On Rising Above Negative Emotions (Serafina)

There is much talk in this world at this time, of how it is necessary to ‘rise above’ such ‘negative’ emotions as fear, hatred and anger.  It is my purpose here to address this trend which is evolving in the human paradigm, for while it is sensible in and of itself, like all maxims, it can also be dangerous and damaging.

Any spiritual or psychological advice or teaching should be followed only as long as it holds up to the scrutiny we can apply with simple common sense - no further.  A simple and useful perceptual tool such as the ability to rise above a situation, to look at it objectively and to put it into perspective, is very useful, of course.  Yet any tool, we all know, is only as effective as the one who wields it.

This trend, which is preached almost dogmatically in many circles, is neither a mandate from the Angels on high, nor an unbreakable law of the Universe, no matter what some teachers may have you believe.  It is nothing more than a piece of extremely good advice, which is Universally True.  

This is why anyone who tunes into the Universal or the Divine with any degree of skill or commitment will soon have this Truth revealed to them in some way, shape or form.  It is encoded in the very DNA of the Universe itself, transmitted on every spiritual frequency.  This is because it is extremely good advice, and the Universe is a Mother first and foremost, and is inclined to give only the best advice possible to her many children.

However, many mistake a self-evident Universal Truth such as this for something more than it is, they make it a sacred tenet of their belief structure, and this is both damaging and dangerous.  Our belief structures as incarnate beings are like trees; one belief leads naturally to another, forming the trunk, the branches, the little twigs one by one.  From one sacred tenet of belief which is attached to, and entangled with, our core beliefs (the trunk), an endless amount of further branches may form, of differing strengths and degrees of health.  As we proceed through life, our experience helps us to prune our Tree of Belief; we remove those which are no longer feasible and allow new ones to grow in their place.

Problematically, most people tend to prune only the outer branches, the beliefs we are already somewhat unsure of.  This is because of the natural desire to see our tree bear fruit.

If the tree is healthy, and the branches have been pruned regularly with both skill and dedication, then peace, contentment, happiness and well-being will manifest in our lives, for this is the fruit of a belief system which is both well thought through and thoroughly road-tested.  

In their desire to achieve this worthy goal, however, too many people overlook the obvious.  If one of the major branches, the trunk or the root system of the Tree of Belief is flawed in some fundamental way, then we find ourselves in a very dangerous place indeed.

For Belief is not the same as Reality, although the two do of course have a certain reciprocal relationship, as one influences the other and vice-versa.  With a fundamentally flawed Tree of Belief, we run the risk of encountering a situation in physical reality which completely disproves or at least discredits one of our fundamental tenets.  

This can cause entire limbs of our Tree to suddenly become unsteady, and in some cases the entire Tree can collapse, blown down by the wind of Reality.  These are the things that nervous breakdowns and many other sudden-onset mental ‘illnesses’ are made of.

To return to the subject at hand, many today have made the maxim, “We must try to rise above all negative emotions” into one of the primary branches of their Tree, often attached directly to the Trunk.  There are even those who have made this tenet the actual Trunk of their Tree of Belief itself, and they live their lives from this perspective.  If you think about it, you will probably realize that you know some people like that.  

Some will be incredibly wise and kind souls, who seem to have the strength of mountains.  Others, however, will be like metaphysical butterflies who float from one spiritual fad to the next, the only thing holding steady being their absolute insistence that positivity is the key to everything and that we must simply ‘rise above’ anything seen as negative.

Those in the latter category are the people who prune only the outer branches of their Tree, frantically trimming here and growing there, in their desperate search for fulfillment.  All the while, the Trunk and Roots of their Tree go unnoticed,, for these are truths which they never, ever question or re-examine in any way.

Those in the first category, those who are incredibly stable, kind and strong - these are the souls who have grown their Tree of Belief from the lowest root to the loftiest twig with great care and attention.  These souls relentlessly examine their Tree from root to tip on a constant basis, searching for flaws and imperfections which need attention - as well as for sudden spurts of growth where attention of a different sort is needed.  

 People of this type are often those who have been forced to rebuild their Tree of Belief from the bottom up, having lost it the hard way - Life knocked it down.  Others have been taught by a skilled Master in this art, and in life they pass this learning on to those who are willing and able to learn.  

Only the experienced souls, or the tutored ones, have the strength for such a practice.  This is because it requires ruthless self-honesty and absolute fearlessness to nourish one’s Tree of Belief in this way.  For to do so effectively, one must be perfectly willing and able to tear the whole thing down and start from scratch again, should it become a necessity.  

Not many have the nerve or experience for this, although the numbers of such folk in this world are growing - a most positive sign for humanity as a whole.

    

I tell you all of this here and now, simply to place my point into its proper perspective, so that the reader may hear what I have to say without immediately dismissing it because it appears to conflict with one of their ‘Core Beliefs’.  

What I have to say here is not, in fact, in conflict with any belief, any more than the Sun is in conflict with the Moon, for it is nothing more than simple Common Sense.

    

So now we return to the Universal Truth advising us to rise above negative emotions.  I call this a Universal Truth because it is True, Universally.  This means that it is True in every way imaginable, that in every situation, no matter where or when in the Universe you may find yourself, this will always be good advice.  The key word here is ‘advice’.  For when another being (even one so grand and wise as the Universe) gives us advice, they are giving us a tool, which we can use as we will.

    

Turning this ‘tool’ into one of the major branches of our Tree of Belief is dangerous in the extreme for the inexperienced or the ill-prepared.  This is because of the many, many further branches which can grow, logically, from this simple tenet.

The problems which can arise from this are legion, but I shall present only one here, as an example, and simply hope it will be sufficient to make my point.

    

The fact that it is advisable to always rise above ‘negative’ emotions is almost always taken far too literally.  Like any Universal Truth, it holds True in a multitude of ways.  

One of the most common branches to spring forth from this one on the Tree of Belief is that all ‘negative’ emotions are to be discouraged, eliminated, repressed or dismissed.  The common inference is that negative emotions are by their very nature destructive and damaging and therefore to be avoided at all costs.  

I may be overstating my case slightly here, but this is indeed the conclusion which many people seem to reach, and attempt to live by, based on this Universal Truth.

    

For those readers who have stuck with me so far, who have been attempting to hold themselves in their lives to the standards described above, let me simplify this entire issue with one obvious truth which you already know, but may not have applied to this part of your belief system: nothing in existence is ever quite so simple.

That it is always advisable to rise above negative emotions is not in dispute here.  That negative emotions are generally destructive or damaging to the Soul and Spirit is not in dispute either.  

However, the common inference that to ‘rise above’ means to ‘remove oneself entirely from’, gives new meaning to the word ‘misinterpretation’.  And the extremely common assumption that destructive and damaging emotions are to be avoided and are therefore, by implication, unnecessary, can only give rise to the very state of affairs of which assumption is, proverbially, the mother.

    

When we experience negative emotions such as anger and hatred, fear or depression, the Universal Truth that it is advisable to ‘rise above’ such emotions is a tool which should be applied thusly:  by rising above our current situation, we broaden our perspective.  

For example, when we feel intense anger over a situation, it is advisable to look at the situation in a wider context, to look at it objectively instead of subjectively in order to prevent ourselves from acting rashly in anger, behaving in a manner which we may later have cause to regret.

The reason we often regret actions taken in anger when we look back on them is because, with the benefit of hindsight, we can see that our anger was either completely inappropriate as we were mistaken, or was inappropriate in scale as we were caught up in the moment.

The advice to rise above such emotions means not to rise up to some loftier spiritual plane where we can see the futility of such emotions.  Such planes do exist, and can certainly be useful in Spiritual practice and discipline, but they are not the answer to every problem, nor are they always the most sensible way to deal with negative emotions.  

To ‘rise above’ anger in the situation described above, means to rise above it in Time and Conscious Space.  The consciousness in which we exist as living beings endowed with free will is a space, it is a dimension, or a continuum if you will, and it has volume.  Add to this the fact that Time within this continuum is, at least to a certain extent, under our direct control.  

When we feel anger and consciously choose to ‘rise above’ it in the proper manner, we pause, and make the conscious effort to look at the situation objectively.  

    

When we change our perspective from subjective to objective, we are essentially ‘rising above’ ourselves within the ‘space’ of our own consciousness.  We are creating another version of ourselves, one who has no emotional attachment to the situation at hand, and we look at things from that perspective.  

When we do this, we have literally halted Emotional Time within our own continuum of consciousness.  External Time, in the physical dimension, continues on, but Emotional Time, within our Consciousness, has been frozen - we have put the anger to one side for a moment, while we step outside of ourselves to examine it from an objective perspective.  

    

In this internal moment, we are able, objectively, to examine the past events which led to this situation, which then allows us to decide, objectively, whether or not our anger is justified.  Should this be the case, we are then able to assess whether the level of anger we feel is appropriate.  We can also, in this state, assess the various future possible consequences of the ways in which we might express this anger.  We can also weigh up our options and make an informed decision on whether it is worth our time and energy to express this anger at all.  

    

This separation of subjective and objective is not so easy to achieve while in the grip of a strong emotional reaction, but with some practice and dedication, it readily becomes a natural habit, performed instinctively and without the need for any real conscious effort.  

Once we reach this stage, the entire process described above can happen in the blink of an eye, instinctively, and we have quite literally frozen Time in order to do so.  That our consciousness is even capable of such a thing is a remarkable thing, although when you think about it you will see that it is a commonplace fact, deduced by simple common sense and the personal experience of any conscious being.  

It is only made remarkable by being framed in this context, for it is no more remarkable than is the fact that we exist, and can think, create, and live and love as we do.

    

To deal with anger in this way, with a practiced mind and a well-tuned moral compass, means that when we do act in anger, we do so calmly and with objective intent, for a clearly defined purpose, meaning we are extremely unlikely to overstep the mark and do no harm than good.

All ‘negative’ emotions can be dealt with in exactly this manner, without making a bid for sainthood as many choose to attempt in these times.  The difference between these attitudes is simply one of perspective.  

To rise above these things and dismiss them as futile and unnecessary is to attempt to deal with a worldly situation from a cosmic perspective.  For those with many years of study under their belts, this can be exactly the right path for that individual.  But such individuals are not exactly common, and for the inexperienced to attempt this technique invites a certain sort of disaster.

    

For no matter what way you choose to deal with such emotions, there will be times when you find yourself stuck.  There will be times when you know you should forgive a friend for their behaviour towards you, yet you find you cannot do this without giving up part of yourself.  

There may be times when you can see from every angle that the burning anger you feel is entirely useless, serves no purpose, and is in fact damaging you.  This can happen no matter which method you have used to try to ‘rise above’ the emotion.  You can cleanse the anger, you can dismiss it, you can do a spell to banish it, and still it returns, like a festering wound.

This is where the difference in attitudes shows how important this issue is.  For those who have wholeheartedly committed themselves to the tenet that all negative emotions are dangerous, destructive and that one must rise above them, this has then become an important branch on their Tree of Belief, and therefore cannot be easily questioned without threatening the many other branches which have grown from it.

    

Such a person will find themselves in an impossible quandary, facing a festering anger which is in conflict with their very core beliefs; then indeed the damage to their Soul and Spirit can be immeasurable.

    

However, to the person who looks objectively, and from a worldly perspective, these events can have a deeper meaning, a lesson which can be learned with much less pain and damage caused than using the Cosmic perspective.  The problem caused by trying to evade negative emotions by raising one’s vibration to a higher state is that this implies the assumption that such emotions are always considered unnecessary from that lofty perspective.  

This assumption is rarely challenged, because it is in such circumstances often closely linked to the core beliefs, the Trunk of the Tree.

    

Looking at this entire situation objectively, we can easily see the problem here.  Everything in this Universe exists for a reason - another tenet which is often a part of the Trunk of the Tree of Belief.  

Here we have a clear conflict - if everything exists for a reason, then this must also apply to negative emotions.  We can also infer with some confidence, that, as the Universe is a multi-layered and multi-faceted entity, the reasons for which negative emotions exist will also be multi-layered and multi-faceted.  The ‘simple’ answer that they exist to teach us lessons in life due to Karmic influences is only one reason.  

    

Objectively, it would seem that we must consider the fact that some of these complex, ‘unsolvable’ negative emotions are happening for a reason beyond the rule of Karma, beyond the Cosmic scale, for reasons to complex to easily comprehend.  Objectively, then, taking again the example of the festering anger that we cannot rid ourselves of, we can look for at least one of many possible reasons.

    

That beings of light exist in higher dimensions, and that their existence has at least some effect on the world we live in, is a widely held belief and one which holds up to a certain amount of scrutiny, even in some scientific circles in these times.  That we all have a Higher Self and a Shadow Self is widely accepted in most occult and esoteric circles.

    

The negative emotions represent the darker side of humanity; they link us not with higher beings on the Cosmic scale, but with those who dwell in the Void within.  When we find ourselves caught in the grip of a dark emotion that we cannot find a way through or around, perhaps we should consider in this case an even broader perspective.

If there are Beings as we believe who exist in the Higher Spheres, then there must, by inference, also be those who exist in the Spheres below us.

    

Miracles happen.  Everyone knows this, even the skeptics.  Amazing things happen every day in this world which are completely unexplainable to science, yet which make perfect sense to the mystical.  

Perhaps, just perhaps, when a dark emotion takes hold of an individual and refuses to leave, it is simply the opening of a portal, allowing the light of some Higher Being to shine through our material world into the Lower Spheres, perhaps to enact some wonderful miracle in a dimension we cannot comprehend from our limited perspective, or possibly just to shine a ray of light to bring a spark of hope to some poor soul lost in the dark.

    

These are only potential reasons for such occurrences, and I make no case that they are correct or even plausible.  My point here is that when one finds oneself stuck with an unpleasant emotion, which you cannot rid yourself of by spiritual or logical means, simply consider the fact that it is there for a reason.

    

Do not fall into the trap of thinking you are somehow at fault for failing to somehow ‘rise above’ this challenge.  This leads only to guilt and self-recrimination, a downward spiraling of negativity which is truly harmful.

    

Instead, simply accept on faith that this is happening for a very good reason - this is not such a big leap of faith to make, for those who have walked any path of spiritual or esoteric study.  If you are stuck with this emotion despite your best attempts to rid yourself of it, choose instead to accept the challenge it represents.  

Maintain your objectivity.  Study this emotion, how it affects you, when it arrives, what triggers it, what makes it tick.  Dwell within it with acceptance, while it is with you, and ensure to the best of your ability that if this is a lesson, you will have learned it.

    

If you have the strength, endure this trial not only with acceptance, but with grateful acceptance, for this is clearly an experience beyond the norm; even if it is not understood at this time, the lesson must be deep and the reason must be necessity, for the Universe to impose such a thing upon one of her children.  

Through acceptance and gratitude lies the path to joy, and to hold joy in your heart alongside the anger, fear or hatred which has been imposed on you by fate and circumstance, will surely not only complete the lesson by bringing perfect Balance to the situation, but will also be an experience which is well worth the effort.

The words of Serafina, as Channeled through Maya Dunthorpe. 

The Heart of the Matter Part 1 (Serafina)

Everything both begins with, and returns to, the Heart.  The very first cells to form through mitosis in the development of the unborn child are the beginnings of the Heart.  

The fact that consciousness seems to be ‘anchored’ in the head and therefore the brain is nothing but illusion.  Things are arranged in such a way for purely practical reasons - the eyes and ears direct information to the brain, all of which are situated in the head.

Yet the electromagnetic field of the body is centered around the Heart.  Just as the C.P.U. in a computer may be responsible in a computer for the processing of information (the Brain), the monitors for displaying the results of such processes (the eyes), and various other peripherals for performing duties analogous to other human organs or limbs, the body works in exactly the same way.  

Yet neither of these ‘machines’ is remotely useful without the ‘Heart’ - the User.

The Heart is the true seat of consciousness, and when we leave our bodies, either at the moment of death, through Astral traveling, or Lucid Dreaming, it is the energy pattern belonging to the Heart which makes this journey.

Many will find this almost a redundant train of thought at this point, for only the briefest of forays into esoteric or occult learning will lead one to somewhat similar conclusions,  Yet I state this unequivocally here for a purpose.  

Firstly, and most importantly perhaps, to remind the reader that it is important to make a conscious effort to remind ourselves exactly where our consciousness is seated.  When we live in our heads, we think too much, without enough real purpose.  Our internal monologues become a constant source of unconsidered thought-forms being constantly released into the Universe.  

With some small amount of practice, one should find it relatively simple to return one’s seat of consciousness to it’s rightful place.  Be aware of the fact that your ‘space’ of consciousness, in which you think, hear and feel, is much larger than just the confines of your head.  It is in fact much, much larger than your body, or even the house you live in - just as it can be infinitely smaller, should you require it to be so.

Consciousness is the most malleable substance in the Universe, it can expand and contract at your command, and it is what you are actually made of.  We are all superhuman beings made of impossibly elastic light, and only the fact that we are so thoroughly anchored in our physical forms limits us at this time.

However, assuming the ‘average’ human development, where the space of consciousness is, under normal circumstances, restricted to the body and, to a lesser degree, the various layers of the aura surrounding it, the normal human tendency to ‘anchor’ all of this inside the head is extremely unbalancing.

Follow the course of the information as it is transmitted through your eyes (and ears).  This information reaches the Brain, is processed and then displayed.  But for whom is this information displayed, and exactly where does this occur?

Certainly not anywhere inside your head.  The biochemical processes may occur in there, but the electromagnetic field surrounding and infusing the body, which is for all intents and purposes the multi-layered field of consciousness, is toroidal in shape and centered on the Heart.  

The Heart is the ‘who’, the real entity for whom such sounds and visions are portrayed, and it is only through conscious remembrance of this fact that we can truly start to live our lives for our selves, to break out of subconscious routines which have been running in circles within our minds because we think we live there.  

Therefore, remember when you look straight ahead through your eyes, that you are in fact looking up and out.  Consciously move your sense of self downwards to the center of your chest, for this is where you truly live.  When we listen, whether it be to music, or to another person in conversation, the same lesson applies.  Move the sense of self down; reside within the Heart.

How often have you found yourself frustrated when in conversation with another, because you have been speaking to them deeply, from your heart, about something important to you, and it is clear to you that they are answering half-heartedly, before changing the subject entirely?

Most people will do this without even realizing that you were attempting to have a truly meaningful discussion.  This is because most people live inside their heads.  That person was only half listening to you, they were listening to their own internal monologue, thinking of a subject they wanted to introduce into the conversation.  

Therefore, they answer you half-heartedly or flippantly and move on to their own agenda.  Many people do this as a subconscious defense because they are uncomfortable with the idea of having truly meaningful interactions with others, feeling more secure in the safety net of their internal monologue, where they can give themselves the treasured illusion that they are actually in control of what happens in this life.

Living from the Heart allows us to engage fully and more honestly with the Universe around us.  Living consciously from the Heart, we are able to see when the person across from us is lost in their own internal monologue, and knowing this, we are better prepared to handle the situation when they fail to give our own words the attention they deserve.

Instead of feeling hurt and either giving up on meaningful conversation or, worse, descending into argument and distension, when living from the Heart, we understand that the other is lost in their own head, and we make allowances for this.

Perhaps we take the time to stop, to ask the person openly and honestly for their full attention; this can often work surprisingly well.  Perhaps we simply set aside our own issue and allow their internal monologue to run its course, waiting for a more opportune time to engage in meaningful interaction.

The beauty of living from the Heart, is the ability to be aware of such situations.  Once we begin to truly live from the Heart, so many situations in life which were formerly perplexing or confusing, can be clearly seen to be caused by the trap of living within the Head.  

Living from the Heart has the added advantage, once we have become accustomed to it, of allowing us to think more clearly and concisely, as well as far faster than most others, at least in social situations.  

When we learn to turn off that internal monologue, we can see so clearly how much it affects most everyone else, and we therefore have the time and the ability to choose our words with care, to head off arguments before they happen, and to ensure that we enrich the lives of those with whom we come into contact.  

For as soon as we begin to truly live from the Heart, the instinct to do such things becomes almost second nature.  The Heart is by definition a vessel of love and understanding, it is the Mind which weighs and judges, reasons and criticizes.

Of course, there will inevitably be times when we slip without realizing back into the old model of living within the Head.  To live full-time from the Heart is hard work, it takes conscious effort, and when we learn how to remain centered in the Heart permanently, it changes us.  

Not everyone wishes to walk that path, and not everyone needs to.

The important thing, however, is to remember that it is there, that we are beings of Heart first and foremost, and that all else is secondary.  

When we find ourselves frustrated, or angry, or afraid, first of all return our center of consciousness to its natural place, the Heart.  It is truly amazing how many problems can be solved simply by remembering that this change in perspective is available to us.  

The brain is always computing, always thinking, always busy and often frantic.  The Heart, when we live there instead of in our heads, is calm and steady, beating out the rhythm of our life, and reminding us that the Brain is the tool, that Consciousness is the space that we exist in, but that the Heart is the who that exists in this space, and uses this tool.  The Heart really is, unsurprisingly, at the very heart of who we are as individuals, and remembering this, even if only occasionally, can be truly life-changing for both us and the other Hearts we touch as we move through our lives.

The Words of Serafina, as Channeled by Maya Dunthorpe