Rising Above Fear

Read More

I had a recurring nightmare as a child involving rats. In my dream, I would wake up to rats and mice eating my feet. I had been terrified of rodents since before I can remember and flinched at the thought of them. Even squirrels would send shivers up my spine. I babysat a kid once who had 2 pet rats. I felt the surge of anxiety every time I walked by their cage.

Last year, I rose above my fear in Bali. I was in a spa getting a pedicure when all of a sudden a huge rat leaped from the clean towel pile. It scurried across the room and up the wall into a hole in the ceiling; long skinny tail last to get through the hole. I felt myself want to pee, flee, scream or cry. Instead, I took a deep breath and then just sat there staring at the hole in the ceiling, calming myself down.

As I sat there staring, I realized the rat fled in fear. This creature was terrified of me, the woman working and the man who had walked in. I felt the anxious adrenaline dissipate and could not wait to leave and process what I had just realized. After that day, I saw several more rats on the roads, alive and dead. My reaction was numbed.

I don’t particularly enjoy seeing them now, I just feel a difference in my reaction. The anxious fear is gone. My nightmare has been replaced with logic of the rat’s fear of me. I was literally bigger than my fear. The universe directly provided the physical lesson and I consciously agreed to face the fear and learn to overcome.

Recognizing that I am bigger than the thing I feared helped me overcome the anxiety. This can be applied in most cases where fear and anxiety are involved. I let the thing I feared become greater than it actually was and gave it the power. When fear rears its head, it signals me to acknowledge it and try to move forward. This is where bravery steps in and power can be regained. When I harness my bravery, great things happen.

Some questions to ask when fear presents itself are: What fears are you currently dealing with? What can you do to harness your bravery? What is on the other side of your fear (accomplishment, freedom, love, security, knowing the unknown)? How is this fear serving you?

Answer the questions honestly and don’t forget to breath. Fear is a gift and is natural. It is a messenger and when paid attention to, it can reveal valuable lessons.

“Don’t give in to your fears. If you do, you won’t be able to talk to your heart.” -Paulo Coelho

For more information on overcoming fear or coaching past a fear block, please email emily@soulsadventures.com.

Intuitive Painting: Creativity from the Soul

image

First there is trepidation. “I am not creative” the mind tells you as you prepare to step into an unknown realm. There is a blank page sitting in front of you. It is both exciting and terrifying. “What if I make a mistake” your mind once again speaking with doubt.

You are about to embark on an adventure that will take you inward and then into a creative, outer expression. You are about to paint intuitively.

My first experience with intuitive painting was a year ago in a small studio in Costa Rica. I saw a flier regarding intuitive painting in a coffee shop and decided to email the instructor. I didn’t know what to expect as I  walked into the studio. I sat down at a table smudged with paint and I could feel my nerves taking over and took a few calming deep breaths.

For the next hour or so, I painted following her prompts, surprised by what was transpiring on the paper. The most fascinating part was realizing that I was intuitively creative and the meaning behind my art. We sat there and discussed the different elements and the revelations came as I articulated my interpretation.

I realized that I had been trying so hard to reach a place of love and freedom. But I kept going back to the familiar and secure which actually left me feeling insecure, lonely and sad. I  knew I needed to be brave and take the leap I had been contemplating for a couple years. This scared me but also gave me a sense of calm and resolution.

After that experience, I wanted to share what I had learned with others. I started painting more and tapping into my intuition preparing to facilitate workshops and one-on-one sessions. The first workshop was lovely, consisting of 5 participants each with different and unique souls. I gave one set of instructions and what transpired were 5 very different and beautiful paintings, each with lovely revelations.

I am so happy and excited to share this type of creative soul adventure. If you would like to schedule a session or workshop in the San Diego area, please email emily@soulsadventures.com.

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” -Albert Einstein