Who are your people?

Find them.

Stay in touch.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

I love my tribe. My tribe feels like home. And my tribe is the group where I can most fully express myself. My close friends are an aspect of my tribe because they are friendly, caring, compassionate, and open-hearted.

But my truest tribe are folks who share my love and exploration of spirituality, metaphysics and the great beyond. We also believe in possibility, oneness and so much more (too challenging to put into words). THESE are my people. My tribe.

Once upon a time this was called New Age. Yep, that’s how old I am. (I mean how long I’ve been into this.) I had likely listened to a few speakers locally and I had listened to a lot of books on tape. Then, for my 40^th birthday my mom gifted me with a trip for the two of us to my first mind-body-spirit conference. It was called Celebrate Your Life. (I think, now, that this may have been their first) and it was in Chicago. It was the most fabulous experience to be with like-minded people (my tribe), with ample opportunities to learn about spirituality, and myself.

I returned there a few more times over the decades and even had the chance to attend two week-long trainings from Omega in Rhinebeck, NY:  there was Past Life Regression certification by Dr. Brian Weiss, and another summer I learned a particular energy training with Danis Bois.

Meeting other participants who attend the same trainings and sessions, and sharing information with others who have attended different speakers, enhances the whole experience. Another added bonus that makes the larger experience magical is being a part of hundreds (not tens) of people who share the desire to grow personally and spiritually. My tribe.

During the last 10+ years, I have focused my Tribe experiences and training differently: small group intensives with one teacher, everyone learning together. These have been delightful, educational and intimate, and I have had no complaints. Yet, I realized as the world has “re-opened” after Covid (2023) that I missed the more expansive experience.

It came to my attention a few months ago that Dr. Brian Weiss would be providing a full day pre-intensive experience for the I Can Do It conference in Tampa, FL. I felt the calling to learn with him once again, and to attend the other speakers’ presentations for the extended weekend.

I just returned and it was everything I was seeking! It is difficult to explain how impactful it really is when one is surrounded by their tribe – and not 2, or 10, or 20, but hundreds. Brian Weiss’ session apparently had 600 attendees and the total conference held 2000. The speakers were great. In addition to Brian Weiss some of my “old” favorites were there: John Holland, Colette Baron-Reid, Sonia Choquette, Rebecca Campbell, and Gregg Braden. (They referred to themselves as the “OG”.) I also got to hear some of the newer generation: Jim Kwik, Kristen Butler, Kyle Gray, Kris Carr, and Gabby Bernstein. (There were others as well, but choices had to be made.) And, thankfully and beautifully, most of these speakers “held the bowl” for us all – creating a supportive energetic environment for us to do our work and learn the concepts. My tribe!

For three days I was surrounded by the principles of spirituality, compassion, metaphysics, and personal growth. While walking through the halls of the conference center, participants not only made eye contact with each other, but additionally greeted each other with warmth in their eyes that came directly from their hearts. My tribe!

So, I return to those original statements:

Who are your people? Who makes up your tribe? What connections do you seek to feel like you are truly part of community that additionally makes you feel more whole as an individual?

How can you find these people? Does it start with books, webinars, and YouTube videos? Can you find groups locally? (With virtual access, they need not even be geographically local.)

Are there organizations that are already established to bring members of your tribe together? How might you arrange to gather with them – even if it is only occasionally?

Once you find your tribe, see if you can stay connected: meetups, phone calls, emails, zoom, or meeting for coffee or a meal. I attended an on-line, live course for 12 weeks in 2019 and still stay connected with several of those attendees. I zoom with each of them about once a month. Some are across the country; another is in Europe. None of that matters. We stay connected. I’m still FB friends with someone I met nearly 20 years ago at Omega. Others are local and we get together, even if it is infrequently. My tribe!

Sometimes I find myself feeling very isolated and alone. But being with 2000 like-minded people for a weekend reminded me that these people made the choice to come to this conference. Others will attend a different mind-body-spirit conference that is coming in August, others in the fall, or next year. I must not get discouraged in feeling that I am alone. I am really in abundant company! My tribe is more numerous than the individuals that I can identify in my contact list or that I know of in the professional world. In fact, it’s larger than the 2000 who I shared space with last weekend. 🙂

It’s time to fill your bucket. Find your tribe.

Namasté

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield, MI. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties, work or school related anxiety, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders, and those who wish to Remember and Become ‘Who You Really Are’. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www.JudyLipson.com for more information.

This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to replace medical care.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

I find it fascinating how, in my work, certain themes or strategies will appear and then repeat for days or weeks. September, 2022 found me repeatedly talking about the pregnant pause. Let me share an example and see if it resonates with your life journey, as well.

My client could very much sense that a change was coming but had no idea what this next thing was going to be. She could tell that she wanted it and sensed that she needed it to manifest. Why wait? was her inner experience. Because it felt so wonderfully new, good, and necessary, she wanted to experience it right away. Her frustration had her wondering if she was resisting allowing this (assumed) awesome thing to happen. And if so, what was her resistance about?

I understood. In fact, I have had this same experience numerous times. It can be frustrating, and in fact if the individual is not careful, they can jump to an incorrect assumption that they are doing something wrong (or it would be here now).

Another potential error is to “force” what we think is expected. When I belonged to my women’s spiritual group, we used to say this or something better because we realized that we might otherwise inadvertently create a very narrow version of the possibility.

So, I urge my clients to sit in the space between and think of it as the pregnant pause. Men, women, and even those who have never had children, understand that for the most advantageous outcome there needs to be sufficient time for proper development. The same is true of your spiritual path. It needs time for all the pieces to line up properly so that they can indeed manifest. These pieces might include your thoughts, emotions, energy fields, other people, the environment, etc., etc. This is true whether it is for a new job, a move, a spiritual download, or a metaphysical awakening.

You might not be ready to see what is due to emerge —- yet. But if you can be patient and allow the pieces to coalesce in their own time you will likely be delighted with the magnificent outcome. Make peace with the pregnant pause, with that space in-between.

In the world of possibility things are far more expansive than you can imagine. If you try to create the outcome as you think it’s supposed to look, you might stop the process too soon, or cause it to be too narrow in reach. So, give it time. Nurture the experience and the time of waiting. Educate, ready and prepare yourself if you wish, but focus on caring for your mind, body, and spirit. And allow.

Learn to sit patiently so as not to feel the need to control the outcome. Wait…..Wonder…..Allow the light in your eyes to dance with the wonderment of possibility….How magical might this actually be if you allow your Higher Self to determine the outcome? Let’s wait and see.

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield, MI. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties, work or school related anxiety, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders, and those who wish to Remember and Become ‘Who You Really Are’. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www.JudyLipson.com for more information.

This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to replace medical care.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

Many of the inaccuracies of your life were learned during childhood and especially the middle school years. I know it was true for me, and I have spoken to many pre-teens living it, adolescents learning that they can let it go, and adults who didn’t realize how many misrepresentations came from their childhoods and middle school/junior high years who are now learning to recover from these falsehoods by reframing their Truth.

Having had those experiences has helped to shape the type of work that I do. In fact, one of the most rewarding educational experiences I had was to teach classes of middle school students what to do if they encountered bullies. I taught them empowerment, how to use their voice, and to utilize physical, verbal, and energetic boundaries. (If you would like to learn these tips, read my article: Empower Your Child. All the concepts in this article can also be utilized by teens and adults.)

But let’s come back to those inaccuracies. What do I mean by that? Pay attention to the messages that you say within your own mind about yourself in any given day. It’s amazing how most of us would never say those things to another person, especially someone that we care about, yet we speak them to ourselves – in the silence of our minds – every single day. I’m suggesting that you pay attention to those messages, so that you might confront them with a healthier and more accurate viewpoint.

Here’s how it tends to happen: You started your life connected to ‘all that is’ without preconceived notions about others or yourself. In the beginning, there was pure joy and love. By your preschool years parents and teachers began the socializing process with messages like: ‘take turns’, ‘sit still’, ‘be quiet’, ‘don’t do that’, ‘be polite’, etc. Unfortunately, you may have interpreted this to mean that you were fundamentally ‘not ok’.

If you struggled in elementary school academically or socially you may have internalized the ‘not okay’ message further, even if no one was judging or comparing. Subsequently, middle-school comes about and tends to be especially challenging for students who are expected by others to fit a specified expectation to fit-in and be included. Those that don’t, tend to be shunned or ridiculed.

All these incidents further decrease a child’s self-confidence, become their inner dialogue, and form the later basis for how adolescents and adults see themselves.

Regardless of your (or your child’s) current age, it’s not too late to return to the truer version of you and learn to speak more kindly to yourself. Here’s a process/exercise for you to practice whenever those challenging beliefs and emotions come up. Please read all the suggestions before beginning. You may benefit from the assistance of a trusted friend or professional.

TAKING YOUR LIFE BACK – BRINGING YOUR THOUGHTS TO THE PRESENT

Recognize the thought or emotion as a reflection from the past. Now take it forward into this current time to allow yourself to interpret it from the accuracy of this present moment. The goal is to look at the event or thought while staying in this moment now; to view the past (while staying in this present moment) and reframe the beliefs about it from the perspective of this present you.

• When negative or demeaning thoughts come up, allow yourself to observe them with curiosity.
• Ask: When in my history did I experience these same thoughts that I have now?
• Avoid the deep dive back to the previous experiences themselves. Instead, stay in the present, maintaining that curiosity.
• Recognize the limited (narrow) understanding that you had at that age. Remember that children don’t have power to impact many of their events and that at any age, we only know what we know.
• Come back to the present again with compassion for this earlier self and expand the experiences that you had while you were younger (because you have more skills and knowledge than you did then).
• Imagine the current you observing or talking to your younger self and imagine how you would respond if you came across this child today. Might you embrace this younger you or sit close so s/he doesn’t feel so alone?
• Explain to your younger self that the old message was not based in accuracy. Challenge these inner messages! Your demeaning words came from the inaccuracies and misrepresentations that your younger self erroneously believed.
• Allow yourself to remember and see who you really were before these falsehoods were learned (directly or by assumption).

ADVANCED LEVEL

As you see your true self emerging, use your imagination to take this confident/strong energy of your true Self and infuse it back in time to the age when it all began. There is no need to identify the event(s) that started the incorrect messages.  Allow yourself to have a vague awareness of that identified time. Then infuse your confident/strong energy (that you can access now) into that situation and into the younger self who experienced it all. Then move that confidence and strength up your timeline to your current age.

It’s okay if this sounds like imagination or fairy tale. Neuropsychologists understand that the brain and body really don’t separate what is happening from what you are imagining in your mind. Your limbic (emotional) system tends to not differentiate time (or places or people). So, if you imagine a challenging or scary situation your body will react as if it is occurring right now. If you imagine something positive, it can help to calm your limbic system.

I hope that you will read through the list again to see how this can work for you. First, challenge the messages that you have unconsciously spoken to yourself. Then, when it feels appropriate you can use visualization and guided imagery to energetically rewrite your memories toward healing.

I recently saw this meme on social media: Unlearning abuse also requires for me to unlearn the survival tactics that I learned in abuse that I now call my personality. That’s not who you are! That’s who you became based on who they were. Because pain builds walls. But healing builds doors. — The Kentucky Therapist

You have multiple avenues for changing patterns: your behaviors can change thoughts and emotions; your thoughts can redirect your behaviors and emotions; or you can let your emotions initiate the process.

It is never too late to Remember and Become Who You Really Are! Believe in yourself. Take your opportunities. Imagine and be creative. Trust in your possibilities. Free yourself of old patterns. You’ve got this

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield, MI. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties, work or school related anxiety, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders, and those who wish to Remember and Become ‘Who You Really Are’. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www.JudyLipson.com for more information.

This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to replace medical care.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

A little over two years ago in March 2020, much of our world came to a screeching halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even during this frightening time many observed clear skies and quiet roads, and soon there was a renewed appreciation for educators, health providers, and the many folks who kept supplies in our stores and provided services to us all. There was gratitude for the efforts we took to stay connected to each other. I even appreciated the unique opportunities to enjoy theater and concerts online. During this time I found myself seeing, and seeking out, even the smallest ways to appreciate what was good around me as I found opportunities to support those who had greater need than myself.

I found that during this time there was a quietness within, and many took advantage. I certainly did. That first summer (and honestly since then as well), I have found myself undergoing massive personal transformations that have led to more subtle changes in my professional work. During this time, I have also witnessed the transformations of so many others: clients, colleagues, strangers, friends, and family. This has been a time for transformation, and it wasn’t just for us personally.

This has been a time of forced change and in that first summer of 2020 we saw the additional challenges of a society undergoing great transformation as racial, religious, gender, and cultural prejudices and bigotry became more apparent to us all, providing the opportunity for systems to be adjusted. New and renewed fears embraced us even as the concerns about COVID-19 continued, creating an increased sense of separation and separateness.

As we learned more about these injustices and inequities, I saw citizens come together for goodness and growth.

Unfortunately over time, this opportunity seemed to be lost because as individuals and as a society we have the tendency to focus on fear and its corresponding hate, judgment, and separation and once again that became the focus for those who try to sell news, products, an idea, or a person.

As this third summer awaits us, we have the promises of easier times together for connecting, enjoying warmer weather, and for working on the many societal and global challenges that are before us. Yet this does not appear to be the focus. Rather, the collective focus is now fatigue instead of transformative opportunity. The collective verbalizes being tired – of waiting, of fear, and of people with differing opinions who are perceived as impinging on their own rights and opportunities.

I know that you are tired. I am too. I never expected to see all these challenges especially since I witnessed so many of this in the 60’s and 70’s and know the stories of my own ancestors and others’ lineages. I thought we were past this. But the truth is, we are not. And my fatigue or frustration only serves as apathy. And apathy will NOT get anything resolved. So, I urge you to join me in waking up and showing up.

Please join me now to take a full breath with a prolonged exhalation to help you, and our collective, to shift away from long-standing ideas, beliefs, and processes.

I urge you to think back and feel back (place your hand on your heart please as you do so) to that time when:

• the world felt quieter.
• you had that deeper recognition of the problems that still are before us, and you were willing to see the possibilities that would lead to societal improvement
• you wanted desperately to help us reach the resulting outcome of these changes
• you believed in the possibilities of who we are (Who We Really Are) as one collective, and not as a group of individuals out for themselves

And as you feel that memory stir in your heart, gut, and soul ask yourself what is needed by you to truly Remember (and Maintain) Who You Really Are so you can dig-in to address these societal and global problems. To minimize future fatigue, be sure to take the time to support yourself. For me it is finding regular time, even during the many possibilities to feel despair and frustration, to return to my heart-space and remember my soul’s purpose. To do this I regularly:

• meditate
• view, or go into, nature
• read or watch inspiring stories
• connect with those who lift me up
• find ways that I can help others

Still, I look for ways to support those people or concerns that I know still need improvement with charitable donations or the offer of my time. And if you are in a personal situation where donations of money, services or time are impossible or unavailable that’s okay. Find every opportunity to share a smile when you see friends, family, or strangers. You can never underestimate the power of connecting with another, with your smile, in appreciation of their presence.

Please take one more purposeful breath with me now to assist this transformational shift and to join your heart with the heart of everyone else who feels as we do. It may take time, but we’ve got this!

Namasté (the light in me acknowledges and honors the light within you).

If you are interested in reading more articles by Judy Lipson on transformation, check out these articles from May 2020 on Opportunities and Resilience, and listen to Transformation: 2020 Vision. 

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield, MI. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties, work or school related anxiety, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders, and those who wish to Remember and Become ‘Who You Really Are’. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www.JudyLipson.com for more information.

This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to replace medical care.

(Grief, Near Death Experiences, Death Doulas, d/D Death)

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

GRIEF

As a reader of my newsletter, you know that I am a fan of the work of Karla McLaren and her writings about emotions. A client recently brought one of McLaren’s articles to my attention, and after reading it I found I had a lot of reflections. I hope that you will read the article, and then my reflections. https://karlamclaren.com/grief-the-deep-river-of-the-soul/

I believe the river of souls is that deepest place of ourselves, of each of us, the part that we all have in common: that depth in each of our souls. That part that knows, and feels, and experiences.

In the article she also mentions the river of tears. I suspect this is a metaphor for that place to which all grievers go. That very deep, dark, hard place where you feel heavy and the best you can do is drop. And wail. However, most of our society does not allow that, let alone nurture and support it.

I do like the idea of the altar, especially for complicated and complex grief, because it can be so incredibly overwhelming and all-consuming for the body and the being. And I don’t think she means to insinuate that grief should be over in a matter of a couple of months. But I think her technique, and suggestions for this altar, could be helpful so that the being knows that the intense grief happens here, ceremonially and in real time. And this would allow for the option that when some time passes and you want to live life, while still grieving, you have a way of knowing that this is the place where it can take place safely.

It gives permission to really let the body and the feelings completely release, which is how grief heals. She talks about the need to really go down. To that place that most people don’t want to go to. That place that many in grief have found themselves in, numerous times. That place where so many are terrified to be, to feel. And it seems, within our culture, that to experience this depth, in the days and weeks after, would be so much easier, because our culture might accept a deep grief response, but not after a “given time”.

And then to Ceremonially release the process, by taking down the altar and repurposing the photos and mementos, and by possibly burying or burning some part of it to acknowledge to the being – the self – that this process, depth of process, has now completed.

My greatest take-away from this article is the reminder to all of us that grief is hard, and hurts, and it’s painful, and it’s really really scary. But when you grow up in a culture where you are allowed to wail, wail freely, and wail safely in the circle of loved ones, and the process has the potential of not being nearly so frightening, then everyone has seen that it has an endpoint because everyone has witnessed others do the same.

I found these personal reflections after reading this article quite meaningful. I remember being a kid and either overhearing adult family and friends, or reading in novels, about people who experience that intense grief, and wailing, and being given medicine to be numb to it all. I remember fearing that someday I would be in that intense place of feeling, and that it would be taken away from me. I think that is why this article was something with which I really resonated.

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NDE (Near Death Experience)

I had the opportunity to hear the personal story of a friend’s NDE that occurred when he had an adverse reaction to a medication. While being treated at the hospital he slipped into unconsciousness. While his wife watched the medical staff work on him, she witnessed the challenges that his physical body experienced – shaking, unconsciousness, etc. When he returned to consciousness, she immediately asked him, “Where were you?” (She knew she didn’t want him to forget.) He spoke of his awareness of being in a space of light. He had no sense of his body in this space, and in fact he could not describe the space itself as he didn’t sense any dimensionality to it. He sensed that the light had no source, yet it was all around, everywhere. He knew he wasn’t seeing any of this with his eyes. He felt great peace.

He has always had a strong sense of the soul/spirit, and wonders if he had the opportunity to observe the presence of his own soul/spirit, particularly without the joint awareness of the body.

Was this an out of body experience (OBE)? Was it a NDE? We can’t know for sure, but a large group of medical personnel were working rapidly to stabilize him when a known blood test/marker was beyond dangerously low. Many patients describe seeing their bodies and hearing their doctors, but this was not this gentleman’s experience. Yet, what seemed far more profound for him was getting to recognize his soul….as a separate entity from his body. You know what they say (and especially since he is alive to tell the tale)…….. PRICELESS!

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DEATH DOULAS

What? You’re never heard of this? Well, I hadn’t either. Years ago I attended a conference by Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy about death and grief. It was a profound day, and I was intrigued to learn about death doulas. I was fascinated by the concept and wondered if in the future I might join hospice or become a certified doula. But I had enough on my plate personally and professionally and decided that “there was always the future”.

I had previously heard about birth doulas though not until after my three (now adult) children had been born. The role of the birth doula is also intriguing to me and is to support the mom and the birth process, helping individuals transition into life.

Correspondingly, death doulas help with the dying process.

This past April, my 92-year-old father passed away. We were blessed to have the presence of hospice workers to support his process and our family. (And I highly recommend that if you currently, or in the future, are dealing with the death of a loved one that you bring in a hospice team. They help the patient to die with dignity, and in comfort, and they are amazingly supportive for the family members.)

On the night that my dad died I called for a hospice nurse to see him. She was such a blessing. She took his vitals, observed him, and explained to me that his time was drawing near. She drew my attention to how he looked outward and beyond without focusing in the room. She explained that he was hovering between the realms – this one where his body was, and “the other side of the veil” where I knew his soul/spirit was going. She gently touched him, and called his name, and gave him permission to go to those whom he saw on the other side who were waiting for him. I recognized then that as a hospice nurse her role was also that of death doula, supporting his process for him and for me.

But there is actually more to this story. You may know that I do a lot of energetic, meditative, journey-work. I’m realizing that much of it is shamanic in nature. During the last weeks of my dad’s life it was very hard to communicate with him and I began to talk to him soul-to-soul and also in light language.

In those last days of his life, as my dad’s time drew to an end, I found myself engaging in energy work, non-traditional communication, and shamanic journeys to facilitate his transition. It was a profound experience for me and our relationship, and I really believe that it was profound for him as well. I am very appreciative that Spirit provided me the necessary guidance so that I could be his death doula.

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d/D DEATH – TRANSFORMATION

Recently I wrote about T/t trauma and explained that most people think of the more traditional explanation of trauma (T) that includes assault, war, accident, etc.; and that Sensitives experience (t) traumas daily when their sensory experiences create a physiologic effect that is similar to those who experience T trauma and PTSD. Read more about T/t Trauma here.

While talking with a colleague recently about death, transformation, the work that I do as a therapist, and my recent role as death doula, we realized that the process of dying and death can also be explained with a ‘D’ and a ‘d’.

Death with a D is the more obvious and traditional, referring to one’s transition from this life on Earth including one’s release of the physical body to cross the veil.

Death with a small d can refer to all those things that one releases during one’s lifetime, including but not limited to: expectations, prior beliefs, ineffective patterns, relationships, and old ways of defining oneself. One experiences a small d death process when they retire, leave a job, become empty nesters, etc. Interestingly, one also processes the small d death process when they head off to college, marry, start a new job, have children, move to a new home or any other significant change. As we do each of these things we have the opportunity to release our old patterns and definition of self in order to shift to our new experience, and thus have a fuller awareness of Who We Really Are.

I invite you to look at the puzzle of your life up to this point. How many ways have you redefined yourself in relationship, in work, or even in your inner experience? And how many of those old patterns are you still carrying with you? Do they drag you down? Drag you back? Author Carolyn Myss cautions us that if we continually look into the rear view mirror of our life, then we will be led by our caboose (our past) rather than our engine. I invite you to release your old patterns as well as your previous definitions so that you can embrace Who You Really Are now.

As a result of all these reflections, I now understand the more expansive definition of the death doula’s role. S/he is one who helps others to release their old, tired, and ‘dead’ patterns, and to assist in true transformation.

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That might have been a lot for you to read and process. How are you doing? I would love to hear your stories, and your reflections.

If you are interested in learning more about talking soul-to-soul you can read the article Soul to Soul Communication that I wrote in 2004. I will write about Light Language in the future.

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield, MI. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties, work or school related anxiety, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders, and those who wish to Remember and Become ‘Who You Really Are’. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www.JudyLipson.com for more information.

This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to replace medical care.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

I had never intended to work with folks who deal with significant traumas, so when my colleague and friend suggested that I accompany her to see Bessel van der Kolk who was speaking in Ann Arbor on trauma, I insistently told her no, several times. But Barb can be very persistent and so I signed up for this great opportunity. I can’t thank her enough! This is one of those trainings that has greatly informed my work with Sensitives.

Dr. van der Kolk taught the group about the common responses that individuals frequently experience emotionally, relationally, and especially physically as a result of their traumatic experience. Because of his information, I suddenly had this ah-hah about the Sensitives that I work with and recognized how their experiences can be understood in the context of trauma that we recognize professionally and as a society. (I now refer to major illness, assault, accident, war, abuse, and neglect as the big T traumas). This information has informed my work ever since, and is key to what I teach my families, my clients, and professional groups about Sensitives.

Sensitives are those who are highly attuned to one or more of the 5 senses (taste, touch, see, hear, smell) and are typically also very intuitive, empathic and energy-aware. At the time of that conference, I already knew of the strong sensory awareness in the autistic population and was seeing it in folks who often experience ADHD and/or anxiety. I began to see the students and adults that I worked with as being on this sensory continuum of Sensitives. I focused on identifying these folks and helping them and others to focus on their strengths while mitigating their weaknesses. At the time I had only a few techniques to address the challenges for Sensitives. These included explaining the situation to their loved ones and their teachers so they can ‘walk a mile in their shoes’; recommending the removal of fluorescent lights, using natural lighting, and generally dimming room lights to address light sensitivity; and teaching the individuals how to modulate their empathic gifts.

Dr. van der Kolk explained that after a trauma the body becomes extremely reactive physiologically to subsequent triggers. Professionals began to recognize this after WWI when the soldiers came back “shell shocked”. In 1980 we diagnosed it PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and realized that it applies to events other than war like accidents, serious illnesses, assaults, abuse, etc. Subsequently, professionals learned specialized treatments including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to address this disorder. (Incidentally, if you are interested in a cutting-edge treatment, check out Havening.org).

The training further explained how if an individual experiences a trauma after successive other traumas (warfare, childhood abuse or neglect, etc.) that their physiologic responses, behaviors, and emotions are likely to be more intense and persistent. And that’s when I understood the physiologic effect with highly sensitive nervous systems (Sensitives). Imagine if you will a sense that is most pronounced for you: maybe it is a particular item of clothing that you find minimally tolerable, or walking on a crowded street in a bustling city, or having to stand near a very loud sound source, or having to stay in the presence of an individual that you just can’t stand. Now imagine that discomfort happening all day long and you can’t make it go away, because it won’t or can’t stop, or you are not allowed to get away from it. This is the experience of a Sensitive – being inundated in life, in school, and even within their own body 24/7 (there are those who say that sleep doesn’t effectively push a pause button on this sensory input) without significant relief. And THIS was my ah-hah: that Sensitives are living with repetitive little t traumas, and the body is responding similarly to how we understand the responses of folks who have suffered the more traditional big T traumas.

Having this new information about the experiences of Sensitives means that I can use a new set of options when working with them and when explaining their situations to others. One of these new awarenesses is to understand that most Sensitives aren’t having tantrums, but rather are experiencing meltdowns. Meltdowns can be best understood in terms of the sensory overload that is occurring from 24/7 input. Their system (physiology) just can’t take one more thing. Remember the story of the straw that broke the camel’s back? This is what is happening to sensitives when the sensory input from their 5 senses or their own or other people’s emotions becomes too much and takes them from ‘0-60’ for seemingly no apparent reason. But now we can understand that there definitely ARE reasons, and we need to identify them and help minimize them where possible.

A term that I have heard used to describe common behaviors of those in the autistic population is PDA – Pathological Demand Avoidance. It seems to refer to a negative trait where the individual refuses to comply with what is requested. It is akin to ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder). With my new understanding of Sensitives and trauma, I see these avoidances as a distinct effort to protect oneself from overwhelm. With that understanding one wouldn’t use a punitive or behavioral approach, but rather a look at the antecedents to see how we can reduce or remove the triggers creating the overwhelm.

When we understand the effects on the body, we realize that to approach treatment from only a cognitive or behavioral approach means to miss a critical part of the experience of the individual. To address the physiologic effects of the body I (and others) use techniques that include:

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitizing and Reprocessing)
• Havening (Havening.org)
• Tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique; TheTappingSolution.com)
• Breath work
• Mindfulness practices
• Relaxation
• Movement
• Somatic work which includes watching the body, the breath, the body tension, etc., and providing opportunities for the body to release the trapped trauma response. (These include the work of Bessel van der Kolk, Peter Levine, Ron Siegel, Patricia Ogden, Stephen Porges’ polyvagal theory, etc.)

I was recently listening to a podcast by Dr. Brene Brown who was interviewing Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry about their new book, What Happened to You? Dr. Perry, a neuro-biologist and trauma specialist says, “Instead of asking what is wrong with these kids, ask what happened to these kids?” He then suggests the consideration of the What Do You Expect Disorder? He continues to explain that any pattern of behaviors that activates your stress response system and leads to an alteration in how that system is functioning, leads to an overactivity and an over reactivity. All kinds of people have tiny little experiences that activate the stress response system. And if that pattern is prolonged enough, it leads to the very same changes in the brain as a big T trauma, and is an underestimated and underappreciated component of the trauma narrative.

In light of Dr. Perry’s work and my observations, I encourage you to always look at the antecedents (that which comes before the troubling behavior), particularly those that are in the sensory realm and those that are clearly triggering emotions for your individual. As you do, walk a mile in their shoes in order to see the significance of those antecedents. Then strive to minimize their intensity and frequency, and to teach your individual the necessary skills to tolerate that which cannot be changed.

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield, MI. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties, work or school related anxiety, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders, and those who wish to Remember and Become ‘Who You Really Are’. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www.JudyLipson.com for more information.

This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to replace medical care.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

I talk to a lot of people – friends, colleagues, and clients – and I watch the patterns of conversation. Over the last few months, we have talked a lot about the shift away from social isolation toward finding ease in returning to a more active way of life (while maintaining masks, hygiene, and proper distancing as recommended by the CDC). Initially, these conversations were to provide preparation for when that time would come.

Recently, more adults have received their COVID-19 vaccines, and students and staff have returned to school. These conversations have now taken on more of a timely need and an urgency.

Not surprisingly, a number of people are delighted to return to activities and events that are more reminiscent of times pre-pandemic. Others have expressed that they have felt quite comfortable with some, or many, aspects of the life that they have experienced over this last year and are struggling to make the shift.

This article is written for this latter group. If you are one of these people who looks back at this last year with a partial or complete thought of: please don’t mess with me now! then this article is for you. If you have always (or are now) struggling with general anxiety or social anxiety, this is for you. If you are not personally resonating with this concept, I still encourage you to read it so you can better understand your students, colleagues, friends, and family members. I’ve also included some tips to help you or them to venture out.

WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING

No two people are the same so not everyone will describe it the same way, but here is what I’ve been hearing, and it may not be what you expect. What you probably think is that folks are scared of contracting COVID-19, but actually most people do NOT quote their concern of developing COVID as their primary reason for their reluctance to venture back to activities.

Actually, what I find is that many folks are Sensitives (highly attuned to one or more of the five senses) and there is only so much that they feel that they can take in at any given time. This has been a very stressful year with changes in school and work routines, and social and political changes and conflicts. Sensitives are not only dealing with their own experiences of the above, but are also feeling the emotions of the collective which includes their family, workspace or classroom (even on zoom), and society as a whole. There has been a lot to sort and process, all while a pandemic is occurring. Even if you have learned to function in your world, amidst the noise of sensory stimulation and strong emotions, this last year has struck Sensitives in two ways. First, there is more “noise” to process. Second, having to stay home has been a surprising gift to reduce it all.

Let me explain some of the less obvious reasons besides what was mentioned above. Sensitives usually have, or have had, issues with clothing. Society makes a joke about zooming without pants, but that is a welcome relief to many Sensitives. Even the ones who do put on pants feel more freedom to wear comfy clothes than if they were in their school or work settings. Have you heard, “These are my daytime pajamas”? Seriously, many people are wearing sweats or yoga clothes for work and school. As a personal observation I noticed by April 2020 that I couldn’t tolerate any clothing that I felt was binding. My irritability while wearing it was significant, and I realized that it was better to avoid these clothes. Relative calmness resulted.

Many students are reluctant to return to their school buildings. Some of these are kids with social insecurities. They feel that they often do the wrong things, and this has led to teasing and their own subsequent self-judgment. (Please realize that there are adults who experience the world similarly, often because this was their experience throughout their education.) When the world seems like, or has been, a scary place why would the individual want to willingly return?

Sensitives are doing all they can to process all that is happening within and around them. Their bandwidth for tolerating it all has narrowed from pre-pandemic times. They can’t tolerate the thought that they might have to now be in space (literally and energetically) with even more than what they are having to deal with in the confines of their home.

Some others have a history of difficulty with transitions from one activity to another. Others have a history of avoiding any novel activities unless they have a social story of what to expect. (See more on this below.)

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO RE-ENTRY

The individual might be ‘fearing’ losing the relative calmness, and/or may not want to tempt the fates of previous memories. But part of living this human experience is to adapt, or find equanimity (peace with what is), during the changes of life.

In a recent article, author Bufka said, “A few times in the past year I’ve thought about what it was like for my grandmother who was born in 1901, and all the changes that she saw over the course of her life. We’re having a compressed version of that….”

If we look at the developmental stages of life, this is exactly what each of us has been doing since we were born. We learned the ways of early childhood and without even realizing it we adapted into our adolescent years where we began to differentiate ourselves from our parents and our societal teachings. We questioned which of these teachings we wanted to maintain for ourselves, by our own choice. As we moved onward through adulthood, we made these same adaptations as we took on jobs, careers, and new friendships and family members. And through it all there were small and large crises to attend to as we learned how to experience the changes and challenges with the greatest ease. Like Bufka says, a lot is being condensed into what has only been a year of time, which is why some may be finding it so difficult to make the shift back into more traditional activities (even with masks, distancing and washing).

RE-ENTRY STRATEGIES

You don’t have to return to your full pre-pandemic lifestyle. Consider taking it one piece or aspect at a time.

Increase your bandwidth of tolerance by practicing good self-care strategies:

• Adequate rest
• Good nutrition and hydration
• Movement
• Feed your spirit and/or your creative aspects
  • Meditate, pray or daydream
  • Practice your passions and try a new creative art
  • Take time to be in nature
  • Stay connected with friends and loved ones (even if virtually)
• Decrease sensory input when and where possible

Identify the gap and create scaffolding to bridge it:

• Create and provide social stories for yourself or your loved one. One of the reasons why new experiences feel so daunting is because we don’t know what it will look like. Identify and describe what you will most likely expect.
• Practice expanding your comfort level energetically and socially for preparation of going back to work, school etc. Since some individuals seem quite comfortable in their current milieu, they might need a significant amount of coaxing. Be sure to meet these individuals where they are. Ridiculing or shaming will NOT help your cause. Identify the small steps that will help them move comfortably from their desire to stay only indoors to engaging in-person once again: for instance, go outside with a mask; next, take a walk down the block with significant distances from others; then walk in public places and learn to move away from others in a calm, efficient manner that doesn’t attract unnecessary attention. Or, take rides in the family car and return to the house; take a ride and go to a public place, then return; take a ride to a specified place after a social story has been created, discussed and practiced.
• What space do you need for yourself? Can you create it? Role play with a trusted other, or in your mind, how to keep distance, how to ask for another to mask, or what it will look like and feel like to walk away if that is needed for optimal safety. Remember that you control many aspects of your experience.

Practice your previous skills that have been lost during this year away from more traditional routines. Never had those skills? Then this is an awesome time to learn! Find a trusted other, self-help book or professional to guide you through the process with role playing, social stories, and identifying the baby steps to move from present situation to desired participation.

As you approach re-entry, remember that though sometimes different seems uncomfortable or even daunting, it’s only different, not bad or dangerous. Use your strategies to control the narrative when possible, and to adapt your response when needed.

I now offer you this humorous video by The Holderness Family that you might find depicts the inner narrative of the reluctant participants in your life.

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield, MI. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties, work or school related anxiety, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders, and those who wish to Remember and Become ‘Who You Really Are’. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www.JudyLipson.com for more information.

This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to replace medical care.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC 

It seems that everyone I was talking to, or reading on social media, was focused on the completion of 2020 and the hopefulness for better days! In December, I had a conversation with a client about navigating the unknown. She pointed out to me that there can be a myriad of possibilities of outcomes (that can be viewed through the lens of acceptance, curiosity, and even willingness). At the time I don’t think either of us imagined that we would see such a stark difference of possibilities within the span of two weeks in January.

Like you, I was glued to the news (print and TV) on January 6 when the insurrection at the Capitol in DC occurred. I was frightened not only for all those in Congress on that day, but also of the realization of how our democracy had become so fragile.

There was a lot of news in the next days, but let me jump ahead two weeks to January 20, Inauguration Day. Everything related to the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris filled me with hope:

• Their demeanor
• President Biden’s speech
• The presence of three previous presidents and a vice president, representing BOTH parties
• The outgoing vice president’s participation in the United States’ democratic process of the peaceful transfer of power
• The many entertainers who honored the events
• THAT SPEECH by our youngest poet laureate, Amanda Gorman
• The many firsts: South Asian descent, female, Jewish, Second Gentleman, etc.
• The virtual celebratory inaugural activities that included messages of hope, inclusion, science, caring for each other, and amazing and pertinent lyrics
• Those in attendance following the necessary protocols to minimize the spread of COVID-19
• And the fact that it all occurred safely!

Now let’s talk about the entirety of this time. As I read metaphysical blogs and journals, I am reminded of a concept that I have shared with you in previous articles: In order for us to achieve Oneness and compassion for all, we need to make visible all that is not aligned with those concepts so that those issues can be revealed and addressed. Boy, were they ever revealed on January 6! In those intervening weeks leading to the inauguration, the news shared stories of arrests, the involvement of many individuals of varied social and political significance, and the misinformation and disinformation of the previous years.

As the truths were being revealed, there was a significant contingent of followers who still thought that everything would be dismantled at the inauguration. After the inauguration I read articles quoting tweets and comments on social media that these followers were writing during the event. It was quite fascinating. They still thought that there would be arrests of all the presidents who were present that day. They still believed that violence would reign on the event. As these things didn’t happen their social media messages changed. They were shocked and aghast. They had believed the promises, and they thought the promises were for them. They were frustrated, hurt and angry. They expressed feeling lied to and betrayed, and as I read their responses, I could hear their disorientation.

As I acknowledged their disorientation, I recognized a new possibility, re-orienting! Now is a great opportunity to orient them (back) towards hope, optimism, empathy, compassion, Oneness, and the Light. If this is of interest to you, and you know some of these previously disillusioned folks (a family member, colleague, neighbor, etc.), I encourage you to read the blogs of author, social science researcher, and empathy pioneer Karla McLaren. She has been writing specifically about cults – how they happen, how to support your loved ones who have gotten hooked, and how to potentially bring them out.  Everything that I read, and even stories on the news tell of the importance of trying to stay in contact with these folks so there is less likelihood of them being drawn back to their previous group, or into a variance of what they currently seem willing to leave. Maybe we can help them to see hope in a different type of outcome.

For guidance in this process read the aforementioned blogs by Karla McLaren and watch this four minute video with Dr. Dennis Tirch, founder of The Center for Compassion Focused Therapy. He explains that “compassion is the sensitivity to the presence of suffering and the willingness to do something about it”. He additionally suggests the following belief: “I wish for their suffering to cease and I wish for the suffering that they are causing to cease.” He goes on to point out that there is nurturing compassion and there is also strong, protective compassion.

I believe in Hope! It was so lovely to feel hope on Inauguration Day. As I watched the last event on Wednesday evening, and saw our new leaders at the Lincoln Memorial looking out toward the Washington Monument with fireworks illuminating the sky, I breathed in the day’s events and felt relief and hope wash over me. I openly cried tears of relief and spoke aloud, “It’s been a really long four years!!!” You may have felt similarly.

During my life I have fought against all kinds of prejudice, bullying and inequities. In these last years they were not only visible but supported. I’m glad that those who tried to take down our democracy no longer have representation in our highest office, but this mindset is still in our government and they are in our midst. So now though I feel hopeful, I will be mindful to not become complacent.

I will BE hopeful AND vigilant.
I will BE hopeful AND insist on respectable behavior in my presence.
I will BE hopeful AND have my own voice and actions stand for integrity, authenticity, and compassion for all.

How about you? What will you BE?

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield, MI. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties, work or school related anxiety, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders, and those who wish to Remember and Become ‘Who You Really Are’. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www.JudyLipson.com for more information.

This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to replace medical care.

When I recently updated my logo, I returned to the image of my original spiral. It seems appropriate now to explain the story of that spiral and its significance in my life and work.

This story starts several decades ago when I was learning to reduce my anxiety. Knowing me now, you wouldn’t even believe how anxious I was as a youth and early(ier) adult! I was taught breathing and calming exercises, and then meditation. Even that was frightening for this anxious young woman. But little by little over the course of a year I began to let go and allow my body and mind to relax as I returned to my roots as an intuitive empath.

Eventually I began to notice visualizations in these early meditations. The shape was always the same – a spiral. It always had the same direction and the same number of whorls. Eventually, I tried to do research to find out more, but if you can believe this, there was very little about spirals. Without the internet (or maybe it had just begun), there were no links to spiritual messages. There were books, but they only talked about spirals in nature (i.e.: the nautilus shell, plants, etc.) and mathematics (i.e.: the Fibonacci spiral). However, none of that felt satisfying to understand why I was seeing spirals, and this specific spiral, in repeated meditations.

Eventually, I began to experience more diverse visualizations in my meditations. Yet I always remembered those spirals. THAT spiral.

Fast forward to February of 2002 when I opened my private practice, Spiral Wisdom LLC. In the year prior, while I tried to develop a name, I remembered (how could I forget!!) my link to spirals and incorporated it in my business name. I thought this was a full circle moment, but that was yet to come.

My original logo had a very raw image of my spiral, so in 2010 I worked with a graphic designer who suggested a really cool logo that incorporated a spiral into a hand. I accepted it, and even loved it, but I have to be honest that I always missed MY spiral.

In 2012 I traveled to Sedona for a retreat to acknowledge the significance of the date, 12/12/12. As part of our events, we traveled to a local petroglyph site (dated 500 CE – 1425 CE). Our docent was discussing the significance and meanings of the various carvings on the large wall. Most of these carvings were very elaborate and could be measured in feet (see photo below).

I noticed that some of the attendees had circled around to the side wall, so I did so as well. I almost missed it since it was only about 2 inches in diameter. There, as clear as could be was MY spiral (see below). I got so excited I kind of made a scene. LOL The docent was wondering what was going on. He later explained that though he didn’t have an explanation for the meaning of the spiral, it is located on what is considered the women’s wall of the site.

Fast forward to when I celebrated my 60^th birthday with a special ceremony to publicly state, aloud, before my attendees, all the names that had ever been used to identify me, including my maiden name, nick-names, some names from meditations, and my current name. I stepped forward (with an awesome staff that had been loaned to me for this ritual) as me. It was phenomenal. It was transformative! Yet, in hindsight, it was nothing.

Continued work has led me to realize that I had been unwilling to trust exposing myself. I see that I had been hiding behind my business name. I was writing everything business-related on social media under my Spiral Wisdom LLC page. Even my monthly newsletter (which I’ve been writing for eight years) was called The Spiral Wisdom Newsletter.

In the last quarter of 2020 I began to fully acknowledge myself as Judy Lipson and I’m ready to be fully recognized professionally this way. No more hiding! (And my newsletter and website banners have been redesigned with the new logo).

Now, don’t get me wrong. I will always recognize my business as Spiral Wisdom LLC. Spirals, and the wisdom of spirals, are integral to the work that I do. Most people talk of therapy being the peeling away of the layers of an onion to reach the core issues. While this is true, one can also view the movement of the spiral directing one’s awareness to deeper and more integral aspects of their healing; or in reverse, to see how the healing of core issues affects all aspects of one’s life. And seen 3-dimensionally, the spiral becomes a vortex – a powerful space for transformative change.

My 60^th ceremony was the time of ritually stepping forward to own who I was. Creating this new logo and claiming my professional life as Judy Lipson is doing so at a deeper level. From the perspective of the spiral I can see how this is a perfect analogy of going to the center to be the core of me. But the reverse whorl is also the perfect analogy. I have gone inward to find and identify me, and now I’m taking all of that outward, along the whorls of the spiral, transforming myself and spreading the message.

And what is the message? Right now it’s all about helping people to:

• Appreciate Sensitives
• Understand transformation
• Remember and Become Who You Really Are
• Navigate the larger picture of the changes that are happening in our society during this transformative time

I have no idea if this message and mission will morph over time. I just know that I’m happy to show up as Judy, to do this work, and to release that fear of being seen.

Judy

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield, MI. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties, work or school related anxiety, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders, and those who wish to Remember and Become ‘Who You Really Are’. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www.JudyLipson.com for more information.

This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to replace medical care.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

My writings here are intended to wake people up. Today I especially want to awaken your heart and soul. As I share some of my observations later in this article, I hope that you will listen with your heart and spirit.

It is never my intention to write politically. For me, it’s about love and gratitude and safety and acceptance and empathy and oneness and diversity and inclusion. It’s how I view and define humanity, and most importantly it’s the compass that I use to identify who and what can help us to become the best that we can collectively be. So if you see political overtones with my comments seeming to lean to one direction or individual or another, please know that it is not my intention to be political, but rather to describe my personal experiences and musings.

Let me share some personal reflections over the last 15 years, which are meant to be descriptive and not political. When President Obama was elected, I was not alone in feeling this great sense of hope, and sensing an opportunity for great change and the increase of communal Light. Then in 2016 I was very excited when I thought that we would have our first female president. It should come as no surprise then, to hear that these past four years have been very challenging for me, as I have witnessed the prominence of fear, hate, prejudices, and worse.

As I’ve talked with my friends, family and clients the question of what’s happening in our society comes up, and I can clearly hear these questions (voiced or not):
What’s missing?
What happened?
How can we achieve global oneness and goodness?

I thought I’d offer a small lesson on morality. Not for you to assess yourself, but to understand how morality develops. This may also help you to understand things as you listen to or watch the news.

When I studied for my master’s degree, we learned Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development:

1. Pre-conventional: Morality is externally controlled and the individual conforms in order to avoid punishment, or to receive rewards.
2. Conventional: The individual tries to support rules set by others in order to win their approval. They also want to maintain social order.
3. Post-conventional or ‘principled’: The individual is more aware of social contracts and the importance of trying to take the perspective of all individuals.

Children begin in the pre-conventional stage and move upward as they age, but there is no guarantee that just because an individual has reached adulthood that they have reached the post-conventional stage.

Recently, as I watched The Democratic convention and listened to Vice President Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris as his vice presidential candidate, and the many speeches that others made, I clearly detected Kohlberg’s post-conventional/principled level of morality. And I once again felt hope.

As I looked at Joe Biden, I saw heart and empathy and compassion. And then I watched Kamala with her paradox and juxtaposition of softness and strength. She also holds compassion, empathy and vision. I believe that Joe and Kamala are each the embodiment of the (sacred) masculine and (sacred) feminine. They are each soft and strong.

And this is why I started this article to talk about your heart. Yes I believe in the messages that Joe and Kamala are promising. But more importantly they speak to my heart. They speak to what my soul and spirit know about people and who we are and who we can be. So once again I am hopeful.

With the recent passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I felt an acute awareness that others seem to share: Who are the current bearers of the torch of morality and goodness? Who do I now look up to? Who/what provides my moral compass? If you are asking these questions of yourself (and I hope that you are), don’t just look outward! Besides the individuals who are your role models, what inside of you has established itself for that role? Ultimately and optimally our moral compass comes from within.

I love how psychic medium John Holland described this in a recent newsletter: “While your outside world is full of uncertainty, there is one resource you can always rely on, one constant force that will throw you a lifeline and keep you afloat during these chaotic times—your Soul! Your soul is always connected to a Higher Source. (When I talk about “Source” I mean God, the Universe, or a Higher Consciousness – call it what you will.) This is the power that will move you beyond feeling trapped, constrained, unfulfilled or alone. Your soul is the most powerful force in the Universe. It’s your inner GPS system that leads you to your true purpose. It’s the wisdom that guides you through life’s biggest challenges.”

As you read posts and comments in your social media feeds and have unprecedented access to others’ beliefs and truths – let your heart process the information rather than from your mind and fear! Allow for that deep deep knowing that comes from the center of your chest – your heart space. And this heart space knows what your soul needs and will help direct you to next steps.

As Kamala Harris said in some of her final words of her candidacy acceptance speech,  “We won’t just tell our kids how we felt. We will tell them what we did!” In other words, take what you know in your heart and turn it into action. What can you do to change our societal trajectory? What can you do to return hope, compassion, empathy, and protection to all people?

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield, MI. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties, work or school related anxiety, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders, and those who wish to Remember and Become ‘Who You Really Are’. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www.SpiralWisdom.net for more information.

This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to replace medical care.