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7 Ways to Traverse Your Way Through Any Transition, by Servet Hasan

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

None of us can escape loss. Life's challenges are universal and eventually will find us. Whether you're moving to a new city, leaving for college, or experiencing a divorce in your family, having life throw a major curve ball can leave us longing for the way things used to be. Yes, there is often grief and pain associated with these transitions, especially the surprise attackers, such as losing a job, or discovering we have a serious illness. It doesn't matter whether a life transition evolves slowly over time or is forced by an unexpected event; we have to plunge ourselves into purgatory. Life transitions can be periods of enormous personal and psychological growth. Instead of falling into fear or avoidance, we can realize that every change we face—even the most difficult and painful—gives us an opportunity to receive the miraculous gift of self-realization. It is a golden opportunity to reinvent ourselves and find wholeness in our lives.

Just when you think you've fallen completely to pieces, your inner guidance system can and will help you understand that loss is only what you make of it. Rather than deny it, become a victim, or reach for whatever addiction you feel may cover up the agony, you can actually learn to embrace your pain. In so doing, you will realize that everything that happens to you, every situation in which you find yourself, represents a lesson that could teach you how to take the next step forward in the actualization of your selfhood. Growing up is all about learning to leave some things behind in order to embrace the new. In fact, transition periods can become some of the most exciting, creative, and even liberating times of our lives. They can become catalysts for our personal evolution by forcing us to face every issue we have ever avoided facing, thereby uncovering the essential truth about who we really are. This is the true meaning of spiritual renewal.

If you are in the middle of a transition, take a deep breath and know that by supporting yourself during this time you are setting the stage for a brilliant new phase in your life. In my book, Life in Transition: An Intuitive Path to New Beginnings, I suggest many ways in which you can not only move past the fear and embrace the change, but come out on the other side better and stronger than ever. Below are seven suggestions for moving through any life challenge.

1. One Day at a Time. If you are feeling overwhelmed, it's time to change time zones. When you stop stewing over the past and fretting about the future you will suddenly find that your challenges are much more manageable. Focus on what you can do in the moment each day, here and now. When chaos is swirling around you, your normal routine will become a stabilizing force. Just getting up, getting dressed, and going to work can provide you with a sense of comfort. Naturally, there will be some routines that change with your transition, but try to hold on to as many as you can so you don't lose your footing entirely. Every change brings something new and beautiful into your life. Simply do the best that you can every day and take time to be kind to yourself. Go slow. Rest. Eat well. If you had the flu, you would make time to heal; it's no different in cases of the heart and soul.
2. Why...Not. I get it. I for one have an almost obsessive need to know why something happened, because I don't handle ambiguity well. But I've learned the hard way that the answer is not always what I think it is, and it sometimes takes months or years to discover why I went through what I went through. I have also come to realize that many of my perceived failings were simply that: perceived failings. And sometimes transitions just can't be analyzed and thought out. Someone telling you that everything happens for a reason usually doesn't help; even if it does, it doesn't help you move past it. Often, there is no logical explanation and it doesn't really matter why it happened. Let's face it: life is not fair. And if you really want to know what you did to deserve what happened to you, the only answer would be that you were born. You can't change the past; all you can do is learn from it and move on.
3. Be Optimistic. A shift in perspective can work miracles. I know it's easier said than done, but try to focus on the positive aspects of this life-changing situation. The healing process has a beginning, a middle, and an end. You will get better. You will survive. Saying affirmations by rote won't help, but if you can find one that resonates with you, stick with it. Some thoughts to help you through a troubled time may be, "This too shall pass," or, "I know things will get better," or, "When life gives me pits, I plant them and grow cherry trees." Anything that helps you look at the bright side and move through the crisis is beneficial. Remember that God's rejection is also God's protection.
4. Listen to Your Intuition. Your intellect is how you process your challenges, but your intuition is how you will experience them, and ultimately walk through them. Knowledge can help you understand the pain, but it's your inner voice that will guide you towards the wisdom you will gain from it. No matter how subtle the changes and shifts you are going through may seem, you must sit quietly and listen intently to your gut reactions. When you don't know what to do next, your internal guidance system will naturally lead you to the next step, whether or not it seems logical at the time. Let your heart guide you. It generally knows what's best for you long before your brain does.
5. Don't Force Yourself to Heal. Being in a transition of any kind is a process. You can't walk around it, or slide under or over it; you have to move through it. Some people will fight the process tooth and nail, so they can hurry up and get to the other side. You can try that. But eventually your psyche will fight back, usually by becoming angry or depressed, anxious or physically sick for much longer than necessary. Accept, and if possible embrace, the changes you are encountering. They are all part of the body's natural healing process. You may think you know what stage you are in within the transition, but then again, maybe you don't. The unsettled feelings that come with transition are uncomfortable, but you can't jump ship at the first sight of land. You want to plant yourself firmly on a solid foundation and not a sinking island. Allow yourself to mourn meaningfully. You might as well do it right the first time.
6. Take Time to Go Inward Every Day. Surrender to the fact that the Universe may have a better plan for you. Take time to allow yourself to make room for miracles to happen. It doesn't matter what your faith may be, but it is imperative that you seek the still, quiet voice within. Grieving your old life, even in minor transitions, is to be expected. You are simply letting go of all that was and all that might have been. This is normal and an important part of the healing process. If possible, write down your feelings and then write some more. Journaling is so cathartic during life transitions; it is good for your soul to release your churned-up emotions.
7. Find Support. If you start to feel as if you are no longer in control; have a history of emotional difficulty; or find that you are turning to drugs, alcohol, or other abusive substances, it's time to reach out and get help. There is no shame in asking someone to help you maneuver the bumps you will encounter. Asking for help is not a cop out, or a sign of weakness; in fact, it takes a great deal of courage to ask for assistance when you need it. Also, finding others that have gone through a similar loss can provide a great deal of support and guidance. Just remember that anyone can offer you advice, but only you know what is right for you.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2014. All rights reserved.

I play guitar in a band, and the other night while we were practicing, something strange happened. It was late and we were all pretty tired and feeling mellow. We were working on a new song, and I was sort of experimenting with different chords and melodies when I started to play in a whole new style. For several minutes I played like a master! It was music I've never heard before, and I have no idea how I knew how to play it! It sounded more like classical guitar than the rock I usually play. Now I'm wondering if this is some past life memory, or if maybe I was channeling the spirit of a great guitarist. Ever since then, I seem to be able to play all sorts of new music at a higher level of skill. What do you think?

- Rob

Dreamchaser:

Rob, first let me congratulate you on discovering a new level of talent inside of yourself. I am SO glad you asked this question, because it lets me address something that I have wanted to explore here for some time now.

Everyone has some talent, hobby or activity that helps them connect to Spirit/ God/ the Universe/ whatever name you want to use. When we are connected to that energy, to that one source, we feel this flow of knowledge and energy that is like nothing else.

It's what I call being in the zone. It happens to me when I'm giving a reading, meditating or working out. It obviously happens to you when you are playing your music. We are some of the fortunate ones who get to earn a living being in the zone. So you are not only channeling past life memories from when you were a musician, you are also tapping into the energy of All That Is.

Imagine a river where every single thought, piece of information, piece of knowledge, and everything that IS flows without end. Every single bit of information that exists flows in this river.

Now imagine that you could go and stick your head in the water. By immersing yourself in this river of knowledge, you would gain access to all sorts of new stuff. THAT is what is happening when we go into the zone.

When you're playing now, you leave behind your ego and allow your soul to take over. You allow yourself to just BE. In that state of being, you have discovered this whole new level of experience.

It was there all along - you just had never allowed your mind to get out of the way so that you could access this incredible level of knowledge. Now that you have discovered it, it's becoming your new norm. That's why you continue to play at that new level with ease.

I love to go to concerts and listen to musicians who are clearly in the zone. I got to see Eric Clapton this past year, and I really enjoyed watching him leave this world for the zone.

He throws his head back, his mouth drops open, his eyes close, and he is GONE. Then he starts a 10-minute long, absolutely amazing guitar solo. I can see him ascending through these levels of musical knowledge as I watch him on stage.

I think if you continue to flow like this, you'll be able to access this same level of genius. Just enjoy riding the rapids of this river, for that's what all masters do.

I wish you great success and much happiness to go along with it!

*****

Astrea:

From your description of what happened, you could be channeling a musical spirit or remembering music you played in other incarnations. This could even be a combination of both factors.

Most great musicians and artists I know have indeed had past lives when they were involved in the kind of creative process they feel compelled to explore in this incarnation.

Given the discipline and creativity that go into becoming a great artist, most of us don't have what it takes the first time around. Of course, if you hadn't developed all the skill you have in THIS incarnation, you probably would not have been able to play so masterfully no matter who you were channeling.

If you don't feel that you're tapping into a past life, and you sense that you're being visited by someone who is trying to help you, be sure to find a way to thank that entity.

Perhaps you could make a small donation to a nursing home for elderly entertainers, or even volunteer once a week to help out. Find someone in your community whose life was spent in the music world who needs help with their home or their pets. Walk the dog, take out the cat, make them some meals. This will ensure that the gift you're getting keeps on coming.

Here's another possibility: perhaps you have a spirit guide who was a great musician in other lives. While playing like a master naturally takes a lot of practice, this guide is showing you how you could play all the time if you really apply yourself.

You wrote that this happened when you were feeling mellow. Being relaxed does open us up to Spirit, so try to recapture your feelings at the time this occurred. Remember how you were breathing, and how easy it all felt when this music flowed through you.

Personally, I'm fervently hoping that you were channeling my great friend Malcolm Brian Smith, who died of a sudden heart attack at the Texas Renaissance festival in 1997 when he was only 43. It sounds like you could be to me!

At first Malcolm worked through people he had known when he was alive, but since not many of them were very receptive to that kind of thing, he began to reach out to strangers. Now he's working through various living musicians to get the music out. (So are Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon and Mozart!)

Hopefully, you can tap into the feeling of channeling to help your musical career. Please try to record the music that flows through you at these times either electronically or on paper so that others can enjoy this wonderful blessing too.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.