Page Title

Rachel Frances Gordon
And
The AngelTrust Foundation

Ask Rachel

This feature offers answers to your questions. If you have a question
about your process, or spiritual ideas or concepts in general that you
would like answered, please contact me by filling out the form, and
write your question in the messages box. I will post the question and
answer on this page (without identifying the questioner). -- Rachel

In the world in which we live I recognize it is important to state: Please note that the
information is deemed reliable, and should not be used in place of medical diagnosis.

More importantly, trust your intuition!    :)
--Rachel

Q. I often get moody and depressed, particularly when the sun isn't out.
Short of moving to a different climate, what can I do?

A. Before you move to another climate, consider this. The dynamics that create
moodiness and depression are energetic. They reflect the state of mind in
response to one’s current life and indicate that these circumstances have
compromised the relationship to one’s authentic Self.

When we are able to create and manifest our true expression without glitches,
negation, resistance or disrespect, we are nurtured by the flow of positive energy
and we experience effectiveness. In turn, we feel strong in ourselves, and our
core has room to grow and strengthen, giving us every opportunity to express and
create as our true Self. When the circumstances of our lives offer us the opposite,
we can feel suppressed and unable to find our true Self within.

Sometimes it can look like we are living in a situation that for all intents and
purposes is kind and supportive, and yet we are still depressed. In this case, the
situation may be supportive to us environmentally , but it is not conducive to the
expression and thriving of our true Self. Our soul is reflected through the
dynamics of our relationships with people, situations and our self.   If the
dynamics within one’s life offer a nurturing stream of encouragement to be who
we are, then the manifestation of the authentic Self is effortless. In this
environment a person feels strong, enthusiastic and resonant with and about their
life. However, if the dynamics in one’s life feel contrary, unsupportive, or
disappointing over a prolonged period of time, the core sense weakens, and the
external pressure undermines the sense of self. Depending on the individual
situation of a person and the imbalance in their life, depression will appear in
kind.

By nature, we are constantly growing and evolving. A situation or relationship
that feels supportive of our true Self in one or more cycles of our growth may feel
confining and dissonant to us in the next. Acceptance of this dynamic, and the
willingness to honor it, gives us the power to provide options for ourselves and
others, before we descend into depression.In his book Living the Authentic Life,
David A. Scott, describes depression as a coping mechanism for when life is not
what a person expected it to be. In this, we see that depression arises when the
inner expectations of the Self are in conflict with and unsupported by the external
circumstances of life. Understandably, the resulting feelings are of deep
disappointment and loss. In this, depression can be viewed as a creeping dis-ease;
slowly eating away at self esteem and a clear sense of self and purpose, which can
ultimately create a chemical imbalance in the brain. As the reservoir of faith in
our self is drained, it is replaced by a negative sense of self whereby we feel shut
down on all levels.

It is common to be told to get on with it, and so we push ourselves to forge ahead,
instead of reassessing what’s missing. However, depression is really a signal to
the self that we are not in right relationship with our true Self. Perhaps our lives
are not what we expected them to be, or they are not offering us the optimum
environment for our soul’s authentic expression. In either case, depression
demands that we assess our life and fine-tune it, so that it offers venues for our
true expression.

There is a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD, which identifies
the lack of sunlight as cause for seasonal depression. Nevertheless, people can be
depressed in sun-drenched environments as well. Clearly, the light we are missing
in depression is the inner radiant light of our authentic Self, reflected in our daily
lives.

Astro*carto*graphy, an astrological tool that indicates where one can find the most
positive planetary influences under which to live and activate the self, offers
another option for assessment. By calculating the birth chart overlaying the
astrological lines of the earth, one can discover an optimum place to find the light
at the end of the tunnel and live in it. (www.astronumerics.com).

*
Q. I'm a pretty introverted person, and I'm trying to reach out and connect
more with people. Yet, I find that when I do engage with people, too
many conversations are spent listening to people complaining or
gossiping, and I'm not really interested in that. What can I do?

A. The desire to belong is a very strong and basic need. Introverted or
extroverted, it is understandable to want to reach out and connect with people.
However, when you find yourself among company that feels discordant with your
own sense of self, it is a wonderful opportunity to make a choice: in your need to
belong, do you stay in the company that doesn’t feel comfortable to you, or do
you accept your awareness and honor your self, choosing not to succumb to what
feels untrue for you?

The need to belong is evident in all parts of society, as people are strongly
encouraged (and sometimes coerced) to be aligned with or defined by a group or a
community. In belonging to a group, there is a sense of support and safety.
Indeed, the collective thoughts and beliefs of a group can provide a supportive
environment for growth, but only initially and temporarily. Inherent in belonging
is also the seed of being controlled by the lowest common denominating needs of
the group. Hence, any kind of group affiliation is only a tool on the path to self-
actualizing. Optimally, it enables one to evolve beyond the level of consciousness
of the group en route to self-actualization. We may continue to find friends or
groups whose vibrational consciousness resonate with our level, until we feel
liberated from the need to belong to that particular group and move further on
our path of service to our self-actualization.

Religion, which thrives powerfully on the needs of belonging, can be likened to a
big bus that has the capacity to drive many up a mountain. But only so far. The
bus is limited by its sheer weight and size. At some point, if an individual wants to
reach the top, he or she has to get out of the bus and continue up the mountain
alone. If we can acknowledge friends or groups as vehicles to help us up the
mountain, we will not be disconcerted by their limitedness or temporality. We
can rejoice at the awareness that each connection reflects our position on the
path to the pinnacle of self-actualization (or God Realization).

The Chinese philosopher sage Lao Tzu, offers us this wise quote: “Man, like water,
seeks its own level.” Find comfort in the inner wisdom of the Self. If the
company you seek feels uncomfortable, seek further until it feels true. Even
then, the comfort level will serve you for only so long, then you will have to move
on again. We must move on and evolve. It’s the purpose of incarnating. To
remain stagnant signals the beginning of decay, which can ultimately lead to dis-
ease and death of the physical body.   The only time that movement is no longer
necessary is when you reach self-actualization, where the illusion of separateness
is dismantled and you are One with all.

Smile at the map of your interactions and trust your inner compass. It will guide
you to the top of the mountain.