 Shame is one of the lowest emotions we experience as souls in a human body. When I say low, I mean that every emotion has a frequency. Those feelings that make us feel light, lifted, and energized have a high frequency. And those feelings that make us feel weighed down, exhausted, and drained have a low frequency. And shame? It's right down there with the lowest of vibes. It's that feeling of deep regret, guilt, and embarrassment. For some of us, shame is a part of our daily life. Perhaps our families taught us to feel ashamed of ourselves for certain behaviors, traits, or desires, and we've never learned another way to feel about ourselves. For others of us, shame is a rare and dreaded feeling that we avoid and don't quite know how to cope with. Though it's a shame that we ever have to feel so low, there is a higher purpose for this dark emotion that contributes beautifully to the evolution of the soul. When we approach shame as a teacher and a blessing, it actually helps us shift back into the light. Shame from a spiritual perspective The experience of shame is often brought about when we awaken to a part of us that was previously hidden. Where the ego is unaware of itself, it creates a shadow: a dark place to hide away the parts of ourselves that we can't accept. And when some of these shadow elements are brought into awareness, it can be very painful. We can feel ashamed about these parts of ourselves that we previously kept hidden out of awareness. What we may not realize is that this is all a part of our awakening journey. We came into these human bodies as powerful souls to enlighten the darkness, to shed light on the shadow. This is our healing process. When the darkness has come fully into the light, we can integrate all aspects of the soul and return to our oneness with the Universe. So the soul journey is really all about bringing light to the darkness within. This shame that we feel, then, is actually a powerful sign that transformation is taking place. Shame is a messenger When shame shows up because the ego has become aware of its shadow, we are being given an important message: healing is taking place, darkness is becoming light, and it's time NOW, more than ever, to love yourself completely. After an element of shadow has been brought into the light, it can never again return to the darkness. This is a powerful healing transformation. How long has this shadow been hidden? For how many lifetimes have we been blind to our lower aspects? My friend, this journey of awakening has been long and tiresome. The fact that we are NOW, in this moment, bringing a part of the shadow into the light is a real miracle! It is time to celebrate our progress, not agonize over the person we once were. When we experience shame, we often ruminate about our mistakes and torture ourselves with judgment. I'm suggesting that we celebrate instead. We have become brave enough to see the truth. We have become awakened enough to heal old patterns. Recognizing the shadow is 90% of the battle, and the shame we feel is a sign that we made it. Instead of sinking into despair, let your shame swiftly transform into compassion and love. Now more than ever, we deserve our own love. In these moments where shame arises, receive it as a messenger, a sign that you have accomplished a great healing. You are integrating your spirit; you are becoming whole. Call upon your higher self, your inner wisdom and light. Wrap yourself up in the most beautiful blanket of love and acceptance. Shame is a sign that you are becoming more whole and darkness is coming into the light. For a firsthand experience of this healing transformation, please enjoy the meditation practice below. It is an honor to share my inspirations with you. I hope that you have become inspired to give yourself more love, not less. Stay inspired with me and try out my free Inspired Life starter kit. I can't wait to hear about your amazing journey, beautiful soul. Love, Gia xo
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 You know it. I'm a quitter. I quit stuff all the time.
And you're thinking...what the hell kind of inspirational advice is this??? Well, let me explain why I see the value in being a "quitter." So, of course commitment is absolutely golden. We've all heard it since we were kids: "Never give up!" "Stay the course" "Winners never quit and quitters never win" Well I'd like to bring some balance to this perspective. Sometimes quitting is the only way to move forward. Sometimes we have to quit in order to keep growing & flowing. The way I see it, quitting is somewhat akin to.....ahem.....letting go! And when you've been hitting your head against the brick-wall-of-a-problem for far too long and your poor, swollen head is throbbing, it's just simply time to LET GO. QUIT. And...TRUST! Trust that by letting go of what isn't working, you're creating space for what will work. Often times, we are so focused on a goal or a mission that, when we run into lots of obstacles, we don't realize that these obstacles signal that it's time to make a change in direction. When we let go of our control over the situation, when we quit, whatever is meant-to-be flows immediately into our lives, into our hearts, into our awareness. Whatever is truly genuine and authentic always reveals itself as the sweet little heart beat that kept you going all along. Sometimes we are so consumed in our minds with what the picture "should" look like, that we can't sense what feels good and true in our hearts. When we allow ourselves to quit something that feels stuck or heavy, we allow what is truly authentic to come forth- and only then can we refine our goals and the picture we're creating with a refreshed sense of direction and purpose. And what about staying the course and never giving up? Well, what we should really be steadfast committed to is honoring the guiding voice of our hearts and never giving up on our growth and expansion! Yeah, sometimes we have no idea what our expansion and growth will look like- how can we even begin to work toward that? Quit whatever drags you down, and commit to being your authentic self. In my life, I've quit the things that matter most to me over and over. I've quit my music career too many times to count. I've quit my yoga & spiritual teacher dreams time and time again. But without fail, every single time, what is truly authentic to my soul-centered purpose comes crawling back to me so that I can begin again. Only after letting go completely can I flow forward with a renewed sense of genuine purpose. Quitting allows me to shed the layers of my work and my intention that no longer serve me so that I am free to follow the guiding voice of my heart. Go ahead. Quit whatever keeps you stuck and frustrated. That which is truly meant for you will be unwrapped and revealed like the beautiful gift that it is. It will shine and glow, lighting the path that will guide you home. Hollaaaa to all my fellow quitters! Love you, Gia xoxo P.S. After completing this blog post, my internet crashed and I lost everything I wrote!! So frustrating...but alas...I trust that it was important for me to quit the first draft of this blog and write it again, with a renewed sense of purpose. ;) 2-28-15 Photo Credit: Jeff Djevdet via Flickr 
Ever heard these four short phrases in combination? At first, it sounds a little all over the place and covers some major and distinct emotional states.
But that’s exactly why it’s so powerful! These four declarations are considered to be the English interpretation and mantra of “Ho’oponopono,” the ancient Hawaiin ritual of forgiveness and healing. Ho’oponopono has been practiced on several Polynesian Islands for over a century. In these ancient and wise island cultures, it is believed that illness arises from someone’s “errors,” transgressions, mistakes, or pain they’ve caused others. In order to heal your illness, you must receive forgiveness from all parties, including yourself, including God. This forgiveness ritual includes prayer, discussion of the transgression, moments of silent reflection, expression and acknowledgment of all feelings, confession, and finally forgiveness. The ceremony is completed by wearing a special lei and eating a symbolic plant to signify the release of negative energy surrounding the situation. And miraculous healing takes place from this powerful cooperative practice. To read more about this fascinating ancient ritual, check out this wikipedia page. The English interpretation of Ho’oponopono has its own special flavor and energy about it as well. Often used in repetitious mantra, the phrases, “I love you, I’m sorry, please forgive me, thank you,” signify taking responsibility for your entire reality, that which you create around you, with the premise that your external reality reflects your internal reality. In turn, we share responsibility for all things happening in the world because they are happening in our worlds, which we create from within every single day. In order to see, experience, give, and receive love, we must love ourselves first. And therefore, we have the power to heal and transform our world by transforming ourselves. Dr. Joe Vitale wrote about an incredible healing story and the power of Ho’oponopono in this article. Def check it out. SO ANYWHO… I’m quite inspired by all this, and I’ve recently felt the urge to do some healing and releasing work on myself as I reflect… I realized, I may be misunderstood. By many. I may unknowingly or unfairly guard my energy and love from someone. I may come across in a way I don’t mean. I don’t mean to hurt anyone, but I might. I may misunderstand others, or speak from emotion without consulting the deeper voice of my soul. All said and done, I fuck up! We all do. But it’s not about blame and shame. It’s about opening up to a higher perspective and the healing transformation that it brings. So I’d like to express to the entire UNIVERSE that I love you all! And I’m sorry for everything. And I whole-heartedly ask for your forgiveness. And I’m so thankful, so grateful, so blessed to have you, know you, feel you, be with you in this dream-time realm we call reality! Let’s share and enjoy this wild journey together while we are here. Ahhhhhhh, I let go and I receive. May this inspire your inner healing one small phrase at a time. Ho’oponopono, Gia 11-15-14 Photo Credit: Brian Donovan via Flickr Listen to this Ho'oponopono chant I created: Whether it’s a job you dislike, a challenging relationship, or an unexplained illness… how do you go about getting rid of the damn thing?
You surrender. Imagine that this unfortunate circumstance is permanent. How would you go about dealing with it then? Could you find peace in letting go and accepting it for what it is, knowing you can’t change it? Or imagine that this experience is not only unchanging, but it is for your absolute highest good. Would you learn to respect it and appreciate it? How would your perspective change if you could suddenly zoom out and see everything in its perfect place in your life. If you could see every little thing that led up to this moment, and every little thing this moment is preparing for, would you surrender to it? But what if this unpleasant life circumstance only points to one thing: your ultimate death. Maybe it really is a life-threatening illness. Could you trust so deeply in your higher purpose as to rest your weary head right in the center of the chaos, take a deep breath, and smile? Could you get cozy with the discomfort of fate? Or the unknown?? Because the truth is, this unpleasant life circumstance absolutely IS for your highest good. And all things do point to our impermanence on this earth. When you soften your judgments and surrender, you’ll find an opening, a blossoming in your soul. If you can find trust, acceptance, and peace with “what is,” you may realize that it’s not so bad and you have SO MUCH to be grateful for. And you may begin to see that the discomfort is already fading away. It is changing before your eyes because you changed the way your eyes see. By welcoming it into your life experience, you allow it to leave when it’s meant to. Trust the path you’re on. Surrender. All my love, Gia 8-9-14 Photo Credit: Jamiecat via Flickr |
AuthorGia writes about her journey through life and the many twists and turns of spiritual growth, relationships, health & healing, life as a performer, and the ever-unfolding path back to her heart. Categories
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