Take the limits off your power sample
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This document provides an overview of the book "Set Your Soul Free: A Guide to Finding Your True Success" by Maxine Jones. The book is part of a collection called "Stretch Your Wings" and provides case studies and exercises to help readers engage with and understand the power of their soul. It discusses four levels of soul engagement and teaches techniques like meditation and exercises to help readers access their soul's higher powers to overcome limitations and live more fulfilled lives. Case studies in the book illustrate how souls have helped people through challenges like illness, creative expression, and finding work-life balance.
Take the limits off your power sample
- 3. Set Your Soul Free: A Guide to Finding Your True Success Part of the Stretch Your Wings Collection By Maxine Jones
- 4. The stories related in this book are true, but the names of the individuals and organizations have been changed to protect their privacy. Coypright © 2012 by Maxine Jones The trademarks for Stretch Your Wings and Fly and Transits of the Soul are owned by author Maxine Jones. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author except for the inclusion of quotes in a review. Cherry Tree Publishing PO Box 450962 Atlanta, Georgia 31145 www.maxinejonesandassociates.com ISBN 978-0-9797841-3-2 Library of Congress Control Number: TXul-366-148 Printed in the United States of America Edited by Diane Sears, DiVerse Media, www.di-verse-media.com Cover design and layout by Jill Shargaa, Shargaa Illlustration & Design, www.shargaa.com To order the book, please visit www.maxinejonesandassociates.com The publisher offers discounts on this book when ordered in quantity. Please contact Cherry Tree Publishing at [email protected]
- 5. Other books in the Stretch Your Wings Collection by Maxine Jones Meet Your Soul: Stretch Your Wings and Fly Connecting with Your Quantum Power Launch Your Inner Radar: Empowering Your Soul A Guide to Activating Your Life Purpose Other books by Maxine Jones Desperately Seeking Purpose: Why Am I Here? Each Generation’s Role in Raising Global Consciousness The Ultimate Brainwash: Whose Life Are you Living? The Ultimate Identity Theft: Has Your True Self Been Stolen? A Guide to Recovering Who You Really Are
- 6. vi Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l “We are all architects of the future. We are here to watch, observe, and nurture the seeds of human possibility.” – Maxine Jones
- 7. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l vii To my mom, Sarah Haushalter, whose devotion – what she always describes as the God within – opened up a world of possibility as an everyday way of life that, for most people, seems out of reach. She dressed her four young children in their pajamas, piled us into the station wagon, and headed past the drive-in movies off-road in search of UFOs. She shared with us her unwavering search for truth of the universe we were born to explore. Like my mom, I am dedicated to exploring the wonders of the universe in order to participate in advancement of the consciousness of our human race. I, too, will settle for nothing less than to be the best expression of a human being. And today, as her mind fades, her quest to be more grows stronger, and she is more determined than ever to have a deeper relationship with her true self. I want to help others live by her motto: We are born to live life from the inside out. To Freddie, my invisible childhood friend, who introduced my family and me to the magic and power of the human soul to live a life in eternal love, an undiscovered wonder of the universe when it is allowed to be expressed through the soul.
- 8. viii Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction: Sharon’s Spectacular Day: A Case Study on Consciousness................................................................xvii As president of a large international corporation, Sharon struggled to find balance between her career and her family. One day, the needs of her husband, two kids, ailing mother and menagerie of pets all collided with her responsibilities for her work. She put the matter into her soul’s hands, letting its powers work for her behind the scenes, and things seemed to sort themselves out like magic. • Have you ever started a day feeling like this? Taking charge Why I wrote this book What you can hope to achieve PART I: Engaging the Power of Your Soul Level I: Least Engaged, or ‘Live By the Facts or By Reason’......... 1 Concept When you allow your soul to be a true partner and friend, your life becomes a profoundly different experience. The connection enables your soul to do everything in its power to support you to find fulfillment in your life. You encounter synchronicity, miracles and unexplained phenomena. You learn to interpret your life as your soul would – and to live your own life, not the life or roles, rules and laws of others.
- 9. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l ix Soulution Learn how to determine why your life has not turned out the way you’d imagined, and how to find and engage the soul’s highest powers to make profound changes in your life and work. Live your life beyond your wildest dreams. Chapter 1: Say Hello to Your Soul................................................................4 • What is the soul? Soul Signature, the body of the soul What it means to take the limits off • The four levels of soul engagement I. Live By the Facts or By Reason II. Help Insurance III. Hello, Soul IV. A Whole New Me Unleashing a greater purpose What do we know about the soul? – Introducing the “Soul Zone” ‘Seeing’ your soul Chapter 2: Dave and the Tireless Teacher: ................................................17 A Case Study on Creative Expression Dave, 29, had an extraordinary gift for music, but he had grown up with the temperament of a child prodigy and genius. His soul had a mission and was committed to Dave’s success, and it would not be deterred by Dave’s temper tantrums and immature behavior. With his soul acting as mentor and teacher, Dave took baby steps toward a challenging goal and learned to trust himself, which led to his professional greatness. Challenge: The critical audition The struggle and the purpose Challenge: The lifelong dream The outcome Chapter 3: Stepping Into ‘The Soul Zone’ .................................................29 • What you look like energetically when you’re in the Soul Zone • You’re in the Soul Zone when… • You’re not in the Soul Zone when…
- 10. x Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l Parameters of the Soul Zone Get into the Soul Zone • Technique: ‘Activate the Soul Zone’ Meditation • Technique: ‘Get Into Your Life’ • Technique: ‘Know What You Know About Yourself, Not What Others Have Told You’ • Technique: ‘Swap Beliefs’ Take flight and be free – my first high dive Part II: Discovering Your Soul’s Higher Powers........... 52 Level II: Somewhat Engaged, or ‘Help Insurance’ Concept Connection with your soul provides a constant flow of information to your unconscious mind and body. It can make you smile for no apparent reason. It can make people appear just when you need them and turn a bad situation into a good one in an instant. Soul connection works outside the control and reason of your mind, so it can surprise you with its ability to support you. This part addresses how the soul uses time and what “working behind the scenes” means; how and why the soul uses energy; and how a soul connection differs from any other relationship. Soulution Learn how to overcome limitations you unconsciously impose on yourself that eventually become habits and block potential. Chapter 4: Recognizing Your Soul’s Higher Powers................................55 John’s story 3 important higher powers • The first 3 soul powers • Soul Time • Soul Energy • Soul Connection • 3 other soul powers • Soul Reality • Soul Commitment • Soul Knowing
- 11. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l xi Soul presence in the ‘now’ Soul purpose and function • What your soul does for you • Misconceptions about soul • How Soul Powers work Chapter 5: Soul Time......................................................................................68 Soul Time vs. mind time • Signs of Soul Time at work in your life Chapter 6: Soul Energy .................................................................................77 • How the mind works with energy • How the body works with energy • How the spirit works with energy • How the soul works with energy • Signs of soul energy in your life Endless possibilities Chapter 7: Soul Connection: The Ultimate Relationship.......................85 How Soul Connection works • Signs of Soul Connection in Your Life Soul Connection exercise and meditation • Soul Connection exercise -- steps • Soul Connection exercise -- meditation Chapter 8: John and the Bowl of Cherries: A Case Study on Terminal Illness.................................................................94 John, an artist and graphic designer, was diagnosed with AIDS and had lost sight in his right eye. He felt sure his life was finished, but his soul said something different. His soul showed him pictures that made him laugh, including a giant bowl of cherries, and these recurring images pulled him through years of painful physical suffering until a new medication gave him a second chance at life. The dream: French fries, ice cream and corn The apartment The final dark spring
- 12. xii Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l Chapter 9: How to Receive Your Soul’s Highest Powers.......................100 • Exercise to receive your soul’s highest powers The role of awareness Silent messages John’s discovery Pete the monster kitty The drawings The quilts Today Checklist: Have You Learned to Receive Your Soul’s Powers?............ 110 PART III: Taking the Limits Off Your Soul ....................111 Level III: More Engaged, or ‘Hello, Soul’ Concept Instead of running through life from one event to the other, using only your personality (instincts, knowledge and reason) to show you the way, taking time to digest soul experiences can expand your ability to achieve amazing things in your life. Soulution Learn how to recognize and develop the power of your soul by removing unconscious limits. Chapter 10: Recognizing the Limits on Your Soul................................ 115 Introducing Anne Chapter 11: How to Take the Limits Off Your Soul: Soul Reality and Soul Commitment................................................................................121 Your soul and your personality Agreements Moving forward Chapter 12: Doing Life in Your Head........................................................129 • Signs of approaching life using only the mind • What’s really being said
- 13. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l xiii • Signs of communicating with the head instead of with the soul Identifying a communication with your soul • Signs of communicating with your soul • Meditation on the wisdom of your soul Chapter 13: Defending ‘The Real World’....................................................140 • The ‘real world’ according to the personality • What holds ‘real world’ agreements in place Chapter 14: Soul Reality................................................................................147 • Possible filters your personality uses Broadening your filters Processing multiple realities • Exercise for increasing the personality’s ability to receive, retrieve, process and interpret input Multi-tasking with your soul • Exercise for choosing your reality to introduce you to how your soul can increase your awareness and perception, and accelerate your processing time Expanding your interpretation of reality Understanding Soul Reality: Introducing Your Life Coach • How Soul Reality works • Experiment for understanding Soul Reality • What is Soul Reality? Accessing Soul Reality through the imagination • Soul-engaged imagination • Ego-protected imagination Chapter 15: Soul Commitment....................................................................170 • Exercise to determine your basic needs • Understanding Soul Commitment: Empowered Intention • Exercise to help you develop unwavering commitment • Benefits of Soul Commitment
- 14. xiv Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l Chapter 16: Anne the Olympian and Her Pair of Wings: A Case Study on Menopause and Midlife Change............................... 178 Anne was once a tri-athlete and Olympic competitor with a brilliant, disciplined mind and an extraordinary academic record. But at age 50, she was overweight, suffering from severe menopause symptoms, and worried she was losing her mind. She no longer felt challenge or purpose in her life. She learned how to communicate with her soul, which she envisioned as a pair of wings that could carry her, and she began to believe again that she could accomplish anything. Chapter 17: Personalizing Your Experience............................................182 Anne soars with her soul Checklist: Have You Taken the Limits Off Your Soul?............................186 PART IV: Engaging Your Soul in Your Life....................187 Level IV: Most Engaged, or ‘A Whole New Me’ Concept Your soul has powers the human mind cannot fathom. By using the soul powers of time and energy, you ensure a higher degree of success. You know ahead of time what the outcome of an event will be and whether it fits your intention. This eliminates the need for you to control every little piece of the experience and gives you peace of mind. Your soul works with you as an equal partner and reveals to you tools and techniques that are not common knowledge. They’re available to anyone but used by very few. Soulution Learn how to harness your personal power to engage the power of your soul in your life. Experiment with your soul’s ability to manage the powers of Soul Time and Soul Energy to supercharge mundane daily tasks and accelerate your personal accomplishments. Take the limits off your ability to hold an unwavering intention and know who you really are, and to work with the ultimate life coach, your soul.
- 15. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l xv Chapter 18: Will and the Spirit of Music: A Case Study on Self-Discovery................................................................ 191 Will was 51 years old and knew very little about himself. His girlfriend called him a modern-day Ebenezer Scrooge. He had no interests, opinions, passions or goals. With the help of his soul, which he nicknamed “The Spirit of Music,” he explored new experiences and developed an exciting life he had never envisioned for himself. Chapter 19: Developing Personal Control that Supports Soul Expression............................................................................................ 197 • Why we feel a need to control • Signs that your personal control is developing • Developing personal control so it doesn’t interfere with your soul’s wisdom Chapter 20: Engaging and Participating in Your Soul’s Ability to Maneuver Time............................................................................................. 204 • Human agreements about time Soul Time powers • The Time Changer • Jump Time • Collapsing Time • Exercise for exploring some practical uses and applications of Soul Time • Exercise to engage your personal power • Ways you can tell Soul Time is working • Why you might not see results from working with Soul Time Chapter 21: Engaging and Participating in Your Soul’s Ability to Influence Energy.......................................................................................... 214 • Human agreements about energy Soul Energy powers (low impact) Soul Energy powers (high impact) • Exercise for exploring practical uses and applications of Soul Energy • Ways you can tell Soul Energy is working
- 16. xvi Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l • Exercise on building a bridge to your soul’s communications • Exercise on receiving notification when your soul is communicating Things to consider about Soul Energy • Why you might not see results from working with Soul Energy Chapter 22: Recognizing Your Authentic Self........................................ 229 Whose life am I living, anyway? Chapter 23: Uncovering Your Authentic Self .........................................237 The meaning of ‘I don’t know’ • Exercise in determining whether it’s time to access your Soul Knowing When to choose soul knowing • Guidelines for working with Soul Knowing • Some reasons why we do not know what our souls know Expressing your authentic self • Signs you are expressing your authentic self with the support of your soul Overcoming a failure – Amy and the business presentation Staying in your power – Cathy and self-esteem Embracing your authentic self Checklist: Have You Developed a Plan to Engage Your Soul in Your Life?................................................................................................... 259 Epilogue......................................................................................................... 260
- 17. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l xvii Introduction Sharon’s Spectacular Day: A Case Study on Consciousness Sharon was the president of a large international corporation, the wife of Harold, the mother of Mandi and Joe, and the caretaker of her ailing mom and a small zoo of one cat, two dogs, five fish and a ferret. On a call to me for one of her coaching sessions, she said, “OK, here’s the scenario, Maxine: It’s a Wednesday morning, Harold’s away on business. I have out-of-town clients to entertain, the annual planning meetings to present, and the usual chaos at work. Mom just had surgery and is here at home convalescing, and the kids are in their second week at school. I woke up with a raging headache. My brain was a fog, and I felt like I’d been run over by a Mack truck that stopped and backed over me just to make sure I was completely flattened.” In the background, I could hear Mandi pitching a fit, the dogs barking and the phone ringing, and it was only 6 a.m. in Sharon’s time zone. “Maxine,” she said. “I headed into the bathroom, battened down the hatches and braced myself for the worst. I know when the day starts like this, anything that can go wrong will. I knew I was finished before I even got started. So I decided to ‘Just do it’ one more time and hope for the best.” Can you relate to this? Do you have a life that’s less than
- 18. xviii Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l magnificent? What would you rather your life be like? We all feel shut down, confused and powerless sometimes. This book is to help you wake up, get back on the fast track and start generating enthusiasm about the possibilities of life. If you’re already moving at full speed, this book will help you make sure you’re not spinning your wheels and leaving yourself unfulfilled. Have you ever started a day feeling like this? • Mind fogged or just plain dead • So overwhelmed you just go numb • Exhausted in every way • Unable to put one foot in front of the other • Just can’t get it together • Holding your breath and hoping for the best • Just do what you have to do to get through it • No time to think, feel or enjoy • Late, late and more late • Overbooked mentally, emotionally and physically • Bored out of your mind • Just plain cranky This is where Sharon was on the day of our telephone call.
- 19. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l xix Taking Charge Do you sometimes feel slightly off-balance, as if control of your life is just beyond your grasp? You might envision yourself, as the expression goes, “flying by the seat of your pants,” not quite able to get your footing, pushed in different directions by one force or another and desperately trying to hang on. Or you get the sensation that everyone around you is moving while you’re standing still, bogged down in the same old routine. You feel like a lone ranger, trying to take care of things alone because there’s no time to stop and ask for help, even if you did have someone who could share some of the burden with you. So you keep going, just surviving until you can get to that next break, or maybe a vacation or a holiday, when you can finally do something for yourself. I’ve seen so many people who possess extraordinary energy, power and accomplishments, yet they haven’t touched the deeper power that lies dormant within them. They wake up every day knowing there’s more for them to do, feeling there’s something far greater to accomplish, but lacking the necessary skills to uncover their hidden power. How would you like to slow down your pace without slowing down your passion and accomplishments? Or move yourself out of the position of feeling stuck and unmotivated? How would you like to have: • All the information you need to know come to you, rather than you having to chase it? • Balance in your life? • A full schedule of clients or customers? • The ability to do extraordinary things with extraordinary people?
- 20. xx Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l • The money you need when you need it? • That new BMW? • The relationship you’ve always dreamed of? • Enough time and energy for fun? • The power to make your life work? • A clear path for making a difference in the world? • Peace and a feeling of higher purpose? Sharon and I had been working on techniques that would help her manage her life and get on top of whatever was making her feel stressed, so I knew I didn’t have to worry about her. Here’s how the rest of the call went: “In the bathroom, when I stepped in front of the mirror, I saw a yellow sticky note,” Sharon said. “It read, simply, ‘STOP!’ I took in a deep breath. “The note has been posted there for six months, but I never see it. That morning, it caught my eye. I thought suddenly, ‘My life doesn’t have to be this way. I’m being given an opportunity to do it differently.’ “So, Maxine, I had a little talk with myself. I said, ‘All right, Sharon, get a hold of yourself. This attitude is sucking away your power. The facts are the facts. I’m a mother, I have a job, mom needs help, and Harold’s out of town. So what! I’ve got to grab hold of the situation and set my course, shake off this fear, and stop setting myself up for a struggle. “I told myself, ‘Let’s make this easy and fun. All I have to do is…,’ and I took a deep breath, ’get the kids dressed, fed breakfast and off to the school bus. I’ll have my sister pick them up after school, help them with their homework and feed them dinner. Next, I’ll feed the animals and let them outside to do their business. They can stay outside today since the weather’s nice. I’ll get my mom some help for the
- 21. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l xxi day. And I’ll call my assistant to go over the schedule with me. Then I’ll put my head on straight, get my heart into it and let the energy roll.’ “And thanks to you, Maxine, I added this last little piece to my lecture to myself: ‘I am open to accept the unexpected and make my day spectacular.’ “I had a strange feeling this was going to be a very interesting day. You’ve got to hear this, Maxine.” By this point in Sharon’s story, I was really smiling. I’d caught on to what was coming next. “Go for it,” I told her. “Well, Maxine, by the time I left the bathroom, Mandi and Joe were dressed and sitting at the breakfast table. I gave them their vitamins and cereal, and they gobbled them down. Joey is the pickiest eater in the world, and it’s a fight every morning to get him to eat, so this was a real treat. “I let the dogs out to do their business, and they seemed to forget about their normal routine of 10 minutes circling and sniffing and circling again. This time, they were out the door to the back of the yard and back inside the house before I had a chance to offer them my normal bribe of chicken. “My mom, I love her, but she’s the worst patient. Her recent surgery reduced me to her servant and nursemaid. It brings out the worst in the both of us. Bless her heart. I was just about to call a home nurse to stay with her while I was at work when Mom’s best friend, a former nurse, called to tell me she’d be over at 7:30 a.m. to spend the day with mom. “By now, Maxine, I was thinking, ‘What’s happening in my life is a miracle!’ And I was really getting into it. “I thought to myself, ‘Now let’s see, what else needs to happen? I need to be the first in line at Starbucks. Then there needs to be no line at the dry cleaner’s. I’ll get to work by 7:30. The Japanese clients need to be at the office by 9 a.m.
- 22. xxii Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l and out the door happy – no, thrilled – by 11 a.m. …” You should be getting the picture by now. Sharon knew how to make these things happen. She had taken the limits off her power. Let’s explore how you can do the same in your life. Why I wrote this book In a complex world, we need more – that means more wisdom, more power, more time, more vision, and more understanding. We are always behind, never quite caught up, always struggling to get to the place where we can delve into what really matters deep inside. I’ve been a personal excellence coach since 1982, working with individual clients and groups all over the world. My mission is to help change global consciousness by empowering a special part of each of us that leads to connection, co-creation and innovation: the soul. My work draws from multiple disciplines, including science, metaphysics, psychology, medicine and spiritual practices. I discovered my soul at a very young age through my imaginary childhood friend, Freddie, and developed the relationship to tap into the unexplored world beyond the standard laws of nature and the realms of what people believe to be humanly possible. Today, as a “psychic psychologist,” I introduce people to a bigger picture of human potential and life purpose, the framework for what I call the “Soul Zone.” Take the Limits Off Your Power is part of my Stretch Your Wings Collection of books and learning materials designed to help people connect with their souls .
- 23. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l xxiii What you can hope to achieve Everyone reads books differently, and Take the Limits Off Your Power is written for people who are at all different levels of soul consciousness and expression. Whether you’re new to this concept of soul or have already made soul connection a part of your life, I hope you’ll find something in these pages that will help improve your life and that you’ll give me feedback at my website, www.maxinejonesandassociates.com or www. connectwithyoursoul.com. Part of using the power of your soul is being open to possibility. Your soul has abilities and intentions you probably haven’t considered, or that you’ve quietly yearned for and have never found. Your soul will take you outside the realm of your knowledge and experience. As you learn more about your soul and about yourself, you can begin to see the potential of a true partnership with this innermost part of you. In this book, we’ll open the door to the silent, behind-the-scenes world of your soul and how it works for you every day. I’ll teach you how to: • Discover the higher powers of your soul and how they support you beyond your awareness. • Reveal your soul’s commitment to you and how it’s reflected in your life. • Consciously engage your soul’s higher powers in your daily existence. I’ll expose you to the magical world of your soul by increasing your awareness of the four levels of soul engagement to help you establish a strong, continuous connection. These include:
- 24. xxiv Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l Level I: “Live By the Facts or By Reason” – Least Engaged Instead of enlisting your soul as a partner, you leave it to work behind the scenes outside of your awareness. You don’t trust what you can’t see, and the concept of soul sounds like it might be a little far-fetched. You don’t want to take any chances, and you don’t want to give up control. So you rely on your mental capacities, trusting your own intellect and reason as you set goals, plans and directions based on your experience, external expertise and scientific fact. If you do decide to work with the soul, it’s as a last resort, possibly because of a crisis. You don’t do this in partnership, but in surrender to an unknown force that seems to know what’s best for you, because you’re too worn out to participate. Level II: “Help Insurance” – Somewhat Engaged You’re not sure what your soul is capable of, but your intuition tells you its work could be important, so you decide to trust it just in case. Most of the time, you are self-directed and you rely on your own wits to help you determine your life’s purpose, structure, meaning and direction. You use your soul as a safety net. If your life is not working, you call on your soul to get you out of trouble or to help move you forward. This is like jumping into a boat and seeing where it takes you, and when you find yourself somewhere you don’t like, you scream for help and guidance. You know your soul will help you because you’ve invested in it, just like any other kind of insurance. Level III: “Hello, Soul” – More Engaged You’ve begun to experience what it might be like to
- 25. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l xxv appoint your soul as director of your life to help you uncover your purpose and a plan. You’re starting to understand that your soul has special powers, abilities, resources and information, and that your soul is a part of you. This might be the bridge to all that you’re seeking, and you suspect your soul can show you the way to your ultimate potential. You recognize times when your soul has worked with you because of the way these encounters made you feel: You can see things clearly through the clutter and chaos of everyday life; your heart feels light and open; and you have a sense of promise and excitement that anything is possible. Magic, miracles and synchronicities increase dramatically in your life at this stage. Level IV: “A Whole New Me” – Most Engaged You have formed a partnership with your soul and share a bond with this part of you that is like a best friend. During important parts of your life, you consult not only your body, mind and spirit, but also now your soul. You sense you’re living beyond your wildest dreams. You still have to deal with the realities of everyday life, but there’s a peace about you because you know there’s more to living than the daily struggle. Your soul is with you at all times, participating in important decisions. In this book, you’ll read about other people who have taken the limits off their power by working with their soul: • Dave, 29, had an extraordinary gift for music, but he had grown up with the temperament of a child prodigy and genius. His soul had a mission and was committed
- 26. xxvi Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l to Dave’s success, and it would not be deterred by Dave’s temper tantrums and immature behavior. With his soul acting as mentor and teacher, Dave took baby steps toward a challenging goal and learned to trust himself, which led to his professional greatness. • John, an artist and graphic designer, was diagnosed with AIDS and lost sight in his right eye. He felt sure his life was finished. His soul showed him pictures that made him laugh, including a giant bowl of cherries, and this pulled him through years of painful physical suffering until a new medication gave him a second chance at life. • Anne was anxious and self-destructive, and her life was limited to a tiny one-bedroom apartment. The former triathlete and Olympic competitor with a brilliant, disciplined mind and an extraordinary academic record suffered from severe symptoms of menopause and worried she was losing her sanity. By working with her soul, she began to believe again that she could do anything. She went on to own a business that employed 25 people. • Will, a modern-day Ebenezer Scrooge, was 51 and had no interests, opinions, passions or goals. With the help of his soul, he explored new experiences that led to an exciting life he had never envisioned for himself. Engaging your soul takes you a giant step closer to your fullest potential. It helps you create the future of your dreams to fulfill your life’s purpose. Once you connect with your soul, you want things to be different. You want it to carry you in a whole new direction, and you know it can. This book introduces you to some of my favorite soul powers and the guidelines for expressing them. It shows
- 27. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l xxvii you how to step into the “Soul Zone,” sort of a workshop or laboratory inside you where you can explore, experiment and create your undeveloped potential. Throughout the book, you’ll find references to other tools, including audio files, that can support you on this journey. As you take the limits off your power, you’ll find yourself accomplishing things you never dreamed were within your reach: getting the love you’re looking for, increasing your happiness, improving your health and well-being, breaking free from emotional limitations and baggage, creating financial freedom, developing fabulous relationships, seeing who you really are and why you’re here on this earth, and realizing your greatness. You’ll gain self-confidence and learn to trust your abilities, becoming more spiritually aware and developing an inner peace and contentment. Soul empowerment gives you a clear understanding of life, its challenges, your potential, and the purpose and deeper meaning behind every situation you find yourself in, every obstacle you have to confront and every difficulty you face. Incorporating your soul into your expression of life is the easiest way to achieve the highest levels of accomplishment. Change is the only thing that is constant. This book gives you the opportunity to change yourself into a complete, successful, respected, lovable and appreciated person by learning to activate and use your awesome, powerful soul. Engaging your soul gives you a new, empowering view of life.
- 28. 260 Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l Epilogue When you learn to function through the power of your soul, your life changes direction. You start to consciously and purposely engage freedom in the way you make decisions. The pioneering human spirit inside you feels an urge to express your creativity in whatever you’re doing. You feel there’s a purpose to your life, and you start to connect the dots to form a picture of why you’re here on the planet. You also seek out others who operate from this enlightened place. You find yourself in deep discussions about projects you can do together, and you feel a heightened sense of awareness. You have the sensation that the tiny hairs on the back of your neck are standing straight out. This is where you begin the exciting journey toward soul partnerships. These complex relationships involve people from all over the world, from different backgrounds, who seem to meet by coincidence. Somewhere along the line you realize the synchronicities are just too great to be random. That’s when you know for sure your souls have been working to bring you together. Are you ready for this new life? Maybe you’ve felt yourself changing as you’ve read this book. Let’s look again at the four levels of engagement, and here’s where I tell you about a fifth level:
- 29. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l 261 Level I: “Live By the Facts or By Reason” – Least Engaged Instead of enlisting your soul as a partner, you leave it to work behind the scenes outside of your awareness. You don’t trust what you can’t see, and the concept of soul sounds like it might be a little far-fetched. You don’t want to take any chances, and you don’t want to give up control. So you rely on your mental capacities, trusting your own intellect and reason as you set goals, plans and directions based on your experience, external expertise and scientific fact. If you do decide to work with the soul, it’s as a last resort, possibly because of a crisis. You don’t do this in partnership, but in surrender to an unknown force that you hope knows what’s best for you, because you’re too worn out to participate. Level II: “Help Insurance” – Somewhat Engaged You’re not sure what your soul is capable of, but your intuition tells you its work could be important, so you decide to trust it just in case. Most of the time, you are self-directed and you rely on your own wits to help you determine your life’s purpose, structure, meaning and direction. You use your soul as a safety net. If your life is not working, you call on your soul to get you out of trouble or to help move you forward. This is like jumping into a boat and seeing where it takes you, and when you find yourself somewhere you don’t like, you scream for help and guidance. You expect your soul to help you because you’ve invested in it, just like any other kind of insurance. Level III: “Hello, Soul” – More Engaged You’ve begun to experience what it might be like to
- 30. 262 Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l appoint your soul as director of your life to help you uncover your purpose and a plan. You’re starting to understand that your soul has special powers, abilities, resources and information, and that your soul is a part of you. This might be the bridge to all that you’re seeking, and you suspect your soul can show you the way to your ultimate potential. You recognize times when your soul has worked with you because of the way these encounters have made you feel: You can see things clearly through the clutter and chaos of everyday life; your heart feels light and open; and you have a sense of promise and excitement that anything is possible. Magic, miracles and synchronicities increase dramatically in your life at this stage. Level IV: “A Whole New Me” – Most Engaged You have formed a partnership with your soul and share a bond with this part of you that is like a best friend. During important parts of your life, you consult not only your body, mind and spirit, but also now your soul. You sense you’re living beyond your wildest dreams. You still have to deal with the realities of everyday life, but there’s a peace about you because you know there’s more to living than the daily struggle. Your soul is with you at all times, participating in important decisions. Level V: “A Bigger Picture” – Engaged With Others The more engaged you are with yourself, the higher the possibility of engaging with others. You become like a magnet. You automatically pick up a connection with others. When you’re standing next to someone, that person will automatically start engaging in how to relate
- 31. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l 263 to you, true self to true self. You can be talking about the weather or the last movie you saw, and both of you start making an internal connection and go deeper into your authentic place. When you stay in your authenticity and let other people engage, you connect as if you’ve known each other forever. A natural filter process happens. You don’t waste your time on situations and relationships that are simply not a good match. You find people who are communicating with themselves like you are and you can engage with them freely and easily. Some feel comfortable with a Level V engagement and others do not. Some people walk away from the encounter. If you don’t have a strong engagement with your soul, you might say, “I wonder what’s wrong with me. Everyone walks away from me.” It’s really about becoming more connected with your soul so other people will reach out to you in soul-to- soul connections. You can go so much deeper than when you connect intellect to intellect. The urge for like-mindedness in this fifth level is huge. This is the co-creation level. Relationships include soul mates, soul partnerships and soul teams. • Soul mates are about connecting heart to heart. • Soul partnerships are about supporting one another’s greater purpose. • Soul teams are about taking action and working together to create something with a mission of higher purpose. This fifth level is what most people are really looking for. As human beings, we yearn for higher relationships with others. When we can’t get there, we circle back and look for answers. You’re almost there. The answers are waiting for you.
- 32. 264 Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l To really expand your experience, I recommend occasionally going back and reading the other books in the Stretch Your Wings Collection: Meet Your Soul: Stretch Your Wings and Fly – Connecting with Your Quantum Power is about recognizing and developing muscles in your soul development work, in case you’ve missed any, so you can hone your performance. It’s like training with weights to work on your body’s core. You don’t know you’ve missed it until you go back over the basics and find out. Launch Your Inner Radar: Empowering Your Soul – A Guide for Activating Your Life Purpose is about clearing the shadow areas that might be keeping you stuck. You begin to understand patterns that many times can block your ability to get to the core muscles of your soul development. Make some changes and you find that doors open and roadways appear that will lead to a more fulfilling life through a partnership with your soul. This stops you from living in your shadow self and prepares you for living your authentic self. The Stretch Your Wings Collection is available at www.connectwithyoursoul.com/products.
- 33. Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l 265 Some of the wonders of your soul’s reality are timeless, formless states of being like joy, love, peace and harmony. Your Soul Connection makes the energy of these states of being available to your body at all times. One of the true treasures of your soul, and one of the great pleasures that come with getting to know your soul better, is to be showered for absolutely no reason with love, peace or joy. – Maxine Jones
- 34. 266 Ta k e t h e L i m i t s O f f Yo u r S o u l