The Impact and Rewards of Trauma on Spirit

When we contemplate that we are two bodies working hard to live as one, the relationship starts to make sense.  Some call it human animal and human spirit, while I have described that relationship more in line with the idea that we are spiritual beings in command of a physical vessel.  However you see it, that relationship is challenging, especially when we experience trauma.

No matter whether that trauma is physical, mental or even emotional in nature, our spirit at times cannot handle it.  I'm going to suggest to you that when people struggle with PTSD, anxiety, depression or other symptoms of trauma, the impact from those issues are multiplied when spirit "checks out".  I'm not saying that spirit leaves the body, but instead spirit is so traumatized or unsure how to deal with the experience, that it steps back from its responsibility to guide, heal, love and nurture our vessels.  Our Spiritual Bodies are not used to this dense energy and that is why we are here; to experience, learn, grow and remember!

When spirit 'checks out', our vessels are left to fend for themselves and most of that is governed by its instinct for survival, more animalistic behaviours in nature.  This is the point where we are confronted with our fight, flight, freeze, flooding, fatigue or fawn response.  We either decide to engage in violent (fight) to protect ourselves, run away (flight), get completely overwhelmed with emotion (flooding), shut right down (fatigue) or decide to just go along or submit to those that are engaged in the violence (fawn).  Whether these responses come from instinct or learned behaviour from our family or community, they limit our options for dealing with trauma or even healing from it all.

The vast majority of people still respond to stress, authority, violence and other traumas using some of these responses and have yet to figure out how Spirit can help break these cycles!  I would suggest that most people start out with fawn and then slide down hill from there depending on the level of violence they experience.  That is why governments are so popular today.

Having our spirit check out during these events or the subsequent fall out from the trauma, can often leave our bodies feeling abandoned and unable to heal or cope with the situations that we find ourselves in.  When spirit finds the courage, strength, training and support it needs, it can then step forward and help our vessels work through these issues from a completely different paradigm.  When we accomplish this, it is worthy of celebrating as it is a MAJOR accomplishment!

Spirit has several tools at its disposal to help our vessel work through, heal and protect ourselves from trauma.  When spirit steps up with courage to confront itself, it can then start the healing process for spirit and the vessel.  This process is a lot of hard work, but when spirit starts on that path, we find the strength to get that work done.  It does require that Spirit step forward in leadership and show vulnerability.  By sharing the pain, guilt, shame and trauma, spirit can take a leadership role which then brings support and encouragement for the vessel to do the same.  Both aspects of our being have work to do and it is critical that Spirit lead the way as only Spirit can do the healing.  The vessel left to it's own skills can only figure out how to survive.  Spirit allows us to thrive!

When we do that, we can Graduate Life with Honours and consider it a good life.  I believe this would allow us to break the cycle and graduate from having to experience such violence, pain and suffering.  However, if we want our wings, then we have to go above and beyond.  When we get our shit figured out to the point where Spirit is no longer checking out, no matter what happens, then we graduate to the next phase:  Helping others do the same.  This does not mean that we have life all figured out and that we don't have our own work to do.  What it does mean is that we reached a point where we can then be of service to others by leading through example.  Having the courage to be of service to others allows us to explore our own humanity more deeply than any other activity and requires that we explore the deepest, darkest reaches of our soul.  

We then realize that all this trauma was designed to help provide the resistance for Spiritual growth.  I consider Earth to be the training grounds for angels and we are all here to earn our wings.  We are divine, sacred spiritual beings and when we find within ourselves to love our vessel unconditionally and the courage to spend time to help it in every way possible, we then find the wisdom to do the same for others in our lives.  

So while most people here are checking out and depending on their vessel's skills to survive, there is a small group of spiritual beings who have embraced the trauma and found courage within to confront it rather than checking out.  That accomplishment sends ripples of love, joy and excitement through the spiritual realm and has huge implications for all life on this planet and within the whole universe.  

People often tell me that the only way to deal with violence is with violence.  From their perspective they are still only partially right as they only see the fight and ignore the other physical responses; flight, freeze, flooding, fatigue and dawn.   But when we engage in Spirit, we suddenly have a whole new set of tools like boundaries, love, empathy, courage, strength, patience, forgiveness and peace at our disposal.  Most people see these tools as foreign because they have yet to allow spirit to govern their lives and heal their trauma.  That is okay as that is their journey.  But for all of those who have embraced the healing process and allowed Spirit to govern their lives, life suddenly becomes beautiful, enriching, colorful and infinitely more flexible.  Our vessel no longer feels abandoned but instead experiences real love, companionship, freedom, peace and a euphoric sense of calm despite what is happening around it.  We suddenly have a lot more options when we confront or be of service to others.  That is the foundational principles of the Pacem Arts (The Art of Peace).

That is what I'm working towards and I want to thank Raylene and Lorene, elders within my tribe for helping me see that over the past few days.  I love my tribe and I am learning so much from working on my relationship with the whole group and each individual.  Time to tribe up people!  Time for Spirit to find the strength and courage to heal.  It is extremely difficult to do it alone.  We need our tribes to help each other.  We need protocols for spiritual healing.  This weekend we are holding another retreat to help with this process.  If you are at all interested in learning how to heal and step into your spiritual power, then it is time to step forward with courage despite all the anxiety and stress your body is experiencing.  Time to allow Spirit to guide the way!  Time to join up with others who are doing this work so that we can all heal and confront the violence in our lives.  

When we do this and heal ourselves and each other, we bring Heaven to Earth and turn this training grounds into a Spiritual sanctuary.  We create here what most of us look forward to when our vessel dies.  That is our duty and I, for one, will work hard to bring Heaven to this planet!!!