trait
The World Needs Highly Sensitive People
You’re being way too sensitive. Get over yourself. Don’t take everything so personally. Why are you being such a cry baby?
If you are a highly sensitive person (HSP) you have probably had others say such things to you at some point. But there is nothing wrong with you. According to renowned HSP researcher Dr. Elaine Aron, your sensitivity trait is perfectly normal. In fact, it is found in 15 to 20 percent of the population, which is way too many people for it to be a ‘disorder.’ However, it is still rare or exceptional enough to be misunderstood by most people around you, if they are part of the remaining 80 percent ‘non-sensitive’ population.
The highly sensitive person has increased sensitivity to physical, emotional, or social stimuli. It is also referred to by some experts as having sensory processing sensitivity. HSPs are more reactive, for example, to negativity, unpleasant emotion, or violence.
Because much of western culture is dominated by extroverted types, the more reflective, introspective HSP sometimes feel lost in the shuffle. They are the ones who need extra time to process things, who may sit by ourselves, or in like-minded pairs, at a large gathering.
HSPs seek to form deeper bonds and keep the peace instead of fighting. A noisy, chaotic, and rude world is often very overwhelming for them. It can be especially difficult for HSP men in a misogynist society, since many of the HSP traits are not celebrated as traditionally ‘masculine.’
The truth is that the world needs HSPs and their unique gifts. The HSP’s abilities to console, nurture, heal, and build relationships are invaluable for humanity. We all want a world where universal qualities like justice, empathy, and honesty are celebrated and practiced.
At work, they are the types who notice everything and attend to the smallest details, though they may often be overlooked for promotion. In family life, they are the ones who settle disagreements and find common ground. In the political world, they are diplomats and peace-keepers.
Accepting Your Psychic Abilities
I was recently asked how I became aware and started using my psychic abilities. For many this can be a complicated, challenging journey, but I was fortunate to grow into my psychic gifts quite easily.
It all began with me growing up in a small town with a population of only 8000 souls. We were a large family of 12 children, which at that time was more common than today.
From the time I can remember, my mother used to foretell events and always spoke of a person’s “inner character,” as if she could clearly see their internal mechanisms as one would with an X-ray. It was also clear to everyone who knew her that she never seemed to be wrong in her estimations.
At the same time, my grandmother, as well as my father, frequently spoke of spirits coming back to visit us from the afterlife, and sightings of loved ones who had passed on was a common occurrence in our family life.
I can remember even as a very young child that I also just ‘knew things’ and certainly it never occurred to me to question the validity of any information I perceived. In my family it was not unusual to hear talk of someone having the “third eye” or the “second sight.” No one was ever denied their gifts.
As children we simply took these ideas in our stride and accepted them as natural and normal. We never had reason to question any of it and we didn’t realize this was not something all children experienced in their families. It was as common to us as any other domestic event that would occur in other people’s homes.
Psychic ability, metaphysics and the paranormal was something that we would naturally nourish growing up and utilize to whatever advantage we needed. Maybe ones of the reasons it became so strong among the siblings, was our inherent drive to survive under extremely arduous and stressful conditions. Only later in life did we come to understand that not all brother and sisters develop this strong psychic bond, with the ability to connect and detect danger in any situation, despite the great distances that might separate us to this day.
The Joy Of Being Your Authentic Self
Many people feel forever discontented, because they are constantly trying to find ‘happiness.’ However, like love, there is no real limitation to the experience of joy and fulfillment in our lives.
Joy is not something that we find outside of ourselves, but rather the unconditional expression of our authentic self. It cannot really be found through chasing ‘happiness.’ Joy comes when we are free from fear, worry, resentment, blame, guilt, criticism, and judgment – whether it is the practice of these things, or the fear of them.
True joy comes from just being yourself, which requires that you learn to accept yourself as you are, with all your unique quirks. Without this authentic expression of the self, we will always feel incomplete.
The Univeral Law of Attraction states that we attract our life experiences based on our state of consciousness and our energy frequency. Joy is a state of consciousness that is limitless, because your authenticity is unending and expansive. In other words, being joyful brings about more joy!
The trouble with chasing happiness is that it becomes a frustrating ‘wild goose chase.’ We try and manipulate circumstances, or we rely on chance, or other people, to bring us fulfillment. Neither works. Have you ever tried to change another person? How did that go?
There are two caveats to this. First, true joy does not mean that you are happy all the time. Yes, you experience happiness more often, because you are aware that whatever negative feeling you may be having is only temporary.
Some people try and feign happiness thinking that these universal spiritual laws can be tricked. There is no twisting of spiritual truth. There is no amount of ‘happy thoughts’ or positive thinking that can shift one’s inner reality. Only true authenticity brings joy.
Spiritual Connections
We need to ask ourselves questions about spiritual connections with other people more frequently. What kind of connection do you really have with the people in your life?
A spiritual connection with someone else is something very special and important for our soul growth. So, how do we know when there is a spiritual connection?
Attraction – You feel an immediate, intense attraction to them and really do not understand why.
Familiarity – You feel at home or comfortable with the person. You feel like you have known them forever. This feeling is usually mutual. You just met and cannot explain why you feel this way, but you just do.
Indescribable – When meeting someone you are beyond words. You have this feeling that your connection with them is profound and indescribable. Sometimes it is overwhelming. You can’t tell if it is right or wrong, good or bad. You don’t understand what it means, you just know it somehow feels significant.
Fascination – You think about them often, having random thoughts of them throughout your day. They linger in your mind constantly. You may even feel somewhat obsessed with them.
Happiness – You instantly smile when thinking about them. You feel care free and happy. Having them around changes your mood for the better.
Our Loved Ones Are Always With Us
Several months ago, I found myself traveling near the city in which my grandparents bodies were laid to rest. I decided to drive the few extra miles out of my way, to visit their gravesite.
Pulling up to the cemetery, I realized I hadn’t been there in so long that I couldn’t remember where the grave was. Finally, I located it. I grabbed a folding chair from the back of my car and sat down under a tree close to their tombstone.
Immediately my awareness was overflowing with the presence of their voices. I could hear both of them talking to me, just like when I would go to visit them during the school holidays. It felt like they were alive again, and right there with me. I was literally hearing grandma talking to me. Just the way she did in life. It as if she was right there! I could hear my grandpa as well. It was very comforting.
They were very pleased that I took the time to come visit them. They are very much together now and happy in their new existence, after they had been separated between this life and the next for well over 15 years.
They are still with us, just in a different dimension. If you listen carefully, you may just hear them talking to you. Our loved ones, who have crossed over, continue to be with us. They love it when we take the time to communicate with them, or honor them time in some way. It shows that we love them, and still value and appreciate them.
The Myths Of Mercury Retrograde
As a practicing psychic, I have on many occasions spoken to clients who were concerned about the planet Mercury going retrograde. They typically fear that this recurring planetary event might wreak havoc in their lives. While astrologers agree that it can at times be a more challenging time, many of the fears about retrogrades are often unfounded, and based on myth and misinformation. Its potential effect on our daily lives can actually be highly positive and beneficial.
Reputable astrologers quite rightly point out that by truly understanding Mercury Retrograde and how to manage its influence in our life, we can actually turn it into a positive experience, rather than a negative one. For my part, should you have been worried about the Mercury Retrograde in the past, I hope to ease at least some of your concerns here, as to what role this phenomenon can, and cannot play in your daily life.
The Spinning Backwards Myth
The most prevalent myth about Mercury Retrograde is that the planet is ‘spinning backwards’ at this time. The truth of the matter, as any astronomer would tell you, is that Mercury is not actually moving backwards during a retrograde. It only appears to be receding.
The planet Mercury is closer to the Sun than any other planet and therefore circles around it in as little 88 days. The Earth, on the other hand, takes much longer, i.e. a whole year to complete this trip. During a retrograde, Mercury appears to slow down, while Earth seems to move at a faster rate. This creates an optical illusion in the heavens which makes it seem that Mercury is spinning backwards in its orbit. However, Mercury is merely moving more slowly around the Sun, compared to planet Earth.
One can liken this to Mercury being a race car on the inside track, while Earth is on the outside of the track and overtaking Mercury. While doing so, as Earth appears to go faster, it would seem that the Mercury is slowing down or, in fact, going backwards, even though this is not the case.
Raising A Psychic Child
Before I conceived my first child, I had a lot of communication in the spirit realm with the souls of both my children. My son showed me, for example, how he prefers to be viewed on the Other Side, as a young Mayan male. I had some physical challenges with his pregnancy, but he came to me in spirit and healed me. After his birth his healing ability became even more evident as he started growing up.
He also told me he wanted to be born on August 3rd, although my due date was actually July 27th. When my doctor told me he wanted me to be induced on August 1st, I begged my doctor to wait until the 3rd. I knew it was an important date to my son. But my doctor refused. So, I was induced on the 1st…and my stubborn son simply turned his head and refused to come out, until he decided it was the right time! He was born a triple Leo on August 3rd.
My son has shown from a very young age many signs that he is psychic. He once saw a advertisement for a herbal supplement to help children sleep. All it said was SLEEP on the packaging there was no other indication of bedtime or children sleeping. He could not yet read, and we have never talked about anything relating to the concept of needing to take medication to sleep. So, this was not in his frame reference. He looked at it and simply said, “This is to help kids sleep.”
I remember many moments like that where he just knew things he could not possibly know. When my mom, a very scientific skeptic, came to visit, she experienced a lot of back pain. I told my son that grandma had an ‘owie’ back. He was only one year old at the time. He then climbed on the couch behind her, touched her back… and her pain went away!