I had a problem. No matter where I turned, I was always giving my energy away. Do you do that? Support everyone around you, emotionally and energetically? Feeling and blessing them constantly, only to feel neglected and looked down upon when you engage with them?

Here I was, uplifting them so they could feel amazing, only to be treated as someone less valuable than them. I was all give and no take. So stick with me in this post. We are going to focus on bringing back your incredible light energy and stop playing small in your life.

I am a strong believer that giving is more important than receiving. I tell my kids to be generous and it will come back ten-fold, but it gets to a point where you have nothing left for yourself. And when there is nothing left for yourself, bad things are going to happen. To everyone.

I felt this shift. Something was feeling off to me. I knew that I had given others more energy than they knew what to do with. But instead of being humble and grateful, the energy had turned them into feeling as though they were better than everyone else around them, including me. This is not always their fault, and I have yet to really break this down to understand the interaction of our energies, but I'm working on it.

As I reflected on this I realized that there was a pattern here. Once I had given away all my energy, all my light, there was nothing left for me. I began to feel as though my own life was lacking. I was sluggish and not fulfilling my own dreams. Instead, I was feeding the people around me with no thought of myself.

Now, I’m not saying you shouldn't support your friends and family. Doing so is a wonderful thing and I believe it is a must; but when you take your foot off your own gas pedal to fuel another ego — well, that always backfires. You see it all the time in relationships- one person sets out on the journey to fulfill their dreams and the other partner supports them through the entire process, only to be discarded at the end.

Once I realized that I was just giving away my life force, (and you will know you're doing this because it’s like a punch to the gut) I knew I had to pull my energy back in and give myself a little “me time”. Not that kind of me time, but that doesn’t hurt either. 😉

So first, I cried. Then I cried some more. Then I cried because I felt angry at myself. Then I was sad again. And then mad again that I had allowed myself to be fed on like a plate of pasta at a carb festival. Then I cried again.

And this was only the first 3 minutes.

Once I let these emotions wash through me, unabashedly, without holding them or without identifying with them, I knew I had to take a dose of my own medicine- all the tips and tools that I share right here with you amazing people, my tribe!

First, I knew I had to be alone. My inner-critic and my vicious inner bodyguards were out. They were ready to fight, argue, and attack anyone that was in my way. My husband could feel my entourage of protectors ready to launch a fight. I could hear his balls shriveling up from across the room. He knows to stay away from me when this side of me is out.

So I took my dog for a walk to get some alone time and some space. And fortunately for me, I can do so in nature.

As I walked, I began to command all of my energy that I had left with other people, in other places to come back to ME.

After stopping for the dog to sniff every patch of new grass it walked on, I chanted in my head, “Bring all my energy back to me clean and clear. Bring all my energy back to me clean and clear.”

I kept saying this under my breath. And I said it with all my passion of being angry and feeling used. Slowly, I started to shift those emotions into passion, into strength, into power. Then feeling and imagining my energy flowing to me effortlessly filling every part of my being up. I’m no longer playing small. If you can’t handle the light, then go play in another room. This was a great way to focus my intention. And as you can see intention is key to everything we do, people.

Again, I commanded, “bring all my energy back to me clean and clear.”

After about 20 minutes of this, I started to feel a little better. I started to feel my energy return to me. I wanted to do more for myself. I had my headphones in so I could listen to a meditation, but instead, the universe brought me a video by Sadhguru. It was called, “How Not to Let Ugly Situations Mess You Up.” You can watch it HERE.

I love this guy. I love listening to people that just resonate with me. I can feel that his intentions are good and so are his messages. As I listened to his video, I was instantly reminded that it doesn’t matter what happens to you, or what other people say. What matters is how you choose to react.

I reminded myself that I was not a victim, instead, I was simply playing that old program again. You know, the one that says, “don’t be too bright, don’t show that you know too much, play small, and just be quiet and let someone else do it, or you're going to get in trouble.” That program is bullshit to me! 

You cannot be successful and give away all your energy. I’m not talking about giving away love, I’m not talking about caring too much, I’m talking about your personal energetic sacrifice that you are making because you're running a subconscious program that says, “if you are too powerful, if you are number one, no one will love you. You will be alone and discarded.”

And again... that’s bullshit.

So, as his video continued, I continued to bring my light back to me -- filling myself back up every step of my walk. Well at least in between bending over and picking up my dog’s shit. But reminding myself to be in the moment with all my fucking senses.

By the time I finished doing this, I felt whole again. I continued to walk with ease and in the spirit of self-care. I reminded myself of all the things I preach here: I am not my emotions. I am not this body. I am light having a fucking human experience.

Truth be told, I wasn’t ready to jump in and be one hundred percent grateful yet, even after all of this. It was more like I had shifted into neutral. Although my face looked like Rocky Balboa fighting his last match because I was so puffy from crying earlier. Or I was stung by a bee, I can’t remember. It doesn’t matter, at least I wasn’t carrying around all those toxic feelings anymore.

When I got home, I was fortunate that I was greeted by my smiling daughter whom I was able to give a big hug. I no longer carried those negative emotions from before and I was able to receive her love freely and openly.

Now, here is the magic part. While I was walking I booked two clients, and then another two while making myself a cup of coffee when I got home. How cool is that? Just by bringing back my energy and not pushing away my feelings, but purging them instead, it actually brought me success. A small success, but still a good success. Imagine what more I can do!

Listen, we’re all in this together, playing and trying to figure shit out. But if I can give you one piece of advice from all this, don't play small for other people. Don't dim your light to make others feel comfortable. Because when you're breathing your last breath, no one cares or can see that you sacrificed your light for nothing. Being small, or invisible, doesn’t get you a ribbon in the end.

Live your life to the fullest. Live as an example. Choose to be happy. Choose to be you. Make your own experiences. Don’t be a virtual lighthouse for other people to siphon off of your soul.

I hope this gives you the permission you need to bring your energy back to you so you can shine like a mother f@#$er. Because trust me, it feels good! With that, know that you will find a tribe that will match your new frequency, and hopefully, that tribe is with us.

Until next time, I’m Marisa Grieco, Your Mystical Guide.

You’ve probably heard the term thrown around, whether from friends or your local yoga class, but what exactly IS it? Well, actually it's very simple. Your higher self is just a more evolved version of you, it’s the truest form of your being that is connected to the highest realm. I know, don’t get all bent out of shape with those terms. Your higher self is your hotline to the universe and everything the universe has to offer, no matter what you want to call that. It is anchored to your physical body and when listened to, it is a source of unlimited wisdom and knowledge. When you get right down to it, your higher self is that little positive-voice inside of you that guides you toward your life plan -- your passions.

So why is connecting to your higher self so important? Here are just a few of the benefits:

• It helps give you long-term focus.
• It provides confidence in yourself and your decisions.
• It offers a renewed passion for your goals.

Sometimes this voice can get drowned out by unsure thoughts and fears. These could be your own thoughts, or even other people’s energy and words. (This includes friends and loved ones!) The conditioning we often grow up with disconnects us from the power from our higher self. You have to practice connecting to your higher self if you are going to ever drown out these unhelpful thoughts and feelings.  If you start with the basics, you’ll eventually see things manifest in your life and your intuition will blossom.

Now for the basics. How do you connect with your higher self?

You can start with a meditation. It’s about giving yourself a chance to relax and keeping yourself open for communication. This is not an excuse for a nap, although who doesn’t like a nap now and then. This is an opportunity to make room for your higher self to speak. Your higher self vibrates at a slightly higher frequency than your physical body. The funny thing is that you have to slow down your own thoughts in order to raise your frequency. That’s what meditation does. So do it. Not right now. Finish the article first.

What do you need to connect?

1. A quiet place--even if it’s just for two minutes. 10 minutes is better, but take what you can get. For me it’s the laundry room or the closet - anywhere the kids don’t look for me. Get comfortable, close your eyes and start taking deep breaths in and out.  If your mind starts wandering don’t get upset, just gently keep bringing your attention back to your breathing.
2. If you have a little more free time, try a warm bath with Epson Sea Salts. Again, relax, getting comfortable, and breath.
3. Walk in nature. Disconnect. Clear your mind of all chitter-chatter. Again, remember to breathe. Get into your five senses. Feel the earth under your feet, smell the flowers, listen to the birds and admire the scenery.
4. Open and clear your heart. Forgive all the people you are holding in this place, not for them, but for yourself. You’re not saying what they did, or said, was OK - that would give them more power. You simply let that energy go. Remember the heart can act as a bridge to your higher self. By connecting to a clear heart you bring up your natural vibration. I’m all about the quickest way to enlightenment.
5. A notebook: During any of these exercises, you may start to feel warm and tingly. Your vibration is matching your higher self (unless you were touching yourself in the bath but that’s for another post). This is when inspiration may come to you. Your higher self has a message for you. ALWAYS write it down. Do not count on yourself to remember what your higher self says because it is easy to slip back into your limiting thoughts. Remember, your higher self always comes from love and it always feels good. I write everything down in my Moleskine notebook and I carry it everywhere. You can grab one here.
6. I highly recommend the book “Hands of Light”, by Barbara Brennan. It’s full of great information as well as exercises that can help you explore a more mystical lifestyle. Buy it on Amazon here.

This is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to your higher self and these are just a few of the things I do that help me connect to my higher self. I’m still learning and would love to hear any tips or experiences you have when connecting to your higher self. So please share with our TRIBE in the comments so we can all learn and grow!

I Use These Tools to Connect to My Higher Self!

Get them here and support the site!

Hands of Light

I love this book. It's packed with great information and exercises to help you understand your higher self and so much more.  Click on the image or the link below to get your own copy.

Hands of Light: A Guide to Healing Through the Human Energy Field

Keep a Notebook Close!

You need to be ready when you connect to your higher self. Don't trust yourself to remember those pearls of wisdom. Jot them down right away. I use this notebook all the time. It fits in my purse and even the pocket of my mom jeans. I take it everywhere. Click on the image or get it here.

Dr. Teal's Epson Salt

Yes, there are very expensive bath salts in pretty bottles out there. They look nice in your bathroom, but I don't like what they do to my pocketbook. These are inexpensive and still amazing. I use this kind, but there are other fragrances. Check them out by clicking the image or here.

I'll admit it. I’m fascinated with “the other side”. I’m convinced there is more to life than this physical body. My body is simply a vehicle for my soul, or my energy, or my essence - use whatever word you like. I really believe that when it dies, I’m going to do everything I can to come back and haunt my children. (Just kidding, only my husband.) But will I? Can I? Is it possible? Wouldn’t it be cool to connect with our loved ones who have passed? I think it’s possible. And if you stick around, I’ll share the secrets of how I’ve done it before.

First of all, unless you already know you have the gift, it will take some practice to get good at this. Understand, you can’t just light some candles, cross your legs and dial up the dead, it takes practice to raise your vibrational frequency. Lots of practice.

We are all composed of atoms & molecules. They vibrate at a particular frequency and follow the Law of Vibration, which states, energy is constantly moving, vibrating, and shifting into various forms and we are no exception. When we exist in this physical form, we vibrate at a much lower frequency than our deceased loved ones. Therefore, when I raise my frequency, moving closer to my natural, energetic form, then I create the ability to connect with the other side. You know that expression “Meet me Halfway”? Well, this is what I think of. The spirit on the other side lowers their frequency and I raise mine. This allows us to connect. And it’s a beautiful thing.

"But Marisa, what does raise your frequency mean? What does it feel like? How do I know I did it?"

Good question! For me, when I raise my frequency, I become super sensitive. I can feel my whole body tingling and I can actually begin to sense waves of energy all around me - other frequencies. Now I know I am ready to connect to the other side. So how do I shift my vibration - my frequency?

Tip #1 Visualization

First, I visualize myself surrounded by a white cocoon of protection. Think of it as a cosmic condom. This visualization makes me feel safe and secure. Now I begin a meditation, one that will raise my frequency. I find different meditations can provide different results for people but you want one that makes you feel safe and relaxed. For this one, I start at the bottom of my feet and light up each chakra all the way to my gateway chakra which is located about 30 cm above your head. I like to envision myself traveling up to the stars, scooping up the cosmic wisdom,  and then settling back to my body. I’ll post a guided meditation for you on the website to help you with this.

Tip #2 Focus

Now that my energetic self is primed, I need to focus, and I need to nudge my ego out of the way. I imagine myself sliding to the right side of my body making room for me to communicate. If your frequency is high enough, you may already begin to grab fragments or feel additional energies through your Clairs. (Show Image again) Remember these? A clairaudient may catch a whisper, a clairvoyant may start to get pieces of an image or symbols or a clairsentient may get goosebumps. They come quickly. Remember their energy is very high. Learn to trust yourself and be patient. If I feel connected at this stage I will often ask a question and wait to see if I get any form of response.

Tip #3 Use a Photo

If I still get nothing, I’ll grab a photo of my loved one. Then I’ll clear all thoughts and concentrate on the image with soft focus. This is done by gazing at the corner of the photo and not looking directly at the person - almost a trance-like stare allowing your consciousness to expand. The more significant the image is, the easier it will be to establish a connection.  This is the one I use when connecting with my Nonno Pasquale. Again ask a question while focused on the picture. Hold your mind still. Be focused and wait. Do not let your ego answer how you believe that person would answer. This is not going to be like a phone call. It’s not a conversation with perfect sentence structure. For me it always bits and pieces and images.

Tip #4 Use an Object

If the photo doesn’t work, I’ll try holding an object or possession that was close to the person. This is called psychometry. Psychometry is a form of extrasensory perception that uses an object of the loved one. I believe that when a person wears an object for a long period of time, they transfer their vibration to the object. That energy field can then transfer knowledge of that person and when I hold it, the object helps me to connect to their frequency. The object can be a ring or piece of clothing, even a tool they used regularly and it helps me to get laser-focused, clear my mind, and wait for a message.

Don't Forget your Clairs!

So the type of message you receive will be tied to one of your psychic superpowers - the Clairs! This could clairvoyance, Clairolfaction, clairsentience… if you’re not familiar with your Clair, go watch my video called “Do you have these Psychic Superpowers?” to find yours.
Now, when attempting to connect with someone who has passed, you may not get your grandfather, you may get your grandmother instead. If this person feels light and familiar then go for it. But it’s very important to practice discernment.

Tip #5 Practice Discernment

You can’t let your thoughts and ego get in the way. This is easy to do in the beginning, especially if you really, really want to make this connection. Be aware that what you really miss is the connection to the physical form, the touching and holding and kissing - but that’s not what’s going to happen. This is an energetic connection. You will feel the warmth and the love. It’s amazing, but you can also connect with someone feeling extremely cranky or angry. Do not be scared, simply ask them to leave. Some beings have not connected with Source energy yet and you don’t need to talk to those, simply push them away. I never listen to messages that are not coming from the light. (We'll do another post on how to assist those beings into the light).

I love making connections to the other side. It’s one of my favorite things. When I make a connection it is such an exciting and exhilarating feeling. When I’m done, my energy is so high I need to take some time to bring myself back into the physical realm. It’s hard for me to concentrate, or even hold a conversation, so be benevolent with yourself, you will come down naturally.

So remember, if you want to connect with a loved one who has passed practice on raising your vibrational frequency. The first step is to believe. Understand we are all these towers of energy transmitting thoughts and feelings throughout the universe. Become familiar with your clairs to tame this psychic superpower or yours. Meditate, push your ego mind aside, and if you want a little help, concentrate on a photo or an object, and then enjoy your connection. Don’t forget to say hi for me.

Until next time. I’m Marisa Grieco Your Mystical Guide.