Sometimes change is as easy to accept as a new hat, a new identity, a new way of thinking, being, and doing, a new way of seeing the self and being seen. In a new hat one becomes a new person. Is it time for a new hat? A ritual time of transition is on the horizon. It may be the perfect time to make a switch, to take on a new you, to become who you truly are at heart. A new hat anyone?
-From the Soul Sisters, Jan & Jeanne
As we transition through our darkness there is always light!
– Photo by Jan Ketchel
Here is a channeled message from Jan and Jeanne. We hope that you will find this new audio format acceptable. We ask you to change with us, as we challenge ourselves to change. As a listener rather than a reader, there is the possibility of having a different experience, just as there is a different experience happening for the channeler. Each time you listen you might hear something new, something that you didn’t hear the last time you listened. You might also hear the fire crackling in the wood stove on this chilly morning! We hope these words offer helpful guidance as you go through the week ahead. Thanks for listening!
Here is a channeled message from Jeanne and Jan to begin the New Year, as we go through this time of transition and great potential for change. Time to take control of the self in a new way!
Be aware now of every step you take. Assert consciousness as your main motivator, as your main discipline and intention, as you go about your everyday lives. It is only in being consciously aware of the physical self at all times that one will grow with awareness.
Awareness involves not only asserting intention and discipline, but making a concerted effort to start a new practice. Begin this practice simply, by constantly bringing attention to the present, to your place in the world at each moment of life. Ask the self to remain aware and cognizant of what is truly happening, of what you are supposed to learn, and of where you are to go next.
Awareness requires maintaining alertness to the conditions of the self at all times, not in judgment, but only in asking the self to remain fluid at all times, knowing that this fluid self is the true self. Physically this means consideration of your inner state of being, bringing the self to calmness and balance within, while simultaneously attending to the physical self in appearance, composure, and mental attitude—in how you present yourself to the world.
Be guided by your inner knowing that the self in the world is comprised of physical self and spiritual self. The mental self is an aberration, not necessarily evolutionary, except in how you are able to control it. The mental self is the cause of much anxiety and trouble. Thinking that one is this way or that, in settling upon judgments and critiques of the self, one limits the capacity of the self to evolve. However, the physical self and the spiritual self, once the mental self is removed, will be freed to travel onward together in a new way.
For this time of transition that you now live through, I suggest deep work be accomplished on freeing the physical/spiritual self of the confines of the mind, what I call the mental self. In truth, this mental self is extremely limiting, though it also has great capacity to grasp and understand, and this is necessary for a greater understanding of how the physical and spiritual selves unite and work in tandem.
In order to free the mental self to be available for greater exploration, and so that it may work alongside the physical/spiritual selves, one must prepare the mind by first getting to know this mental self far more intimately and deeply. One must become aware of how it works; its machinations, its tricks, and its habits that you so easily latch onto, but that do not help the physical/spiritual selves to align and evolve. So, set the intent, as I mentioned, to remain consciously aware of how tricky this mental self can become. How it will make you think and believe things about the self that are limiting—making you conceive of the self as this or that—when in reality you are a physical and spiritual being largely captivated by the machinations of the mind, this mental self.
Study this mental self. Set the intent to continually question it, especially as to what it tells you about the self. Especially question the negative thoughts, the inflated thoughts, the big baby thoughts, the hateful and disgusting thoughts. You are not your thoughts, unless you allow them to control you! And so, I say: It’s time to free the self of the controlling mind. In order to do that you must get to know it VERY well! As your process proceeds, take over your mind. Allow it to be controlled by you, by your physical/spiritual self. Replace the old mental self, with a new mental self, by embedding new thoughts and positive information that is truthful and engaging of the true self, in alignment with the life you live, the life you have the potential for, and the life your physical/spiritual self so clearly desires.
In other words, get REAL with the self in all aspects of life. A transition time means that you have the opportunity for great strides to be made and that you can actually take advantage of this time to advance the self. You will not be held back by nature, as nature is in alignment with this transition too!
In order to get the self in alignment with this advancing energy, remind the self constantly to pay attention to each step you take, each thought you generate, and also of what is happening inside your physical body. You may not know it, but your physical body alone has far greater capacity to guide you through life than your mind. So pay attention to it!
Your New Year’s resolution should be this: I intend conscious awareness of self at all times, in all situations outside of the self, without distraction from the old mental self. I will pay attention to the body self and bring it into alignment with the spiritual self, the knowing self, which I will now free from bondage by letting go of the old mind speak.
This is what you are all charged with now: to free the true self to live more fully by shedding the old machinations of the mind—resentments, regrets, habits, and behaviors alike—as you learn to embrace a new mind and a new physical/spiritual self in alignment with each other and the world around you. You will discover that the world is waiting for this.
Just as nature knows exactly what to do every minute of every day, so do you. In physical/spiritual alignment you will be more flowing. Like nature, you will know how to be, act, and react. You will progress through your life without the constant barrage of input from the mind, which, as I said, is mostly limiting, negative, and unempowering. Until you free yourself of it, it will hold you back from your true self and your true potential to fully live.
Lose your mind in a new way. Consciously dismiss its old speak and open up to new waves of body thought, as well as new insights from the spiritual, knowing self. In removing the blockages of the old mental self, there is potential for new energetic information from the physical/spiritual self to flow into the self, resulting in better alignment and balance.
Do not be afraid of this new way of living and attending to business upon that earth. In this new practice of conscious body awareness, you will discover your true potential, and you will be less afraid to more fully become the physical/spiritual self that you truly are.
And so, I end with this final missive: Only in releasing the relentless grip of the mind will you and all of mankind evolve. Free the self, one step at a time, to accept a new way of thinking, acting, and being in the world. It’s not really that hard. Once you begin, you’ll find yourself accepted and received in the world differently, for you will be like nature itself, more flowing, naturally in alignment, within yourself and within the world.
If you truly desire to make an impact in your own life, in your body self, and in the world around you, the first step is to change the self in this natural way. With practice and discipline you will achieve your goals. Pay attention to your body. That’s where to begin!
Happy New Year and Happy Travels as you begin the next adventure of your life!
Here is the channeled message from Jeanne for this week. Also look for Jan and Chuck’s blogs to be posted on Wednesday and Friday, according to our usual schedule. Have a great week!
Did you make it? Are you there? Did you reach some resolution on an important issue or decision? Do you feel like you’ve finally found the right answer?
Even so, keep in mind that backsliding is normal, that return to old sentiments, old desires, and old commitments is par for the course, until you are done. Keep in mind also that you’ve already traversed this territory so many times before, and so perhaps you really are done with backsliding. In all cases, acknowledge the progress made, the path already taken, and keep going, for no matter what, there is nowhere else to go except forward.
Do not allow life and growth to be curtailed now, for this is the energy of the changing time. You are all in it, whether you want to be or not. Whether you’ve planned for change or simply found yourself in a changing situation, know that it must be accepted and be made useful in your inevitably changing life.
Determine now that you are wholeheartedly accepting of a new journey and take measured, disciplined, thoughtful steps along that journey each day. Gather your energy and proceed, seeking your wholeness, in increments, as you gather your wits and your knowing about you.
Life is an ever-changing journey. Learn to flow with what comes and your fulfillment will loom large before you. You might not recognize it at first, for it often comes in unexpected ways, but in the long run you will know it by the tremor of its cadence and the stirrings of your heart in resonance. You will also know it by the utter calmness that comes over you. If those tremors and stirrings of resonance and that calmness do not appear to greet you, then just keep going. Your heart, the great listener and interpreter of all things, will tell you when it’s time to accept your new direction and your greater self. Whether you journey alone or with another, always use your heart as your guide.
In this time of resolution and change, in this time of movement and decision making, seek always the feelings of your heart, the knowledge of your inner being, to stabilize, aid, and ground you. Keep in mind that always your journey is endless—there is always new life to come.
Keep all doors open ahead of you, even as you close those behind you. And know that you will, by the guidance of your inner you, if truthfully accepted, find your way forward.
Do what you have to do, but do it with love and compassion, with gentleness and caring. Treat all people as you wish to be treated. Be brave and daring, but be cautious and concerned too. Be strong, but also be soft. Be disciplined and resolute, but also flowing. This is how your changing self, in your changing world, will manage this transition time with aplomb. Happy journeying!
Grab onto the energy of now and use it to your fullest advantage—to change!
Jan Ketchel channeling Jeanne Marie Ketchel
Dear Jeanne,
I must say, I have lately been feeling that we must be in a time of powerful transition, or at least that’s what it feels like. The energy feels really good and flowing, but at the same time it offers much change, and change always brings its own challenges. In light of that, what message of guidance do you offer us today?
Change in itself is not the issue, for change happens constantly. What is the issue during times of transition—as you intuit this current phase to be, and correctly I might add—is whether or not the choice to flow with the energy will be allowed.
This is a time now of energetic shift, but it is up to each individual to grab onto the energy being offered and use it to personal advantage, irrespective of the needs of others. I do not mean to imply that one skirt duties or neglect that which must be attended to in every day life as concerns others, but I do suggest that each one of you has a personal agenda in life and it is important to pay attention to that personal journey.
During times of transition, opportunities to stay the course, to shift and gain momentum will be offered. Many choices will be offered. Awareness teaches that to be offered an opportunity is not rare, but to notice each opportunity may be quite challenging, as often opportunities come clothed in disguises.
You must each look at your self to determine how your personal opportunities for change are being presented. Often they are not as clearly stated or structured as one would like, but instead must be realized through the process of inner work. And that is today’s message of guidance, My Dear Ones: stay innerly focused on your personal energy no matter what calls from without. This is a time to stay innerly centered and calm, to indeed feel the energy of transition, but in order not to waste it one must take it inside and work it within the realm of personal energy, personal goals, and personal needs.
I have made many suggestions over the past few years regarding inner work. It is not too hard to begin the process again if some time has lapsed. Each time that you go outside of the self, departing from the inner self, the compunction of the inner self grows stronger, so that when you return you will be greeted like a long lost friend, made welcome again, and be invited to stay longer. This inner determination grows at each return. It is your anchoring place and once found it will be difficult to totally reject its call.
Quiet moments alone are a most necessary aspect of growth. I suggest that you accept this most important fact and allow your inner voice to meet you on common ground, where your ego self feels safe and relaxed and your inner self may be more clearly heard. Find time for such inner work and you will realize not only your challenges but also your inner goals, the spiritual ones.
I spoke earlier of disguises and by this I mean that your challenges may come in one form but actually mean quite the opposite. You may get invited to participate in life outside of you, but the real challenge may be to turn from it and say, no, I must remain alone and quiet today. I must become more familiar with my inner self and allow my ego self to go dormant for a while. I must also take off my ego disguise in order to meet my inner true self. I must allow my outer disguise to be left in the closet as I allow my innocence, my vulnerability, and my calmness to accompany me through this energetic time.
This is a very personally centered energy time and if you are ready to be personally focused and accountable, truthfully open and honest with the self, you may grow exponentially over the next few weeks. But, as I always say, it’s up to you! Are you ready to confront the truths of the self? If you are, have a most interesting journey. And if you aren’t, have a most interesting journey too! Either way, your experiences in life will give you what you need to grow.
Be sure to ask the self questions as you have your experiences. Find out what they mean to you personally. “Why am I having this experience at this moment?” you might ask. “What have I been thinking about, caught by or needing? Why did I receive this answer to my question? What is the real message? Where does this lead me? What is my challenge today?” These are all good questions to ask as you encounter what you must.
Good luck as you take your journeys, My Dears. And remember that is what you are supposed to be doing: taking a journey, growing, and evolving.
NOTE: As I was channeling this message at 7 a.m., and as I finish typing it up now, the air outside my windows is full of the happy sounds of baby robins. It almost appears as if a big transition is taking place in nature; all of the nesting birds seem to be leaving their nests simultaneously. I look at this synchronicity in light of the other feelings I have lately been experiencing regarding the energy and as regards Jeanne’s message today. Looking out onto the deck I saw what appeared to be a large flock of baby robins, chirping loudly, some of them being fought off by the bluebirds nesting in a box in a nearby tree. The bluebirds, not quite at the point of transition, still have a lot of work to do inside the nest, inner work to prepare for their day of transition. The robins are loud and cheery, extroverted and eager for their journeys in the world, singing the joys of transition. Both energies are equally vital and alive, equally necessary, when the time is right.-Jan
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