Lightworker's Way

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~Lightworker's Way~
(ebook)


A collection of stories, articles, support and soul work for lightworkers who are, in these days, remembering who they are and their roles in today's events.

Suggested exercises added to each article.

Written by Christine Whelan, First-wave Lightworker, who has watched it all roll in since 1997 ....

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~TAKING LIFE LIGHTLY~
by Christine Whelan

LIGHTWORKERS WAY
Column 2
(As published in August 2010)

"The reason angels can fly is because they take themselves lightly. " -- G.K. Chesterton

One of the lessons we, as humans being must realize in these days of change and evolution is that we need to learn how to not take life so seriously. It's the responsibility of the lightworker to role model this approach. Of course as lightworkers, first of all, we must learn how to apply this ourselves. This is one of our contributions to the world, as we chose to do before we were born. Right off the bat, Ive gotta tell ya, this is a major challenge. Society as a whole seems to get off on knowing the fact that it has done its darnedest to manipulate each and every living souls mind into forming at least one negative thought a minute. Thats just a guess, but Ill bet Im close. After all, it is the medias job to fear monger.

While the Law of Attraction requires us to think positively and be grateful for what we have, our society encourages us to focus on what we dont have, that grass is always greener on the other side thing.

We have to re-think life now. We need to understand that we all have been conditioned, or programmed, to think one way and now is the time to learn to re-think all beliefs, thoughts, feelings, defenses, and boundaries. Its time to believe in the importance of lightening up, enjoying life, laughing at it.

The first step, I suggest, is to identify where our own personal barriers, or tests, lie within ourselves.

I, myself, was raised on perfectionism. There were unrealistically high expectations placed on me and as a result, I took on those standards each and every day. It took many years and a further development of an anxiety disorder to discover that anticipating perfection in anything and anyone, including myself, was all an illusion. Nothing in our lives and in this world can be perfect. We can all learn a lot from the simple things in nature. Have you ever seen a perfect flower? No. And yet, a flower can be the most beautiful thing youll see all day.

Another weight many of us tend to drag around with us in our everyday lives is the habit of worrying. Thats right, I said habit. Worrying is merely a habit. Many of us also think our lives will fall apart unless we constantly worry. Some people even feel guilty if they dont worry. They feel worrying is a sign of caring. Again, so conditioned illusion.

There is a common experience in the world called guilt and shame. Many have been raised to take on the heaviness of these two powerfully negative emotions. Sometimes, they are so deeply incorporated into our being that we dont even recognize their constant residence within us. We must heal from this guilt and shame of our past in order to see all situations for what they truly are learning opportunities.

As lightworkers, we see and feel others look to us, watching and waiting to see how we deal with situations in order to learn for themselves. Here, we find yet another reason to experience high expectations on ourselves. We need to remember it is important to show others, as they watch us, that it is necessary to make mistakes in order to learn. It is also very ok to not know what to do sometimes. After all, we are merely humans being.

Speaking of the people around us, it is important to pay attention to who we attract into your lives. There is an old saying, misery loves company. Friends who are unhappy and think negatively will try to pull down anyone around them into their troubled world. Take inventory. Are you able to raise them up? Or are they able to bring you down?

Suggestions and exercises to help lighten up:

The quickest and easiest way to start taking life more lightly and to keep a positive attitude is to pay attention and be grateful for what you already have. In order to make a habit of this, you can try to keep a gratitude journal. Each evening before you go to bed, write down in your journal 5 things you are grateful for for that day. Try not to repeat yourself. Give yourself a boundary something like I will not use the same point of gratitude more than once a week.

Using humour is a wonderful way to lighten up. I suggest watching the movie Patch Adams with Robin Williams. And for heavens sake, learn how to laugh at yourself. Youll feel like youve lost 25 pounds!

Work on not caring so much about what other people think. Take inventory of how much your thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions are based on what other people think, feel, and say about you. Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. (Dr. Suess).

Judging others can really weigh you down. Remember, you dont walk the same walk as others. You didnt live the same lives as others. You dont have the same strengths, coping skills, and interests as others. If it doesnt affect you, its not yours to deal with. (me)

Meeting your own needs is important, however very challenging as one of the most common, damaging beliefs (illusion) we have is that we are supposed to put others needs first. Otherwise, we are just being selfish.

Unplan your life a little.you dont have that much control.

Getting in touch with your inner child, once you get past the little voice in your head that badgers at you that youre being immature or irresponsible, is a great and extremely fun way to lighten up.

Above all, and this covers just about everything..be true to yourself.

I try to always remember the Zen definition of anxiety as a mantra to my everyday life. It simply is, a resistance to change.

Can you imagine riding that magic carpet every day, accepting each and every thing that comes your way without resistance? Everything is the way it is supposed to be. Everything happens, not for a reason, for many reasons.

There are no mistakes in life; only learning opportunities.

And you got this!

~ Christine

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~The Awakening~

A time comes in your life when you finally get it…. or at least begin to. When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out……….. ENOUGH

Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on.

And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears, and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is your awakening.

You realize that it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that he is not Prince Charming and you are not Cinderella and that in the real world there aren’t always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter), and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you.

And in the process, a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are….. and that’s ok. (They are entitled to their own views and opinions) And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself; and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop bitching and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn’t do to you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say, and that not everyone will always be there for you; and that it’s not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself.

And in the process, a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers – and you begin to accept people as they are, and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties.

And in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself and the world around you is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the nonsense you’ve been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, and how much you should weigh, what you should wear and where you should shop. What you should drive, how and where you should live, and what you should do for a living. Who you should marry and what you should expect of marriage, or the importance of having and raising children.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view, and you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with.

And in the process, you learn to go with your instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive; and that there is power and glory in creating and contributing. You stop maneuvering through life merely as a consumer looking for a fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you much build a life. You learn that you don’t know everything. It’s not your job to save the world….. and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility, and the importance of setting boundaries, and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry, and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love -- romantic love and familial love; how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving, and when to walk away. You learn not to project your needs or your feelings onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of a man on your arm or the child that bears your name. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love …..and you learn that you don’t have the right to demand love on your terms – just to make you happy.

And you learn that alone does not mean lonely. And you look in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that you will never be the size 5 or a perfect 10, and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head and agonizing over how you “stack up”. You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly ok and that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things that you want…. and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect, and you won’t settle for less. And you allow only the hands of a lover who cherishes you to glorify you with his touch.

And in the process you internalize the meaning of self-respect.

And you learn that your body really is your temple and you begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and taking more time to exercise. You learn that fatigue diminishes the spirit and can create doubt and fear. So you take more time to rest. And just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels your soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that for the most part in life you get what you believe you deserve – and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for, and that wishing for something to happen is different from working towards making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone and that it’s ok to risk asking for help.

You learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time. FEAR itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms.

You and learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve, and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people.

On these occasions, you learn not to personalize things.

You learn to admit when you are wrong and to building bridges instead of walls. You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about – a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed and a long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself, and you make a promise to yourself to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less that your heart’s desire.

And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind, and you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage and faith in your heart, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

(Original version found at Women’s Place of South Niagara, a shelter in Welland, ON, while working there as a group facilitator.)

~Christine

LIGHTWORKER'S WAY
By Christine Whelan
(ebook)

INDEX

Part I: The Light

Introduction
"As I sat on my bedroom floor in my eight-year-old body back in the 70s, I began to get the sense that I was different than most people. I had mixed feelings about this."

1: Taking Life Lightly
"One of the lessons we as “humans being” must realize in these days of change and evolution is that we need to learn how to not take life so seriously."

2: Staying Light During The Dark Days
"I woke up this morning, slid on my long sweater and new slippers, crept down the stairs in the dark… and lit several candles in the kitchen to make coffee"

3: Lightworkers And The Afterlife
"While the general public collectively holds a wide variety of beliefs about death and what happens afterwards, lightworkers can also have their own, personal set of beliefs. There is no set rule on what to believe and what not to believe simply because none of us truly know completely for a fact what happens after we die. What we do have to give us glimpses and impressions is our intuition. We always have our intuition."

4: Your Childhood – This Was Your Plan
"Fasten your seatbelts. This month’s words might just rock your world! I want to take you back to where you left yourself – your childhood."

5: Your Passion Is Your Power – Developing Your Mission Statement
"With each person I’ve listened to in the last 2 years, I’ve been noticing a trend peaking through. Everyone, in their own way, at their own pace, using their own ways of handling, have all been searching for answers.

6: Words of Power
"I too, ask you to look deep inside – reflect and find your aspirations – what intuitively you are to tackle and achieve next. Remember, these goals for this year were pre-set by you, the authentic you, many years ago. Once born, you were not meant to remember them. Your intuition and your emotion guidance system are the tools to help you access them now."

7: Intuition – Listen To Your Heart
"As I’ve mentioned in past months, intuition is one of the two greatest and most powerful tools we own. The other is our emotional guidance system. No one can take them away from us.
But they can surely be hidden from us."

8: Oh, What A Feeling!!!
".......As the trees, plants and flowers return to life, so do we from deep within our core, for many of us, turning our emotions from a negative to positive nature; this is an emotional experience with the present. It is a reminder that we, as “humans being”, are in tune with the earth."

9: Introducing My Travelling Buddy - Coincidence
"It feels like the experience of coincidence has evolving in our collective minds, for the most part. The word is getting around. We are receiving tips from the universe – or our authentic selves – or our spirit guides – or all of the above. You choose to believe what resonates with you. Something is going on."

Part II: A Cocktail of Protection

10: The Prelude
"....The earth, our bodies and our minds reach a different level of energy at this time and thus become more connected and active with each other. Under this nurturing and powerful sun of ours, we are repeatedly warned to protect our bodies from the affects of its force. We are rarely warned about protecting our bodies, minds and souls from the affects of energetic infringement. "

11: First You Must Believe
".... Some might say they’d find it easier to believe in unseen entities like God or a ghost then believe in themselves. I encourage you with great love to find a way to have faith in you. Nothing else matters more."

12: What You Think About, You Bring About
"My mom once shared with me something she had just heard. “It’s healthy to feel sorry for yourself for 20 minutes a day.” Now, whether that is true or not – or beneficial for some parts of you and an obstacle for others – I held on to that statement all these years and use it periodically to give myself permission to mope with self-pity. This is how I get in touch with my needs."

13: A Dose Of White
"Now is the time of year when the majority of us begin to spend more time indoors. Do you have a special space for yourself within the walls of your home? I can’t describe what this space looks like because everyone’s space is different. All I can share is that it’s a space where you feel safe, balanced, a sense of privacy, comfortable, and once you leave it you feel energized."

14: Parameters Of Protection
"I want to get right to the point this month because this is a real passion of mine. In the last several years, in both my professional and personal lives, one thing that I’ve noticed is most emotional, physical, spiritual, relational and societal problems involve a lacking of strong and consistent boundaries. I’ve come to realize – and I can’t stress this more emphatically – boundaries are everything!!"

15: Protect Yourself With Laughter And Love
"Like attracts like, in both the living and spirit worlds. The level of positive feelings you currently experience, is the level of positive energy you give off, is the level of positive interaction and experience you will attract back to you."

16: Calling On Your Support System
"We have made it, my friends! We’ve made it to the year 2012! If we were a novel or a movie, we’d be in the climax of the storyline! And yet, we’ve not been told, ourselves, the main characters, what the outcome will be."

17: A Dose Of Crystals, Stones, Herbs, Oils
"When I was a kid I was naturally drawn to finding and collecting stones, especially the “sparkly” ones. These days I notice all around me, the young ones are doing the same thing. After watching many children (I have been working with kids now for…. oh my goodness, 31 years!), hearing many stories, spending time on research, I’ve noticed a very awesome pattern. A child has a natural desire, insight and ability to energetically protect themselves!"

Part III: The Light Continues

18: The Mystery of Imagination - Imagination and the Child
"I have had the privilege of being raised by two very creative parents; creative in two very different ways. This I have found has doubled my spectrum of imaginative possibilities. In this way, I have been truly blessed. Along the way, I have picked up different means of expressing my creativity. And since I am also a teacher at heart, I have developed and gathered a vast portfolio of children’s programs, activities, games and props.
I believe, where imagination is concerned, this is where a child is magical!"

19: The Mystery of Imagination - Imagination and the Adult
"As you sit by the window during these misleadingly sunny days in anticipation of the warmth to come, can you take yourself back to the days when you were so ardently impatient to return to your favourite summer games of your childhood? Can you remember the hours spent pretending and role playing? Creating spaces of make believe and costumes…
Make believe.
Just the term itself makes me giggle. It conjures up so many images of colour and shape. Music and sound effects. Imitation and impressions. "

20: Heaven 1 - Heaven on a Beach
"As I face the reality that my brief time in the land of my youth is quickly coming to an end, and I begin to pack up a roomful of things that are either absolutely necessary or I absolutely refuse to part with to leave this little town once again, I am shocked when I think about the number of times I have actually taken myself to the water’s edge to do or to be. Very few. Shamefully few. I can choose to soothe myself and say “everything happens for a reason”, but can we really use this philosophical scapegoat each and every time? Or do we need to once in a while stand up and shout, “I messed up!”"

21: Heaven 2 - Charlie, Harley and Doggie Heaven
I can still remember it vividly. Daddy lifting my still twitching and sniffling 3-year-old body up on his lap, trying so hard to find the right words to soothe the emotional anguish and explain to my 3-year-old brain’s satisfaction, why my dog had to die and where he went. I don’t think the details of the explanation stayed with me too long after that but the image that was created by my verbally-gifted Father has remained firmly painted in my mind until now, and I’m going to just assume since it’s been here this long, forever.

22: Heaven 3 - What we make it
"Since the beginning of recorded time, there’s been a common mention, at the very least, about a final destination. Before this commonly-believed grand finale are a multitude of possibilities about the journey getting there. However, the finish line appears to be this big ubiquitous paradise, no matter how it’s described and in whatever language.
Is there a set scenario? Or – and this one I often like to entertain myself with the possibility of – is Heaven subjective? Do we create our own Heaven with our own beliefs, thoughts, feelings, memories and most compelling of all, our desires?"

23: What is a Lightworker Again?
"Well, here I am friends, just passing the 2-year mark of writing this column. My first piece was in June, 2010, giving light (yes, pun intended) to what a lightworker is with the article “An Interview with a Lightworker”. Since then, I have had frequent and various discussions with others about the identity and purposes of a lightworker. It’s been an amazing journey these last couple years. Like minded souls are magically finding each other. Several have found themselves on my doorstep and not even sure why."

24: Life and Afterlife - A Healing Partnership
"But now, as we live our days through the enchantment and amazement of 2012, we are experiencing much more. I’ve noticed with every reading I’ve done this year, there is an extra element; a very special element. There is a purge factor. On everyone’s path these days, there seems to be a strong and sometimes urgent call for releasing old energy that was created by childhood adversity. And furthermore, there are those on the other side, in spirit, who are waiting to assist."

25: Magic Among the Books
"Ah, here we are again. Deep in the midst of those yellows, reds and oranges we all know so well. During the summer, I often am guided by intuition to find the perfect space for the day to work, and it’s often some place outdoors. Now that the temperature is doing its seasonal dip, I once again return to the haven of the local library. This is the second time my journey has found me in a combination of circumstances, challenges, and tests including the need to regularly spend time among the vast assortment of books. It’s an experience in itself!"

26: The End of The World? Or The End Of The World As We Know it? - Part 1
"Well, my enlightening friends, December 21, 2012 is almost upon us. Do you believe in all the dooms day theories that, with Dec. 21, comes some form of the end of the world? How much stress is it causing you? How much thought have you put towards the possibility?"

27: The End of The World? Or The End Of The World As We Know It? - Part 2
"I can’t even begin to share my internal and external experiences of personal nature during these days but let me just impart this, the encounters have been far and vast, hitting all areas of my life and hidden villains in my psyche with emotional extremes. This is all part of my shift. I’ve been waiting for this since 1997! Knowledge holds so much power right now. If I didn’t have an idea of what was happening, I’d be really wondering, “what the….??” and probably heading for the doctor, or a shrink."

28: Back to the Basics
"I came up with this month’s topic this morning as I pondered why I suddenly woke up at 4:30 am and was ok with it, flowing peacefully and gently into motivation to become creative in the dim light of my living space. It’s still dark outside. I miss that. I’ve been sleeping in a little these days – missing the sunrise – no doubt due to a combination of higher levels of melatonin, lower levels of serotonin (blaa blaa blaa) and a welcoming shift in my social life (better)."

29: Freewill
"Free will. This is a concept I speak frequently about, almost daily.
I believe we all create our paths before we are born to each lifetime, in partnership with a higher presence, the Source. I also believe, once born, we are given the highest gift of free will. Intuition is our link between our chosen journey on our life path and our earthly choices using free will."

30: Change
"The mother load of change is occurring within and without us right now. We are in the days of global evolution. All things must change. Our bodies are changing. Our minds are changing. This is shifting the overall vibration of the world as we are all connected. My change affects all that is around me. Your change affects all that is around you. Our affects will meet at some point, along with the changes that are occurring on the other side of the world. Amazing stuff!!"

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~Be Fearlessly Authentic~
by Christine Whelan

(Conversation between my dad and I when I was young.)
Me: “Dad, you are so eccentric!”
Dad: “No Chris, eccentric people have lots of money. I don’t have lots of money. I’m just weird.” We both smile knowingly.
--------
I feel so blessed to have been raised by a man who valued uniqueness. This is what he meant by “weird”; unique. And he was quite unique, and quite proud of it. So I was raised to dress based on my emotional state of the day, not by following the trends of the day. I was raised to make my own decisions about my future, not based on what society expects me to be doing, but based on how my emotions react to each situation and decision. So now in these days, I feel very capable of making my own decisions, not based on what the current local trends and groups -- definitely the mainstream media --say we should be doing, without feeling like an outsider. I am me. I am true to me. I am weird. I am authentic. I role model authenticity. I remind people of their own authenticity. I know this to be true, because I am not really accepted by the masses. And that’s ok.

I have no intentions to be.

In Dad’s Will, there was a little note. It said, “I would like put on my gravestone, I was so misunderstood.” In our family, he was considered the black sheep. Not necessarily outwardly by family members, but by himself, and again, proud of it.

What is Authenticity? Au-then-ti-ci-ty; noun Authenticity requires vulnerability, transparency and integrity. It is freedom from the illusion of fear and alignment to the reality of love; a matching of outer expression with inner experience; the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.

How do we get there?

It is my belief that there are no shortcuts. We need to do our own healing. Yep, we need to dig into our emotional trenches and feel the pain of the past. Only then can our new, adjusted beliefs align with the shift of living authentically. Intuition needs to be tuned and trusted so that we can make our own decisions based on what is right for who and what we have, as souls, chosen to be in this lifetime. It will not align with the masses but it will most definitely align with our purpose here, in this lifetime.

Our intuition doesn’t really work completely until we do our healing and can be authentic. Here is why I think this. Until we go back to where we left ourselves – explore our childhoods – we can have over-active needs (Needs that were not met in childhood can become over-active in adulthood and be in control.) and can create distortions in our intuitive messages. These over-active needs can also maintain a belief system of illusions that run in automatic play, in stealth mode. Intuition becomes ego-based without us knowing. Examples of overactive needs are: the need to belong, the need to be accepted, the need to be approved of, the need to avoid rejection and the need to be the same as others. Remember highschool? These needs can overpower discernment (discernment in this context - thinking clearly and independently).

Once we achieve authenticity, we can use discernment to filter what feels right from what doesn’t, to make our own decisions on who we allow into our lives and who we don’t, understanding that we are not required to give any explanation. The people who are good for us are those who leave us feeling awesome; those who allow us to feel and think what we are feeling and thinking, who never give us advice or tell us what we “should” or “shouldn’t” do to travel our paths. We don’t need that. We already know. We need to feel free to express ourselves and our discernment without the fear of being rejected or treated with disrespect.

So, my beautiful and authentic friends, I encourage you to take that risk of criticism and disapproval, even being disliked and gossiped about. It is your responsibility to yourself. It is your right. Dad’s experience of being “so misunderstood” caused him such suffering and grief. However, he stuck to it, living life the way he chose. I grew up watching him stick to it, and so as a fabulous result, I see myself being misunderstood as an honour and an indicator I am living my life authentically.

As I believe authenticity is the ultimate goal to our journeys on this earth. Once we are authentic, the purposes as to why each one of us are here, became very clear to each of us.

And we will all know what we are here to do next.

~ Christine Whelan
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