and with great respect for what he has taught us, I call it the same, doing my best to pass on what I have been able to integrate into my being from what I have learned and done.  Though my interest and experience in Yoga and attendance in other spiritual groups/classes began prior to my studies in Kung fu, the Kung fu Chi Kung Life System is truly my foundation and passion. 

My teacher was taught traditionally by monks.  The story is that the monks left a politically difficult climate ... left their country, later wishing to transmit their teachings; therefore, training others.  Apparently, my teacher was taught privately with a small group of practitioners.  He told me that we were learning a traditional art and that it is a spiritual path. 

He was trained in the art of the warrior, the healer and the monk.  These aspects of the training are integrated into the whole art ... though we may find ourselves studying one or more of these aspects in more concentrated focus at various times along our path.  I trained for many years for hours a day under his guidance - intensely and with much devotion and love for the art.  I can truly say with all my heart that this is my path with heart which I walk along the road of spiritual enlightenment - a development and growth of never-ending learning.   I am so very grateful for these teachings.

I have trained with other teachers for a number of years ... expanding my horizons and being exposed to other methods, personalities and paths of spiritual study.  This has enabled me to be open-minded and aware of the various ways in which people walk in order to connect with Spirit and the essence of who they really are.   Having experienced and studied different healing methods and paths has taught me the common ground/tools of healing and spiritual Work ... I was a seeker of ancient knowledge leading to understanding of human nature and the roots of illness, well-being and spiritual growth. 

 Though I decided long ago that my learning is life-long, and I continue to attend classes and learn new things,  I have enough to work on for the rest of my life from what I learned from studying Kung fu and Chi Kung alone (and this is on-going)!   It is through this art that I have learned the valuable lesson of depth ...  through depth and inner work we can discover/uncover many wondrous things!

Prior to starting my studies in Kung fu, I did Yoga.  I continue to do Yoga and have integrated it into my practices.  Many people are aware that the roots of Kung fu lie in yogic influence, so there are many yogic practices in the Kung fu which are obviously influenced by those lines ... check out the history of Kung fu. 

There are many styles of Kung fu. We teach Five Animal (tiger, crane, leopard, snake and dragon) Five Element (earth, air, wood, water and fire) style.  Our focus includes the external and the internal aspects of the art, as we were taught.  It is a southern style art which includes a focus on deeper stances developed over time.   Though it is a spiritual and healing art, it also has practical combat applications which were used in times of war, originally, as self-protective measures in difficult political climates. 

What we have to offer at Souhl Center is a spiritual path of study and work which uses the physical body as a tool for spiritual practice - similar to the teachings of Yoga, Tai Chi etc.  Chi Kung is the soul of Kung fu, and our teacher taught the two together - often saying that without the Chi Kung, the Kung fu would simply be empty form.  Though often embarked on for the spiritual teachings and journey, the side benefits of consistent practice over time, by the way, are greater levels of health, fitness and energy to do the things you love to do as you express your wondrous being in this world!   More Chi please!

Energy Gain or Loss

When we go about our day, we are impacted by a variety of things.  The most important being the quality of the air we breathe ... and how we are breathing in each moment.  Another important element involves everything we put into our body: food, drink and the more subtle effects of things we can absorb through our skin etc.  The final, and often least considered by some, are the various and continuous impressions we receive.

This last category of impressions involves the following: the impressions we receive from our own thoughts, words and actions; the thoughts words and actions of all people we encounter; the things we place our attention on all day long and the invisible (generally speaking), impressions in and around us at all times.

All of the above equates, ultimately and on the simplest of terms, to the energy we will either gain or lose through the interaction of us and the impression.  We can learn to efficiently gather and conserve (store) energy vs. leaking and losing it.    We will experience this as a result of the various practices we do, and in life every day.

Observe when you have an emotional high or low.  Track your energy level regularly .... inside and around you.  Ask yourself:  How have I been breathing and what quality of air?  How have I been eating and drinking and what has been the quality of that?  What sort of impressions have I been around and/or entertained inside and around me for the last little while?  So many things can be listed here; for example, the music you listen to, images you look at, things you watch on TV or otherwise, books you read ... interactions with others ... and on and on. 

An extreme example, here, is the fact that people who simply witness a violent or traumatic event can experience severe symptoms of stress .... physically, emotionally and mentally - even to the point of requiring treatment even though they were not directly involved.  In most cases, we do not experience this dramatic example; however, our energy is impacted continuously and we can develop the sensitivity to feeling this in even the simplest of daily impressions.

Learn to tell the difference between hysterical, driven, hyper, imbalanced highs and the highs which are the result of an energetic gain within the system as a result of Work.  The artificial high, which often indicates addiction or artificial stimulation, will be followed by a predictable crash .... somewhat similar to what people will notice who observe themselves on sugar, certain foods, alcohol, caffeine or an emotional high.   These artificial boosts of energy impact the organs and create imbalances - depending on the amount taken and the degree of the emotion.  The low will usually come shortly after the high.

Learning to tell the difference can be tricky until you learn this yourself and experience it ... then when you know yourself well enough you can observe/feel this difference in others.   One has to be cautious of judging others who have a high level of energy - to the untrained eye it may appear they are hyper etc, but they are simply full of vitality and energy ... outwardly it may look the same in some circumstances.  They have the ability to be quite still inside and out for long periods and also the ability to move about dynamically due to their high level of energy.

One point to remember:  As a result of doing some practices - especially when you push yourself and are growing, you may encounter periods of low ... this is not the same as the artificial low which comes after the artificial high.  Emotional issues may surface, or you may feel tired for a while.  All of this is to be expected at times.  Emotionally, things surface in order to come to the light to be transformed; avoid distracting yourself from this ... go into it, see it for what it is without reacting ... bring light to it and know it ... see it ... accept it and let it go.  If necessary, and you require assistance at this time, take a counsel session(s) for additional insight and guidance ... work through it and transformation will occur.   As for the feelings of being tired, we develop wisdom and communication with the body through practice and time .... we learn when to push forward anyway and when to lighten up but keep moving. We come to see that this is a part of the later energy gain. 


We learn, as we Work, to conserve and store energy in order to use it for our Work.  It becomes like a feedback loop.... Work, gain and store energy ... use it to do more Work ... to gain and store more energy.   Getting to higher levels of the Work is not possible without having higher levels of energy and health to work with!!!  If we are losing energy on many of the other ways I have mentioned, we have very little left for the real Work.  We will only be able to Work with what we have available.

This is why we study ourselves and our uses of energy.  We eventually learn to master ourselves ... first by knowing ourselves well enough to determine WHAT IS THIS ENERGY HIGH OR LOW REALLY ABOUT in our daily life.  Then with eventual mastery of ourselves, the choices we make and the lifestyle we lead reflects that we truly know how energy works.  In this way, we learn to track our energy and manage it very quickly without spiralling down into significant loss of energy and eventual illness.   We are so fortunate to be given so many wonderful tools which can assist us in being ... living our potential ... ultimately it is about being able to realize this for the truth it is ... and then to do it.

Awaken more deeply in every day

Though we work to gain deeper levels of awareness inside and all around us during our daily practice of yoga, kung fu or chi kung, it does not end here.   Your daily life is full of opportunity.  Life itself is our dojo.

Some students find it challenging to remain present during movements in a formal session.  Thoughts about dinner, the neighbor, family or other challenges we face in our day come rushing forward as we are working to remain present with our movement, energies flowing inside, breath and the moment.  So how are we once we leave the dojo/sacred space?  Most people, when they honestly observe themselves, come to realize quite quickly that remaining present and aware inside and out in the moment is not as easy as they thought.  Observing ourselves in this way is very revealing.

We can come to know our thought patterns, speech patterns and ways of moving and acting in the world and inside of ourselves.  All these things contribute to our perception of reality and creation of our world - inner and outer.   All these keep us from seeing, feeling, and hearing more of God's (Great Spirit, Tao, Universal Energy) Energy inside and all around us.  Once this door is open, we realize that we really saw, smelled, felt and heard very little before.

Observing our movements in a formal class can assist us in finding areas in our form where energies are not flowing, where our awareness is lacking, where tensions and stresses are stored and so on.  So many of us are quite disconnected from the wisdom of the body which is always wanting to whisper its secrets to us ... it will tell us immediately all sorts of things about our present reality and experience in the moment.  The body will tell us about the energies we encounter and how we are handling the experience of these energies.  The body will even tell us where it is safe and where it is not.  Working formally with the body in specific ways, we can release the past energies which are stuck and then become solidified ... utilizing all the tools we learn, we free our selves over time, with work.   Working to awaken ourselves and unite all aspects of our being in turn awakens abilities we consider extraordinary.

How much work and for how long? ... students will ask about their healing process ... and the road to enlightenment .... once again, we are not, in reality, a boxed in organism like some organizations treat us with their rigid systems ... we are truly unique and so this answer depends on the path you currently walk ... and mostly on you.  All of us require the freedom to grow and utilize tools according to our level of being.

Awaken more deeply in every day.  Application, consistently, over time, of the tools we learn will assist us in this.  Keep these pitfalls listed below in mind, and rather than quickly say that you do not do these things, simply be interested in observing yourself the way you are ...when you catch a moment where one of these arises within you, simply be aware of it without labelling or judging yourself ...  breathe,  and consciously shift your attention to something in the moment worth your energy.

Pitfalls: gossip, judgment (of all these things, it applies to yourself too ... judging your self, gossip of self etc.), comparison, labelling, criticism, unconscious daydreaming, rehearsing negative scenarios and experiences which happened and which you find unpleasant and unresolved, outward expressions of sarcasm (sarcastic humour is tricky ... is often used as a way to take stabs unconsciously at people and then we laugh and write it off as humour)etc.  These are some traps which keep us in a negative focus. 

Another key is to observe yourself without judgment around others ... notice your energies inside, your thoughts, your emotions rising ... your body movements .. these observations will tell you much about yourself and the way you deal with the energies of others.  It is a rich ground for soul development.  The key here is to develop enough awareness to be able to reflect on these things.   As a teacher and counsellor for many years, I have observed the ways in which we hold the truth back from ourselves, and it is sad, really, because it traps us from seeing reality, moving forward and freeing up more of the Universal Energy to flow within us ... providing greater levels of health and ability.   This work, is once again very individual and so we are where we are and  will only see what we are willing and able to see now. 

We will encounter moments when unknown (unconscious to us) aspects of our selves come forward as a result of doing our work ... we may then be confronted with a mirror ... depending on the level we are at when we receive such a clear instance of our unconscious and perhaps unhealthy patterns, this can be very challenging.  It is our ability to face these moments and see something .... no matter how hard it may be .... which determines our ability to then transform it.   This is one meaning of the light coming into the darkness within ... the space remains dark as long as we do not see and transform it.  Then, on a literal level, when we are freer inside and all around our form, it translates into the quality of light which we are.

Awaken more deeply in every day.  Find out, through honest self-reflection the tricky ways you have learned to keep the inner truth from yourself.  Learn to love your Work.  Love and accept yourself exactly as you are without justifying why or how you must remain as you are.  Allow yourself to expand and grow spiritually.  Learn to love truth and to see yourself the way you really are.  Be happy when you uncover another layer to work on ... no matter how difficult you may imagine it to be.   Know that this frees you and that you are divine - you can transform anything.   

Blocks to Knowing Yourself

Have you ever had to deal with someone whose behaviour was not conducive to harmony and love?  A difficult spouse, co-worker, boss, colleague, teacher? ... better yet - how about your own difficult behaviours and mental/emotional patterns which create challenges and false limitations ... beliefs, values etc. for you in your life?

And have you ever tried to bring these things to the other person's attention only to receive hostile responses or more subtle diversion tactics?  Ever try to break a pattern of your own and meet with other aspects of yourself which are not in agreement to see it and alter?   Ever ask ... what the heck is going on, here?

The answer to these things lie in Soul Work too.  People, our selves included, will only behave according their level of being in that moment.  The lens through which they view the world depends on their level of being.  Quite literally, we see things differently as we develop higher level of spiritual awareness.  We can work to alter this.  It begins with a willingness to do so and a development of awareness to a higher degree.

Remember - we may not like what someone says, what they do, or the way they think; we can not control that.  We can ask them to observe themselves.  We can confront people and give them examples of what we see them doing and ask them to work on change.  We can not control the outcome of this;  however, we can only control our own responses to these things.  This is where our work lies.  I will not suggest that you put up with dysfunction; this too, can contribute to illness.  If you must walk away, due to a refusal of the person to see what they are doing, and how it impacts you, then walk away you must ... for as long as necessary.  

What, then, prevents us and others from breaking free of these patterns - in particular ... seeing them?

Self-protective States

Mental/emotional in nature, they are actually energetic blocks.  These patterns occur during a self-protective instance, and then became a habit, and then an unconscious pattern; therefore, not available to the conscious mind.  Sometimes they occur due to a dysfunctional childhood environment which does not allow for a child's natural responses to unhealthy situations or people. Other times it can be due to a traumatic experience.  In order to survive a threat or perceived threat, a particular internal response is created which allows us to cope ... to survive.  The inner self often equates threats or perceived threats with the potential of annihilation.  So, in essence, our defenses are really survival or perceived survival tactics.

One can easily see how you can confront someone with a particular behaviour you are viewing in that moment right in front of you, and the person themselves may not ... can not (in that moment) or even WILL not see it at all.  Even when this can be quite humorous, as we can see that the person could easily do something different and get a better response, the inner world of that person may not perceive this as just a little thing ... and it may not seem funny to them at all.

Psychic Sleep ... unconsciousness ... lack of awareness ... ignorance ... NOT KNOWING  vs. TO KNOW ... an inability to see ... operating at a different energetic frequency ... vibration ... point of reality .... energetic blocks ... level of soul development ...

Denial ... Resistance - even in an environment of agreement to work ... Buffers to perceiving clearly ... DIRTY MIRRORS of self-reflection ...

We have developed many other fancier names for specific ways in which these self-protective behaviours and unconscious patterns manifest themselves in our daily life.  Some of these include: projection, sublimation, deflection, reaction formation and on and on. 

To me, this is like the many ways in which modern medicine labels various dis-eases ... some of which have many of the same symptoms (ever notice that?) ... and end result ... illness with eventual death.   Even though, in certain cases, these specific labels and names have their place, I am far more interested in the roots of things and less interested in the concepts or names of them.

These defense mechanisms, as they are often called, have roots ... they are a self-protective measure which is adopted by the individual in order to deal with something which proved too challenging for them in whatever aspect (energetically too demanding for the individual's overall state at the time); therefore, resulting in some sort of adaptation - a survival mode/tactic for the soul in a perceived or often very real state of shock or traumatic situation for the psyche (soul).  What is difficult or traumatic for one person may not be so for another; we must remember and respect individual differences according to the level at which someone is at.  This does not mean that we must put up with abusive/ignorant behaviour!

At some other point in the person's life, this adaptation may no longer work and can interfere with the quality of their life, relationships, success, spiritual development ... even health.  Perhaps someone gives them an ultimatum relating to their behaviour, attitude or whatever.  Sometimes it is something an individual does see in him/her self and they wish to alter this.  Now they must make the decision to embark on the journey of transformation.

Once one is clear that change is necessary or desired, one requires a willingness to work and then a commitment to engage in work which develops a greater awareness (experience in the moment) of this energy block (which, is essence, it is) they wish to alter.   Then it is vital that an internal acceptance of this takes place within the individual.  Many times, we can see something and know we are better off working through it, but find it revolting or difficult to see consciously ... that, yes, I am like this ... or yes, I really do this ...  this can often trigger unconscious reactions like resistance or denial once again ...  inner defense mechanisms. 

Once acceptance is there, and we know the behaviour or attitude (whatever it is) for what it is, we are freer in terms of making choices in each moment to do new things.  We require time and consistent application of new behaviours, thoughts and attitudes (whatever it is we are working on), in order for it to become a new pattern within us ... a new way of responding to the various experiences we encounter.  Over time, change can take place.  This is very individual ... which is why there is such varying results between people in when walking the same path and using the same tools.  How can it be otherwise?  We are unique. 

It is important to respect where an individual is at, the pace in which they can/or are willing to work and the timing in which it may all take place.  One moment it may seem we are taking two steps back ... suddenly we have a breakthrough ... then it goes on like this ... layer upon layer of discovery ... Know Thyself can be challenging, yes ... and fun too, if we allow it to be so.  One of my teachers once said ... we all have stuff ... so what? ... do your Work.  Avoid judgments, comparisons and measuring sticks  ... do the Work and keep growing.  Commit and devote your life to the Work. 

Are we not amazing beings?  Do we know our full potential as human beings?  What would we be capable of if we looked at our stuff and said ... yeah, I have stuff ... so what ... I am more interested in moving forward than staying here in the same old ... same old ... comfort ... limitation and patterns which limit my spiritual potential and capacity to really see, feel and hear more of GOD's Energy, Universal Intelligence, Great Spirit... whatever your word for the ALL THAT IS is.   ... inside and all around me.

Healing and Spiritual Growth: Body, Mind and Spirit

Body mind and spirit is a common phrase - has been for a long time now.  Let us examine what this truly means and then ask ourselves where our Work currently lies.  Everything we look at points back to the same thing: Know Thyself, as the ancient Greek oracle is so famous for saying to seekers in those days.

Tools which masters, ancient healers from throughout history, and modern day mystics have taught us really point us back to ourselves.  Every true spiritual path and healer will do so.  In essence, though we do gain abilities to heal and to soothe the body, mind and emotions of others, real and lasting healing occurs within the individual and due to each person's innate ability to engage in their own healing process. 

Many people feel better after seeing a healer, counsellor, or spiritual guide; however, shortly after, going back to their ways of being and unconscious, conditioned patterns, the illness (dis-ease) can return - sometimes worse.   One of my teachers was known to have said ... I work on the person, they get better, then they come back with the same thing again soon after and they wonder why ... don't be like this ... do your Work as taught and come in for sessions ... sessions alone will not always rid you of the challenge you are working through if you do not change as a person and continue your work as you walk in life.

Those who get the message and make necessary changes are often called the medical miracles!  There are countless cases on record - check it out for yourself -  of which doctors can not explain how diseases (some even given  a terminal label) have left the patient with no trace of being there upon examination.  Remarkable recoveries and changes in personality and lifestyle (happiness, wealth, wisdom etc) occur all the time in individuals who once struggled through life with various disorders, unease, unhappiness and mental/emotional disharmonies.   If we were to interview these people (and it has been done already), we would find some interesting things about these individuals.  They made changes of some sort - some turned to spiritual practice, prayer, drastic diet changes, exercise, an altering of mental/emotional attitude and focus, visualization practices ....

We do not have to wait until we have manifested a label in order to do these changes.  We can embark on this path as a preventative measure ... to continue radiating good health and mental/emotional well-being ... and in order to evolve ourselves to higher levels spiritually - the Soul Work we have discussed in a previous blog.   Or, if we are working with a label and dis-ease of any form, we can also embark on the path to regain balance and harmony inside and out and then progress from there.

In any of the true spiritual paths, a high level of health and well-being is necessary in order to progress.  This is due to the fact that we are a particular VIBRATION OF ENERGY first ... so  if there is dis-ease and imbalance, or a negative mental/emotional state, our level of vibration and energy lowers ... this impacts our spiritual level of being.  It can take many forms: weight gain, organ removal, labels of various sorts, inappropriate behaviours, mental/emotional stress and excessive armouring on the body (which can be easily felt with training ... massage therapists feel this ... some may call it something else ... muscle tension equates to energy blocks). 

Vibrational and energy medicine, mental/emotional Work and certain spiritual practices all work together to address this fact and work on our energetic level.  The physical manifestations of this, which is our denser physical form (body), will always manifest last.  Therefore, we are energy beings first ... spirit into matter ... soul into the soul case ...  The densest part of our beings are our organs ... therefore, when we are diagnosed with a label, it really has been there much longer than we think ... impacting us first energetically ... if the disharmony/imbalance is not corrected, it progresses.

These are very basic principles ... seen in  traditional teachings of Yoga, Kung fu, Chi Kung, acupressure, acupuncture, energy vibrational medicine, shamanic healing practices from all over the world, and so on (I am not talking about the pop, diluted mainstream teachings of these).  These therapies and practices are not the airy fairy hocus pocus that some people view it as.   It is actually a very accurate, highly evolved spiritual science based on universal principles which ancient people have known far before modern medicine became so popular.

Modern medicine and science have wonderful discoveries to share with the world.   Some of their practices; however, are not as wonderful - such as the quick and easy delivery of prescriptions which may not be the best course of action, the impersonal symptom-oriented approach which often misses the story of the whole system and their lack of understanding and knowing of the energy body.   On a positive note, many doctors are now educated in the spiritual healing arts (I have met some) and they are seeing the benefits of combining the two approaches.

Once again, it is a sad fact that the two paths had not merged their truths in the past, but separated, leaving both at a loss of the benefits of each one's specialty.  This is an outward manifestation in the world which reflects our inner fragmentation as beings.   The historical significance of this is astounding, but that is another story, and not the focus of our work.  We can be sure that brighter days are upon us when the truth of this will become undeniable.  Much work in physics and other interdisciplinary studies are bridging this gap very quickly.

Body, mind/emotions and spirit.  We can not separate these aspects of our being, though, generally speaking, we often behave this way in our world ... we live in a world which has separated these things and then we wonder how to get to higher levels of well-being and ability.   This is what is meant by holistic.  Everything impacts us.  Everything is energy.  We have to look at the whole thing without losing sight of the details.  Integration is key.

At Souhl Center, our classes, counselling sessions, seminars and training embodies this teaching ... being energetic in focus without excluding the physical appearances.  We use our physical body in our practices.  This impacts us on all levels.  We clear inner blockages, clean our mirrors in order to reflect and see ourselves clearly, and we reap the physical benefits of strength, flexibility and endurance.  In our work these are the side effects (fringe benefits!) and not necessarily the primary focus ... which is INSIDE and all around us.   Looking at ourselves and Knowing Ourselves is a major focus.  We can learn much through observing ourselves moving in the arts and then throughout our day.  We also learn through observing and working through our mental/emotional patterns which lead to our behaviours and actions in the world.

We examine the air we breathe, the food (and drink) we put into our system and the impressions we receive all around us every day.  It is this last point which many of us lose track of.  Remember that since all is energy, everything we do, all environments, all people and the things they think, say and do will impact us.  How we react to all of these things also impacts us energetically first.  Raising our level of being assists us in dealing with these things ... many of which we choose to be around due to our relationships, work environments and places of residence.

So take some time ... ask yourself ... in what areas of my life do I see or feel the desire or room for improvement?  Take the step to do something about it today.

Be Your Potential

Do you desire to live life maximizing your potential?  Are you settling for less than what you feel you are capable of?  Do you still dream?  Is it a beautiful dream ... emphasizing the unique skills and abilities you have?  Have you ever wondered .... is this all there is? 

Your potential is not what someone else says it is (or what they say it should be) ... it can be a simple quiet life of peace and ease ... it could be a successful business ... a career or path or way of being in the world which brings you contentment and fullfillment.  Settling for less than who we really are contributes a great deal to disatisfaction, restlessness, unease, unhealthiness and unhappiness.

Dreams take work.   I am not suggesting that you stand with open arms waiting for the silver platter to drop out of the sky or sit at the edge of the water waiting for your well-deserved ship to come in.   We will, however, attract the very things in life we require to make our dream a reality when we work to align ourselves with these things from the inside out. 

I am saying that each of you is unique ... special and endowed with natural talent waiting to be used - or discovered ... action is one of the keys.  It may take time to manifest the dream you can feel, see or desire.  Some dreams take longer due to the preparation and/or years of work required to make it happen.  Other dreams can manifest overnight.  It is all relative.  No one can tell you exactly how long it will take.  Sure, there are estimates and intuitives ... the bottom line is that you are the major determining factor ... do you realize this?  Do you see how you are creating all the time?  Do you like what you are creating in your life/dream right now? 

Blame not your life situation or your current circimstances.  Blame not your high pile of bills or lack of education ... motivation ... determination ... courage ... strength ...  This is what the Work is all about.  These things shift and change as we do.  ALL of it comes from the inside out.  Do you KNOW this?  Your actions will show whether you do or not, so answer quietly to yourself ... simply reflect on your life honestly.  Where could you improve: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, sexually, financially, in relationships...  etc.

Cultivate awareness of your inner dialogue and pay attention to the thoughts you entertain all day.  Pay attention to the words you use all day.  Reflect on the sort of actions you take all day.  Check it out for yourself .... Keep track of what you are noticing in a journal.  These things represent how you are on the inside.  

Now ...ask again ... are you living the life you desire?  If you see room for improvement, inner work can assist you.  Embark on the journey.  Be your potential; in every moment you have this creative potential ....  Take the steps you have to take to make it happen.  Create a better dream and reality. 

The Shrew and the Deermouse

This is a true story.  The observations are accurate accounts and my interpretations of them are simply my own ideas....really, the story of this led me to reflect on human nature....  I use this story now as a metaphor for our mental/emotional/physiological reactions and attitudes towards the experiences we encounter along our journey through life.

  Many years ago, I lived in an old farmhouse in the country. We came to realize that there were mice in the attic of the house.  My husband and I were both lovers of animals, so we began to feed them.  Soon, they started running around the house and leaving deposits everywhere.  Realizing that this was getting out of hand (we thought they would stay in the attic), we began to catch them in friendly traps, using cheese as bait.  One particularly comical memory I have was while doing a holding position for my kung fu practice one day.  I was facing the wall holding horse stance, when a little deer mouse came around the corner, sat down right in front of me, looked up at me and began to clean itself.  I didn't move and neither did it.  We simply looked at each other quietly. Finally, after some time, it walked away.

Because it was winter, and I did not have the heart to throw them out into the elements, we bought a cage, put a wheel in it and fed them all winter.  In total we caught about 7 deer mice that winter.  We placed them all into the cage one by one as we caught them.  It was very interesting to watch them.  Deer mice are gentle creatures.  They will usually not attack - even when caught ...but I do say usually, because each one is a bit different.  We noticed this by observing them over time in the cage.  They had different personalities.  One seemed to be a fearful mouse; it sat in one of the little shelters we provided and only came out to eat.  It would chatter its teeth every time we came to look...and it shook.  Over time, this one got very fat.  Others were content building little nests, eating the food and wandering about the cage...scurrying when we came around.  One of the mice was very interested in the wheel.  Every time we came down, it was on the wheel...when other mice tried to get it off, it would try very hard to keep its position there.  This mouse was the most fit after the winter...and it wasn't very scared to see us...sometimes stopping on the wheel to sit and observe us when we came to see them.  Are we so very much different?

Years later, here we are in the country again - though in a different part of Ontario.  After settling into our home, we began to hear scurrying sounds coming from the vents.  My son was sure he saw a little face with whiskers one day when he peered into the duct.  I was hoping it was deer mice again - I really love these little creatures!  After our first trap was successful, we soon realized that we were dealing with a totally different creature.  We identified it as a shrew.  Ah! The taming of the shrew ...???... highly unlikely with these creatures.  They are extremely aggressive and fearful.  They are tunnel diggers...they have been known to ruin many a lovely garden with their many tunnels.  

These creatures have a very distinct odour as well - and it is very unpleasant...possibly their urine?  There is a a poisonous shrew variety here in Ontario - the Northern Short-tailed Shrew.... its poisonous saliva can kill and paralyze its prey.  I never knew that!   Anyway, due to the odour, we decided we were not willing to keep it in the house for the winter like we did with the deer mice, so we left it in a container to decide what to do.   Watching it for several minutes, we could see how intensely aggressive it was...clawing, gnashing its teeth and backing up all hunched up any time we would come close to it.

We saw none of these behaviours to that degree in the deer mice...once we caught a deer mouse with our hands and after we put it down, it sat very quietly, looked up at us, and proceeded to clean itself!!  No emergency in this moment!  Is this how it is for them?  Regardless, there is a lesson for us in that... react only to what is in the moment ...and only to the degree to which we must for survival - it is healthier .... many of us are reacting to life, experiences and imaginations which are not even real... or we are reacting to things in a way that will hurt us ... whether we realize it as so or not ... like the shrew.  If we can come to see this as so, we can then embark on a journey to learn a new way of being.

So... back to our little friend the shrew...we went upstairs to do a few things and then we got ready to take the shrew to the truck and to be released somewhere away from our home.  We went downstairs to get it, but when we looked into the container, the shrew was dead.  We were very surprised.  Soon after this incident, we heard more scurrying in the vents, so we set another trap, figuring there could be a family of these little creatures in our house.  Sure enough, we caught another one.  This one behaved in the same way...high-strung and very aggressive.  We decided not to observe it or disturb it very much- hoping that we could take it out somewhere more quickly this time and let it out.  This one died too.  This happened to us four times.  We finally figured out that it was very likely that the shrews were dying of stress...perhaps a heart attack or something. 

Consider these two creatures and the difference between them.  It is really quite astounding and a great study for us in understanding human nature...and illness, in particular.  Are we any different? 

In all of the healing modalities I have studied, including even mainstream practices, stress is known to be a killer.  We know that stress creates tension and that this tension interferes with the balance and harmony of the intricate systems of our body.  This is a very basic way of looking at it, and it is true.  We also know that our mental/emotional states directly impact our physiology...muscles (tension)...impacting the meridians (energy flows in the body) they are related to...impacting the organs they are related to..and then creating energetic imbalances which impede organ function and eventually a label (illness of variety of labels) appears.  If this is not corrected, and the imbalances continue to accumulate (energy blockages ...accumulations...in the flows within and around), health continues to deteriorate until death.

With the shrew, we could see this process within a matter of hours.  The shrew's body was very tense once it was captured ... any time we went to observe it, that is what we saw ... and it relentlessly ran around the container digging, pawing without stopping for more than a few moments here and there.  It would jump up in the air with a squeeking sound if we put our hand in the container.  We observed quite a different response from the deer mice, some of which would sit quietly in the container, cleaning themselves and just sitting there looking at us.  Sometimes they would jump and move around the container to look for a way out, but never with the aggressive intensity of the shrew.  Overall, they were more relaxed.  They lived.

Ask yourself ... quietly ...  am I more like the shrew or the deer mouse? ... to what degree?  Were there situations or periods on my past where I was more like one or the other?  How about right now?  What situations might trigger a shrew-like response in me?  What might I do now in my life to cultivate more of the deer mouse qualities?  Spiritual practice is one such tool.  Honest reflection allows us to go on with our Soul Work ... denial and resistance keeps us where we are.