EGO- what is it exactly? Does your Rule your life?

Ego is not just about being conceited, as most people have related to it. Everyone has an ego, some stronger and more noticeable than others. Ego represents one's "self" or "identity." How do you identify yourself? Does your ego rule you? Maybe you're not sure or perhaps you need help with it. Either way, you should know whether you are operating out of your ego or your higher self. If you operate from your higher self rather than ego, you will see your life improve. Your relationships will improve, as will your work relationships. You will be connected with your higher self once you start understanding your ego.

The thing is, we don't have to fight it, hate it, or reject it. We need to learn how to work with it and understand it.

Our ego wants to rule our body. It's also the voice in your mind that may tell you that you can't do something or that you aren't good enough. Why does it do that? It does so to prevent your higher self from ruling your physical body. It's all about control and being in the forefront. If you get your ego in check, it has to move to the background, and then you are connected to your higher self, and your spirit begins to speak. Your spirit has your best interests at heart, wanting you to operate out of your highest nature. This allows you to see your true calling, true nature, and be aware of your intuitive gifts, which everyone possesses. You'll start to feel free, happy, loving, and more. You will also be able to see the love and potential in other people.

Here are ways to identify if you are operating from your ego. Ask YOURSELF:

1. Do I judge people?
2. Do I judge myself?
3. Do I self-criticize?
4. Do I criticize others? (This usually happens to divert focus from self.)
5. Do I tell people what they should do but don't do it myself? (Hypocrisy)
6. Am I focused on negative situations?
7. Am I listening to those negative thoughts?
8. Do I surround myself with people who operate from their egos?
9. Do my emotions get the best of me?

These are just a few questions to ponder. If you regularly engage in any of these behaviors, consider moving away from them. Start looking at your behaviors. How are you responding to people? How are you relating to people?

The first step in understanding and identifying if you are operating from your ego is to take a look at your behavior. If you recognize it, notice it, and then start to change it.

Letting go of judgment was one of the hardest things I had to do because I didn't even realize how often I was judging myself and others. When we judge, we don't allow others to be themselves. There is no love or kindness in judgment.

To fully heal yourself, you need to start from within, and working on your ego is a great place to start.

If you need suggestions or want me to elaborate on this subject, please email me, and we can discuss it.

I've done a lot of work on my ego and shadow self. It wasn't a pretty process, and I'm still working on it. The one thing I can say is that I fully recognize when my ego tries to intervene. It becomes a more manageable challenge if you let it be!

Be your higher self. Let your light shine. Act in kindness. Love yourself and everyone.

Peace,
Carolyn
carolyndberry@gmail.com

Negative Emotions- how they affect us

Negative emotions - we all experience them, right? They come and go, but what happens when they hit you hard? What are your options for dealing with them? How do you process these emotions? Do you resort to substances like drugs, alcohol, or retail therapy? There are several ways to handle them, which I'll be discussing. But first, you need to understand the effect they have on the body. Every emotion is stored in our cellular tissue, becoming a memory. So, even if you think you've effectively dealt with a certain emotion, it may resurface. Your body might experience it differently, causing pain, irritation, discomfort, disease, or even cancer. Your body doesn't want these unresolved memories, and if you haven't addressed the emotions, your body will find a way to get your attention until you do. If you decide to start healing yourself, these emotions may surface through your body, which can take days, months, years, or even several years. You might be wondering how this is possible - is it true? I'll share one of my personal experiences of processing emotions through my body, and then we'll discuss the options you have to deal with them.

Last year, when I was living in North Carolina, I was practicing hands-on healing work, primarily massage. One day, I noticed a small bump on one of my fingers, and upon closer inspection, I thought it might be a wart, although it didn't quite look like one. I didn't pay it much attention and assumed it would disappear on its own. However, after a few days, I noticed more of these bumps, around six on my fingers and on both hands. At this point, I began to feel concerned. A day later, my hands appeared to have developed a rash, but it was mainly under the skin, except for those few bumps I had initially discovered. It didn't itch, nor did it burn, but I was increasingly worried. I reached out to my Holistic Healer, who had me on a detox and nutritional/herbal formula. He reassured me that this was a positive sign that things were coming out. I agreed but remained somewhat concerned. I decided not to give massages until the issue resolved. However, after a week, it had only gotten worse. The rash began to surface, and I now had it on my stomach and feet. At this point, I was genuinely scared and began worrying that I had contracted something from a client. That possibility was not far from my mind.

After another week, things took a turn for the worse. The bumps grew larger and were raised above the skin's surface. They resembled sores but were not open. Now, I was really panicked and decided to take myself to a walk-in clinic. That was my first mistake, although I had an inkling it wouldn't help. What could they possibly tell me? I thought it was just a detox reaction. After waiting for two hours, the nurse took one look at my hand and said she couldn't help me and that I needed to go to the ER. Frustrated, I drove to the ER, where the wait was thankfully only 30 minutes. The new nurse from the ER examined my hand, asked me several questions, and then suggested, "I think you have secondary syphilis." I inquired about what that meant, and she explained that it was a sexually transmitted disease but treatable. She said she needed to draw blood and get a sample. As soon as she left the room, I grabbed my phone and began researching on Google, which only heightened my worry and anxiety. I went through the images section and was horrified by what I saw. Was this really happening? I knew deep down that this couldn't be it, but my heightened emotional state led to tears streaming down my face.

Another nurse entered to take a "sample" with a swab. I asked her what she was going to do with it, and she replied that she was going to swab my sore. I showed her that they were not open sores or anything to swab. This made me even more upset, but I calmed myself down because I knew that if it was indeed what they suspected, at least it was treatable. The nurse agreed that there was nothing to swab, and we proceeded with a blood test.

As I left the hospital, mortified, the worst part was that I had to wait three days for the test results. It was an agonizing three days. I tried to connect with my spirit but realized I couldn't see past my emotions and frustration. So, what did I do? I called my spiritual mentor, which I should have done in the first place. You know how sometimes you don't want to burden people with your issues. But considering that she was also a registered nurse, she should have been my first choice. I knew that this was something I was processing energetically and emotionally, and a simple detox would have cleared up any physical symptoms within a few weeks.

Thanks to my mentor, Nancy, we got to the bottom of it. As soon as she brought clarity to the situation and the emotions I was feeling, everything made sense. In short, she was able to view my body from an energetic perspective, and all she said was that I had a lot of anger and frustration coming up. My body didn't know how to process these emotions, so they manifested in my hands and feet. She was absolutely right. I had been suppressing and ignoring my frustration and anger about several life situations. I had been planning to deal with these emotions later. After performing some energy work and acknowledging my emotions, I began to work on processing them.

This experience was similar to a previous one I had, which involved severe swelling in my abdominal area. That time, I was processing the need to "know" and dealing with anxiety. Irritating as it may have been, I had also requested a swift release of my emotional baggage during that period.

Now, let's talk about your options when dealing with emotions. You have several, but let's discuss three of them. You could:

1. Ignore the emotions and give yourself a hard time for having them.
2. Dive deep into them, throw a pity party, and remain stuck there.
3. Honor the emotion, accept that it's a part of healing, and give yourself a time limit before moving on.

So, let's discuss disappointment, which is a challenging emotion. It often triggers other emotions like anger, sadness, and self-loathing. But how about choosing option #3? Honoring an emotion can be incredibly powerful. Society often teaches us that emotions are bad. For men, they are seen as a sign of weakness, while for women, they are seen as excessive. Society encourages us to control our emotions, but I believe we should learn to honor them. Emotions can arise as protection, distractions, calls for attention, or victimization. However, it's important to remember that they don't define us. It's okay to feel emotions, but it's equally important to remember that they don't define us. It's okay to feel emotions, but it's equally important to acknowledge them. Sometimes, we might not even understand where a particular emotion is coming from, and that's perfectly fine. Some days, we might feel sadness for no apparent reason. Regardless of the severity of the emotion, we can choose how long we allow ourselves to stay in that emotional state.

For instance, if it's a fleeting feeling, we might only experience it for a brief moment. We can inquire why it's there, engage in some self-talk, and move on within minutes if it's not particularly intense. For example, we might say to ourselves, "I recognize you, 'sadness,' but I won't dwell here. I used to feel this way, but not anymore." It's helpful to anchor yourself in the present moment by reminding yourself of the current date and your age. This approach works whether the emotion is tied to a recent experience or something from years ago. The past is the past, and recognizing it as such can help you transition to the present.

However, when you find yourself deeply immersed in an emotion, people have various ways of dealing with it. Remember when I asked you about your "vice"? I could easily have gone home and consumed a bottle of wine in the past as a way to escape my emotions. While it might have provided temporary relief, it's essential to understand that such coping mechanisms can be more damaging than you realize.

If you feel that you're drowning in your emotions and are tempted to turn to your vice, consider making an agreement with yourself. Allow yourself to fully experience the emotion, and think about how long you'd like to stay in that emotional state. There have been times when I allowed myself to do nothing and stay in bed for three days because I knew I had a lot to process. This might be extreme for some or not enough time for others. It's crucial to check in with yourself and determine what's reasonable. This approach applies to any emotion or life situation. Once you make this agreement, dive into your feelings, knowing that the emotional storm will pass within the time you've allotted for it.

When that predetermined time arrives, honor your commitment to yourself. You may still feel a trace of the emotion, but self-talk can be immensely helpful. Remind your body and spirit that you've given the emotion its allotted time. If you require more time, make another arrangement to revisit it. Some emotions and circumstances are more challenging than others, and this tool allows you to begin processing them so they don't have long-term effects on your cellular body.

Emotions like loss, death, or unforgiveness can be particularly challenging to address. These emotions tend to recruit others, such as bitterness, hurt, sadness, anxiety, and depression, if left unattended. Don't let yourself avoid or stay stuck in an emotion. If you're grappling with an emotion from the past, let it go. It's a common misconception that healing an emotion means forgetting about it. You can still remember an event or issue without holding onto the associated emotions. The moment you begin emotionally relating to it, use self-talk. Say something like, "I remember you, I remember that feeling. It was in the past, not today. I won't forget you, but I won't stay in this emotion."

Emotional healing is a powerful process that can happen instantaneously or gradually. Have you been wanting to forgive someone? Have you been wanting to let go of a particular emotion? Are you ready to heal? It can begin as soon as you say yes and make the decision. You have control over how you respond when the emotion resurfaces. Fill your life with love and light, releasing negative emotions to free yourself and those around you.

If you need clarification or would like more information, please feel free to comment or contact me. You don't have to process these emotions alone. Just say yes to healing.

Best,

Carolyn

Faith to listen & Courage to share.

My close friend, who knows my heart and is aware of my "knowing" gifts, used to say to me, "How come you never get anything for me?" I truly didn't know how to respond to her, and, in all honesty, I hadn't really asked God if He had anything for her. Our conversations typically revolved around the things God revealed to me about other people. At that time, I was hesitant to ask God to show me things about my friends. I was worried about disappointing them, receiving incorrect information, or taking the risk that they might not want to be friends with me anymore. This hesitation was rooted in the deep wounds caused by churches and adults telling me that God does not communicate with people in this way.

I'm here to share with you that it's quite the opposite. God communicates with us in this very way, and in ways we may not initially understand, but we simply need to listen for His voice and seek Him out. Through this story, my prayer is that you will see how God worked in both my friend Anne's life and mine.

Anne, as we'll call her to protect her privacy, had one child at the beginning of this story and decided to try for another child a few years later. After months of trying without success, she discovered issues with one of her fallopian tubes that were hindering her ability to get pregnant. This was especially perplexing since she had successfully conceived once before.

When she eventually became pregnant months later, despite having just one functional fallopian tube, I didn't feel the excitement I should have. Instead, I experienced an uneasy feeling deep in my spirit. Nevertheless, I expressed my happiness for her, as it was good news that her fallopian tube was functioning properly, and there didn't seem to be any issues. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, she suffered a miscarriage.

It was after this heartbreaking event that I decided to pray earnestly: "God, if you have a message for Anne that you want me to share, please reveal it to me. I will listen and pass it on to her." This became my commitment because, at that time, I wasn't comfortable saying to people, "God told me." I began to diligently listen for His voice and pray for Anne.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, God showed me a vision of giving Anne a massage. It was a vivid image, with clear instructions on how to set up the massage table, align her body, and specific manipulations to perform. At that time, I was in Seattle and shared this vision with a mentor of mine. She suggested that I was seeing how to align Anne's body with the earth's energy. She encouraged me to trust my intuition, even if I didn't fully understand why, and to simply act on it. When I returned to San Diego, I invited Anne over and performed the massage just as I had been shown.

Days or weeks later, I received another message about Anne. God told me to ask her if she was ovulating. I hesitated, wondering if I had heard correctly. Nonetheless, I called her, as we shared a close relationship, and asked the somewhat unusual question. Anne confirmed that she was indeed ovulating and had an upcoming appointment with a specialist to check her hormone levels in a few days, as she had been closely monitoring her ovulation. When she inquired why I was asking, I responded, "God told me to prepare your body." This involved grounding her, balancing her energy, and removing any potential blocks. I asked her to call me after her doctor's visit.

When she did call to report the visit's outcome, her voice sounded low and almost disappointed. The doctor had informed her that her egg had already dropped, and she would have to wait until the next month. This suggested that her window for conceiving had closed. Yet, I felt a strong conviction that this was not the case. I felt the Holy Spirit so intensely that I couldn't help but contradict the doctor's prognosis, telling Anne, "He's wrong." I encouraged her to try conceiving that weekend anyway.

Almost a month later, Anne shared the wonderful news that she was pregnant again, and my heart was filled with joy. I felt deep within me that everything would be okay, but there was still a hint of uncertainty, both for me and Anne. I continued to pray for her and sent out energy to support her during the pregnancy. We often discussed her fears of losing the baby, and I beseeched God to ensure that she carried the child safely.

While I was back in Seattle, working on a client, God began speaking to me about Anne once more. I wondered why He was communicating with me while I was occupied with another task, but I understood it was because my mind was quiet and open to His voice. So, our conversation began.

God said, "Ask Anne if she has an appointment for a massage at the chiropractic office."

Perplexed, I asked, "Why?" feeling that it was acceptable to seek clarification.

His response was, "Because her body is too toxic."

After I finished with my client, I immediately called Anne, who happened to be available on a Friday afternoon. I told her, "I have another message for you. Do you have a massage appointment scheduled at the chiropractic office?" Anne replied affirmatively, mentioning that the appointment was set for the upcoming Monday. I conveyed God's message: "Your body is too toxic. Please cancel the appointment."

Anne canceled her massage appointment, and we shared a laugh about the situation. She asked me for more details, but I could only respond with, "That's all God said, and I believe that's all you need to know." At this point, I had grown increasingly comfortable sharing the information God was imparting to me. It was evident that this guidance was beyond my knowledge; after all, how else would I have known about her chiropractic appointment? We both agreed that I had never received messages for her in the past, but now God was actively communicating with me regarding her and her pregnancy.

Despite our conversation about her body being too toxic, Anne remained somewhat anxious even days later. It's only natural to have concerns about the outcome and potential effects on the pregnancy when given such information. I prayed once more for her and thanked God for providing me with this guidance to share with her. I asked Him to continue revealing His wisdom so I could further ease her worries.

Days later, God presented me with a dream in which the baby revealed itself to me. I couldn't discern all the details, but I distinctly saw Anne's current daughter beside a young male child. He wasn't an infant; if I had to guess, he appeared to be around two years old. I also knew, without a doubt, that the child was a boy.

I immediately called Anne and excitedly shared that God had shown me a vision of her daughter with the new baby. I assured her that everything would be fine and that I had seen a clear picture of the two children together. While I was certain it was a boy, I respected her wish not to know the baby's gender, so I kept that part to myself. It was an incredible experience to see a vision of the child before his birth – God's power and guidance were truly remarkable.

On October 31st, 2010, Anne gave birth to a healthy baby boy. I went to the hospital, and as soon as I held him in my arms, I was overwhelmed with joy. I had already met him! He WAS the baby boy in my dreams! He was revealed to me! Holding him and gazing into his beautiful eyes, we connected once again, and this incredible, inspirational feeling washed over me. It's challenging to describe the joy and amazement of actually witnessing something from a dream come to pass. I was an emotional wreck, to say the least.

Anne was talking to me, discussing something. She wasn't really mumbling, but I wasn't fully attentive to what she was saying. I can honestly say I heard nothing. I was immersed in this profound connection with the boy I already knew.

I was truly in my own world, appreciating God for everything He did to bring this boy into the world. I thanked Him for showing me and speaking to me to ease her concerns during the process. I thanked Him for helping me build my trust in HIM and for revealing how He communicates. And for His gentleness when I asked questions. The love He showed when I had doubts, yet He continued to share.

Whenever I recount this story, the energy and emotion all come rushing back to me. God is so magical and marvelous. I am incredibly thankful to have experienced this knowing and hearing with Him. I thank Him for hearing my prayers, for speaking to me when I asked Him questions, and for choosing me.

I dedicate this story to my precious friend who has helped me grow in my gifts by listening to me without judgment, encouraging me, and trusting in me. I am now stronger in my ability to hear, interpret, and know. Thank you for your support and for giving me your blessings to publish this story."

 Blessed,
Carolyn