PREFACE 

I decided to revisit each of my blog posts many years after I originally posted them to update and revise as needed. I’m finding two things, I wish I had an editor and I want to soften the tone of the information I’m sharing. To be honest, the last thing I want to sound is preachy or righteous because I am forever learning the depths of my soul. I think when I first wrote the posts, I was excited to share a practice that worked for me so it may have come across that way. I want to revise a few things so it’s more about sharing my personal experience and what I’ve learned on my journey.

I’m a firm believer in experiencing all aspects of self, even the darkness, and the darkest part of self. I’m learning that experiencing this darkness, which I like to refer to as the ebb in the soul’s current, does take strength and lots of compassion as you care for your soul wounds. The soul healing practices are skills and practices I’ve developed during my journey that helped in navigating through the darkness, and assisted in shifting from ebb to flow with rest and integration in between. 

The practices are psychospiritual in nature, and are a mix of my personal experience and prior professional mental health background (as a licensed clinical social worker). All of my practices involve connecting with the elevated mind and sacred heart through awareness, imagination, visualization, and meditation. These soul healing practices continue to evolve and change just as my soul is growing and expanding.

There is of course no guarantee that the practices will work for you, but if you do try any of the practices, I encourage you to experiment in order to make it your own. Listen to your inner wisdom and change or refine the practice as needed so it completely resonates with your soul. Also, all of my practices need to be at your pace, so again listen to your inner knowing and honor it. 

My sacred journey is not less or more significant than anyone else’s, my only motivation for sharing is to inspire self-transformation and to offer support for your unique and sacred journey. Please forgive any editorial mistakes for this is as good as it will get without an editor ;). This is what I’ve learned along the way.

SOUL HEALING PRACTICE BACKGROUND

From an early age, I tended to be a contemplator, and at its worse an over-thinker and worrier. My mind, like most, can be quite busy with many thoughts like my to-do list, the well-being of my loved ones, finances, my internal state, conditioned beliefs, daydreams, and so on. I’m fascinated by the power of the mind and the many facets it holds. For example, how a single thought or belief creates an internal reality that influences an external reality, and if focused upon long enough may manifest an exterior world that directly reflects the interior. The mind is literally the filter we perceive the world both internally and externally, so in my opinion becoming aware of the type of filter being used is critical in understanding the quality of life being lived.

Understanding this filter is the first step in the art of empowering the mind. I will offer my understanding of the workings of the mind to provide a platform, but please take the time to do your own research. This is only my interpretation and not in any way a proven theory. For me, the main purpose of researching how the mind functions is to gain an awareness of the mind’s brilliance, and compassion when it’s goes haywire.

My own investigation of the mind directly coincided with my spiritual growth, heart expansion, and professional work, which led me to believe the mind is actually a neutral mechanism that aids in the creation of our experience. I found pending the type of thoughts and beliefs that are present in the mind dictates the type of experience created, whether it may be of ease or some level of suffering.

The mind as a neutral mechanism oscillates between various states of functioning at which I simplified to three primary states: neutral, elevated, and ego. A balanced, disciplined mind harmonizes all three. My definitions of these three states are based on my own experience and research so if it doesn’t resonate with you, then again I encourage you to take the time to come to your own understanding. I’ve debated about taking this part out of the post, but I think it still sets the stage for the fact the mind does contain different facets of functioning that are important to understand. So for now, I’ll keep it in. Perhaps if I receive new insights or knowledge, my interpretation of how the mind functions may change or it may validate my current understanding. I am open to both possibilities. Also, my understanding of the mind may not take into account any physical or neurological impairments of the brain. 

The neutral state is the void of thoughts or detachment of thoughts lasting seconds, minutes, or longer. Ultimately, as we practice being an observer of our thoughts, we can completely detach ourselves from the thoughts, where we experience the realization that thoughts are NOT entirely us. Our sacred soul essence is the undertone of our being no matter the type of thoughts and beliefs that inhabit our mind. In my personal interior practice, I’ve experienced a profound sense of peace and quiet during these neutral voids. It is helpful to be familiar with a practice of mindfulness, grounding, meditation, contemplation, or even sound healing to further gain understanding of this detachment.

The mind in an elevated state is aligned with divine source (or whatever resonates with your beliefs), our sacred divine self, and our sacred heart to include our intuition, inner knowing, and imagination. The elevated mind is congruent with the soul’s current or harmony, its natural ebb and flow. During flow, it generates clear and flexible thoughts creating an experience and response of ease, joy, harmony, or even bliss. During ebb, it is able to maneuver through setbacks, mistakes, or disappointments with as much grace as possible, and expects the best no matter the circumstance or situation. The elevated mind gives us a clear knowing and a strong trust that each setback is an opportunity for soul growth and expansion, which allows for less attachment to the discomfort of the ebb state. For me, meditation and visualization, automatic writing, and poetry have always been a gateway to the elevated mind. 

The ego state has roots in the primitive mind of wanting to be the “protector” in order to keep us safe from danger, as well as the need to feel special and seen, hence trying to make us feel secure and accepted. A lot of the time the ego functions from a subconscious, automatic, or default mode. It seems to run on auto pilot with conditioned and habitual patterns of thinking and believing. When the ego is functioning from clarity, it serves an important role of helping us to make appropriate judgments and decisions to avoid real danger, to find safety from actual detrimental threats, and to set appropriate boundaries in relationships of all types. It activates the nervous system to execute the fight, flight, or freeze response in order to put us into some type of action. Ideally, once the threat or trigger passes the mind returns to a balanced state and the nervous system settles down to a rest state.

Beyond these three states of functioning is the mind in dream state. The mind in dream state has no boundaries and has the freedom to travel through unconscious and conscious realms. Dreams can show us subconscious or unconscious blocks or barriers that need to be seen and healed, show us our shadow aspects that are suppressed in the awake state, show us our highest potential through its symbolic and poetic dream language, and so much more pending where our imagination or the divine takes us. I find dreams to be quite informative, transformational, and healing. 

For the purpose of this post, I will focus on the conscious or awake state of mind, which certainly influences our dream world. The aim of the soul healing practices are to restore the mind to a balanced, harmonious state especially when the ego becomes problematic, and to realign with the higher or neutral mind. The ego becomes problematic when it stays stuck in a perceived threat, clings to the role of protector, and carries the heavy burden of negative storylines (thoughts/beliefs). Our nervous system can be chronically activated as if the original threat is happening in real time, even though the perceived threat was actually only triggered by an internal or external experience (memories, interpersonal relations, situational circumstances, environmental triggers such as sight, sounds, smells, and so on). 

We often have trouble reminding the ego that the threat has already passed due to our attachment to conditioned negative storylines that were seeded during a challenging or traumatic experience, and then grew to maturity over time. These negative storylines cling to painful emotions and feelings that may feel like heavy concrete blocks pulling us further into the depths of suffering. This experience may cause reactions or behaviors rooted in unresolved emotional and mental wounds that disrupt our relationships, including our relationship with self and with life. Examples of internal threats and triggers may include: fear of rejection or abandonment, feeling unworthy, feeling unlovable and abandoned, feeling unsafe or disempowered, constantly feeling victimized, desperately wanting acceptance and/or approval from others, and so on. Common consequences from being chronically triggered and attached to negative storylines may include feeling spun out of control, unrelenting worry, self-doubt, excessive anxiety, destructive anger, guilt and/or shame, depression, physical pain and ailments, and dysfunctional relationships of all types, basically a tangled web of thoughts, feelings, and body discomfort.

The use of the term “conditioned” is referring to thoughts and beliefs developed and learned from an early age during upbringing and/or developed later in life (likely due to significant events). The conditioning typically creates a pattern of thinking, and only becomes problematic when the thoughts grow into self-defeating, limiting, and disempowering core beliefs. It can be easy to despise the ego for creating such an experience of hell, but this reaction only perpetuates the cycle of suffering. With deep healing and love of self, it is possible to develop compassion for the ego’s existence because of its desire and important role to protect, even when it spins out of control from time to time. I like to think of it as a child, adolescent, friend, or a pet needing redirection and guidance.

The primary reason some storylines are considered negative (self-defeating and disempowering) is because they are distorted, not 100% true, and maladaptive. Maladaptive meaning, as these types of thoughts are cycling in our mind, we typically react to our environment with a distorted perception (self-defeating, disempowering, or limiting) resulting in similar behaviors, rather than responding with clarity, ease, and grace. Examples of distorted thinking may include using extreme words such as always, never, can’t, etc., catastrophizing outcomes, expecting the worst, and/or feeling a certain way so it must be true (I feel like a bad person so that means I am a bad person). There are many other types of distorted thinking so I recommend doing your own research.

Distorted thinking is also addressed in two evidence-based interventions, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). I do incorporate some CPT protocols (challenging the validity of thoughts/beliefs) in the soul healing practice, which is based on my training and past experience as a licensed clinical social worker. 

SOUL HEALING PRACTICE

The first step to restoring a balanced, harmonious mind in alignment with the higher mind is to increase awareness of the type of thoughts/beliefs, feelings, body sensations, and behaviors that are creating a disharmonious experience, suffering, or disempowerment. I found it helpful to take an unbiased, curious approach to the internal experience as if I’m a mere observer investigating the workings of my mind, heart, and body.

The feelings, body sensations, and behaviors that are associated with distorted thoughts and beliefs serve a significant role because we often notice these before we may identify the specific thought or belief. I like to think of it as a check engine light in a car because it offers a powerful alert or cue that something is off or that we are in a state of imbalance and disharmony. Once distorted, self-defeating, or disempowering thoughts are identified, I like to go a little deeper to uncover a core belief which is often the origin of distorted thinking. Examples of maladaptive core beliefs may include: I’m unworthy, I don’t matter, I’m not good enough, I’m a monster, I don’t deserve love, and so on.

The soul healing practice strengthens this type of self-awareness leading to increased introspection and reflection which will improve the quality of life. Begin the internal work by documenting your soul’s experience and write down thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and body sensations. It’s a way to take inventory of your internal experience, and to become more familiar with how you are experiencing life rather than functioning on an automatic or default setting.

As this self-awareness builds, then the empowering of the mind may begin through the path of introspection and reflection. An effective way to do this work is to challenge the validity of distorted or disempowering thoughts or beliefs. Challenging distorted thinking has its origins in the two evidence-based interventions mentioned earlier, CBT and more extensively CPT. Also, spiritual teachers such as Byron Katie demonstrates the power of challenging self-defeating thoughts in her book, I Need Your Love— Is That True?

Before I continue describing the soul healing practice, I would like to mention the soul healing practice has been quite effective in harmonizing the soul’s experience as seen in my own healing journey and the journey of service members I’ve provided therapy. I would also like to say with all transparency that untangling and empowering the mind can take time, practice, and patience. It requires a willingness to bring light to the shadow aspects of self, often to the things you don’t want to look at. Be as patient and kind with yourself as possible during this journey within, and while you navigate through your darkness. Patience and kindness can begin by implementing calming and centering practices, which I’ll describe a few below. These practices are also effective in opening the door for a new way of perceiving and experiencing because it calms the nervous system, helps to deescalate intense emotions, and redirects you to the present moment and to your sacred heart. 

I also learned in my internal and professional work that it takes matched persistence to interrupt habitual and conditioned distorted thinking with new empowered thinking. I know this well, as I mentioned earlier I am one who often dwells in my head where I find self-defeating and disempowering thoughts holding residency, and it takes matched persistence to evict them. But I’ve also found by doing this soul work to include a daily alignment meditation that I’ve shifted my internal default setting. I am now defaulting to a more harmonious and balanced emotional and mental state. Sure, I still get triggered, upset, and angry, but it doesn’t hijack my entire experience like it used to for days or longer. I’m able to return to a balanced state much quicker and easier. I see it for what it is – another soul experience offering growth and expansion because I’ve gained more emotional and mental altitude. I’m also able to take responsibility and accountability for my experience and offer genuine amends as needed. I’ve noticed my overall soul’s experience has shifted from chronic suffering to more peace, harmony, and happiness.   

I’ve divided the soul healing practice into three segments: 1) Identify Distorted Thinking, 2) Challenge Distorted Thinking, and 3) Clear Distorted Energy. Before I begin any practice (as you probably guessed if you read any of my other posts), I like to center and calm my energy by doing a four-count breath technique. I count to four as I inhale expanding the lower belly (1, 2, 3, 4) and count four backwards as I exhale slowly (4, 3, 2, 1), repeating as needed. I like to then follow with intentional breathing: as I slowly inhale I say to myself I am and on the exhale I say calm, continuing the practice on the inhale saying I am and on the exhale saying safe, breathing in I am and breathing out empowered, breathing in I am and breathing out love, breathing in I am and breathing out light, and finally breathing in I am and breathing out free. You can end this practice with the following statement or intention: I trust myself, I believe in myself. Remember with this practice to bring the breath down to your lower belly and not just to your chest. The breath not only gives life to the intention, but also helps to anchor it into your soul’s vibration. If you like this practice, I also suggest experimenting with the intentions so it totally resonates with you and gives you a sense of calm, and a feeling of being centered, nurtured, and empowered. 

1) IDENTIFY DISTORTED THINKING

The first step is to identify a distorted or disempowering thought or core belief to include its associated feelings, body sensations, and behaviors. I like to use two different techniques in helping to identify distorted thinking.  

Practice 1: You will need some paper or a notebook and something to write with to do this practice. In the center of the paper, write down a question, phrase, or statement of something that is bothering you and causing discomfort or distress, and then circle it. As you contemplate the circled stressor, write down anything that comes to mind related to the stressor, writing the responses all around the circle. Allow your mind to be uncensored and unfiltered as you automatic write. It could consist of a combination of feelings, thoughts, phrases, and/or words. Then review the responses and circle the one that feels the most distressing and/or triggering, then continue to Practice 2. 

If the written exercise causes any additional distress, then stop and return to the four-count and/or intentional breathing exercises to calm your nervous system. Another effective tool to calm the nervous system and regulate distress is by grounding. A quick grounding practice involves focusing on one of your five senses. For example, you may tune into a pleasant background noise, feel the weight of your body while standing or sitting, focus on an inspiring or pleasing site, notice a pleasant smell, or tune into the taste of something enjoyable. Note, you want to focus on or tune into a sense that is pleasant or delightful and not unpleasant or pungent because the goal is to calm the nervous system and not to activate it. I suggest experimenting with your five senses to learn more of what makes you feel more calm and centered in the present moment. I’ve also recently experimented with sound healing (singing bowls and tuning forks) which for me is quite beneficial, there are plenty of options on YouTube. Please incorporate your favorite practice that offers the same effect of calming the nervous system, turning down any intense emotions, and bringing you back to the present moment.

Practice 2: This practice complements the first written practice especially if the response you want to work with is more of a feeling or a projection statement (“he”, “she”, “they” statements). The practice involves identifying an “I” statement to increase ownership and responsibility of your thinking. A technique to identify “I” statements or even core beliefs is to ask yourself: what does it say about me when… or what does it mean to be…, for example, for the projection statement: they always leave me out, you can further explore this thought by asking, what does it say about me to always be left out, or what does it mean to be left out. The answers to these questions, may lead to a response of, I don’t matter or I’m unworthy, which are both “I” statements and core beliefs. The “I” statements are driving your subconscious reaction or response to the situation.

Once this new insight is gained, a choice is granted in how to proceed because you’ve identified a distorted thought or core belief needing your attention and to be healed. As you heal any type of self-defeating or disempowering thinking you regain power over the external situation or circumstance because you are creating more balance and harmony from within. Visit my post, “How to Transform Anger into Power” (3 Mar 2017), specifically Practice  2 for a more detailed example of this discovery technique.

2) CHALLENGE DISTORTED THINKING

On a piece of paper or in a notebook, create a worksheet with the following topic headings: 1) Distorted Thought/Belief, 2) Feelings, Body Sensations, and Behaviors, 3) True Statements (what makes the distorted thought/belief true), 4) Not True Statements (what makes the distorted thought/belief not true), 5) Realistic/Empowered Thought/Belief, and 6) Feelings, Body Sensations, and Behaviors (of new thought). I recommend practicing in a written format until you gain a level of mastery. I found there is a kind of magic with handwriting and the brain. But of course, if you prefer typing, then please do so. It is most important and above all else that this practice resonates with you.

I’ll provide a brief outline of the practice, but a comprehensive description and example is provided later in the post (My Experience With The Soul Healing Practice). Using the worksheet and topic headings, write down the thought/belief that was identified from above or a distressing thought currently on your mind. Under the appropriate heading, list how you feel when you think this way, what sensations or tensions are present in your body, and how do you behave when this thought is dominating your mind. The next step is to list what makes the distorted thought/belief true and what makes it not true. You will likely find the distorted thought/belief is not 100% true as a result of the not true statements. Based upon this analysis, the next step is to identify a more realistic and empowering thought that better fits the not true statements.

When you practice the new thought with breath, repetition, and/or visualization, you may notice an internal shift from a slight to a substantial difference in your feelings or body sensations, list these results on the worksheet. The last step is to imagine or visualize how you would behave with the new empowered thought, writing your potential behavior on the worksheet. Hopefully, you can visualize responding with more ease rather than reacting with distress and pain. I’ve found by consistently practicing the realistic/empowering thought, it eventually becomes a belief, and the imagined behavior becomes the actual response. 

3) CLEAR DISTORTED ENERGY

I like to further clear my soul’s energy of disempowering mental, emotional, and physical aspects so I can elevate my mind and heart for more empowered ways of experiencing. This is also useful in helping your soul to accept the new and more empowered thought as previously discovered. The practice requires visualization, meditation, and tapping into your imagination. It incorporates the elements of cleaning, clearing, transmuting, and transcending your mental, emotional, and physical bodies. If any of the imagery in the visualization described below does not resonate with you, then please do experiment with the practice so the imagery you choose for your mental, emotional, and physical bodies are uniquely your own and best resonates with you, as well as how you clean, clear, transmute, and transcend your sacred energy. 

I first neutralize my energy by visualizing the two polarities of my soul as white light (or higher vibrational energy) and darker or denser energy. I imagine the pure, white light is descending down from above me to my soul’s core (solar plexus area between lower rib cage and belly button), and the darker energy is ascending from below me to my soul’s core, until the two energies meet or collide. When the energy collides it neutralizes and calmly dissipates outward all around me like a ripple in a tranquil pond, and I feel a sense of relief, calm, and neutrality. I also include a version of this technique in my post, “6 Ways to Interrupt Excessive Worry” (14 May 2016).  

I then visualize my mental space as an empty room with windows. I see the distorted thought or belief sitting in the middle of the room and imagine cleaning the mental dust and debris from the room, and then blowing the thought/belief out of the window where it lands onto a pallet of a cargo ship in my soul’s harbor. I now see the room as crisp and clean, full of light, and a warm breeze flowing in the windows.  

Next, I move to my heart space where I visualize it as a mountain meadow with colorful wild flowers. I see any distressing feelings that are associated with the distorted thought/belief as smog or pollution hovering in my meadow. I identify each feeling (sad, anger, loneliness, etc.) and then see a strong wind blow the smog/pollution out of the meadow to the cargo ship where it is loaded onto the same pallet as the distorted thought/belief. I once again return to my heart space and see my meadow full of color surrounded by tall, majestic mountains and a crisp blue sky above. 

I then visualize any associated physical pain, illness, inflammation, or flare-ups are removed as if I’m taking off a heavy burdensome cloak or sometimes I imagine a warm, golden light cleansing and healing my body of the pain and discomfort. I see the physical burdens loaded on the same pallet. 

The three visualizations symbolize the cleaning and clearing of the mental, emotional, and physical bodies. I continue the visualization to transmute and transcend the distressing energy that was loaded on the ship. I imagine that I’m standing on a dock in my soul’s harbor where the ship is anchored and now loaded with all my burdens. I then invoke my warrior-self and imagine I am a Spartan warrior or a skilled swordsman holding a sword of purifying light. Sometimes I ask for the assistance of Archangel Michael to help me cut the anchor to the ship. I swiftly cut the anchor and the ship immediately begins its voyage moving away from my soul’s harbor to the horizon. I visualize once the ship meets the horizon it dissolves into golden dust and eventually disappears into the void or the sacred whole which includes my soul’s oneness. I call it the sacred whole because it’s like the energy is finding a new home back into the whole of creation. I once again bring my attention to myself standing on the dock, and I visualize magical golden light is swirling and flowing within me and all around me, as I stand tall and empowered. This energy makes me feel that I’ve been transformed into my sacred divine self. I say, it is gone, and I feel a sense of relief and freedom from the burdensome energy.

The ship navigating into the horizon and dissolving into golden dust, as well as my transformation are symbolic of the energy being transmuted and transcended. For another version of this technique see my posts, “How to Transform Anger into Power” (3 Mar 2017) and “Cutting the Cords to Suffering” (19 Jul 2016). 

For a quicker visualization, you may visualize that you are plucking or pulling out the mental and emotional burdens from your mind and heart, and any physical discomfort and pain from your body, where you place each in a pile by your feet. You can invoke your warrior-self by imagining yourself as a powerful being, standing tall and confident. Next visualize igniting the pile so it burns into golden ash, and then is blown away as it disappears into the void or sacred whole. If the element of fire doesn’t quite resonate, then use any element or force such as water, lightening, or anything of your choosing. Please do experiment with the visualization so it truly becomes your own sacred practice. 

SOUL HEALING PRACTICE CLOSING

I like to close each soul healing practice with another visualization, especially if the practice doesn’t include an energetic shield/boundary. If the practice does include a protective sphere of light, then adjust this closing visualization to complement the practice. The closing visualization may also be a stand alone practice. The intent is to further cleanse any residual blocks or burdens, calm the soul, restore optimal functioning, and realign the soul as above, so below.  

Visualize a disk of purifying, white light that is above you and is large enough to fit both your body and energetic field. The purpose of the disk is to scan your body and energetic field while it simultaneously moves any residual mental, emotional, physical, and energetic blocks or burdens. The energy will be moved out and drained like an energetic faucet as it disappears into the void. The intention of the energy as it disappears is to be transmuted and transcended into the sacred whole which includes your soul’s oneness or harmony. 

As you continue the visualization, imagine the purifying disk of light descending down towards you and begins to scan your upper energetic field and extends outward to capture your entire energetic field as it moves down your body, starting with your head, down your shoulders, down each arm, and out each hand. Visualize any blocks or burdens draining out of your hands (like a faucet). You can imagine the energy as darker energy flowing out. Once you feel it is complete or see the energy begin to trickle stop the flow from your hands. Bring your attention back to your shoulders and continue the scan down your chest, your abdomen to the pelvic area, down each leg, and out each foot. Again visualize any blocks or burdens draining out from your feet, once you feel it is complete or see the energy begin to trickle then stop the flow. Now take a moment to visualize your entire body and energetic field are now cleansed and cleaned.  

Next say to yourself, CALM, and visualize and feel every cell of your body and particle of your energetic field is calming like a pristine, quiet mountain lake with no movement. Just calm and quiet. Take a few deep belly breaths to savor this feeling of calmness. Next, say to yourself, HEAL, followed by optimal health and functioning, and golden light are restored, visualize every cell of your body and particle of your energetic field is now filled with sparkling golden light as you are glowing and vibrating with this golden energy. Visualize the golden energy extends outward to form a sphere of light that now surrounds you. The sphere of light may change colors, any color of your choosing. Again, take a few deep belly breaths to savor this energy of renewal, strength, and empowerment. 

Lastly, visualize a column of golden threads above you descending down through you and exiting out your feet, continuing down into the earth to be deeply anchored into the earth’s core so you feel secured, stable, and grounded (you can add imagery of golden roots or similar extending from your feet to be anchored into the earth’s core). Next see a violet light doing the same, and finally a pure white light doing the same. The intent of the columns are to align you above and below, so you feel both grounded and elevated. You may close the visualization by saying to yourself three intentions, for example I say: I am powerful, I am magical, I am healing, and as I say each intention I visualize myself growing taller, stronger, and feeling more empowered.  

As a last note and most likely suggested in the description of the soul healing practice, do experiment with, change, refine the practice as needed so it truly resonates with your soul, becomes your personal practice, and evolves and changes with you. By making the practice your own, you are listening to your inner guidance, are connecting with your sacred divine self, and aligning with your unique wisdom and soul’s vibration.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE SOUL HEALING PRACTICE

 As I engaged in my morning routine, I noticed the presence of anger, low energy, and a cluttered mind that was spinning me into a tangled mess of incoherent and anxiety-filled thoughts, and soul confusion. I was hoping during the morning run with my dog that I would ground myself enough to begin untangling my mind and to gain more clarity. However, I was becoming increasingly angry with my dog as she made numerous stops during the run to sniff around. As a more elevated side note, I do find a dog’s nose quite phenomenal, as if it is a mini laboratory where it tests and analyzes each scent that the nose samples. 

But even with the knowing it’s difficult for her to ignore certain scents, my anger was increasing because the stops were not quick. It was as if she meticulously took a sample of the scent, analyzed it longer than my liking, and developed a conclusion by urinating on it. By this time, my heart rate decreased to almost a rest state and I was angrily thinking, I’m not getting my work out! I noticed I was clenching my jaw, feeling tension in my head, and frowning. So I reacted by pulling on her leash and pushing her backside to get her going. She anxiously looked behind her not realizing it was me who touched her and then sprinted forward with fear. I didn’t like going to that measure to get what I wanted. My mind, feelings, body sensations, and maladaptive behavior were definitely alerting me that my mind was in a state of imbalance, I was in a state of imbalance. So I investigated my thoughts further during the remainder of the run. 

I noticed the thought, I always have to stop for you, but it actually went a little deeper and led to the thought, I always have to stop for others and take care of their needs first. But I knew, based on my internal work, these thoughts were linked to a familiar core belief, I’m unworthy, and in this case translated to, my needs don’t matter because I’m unworthy. I’ve been doing this work long enough that I can now quickly identify deeper core beliefs beneath the initial distorted thoughts. 

When I arrived home from the run, I challenged the validity of the thoughts/beliefs. In this example, I challenged both simultaneously so this post isn’t too lengthy, but I recommend challenging only one at a time as you learn this practice. The process unfolded as follows:

1) Distorted Thought/Belief:

a) I always have to stop for others and take care of their needs first.

b) My needs don’t matter because I’m unworthy.

Note: the extreme word – always.

2) Feelings, Body Sensations, and Behaviors:

• Feelings: primarily anger and irritability with some anxiety and sadness.
• Body Sensations: clenched jaw, head tension and frowning, lower energy, pain in left shoulder and neck.
• Behaviors (maladaptive reaction): agitation, irritable reactions such as pulling and pushing my dog, and being verbally snippy.

3) True Statements (what makes the distorted thought/belief true):

• I do stop for my dog at least 3 x during the runs.
• People always expect me to take care of them first. 
• I’m always the listener.
• I always have to sacrifice my time and energy for others.
• I feel like my needs don’t matter so that means they don’t matter.

4) Not True Statements (what makes the distorted thought/belief not true):

• All the statements using the word, always, and the distorted thinking of feeling a certain way so that means it must be true, are not 100% true.
• I’m still getting a work out even when I stop during the runs. I have the option to leave my dog home if I want a more intense work out.
• My loved ones would be delighted and happy to listen to me, if I let them know that’s what I need.
• I’m learning to establish boundaries like saying “no” without feeling guilty or obligated. I’m also making myself less available when I need time to rest and restore.
• I’ve made major life decisions such as moving states several times because my soul was calling for it, and my daughter graciously flowed with each change and adapted well in the new locations.
• I’ve taken care of myself by slowing down my life, pursuing a creative endeavor that I feel absolutely passionate about, offering myself plenty of time for grounding and relaxing outdoors, creating a beautiful sanctuary in my home, developing a daily meditation that is unique and sacred, receiving massages and energy healing, and going to movies.

All of the above clearly shows that I do believe I am worthy, that my needs do matter, and I am learning how to balance giving and receiving.

5) Realistic/Empowered Thought/Belief:

a) My needs do matter, it’s okay to take care of myself first and then care for others.

b) I am worthy of having my needs met. 

Your realistic and empowering thought may not be a total flip of the distorted thought/belief, which is perfectly okay, it may just be an improvement of the distorted thought that better fits the not true statements. So it may sound something like this, I will try to take care of myself first and then others because my needs matter or It’s okay if I take care of my needs too. Again, it is most important that you make this soul healing practice your own and go at your pace.  

6) Feelings, Body Sensations, and Behaviors:

• Feelings: excitement and actual joy.
• Body Sensations: jaw, head, neck, and shoulders relaxed, felt lighter in my body, and noticed an increase in energy.
• Behaviors (adaptive response): I was able to develop a plan that equally met my needs and others during the day. I asked myself the question, does this bring me joy, to help me develop this plan. Knowing 100% reciprocity may not be the case every time, but just taking care of my needs in some manner during the exchange felt good and empowering.

Before I practiced the new empowered thoughts with breath, I further cleared the distorted energy by doing the clearing visualization as described earlier. I practiced the thoughts throughout the day and days to come. I also made sure to savor the shift in my feelings and body sensations as a way to strengthen a new neural pathway, and to anchor the elevated energy into my soul’s vibration. For me it was a way to clear the canvas, so that the new thought had a chance of sticking to my soul’s portrait in order to begin the creation of my internal masterpiece ;).  

POEM

Here’s one of my poems that describes the diligent internal work of exploring the mind, heart, and soul, only to discover an absolute magic from within. I thought it kind of fit this post. The poem describes my personal internal journey, the cleaning and preparing, the pain and discomfort, the exploration and discoveries, and the union with my sacred divine self.   

ROOMS TO CLEAN

How long do I wait for you?

A promised reward
for diligently exploring
the many rooms of human conditioning.
Rooms that appear to be endless, 
in this mansion of consciousness. 

Every turn leads to a new hallway,
doors, and more doors, so many rooms,
to clear, clean, dust, sweep.
Finishing the whole cleaning escapade
with the aroma of a sweet, yet bold feminine scent  
that enlightens the musty, stale odor
of old, outdated beliefs.

I’m getting tired though, room after room,
I’ve diligently cleaned.
I’ve been such a loyal attendant,
arriving on time, dust cloth at hand, 
always ready to work.

Sometimes doing my work with ease and grace, 
with curiosity and anticipation
that tends to pirouette in my sacral:
knowing the many sacred mysteries awaiting
behind each of the solid doors,
knowing the exquisite clothing, treasures to be found
in the many ornate closets.

Often, or at least it seems,  
I drag my feet along the dusty floor
for fear the disappointments
will outweigh the happiness I seek.
My patience dwindles and I pick up the step
to hurry up and get the job done, 
get to the end,
get to the outcome already!

Often, or at least it seems,
I’m attracted to the same closet with the usual contents: 
a heavy, dark bleak cloak
that I routinely drape over my shoulders,
feet drag even slower with each weighted step;
a soft, gray veil adorned in intricate lace
placed upon my crown, falling precisely over my eyes
to shroud my vision with such purpose and precision.
A stupendous, yet ominous outfit
distorting time and perception,
doesn’t disappoint. 
It feels like an eternity when wearing this costume,
the waiting, the preparing,
for you.

Just drop it, take it off
the cloak, the veil, the illusion,
and discover
time is the same,
there’s been no eternity of waiting,
no time loss, no delay,
no snag in the cosmic fabric of possibilities.

No matter how often I put this damn costume on,
all experiences are worth the wait.
No matter the grittiness, the dirt, chaos filling the rooms,
all experiences are worth the knowing.

It’s all a part of the whole cosmic expedition,
a desire to grow, change, elevate,
contract and expand,
to breathe the essence of creation,
exhale the desire to be set free.

When you do arrive,
after all rooms have been inspected
some cleaned, some left alone;
I’ll see you clearly.
This time,
no cloak, no veil, no disguise,
but absolute naked truth.

Hallways seem to magically disappear,
doors vanish, the mirage dissipates.
A wide-open space remains,
radiating your warmth and the soft glow of your torch.
The space seems to breathe:
billowing with abundance, possibilities,
oneness, greatness.

All is finally revealed, unveiled,
you are here.
Of course, you have always been here,
but that was part of the mastery, even the pain
to find you, to know you.
It turns out,
I needed the journey in its absolute entirety,
in order to feel the exquisite wholeness of my sacred self,
to feel the ultimate truth, from within. 

— Stacy L. Pintor ©

Thank you for visiting my blog, I truly hope some or all of the soul healing practices do help you along your sacred journey and provide you some relief and ease.   

Visit my website if you want to learn more about me and to check out my poetry, especially if you liked the poem above which is included in my poetry book, Alchemy of the Soul. You can also hear me read the poem on my YouTube channel (link available on my website):  

https://www.baresoulworks.com

Thanks again for visiting and for your support. Stacy 💚 

PLEASE BE ADVISED

The soul healing practices provided in this blog are meant as a tool to aid in healing, for improving mental and emotional health, and for inspiring self-transformation. The practices are not meant to be a form of psychotherapy or social work practice requiring a contractual, professional relationship. If you need consistent therapeutic care and/or crisis intervention due to being at risk of harming yourself or others, then seek professional and/or emergency services immediately.

The purpose of this blog is to share with you how I integrate my personal experience, spiritual growth and expansion, and past professional mental health experience in the form of soul healing practices. By sharing my experience, it is my hope it will provide a practical example of how to interrupt and lessen the cyclical energy of suffering and to elevate your soul.   

These practices work best when you are ready to heal and expand. It is okay if you are not quite ready. Please be gentle and patient with yourself, seek outside help both professionally and personally as needed. You will heal and expand when you are ready. Sending you so much love, warmth, and compassion. Stacy 💚

© Stacy L. Pintor 2016. All Rights Reserved.

Revised and updated in 2025 by Stacy L. Pintor ©.

(No part of this blog may be reproduced without written permission from the author)