Mardy's Note: This is the 'introductory piece' Judi Larson has provided on Lumigrate.com and I very much wanted everyone reading in the Forums to find her wherever they might be searching. So I've made her introductory piece also appear here in the spirituality forum, since she is a certified spirituality coach and as you will see, below, 'comes from' that spiritual place with her therapeutic information and strategies.
Judi also is a social worker and certified addictions counselor, so her 'base/home' at Lumigrate is going to be in the Head/Brain/Mind forum at Lumigrate.com, the link to which is: www.lumigrate.com/forums/integrative-medicine-parts-make-whole/therapy-behavioralmental-health/-head/brain-body/mind-p [1]
When you think of the word "soul", what comes to mind for you? I share my humble thoughts regarding this word. If it speaks to you, wonderful; if not, that is fine too.
Soul, to me, is the energy at the core of my being that I chose to nurture, invest in and honor. Soul is my connection to the source of all life; creator. My soul is my gift to the world molded by God.
Writing this and reflecting back on my life, I have come to realize that God had a plan and a purpose for my life. I was born to parents who where alcohol; abuse and fear were the daily energy. I now see why I was strong-willed and stubborn and had my own agenda and purpose for my life. It did not include God.
Being raised in energy of fear, where I did not feel safe or loved this young child went into survival mode to exist. Did you ever tell yourself the only way you could survive was to place trust in yourself and no one else? Reading this, can you relate?
Unknown to the child at the time, trusting in herself created a world of darkness, suffering, and torment. She learned feelings were not something she was allowed -- they brought pain and sorrow. By the time she reached adolescence, her soul had been broken into pieces. She was existing, not living. She developed an eating disorder attempting to get rid of her pain. Anyone reading this relate?
She also became a people pleaser. She started telling herself the only way she would survive was to please people. Someone would then find some good in her and love her. She came to a place in her life where people-pleasing was not the answer she was looking for. Her soul was starting to die. She became severely depressed. By the late part of her thirties her soul was murdered. She did not realize at the time her soul was murdered as a young child when she was abused. Does this resemble your childhood?
By now she was having thoughts of suicide. Her depression became so bad she started sleeping eighteen hours a day and her life began to crumble.
It was at this time in her life a couple from her church walked up to her and told her their concern for her. For some odd reason she felt safe around these people. Not safe enough to trust what they really wanted from her however. At the age of thirty seven she decided it was time for life to be over for her. She went to bed hoping she would not wake up in the morning.
As you have already figured out she did not die. She gave up, telling herself she could no longer live with the torment anymore. What she came to realize was that day what had died was the 'false self' she had created to live for her family, in order to find her 'true self'.
Remember earlier I told you that God had a plan and purpose for your life? The day of her surrender she told herself she had nothing to lose. She told herself "if there is a God, let's see what he has to offer!"
It took her time to trust creator, she was angry at him/it for the life she had been given. Over time her soul began to mend. She was able to gain hope, and her life today is something she would not have believed possible.
This is a list of different problems women were suffering with when we met up, and I have helped them with:
Remember earlier I asked you what "soul" means to you? Ask yourself "what condition is my soul in today?" If it is not full of life/"aliveness", happiness, and contentment, maybe it is time to find out the reason.
When I choose to create an inner life for myself that was healthy, safe and nurturing, I began to feel loved, joyful, content and fulfilled, and for this I will continue to be grateful.
Judi Larson loves living in Palisade, Colorado on the east end of the Grand Valley of Western Colorado. Her formal education includes what is reflected in the 'initials' after her name: Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Certified Addiction Counselor - III, and Certified Life Coach. Respectful that education is much more from life, she believes "The best education I have received taught me 'To Thine Self Be True' and 'Nature is my friend', which is represented at her website if you follow the link to http://thesimpletruthcoachingandcounseling.com/ [2]
Links:
[1] http://www.lumigrate.com/forums/integrative-medicine-parts-make-whole/therapy-behavioralmental-health/-head/brain-body/mind-p
[2] http://thesimpletruthcoachingandcounseling.com/
[3] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/judi-larsons-introductory-peace-about-soul-and-spirit-illness-and-wellness#comment-1275
[4] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/surrendering-find-soul-source-and-success-living
[5] http://twitter.com/lumigrate
[6] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/judi-larsons-introductory-peace-about-soul-and-spirit-illness-and-wellness#top
[7] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/login?destination=node/800%23comment-form
[8] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/register?destination=node/800%23comment-form
[9] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/judi-larsons-introductory-peace-about-soul-and-spirit-illness-and-wellness#comment-1335
[10] http://findingground.com
[11] http://virtualteahouse.com
Comments
Since this is a secondary 'stream', if you're wishing to comment OR read the comments from me and others, please follow to the main source/thread for this wonderful FIRST piece on Lumigrate of Judi's at the following link:
www.lumigrate.com/forum/surrendering-find-soul-source-and-success-living [4]
Thank you! Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [5] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!
Someone recently said that karma is no more than planting seeds and watching them bear fruit. If we want the fruits of happiness, deep joy and peace, how can we plant seeds of fear, distrust and anger (righteous or not!) and expect them to flower into what we want them to be?
Your post reminded me of this concetp, Judi! Thanks for the good thoughts--
I am a grandmother. I'm owned by a wolf/husky named Geronimo and we live in Central Oregon. I thrived in Western Colorado for 13 years--living in Hotchkiss and working for Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Colorado in the administrative offices in Grand Junction and helping to open the hospices in Montrose and Delta.
I have a MA in Religion, and 20 something years of hospice experience, 5 years in child advocacy and am now working with eldering.
I own a business called Finding Ground [10] and also host a multi-blogger site Virtual Teahouse. [11] Finding Ground provides spiritual companioning for those who are journeying through major life transitions. All I do is 'sit' and hold space. And show up. I do face to face sessions as well as long-distance via phone or skype sits.
Other than those facts, everything else is suspiciously, serendipitously, unscrupulously subjective.