Written by Nina Izel, Healer, Teacher, and Author
Nina Izel is a well-known pioneer in the psychedelic healing field; she is the founder of Avatar Healing Arts, the author of the book Heart Medicine, Ayahuasca Assisted Therapy and the Integration Process, and the host of the podcast Ayahuhsca Avatars.
Do you want a better life? Do you want health, safety, love, vitality, abundance, and well-being? Everybody wants that. But what are you willing to give up for it? What can you sacrifice? How can you live a life that makes you proud?
The longest journey: From the head to the heart
1. Change your mind and open your heart
Changing your mind is vital to connecting with your heart and hearing your inner voice. That’s not an easy task. Walking with an open heart after so much hurt and pain is challenging, and it’s understandable that you want to protect yourself. You think you’ll be safe if you close yourself off.
But the walls you build will not only protect you; they will also prevent you from growing. They will disconnect you from the world and the hearts of others. Eventually, they will isolate you and keep you small, alone, and afraid.
But you can let go. Let go of the past; let go of your walls. Read on to learn how.
2. Stop criticizing yourself and others
Accept and honor each path, most of all, your own. Follow the call of your heart. What do you feel passionate and excited about? Can you follow your call?
Can you swim against the tide? Can you persevere even when it’s hard? Can you put your heart and your dreams above all else, even if people don’t understand or approve? Can you believe in yourself and respect the gifts you have? What is your life’s purpose?
Instead of criticizing yourself and putting yourself down, I believe you can do that. You can develop awareness, catch yourself, and choose to be more loving and kind toward yourself and naturally, to others. But it all starts with you.
3. Stop living in fear
Fear lives in the shadows, imagining the worst-case scenario. It views the world as an enemy and life as a fight that must be fought and won to find the peace you’re seeking.
If you could just figure it all out, resolve every problem, take care of all the items on your to-do list, please everybody around you, and excel in everything you do, then maybe you’d be able to relax and find peace.
But you’ll never know because you can’t get there until you give yourself permission to stop right now and choose to let go. How would it feel to do that? Do you want to try it?
Let me ask you a question: how many times have you stressed out and worried about something that never happened in the end? How do you feel about that? Certainly, there are times to be scared. But mostly, you’re afraid of invisible things that will never manifest, a mind trick designed to keep you in line and prevent you from shining.
4. Go within
You are stronger than you think. Stop trying to fix your environment, and stop looking for answers outside yourself! Everything you need is within. You just have to pause, relax, and quiet down a bit. I know that’s hard in the modern world. For many, the only rest you get is sleep when you finally pass out at night from exhaustion.
When you stop and listen to your inner voice, you’ll be surprised by how much you know. You know what to do, but nobody knows it better than you.
Let me ask you another question: how has it worked out for you when others told you how to live and what to do? So why keep doing that?
It’s your life, your destiny, and your responsibility. Listen within, trust yourself, and act upon that. You are wiser than you think.
5. Stop putting yourself last
You have to stop trying to please others while sacrificing yourself. You cannot give from an empty bag. Self-sacrifice is not love, and salvation comes through freedom and love .Stop giving without receiving anything in return, or face the consequences of becoming bitter and resentful. You might find yourself alone, thinking: How could they leave me when I gave them everything?
Value and respect yourself; we are all equals. It’s all about balance giving and receiving. The truth is, the more you receive, the more you can give, and the more you give, the more you will receive. Let abundance flow into your life.
Remember
It is a journey to remember who you are and why you are here. But your heart will lead and guide you it is the true compass for your life. Walking the path of the heart requires commitment, willingness, and openness. Take all the help you can get to journey this path less traveled; you are not alone.
Remember your dreams, remember your destiny, remember your heart!
My program, Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy, is designed to safely guide and support you on your journey from your head to your heart. If this calls to you now, connect for a free consultation at @avatarhealingarts.
Read more from Nina Izel
Nina Izel, Healer, Teacher, and Author
Nina Izel helps people to heal and change their life with psychedelic-assisted therapy. She is passionate about self-discovery and self-empowerment and she believes that you are the healer and love is the medicine. Her mission is to support, educate and guide people regarding the safe, responsible and effective use of sacred plant medicines for healing and awakening.
