the past | David M Masters

What Would You Say to Your Younger Self?

When using Time Machine Therapy, we travel up and down the timeline of your life, checking in with you and your surroundings in a therapeutic manner. If you could have a chat with yourself at any age, what would you say to your younger self? At what age would you meet yourself? What time and location would you meet yourself at, and what advice would you give to your younger self?

Time Machine Therapy is very effective when dealing with people who have aged enough to have a variety of life experiences, which may include a high degree of drama and trauma. Thankfully, there is a growing trend of these aging people seeking someone to talk to about their past.

We now know that if you harbor ill feelings about your past deep inside (some so deep, in fact, that they cannot even recall what happened when they were younger). These hidden wounds, left to themselves, will spread disease throughout the body from where these tragic memories are stored.

Another reason for vising your timeline might be for the growing amount of regret that Americans feel about things they could have done better in their past if given the chance. If this regret is left to ferment within the soul, you could get so depressed, that you may question whether life is living another day and become obsessed with suicidal ideation.

In chronic cases, hypnotherapy or Angelic Prayer Therapy could be effective in reprogramming the memory enough to re-engage with life again, but in most cases loving and encouraging your younger self will do the trick.

What would you say to your younger self?

If you’re like most people, you will opt to visit yourself at the age of eighteen, and you are likely to advise yourself about how to deal with relationships, various learning opportunities, and self-care, in that order.

Around the age of 18, is when most of us experience frustration with the challenges of the juxtaposition between childhood and adulthood, and as we are exercising our ability to make our own decisions, often regret those decisions, as we learned the hard way what the consequences of those decisions were.

Unfortunately, this is the way life works. Sometimes, you just have to earn from making mistakes, and the older you get, the more you see the perfection in all the drama and trauma endured from not doing it right the first time (or subsequent times).

Relationships

If you could, you would certainly warn yourself about getting into relationships which turned out to not work well for you.

Opportunities

You would also tell yourself that if given the decision to take a break or delay seizing the opportunity for a significant learning experience, you would beg your younger self to seize the opportunity.

Self-care

And when it came to sacrificing the tending to yourself, your needs, wants, and desires, to benefit someone else? You would encourage yourself to take care of him or her -self first, then tend to the needs of others.

If it were me? I’d hug myself, and tell me something like, I love me with all my heart, and let him know that everything is going to be okay. Even when things look really bad, try not to worry, because all of this is necessary for what is coming ahead. Trust me, everything gets so much better, amazingly better, because you make it through this, and we are making it through this together. I am so proud of you. You are never alone and I will always be here for you.

Another challenge to yourself:

If you think about it, what might your future self say to you, if he or she could travel back in time to talk to you, right now.

You might be surprised to discover that it is not much different than the advice that you would have given to your younger self.

Think about it.

What would you say to your younger self?

(leave comments below)

How to Stop the Latent Abuse

You’ve been in an abusive relationship or a victim of abuse, and you’ve stopped the abuse. How do you stop the latent abuse? You found a way out, you were rescued, or you rescued yourself. Then you discover it didn’t stop the abuse. The abuse continues, it lingers. It digs at the deepest parts of you.

You’re like, “I’ve done all the work, I’m safe and free. Yet, it’s like I am still in the midst of it. Will I ever be free?”

This traumatic connection to your abuser allows the abuse to continue over time through an uncontrollable series of secondary emotional responses which are nearly, if not as, severe as when you actually were submitted to the abuse.

This latent abuse persists over time and can be more damaging than the abuse which triggers it because you may have only suffered the abuse once, but the latent abuse tarries and further abuses you over and over again.

This fits the definition of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). When you suffer abuse at the hands of another, you are connected to that person. While you may be able to save yourself from the abuse by separating yourself from the abusive environment or situation, you are continually traumatized or re-abused by the thought of the abuse, or when triggered by anything remotely associated with the abuse.

If you are unable to cut the cord of this emotional connection to your abuser, he or she will have continued control over you for the rest of your life, causing you to suffer even more, even though he or she is not even there.

Most abusers do not take satisfaction over this continued abuse because they don’t even think about it, but if you’ve suffered at the hands of a psychopath, the continued abuse you suffer over time is their badge of honor. Psychopaths pride themselves in being able to continually hurt someone over a period of time, for life, even more so.

If you are the victim of latent abuse, the best advice to follow is to seek out a coach or counselor with some experience in helping others overcome the continued suffering of latent abuse or PTSD. This is serious business and there are hundreds of ways to deal with the lingering effect of latent trauma, some methods are more effective than others.

They key is to enable you to cut the cords which connect your abuser to you once and for all. When you suffer abuse at the hands of another, you are emotionally connected to the monster within your abuser. To truly be free, you must not only separate yourself from your abuse, but you must cut the emotional cord which connects you to the monster.

You can experience relief from latent trauma by using my Emotional Release Method (ERM). You don’t have to seek out professional help, and you can enjoy freedom from the emotional connection to your abuser. You will be able to recall the events from the past that traumatized you, without having to feel all the emotional pain associated with those memories.

Whatever method you use to cut the cord of emotional abuse, you will know you are truly free when you can recall the events without feeling the pain associated with the abuse. Then, and only then, will you be free to heal the emotional wounds and grow unencumbered by your abuser.

If you are like others who have suffered abuse in the past, you may ask yourself, “Why would I be subjected to such abuse?”

“Why?” is a disempowering question. Why stops all forward momentum for growth and can even put you in reverse (See: WHY = STOP + Reverse). Though, you might consider this:

No one is more qualified than you to reach out and help someone else from suffering this kind of abuse. In a sense, you’re being subject to this abuse has equipped you to help others who have suffered similar trauma.

This is a part of your journey.

Imagine turning all this latent trauma into a powerful weapon for good. Your experience can empower you to be a force for good, empowering others to change their lives, heal, grow, enjoy a better life, and make the world a better place.

Accepting Responsibility and Change

We all make decisions in the moment that affect the rest of our lives. These are those pivotal places in life which disrupt the current path of our lives, changing the direction, plan, and purpose of our lives completely.

There is nothing wrong with this. There is no wrong way to make a decision or take an action which changes the rest of your life forever, for no matter what you do, it is always divine in nature.

There is no need to second-guess or apologize for anything you say or do result in your ability to change your life. When the result causes a significant change of direction in your life, this is always for your highest and best.

Your life might be in need of a drastic change, and most likely whenever this massive readjustment takes place, you are not going to feel good about it. You may feel good about the change in the beginning, only to second-guess your decisions or actions later. You may discover that others (possibly even yourself) might try to make you feel guilty about making such a major adjustment.

Guilt is nothing that serves you, so reject the idea of it at every opportunity. You may have remorse because you would have rather something had gone or turned out differently than you expected but feeling guilty is a fear-based emotion which seeks to tear at your emotional fabric and intends to destroy your individuality.

You must find peace in accepting things as they are (what is accepting what is?), honoring regret without succumbing to remorse.

Maybe, if given the chance to do it over, you would have handled the details differently, but the truth of the matter is that things unfolded the way they did. You did the best you could in the moment that changed everything, and you did so perfectly. Want a do-over?

Yes, things changed, and this is the essence of a life full of opportunities for growth and change, increasing the possibilities exponentially throughout your life as it ripples throughout the lives of others.

These life choices, challenges, or changes in life circumstances enable us to grow and expand beyond that which would have been possible had we stayed in a sedimentary or dormant vibration.

People in your life may not have the same respect for growth and change, and they may try to intimidate or impose psychological pressure on you in an effort to persuade you to stay the same. There is a certain comfort in sameness, which hinders growth and supports mediocrity. You needn’t settle for mediocrity.

If you’ve chosen the pursuit of a life path which is open to change then opportunities to change will present themselves, and if your life is not changing, then you’re not doing it right.

You are not flawed, and you’re never doing it wrong, no matter what anyone says. You are simply making your own way and honoring your God-given right to do so.

It was never your intention to offend or hurt anyone in the process. If anyone was offended or hurt, you may regret your part in their pain, and vow to do it differently, better than the last time. This is part of your learning and growth process.

No one knows better than I, that even with the best intentions, the outcome did not unfold as I expected and people (even including myself) were hurt in the process. For this, I have profound regret, but my heart was pure. I accept responsibility for those things I cannot change, apologize when appropriate, and vow to learn and try to do better if ever I revisit a similar circumstance.

Your journey is one unlike any other, and we can’t wait to see you live a better life, your best life, and make the world a better place.

Love and the Past

We are all haunted by the demons which haunt us from our past. As much as we try to do our best to move forward to enjoy the best things in life, without victory over the past, the issues which we hold close to our hearts, those things which we have loved, lost, and hurt our feelings continue to haunt us.

Being a victim of the past disempowers us and gives the power we could potentially wield to those people, situations, and circumstances which overtake our attention, preventing us from enjoying to the fullest the best things this life has to offer. Left to themselves, this unresolved trauma can overtake you and ruin any possibility of having any hope of experiencing prolonged joy.

Relationships trigger these memories and the emotions connected to them, bringing them to the surface, even if we’re unaware of what’s happening. Unless you know this is what’s happening, it could have a negative impact on the relationship.

If you can look at this as a gift from God, as a way to bring our hidden emotional demons to the surface so we can deal with and exorcise them, then it will not seem so much like a curse or irrational pain on the loose.

Left unresolved, issues from your past will continue to appear affecting the lens through which you see life and all relationships. Therefore, if you have unresolved issues with a parent (could be anyone or any experience from your past) which you’ve pushed down way inside and may not even be conscious of, this will color intimate relationships as you are given the opportunity to deal with those issues which do not serve you.

Ignored opportunities will look as though you are overreacting to something that would otherwise be perceived as a minimal challenge, insignificant, or benign. Yet, here you are, all emotionally charged up, being ruled by the very thing which needs to be brought up and cleared.

We are all triggered and react in different ways when this opportunity presents itself.

This is God’s invitation for you to deal with and heal hidden or ignored trauma from the past. Without this natural mechanism of using relationships to allow unresolved issues from the past to appear, you would forever be a victim of the past.

God wants you to be free, to enjoy life, and have victory over the past.

To have victory over the past you must be brave and courageous to face the virtual demons of the past that haunt you.

It’s not enough to ignore the past and pretend that it just didn’t happen. This will only allow those issues to slowly eat away at you, robbing you of joy, promoting the deterioration of your immune system leading to disease and advanced aging, even premature mortality.

Some of the trauma from the past will have you seeing yourself vulnerable and a potential victim of abuse from those who are closest to you when no threat is actually present.

You may also have feelings of fear, unworthiness, feeling as though you cannot be truly understood, disrespected, feeling as though you are being unjustly criticized, and the inability to trust other people. You are easily offended and are poised to defend yourself, always on the alert for some potential threat.

These are just a few of the signs that may be calling you to look within, especially if it appears to be a reaction which might be considered excessive based on the facts when viewed objectively.

When they appear, have the courage to look inside. The feelings you are experiencing may not have anything to do with your partner (though admittedly, it may feel like it at the time), it may be an unresolved issue from your past begging to be unearthed and set free.

Love brings these things to the surface, and love is the key that unlocks the trunk where all the things holding you back are contained within.

If you do not take the opportunity to deal with these issues, you are likely to project them on your partner and your potential for true love may not be recognized or available to you.

The good news is that love is never failing, and you will be presented with another opportunity to deal with these issues when the next opportunity for love arises.

See you at the Soulmate Wizardry event.

Haunted by Ghosts of Life

Ever feel like you’re being haunted by past experiences of your own life?

It’s as if ominous ghostly specters are floating around you at all times haunting you, reminding you of past occurrences that hold you back or keep you down. The ghosts of your past find ways to remind you of things that have happened before, especially when you’re about to experience a breakthrough or contemplate a potential opportunity to change your life for the better. You are reminded that you are unworthy or damaged goods because of the past experiences.

It’s possible these ghosts of your life’s past started to accumulate since an early age. Maybe an injustice at school where you were belittled or bullied, or you felt an absence of love and as if you were not good enough, and for some they get even more intense as we continue to grow into high school and beyond.

Maybe a romance gone bad or sour business venture caught you off guard resulting in a gnarly ghoul who keeps you from moving out in faith and love to achieve your highest and best.

Whatever the reason, you have these unfriendly ghosts hovering around you, ever reminding you that things did not turn out either nicely or the way you had planned.

I know a ghostbuster (who even teaches classes and certifies other ghostbusters) whose process of dealing with ghosts is to lead them to their higher destination. Once they’ve graduated, they’re not stuck anymore and they’re no longer interfering in the lives of the living. They just didn’t know any better, the same goes with the ghosts from your past haunting you.

If these ghosts keep persisting to keep you from living a better life, then it’s time for a little ghostbusting for you. You could seek some outside coaching, counseling or therapy; then again, you may be able to battle the ominous specters on your own.

When ghostbusters deal with ghosts, they try to start at identification and that’s there you need to start, too. Create a profile of your ghost, when did it first appear? What incident is it connected to? What does it moan, chant or whisper to you? And when does it rear its ugly head?

If you didn’t already know this,

The Ghost is Dead

It is no longer among the living, but it does not know that. Nothing that happened in the past that is no longer happening has any life in it. It is dead and buried in the past.

The ghost strives to survive due to its struggle to live and torturing you makes it feel as though it is alive. And the ghost’s intention is good, though misled. It thinks by keeping you in fear, it is protecting you from evil.

The ghost has led you to believe that the incident(s) or series of circumstances it represents are bad. It’s up to you to lovingly present a case to the ghost that though the event appeared to be bad – and, certainly it was bad – the experience and the learning that you gained from it was highly beneficial, not only to you, but armed you with skills and abilities to relate to others in a similar situation.

You may find it helpful to write out your story on paper and refine it, being certain to list all the good things that resulted from the bad thing that happened.

Trust me, the ghost is watching your work intensely and reading every word. It may even try to taunt you while you’re conducting this work, but don’t give in. Push through and show the ghost your completed report.

Thank the ghost for trying to protect you all this time. Let it know that you understand that its intentions were good in trying to protect you, but you don’t need its protection anymore. In fact, to tell it the truth, all this protection has actually prevented you from achieving you highest and best.

Thank your ghost for all its effort to protect you, but now it is time that both you and the ghost be set free. As you destroy the list, tell your ghost that you love it and send it to the light.

Start living your life ghost-free

If another ghost rears its ugly head, apply the same procedure when you and your ghost are ready to move on.

The Past is the Past

One of the most debilitating conditions humans can encounter is that of emotional pain, from loss, abuse or regret. Interestingly, we suffer this pain independently of any physical condition, yet the physiological distress can be as serious as the psychological discomfort.

Indeed our thoughts control our emotions, and our physiological wellbeing. When the past haunts us in our present state of mind, the past is not in the past as it keeps impeding on the present becoming a component of “now,” instead of being safely stored in the past where it belongs.

When one has suffered a psychological trauma (which can be demonstrated physiologically as illness or disease) as a result of something that has happened in the past (like, post traumatic stress disorder, for instance), the standard response from someone who hasn’t walked a mile in your shoes is, “Just get over it. The past is the past.”

Ah, “the past is the past;” the mantra of the psychopath. That’s what a psychopath says when he or she has committed a significant transgression, and expects you to disregard the past because it cannot be changed (here’s where they insert assertions about how much they’ve changed, assuring you that you would never be at-risk again) all in an effort to set you up for the next unexpected blow.

In general, psychopaths are unique in that they have no feelings, no feeling of love, remorse, guilt… they are psychologically bullet-proof (or bankrupt)… they have no need to seek forgiveness, nor do they accept responsibility for their missteps… To those of us who suffer emotionally from being abused, wronged or traumatized, this would be considered a superpower… and in some ways, it is.

Bottling up suppressed emotional trauma related to the past weighs heavily on the normal operating condition of the human body and is not an effective approach to dealing with PTSD.

Thankfully, there are therapeutic models that help people deal with traumatic incidents that have been experienced in the past that continue to thwart our sense of well-being. Enter what I refer to as, “Time Machine Therapy.”

I know that the idea of a time machine seems like a bit too much science fiction for the average person… but time travel has been accomplished using the power of the mind for thousands of years, though some intellectuals insist that it’s only been about 150 years… It doesn’t really matter how long it’s been, what does matter is that it is an effective process that can have valuable healing power today.

With access to this potent therapeutic modality we have challenged that famous catch-all phrase, “the past is the past,” because now, we have a method not only to access the past, but to manipulate or even change the past.

It’s also important to have access to the skills that it takes to let go of the past, to disconnect the physiological connection that leads to discomfort and stress. There are many methods available to help you overcomes traumatic loss or change in your life, and to put you back in the driver’s seat of your life.

Being distracted by the concerns about one’s past makes it difficult to navigate one’s present. That is why it is imperative to deal with the issues of the past for a normal person (does not apply to psychopaths or sociopaths) in order to not have your cognitive resources bogged-down with the burden of yesterday.

It is imperative to begin to live in the present, and you can get you from there to here and powerfully empowered to be the best that you can be.

You might ask, “When accessing or altering the past, do we still retain the lessons learned?”

That’s a good question; and the answer depends on the client. In most cases, we can retain the memories, disconnecting the feelings connected to them. In rare cases, entire memories need to be altered or erased in order to preserve a healthy perspective of the client.

A common response to that is, “That sounds like brainwashing!”

You may associate a lot of negative associations to the idea of tampering with one’s memories, but this is done at the request – and with the full cooperation and consciousness – of the client; and in times of emotional crises time machine therapy is a healthy alternative to a condition that might otherwise be unmanageable.

In the event that wiping the slate clean is necessary, the client is always equipped with the combination to the mental safe that keeps those memories locked safely away, if it becomes important to access them once again.

Once you are in charge of your life again, you will find yourself making positive progress, changing your future and the world for a better life, your best life and make the world a better place. You may feel regret from opportunities that were lost as a result of your previous struggles with issues from your past – as though you have lost a piece of your past that may have been better spent – and may have thought that you lost your chance for this or that… Not true. Once you are back in the present you can be and do more than you may have ever imagined because you are more empowered and aware than ever before.

You will no longer be limited by false inhibitions or past burdens. Everyone deals with the issues of their past in different ways, and there are a quantity of tools and techniques that ensure that you can have a positive outlook for you and those whom you care about.