Guidance for Living

Hypnotherapy: Does It Really work?

March 3, 2014 by SpiritMedium Leave a Comment

Recently, I participated in a hypnotherapy session to help me to end the harmful habit of smoking cigarettes. I had known for a long time that I wanted to quit, and had tried many times, including once with success that lasted a year and a half. There are many smoking cessation products on the market; however, many of them were ineffective for me or caused negative side effects, such as nightmares or severe mood swings. Hypnotherapy, which does not utilize chemicals, seemed like a natural alternative to getting the help I needed to stop smoking.

Performing Research
I will admit that I was not sure that I could be hypnotized. I was also concerned about what hypnotherapy would require of me. Would I have to give up complete control of my mind to someone else? Because I did not know what to expect, I did my homework and researched how hypnotherapy works. I also went to a hypnotherapist that I had personally met in a professional setting, and with whom I felt comfortable.

Conscious and Awake
Contrary to popular belief, hypnotherapy does not require you to give up complete control of your mind to someone else. In fact, you are fully conscious at all times. The therapist or practitioner speaks to you in a soothing way that helps your mind and body to relax. You enter into a lucid trance state in which you are awake, yet completely relaxed. Once you are fully immersed in the lucid trance state, the practitioner then addresses your subconscious, which I refer to as the ego. To me, the session was a retraining of the way that I thought about smoking, almost as though the thoughts in my mind were being reprogrammed for a healthier lifestyle. There was nothing threatening or dangerous about this process because I could stop the session at any time. My free will was not impeded during my hypnotherapy session.

An Honest Conversation about Desired Outcomes
The topics that are addressed to your subconscious mind should be discussed at length with your practitioner and agreed upon by you prior to the session. For instance, I asked to have the thought that I am a non-smoker reinforced, and that I would not experience withdrawal symptoms or gain weight because that is what would happen to an ex-smoker, not a non-smoker. It is important to be aware of the actions or events that trigger harmful behavioral habits. To get the most out of your sessions and to achieve the best results, be very clear, upfront, and honest with your practitioner and yourself about your triggers and what you can do to work through them when they arise during the healing process.

Follow-Up at Home
Once your session or sessions are over, there is follow-up work that you must do in order to reinforce the subliminal messages that were shared with your subconscious. Your willpower and ego will come into play regarding the paths you are going to take. It is important to note that each person reacts differently to hypnotherapy. For me, I found that I have experienced some of the symptoms of physical withdrawal including brief periods of irritability, fatigue, sadness, and cravings. When the occasional craving crosses my mind, I repeat the affirmation that I love being a non-smoker and living a healthy lifestyle. By redirecting my thoughts and reaffirming my purpose, it helps me to overcome and move past the momentary craving. As a last resort, I chew a piece of nicotine replacement gum or utilize an electronic cigarette that delivers vaporized nicotine without harmful smoke or additives. It is important to note that I also had to retrain my mind with all of the activities that I perform each day. Having a plan in place to deal with my triggers, such as chewing a piece of sugar-free gum after a meal, helped me to bypass the past behavior of smoking after eating.

Treat Yourself with Kindness
As I am adjusting to my new lifestyle, I being kind to myself by giving myself time to adapt to the changes and to take it easy. I am in the process of breaking a habit and an addiction that I had been performing for more than 20 years. Patience, kindness, and understanding is needed as your mind, body, and spirit heals and adjusts to significant changes in behavior.

The Incredible Power of Thought
In my book, How Have You Loved?, I talk about how our thoughts truly determine our destinies. How you think and what you think greatly impacts the outcomes of situations in your life. Hypnotherapy taps directly into the basis of our thoughts in order to redirect them toward more positive outcomes.

Some people may ask, why I did not just make the decision to quit smoking and do so cold turkey? I can say with great confidence that I knew I needed additional help with the adjustment to my thought processes about smoking, as well as the physical addiction. I had tried to quit on my own several times and failed; however, I was not ready to give up. I am not afraid of admitting that I needed extra help, or asking for it. Had I not been truthful with myself, I would still be where I was and I might have had a more difficult time ridding myself of that harmful habit. There is no shame in admitting you need assistance with a challenging task, such as overcoming an addiction. By asking for help, it shows your willingness to get the help you need in order to get your life on a more positive and healthy path.

A Natural Alternative for Success
Hypnotherapy can help you to overcome or to better manage behaviors that are unhealthy or causing disruption in your life, such as smoking, phobias, or eating disorders. As you would when finding a new doctor, be sure to research the practitioner or therapist that you are interested in seeing. Ask trusted friends, colleagues, and family members for recommendations and search online for reviews. Learn about the particular practice you are interested in visiting, as well as the success rates. Ask questions before booking your appointment in order to know what to expect from your session or sessions.

It is important to note that most, but not all people, will benefit from hypnotherapy. It all depends on you and your willingness to be open to thought suggestions, and to follow through on your own with the reinforcing actions and affirmations provided by your practitioner after your session. With determination, self-love, and a willingness to be a healthier you, success is entirely possible.

Namaste!

With Light and Love,

Karen T. Hluchan
Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

As a note, I have a book signing event coming up this Saturday, March 8th from 2pm-4pm at the Horsham Library in Pennsylvania. To learn more about this and other upcoming events, visit my website at www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com and click on the news or events tabs.

Exploring the Gifts of Mediumship and Psychic Abilities

February 23, 2014 by SpiritMedium Leave a Comment

When communicating with spirits, it is important to understand that the process is complicated and abstract. It is not as simple as sitting down and having a chat with a friend. In order to communicate across dimensions, spirits use a combination of images, sounds, feelings, smells, tastes, and stored knowledge. This is done through the manipulation and use of energy. Like us, spirits need to learn how to communicate across dimensions. It is a skill that, once learned, can be built upon as a soul continues to evolve through the ages.

Mediumship
People on earth who display strong abilities to communicate with spirits are referred to as mediums. In most cases, mediums are souls that have been in existence for a long time, and have been working on mastering the art of spirit communication across various dimensions. Similar to people who excel or specialize in certain skill sets in their jobs, mediums may also specialize in communications with certain beings, such as animals, angels, spirit guides, and the spirits of human beings.

Psychic Abilities
There are additional skills sets that mediums may possess, but are not confined just to them. These skills include psychic abilities, past life regression techniques, crystal energy work, telekinesis, and more. People who intuitively know information are referred to as psychics. All mediums have psychic abilities, but not all psychics have mediumship skills that they have mastered. This may be because they have not yet reached that level in their soul’s evolution, or because they have willingly chosen to specialize in the art of intuitive knowledge in this lifetime.

Your Divine Gifts
It is interesting to note that intuition and the ability to communicate via our spirits are gifts that have been granted to all human beings. We have the opportunity and ability to work on and strengthen our skills in this lifetime. While you may not master intuitive and mediumship precepts in this lifetime, you can learn how to better utilize the gifts that God has given you through education and practice.

The Benefits of Developing Your Intuition
Through the refinement of intuitive skills, you are giving yourself the opportunity to receive guidance from your support team in heaven. They send you messages through your intuition to help you with your life path. When you listen to and heed your intuition, your path may be easier as a result because you are accepting help that is being freely given from spiritual beings whose vision greatly exceeds our limited perceptions on earth.

Communicating Through Spirit
The ability to communicate through our spirits has been granted to us because that is how we communicate with God, ourselves, and one another. There are many ways to work on this gift including meditation to get in touch with the spirit within you, learning about mediumship to communicate with spirits outside of yourself, and communing with God within your own heart to develop your relationship with the divine.

Working from the Heart
If you choose to work on developing your skills, have patience with yourself and keep your mind open to the possibilities. Trying to force or manipulate results with wishful thinking or with the intent to harm others will backfire. To truly develop your gifts, it requires a commitment from you to work from the heart, as gifts from the divine are to be approached with honesty, integrity, faith, trust, and love, as well as a strong desire for truth and to be of service to others.

May you be blessed throughout your journey to discover the gifts within you. Namaste!

With Light and Love,

Karen T. Hluchan
Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

What to Do When Past Pain Resurfaces

February 16, 2014 by SpiritMedium Leave a Comment

As we go through our lives working through challenging personal situations, healing from them, and accepting them for the lessons they taught us, the old pain that you released may rise to the surface again when we least expect it. Days, months, or even years after you think you have successfully handled the feelings and emotions from the past, you may encounter a situation that is reminiscent of the ones you thought you had a handle on.

Thrown Off Balance
At first, you may be thrown off balance as thoughts and emotions from the past threaten to overwhelm you. However, you are not encountering this situation for the first time. You have already been through this, and you have already learned better ways of handling this situation. For instance, let’s say you are in a situation in which you feel that a person with a forceful personality is trying to manipulate you by insulting you, belittling you, demeaning you, or twisting your words around to suit their needs. Having dealt with this in the past, you are more likely to recognize the manipulative techniques that this person is trying to employ. While it may make you upset to find yourself dealing again with someone who displays this type of negative behavior, you may actually be handling it better than you think.

Reacting Differently through Assertiveness and Love
In this particular situation, it is important to note that the person who is attempting to be manipulative is acting from a place of fear and ego. He or she is not acting from a place of love. It is this person’s intention to force you to bend to his or her will because he or she is afraid of losing power. What this person does not realize is that the perceived power has already been given away the moment he or she decided to allow fear to take over his or her thought processes. When you recognize this, you can choose to react in a manner that does not feed into the fear that this person is projecting. By knowing who you are, you can stand up for yourself in an assertive manner, which is representative of the love that you have for yourself. It is important to note that reacting with aggression, rather than assertion, will only feed into the negative behavior of the other person and drive the situation away from a positive resolution. Stand strong and confident in the love that you have for you, and for the positive and fair resolution of the problem for all involved.

Forgiveness Ushers in Healing
Try not to be upset with yourself if you initially get angry or distraught over the circumstances you are facing. It can be very challenging to deal with situations that are similar to those that brought you pain in the past. Allow yourself to acknowledge your feelings, and then release them. Be at peace with yourself. In your heart and mind, forgive yourself and the person who treated you in this manner, and let go of toxic feelings. Holding a grudge will only serve to hurt you and prevent you from moving forward. Pray for this person’s health and happiness, and let go of the negativity by recognizing that this person has not yet learned to operate from a place of love. Your prayers may help them to move forward, which will mean one more person in this world who embraces the light and love of which we are all a part.

Help Is Available
If you need help working through the emotions and feelings that have arisen from the situation that triggered the resurfacing of past pain, ask God and your angels for help, and speak with friends and family members who are supportive of you and your goals.

Silver Linings
No matter how negative a situation may appear on the surface, there are positive reasons for why they occur in our lives. Once we have lived through the challenging circumstances, we can look back to see what we have learned and decide which route we are going to take if we encounter them again. Situations that rehash pain from the past is not a punishment, but rather an opportunity to put into practice the lessons we have learned and to confirm the growth that has taken place within our spirits.

Namaste!

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan
Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

Love Is the Primary Reason for our Existence

February 9, 2014 by SpiritMedium Leave a Comment

Our journey in life is very interesting. What is most fascinating, though, is what goes on behind the scenes and the reasons why we are here.

Soul Contracts
Before we were born, we made agreements in heaven to learn lessons to help our souls to grow. Members of our soul groups, such as family members, friends, and co-workers, help us with those lessons by agreeing to set certain circumstances into motion with the intent to awaken us to the richness of our spirits, our unique identities, and the gift of love.

Heavenly Support
As others volunteer to help us, we volunteer to help them. All of this is agreed upon before we are reborn on earth, and while we are here, our support teams of angels, past spiritual masters, God, spirit guides, and our loved ones in spirit assist us in tremendous ways. Their ultimate goal is to help us to recognize the light of our own spirits that is illuminated by the love from which we were created.

How Have You Loved?
After we cross over into heaven, we are asked one very important question when we review our lives: “How have you loved?” It is not just about how you have loved others, but yourself, as well. The seemingly negative situations that we encounter in our lifetimes are not punishments, but rather wake-up calls to help us to learn how to give and receive compassion, forgiveness, empathy, and love.

Opportunities for Growth
When someone in your life treats you badly, you are given the choice to let that person drag you down or to see beyond the person’s behavior and to recognize it as a projection of his or her own fears, and not a character-defining commentary about you. People who hurt others, intentionally or not, may be in the throes of their own life lessons, and have not yet learned that such behavior is rooted in the illusion of fear. They may also be acting out his or her portion of a soul contract designed to stretch your spiritual growth by giving you the opportunity to move beyond such behavior. Each soul is here to learn, each one of us is created out of love, and each one of us is loved, regardless of where we are in our soul’s evolution.

Recognizing the Gifts within Seemingly Negative Situations
The next time you experience seemingly negative situations, try to see the lessons that could be learned, rather than focusing on the negativity itself. It helps to take a step back from the circumstances you encounter. You may not see the answers while in the midst of the situation; however, it is possible to do so and to get better at being able to more readily recognize the opportunities you are being given to grow. One way to do this is to remind yourself that we are all here to learn, and we are all here for the specific purpose of helping each other to grow as souls. Every action and event, as unbelievable as it may seem, is born out of the love of which we are all a part.

Spiritual Assistance
If you are having a hard time seeing the beauty of another’s soul, ask God and your angels to assist you. Your heavenly support team will help you to see beyond what appears to be negative on the surface, in order for you to recognize with your spirit the love that is truly there.

Namaste!

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan
Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

The Purpose of the Human Ego and How to Manage Its Effects

February 2, 2014 by SpiritMedium Leave a Comment

When our spirits are in heaven, negativity does not exist. It does exist on earth because it was built into the program for beings to experience an accelerated path for the growth of their souls toward enlightenment. The human ego, the driving force behind earthly negativity, is a mechanism that is built into us when we receive our human bodies. It is placed within us as a personal obstacle that challenges us on a daily basis with its pessimistic views that have the potential to drag us into its shadowy depths. It is important to note that the negativity, worries, fears, regrets, and self-doubt it projects upon our psyches is all an illusion. None of it is real. It certainly feels real, and it certainly can have a very real effect on our lives if we allow it to take over our thought processes. It is the most significant and persistent challenge we face as spiritual beings on a human journey.

By knowing that the negative voice of the ego is an illusion designed to make us examine our belief systems and thought processes, we can learn how to manage its negating and self-destructive effects. This can be accomplished through thought management, love, and examining our souls for the true lessons that are behind the challenges we experience in our lives each day.

Thought Management
We have the power to control our thought processes. It may not appear that way when negative thoughts, concerns, worries, and regrets seem to race through our minds, blocking out all of the positive beliefs and thoughts we hold in our minds. You can learn to manage negative ego-based thoughts by first recognizing their presence and then acknowledging them for what they are—an illusion. Ego-based thoughts are the ones that tell us that we are not good enough, that we are failures or that we will never succeed, that our ideas are worthless, or that we are unlovable. None of these statements are true, and should not be believed because they are borne out of the ego which projects fear as a challenge. Fears are obstacles that are meant to be overcome. By dismissing these thoughts, we can step beyond the illusion of fear that clouds our vision, in order to see the true spirit that resides within us. We were designed by our Creator as perfect beings of light that are capable of accomplishing any task that is placed before us. We have dreams and goals that we are meant to achieve, and can do so because we have been given every tool that we need to succeed. Our first task, though, is to manage the effects of the ego in a way that opens our minds, hearts, and spirits to the potential that lies within our own souls.

The Power of Love in Its Purest Form
The opposite of fear is love. It is through the power of divine love that our spirits were formed. We were born out of love, and are the true essence of love in its purest form. Our memories of this are veiled when our spirits take on the human form. This is done in order to allow us to learn the lessons associated with the human ego. As we evolve and expand our conscious thoughts, we can break through the veil of the ego that conceals this knowledge from our spirits.

To do this, we need to manage the negative effects of the ego, and learn to truly love ourselves for who we are. Any perceived flaws in our human forms have been placed there as a challenge. We are here to love ourselves, flaws and all. As with our spirits, our human forms were created to be unique. These differences show the beauty and value of our individuality, and should be embraced with acceptance, love, and respect for the unique path that each soul has chosen for his or her divine growth and enlightenment.

When you love and respect yourself for who you are, you are more inclined to make decisions that are more in line with you and your dreams. Circumstances that may have brought you down in the past will no longer have the same hold on you, because the love and respect that you have for yourself will help you to remove yourself from situations that have the potential to bring you harm. Loving yourself gives you the strength and compassion you need to stand up for yourself, and to make the decisions that will bring you the most joy and happiness.

Examining the Lessons
Each experience we have on earth is designed for the growth of our soul. We make choices every day about how we will proceed, and how the events that occur will affect us. We are in control of the choices we that make; we are the masters of our own destiny. By examining the circumstances we have encountered and are encountering, and the choices we have made and are in the process of making, we can begin to see the patterns and lessons that are behind our experiences. For example, we may have had a childhood in which one of our parents was overly stern or harsh in their treatment of us. The negative voice of the ego may say that we deserved to be treated that way because we are unlovable. Instead of giving the ego free reign to spread its fear, we can look at the situation as a lesson in learning how not to treat others. It is also an opportunity to learn how to extend forgiveness toward those who have not yet learned to love themselves or manage the effects of the ego that led them to act out of fear and bring harm to other souls.

All of our experiences have positive reasons for occurring. If we take the time to examine them from a viewpoint of love and determining the purpose of life lessons, we can see the step-by-step progression our souls are making toward enlightenment.

Blessings to You on Your Journey
Be patient with yourself as you learn how to manage the ego. It takes time to break the habit of giving in to the negative chatter that the ego spouts. It is a persistent voice that tried to demand and command your attention in a manner that is similar to a toddler throwing a tantrum. Like the toddler, the ego yells and screams until it is appeased, or until it realizes that its unacceptable behavior is being ignored. And also like the toddler, if you give in to the ego’s unrealistic demands, then you will be rewarded with more tantrums. If you learn how to ignore the ego’s negative rants, it will realize the futility of its efforts, and will begin to recognize that something greater than it is in charge—the true and loving spirit that resides within you.

Namaste!

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan
Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

Winter Is a Blessing

January 26, 2014 by SpiritMedium Leave a Comment

There are blessings in every season. In Pennsylvania, there is snow on the ground and the air is cold and crisp. Some may look outside and see drab colors, and they may even complain about the cold temperatures and plans that have been delayed due to snowstorms. Those that complain are focusing on the negatives, instead of embracing the positives about the winter season.

Majestic Beauty
For those that enjoy the sparkle of the sunlight glittering off of the snow, the smell of the clean air, and the light crackling sound that the snow makes as it falls on the ground, it is a time of skiing and sledding, building snow forts and having snowball fights, and taking walks in a world that seems hushed and still.

Opportunities Abound
There is a beauty to the season that can be enjoyed as the hustle and bustle of life is brought to a seeming standstill. Since many activities are stilled outside when the snow is falling, it is a time for snuggling in at home or in your friend’s homes, spending time on crafts or hobbies, playing with your children, reading or studying, meditating, trying out new recipes, catching up on indoor tasks, playing games, and relaxing. I see it as a fantastic opportunity for personal growth and closeness with the people you love.

The Spiritual Need for Winter
There are times in our lives when certain activities cannot be completed. It is during this time that we can turn inward and concentrate on the activities or actions that we can take. The season of winter teaches us about patience and waiting, enjoying what is in front of us, making the best use of our time with the resources we have, and the importance of taking a rest when it is needed. Periods of rest and regrouping are needed for our bodies and souls. Winter offers time to make plans and to relax the constant striving that often takes over our lives.

Creating Your Own Winter Season
Even if you are in a warmer climate, take the time to create your own winter season by allowing yourself to take a step back from your tasks and responsibilities in order to enjoy some personal time for you. Work on creative projects, meditate, have fun and play, and visit with family and friends. In this way, you can recharge your spirit, and give your mind and body the rest it needs. Your energy and sense of purpose will be heightened and ready for action when it is time to pick up your tasks again.

Stepping Back Allows Your Higher Consciousness to Provide Solutions
Some of my best ideas and creative solutions come to me when I take the time to play and relax. This is because I am releasing my cares and concerns, which opens the door for my heavenly support team to send me answers that I might not have seen or heard. Continually pushing and striving toward goals with a single-minded purpose does not allow room for your higher consciousness to step in. It is as though you have blinders on that do not allow you to look right or left. If you are struggling to find solutions or are hitting frustrating obstacles in your path, temporarily release your concerns and participate in a fun activity that will take your mind off of your problems.

Solutions and answers to your prayers may come to you if you allow your heavenly support team to step in and assist you. You do not need to solve all of your challenges on your own. If you are having a hard time relaxing, ask your angels to help you to release your worries and concerns. Hand them up to them as you take time out to play. At the very least, you will have given your mind, body, and spirit a much-needed rest, and you will be able to pick up the mantle of responsibility with renewed energy and motivation.

Namaste!

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan
Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

Guidance for Living

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