By Leila Briggs
“Let me ask you, what would be different if you walked in there truly believing the reality? What would happen if you could see yourself as everyone else does? You are before your time and no matter the situation, you handle it. You are a leader to everyone. What would happen if you walked in there accepting and knowing that truth? Would anything change?”
A good friend posed this question to me, a few years ago. At the time I was venting to her my insecurities about being in a group setting. I was in a place where my insecurities were painting my relationships. Her question had a “zing” to it and burned itself into my memory. I continue to ask myself this question as I move through life. Most times when I ask, my internal view of self changes.
I was recently asked by the Healing Touch Program to join in a live discussion panel centered around intuitive abilities in the healing setting. For the first time, rather then being consumed by the anxiety of public speaking, I was excited! I could see the possibility for myself and for the program!
(Just to lend clarity, the Healing Touch Program, while it recognizes there is the possibility of intuited information, it does not formally include this within their study. The emphasis is to bring energy medicine into the medical field through ethics, scope of practice and focused techniques. Many students who go through the program of study witness or feel something greater then themselves at some point. Naturally, intuitive conversations ensue within the community but rarely within the learning or professional setting. A professional panel dedicated to this aspect is unusual for the program. I was honored to take part!)
However when it came to the actual experience, the excitement quickly left me. It became obvious I was the odd man out. How I view the spiritual, intuitive abilities and work with them is dynamically different than most. I see the spiritual world as complex. Spiritual discernment and community within the Spiritual world are at the forefront of my practice. I walked in thinking this would be a huge step forward in my career and walked out thinking it was a step backwards. I walked out feeling my message was lost and others were afraid of my work.
I expressed my doubts to a colleague and she lovingly replied, “Is it even a gathering if you aren’t the odd man out?” It really struck me and instantly brought me back to the question my good friend posed years ago.
“... what would be different if you walked in there truly believing the reality? You are before your time and no matter the situation, you handle it. You are a leader to everyone. What would happen if you walked in there accepting and knowing that truth?”
A few days after the live panel, it was released as a recording. My mother downloaded it and listened. I listened from another room, keeping in mind my friend's question. My view of myself and even my perception of the panel slowly changed as I listened. I could hear the knowing within my answers. I could hear the lack of fear and sheer courage within my shared experiences. I could hear the genuine joy of working with the complexity of spirit in my responses. And yes I could definitely tell I was the odd man out. This time though, I wasn’t weighed down by it. I was inspired! I was inspired to keep sharing and keep pushing myself.
It’s funny how a question or a series of words can shift your perception so greatly. It’s a reminder of how powerful our words are. Or even how powerful one person can be!
I encourage you to reflect on the words of your support and of your good friends. What if you believed the words they share with you? The words meant to help you carry on? Would anything change?
Sometimes, it's the odd man out who creates the most waves, and leaves having planted the seeds for others to begin a process of consideration that otherwise would not have occurred to them.💜