Where am I?”
When you ask yourself this question, what is your initial answer? Some may respond with, “I am at work” or “I am in Wethersfield.” Others may say, “I am outside,” “I am inside,” or simply, “I am on Earth.”
“Where am I?” This seems like a simple, straightforward question. However, when you peel back the layers, you may find something more profound beneath the surface.
I Am Here
In Qi Gong practice, we learn to answer the question, “Where am I?” with the simple phrase “I am here.”
“How do I know I am here?”
“I can feel the rise and fall of my breath, I can feel the floor beneath my feet, I can feel the clothes on my skin.”
Through awareness of being, we tap into the vast network of energy that runs through our body, heart, and mind. The mantra, “I am here,” brings our awareness to the present moment. It helps us to shine a light on what our thoughts and emotions are manifesting.
Our Thoughts and Emotions Govern the Quality of Our Energy
The heart and mind are interlinked in a beautiful dance and each movement paints light and shadow across the ever-changing surface of our experience. When we have positive thoughts, our energy is light and airy. Negative thoughts yield heavy feelings.
Untended patterns of thought and emotion will replay the same results over and over again, leaving us feeling marginalized. We call it “Fate” and surrender to the power of it; we surrender our power to it.
Many of these patterns are acquired from our family and early life experiences. The goal of mindfulness is to see the patterns for what they are and then choose whether to continue replaying them. This is the Inner Alchemy of Awareness. We choose; we are not powerless.
The mental/emotional dance is the key to understanding these patterns. The mental feeds the emotional; the emotional is nourished by the mental. If our thought patterns are based on self-invalidation, unworthiness, and fear, we will inevitably encourage those emotions to join us on the dance floor.
It is said that we are born with two books. The first is the Silver Book. This one holds the story of our life. We can edit this book, but we cannot change it. Some people spend their entire lives arguing with this book.
The second book is the Gold Book. This one is empty. Within the confines of this binding, we hold our truest potential. Who we are and why we came here can be imagined on these pages. Here, we explore the stars, the cosmos, the depths of all that ever was or will be. We become the authors of our life. We are the Heroes and the Myth.
How Do I Know I Am Here? The Alchemy of Awareness
When suffering runs deep, the only thing that can be done is to bring awareness to it. Alchemize pain into peace by holding space for it without fear or disgust. Comfort the wounded places as a mother with her crying child would. Remember that the power to alter reality lies within our reach. “I am here” is a reminder that in this moment, there is nothing that cannot be changed through awareness.
Just as the heart and mind dance in patterns of powerful manifestation, so shall we dance with the inevitable flow of transformation and change. We all have the power to choose which songs we wish to sing. By shifting our attention from Silver to Gold, from powerlessness to mindfulness, we allow ourselves to write our own story in the book of our soul. Alchemize your experience by starting with the question… “Where Am I?” and you will find your truth waiting for YOU in this moment.
Erin Touponse is a Mystic Healing Reiki, is a Reiki Master/Teacher, Hypnotherapist, Pranic Healer, Tarot Scholar, and student of Shamanic studies. She is co-owner of The Blackbird House in Old Wethersfield and author of Soul’s Journey – A Practical Guide to Reading the Tarot. Her goal is to help you “awaken your inner healer.” Erin offers classes including Reiki, Tarot, and Master Healer Workshops.
Marcel Touponse is a Hypnotherapist, Sound Healer, Life Coach, and Tarot Reader. He co-owns The Blackbird House in Old Wethersfield and operates Blackbird Hypnosis. Marcel’s goal is to assist you in “becoming aligned with your mind.” He offers regular workshops on Self-Hypnosis and is available for small and large group tarot readings.