I'm writing this on Day Two of our snow-infused Winter Wonderland here in New York, with at least two feet of fresh snow since the wee hours Tuesday. In case we were confused about it, Mother Nature has, once again,... Continue Reading →
I'd usually just reblog this one, but the reblog format is funky. So I'm just going to say this: Shahida Arabi, via her Self-Care Haven blog, recently posted an excellent summary of 20 often-used Bully and NarciPath tactics. I shared... Continue Reading →
There's that old saying, "The proof is in the pudding." Riffing on that folk-wisdom saying, my own experience has shown me that "the proof is in the practice," as well. Anyone who has practiced anything for any period of time,... Continue Reading →
Are you feeling an growing call towards greater harmony, beauty, and social artistry? Or are you noticing, or even mired in, their opposites -- disharmony, conflict, relational dysfunction -- which are seemingly over-abundant in the world right about now? I'll... Continue Reading →
"Time-based prophecies that kept me from living, in the moment I am struggling to trust the divinity ... " ~ Nahko Bear This is a wee bit of a rant, though mild as possible rant-ampage can go. In recent weeks,... Continue Reading →
Mabel Normand in the 1914 Chaplin film, Mable’s Strange Predicament. Image is public domain and courtesy of Wikipedia.
This is a good reminder from Laurie Rohner, since the Energies of Now may well stir up the ol’ Hissy Fits and Tantrum Yoga outbursts, and the drama-drama-conflama moments.
Full moon, lots of zap-zone energetics buzzing around, and the ups-and-downs potentials of fiery and watery, yang and yin astro-energies (a.k.a. the energy field we live, breath, and interact in!).
Stay present, stay cool, and have your ‘soothing remedies’ at the ready!
(Head to the Sophia’s Children Empaths & Sensitives Series for other timely tips on ‘Hissy Fitters’ and ‘soothing remedies’!).
Big Love, Deep Breaths, and and a nice cup of cucumber, lavender and peppermint tea! Jamie
Yesterday an email hit my inbox from Etsy. It was for a custom order. I opened the email and found this young women ranting with profanity about how I had sent her a twitter feed and to stop it. Now I admit I don’t know how things work but I do know that this was her issue – not mine. I replied back explaining I had nothing to do with her feed being filled up with my etsy posts – 5 to be exact – and she was not to contact shop owners through the custom order request. I said I was sorry this happened and wish her a better day. She then shot me another scathing email how she has reported me to twitter – hum don’t understand why – and that…
The Mystic Mountain nebula. Photo courtesy of the Hubble Heritage project, NASA.
In times of intense energy dynamics and epic shifts — for many, that’s pretty much right now — we can feel both catapulted out of our comfort zones, uprooted and unmoored, and stuck, as in Way not opening. At the same time.
A strange and confusing paradox, that, but it seems to go with this particular unmapped territory.
This and other stressors can stir up a seemingly mighty riptide of angst or funk, a.k.a. depression. Add the holidays or similar high-expectation times, and shake.
And yet sometimes the medicine for being off-kilter isn’t so much out there — thankfully, as we often have little to no control over what’s out there (yes, I learned that lesson the hard way!) — but rather the medicine is right at hand, as close as our own breath.
Here's the latest article in the Empaths & Sensitives Series here at Sophia's Children. This one takes a look at a couple of ways that Empath-Sensitives can "live into their strengths" and gain more mastery over the gifts, while being more aware and skillful in the face of the challenges of being an Empathic-Sensitive in a loud and often bully- and Narcipath-favoring culture.
“If you can keep your head when all about you people are losing theirs and blaming it on you…” ~ Rudyard Kipling You know how there are those times when people seem to be more on the edge than usual... Continue Reading →
There are all types of blessings ... the lovely kind that stirs our heart and raises our energy quality, of course. But tw0 of my other favorite types of blessing include, (1) one that comes from a sharp wit, often... Continue Reading →
Uh-yup, it's a doozy of a week, a dilly of a pickle, and the bees knees of energetic swirling dervishes ... and likely a few Tantrum Yogis and Hissy Fit Artists, too, doin' their thing. Super sweet, but also typical... Continue Reading →
[I wrote and published the original post way back on August 28, 2012, and have updated it several times a year since, including late-September 2015 … because yes, it’s a timeless “new normal” topic in our wild-energy times!]
The energies have really been swirling and whirling again, and there is more ‘energetic unsettlement’ underway.
Have you been feeling it?
If you’re an empath or ‘energy sensitive’ — a minority percentage of any population who is naturally ‘wired’ to pick up on subtle energies — the answer is probably a definitive ‘Yes!’ I know that’s been the case for me.
In various energy alchemy and insight-checkin or even visioning sessions with clients, I regularly notice that the energy field in general was intermittently either more chaotic or the opposite, more flat-line, than I’ve seen and sensed it in a long while.
But it’s so relevant on a number of levels,reflecting some of the less savory interpersonal dynamics that are considered normal in our interpersonal experiences at home, at work, in the community — and even moreso with a variety of research studies showing a disconcerting rise in Narcissistic behavior over the last 10-15 years.
And Narci (Etc.) tactics are well-honed and very, very effective.
They can leave even the most centered, confident, skillful, aware, and ‘successful’ people feeling spin-cycled, fogged-out, confused, upset, ashamed, and ultimately, a mere shell of themselves (as one Narci-abuse survivor, in our conversation, phrased the effects of being in a relationship with such a person).
As Carrie Barron, M.D., writes in her Psychology Today article aimed at those who were targeted by Narci-Abusers:
“Recent findings indicate they take pleasure in successful manipulations. Putting down unsuspecting, soft-hearted souls in their midst is a sport.”
In hindsight, those who became Narci-prey and were thus Narci-manipulated end up wondering, often with no small degree of internalized self-judgment and shame, “How the heck did that happen?”
Dr. Barron continues: “The transformation of a hopeful, can-do enthusiast into a dismal, wary withdrawer is a form of soul murder. But to those thus violated, take heart. Understanding the complexities of what/who you were dealing with might make you feel better.”
Even people who encounter some of the classic Narci-Abuser behaviors and tactics — if not full-tilt Malignant Narcissists or Socio/Psychopathic types — at work, at home, or in their communities (or online, for that matter), can benefit immensely from recognizing the tactic, becoming more aware, and stepping into more empowered choice rather than unconscious puppet-reaction.
So I wanted to share a couple of other links highlighting Shahida’s work from her Self-Care Haven blog.
She spotlights some of the specific toxic-tactics that, while normalized in a ‘tough love’, bully-centric culture, are actually abusive and harmful.
So it’s wise to have a look and be better able to recognize them as they come up, which gives us the option of practicing into more healthy, self-and-other respecting ways of relating (or choosing to disentangle from chronically disrespectful relationships).
I particularly appreciate that Shahida includes ‘Triangulation’ in her list of toxic-tactics to recognize, along with other common toxic-tactics like ‘gaslighting’ and ‘Hoovering’ (part of the recognized ‘stir and repeat’ Abuse Cycle), as Triangulation a common ploy and yet not as frequently noted.
In popular culture, the term “narcissistic” is thrown about quite loosely, usually referring to vanity and self-absorption. This reduces narcissism to a common quality that everyone possesses and downplays the symptoms demonstrated by people with the actual disorder. While narcissism does exist on a spectrum, narcissism as a full-fledged personality disorder is quite different.
People who meet the criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder or those who have traits of Antisocial Personality Disorder can operate in extremely manipulative ways within the context of intimate relationships due to their deceitfulness, lack of empathy and their tendency to be interpersonally exploitative. Although I will be focusing on narcissistic abusers in this post, due to the overlap of symptoms in these two disorders, this post can potentially apply to interactions with those who have ASPD to an extent.
It’s important in any kind of relationship that we learn to identify the red flags when interacting with people who display malignant narcissism and/or…
That's right. Withholding as a toxic-normal interpersonal tactic. The proverbial simmering silent treatment or cold shoulder that leaves us (or others) wondering what the heck happened, what we did wrong (even if we didn't actually do anything wrong and sort... Continue Reading →
Ahhh, to be an actual, 'just wired that way' Empath -- One who is naturally made to be more sensitive to the energy currents (subtle and not-so-subtle), including the thoughts and emotions wafting and swirling around us at any given moment.... Continue Reading →
[This is Part 3 of the ongoing 'Wisdom for Empaths & Sensitives' series. If you haven't already, you'll want to read the intro article first - you'll find it here. The second post in this series shared more on these types of dynamics... Continue Reading →
[This is Part 2 following the initial post for this particular 'Wisdom for Empaths & Sensitives' series. You may wish to read that intro post first - you'll find it here.] In the Wisdom for Empaths & Sensitives intro-article, I emphasized... Continue Reading →
Welcome to the Resources for Empaths & Sensitives Series introductory post. As is the case with much of my writing and mentor-coaching, this series grew out of my own personal experience, as well as what I saw and learned over... Continue Reading →
"You're too sensitive!" I heard that all the time while I was growing up, and have heard it on occasion since. I've heard it said to others, too, and know peeps who heard it as well. Like many who are... Continue Reading →
Yes, we continue to navigate the ongoing Touchy Tantrum Zone that accompanies times of intense energies, archetypal pinches, and overall Big Transformation cycles. Perhaps you've felt it? Or maybe you've noticed it (or have been psychically vomited on ... see... Continue Reading →
Think of a peaceful place and let the anger go. 
The Mystic Mountain nebula. Photo courtesy of the Hubble Heritage project, NASA. 
Girl…
Storm and lightning
