Archive for February, 2009

Here is an excerpt from the class workbook, “Undefined Reality” by Jan Toomer.

(Music by Victor Stella “Glacial Epoch” – music.podshow.com. Sound effects by Aquasonic, freesound.org.)

Jan Toomer

Podcast: Download

If your meditation/visualization does not contain a grounding at the end, it’s a good idea to get in the habit of doing it yourself.

If you don’t ground after meditation/visualization or energy work, you may feel off balance, klutzy or spacey. Grounding helps with this.

Other grounding activities are doing something physical – gardening, swimming, hiking or playing with Spot outside.

(music by Sara Ayers; sound effects by BristolStories)

Jan Toomer

Podcast: Download

Shielding is a form of protection. We are bombarded with energy daily, and a lot of it, we don’t really want.

I recommend that beginners shield as often as possible – preferably at the top of the hour – to become well practiced at it.

I also highly recommend that everyone shield before meditation/visualization exercises, and before doing any energy work.

(music by Sara Ayers; sound effects by BristolStories: freesound.org)

Jan Toomer

Podcast: Download

Below is a meditation exercise. Please shield before doing this exercise.

Because of the size of this file, there is only a short pause between ‘steps’. Please pause your player in between, allowing yourself any time you need to complete each step.

(Music by Crystal “Gypsy Blue Lotus”, music.podshow.com; sound effects by BristolStories, freesound.org.)

Jan Toomer

Podcast: Download

“An Unconventional Journey on Finding My Lost Dog” by Liz Cook.

A heart wrenching story of a much loved pet stolen from the Cook family.

Liz Cook journaled her experiences in working to find her dog – using both earthly and spiritual means – and shares with the reader some lessons she learned while on this journey.

Liz has graciously allowed this book to be viewed here, free. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

View here – An Unconventional Journey on Finding My Lost Dog.

Jan Toomer
February 25, 2009

Empaths – or those with empathic abilities – can feel or sense someone else’s emotions…sometimes as if they themselves owned those emotions.

This depends on the degree of their empathic ability. Strong empaths can absorb the emotions and/or feelings of those around them (or even the residue of someone else’s emotions). Other, not as strong empaths, can usually sense others emotions.

With that being said, I am now going to step up onto my soapbox….

Someone recently sent me some keywords to look up on empathy. I was horrified by some of what I saw!

Some people look at empathic abilities to be linked with mental illness or mental instability!

Okay, I am all for ‘everyone has the right to their own beliefs’ – but this one does not set well with me. First, if you are just investigating the possibility that you are empathic and run across these kinds of statements….ouch!

I am going to explain why else this kind of thinking bothers me.

A mother usually exhibits empathic abilities – in varying degrees – with her child. “Mother’s instinct” is acceptable, and not considered mental instability.

Most pets are empathic. “Picking up” on their owners moods, feelings, emotions seems to be acceptable. I am pretty sure it’s not mental illness.

Soldiers, police/peace officers, etc. are often heard relying on “gut instinct” or “gut feelings” – and it often can save lives. So, when they pick up emotions, feelings, etc. from others, is it that they are mentally unstable?

Come on….

Another angle on this is that perhaps mental instability arises from the fact that empaths – in varying degrees (meaning not every empath) – can sense/feel others emotions so strongly, it may make it difficult for the empath to distinguish between their own feelings and those belonging to someone else.

(Getting down off my soapbox…)

Extremely sensitive empaths may get overwhelmed by too many outside emotions; I will agree with that. Shielding (protection exercise – can see the shielding exercise here) can help reduce the act of absorbing so much of others’ emotions.

But being empathic BECAUSE you’re mentally ill?

Please – be real.

Jan Toomer
February 18, 2009