Spirit

Why Recognizing Signs from Spirit Is Important to Your Life Path

April 14, 2014 by SpiritMedium Leave a Comment

Life on earth is an accelerated course for soul evolution. We have voluntarily opted to live a lifetime on earth to learn lessons for the development of our souls, and the negativity we encounter speeds up the process. In heaven, negativity does not exist. Soul development does occur there; however, the lessons are based more on the giving of service, learning about the many levels of existence, and exploring the multi-faceted methods for communicating across planes.

In our journey through life, we are not left to our own devices. Each of us is given extra assistance from our heavenly support teams of God, the angels, loved ones in spirit, and spirit guides. They send us signs and messages on a daily basis that can help guide us on our life paths. The key to unlocking the knowledge that is at our disposal is to learn how to recognize and decipher the communications that are being sent from your support team in heaven. The benefits to receiving this insider advice is almost immeasurable, as it can have far-reaching effects on the positive development of your soul.

Ascension Removes the Veil
When our loved ones ascend to heaven, knowledge that was obscured from them while on earth is revealed, giving them a better understanding of the reasons behind their experiences on earth. They do not become all-knowing, but they do attain greater insight that enables them to see the events on earth from a more informed perspective. This insight can be utilized to help you navigate your life path if you open yourself to the guidance that is shared with you on a daily basis by your heavenly support team.

In addition to your loved ones in heaven, you have seasoned spirit guides and angels that have specific knowledge about your chosen life path. They have access to your Akashic Records, which contain information about your past incarnations, as well as the plans for your current incarnation on earth. The plans contain the life lessons you have chosen to learn, as well as an outline of certain events that could potentially occur in your lifetime. These events could be major turning points in your soul’s evolution that come as a result of the choices you make about you, your relationships, your thought processes, and your purpose.

In essence, you are never alone. There is always a benevolent spirit nearby who is willing to assist you with your life path. Having an open mind, and a heightened level of awareness about the existence and presence of these spiritual beings, are the first steps you can take toward recognizing and receiving messages from your heavenly support team.

Your Personal Tour Guides of Life
Every day, I receive messages from spirit that are like sign posts directing me toward the best path in my daily life, which also impacts my overall life plan. It is similar to having extremely knowledgeable tour guides that help me to navigate the vast experiences of life on earth. Because these tour guides are in the energetic form of spirit and have advanced communication abilities, they utilize all of our senses to get their messages across to us. The greatest challenge they have in communicating with human beings is the built-in system that purposefully creates obstacles through the illusion of fear. This system is referred to as the human ego.

Breaking through the Wall
The mental block that is put in place when we are born, otherwise known as the human ego, is a wall that can be breeched through conscious awareness of the existence of life beyond the human experience. By opening your mind to the extraordinary possibilities of the universe, and trusting that loving spirits do exist on other planes, you can consciously open the communication channel that moves past the ego and delivers specific and helpful guidance for your life path.

Everyone Is Born with the Gift of Mediumship
Everyone is born with the ability to communicate via spirit. It is the way we communicate with God, the angels, our loved ones in spirit, spirit guides, and each other. Our prayers, thoughts, and requests for assistance are sent to God, the angels, and our loved ones using telepathic transmissions from one spirit to another, similar to the way in which wireless signals are sent from one computer to another. When we communicate with each other on earth, these signals are being sent back and forth via our spirits; however, it is something that occurs in the background of conscious awareness. When you are speaking with someone, you know in your heart when a person’s words do not sound or feel right. There may be a nagging thought in the back of your mind or a slight clenching of your stomach muscles that may be indicating to you that this person is not speaking his or her truth. This intuitive information is coming from your spirit which houses a higher consciousness and understanding of spirit-to-spirit communication.

Even though everyone is born with the gift of mediumship, it does not mean that everyone on earth is destined to be a medium who shares his or her gifts on a professional level. Just as certain people are born with the ability to excel in sports, others are born with the ability to excel in spirit communication. Your path is unique to you, and if mediumship is your calling, you will know it. If it is not, you can still learn how to use the skills you have to communicate with your heavenly support team in a way that will benefit you and your loved ones.

A Map to Lead the Way
The benefits of tuning in to the positive messages that come from enlightened beings in heaven can be equated to being given a map to help you find the most beneficial path to get to your destination, which is the evolvement of the soul through life lessons. Please know that spiritual beings will not give you the answers to a test or solve all of your problems for you. They will only give you sign posts or messages to guide you along the way. It is your job as a soul seeking knowledge and learning lessons to make decisions through your free will. If you were given all of the answers, lessons would not be learned and there would be no point in taking the journey.

Examples of Signs
There are many ways that our heavenly support team sends us messages. It is an abstract form of communication that uses all of our senses, and goes beyond straightforward verbal and non-verbal cues. Your mind must be open to experiencing and recognizing the extraordinary in the ordinary that surrounds you each day.

Here are a few of the more common methods used to transmit messages:

Music – Songs that you hear in your head, or that play on the radio at seemingly coincidental times, are often messages from spirit. Pay attention to the lyrics that you are hearing. If you do not know all of the words to the song or the title, look it up. There is a message in it for you about a current event in your life. You could also be hearing music that reminds you of a loved one who has passed away. For instance, my dad loved the band, Journey. I often hear “Don’t Stop Believing” in my head or on the radio at times when I need a positive boost. As a note, negative songs and lyrics are not sent from your heavenly support team. They only send positive messages to you.

Visual Clues – When you see an object or image that reminds you of a loved one, it is them letting you know that they are around and that they are sending you their love. For instance, one morning I turned on my television and there was a show on about model trains that popped up on the screen. I have no idea what channel I had left the television on the night before, but this was odd because it appeared to be a very old show. I immediately knew this was my dad letting me know that he was around and that he was sending me his love. You see, his major hobby was collecting model trains. There are no coincidences in this world, and many people may have written that off as strange, but if you open your mind you can learn how to recognize these subtle, and not-so-subtle, messages from spirit.

Feeling a Presence – Some people on earth have a very strong sense of extrasensory feeling, or clairsentience. They can physically feel the presence of a loved one in spirit. I often feel the presence of my cats who are in heaven when I lay down to go to sleep. I feel the warmth of their love in the shape of their bodies that they had on earth. It feels like a living cat has curled up next to me, and it may be accompanied by the feeling of a slight depression in the bed where they are laying. This may sound scary to some who have not experienced it; however, for those of us who have, it is comforting to feel the warmth and affection of loved ones in spirit.

Scent in the Air – Have you ever picked up on a scent in the air that does not seem to fit in with your surroundings, such as cookies baking in your office or cigar smoke in a non-smoking hotel? Loved ones in spirit alter the molecules in the air to pipe in certain scents that remind you of them. It could be the smell of their perfume or a mechanic’s garage. When you pick up these unusual scents in the air that seem to have no logical source, who is it that you think of? Is it your grandmother who baked great cookies for family gatherings? Is it your father who used to love working on cars, and often came home smelling of grease and oil from his mechanic’s garage? The scents are usually strong and distinct, and they may be picked up on by others in your vicinity. That is because the scent is actually piped into the air when they send this type of message to you.

Cravings Out of the Blue – Have you ever had a sudden craving for your deceased mother’s apple pie, a craving so strong that you can actually taste it in your mouth? This is yet another way that spirit sends messages to us. The way they send this message is similar to the way they send messages that tickle our sense of smell. They alter the molecules in the air to send energy associated with certain tastes to the sensors in our mouths. This type of message is usually confused with physical cravings for certain foods. It is important when you experience a very strong craving to take a moment to think about whether this is a message being sent from spirit. Do you associate what you are craving with a particular loved one in heaven? If so, you can acknowledge the message for what it is, and not feel compelled to find someone who baked an apple pie like your mother’s.

Whenever you do recognize the signs sent by your heavenly support team, be sure to thank them for their efforts. They are always pleased when their transmissions are successful, because it means that you are open and paying attention to their loving messages.

Further Research
To learn more about how spirits communicate, I recommend that you research the topics of mediumship and intuition. There are many resources out there that can help you to understand the incredible ways that spirits communicate with us. In my book, How Have You Loved?, I provide introductory information about spirit communication, including definitions of the six “clairs,” or extrasensory senses that human beings can utilize to communicate with spirit. The more you learn, the more you will be able to benefit from the extraordinary assistance that is being gifted to you on a daily basis from enlightened spiritual beings.

Namaste!

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan

Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

Five Essential Actions to Turn Your Dreams into a Reality

April 6, 2014 by SpiritMedium 1 Comment

The dreams you hold in your heart are like an eternal flame that lights up your spirit and illuminates the paths that you will take in life. The flame is always lit; however, it is up to you to determine how brightly it shines. I would like to share with you five powerful actions that are essential to stoking the flame of your dreams to the brightest of heights.

Provide Service from the Heart
Speak and work from the heart at all times. Remind yourself of the reasons behind your dreams. Why are you doing what you are doing? Is your main purpose to bring joy, happiness, healing, and light to others? When taking action toward your dreams, whether it is interacting with others or taking care of administrative details, hold your intention within your heart. By doing so, you will naturally take the most beneficial actions toward your dreams, and you will be rewarded with personal fulfillment that comes from providing service from the heart.

Give and Receive with Grace
Give of yourself from the heart. When you give, do so without the expectation of receiving anything back but the satisfaction and joy that comes from giving. Know that you will be the recipient of unexpected gifts from the universe that will be given at the perfect time and place in your life. Remember to include yourself in the giving cycle. Be attentive to your own needs, and give yourself the gifts of time for relaxation, joy by participating in fun activities you enjoy, and love by appreciating the beautiful light of your soul.

When receiving a gift, be gracious and thankful, knowing that you are fully deserving of the abundance being conferred upon you. There is always balance in the universe. For every action, there is a reaction, and for every gift you give, you will receive one in return if you remain open and receptive to the flow of love to and from the heart of your spirit.

Gifts given and received may be in the form of physical objects, services granted, opportunities, time, and support. Remain alert to opportunities to give and receive, as they may appear when they are least expected. Some of my best experiences have come out of situations in which I touched the heart of a person I just met, and that gracious giving led to the gracious receiving of a host of gifts that touched my heart and helped me to move forward with my dreams of service to humankind through my gifts of mediumship.

Be Passionate and Let Your Light Shine
As you take action toward your dreams, it is important to live in the moment and enjoy the journey. Each step in the process can be as exhilarating as the actual fruition of your dreams. When you share your natural excitement and passion with others as you go forth in the world, you will draw others toward you who want to be a part of your mission. This will lead to a cycle of win-win situations. As you help others, others are helping you, which in turn, helps even more people. Let your light shine brightly in this world, and you are guaranteed to generate even more light and passion through the help and support of others who are drawn to your genuine enthusiasm.

Honor the Spirit within Each Person You Meet
Each person on this earth wants compassion, love, respect, and a sense of belonging. Successful interactions occur when you honor the spirit within each person you meet.

To begin, give yourself the compassion, love, respect, and sense of belonging that you desire. You can spend a lifetime looking for it outside of yourself, when all along it was waiting to be discovered within your own heart. Once you have learned how to honor yourself and your own beautiful spirit, it is easier for you to recognize and honor the spirit of others. You know how it feels to be loved and appreciated because you already provide that for yourself. You can share your appreciation and love with others by honoring boundaries, listening and speaking with respect, being kind, and being open to giving and receiving through the heart of your spirit.

We are all united by the same connective thread that is at the heart of all life—our spirits. The more we recognize and honor this connection, the more successful we will be in making this earth a better place.

Move Forward without Fear
Fear is an illusion that comes from the human ego. It will work against you, alienate you, and block your path if you let it. Know that it was put in place as a way of challenging you to grow as a soul. You are meant to step beyond the self-negating thoughts in your head, and give power instead to the positive thoughts and beliefs about yourself. The true essence of your soul is love and light. When you recognize that and bring it forth, you are tapping into the most powerful and positive energies in creation that sync you up with your soul’s life plan. It also opens you up to the extraordinary help and support from your heavenly support team, as well as your fellow citizens here on earth. Visualize the successful outcomes of not only the achievement of your dreams, but also each step that you take on your journey. Keep your focus on the present, and believe that you can achieve anything you set out to do.

Share Your Dreams
As you fan the eternal flame of your dreams, I would love to hear how you have successfully applied the five essential actions. I encourage you to share your dreams and experiences in the comments section below. You never know how you may inspire others to live their own dreams, or how they may support you with yours.

Namaste!

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan

Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

Why Comparing Yourself to Others Is a Waste of Time

March 30, 2014 by SpiritMedium Leave a Comment

Have you ever wondered, “How come everyone else seems to get what they want? What about me? When is it going to be my turn?”

At times, it may seem as though others are getting what they want, and that you are being left out in the cold. However, if you look closely, you will see that is not the case.

Life Paths are Unique
First and foremost, comparing your life path to another’s is a waste of your precious time. Each person on this earth has his or her own path to follow. You have not lived another’s life, and therefore, cannot possibly know all of the circumstances they have faced and will face as a result of his or her actions. Additionally, there may have been a soul contract in place that dictates that one person behaves in a certain way in order to help others with life lessons. In other cases, you do not know the specific steps that a person took to get where they are today. It may seem as though a particular person is having everything handed to them; however, they may have spent years working diligently to establish themselves, and you are seeing the end result of his or her work.

Behavior with Consequences
In the case of people who bully, push, or lie their way into getting what they want, they are not to be envied. He or she may temporarily receive the reward they desired, but at what cost? This type of behavior is destroying the relationships that this person has with others. One of our main purposes in life is to develop loving, healthy relationships with one another. In my book, How Have You Loved?, I describe how the title of the book is the most important question we are asked when we review our lives in heaven. This lifetime, and every lifetime that we experience, is about the love that we share with ourselves and others. People who consciously hurt others to get what they want are truly hurting themselves in the end.

It May Be a Soul Contract
As I mentioned above, there may also be a soul contract in place. The contract may have to do with helping someone to cope with feelings of loss, to learn how to overcome setbacks, or to help someone to understand that there is more to life than material possessions. We make these contracts in heaven before we are born on this earth. Any knowledge that we had about them was purposefully obscured from us at birth. When major events occur in our lives, it is possible to see how certain actions and circumstances may have been the direct result of a soul contract. By keeping this in the back of your mind, it is easier to forgive yourself and others for actions taken.

Open to Abundance and Reward for Efforts
For others who just seem to have things handed to them, it could have a lot to do with their state of mind being open to receiving abundance. It may also have to do with a lot of hard work he or she performed to get where they are today. Again, you do not know what someone’s life path is or what they have experienced in order to be the recipient of great gifts of love, time, money, or opportunities.

Focus on You
Instead of concerning yourself with the actions of others, your time and energies would be better spent concentrating on your own life path and actions. Be grateful for what you do have in your life and enjoy the journey. You cannot control what others do or receive, but you can control the actions you take, as well as your thought processes. When you align yourself with the loving energies of your spirit, you are more likely to take beneficial actions that will lead you toward your heart’s desires. Patience may be needed; however, God and your angels know what it is that you truly desire. They have heard your prayers, and are diligently working on answering them.

Relax and Remain Open to Unexpected Solutions
Take a deep breath and relax. Take delight in the people, places, and things that surround you now, and know that all good things come to you through timing that is determined by heaven. Because of their elevated viewpoint, your heavenly support team knows when the timing is just right for you to receive the answers to your prayers. They also know what would be best for you in the long run. If it appears as though your prayers are not being answered, they are; although, it may be in a different way than you think. What you have prayed for will ultimately be fulfilled; however, it is up to your Creator to determine how it will happen and when.

Benefiting Many
More often than not, there are other people who will also benefit from the positive circumstances that are coming your way. It is important to understand that it takes time to orchestrate the necessary circumstances for everyone involved. Be patient and have faith that your time to receive will come at the perfect moment for the development of your soul—with the added benefit of helping others at the same time. Enjoy the blessings!

Namaste!

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan

Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

Having Trouble Making a Decision? The Answer Is Inside You

March 24, 2014 by SpiritMedium Leave a Comment

From the moment you open your eyes each day to the time you close them to go to sleep, thousands of options and situations cross your path which require a decision from you. The decisions may be as simple as which toothpaste to buy, or as complex as which job offer you should accept. Each of the decisions you make has an impact on your life, and at times, the over-abundance of options may cause confusion as to which path to take or which option to choose.

A Built-In System for Discerning the Truth
When making any decision, it helps to be informed. Performing research can be very beneficial for the gathering of important information. This research can come from outside sources, such as the Internet, books, and knowledgeable people; however, you also have a built-in system that will help you make the choices that are in your best interest. This is where your intuition comes into play. Listening to your intuition, as well as the heart of your spirit, will lead you in the right direction. As you approach the crossroads of decision-making, your heavenly support team speaks to you through your spirit, and the messages are transmitted through intuitive and extrasensory senses.

Pay Attention to the Signs
If you are confused about which way to go, pay attention to the presence of red flags. Red flags are warning signals to you that can seem to be very subtle; however, if you are attentive and using your senses to guide you, you will be able to see, feel, and hear the truth that will guide you in a positive direction.

When you meet someone new, they will reveal who they are through their words, actions, and energy they share with you. When you get caught up in thinking about the future and your desired outcomes, there can be a tendency to overlook the clues and red flags that they are waving right in front of you in the present moment. For instance, you meet a new guy or gal that you are interested in, and you are completely enamored with them and enjoying the attention you are receiving. In the back of your mind, you may even be hoping that you and this person will be making a significant connection with one another that will lead to a long-term personal or business relationship. In your initial encounter, you will be receiving clues from this person about who they are, and whether or not this relationship will be good for you. Listen very closely to what this person is saying or not saying, how they are acting, and how you feel when you are around them.

Listen to the Messages Behind the Words
A person will reveal to you who they are and what they are interested in through the words they speak. For example, someone who is driven or motivated by money will focus his or her communications on that topic. You need to be actively listening to hear the true motivation behind this person’s words, because they may use flattery to distract your attention. They may even pressure you with strong tactics that attempt to invoke fear in you if you do not purchase his or her product or service on the spot, or go along with his or her plans. When conversation is heavily focused on material aspects, this person is most likely not interested in you or your best interests, but his or her wallet instead.

A person who is genuinely motivated to help you or to develop a relationship with you will not unduly pressure you. They will be interested in learning about you, whether it is for relationship purposes or to help you find a product or service that fits your needs. They will allow you time to make an informed decision. Even under conditions when an on-the-spot decision is required, you have the right to take a moment to process the information you received before making that decision. When someone strongly pressures you with fear-based tactics, it is a red flag because they do not want to give you time to think. They know that if you do, you will realize that this person does not have your interests at heart.

Interpreting Actions
On the surface, a person’s words may seem to be in accordance with your needs; however, this person’s actions may not match his or her words. Ask yourself:

Is the person you are interacting with treating you respectfully by being conscientious about your time, your needs, and your feelings?

Are they taking care of only his or her needs, or are they honoring yours as well?

The actions they take will reveal whether they truly care about you or if they are not interested in you as a person, but what you can offer them. Someone who does not have your best interests at heart will only be interested in taking care of himself or herself. People do make mistakes sometimes, and they can get wrapped up in their own worlds; however, if you have addressed your concerns with someone, and they do not take consistent steps toward improving the situation with you (taking one nice action and going back to ignoring your needs does not show improvement but a temporary effort to placate you), then they are truly not vested in developing a positive relationship with you.

Energetic and Emotional Clues
Your body and emotions will chime in and give you sensory clues for decisions you are facing. Many people refer to this as heeding your “gut instincts.” That is because the seat of your intuition is the solar plexus chakra, which is located in the region of your stomach. Paying attention to how you feel, such as calmness or anxiousness, as well as being sensitive to the feel of the energy that surrounds a situation or person, can provide you with helpful guidance in the decision-making process.

When you are around someone, pay attention to how his or her energy feels:

Are you picking up a negative vibration that is pushing you away or do you feel a positive connection that makes you feel very comfortable in his or her presence?

How about when you are purchasing a product or service? Are you strongly hesitating to buy it, or do you feel calm and confident about the choice you are about to make?

Positive energy radiates happiness, calm, peacefulness, and a sense of security. On the opposite end of the spectrum, negative energy feels heavy and uncomfortable. There is an old expression about feeling “tension that you can cut with a knife.” Whoever coined that phrase was very aware of the stress and negative energy that surrounded the situation they were facing.

As a note, both positive and negative energies are contagious. The more aware you are of your own energy, as well as that of others, the more you will be able to prevent yourself from being sucked into another person’s moods. Awareness will also help you become more proficient at determining the source of energy for decision-making purposes.

Putting It All Together
By attentively listening to the words a person shares, paying close attention to his or her actions, and picking up on the energy that you feel, you will be able to better navigate your way through the decision-making process. Combine the information you have received through your senses in order to determine the right path for you. Believe in yourself, and trust that your higher-self and your heavenly support team are assisting you to see, hear, and feel the signs in any situation. By heeding your intuition and following your heart, you will steer yourself in a positive direction that honors you and your needs.

Namaste!

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan

Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

Your Self-Worth Is Not Measured by the Opinions of Others

March 16, 2014 by SpiritMedium Leave a Comment

Have you taken a non-judgmental look inside your heart and spirit to assess the traits that define the essence of who you are? Have you accepted all of those traits in a loving manner by embracing and recognizing the positive ones, and acknowledging the ones that need a little work?

Self-Awareness and Love
Knowing who you are and loving who you are, are important factors for claiming the power within you that is rightfully yours. When you allow the negative words and actions of others to define you, you are giving other people the power to dim the light within you.

Determining the Reason behind Communications
There is a very big difference between someone providing you with constructive feedback and someone hurling insults and hurtful words at you. The clues to determining the difference are in the delivery and the motivation for the feedback.

When Love Is the Motivator
When people have your best interest at heart, they will speak to you in a respectful manner, and the thoughts they share with you come from the heart. The person who speaks with you in this manner is genuinely interested in your welfare, and would like to help you succeed.

When Fear Is the Motivator
On the opposite end of the spectrum, when people say vicious or mean things to you using sarcastic, biting, or angry tones, they are projecting their own negative feelings about themselves on you. The motivation for such behavior is based in fear. Often, it is because they envy what you possess and are afraid that they will never have it themselves. In this person’s mind, they mistakenly think that putting you down will raise themselves up. Instead of taking responsibility for themselves and their personal happiness, they lash out at you. When facing an onslaught such as this, you need to be strong enough in your own right in order to recognize the motivation behind this behavior, and to dismiss it as someone else’s fears and not a reflection of who you are.

How to Achieve the Best Results
In relationships and communications, it is love, self-love and love toward others, that creates the outcomes we desire. Coming from a place of fear or attempting to instill fear in others may temporarily achieve certain results; however, in the long-term, it eats away at the levels of trust and can ultimately destroy interpersonal relations.

How You Can Choose to React
When you encounter people who are operating from a place of fear instead of love, you can choose to dismiss their comments and hurtful behavior and move on with your life. Whether it was a momentary transgression or a more problematic aspect of someone’s behavior, try to take a more understanding and compassionate approach by knowing that each person is doing their best to grapple with the issues that we contend with on earth. We all make mistakes, and, hopefully, we learn from them. Within your heart, mind, and soul, forgive the person for their transgression, and wish them love, health, and happiness.

You Determine Your Self-Worth
All in all, when you love yourself for who you are and you operate from a standpoint of love, you can more easily recognize when someone’s behavior is motivated by his or her fears, and not genuine feedback that you should take to heart. Your self-worth is a value that is defined by you, and only you. The actions you take and the thoughts you share display to others the value you hold for yourself in your heart, mind, and spirit. Believe in you, and love who you are, because you are a beautiful light in this world who deserves an abundance of happiness and love.

Namaste!

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan

Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

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.

Spirit

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