Our Culture Of Rape And Abuse

I was sixteen years old the first summer I volunteered at a camp for abused and neglected children. One of the campers I befriended that week was a mere two years younger than me. As we spent time hanging out, she began to open up to me and share her story. Part of that story involved being raped at the hands of her father. So many emotions went through me. Love and concern and sadness for her. Anger that her father--a person who was supposed to protect her--could do such a thing. There was absolutely nothing I could do for her except listen and let her know I valued her and that what had happened to her was not her fault. I still don't know why she chose to share, but I do know that my response to her made a difference. We continued to be friends even outside of camp for the next few years until I went out of state to college.

We want to believe such circumstances are the exceptions and not the rule. The simple truth is, they are not the exceptions. Our culture of rape and abuse is so prevalent that the little evidences we see of it every day get glossed over and accepted as though they are just a normal part of life. Let me be clear: rape and abuse are not normal or healthy! Denying it is present in almost every facet of our lives only keeps us in darkness. Healing cannot take place under such conditions.

You believe I am being too hard on society? I beg to differ. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network), an American is sexually assaulted every two minutes. The majority of victims are under thirty years of age. One out of every six women is a victim of rape or attempted rape during her lifetime. One in thirty-three men have experienced rape or attempted rape in their lifetimes. Personally, I believe the statistics are much higher. These are the ones that get reported and prosecuted.

It is amazing to me how much this discussion has opened up because of the Donald Trump recording that has recently become the center of political debate. I do not want to make it sound as though I am excusing his behavior. I am not. I do want to point out it is part of our culture of rape and abuse that, up to this point, we have largely overlooked. Although Trump's arrogance and moxie make him an easy target, this sort of behavior within politics and power is nothing new. Everyone is throwing Bill's misdeeds back and even Hillary's past successful defense of a child rapist in order to justify the behavior (and their personal candidates). The simple truth is, this is all wrong! Two, or four, or a million wrongs can never make verbal or physical rape and abuse okay. If you don't want it in politics, it is time to stand up and throw it ALL out!!! The rape and abuse culture within politics is pervasive on both sides of the aisle.

More importantly, it is time to begin to recognize where we have made rape and abuse acceptable in our society. Look no farther than popular culture. The Fifty Shades of Grey book series, about an S&M sexual relationship, has sold over 125 million worldwide. Guilty pleasure or programmed response? A quick glance at TV and movie offerings show a lot more sexual encounters, many of them rough or violent in nature. The vast majority of us in the US have witnessed rape scenarios in something we have watched. Even simple "locker room talk" is thought to bring accolades to the person speaking of their sexual prowess--which is why it happens in the first place. It is this sort of "acceptable" behavior in our society we need to take a serious look at and question. This is how proven rapists end up getting sentenced to two month in jail!

When rape and abuse occur, many of us try to ignore it and sweep it under the rug. We are told things like "he was drunk", "you were drunk", "it is not a good thing to talk about in public", "you are going to ruin his/her whole life because of one little mistake", "boys don't get raped". Often, we try to forget, but the damage is done. We are left broken and scarred. We feel afraid and alone. The sad part is, we are not alone. More of us have been touched by this violence than we care to admit.

Until we are willing to shine a light on this darkness, the darkness will persist. Until we are willing to open up the discussion acknowledging this is a problem, rape and abuse will be part of our everyday culture.

I can no longer personally stomach sitting back and watching this illness take hold of more and more people. I am more than ready for this discussion! Join me?

~CSE

Your Heart Contains The Map To The Universe!

This lovely artwork was created by my beautiful friend Jennifer Thompson. I saw it this morning and knew I needed to share it with you! (For more on the talented Jennifer, you can connect with her at: Jillyhop.)

The world can be a confusing place! Normally we rely on our brains to plot our course in the Universe. Mistakes are common as we depend on the information we have learned through society and our environment by engaging our five senses--extremely limited information at best. Solutions that come from this place only take into account those perspectives you are actually able to see and will not address the bigger picture.

Enter the guidance and wisdom of the heart! The heart is what binds and connects us to Oneness--the place where everything is present and nothing is judged. This is the place of all truth, all knowledge, all understanding. When we learn to connect with our hearts, we learn to connect with our inner knowing--to the knowledge of all that IS. It is in this way that our hearts act as our internal guidance system!

There is a map to the Universe contained within your heart! Learn to focus on this inner knowing and your life will begin to flow much more easily with less problems and effort.

~CSE

We're Transitioning To Fourth Dimensional Thinking!

September has been an exceptionally crazy month for me. One of my social media friends, Christine DeLorey, who is a very gifted and intuitive numerologist, points out that we are presently in the ninth month of a nine year. Nine is the number of completion, a time to wrap up old business in preparation for a new beginning.

This morning while in my meditation time, I happened to ask the Universe a new question. The question was, "What am I missing in all this upheaval?" It has been obvious to me that my life is changing in big and powerful ways, but the destination has been extremely fuzzy. What came to me was very unexpected. We are transitioning to Fourth Dimensional thinking!

What does that mean, exactly? From a scientific standpoint, it means we are beginning to more easily access a dimension that includes aspects of time. However, science as we know it has trouble accessing this dimension because it goes beyond the 3-D physical aspect of the world. It is the world of dreamers and mystics--the place where things not usually visible to the five physical senses exist. Yes, this is the world of spirit--of fairies, of angels, of demons, etc.

There are several practical ways you can begin to access these new energies. The first way is to allow yourself to become sympathetic to native cultures all over the world. Native cultures typically have a leg up on the rest of "civilized" society. They have not allowed science to interfere with the spiritual information they access. They communicate with guardian spirits of the Earth. This is how shamans know what plants are useful for various types of healing. This is how they know what sort of weather changes are coming or what destructive forces need to be stopped. Native cultures all over the world know how to access this information. By studying their ways, you can begin to learn as well.

Understand what is going on with the Dakota Access Pipeline protests is part of the transition we are all making to the Fourth Dimension. It is definitely about saving Mother Earth, but there is so much more to it than that. We are all beginning to hear the cries of our spiritual mother, and this is spurring us into action. We are feeling our own connection to the spiritual plane.

Another practical way you can assess the fourth dimension is through relationships with animals and plants. Animals are easier for most people to understand than plants, but both work. Do you have a pet you are fond of? Do you intuitively know what your pet needs at any given moment? Do you have conversations with your pet that only you can hear? Understand this is not your imagination! Animals communicate at a fourth dimensional level. So do plants. Allow yourself to acknowledge the insights you can gain through your fellow spiritual beings.

It is time to begin our transition to the world of spirit! Be intentional about it, and your world will begin to open up in powerful new ways!

~CSE

  

What If It Isn't Broken?

There's a lot going on in my life right now. My mom is having heart problems. My husband is dealing with his own health issues and isn't working presently. My daughter is having personal struggles. Finances are stretched tight, and my eleven year old car has been in the shop for the better part of two weeks. Needless to say, my stress levels are at an all time high with no end in sight. Tears have been a daily occurrence of late as I struggle to cope with it all. Still, with everything that is taking place I find myself asking this question: What if it isn't broken?

As humans, we are conditioned to see the world in black and white--good/bad, right/wrong, sin/righteousness, etc. We are also programmed to do what we can to fix what is perceived as broken. I'll admit, some of this comes naturally as what we see as problems often bring pain. Very few of us enjoy living with pain so we work to achieve something different.

What if the circumstances of our lives are not really problems? What if they are only perceived as problems? What if the goal our life is not to avoid situations deemed sinful or wrong or bad but to experience all the nuances that this three-dimensional life has to offer? What if we came to earth to play in everything--messy, outrageous or otherwise?

Yes, I am stressed out. Yes, I know it will all pass eventually. What experiences are to be gained in this moment of now? What insights? What awarenesses? How can I use all the messy circumstances of my life to grow as a person?

I have said this before. We didn't come to planet Earth to be perfect. We came to Earth to be human. BEing human encompasses the full range of experiences and emotions--not just those considered "good". 

There are many things in my life at present I have been conditioned to see as bad--things I am supposed to fix. I'll ask again: what if it isn't broken? What if I am here to feel...to experience...to think...to grow? What if this series of events is designed to expand me so much I am a new creation?

It is only in brokenness we are made whole.

~CSE

Self-Care

In all the craziness that is my life, I am really bad about neglecting my own needs. I look out for my husband's needs, my parent's needs, my granddaughter's need, my children's needs, my customer's needs, etc. etc., but most days I don't think enough of my own importance to spare myself a caring thought. Consequently, I often feel empty, sad, angry and just plain exhausted as I allow my own needs to go unmet.

The thing is, I do know that I am important (even though that importance does not often take priority). In those moments when I begin to feel drained, I understand it is my turn! After all, if I don't take the time to make sure my own needs are met, how do I expect to continue to help others? An empty vessel has nothing left to give!

When life becomes especially stressful, it is extremely important to take at least a few minutes of the day for yourself. Read a book. Watch a favorite comedy show. Take a hike in the woods or beside the ocean. Sing a song. Paint. Cook a nice meal for (or with) a friend. When you take time to enjoy your life, those empty places get filled back up. You are uplifted, renewed!

Never regret the time you spend doing something for yourself. If you don't make yourself a priority, no one else will either! Remember: you are worth it!

~CSE

New Life From the Rubble

My life has certainly not gone according to plan. Lately it seems as though all hell has broken loose and I am in the middle of a storm that threatens to overwhelm me. Tears have been a daily occurrence as the stresses of my life continue to rage.

One thought keeps me going through the chaos. All the big, powerful changes in my life have been the result of my world breaking apart. The process is always rough and painful. Change is painful. We become so comfortable in our ruts that being forced out of them makes us scream in anguish. In order to see our way out of the pain, we have to think and act differently. We BEcome new creations!

In those moments when you believe your life is breaking apart, remember that new life emerges from the fragments! Keep going!

~CSE

  

The Energy Of Judgment

We live in a world where we are taught to judge. Everything is perceived as good or bad, and then we draw those good things toward us and distance ourselves from those that are bad. This is where the problems begin. When we chose to consciously stop or repel certain things from entering our lives, we have created blocks to otherwise free-flowing energy.

Let's break this concept down a little bit more. Judgment is a symptom of thinking with the mind. What do I mean by thinking with the mind? (And isn't that they way we are supposed to think in the first place?) Our minds are what we use to process all the stimulus we connect with in the 3D world around us. We get sensory information from our senses of sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. We also receive ideas and concepts from the people around us--parents, friends, coworkers, society in general. We use the sensory information to understand things and people in our environment. We learn that a fire is hot and can hurt us, so we either stay away from it or are very cautious around it. We learn that homemade chocolate chip cookies make our tastebuds happy, so we are attracted to them. The ideas we learn from society are a much deeper level of judgement.

I'm not going to mince words here. What we learn from society is programming. It begins from the moment of our births and is incorporated into pretty much everything we do. These thoughts and ideas about what constitutes good and bad are so ingrained in us that we automatically assume they are truths. We then begin to use this information to tell us what to keep in our lives and what to avoid. This is where all biases and prejudices come from. The end result becomes fighting, war, greed, poverty, disease, etc.

Take a few minutes to sit back and think about something you consciously stay away from. It might be religion or drug addicts or fake people--the list is pretty unlimited. Have you been personally hurt by these things? (The answer might be yes.) Has society told you these things are bad? Is this true?

Look and feel into the relationship you have with this person, group or object you are judging. Do you feel closed off? Insulated? Separate? Understand this is a choice you have made based on the thoughts your mind filters. The choice may have been unconsciously made, but it was made all the same and can have an effect on how well your life flows (or, more likely, does not flow). Judgment is an energy that can keep you from living abundantly.

The planet is evolving. It is time to be conscious of all those things that hold us back from creating a new world--the world of our dreams. As long as we hold judgment, we block energy from flowing. Learn to let go of your judgment. Learn to let your heart be your guide.

~CSE