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

“Everything has to be perfect”, you may have heard that before, possibly it is a thought swirling in your mind right now or you’ve even said it out loud recently. I’m with you, this has been my paradigm for a very long time. But have we ever asked ourselves why does it have to be so perfect? What does it mean when things are not perfect vs perfect? Perhaps, the thinking may be that we are not worthy or lovable when things are not perfect. I know this mindset well.

A lot of us have been conditioned by society and/or within our upbringing to believe perfection brings happiness, abundance, and security. Sure perfection may bring rewards and it does challenge us to do our best, but when the attachment to perfection is unbalanced it can also bring a sense of woe, derailing us from the present moment and from experiencing authentic peace and harmony. Society’s idea of perfection is actually unattainable because it comes from a sense of perpetual lack and fear rather than an internal foundation of abundance, security, and unconditional love. Even when success and abundance is obtained through society’s standards, it is most likely built upon an unstable foundation that could collapse at anytime.

Often times, this attachment to a perfectionist paradigm does originate during our upbringing. We may have been disproportionately rewarded  for being “perfect”,  doing things right, or being a good kid, however, with a young developing mind it is easy to equate this behavioral exchange as THE WAY to be loved and accepted. Therefore, a hefty dose of fear of rejection and abandonment likely evolved for when we aren’t perfect, make mistakes, or don’t do the right things. As this belief rooted deeply in our young mind and then grew invasively into our adult mind it may now manifest in wanting everything perfect: our performance, our environment, our relationships, our material possessions, and so on. 

So what happens when things aren’t perfect, don’t go our way, or we don’t do something right? As alluded to, it most likely triggers the deep seated fear of not being accepted. We may notice we become easily disappointed, and not just a little disappointed, but devastated to where we may feel like our whole day or days to come have been derailed with anger, worry, anxiety, and even depression. We may notice a barrage of self-defeating and disempowering thoughts such as: nothing goes my way, why don’t good things happen to me, I’m a bad person, I don’t matter, I’m not loveable, or I’m unworthy.

What gives then, when we were taught perfection brings rewards and love? The more I’ve investigated my own attachment to perfection, I found it gave me a sense of control over my environment and made me feel temporarily safe and loved. It was a way to ease my fear of the unknown, of unexpected losses, of making mistakes, of not being accepted, and of being left behind. However, my addiction to perfection was actually causing more anxiety, frustration, worry, and heavy burdens that were all rooted in chaotic fear. Basically, my attempt to resolve the fear and insecurity was bringing more of it. My quest spun me in a web of self-defeat, doubt, and loathing. Once I finally had enough and worked my way out of the cobwebs, I realized the attachment to perfection cloaked the truth – that I’m already innately and divinely perfect just as I am. 

A balanced perspective of perfection is realizing we are already divinely perfect, even if we aren’t perfect according to worldly views. It is just a matter of activating this inner sacred knowing and wisdom, and believing it to be true. With this perspective we can approach life with an authentic sense of peace and harmony while continuing to embrace our highest potential, challenge ourselves, and avoid complete devastation when setbacks, mistakes, and problems occur. Because they will occur, it is part of the soul’s growth and expansion to experience all things.

SOUL HEALING PRACTICE

A way to activate this internal sacred knowing is to heal the inner child from the time and space when the imbalance to perfection may have first seeded. I like to do an inner child healing visualization for this type of internal work. This visualization can also be applied to healing any past-self wounds, just direct the visualization to your past-self rather than child-self. 

In a quiet space with no distractions, center and calm your energy with several deep belly breaths. I enjoy the four-count breath to help begin the process of relaxing my energy and centering from within. 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 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. I 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. 

Now direct the breath into your heart center and imagine the breath expanding and nurturing your heart with an abundance of love and warmth. Once you feel you are anchored in calm, even breaths, visualize your child-self and perhaps the first age you remember being punished for not doing something right or for not being perfect. The punishment can be in all forms where you felt rejected, “bad”, or deflated. Gently, bring your child-self towards you and comfort them with whatever type of loving gesture that resonates with you most. For me, I imagine bringing her into my arms and setting her on my lap. Next visualize gold and white light surrounding you and your inner child so you are both encased in this sphere of light where you feel embraced and nurtured with an immense amount of warmth, support, love, and safety. 

Speaking from your heart, smile at your inner child and tell them, it’s okay to make mistakes, to not do something right, or to not be perfect. Remind them that you love them unconditionally no matter what they do or don’t do, and they don’t need to be perfect in order to feel safe or loved. Listen to them lovingly, they may have something to say, and then comfort them as needed. Please do refine what you may say to your inner child so it completely resonates with your sacred experience.

When ready energetically release your inner child and set them free. You may give them a loving hug, blow them a kiss, or wave goodbye as they are set free. I like to imagine her dissolving into golden dust where she softly disappears into the void, but is reintegrated into my sacred oneness or soul’s harmony as I take a deep breath in. Once again, experiment with the visualization so it truly resonates with you, giving you a sense of peace, stability, love, and comfort.

Now gently bring yourself back to your body and then to your surroundings, continue to breathe into your heart as you feel anchored in the present moment. Offer yourself another dose of intentional breathing: breathe in I am and on the exhale safe, breathing in I am and breathing out empowered, breathing in I am and breathing out love, and breathing in I am and breathing out light, and finally breathing in I am and breathing out free. Follow the intentional breathing with, I trust myself, I believe in myself, as you visualize the breath and intention is straightening and lengthening your spine where you feel more confident, strong, and empowered. Gently open your eyes.

Upon healing your inner child, you may notice the beginnings of a shift in how you approach and experience life and how you negotiate challenges from a space of more peace, ease, and clarity. You may also notice increased compassion for self. I say “the beginnings” because it will take practice and may need to be repeated multiple times in order to break the attachment to an imbalance of perfection. But I found the practice is well worth the time and effort because for me, I am now able to respond to setbacks and mistakes with much less distress, rather than to react from the old way with relentless rumination, worry, and persistent fear and doubt. However, if I do revert back to the old way, I speak to myself as I would to my inner child with understanding and compassion as I navigate the experience because I know all experiences are valid for soul growth and expansion. Reaffirming that I am unconditionally loved by the most important person, my sacred divine self, and that I am divinely perfect just as I am.

The inner child visualization can be used for other soul wounds from your upbringing or can be applied to a past-self wound. Just change the conversation so it applies to the wound that needs to be healed. Inner child work also softens the way you speak and relate to yourself because you are learning to relate to yourself with more compassion and understanding.

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

We recently had a hail storm and I found a dent on the hood of my fairly new car. Immediately, I felt a familiar surge of anger that wanted to sabotage the moment or even potentially the whole day. I began to worry about fixing the dent and feeling extremely irritated that another thing has been added to my to do list, and would cost money. I tried to distract myself from the anger and anxiety, but my eyes and focus kept returning to the dent.

I thought, what the hell, why is this little dent causing me so much distress? I reminded myself these burdensome thoughts and feelings were actually providing an opportunity for soul growth and expansion. This gentle reminder was enough for some gratitude to grace my experience. I took some time to go beyond my disgust and relentless worry over the dent and asked myself, what is this attachment to perfection? I realized it was rooted in childhood where I internalized that being loved and feeling safe was when I did things right and perfect, and when I was a “good girl”.

I proceeded with the inner child visualization to heal little Stacy. Upon returning to my adult body and to the present moment, I sensed a sigh of relief. A new profound love elevated within me that filled me with unconditional love rather than conditional love. This was the energy that was reminding me of who I really am. I am my sacred divine self and aligned with my highest potential. It felt as though I liberated the bondage from my attachment to perfection because I remembered, I am divinely perfect just as I am.

With a clearer mind and relaxed body, my sense of urgency to fix the car lessened knowing it will get fixed when the time and funds are right. I have other priorities to solve before the dent. What a relief to let go of a self-made burden!

I am always fascinated when doing this internal work, specifically shadow work that even simple external circumstances have deeper meanings and provide opportunities for bringing light to soul wounds needing to be seen and healed. Again a testimony, to the interconnectedness between external and internal realities.

POEM

The first poem describes my dance with fear which is where most of my perfectionism was cultivated. As the poem describes, using the metaphor of a spider and its abandoned cobwebs, fear has a purpose, but it doesn’t have to control me. An attachment to fear has often entangled my experience with the unnecessary stickiness of mental cobwebs, until I acknowledged its purpose, its desire to keep me safe, even in false ways, could I appreciate its presence, but also give it some loving house rules.

The second poem is a reminder of my worth, realizing I harbored a belief that I’m unworthy since my youth. And with automatic writing I channeled the message in the poem that was speaking to both my inner child and my adult self.

COBWEBS

These cobwebs of disappointment, of fear,
are real,
sticky to the touch, difficult to shake off.
Clearing the webs brings a creepy vibe,
chills of the unknown crawl their way up the spine.
Only for the webs to return,
time after time.

Why do you,
Fear,
make such intricate designs weaved with seduction,
temptation to fall victim to your traps?
Why do you entrance your prey
with pretty, iridescent shimmers from your silken threads,
promising a source of light into the dark, scary caverns
of the unknown?
Why do you capture innocent creatures
such as opulent, auspicious beliefs,
beliefs in happiness, success, love, warmth?

Suppose you have to feed too,
but you tend to trap too much—
hoarding your meals, meals left uneaten.

Your webs are out of control
strung in every corner of the mind,
even in the ventricles of the heart.
These threads obscure hope, trust, faith
from crystal clear vision, authentic gratitude.

There are so many cobwebs
entangled with deception, illusion, delusions.
And I let you have full reign of this domain,
to cast your webs far and wide
across the peaks of consciousness
and even impress upon,
the fertile valleys of the subconscious.

It’s time to clean it up,
rein in your alluring, labyrinth of traps.
You have plenty of food.
You have plenty to eat.

— Stacy L. Pintor ©

WORTHY

I am worthy of abundance
and all the charm that surrounds me.
I break free from captivity
of my limiting thoughts,
beliefs of unworthiness,
binding me since my youth.

Upon declaration of the truth,
the twines of distorted thought unravel
and I hear heaven speak —
We come to set you free little one
Be not afraid
For you will fly
With grace and love
Higher than you could ever imagine
For you are worthy

I am worthy!

— Stacy L. Pintor ©

Visit my website if you want to learn more about me and to check out my poetry, especially if you liked the poems above which are included in my poetry books, Alchemy of the Soul, and Into the Darkness, Become the Light, respectively. You can also hear me read the first poem on my YouTube channel (link available on my website):

https://www.baresoulworks.com

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.  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)