These are both inspiring and depressing times. In the last few weeks I’ve spoken to numerous individuals who are having a challenging time with unpredictable mood swings, heavy karmic interactions with others and feeling all together weighed down by stress, responsibilities and hopelessness. I’ve also worked with people who have attained new levels of spiritual awareness, business and financial success and rejuvenation of old chronic health issues. It seems the shift into the energy of 2016 has brought great change to the surface. Issues rooted in fear that once were tolerable have become highlighted as major incompatibilities.

The ego-mind (also know as our personality) can experience tremendous suffering, confusion and disappointment when our best conceived plans fizzle before our eyes. The fallout can be messy depending on our ability, or lack-thereof, to adapt with the winds of change. One of the most insidious consequences is that we mistake the ‘curve balls of Spirit’ as a reflection of our intrinsic worth. We take it personally and fall into a mentality that we’re inadequate and undeserving of happiness, purpose, abundance or whatever it is we are seeking. Thus, the doorway is opened for the damaging energy of self-deprecation.

The fear pattern self-deprecation has been strong this year and is a formidable obstacle. But what is it? Self-deprecation is a collection of beliefs, feelings and habits mired in the illusion of inadequacy. It’s a debilitating energy that left unchecked over time can lead to chronic depression and a paralyzing ambivalence. It rears it’s head when we allow doubt to creep in and usually has a handful of mantras such as: “I’m not enough” or “I’m not worthy, smart enough or creative enough to have that” or “Nothing ever changes, so why bother?”. These inner voices, many of which we erroneously mistake as our own, seek to keep us small, stuck and ever questioning our value.

Self-deprecation is a parasite of the false self; it literally prevents our essence/spirit from shining forth. The root of deprecation has its origin in Latin and literally means ‘to pray against’. By extension, self-deprecation means to ‘pray against oneself’. In shamanic societies to pray against something is known as a curse. To identify with the fear pattern of self-deprecation we are quite literally cursing ourselves and our life; we fall prey and resonate with the myriad lies of inadequacy and lack. A curse may seem antiquated in our modern, technological society and yet this is exactly what we are practicing by continuing to believe in the illusion of self-deprecation.

Self-deprecation is a fear pattern that blocks inspiration from entering our lives and 2016 has vast potential to bring in a tremendous amount of inspiration. Inspiration is equated with the inhalation, the lungs and the heart as well as the ability to bring in the new and refresh our lives. Conversely, self-deprecation is an energy of deflation and always chains us to the stories, wounds and traumas of the past. We become mired in old energies, replay it out in the present which leads to a disempowered future. In addition, with all the horrible news fed to us through the media the problem can easily become exacerbated.

It’s a heroic endeavor to investigate the areas of your life where you feel deflated, where there seems to be a lack of wind in your sails. Why? Because you will have to come to terms with and face the sadness, disappointment, guilt, shame, embarrassment and a slew of other past emotions/experiences that are preventing you from moving on. There is stuck energy that requires movement and movement requires action.

The key is to be the seer and not the seen. Feel and experience the energy of self-deprecation but without losing yourself in the experience. Instead, you just witness it and watch the thoughts, emotions and feelings move through you. Cultivating presence, compassion and love for yourself is the antidote to self-deprecation but it’s usually the last practice we want to engage in.

The heart is needed here. Via the heart we can connect to a part of ourself not bound by space and time, by cause and effect. Any movement that invigorates the heart and stimulates the lungs can help shift gears and invite greater inspiration into our lives.

  • Move the body to stimulate the cardiovascular system.
  • Work with gratitude and appreciation every day.
  • Restrain from either identifying with or resisting the internal critic.
  • Find the neutral point within any situation and stay there.
  • Practice deep breathing often.
  • Work with a proficient and compassionate therapist.
  • Study self-deprecation (and the other fear patterns) by reading Jose Stevens’ empowering book “Transforming Your Dragons”.

If you are having a hard time with self-deprecation or with life in general, please contact us for a consultation or healing. There’s no need to be stuck and suffering.