It’s amazing what one discovers by stepping back.
Today I discovered a firm “no” in myself. A “no” to giving even one iota more of free advice or Emotional Freedom Technique to anyone.
I notice such a huge need for empathy in this world. I am shocked at the number of people who write to me for free advice. Perhaps they don’t fathom how many emails I receive seeking free advice, and that I do not currently have the support needed to keep up with that. Perhaps they don’t fathom how much energy it takes to answer a two- to three-page email (which they wouldn’t write if they bought themselves some EFT sessions, because no one who is healed needs that many words to express themselves.)
Perhaps they don’t realize that if they offered even a $20 paypal, cumulatively, they would support this blog and everything could go on blissfully.
But the vast majority of them offer nothing. And then they wonder why they don’t have what they want in their lives.
I notice how differently I felt about the guy from Israel who makes $150 USD per month and still offered me $20 for a session. How happily I am giving that to him. I’ll value his $20 as highly as any full-priced session because his appreciation of what he is receiving is so clear.
I don’t know what’s going to happen to this blog. I don’t want to make it a commercialized marketing vehicle. Yet I notice myself saying no to any further giving without sufficient support. I notice how clearly everything in me says no to that.
Spiritual teachers need support, too. I contributed tens of thousands of dollars to my coaches and healers because I recognized the value of their work. My readers are perfectly capable of doing the same.
Thus, if you would like a personalized response to your question, Erika Awakening Coaching Page.
If you do not have funds, you are welcome to post your question on my forum. I answer questions there when I have free time, but I cannot guarantee an answer. Others may be able to help you, however, so I encourage you to check it out. And others will benefit from your question and the responses.
I wanted to add more more thought to this discussion.
What I hear behind some of the comments about using the word "God" is this intention (I might be off, and if so feel free to correct my perception): "I feel uncomfortable when you use that word, so you should change to make me comfortable."
If in fact that is the intention, I want to point out that
I like the yellow, too, Daria :-)
Yellow!
Folks,
I know we grew up in a world that taught us that values are relative, but they are not.
Start here:
Nothing real can be threatened.
Nothing unreal exists.
Herein lies the peace of God.
The healed mind knows how to talk to the unhealed mind a way that the unhealed mind can hear at a subconscious level. There is no attachment to changing
It would be weird assume that the "majority" of people would think of God as other…
That would be like saying… well I think the majority of people think like SmokeLion, not like Erika…
that woudl be like saying… well i see yellow, but I will assume everyone else sees indigo
if I see yellow, I say yellow
people who see yellow will
Forgive me for coming off as rude. There is no spite in my words, only curiosity.
I find this last bit fascinating, but I am coming from an entirely different viewpoint, and to me it sounds Malkavian to say something like "when the mind is healed… you will see"
SMoKeLioN has a valid point in saying what was said. The purpose of words is to communicate clearly,
SMoKeLioN,
It makes perfect sense to the healed mind, which realizes that it encompasses the entire world and everything in it.
I don't have time to explain this in logical terms. That could take eternity. But when your mind is healed, which is what my coaching accomplishes, you will see what this means.
Gotta go for now,
Erika
Thats a red herring. I didnt ask whether you mean it or not.
My point was that if I myself think of the color yellow as appearing like indigo, yet I speak to everyone with the word yellow (while I really mean in my head indigo), then I am failing to communicate effectively. I cant blame the listeners, either.
People ask me, "Why do you say yellow, when you mean indigo?
Because I mean what I say. God is God.
To the split mind, He seems to be outside and apart. To the integrated mind, He is inside.
I speak to both minds at once.
Why use the word god at all then, if what you consider to be god is largely different than anyone you communicate it to?
Because you are thinking with a split mind and therefore not hearing me.
I don't see God as a higher power. I see Him as our highest self, which is within us.
I didn't say you must Always question the words that come to you.
Why can't you're own words have the same effect as ACIM/god?
Seems to be the case that we are unable to acknowledge the greatness in another thing without acknowledging the possibility of a deficit of that thing. I think that by seeking to draw from a higher power, we necessarily attribute
And because the words of ACIM are so powerfully healing, so utterly debilitating to the ego, that every time they are repeated the world comes a little closer to peace.
The words are so powerful that they bypass the ego mind and heal even those who cannot understand the words yet.
Because I don't question the words that come to me, even if they are quotations.
I learned some time ago that only the monkey mind doubts the words that come, not from us, but through us.
Why then do you seem to wield the word "god" and acim quotes around, instead of simply saying something like "in my experience…." or "I believe that…."
Gayla,
I appreciate your comments, and this post was not about you. I received similar emails from several people, and you were not the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back.
To answer your question, I spent a year going to two NVC practice groups every week (each of which I paid for), where for two hours each night we did nothing but give and receive empathy.
What if god can only help you as much as you believe he can?
Isnt that the case?
And the more you see that he can help you with, isnt that the more deficiency you see in yourself? Else how could he help you with it?
I think looking to the skies for strength is foolish when you can look down into the puddles.
The irony of the whole thing is that what I originally offered was a co creative solution that created a lot of win/win/win… and it INCLUDED YOU GETTING PAID.
So, it's not about me asking for something from you for free. That's not coming from over here…
I also asked what you needed.
I really don't know what you need. Your messages lately are
It sounds like, from your posts recently, you are on the verge of a bigger breakthrough in choosing for yourself. I can sense the pressure in your heart… it might be because it's my own pressure and I'm projecting or we may be vibing on the same heart longing frequency.
I am also learning to give empathy rather than close my heart when someone begins to externalize their own
I think the blog and advice you offer is great. Frustration is understandable, and likely inevitable. However, I would be careful about displaying your up front without empathizing first. As a long time Anonymous poster, I have received great benefit from entries and comments. I hope I have offered juicy bits somewhere in there too.
You may understand where people are coming from,
Hi Erika,
Have you ever been in the NVC groups that are designed just as empathy giving and receiving groups?
hi McSmokey,
Thanks for the comment.
Actually it's not true though that you have nothing to give. You have given to me by sending supportive comments.
And even those with no money can always offer something. They can tell friends about the blog, they can help with any technical or marketing skill they have, they can submit comments that further whatever
Well since im between HS and The ranks, the only value I can offer is my views expiriences and syntax errors :D.
plz dont turn this into a hunger strike.
have a nice day :)