As we look around us, we can see old tensions rising throughout the world. We see horrible acts of violence committed against our fellow man. It seems every week there is more bad news: kidnappings, murders, rapes, wars and rumors of war. What is going on?

Perhaps we should call it "Healing the Past." It is sufficient to acknowledge that emotional issues that have been buried within are rising to the surface for everyone. The question is; "How do I deal with this in a positive manner?"

I believe that the Earth and everything on it is going through a cleansing. In order for a cleansing to take place, the old, dirty "things" must be removed. Since we are a microcosm of our Earth environment, it only stands to reason that we, too, have some cleansing or clearing out to do. By focusing on ourselves, and doing our part, we can in turn affect the whole. In fact, since it is only ourselves that we can truly own and control, it is all we can do.

When a cleansing of this magnitude takes place, it is inherent that there will be turmoil. The problem arises due to the fact that many are unaware of what is going on, or how to deal with it. The only thing they know is that things they tried to bury long ago are surfacing, and are "in their face." Without guidance and an understanding of what’s going on, most will give in to the fear. This turns into anxiety, then frustration, and finally anger. Soon, they are lashing out at others for failure (or inability) to identify a tangible foe.

So how do we deal with this from a higher perspective? First, we must understand that everything is energy. Everything. This includes our thoughts and emotions.

When something happens in our lives that is extremely painful, it is not uncommon for us to try to bury it and simply "deny" it out of existence. This simply does not work. You cannot invalidate something out of existence. The truth of the matter is that it was a wrong perception in the first place that allowed this situation to be so painful. Therefore, the lesson was not learned. Indeed, that is what "guilt" is. It is simply a lesson that has not been learned.

Next, we must understand that our thoughts, perceptions and beliefs create our reality. So what are memories? They are thought forms of energy stored within us, each with its own unique vibrational frequency. If a memory of some past event has a painful emotion attached to it, it will have a low frequency. This means the lesson this situation had for us was not learned, so it is simply hanging around waiting for us to learn what we needed to before. The lesson was valid then, and it continues to be now.

The only course of action is to go back and revisit this situation. Find the lesson that it had for you. Look at it from a different perspective, and see how it helped you to grow. But most of all, find the lesson.

Many people say you cannot change the past. I say that by changing your perceptions of the past, you can change it. You can raise the vibrational frequency of those memories. You can seize the golden treasures of wisdom that were meant for you. This will transform these painful experiences into positive learning experiences and they can then be released with gratitude.

So, first of all, do the mental work by analyzing the situation and finding the lesson. Then get out of your head and into your heart. Feel. Truly feel the emotion. Since you have already found the lesson, you will find it is not nearly as painful as before. Now release it with gratitude. You will find that by taking a positive, proactive stance in this way, you will lighten your load, and you will even feel lighter. They don’t call it "baggage" for nothing.

Until next time, take care of yourself and one another.

Marty Rawson - Winter 2003

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