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This is something I have wanted to talk about for quie a while, and I really feel it needs discussing. It is of course such a wonderful time to be here on earth, to witness those walking the path of discovery. People are searching for the truth of their existence, and a loving connection to the divine consciousness. It is a rewarding journey to be a part of.
However, in the last three years especially, I have seen people who have been negatively impacted by new age narratives. I have spoken with both clients, and other healers and therapists about my observations, and it seems we are all noticing the same thing.
Let me first make clear that it is NOT by intention here to portray healers, therapists, and new age narratives in a negative light at all. I am after all, part of it!
However, like all things in life, there are two sides of the coin, and awarness, balance, and a grounded disernment is very much needed, especially as there are so many more people now joining what is becoming a trendy movement. And at the same time there are also many more people struggling mentally and emotionally. Many of those people are seeking comfort within this new age movement. A movement that is now booming, and is actually big business, estimated to now be worth millions! Therefore, it has also become a very lucrative business to some.
People tend to turn towards Spirituality/Religon when they are searching for answers, for support, comfort, acceptance, community, and a way of dealing with their struggles. The new age certainly has many healing modalities, methods, and therapies on offer that can, and do help and assist people, and those people can really move forward, heal, expand their consciousness, and gain deeper insight and enlightenment, that can help them to have a better understanding of themselves and their place on earth, as well as to feel more in balance and empowered.
The other side of the coin however, is something now known as 'Toxic Positivity'. I figured there must be a label for this issue that I, and others have noticed, so I went searching, and there it was. I will now explain how I see this toxic positivity and overwhelm playing out, and why I think it can be damaging for some people.
The new age is all about being positive, and being love and light. People speak of 'doing your shadow work' , 'healing your trauma', 'healing your inner-child', 'watching your words', 'law of attraction', 'gratitude', 'ancestral healing', 'past life healing', 'coming from your heart', and the big one! 'raising your vibration'. All this is without doubt all good stuff. However, within those many labels and categories, lies the potential for toxic positivity and total overwhelm!
There is great pressure to be 'high vibrational' positive, grateful, joyful etc, and all those emotions that attract good things into our life. We understand this as 'the law of attraction' like attracts like. A lot of people like to use the terms 'high vibrational' or 'low vibrational' And often people might apply these terms to an action or a feeling someone is having. There is a lot of advice on how to stay in a high vibrational frequency, and how to raise your frequency so that you can ascend.
The Ascension itself has become big business, of which contains various narratives of varying opinions, which in itself has caused seperation and splits. Social media has exploded with coaches, spiritual teachers, channelers, readers, and new fancy healing modalities, all talking about self-help, healing and ascension.
None of this is bad! However, it is now so much more difficult for a person to navigate their way through it all. To illustrate what I mean by this, here are some examples.
There was a time when there were less labels and categories. A healer was a healer for insance. Reiki only took of in the 1980-1990's. Shamans only existed in other cultures where the knowledge had been passed down in a sacred way from generation to generation. Now you will find countless healing systems and shamans everywhere.
Hypnosis is another example. Hypnosis incorporates many various methods, but some of these methods have in some circumstances become a whole new system in their own right. The bottom line though, is that hypnosis is hypnosis.
And although there is nothing wrong with having a 'nich' all these things can get confusing and even overwhelming for some people, especially if they are listening to many various narratives. The simplicity has gone because the new age market has grown so much that everything has become 'niched' and we are all chucking out courses and workshops like sweets.
Sweets, as we know can be addictive, people can over-indulge! Some people can become overwhelmed with the pressure of all the work they feel they need to do on themselves, and can even feel that they are running out of time to do it and are going to be left behind! Added to which, like many things on social media, there is a pressure to be like everyone else, to be accepted as acceptable.
It is common within the new age movement to hear the narratives that explain what to avoid doing that will lower your frequency. And advice on what you should be doing in order to raise your vibration so that you ascend with the enlightened ones, or awake ones. I am NOT saying this advice is wrong. I am making the observation that this adds a lot of pressure to some people, as well as adding a feeling of failure if it's not felt that they have achieved it.
As healers, therapists, ad teachers I believe it is important to be aware of the immense overwhelm and pressure that this spiritual new age world can bring to people, but especially to the vulnerable ones who are experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, and overwhelm already in their life, as this pressure to become healed and more enlightened can be like chucking fuel on the fire, serving to escalate an already battered self-worth, and stacking another feeling of failure on top of the pile they already feel they have.
The truth is you don't even need to be vulnerable to begin with. For some people who were otherwise quite balanced to begin with, the new age path has led to being un-grounded, obsessive, and unbalnced. The point of being on earth is to experience life and find ourselves, not to lose ouselves. Although it is true that often we need to be lost to find ourselves again.
As I already said, there are many people experincing mental, emotional and physical issues. We are all under stress in this world of one kind or other, Everyone copes or experiences things differently, and at differnet times of life, and for many various reasons. And any struggles, are all part of the journey, no matter how enlightened we are.
However, focusing only on the positive, and disregarding any negative thoughts, feelings and emotions that need to be processed can be harmful to anyone, especially those who might already be in a unhealthy place, or low vibration as some might say. People can't just control these emotions and feelings by just focusing on being positive though, because you can't force positivity and happiness. It has to be reached by processing the thoughts and feelings, and giving that process respect and the time it needs.
The labeling and judements of one's vibration, negative emotions or actions as low vibrational or wrong, only serves to perpetuate any feelings of anxiety and depression. The individual might then conclude they are not good enough, or not as enlightened. When infact they are absolutely no different to anyone else at all!
We are all equal, born from the same spark, they are you, and you are them.
We should then perhaps remember that we are in a human existence having daily human experiences, with all its stress, and challenges in the world, and that is difficult for anyone. There is no hierachy within divine consciousness, We are simply all one. And in that circle of oneness, we cannot all be at the same point in the circle, however every point in that circle is essential to the whole sphere, otherwise it would not be complete, therefore there is a place to play each role that you will play in the grand scheme of everything.
I often say to people that I think the greatest walking masters, the most enlightened ones, are those who have nothing to do with any new age stuff. They don't need to do join in with any of these things, because they already have it all within themselevs, and they just get on and live life normally.
So, to anyone feeling overwhelmed with the inner work and healing that you might feel you have to do, if your feeling like you have to perform certain rituals, or eat certain foods, or ditch things in your life that really you dont want to, for the sake of your vibration. Then i ask you "do you really need to?" Maybe all you need to do is be the best version of you that you can be in this moment now, and live your life.
Strip away all the noise of all those busy narratives that might be swimming in your head, so you can hear yourself, and then you will know exactly when it's time to make the changes that are right for you, as it will all happen in divine timing for you. It won't be forced or rushed, but will be an experience you choose and value. Surely this is what mastering ones reality is all about? For it is YOUR reality and no one else's.
If you have found this helpful or would like to share your thoughts or expeience, please comment or share this blog or the audio of it, as I would love to know your thoughts.
With Blessings
Lyra
(c) www.lyraphoenix.com - Allrights reserved - 13/11/23