The True Essence of Free Choice: Navigating the Shadows to Embrace Authentic Freedom

I recently attended a seminar with a well-known woman who channels Source. The notions of “if I can feel it, I can have it” and that we “choose” all that is present in our lives, got me thinking about how triggering this can be for those who have experienced significant trauma in their lives and how important shadow work is in order to embody the freedom that is required to truly choose our experiences.

As we are all co-creating together, we cannot always control the things that happen to us, we can only choose how we experience what is present in our lives. Even so, often it may seem that we are ‘choosing’ love, connection and joy in our lives, but in fact deeply hidden patterns and beliefs, our ways of seeing and being with ourselves and others, are driving our thoughts and behaviour unconsciously, affecting what actually shows up in our lives.

Much stems from the coping mechanisms we have developed as a result of traumatic experiences in our childhood, as well as generational patterns we inherit from our families, our communities and society. Until we shine the light of our awareness, illuminating these subconscious ways, our “choice” is not as it appears.

Shadow work is hard. Uncovering what is hidden means we need to be willing to face something we have buried for good reason. Often we need therapeutic support in order to feel safe to go to these places within us and understand where our unconscious beliefs are coming from. Wallowing in our story may not be helpful but all of our feelings, wherever they lie on the vibrational scale, are emotional cues, portals we don’t want to bypass as they usually lead us right to where there is a piece calling to be seen, heard, loved or held in order to heal.

If we turn towards them, we are more likely to find the work we need to do, tenderly holding those parts that are fearful or ashamed or anxious, and integrating them so we can make choices from our real ‘inner being’. Only then do we have true freedom to choose how we respond to what life brings and shift the lens through which we experience the world. The gratitude we feel is then authentic and from here, what we co-create with Spirit is truly powerful.