Discover Your Authentic Spiritual Self | Reconnect to Your Inner Guide and Intuition | Wu Wei Wisdom

Summary

In this episode of WOAI, hosts David and Alex discuss connecting to our spiritual and authentic selves. They clarify that spirituality is an inherent, natural part of us, termed 'Shen' in Chinese, and emphasize it is not something supernatural. The talk explores how disconnection from Shen manifests as negative emotions like anxiety and stress. David and Alex explain that living authentically involves dismantling barriers formed by ego and inner child fears. They advocate for meditation and mindfulness as ways to reconnect with Shen, thereby leading a more fulfilling and truthful life.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Everyone is inherently spiritual and possesses a non-material essence called Shen, which is natural and intrinsic to who we are.
• 🔗 Shen cannot be damaged or taken away, even through physical or emotional trauma.
• 🛑 Emotional disturbances such as anxiety, stress, and fear indicate a disconnection from Shen, often due to layers of life experiences masking it.
• 💡 Denying our Shen, by believing in lies like 'I'm not good enough' or 'I'm unworthy,' creates a barrier to accessing our true spiritual self.
• 👶 The 'Shen test' involves treating oneself with the same compassion and affirmation as one would a beloved child, acknowledging our inherent worthiness.
• 🧘 Meditation and mindfulness practices help quiet the loud, ego-driven thoughts and attune us to the quieter, inner voice of our Shen.
• 🌿 Living life through the lens of Shen rather than the ego allows for a fuller, more authentic experience.
• 🛠 The golden thread process involves self-inquiry, recognizing that we create our emotions and understanding why, thereby reconnecting to Shen.
• 🎧 Guided meditations and consistent mindfulness reminders throughout the day can reinforce this connection to our spiritual essence.
• 🔄 Regular self-checks, such as focusing on breath and body relaxation, help maintain mindfulness and stay connected to Shen.

Q & A

What is the definition of 'spiritual self' or 'authentic self' according to the speaker?

The 'spiritual self' or 'authentic self' is described as an intrinsic, non-material part of who we are. It's a natural essence that we are born with, not something external or supernatural.

Why does the speaker emphasize that spirituality is not something external to us?

The speaker emphasizes that spirituality is not external because it is an inherent part of our being, something we are born with and cannot be taken away by external factors or traumas.

What does the term 'Shen' mean in the context of this discussion?

'Shen' is a term borrowed from Chinese to describe one's spiritual essence. It represents the intrinsic, unchangeable part of who we are, which remains intact regardless of external circumstances.

How does the speaker describe the relationship between 'Shen' and traumatic experiences?

The speaker explains that while traumatic experiences can affect the physical body, they cannot touch or alter the 'Shen'. Our spiritual essence remains untouched and constant despite such experiences.

What are the signs of disconnection from one's 'Shen'?

Signs of disconnection from one's 'Shen' include experiencing negative emotional feelings like anxiety, stress, fear, and tension. These emotions are seen as disturbances or layers that mask our true spiritual essence.

What does the speaker mean by 'Shen disturbance'?

'Shen disturbance' refers to the layers of negative emotions and beliefs that obscure our true spiritual essence. It is described as putting barriers or blocks that prevent us from connecting with our 'Shen'.

How does the speaker suggest one can reconnect with their 'Shen'?

The speaker suggests reconnecting with 'Shen' by practicing self-awareness, mindfulness, and meditation. This involves listening to the quieter, inner voice of one's true self and dismantling the barriers created by negative emotions and beliefs.

What is the role of meditation in connecting with one's 'Shen'?

Meditation helps in connecting with 'Shen' by calming the mind and allowing one to focus on their inner voice. It serves as a vehicle to settle the ego's racing thoughts and attune to the quieter guidance of one's spiritual essence.

What is the 'golden thread' process mentioned in the discussion?

The 'golden thread' process is a self-inquiry technique that starts with acknowledging that we create our emotions. It involves tracing back to understand why certain emotions are created and building a connection back to one's 'Shen'.

How does the speaker suggest using the 'Shen test' to support oneself?

The 'Shen test' involves imagining how one would respond to a child expressing feelings of inadequacy and then applying the same compassionate and supportive approach to oneself. It is a method to treat oneself with the same kindness and understanding as one would a child.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Embracing Your Spiritual Authenticity

The first paragraph introduces the topic of connecting with one's spiritual and authentic self. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the intrinsic spiritual nature that is inherent in every individual, rather than something external to acquire. The speaker clarifies that spirituality is a natural part of being, not supernatural, and introduces the concept of 'Shen' as a term to describe this nonmaterial aspect of self. The paragraph also touches on the idea that no matter the life experiences or traumas, one's spiritual essence remains untouched and is always present.

05:01

🔍 Recognizing Disconnection from Spiritual Essence

In the second paragraph, the discussion shifts to identifying signs of disconnection from one's spiritual essence, often manifested as negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, fear, and tension. The concept of 'Shen disturbance' is introduced, which is likened to layers covering the true essence of a person, akin to layers of an onion. These layers are metaphorical barriers that individuals create, distancing themselves from their core spirituality. The paragraph also addresses the idea of self-denial and the impact of negative self-beliefs on one's connection to their Shen.

10:01

📚 The Shen Test and Honoring Your Spirituality

The third paragraph delves into the concept of the 'Shen test,' a technique to reconnect with one's spiritual self by treating oneself with the same kindness and understanding one would offer to a child. It highlights the discrepancy between how individuals treat themselves versus how they would treat a loved one, suggesting that self-compassion and self-acceptance are crucial for spiritual connection. The paragraph also discusses the importance of dismantling barriers to spirituality and living life through the lens of one's authentic self, rather than being guided by fear or ego.

15:03

🧘‍♂️ Meditation as a Vehicle for Spiritual Connection

The fourth paragraph explores meditation as a means to access one's spiritual self, correcting the misconception that meditation itself makes one spiritual. Instead, it is presented as a practice to quiet the mind and listen to the subtle voice of one's Shen. The speaker encourages mindfulness in daily activities as a form of meditation, suggesting that even brief moments of focused awareness can help attune individuals to their inner wisdom and guide their decisions and actions.

20:06

🌱 The Golden Thread and Self-Inquiry for Spiritual Growth

The final paragraph introduces the 'Golden Thread' process, a therapeutic model designed to foster self-inquiry and emotional understanding. It discusses the role of the inner child in emotional experiences and the importance of not being a victim to one's emotions. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the power of self-reflection and the continuous practice of techniques to maintain a connection with one's spiritual self. It also invites viewers to engage with additional resources and teachings on the topic.

Keywords

💡Spiritual Self

The spiritual self refers to the non-material aspect of a person that is intrinsic and natural, not supernatural. In the video, it is emphasized that everyone is born with this spiritual essence, which remains undamaged and untouched by external experiences or traumas.

💡Authentic Self

The authentic self is one's true, inherent nature that aligns with their spirituality and inner values. The video discusses how being true to oneself involves living through the lens of one's Shen and not being guided by external fears or ego-driven thoughts.

💡Shen

Shen is a Chinese term used in the video to describe the spiritual essence within each person. It signifies the undisturbed, pure core of who we are, which cannot be added to or diminished by others. The video stresses that recognizing and connecting with one's Shen is crucial for living authentically.

💡Shen Disturbance

Shen disturbance refers to the internal barriers or blocks that prevent one from connecting with their Shen. These disturbances manifest as negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, and stress, which are likened to layers of an onion that cover the true self.

💡Inner Child

The inner child represents the part of us that retains childlike fears and insecurities. The video explains how the inner child's voice is often loud and critical, leading to a disconnect from the Shen. Reparenting the inner child involves addressing these fears with compassion and understanding.

💡Ego

In the context of the video, the ego is the part of the self that is driven by external validation, fear, and self-judgment. The ego's influence can lead to a life guided by anxiety and insecurity rather than by the true, authentic self. The video contrasts this with living through the Shen.

💡Golden Thread Process

The Golden Thread Process is a therapeutic model designed by David to help individuals trace back their emotions to their root causes. It involves acknowledging that one is the creator of their emotions and using this insight to reconnect with their Shen.

💡Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of maintaining a present awareness of one's thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. In the video, mindfulness is presented as a simple yet powerful way to reconnect with the Shen by paying attention to one's breath and body posture.

💡Meditation

Meditation is a practice that helps quiet the mind and tune into the Shen. The video discusses how meditation doesn't have to be formal or lengthy; even short moments of focused breathing can help one access their inner wisdom and authenticity.

💡Honoring Your Shen

Honoring your Shen involves living in a way that is true to your spiritual essence. This means rejecting negative self-beliefs and treating oneself with the same kindness and respect one would show to a child. The video emphasizes the importance of this approach for living an authentic and fulfilled life.

Highlights

The concept of 'Shen' is introduced as a non-supernatural, natural part of us that represents our spirituality and authenticity.

Shen is an intrinsic, unwavering essence that cannot be added to or taken away, even through physical or emotional trauma.

Disconnection from Shen is associated with negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, fear, and tension.

The 'Shen disturbance' is described as a masking or hiding of one's Shen due to self-imposed barriers.

Recognizing disconnection involves identifying signs of emotional distress that indicate a move away from one's spiritual essence.

The 'Shen test' is a technique to reconnect with one's authentic self by treating oneself with the same kindness as one would treat a loved child.

The importance of using the same lens for self-evaluation as one would for a child, to honor one's Shen and authenticity.

The idea that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, not the other way around, emphasizing our intrinsic spirituality.

The concept of 'reparenting the inner child' as a method to reconnect with one's Shen and dismantle self-imposed barriers.

Meditation is presented as a tool for accessing one's Shen, not just a spiritual practice, but a means to quiet the ego mind.

The 'golden thread' process is introduced as a method of self-inquiry to understand the emotions one creates and reconnect with one's Shen.

The misunderstanding of meditation as a means to become more spiritual, rather than a practice to access one's existing spirituality.

The importance of mindfulness and being present in daily activities to maintain a connection with one's Shen.

The practical application of the teachings through simple exercises, such as focusing on breath, to experience the presence of Shen.

The encouragement for viewers to subscribe to the channel for ongoing teachings on spirituality and authenticity.

The emphasis on the continuous practice of the techniques discussed to maintain and strengthen the connection with one's Shen.

Transcripts

hi and welcome to this week's WOAI

wisdom a life lessons teaching it's

great to be back with you all this week

we are talking all about how to become

more connected to your spiritual and

authentic

[Music]

self okay David so let's go back to

basics and cover some definition s what

do we mean when we say our spiritual

self or our authentic self well I think

this is where the the confusion arises

just on that first question because I

think so many people have a different

definition of what they mean by

spiritual for me most importantly in our

teaching it's not something external to

you it's not something that you have to

go and get and this is what I always say

to my clients you are are already

spiritual we have a spirituality a

nonmaterial part of us that is not

Supernatural can I repeat that this is

not Supernatural this is natural this is

who you are but it's I can't show it to

you hopefully when you watch these

videos with Alex and myself you get an

essence of our spirituality you see see

us moving our hands and people say I've

move my hands too much and you see us

laughing and joking and that's the

physical side of it but there is

something that's invisible and I believe

we all have that it's something that

we're born with I think we can recognize

it in other people particularly in

people that we love members of our

family particularly if your parent is in

your child mod you will see the and

experience their spirituality and that

in my model is what I like to call Shen

and I only call it that it's a Chinese

word because I don't want people to get

confused with other definitions of

spirituality and so this is something

you say we're born with we always have

and I know we say on many many teachings

it can't be kind of damaged no one can

take away from us no matter what kind of

traumas we experience in our life uh

physically or emotionally are the

essence of our spirit who we are our

intrinsic value is something which is

kind of unwavering within us throughout

our life yes very important that Alex

that teaching you've just given nobody

can add to it nobody can make you have

more Shen and no one can take your Shen

away

even if they criticize you even if they

abuse you or maltreat you yes they are

affecting your physical body and for

many of my clients they've been through

so many physical traumas in their life

they are absolutely amazing but one

thing they can't touch is your Shen no

one can touch your Shen so if and we

talking about the connection to Chen so

if no one can touch your Shen

then if you're not connected to sh it

must be something that you're doing to

create that barrier and that's what

we're talking about that's the life

lesson

so before we delve into why we create

this barrier why we

disconnect how would we recognize what

are the I guess the signs and symptoms

of a

disconnect from this spiritual essence

of who who we

are it's another great question Alex and

I guess that's the

reason that I've been doing this workers

all of my life it's a reason why we do

these videos it's a reason why many

people tune in and find us when they do

searches on the on the Internet is

negative emotional feelings that people

call anxiety stress fear tension and

those

in my sense in the DAR sense of what I

would call Shen disturbance so you're

not you're not um damaging your shin but

what you're doing is you're putting a

block it's almost like you're putting

layers as one of my client said to me I

thought it was quite a good description

it's like layers layers of an onion you

have this Center heart which is true

that can't be destroyed or added to it's

who you are it's your Essence if you

prefer that word but then through life

through experiences through our

childhood through our teenag years

through our adult years because we're

living in this world thank goodness

we're so blessed to be living in in this

world we kind of Disconnect from that

understanding it doesn't go away but we

draw away from it and we put layers like

layers of an onion which which creates

those red light feelings we call anxiety

fear being scared and that type of thing

and that tells you that really you've

drawn away from the essence of Who You

Are So when you say Shen

disturbance what you really mean is a

Shen like a masking of the Shen a a

hiding the Shen this disconnect we're

talking about a denial of the Shen for a

lot of my clients it will they will

denial if you think think of what we

call the three lies I'm not good enough

well that actually is a denial of the

Shen of your sh of who you are exactly

if you believe you're not good enough

exactly I can't

cope as I always say to my clients I

can't understand why you would say that

because you're a coping machine you've

always coped you always will cope you

have to cope seeing if you say I can't

cope you're denying your own shame and

then perhaps one good people would

relate to easily I'm unlovable or I'm

unworthy think of that word I'm

unworthy so you have a Shen everyone has

a Shen and you're saying but my Shen I'm

unworthy to have Shen and that is the

disturbance you're putting layers of

this onion on top of that beautiful

golden spirituality of who you are the

defines who you are I often say to my

clients the way that I like to view it

we are a spiritual being having a human

experience very valuable very wonderful

we're very blessed We're Not a Human

Being having a spiritual experience this

is who we are we are Spirit we're so

fortunate to be in this Human Experience

and I hope you're making the best of

your family and your career and your

friends and yourself and living to your

highest level but that to me means you

have to be connected to your shame so

this denial David it sounds to me like

it's it's a dishonoring of the gift that

we are born with yes

this intrinsic component of who we are

with dishonoring that and we're

rejecting it by lying to ourselves in

the in the way that you you've

described and to me it's almost like you

still live your life you still have the

Human Experience you can still

experience new things learn new things

have

relationships live in different

places but you're not having those

experiences through the lens and the

fullness of the exper of being true to

yourself

through the lens of your Shen of your

spirituality of your authenticity it's

like you're operating on 25% rather than

100% of your capacity somehow yeah it's

very well explained Alex I can't

disagree with you I like the word

dishonoring I think you're dishonoring

your Shen I

think the majority of my clients they

are trying to live their life based on

their emotions living their life through

trying to avoid fear anxiety

depression stress and they are living

and very familiar with the emotional

side of themselves but they dishonor the

spiritual side of themselves I also like

your

teaching they don't look through the

lens of their Shen they look through the

lens of their

emotions so for instance in our model we

talk about reparenting the inner

child and during the reparenting of the

inner child there's a technique and

we've done videos and teachings on this

I call the shent test and most of my

clients will say to me but how do I how

do I talk to myself how do I convince

myself that I am good enough that I am

worthy and I say well you could do the

Shen test and this is the shent test for

new listeners imagine you had a six

seven yearold niece or nephew somebody

that was very close to you your

sibling's child and they came to you and

they said Auntie

Uncle I don't think I'm good

enough what would you say and my clients

have no difficulty

in TR not give them a hug and say baby

of course you're a good enough I love

you blah blah blah blah blah blah and

they would they would I can't stop them

talking the things that they would be so

hurt that a beautiful child would say

something like that and I said well why

doesn't that relate to you why can't you

do that to your own inner child and then

well it's not that easy well it is that

easy see you have the techniques this is

why I'm always teaching in these videos

and to my clients I can't teach you the

techniques you already have them I can't

teach you to be spiritual because you

already are what we have to do is to

dismantle or using Alex word which was a

wonderful word honor your spirituality

your Shen live through that

lens treat yourself in the same way as

you would that child child why is this

so difficult for you so you don't have

to learn anything new you already have

this technique you wouldn't say to a

child that came home from school and

said Auntie oh my goodness I did my

maths exam today and I only got two out

of 10 you wouldn't say to that well

that's cuz you're not good

enough you'd laugh if I said that to you

but that's what you say to yourself not

occasionally all of the time when things

don't go the way that your inner child

thinks they should go oh it's because

I'm oh I can't cope can't cope it's too

much for me oh because I'm not deserving

and you use a different lens Focus as

Alex says for yourself than you would

for someone else and being spiritual is

just using the same lens as you would

for that child so what I'm hearing here

David is that to be more spiritual or to

be become more authentic it's a kind of

a faulty way of looking at

it what I've understood is that we Are

Spiritual Beings we have an

authenticity the problem comes is if we

choose to live our life being Guided by

our ego or our inner child fears

worrying what other people think of us

or believing that we're not good enough

that we're not lovable that we can't

cope or criticizing ourselves judging

ourselves comparing ourselves if the

basis of our thoughts beliefs and

actions

are those kind of ego based

things then the ego is leading us rather

than the Shan the spirit or authenticity

what we in intuitively deep down know

it's the right thing to do to think to

say to

be well I hope people on YouTube who've

been watching Alex did you notice her

hands when she was talking about the ego

and the inner child her hands was out

there coming towards her and you did you

see what she did when she talked about

her spirituality she put her hands right

down deep by what I would call your

lower Dante you your root chakra if you

do yoga and she did this movement coming

from inside out and there's a wonderful

teaching in DSM that says to know the

difference between the voice of the

inner child and the voice of the Shen

the inner child talks at you just as

Alex was showing with her hands talks at

you you're not good enough you won't

cope it's too much for you we can't do

this there thinking about you what do

they think about you the Shen talks from

you the Shen is a much quieter voice and

that really is all you have to learn

because so many of my clients are

distracted by the loudness and the brush

of the inner chars ccj criticizing

comparing and being judgmental using

very intense I'm never underestimating

the emot tions extremely intense

fear

anxiety

scared these are very intense emotions

but they're very overpowering emotions

and what we do we don't listen to the

more gentle subtle voice of our real

Shen who we really are and that is

really the teaching as Alex has just

demonstrated and that's why I'm a great

advocate of meditation and before you

roll your eyes and go oh my God he's

going to tell me to sit crossle for 2

hours no I'm not talking about I'm

talking about what we're doing here now

as you're listening to me with a cup of

tea or a glass of beer or whatever we're

meditating meditation is just focusing

and we can do it now I can just say to

you take a

breath and just for a moment literally

for 30 seconds just be aware of your

breath entering and leaving your

body nothing complicated just as I'm

talking listen to my voice but focus on

your breath and drop your

shoulders take all the tension out of

your

biceps and just for literally 30 seconds

see if you can hear that inner

voice that inner truth that Honesty that

Integrity about you who you

are we believe in you that's why we do

these

videos and I have to believe in you

because I believe in

myself the question is do you believe in

you

you see that was less than a minute and

all I'm asking you to do is to bring

that mindfulness that's what mindfulness

means simple see we use these words it's

not complicated use that mindfulness

during your day so if you're writing if

you're at work if you're speaking to

your friend just be mindful of your

posture make sure you're nice and

relaxed check your breathing

and try and connect to that inner voice

and that's your Shen never go away it'll

always be there and the more as Alex

quite rightly said you see life and your

life through that lens this will make a

major change Alex and I think David what

you've kind of just Illustrated there is

a common misunderstanding about

meditation that you know

meditation is a spiritual practice and

if I can learn this spiritual practice I

will become a more spiritual person but

actually meditation is

like practicing meditation whatever form

so whether it's a more formal form or

just quietly clearing your mind on a on

a walk through the park or while you're

kind of preparing some

food it's just a time in your day that

allows you to settle down the racing

thoughts of the ego mind and the

busyness of the mind and the inner child

fears and start to

listen for that

quieter voice of your intuition of your

Shar of your inner knowing your inner

wisdom so it's a vehicle meditation is a

vehicle to help you access your Shen and

I guess the more you practice little

meditative practice is every day just

for short periods of times you will get

quicker at settling the racing ego mind

down and quicker at tapping into that

quiet ashem voice within that can guide

you in your thoughts and your decisions

and your

activities in in in daily life and

that's right Alex and I would just add

one more on to that you become more

attuned to the quieter voice how many

times in your

life when things you made a wrong

decision and you said to yourself I knew

that was wrong I knew I shouldn't have

done that I knew what the right thing to

to do and that really is a tuning into

that quieter voice and this is why so

many of my clients are

misunderstanding that they've been

living to

that kind of very loud voice and

connected to the emotions and we I won't

go too much into the inner child but the

the real power of the inner child is it

has a direct connection to emotions and

for a lot of people when they experience

fear anxiety it's almost like the

shutters go up and they can't hear hear

that voice and that really we call it

the golden thread is starting off on the

premise you are the creator of your

emotions therefore you can't be the

victim o of them the golden thread then

can ask you well why have I chosen to

create this emotion the emotion might be

appropriate it might be appropriate to

be fearful might be but then at least

when you do the golden thread what

you're doing really you're building a

bridge and I see it as a spiritual

Bridge back to your sh and you're saying

let me now Look through the lens that

you said whether it is correct to be

fearful of this job interview is it

fearful to be fear to be is it correct

to be fearful of doing something new is

it is it correct that I should stick to

the whole pattern even if it doesn't

work and that that golden thread of

self- inquiry again we've done many

videos on this is such a simple and

Powerful technique that you can do for

yourself it just starts with the premise

I am the creator of the emotion let me

understand why I've created the emotion

that's all it is wonderful and for new

for new listeners the golden thread or

golden thread process is the therapy

model that David has devised and that he

uses with all his clients and I will put

a link in the show notes to our golden

thread process uh teaching playlist as

well as links to our Shen teaching

playlist and our free guided meditation

teaching playlist which has many many

hours of free guided meditations with

David that you can use as part of this

reconnection to your authentic self and

your spiritual self and in your Shen I

really really hope you have enjoyed this

teaching please do let us know just

before we finish let me just as one

thing check your breathing

[Music]

now check your

shoulders as it changed from when we did

that little

exercise now bring it back as Alexis

says her byby just bring it back breathe

deep drop your shoulders

thank thank you David that was a good

reminder yeah well it's see how and

that's why you have to keep on reminding

yourself at the beginning you're

learning a new simple technique but you

have to just keep on reminding yourself

and just to do it until you'll be

surprised in a few days a week then

you'll be doing it how's your shoulders

dropped dropped dropped now yeah they

dropped thank you so yeah please do let

us know if you've enjoyed the teaching I

always love talking about the the topic

of shen it actually Tunes me into my sh

and talking about it so um you know I've

definitely benefited from this teaching

um as I say check out the show notes if

you'd like to learn more about David's

onetoone sessions he works with client

all over the world every week on exactly

this sort of topic how to be more

authentic how to be more connected to

your spirituality and use that as a

guide in your life I'll put a link in

the show notes so you can learn more

about David's sessions and finally

please don't forget to subscribe to our

YouTube channel we produce new long form

teachings every Saturday as well as two

midweek short Snippets of wisdom as well

for you so don't forget to subscribe we

look forward to seeing you again very

soon bye-bye