​Inspiration for the Week - Freedom from Negative Thoughts, Shanta Gabriel, 8 January 2024

This message from Archangel Gabriel suggests a useful practice that allows us to create a time frame in which we cease judging ourselves.

The Gabriel Message Card for this Week

Give yourself a fast from negative thoughts about yourself.

This card always shows up at opportune moments when I notice I am being less than compassionate with myself. This attitude is a very old habit.
 
Over the years, it appeared as if I thought being relentless in my criticism about myself would somehow make me better. My ego must have wanted to ensure that I was doing "it all correctly." This made me live in a very contracted state, and of course I attracted people that would step right in and add more judgments in case I relaxed my vigilance.

It was during the millennium shift when I received a brilliant gift from the Universe, disguised as the loss of everything I held dear. At that critical juncture, I realized that if ever I needed compassion, that was the time. I also started giving myself more permission to be authentic and live in my truth. I noticed that when I would back off from my critical mind, my heart would open, and I felt more love for all things — including myself. It was a new experience.
 
It is clear that if being very critical and hard on myself could create my enlightenment, it would have happened long ago. What my spirit needs is tenderness and support. It takes a different kind of vigilance to be aware of my habitual thoughts about myself and my world. My feelings let me know. When I'm hard on myself, I feel awful. There's the first clue. I go out of my way now to be as kind to myself as I am with others. Usually, I am very kind to other people and give them the benefit of my love and compassion. This is what I need as well.
 
Sometimes I just put my hand on my heart when I notice my thinking has gone off the love track. (This is the Quick Coherence Technique from HeartMath.org.) That simple gesture brings me back into a loving place with myself and helps me attune to the One Heart within all beings. Just touching myself kindly in this way is also very soothing to my inner self, as well as my mammalian body.
 
Synchronicity was demonstrated beautifully after I wrote the above paragraph. I went to my email, and there from HeartMath was an article about the importance of self-love. When this happens, I love it. It helps me to know that I am in tune. Here is a portion of the article:
 
Self-love means being more compassionate, patient and accepting of ourselves. It means choosing to make self-care a priority. The idea of self-love might feel a bit awkward, but it is not selfish. It is necessary. As we get better at self-love, we feel more confident and understand that self-love and loving others is simply a reflection of our deepest essence.
 
A little child thrives when she is adored and encouraged. The same is true of our inner spirit. We need to be our greatest cheerleader and supporter in life. The steps we take to give ourselves the benefit of our love and reassurance will lift our vibrational frequency, making it safer and even easier to feel love about ourselves and the world.
 
It begins with our thoughts and our intention to stay in a loving, accepting place with ourselves, honoring the tender innocence within us. Often all it takes is the willingness to give to us the compassion and kindness that we truly deserve.

Know that you are totally lovable and worthy of all that is good. If that does not resonate with you, here is an easy three-step process to change your thinking:

1. Place your hand on your heart and breathe.
2. Now into your heart, on the in-breath, receive Love and Compassion from the Source of all Life, from the Angels, and most of all, from yourself.
3. Exhale, then check inside and notice how much better you feel. 

Divine Presence,
 
May I always remember how much I deserve love. Help me to bring that love into my heart and use it to care for myself in new and empowering ways. May I be as patient with myself as I am with a kitten and take care of myself in the same way.

Inspire within me compassion and respect for all life and especially help me to be accepting and compassionate with me. May I remember that as I give more love to myself, the way opens so that all of humanity will have the ability to give themselves more love.

From that place of Love in our hearts, all of life benefits. And so it is.

The Gabriel Messages Book #39

Give yourself a fast from negative thoughts about yourself.

Dear One,
   
You are being asked to give yourself a fast from negative thoughts about who you think you are. Nothing wears down your sense of self more than this type of negative thinking. It is debilitating in every way. This is a good place to start in order to affect other areas of your life.
   
A fast is a period in which you refrain from some activity. Most people are familiar with a food fast, which allows the digestive system a period of recovery. The same is true for a mental fast. It gives your mind time to recover so you can begin to see the truth in your life without judgment.
   
The judgmental mind is relentless, constantly seeking out inadequacies to bring them to your awareness. Although shining light into the dark corners of your mind is beneficial, bombarding yourself with negative thoughts, even if you believe them to be true, serves no good purpose. 

Practice:
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So what can you do when incessant thoughts such as, "I should have done better," "I'm not good enough," and other negative impressions of your personal character that begin in your mind?
   
Go to God first. Ask to know the truth clearly within yourself. Call on the Angels to illuminate your mind with Love and Light. Ask for peace in your heart and then offer all your thoughts to the Divine Mind.
   
During your meditations and prayers, take time to visualize these as limiting thoughts you no longer need. Place them in a box and do something creative with them. Sink them to the bottom of the ocean. Send them to heaven in a colorful balloon. Explode them like a fireworks display or put them on a shelf somewhere in your mind's attic. Find an image that works for you and purposefully send the negative thoughts out of your conscious mind.
   
It is a law of nature that empty spaces become quickly filled, so remember to fill your now empty mind with light. Light is love energy from the Source of all life. Light contains the seeds of truth that will stimulate loving thoughts. You can elaborate on this by imagining that your mind is a golden chalice being filled with God's love.
   
Repeat this entire process as often as needed until you are no longer willing to tear yourself down and treat yourself unkindly. Instead, see yourself as you truly are — a beloved child of God; a spirit in human form; a clear vessel able to hold the highest possible level of truth; a beautiful, loving being shining Love into the world.
   
You can also turn these statements of truth into affirmations or statements of "I AM," and they will become potent reminders, enabling you to strengthen you connection to your divine essence. There is great power in the words "I AM". You can substitute these or similar affirmations whenever you notice your mind engaged in negative self-talk. Here are some examples:
 
I AM one with God. I AM peaceful and loving. I AM aligned with my Soul Purpose. I AM inspired with thoughts which serve my highest good. I AM relaxed and at peace. I AM enjoying an abundant lifestyle. I AM offering all my work to the Divine Presence and I AM fulfilled.
 
Have these or other phrases ready to quickly turn to, as soon as you notice negative thoughts creeping in. Don't worry if you don't believe your words at first. This is just the resistance of old habits of thought, and these habits can be changed.
   
Begin now to treat yourself with kindness and compassion. Remember that you are profoundly loved. Know that Angels embrace you in wings of pure light and see you as a beautiful, radiant spirit here to bring love to the world. This is who you really are, so please remember your guidance from Archangel Gabriel for today:  

Give yourself a fast from negative thoughts about yourself.

Copyright © Shanta Gabriel. These messages can be shared as long as they are used in their entirety and proper credit is given for the work. I love people to be able to share the work with others. www.shantagabriel.com/