Embodying Spirit

Grief (in a nutshell)

Posted on April 13, 2016 Updated on April 13, 2016

Grief comes in many shapes and textures.  There is no “one size fits all”.  It changes according to the person(s) involved, the reason, the age and maturity of the griever and the depth and breadth of the opening.  There is always an opening.  The tunnel that was carved out as the main route of connection to the one you loved.  With loss, this opening becomes the void. It is no longer filled with colorful threads of relationship to the person now gone.

What remains is an ache for the threads as they were, angel-like filaments in the now empty space. What remains is the vacant understanding that there is nothing left. Your heart mourns for the threads and cries.

How to make friends with your inner monster (in a nutshell)

Posted on March 22, 2016

Help! I’ve turned into a monster.

If anyone reading this doesn’t think they have an inner monster, think again. You may have a sneaky monster who does not want you to believe s/he exists. If we don’t recognize it in ourselves, we often transfer its image onto others and it conveniently becomes all about the other guy or gal. At this point, our monster will often leak out in blame, resistance, unfriendly withdrawal, aggression that feels justified, unwarranted distrust of others, etc.

What is the monster? It is the part of us that feels powerless and small, undeserving, wounded and unworthy. It can also be hidden underneath a false sense of pride or arrogance (i.e. “I never feel small.” “I know I’m great.”). When provoked, It can and does rear up its monstrous head and declare itself in hate, rage, anger, spitefulness, resentment, jealousy and blame. It can surprise you when hurtful words fly out of your mouth before you can stop them or it can subtly leak out and have you do or say something that is just on the edge of being mean or it can act like a direct head-on collision when you intentionally say and/or do things to hurt someone.

Making friends with your monster is a solid step toward inner peace and acknowledging that your monster exists is a requirement to befriending it.

What is your monster like?

Last Chance to Sign-up for Discount on 2016 SoulCollage® Spring Workshops

Posted on March 10, 2016 Updated on April 17, 2016

              ✯✯✯SPECIAL DISCOUNT✯✯✯
!!BRING A FRIEND AND GET 1/2 OFF THE COST!!

2016 SoulCollage® Spring Workshop Schedule:

April 23rd, Saturday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The focus of this SoulCollage® Workshop will be on Strength

May 7th, Saturday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The focus of this SoulCollage® Workshop will be on Stillness

Location: Berkeley
Cost: $89 per person per workshop and includes all materials.
To Apply: Call or email Barbara Reiner at 510-506-3902                                       barbara@spiritualawarenesscounseling.com

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Soul Connection (in a nutshell)

Posted on March 10, 2016

Over the course of our lives, we have heard the word “soul” used many times and in many ways.  So much so, that, for many of us, the word has lost its oomph…its power.  Even worse, some of us have relegated it to the realm of fads, fairy tales or religious fantasy.

However, if we still recognize Soul as the essence of who we are, then, to have contact with it is to touch our very nature. From this perspective, we can’t help but be connected to our souls since that is who we are. Our dissatisfaction with life occurs because we usually don’t recognize ourselves at this level.

To knowingly have direct soul contact is to be deeply and fully satisfied, no matter what is going on in our lives, because we are finally aware of being home inside of ourselves, fully awake and alive…what we have been longing for all along.

Barbara Reiner facilitates Spiritual Awareness Groups and SoulCollage® Workshops in Berkeley, CA