Seven Guides to Happiness and Peace by Shaman Elizabeth

Every decision based on fear is the wrong decision. Not because of the outcome, but because of its motive.
When we are young, life’s problems seem black and white. But as we grow older, life seems to become more complicated and the answers shrouded in shades of gray. But, as a shaman and spiritual practitioner moving into mid-life, I once again have started to see life as black and white, or rather that everything stems from two primal emotions: love or fear.
The shades of gray, which are reflected as fear, guilt, depression, and indecision can be remedied by acknowledging that as the creator of your dream, you cannot make decisions without bias or projecting your fears. You cannot see beyond your limited perspective without help from a guide who can see outside this dream, beyond your tiny scope, who knows the best outcome, not just for you, but for everyone.
How do you face situations when the answers seem beyond your understanding or ability? How do you go through life feeling comfortable you are on the right path, even when events don’t seem to be going your way?
Here are seven guides for living a happy and peaceful life:
When fearful, call for love. Call on the Spirit who transforms all that is fearful into love. Offer Him your fear and He will take it from you. You will feel the emotional transformation almost immediately, if you are willing to let it go. For a detailed explanation on how to give fear and other unwanted emotions to the Spirit, please read my blog post Meditation Techniques.
When making decisions, ask for divine guidance. Ask for help throughout the day when making decisions. And, then wait for guidance that may come in the form of a gut feeling, heart’s desire, knowing, or you may actually hear the quiet voice speak to you and offer Its guidance on how to handle the situation. The Spirit will help you respond in a loving way.
When you feel guilty, realize that you are responding from fear. Guilt can be immobilizing, infecting so many others aspects of your life. Guilt stems from the fear that you have created a situation that was harmful to others or yourself. It stems from a belief that this dream is real. Can such a temporary moment be real? Can anything that was not created from love be real? There is a message from the Spirit in my book Shaman Stone Soup that answers this well: “Guilt—the universal punishment. For what? What have you done? Illusions of deeds gone wrong, misspoken words, actions that seemed to kill or harm others, all are dreams of injuries to ourselves and others, and yet they are only dreams. The spirit realm, where all the loved ones wait, is a much more accurate portrayal of yourself. Yet even this is incomplete. You are ultimately only love, extending itself for all of eternity.”
Forgive. Remember that your life is a dream created by you. Don’t spend your time blaming others. And like any dream, it’s not real! Let it go. Remember that you and everyone are perfect spirits who have dreamed of imperfection. You are not your body, your actions, your failures. Remember to laugh at your mistakes—they are just a blip on the radar. Forgive every trespass that comes to your mind. Let them all go.
Remember Your Perfectness. You cannot achieve spiritual purity, you’re already a perfect spirit. All you can do is remove the thoughts that keep you from remembering your perfectness. A message from the Spirit in Shaman Stone Soup states: “We are all divine spirits, helping others on conscious and unconscious levels. The past, present, and future exist simultaneously—all lives, all events have already occurred—leaving you with memories of illusions that you pluck from the recesses of your mind. You have reached enlightenment because you have never left it. So, you have the ability to act as an angel, reaching out to others, offering miracles and love, now.”
Surrender. You are like a wave in the ocean, fearful that the ocean will swallow you, and you will be no more. Yet, you have been alive for eternity and always will be. Release your attachment to the dream you have made, and allow your true self, your eternal spirit, to shine through. Don’t fear being part of the ocean. Accept your role in this greatness, and you will realize how mighty you are, instead of how lonely and separated you feel.
Respond with love. Life is about learning to release and forgive everything that is not love. Every temptation to be anxious, guilty, or depressed is identification with fear—an attempt to make this dream real. Love is the recognition that you are an eternal being that can never be destroyed, attacked, or diminished in any way. When you respond with love, you remember your true self.