Hi Reader, I would like to start by apologising for a typo in last week's newsletter. I have edited the published article but for all those who read the original this is the correction. I wrote 'Affiliations un-checked can lead to disabilities.' What I meant was; 'Afflictions un-checked can lead to disabilities.' Ah the joy of autocorrect! That issue put right, this week I want to discuss alignment, and a technique I use to identify mental afflictions. A few years ago my daughter was having difficulty explaining something to me that was obviously causing her anguish. So I asked her to examine individual aspects of her life one at a time, focus on them and check for alignment. We examined herself as a whole, her home life, family, friendships, school teachers and school work. I asked her to close her eyes, and think about each in turn and let me know where she felt some sort of discomfort. She communicated her responses via thumbs up, thumbs down or somewhere in between. We then examined any areas of concern further. It has proven very effective in identifying worries that she has, finding a remedy, and tracking her progress. And is it a technique that she has asked me to repeat with her several times since. I also use it myself. I think about an aspect of my life, and tune into my instinctive mental responses. I try to visualise my thoughts for an area of my life as a flow of energy. Is there a sense of alignment? Or is there a disruption? When aspects of my life are aligned, the energy flows neatly, like sparks or lines of light all moving in the same direction. When there is a misalignment, the energy flow is confused and messy. I encourage you to try this. If you identify misalignment, you can explore that area of your life in greater detail, and apply the same visualisation process as you consider possible remedial actions. Thus helping you work out how to fix the problem. This is similar to the process of self actualisation developed by the humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers. Rogers believed in: “The innate potential of individuals to grow, develop, and achieve self-actualization.” It takes work. And on your initial attempt you may find you have a strong reluctance to explore certain areas of your life. But to return to the corrected statement from last week, afflictions un-checked can lead to disabilities. There is no benefit to ignoring misalignment. “It’s always right to do the right thing, that includes for yourself.” Focus on the light, always, Natalie Attenborough https://www.focusonthelight.co.uk/ PS If there is someone you know who you think may benefit from reading this newsletter, please forward it to them. They can subscribe here. |
Hi Reader, I recently came across another quote from the stoic Epictetus that struck a chord with me. "Never depend upon the admiration of others. There is no strength in it. Personal merit cannot be derived from an external source." And while that may be true, it’s not always easy to live by. We have all at some time sought validation from others. But the gains are impermanent. Even if we do benefit from a word of encouragement, if it’s not backed up by self belief, we begin to doubt the...
Hi Reader, I have recently learned a name for a concept that you may already be aware of. Shifting Baseline Syndrome The phrase was coined by the marine biologist Daniel Pauly and describes: A gradual change in the accepted norms for the condition of the natural environment. Successive generations of children and adults are simply unaware of past conditions, and so they accept what they know as the norm. For example, I remember needing to wash the dead insects off my car windscreen daily due...
Hi Reader, What is it you want out of life? Many of us have considered what we would do if we won the lottery. While the acquisition of financial wealth alone is not a measure of success, money is unquestionably essential in life at this time. And required to aid some of our aspirations. But do you consider the progression of your spiritual path to be a measure of success? A spiritual path relates to thoughts and beliefs, enabling personal growth and fostering a connection with something...