Spirit Fire

by Donna Mitchell-Moniak

Taking care of oneself is always important and wise. And what that actually means changes throughout one’s lifetime; different ages and life circumstances tax or benefit our bodies in varying ways. The spiritual path also can challenge or benefit the physical, emotional, and mental bodies; whether it is boon or bust also varies person to person. Yet over many years of counseling people, and intuitively reading subtle systems it has become apparent that walking the spiritual path requires additional support to be offered to our bodies. And if that insight didn’t come from counseling others, it came from navigating my own challenges along the Way and the good counsel that I have received.

Supplements are necessary in this modern and industrialized society. Most of us know the reasons why: depletion of the nutrients in the soil, pollution, not eating well or holistically, and the stresses that exist and impact our bodies modernly that did not exist generations ago. But in addition to these well-known facts is that the spiritual path works upon our physical body in particular ways and thus requires certain supplements. My list is short for two reasons: I’m not a supplement enthusiast who reads all the latest information or has an eye out for the current nutritional craze. And secondly, I have found over and over again that the spiritual path simplifies in every regard. Less is more; and in order for this to be effective we must come to the correct less. For example, multi-vitamin pills don’t work well for people trying to live more consciously. It is as if the body rejects the complexity of them. Yet give the same person certain targeted vitamins and minerals and their body absorbs them well.

No matter how the spiritual path looks on the outside (meditation, prayer, creativity, contemplation, selfless service, inspiration to others) the same things are happening on the inside of the physical body. For example let us consider electricity. Electricity: meditation, intense prayer, increased receptivity in any regard, and increased creativity are all fiery in nature. They might not be experienced as heat but usually will be experienced with or as increased light, stimulation, intensity, or euphoria/bliss/rapture. This is subtle electricity as it
illuminates the nervous system
uses energy differently, usually more rapidly, also more efficiently
burns or fries the synaptic fibers
creates new patterns of synaptic firings.
This results in the equivalent of a rapid aging cycle of the nerves and tissues related. Spiritually this is called “refinement;” physically it often is seen in mild or greater dysfunction of tissue, nerves, organs, and overall health and
physical well-being.

Now, the reason for the electricity and light is all to the good and the end result is more consciousness, but the dense physical body needs a little specific assistance to help it grow with the growing consciousness. These are strongly advised:
Omega 3’s – if one is a meditator and experiencing light in the head, ‘downloads’ of understanding, revelation, increase of intuition or knowing, then one’s brain is being activated in new areas, and new synaptic pathways are being created quickly, often in the moment. The body needs 3-7000 mg of omega 3 daily. Split it ½ in the morning ½ at night. Fish or flax seed source is fine.
Magnesium – for the same reasons above. Additionally, electricity needs to be grounded and positively neutralized. Magnesium does this for the electricity coursing through the nervous system. Many who meditate experience mild shaking, some feel their muscles tighten, others experience a tendency toward hyper-sensitivity in their etheric field. Magnesium helps this tremendously. We have to figure out the dose because it can loosen the bowel. Start with one a day unless the body has been ‘fried;’ then start with two. But be kind and observant. Often one 250 mg capsule every other day is enough for the average meditator.
Anti-oxidants – grape seed extract, green tea extract, super greens (algae)
1. One or two, not all are necessary. Remember less is more.
2. Green tea can have mild stimulant reactions within the body, so for some people morning use is best, not near bedtime.
3. Many people put super greens in a morning protein shake. However, if the body tends toward shaking, the coldness of the shake only exacerbates this. Take your greens in another form.
Grape seed extract is always good and I have never found it contraindicated.

The reason anti-oxidants are necessary is because the spiritual is less dense vibrationally. Consciousness, spirit, kundalini, light in the mind, and the compassion of an open heart, all of these are intense in their own right. They speed up the vibration of the dense molecules being affected by their refined vibration. To the molecules and cells of the body, this is experienced similar to aging. Anti-oxidants help the cells receive the higher vibrations and stabilize them. Of course, physical exercise, Tai Chi, yoga, Chi Gong, and dance are all good, and any one of them is necessary on a regular basis in order to move and ground the spiritual energy.

Sensitivity: with increased awareness comes increased sensitivity, usually in all regards. Loud sounds become loud noise, smells especially perfumes cause headaches and throat constriction, various forms of psychism and empathy increase. It becomes difficult to be in places like shopping malls or see violence in movies.

Sensitivity is experienced in the physical, etheric, and emotional/astral bodies. The physical body might develop allergies to foods it has eaten for years. Removing everything in the toiletry cabinet that has scent like soap, hand cream, or shaving cream can be quite a chore. The need for this is due to changes within the etheric body of the person. As self-awareness increases every part of us begins to change vibrationally becoming more refined and less dense. As a result, more than just our mind and consciousness experience a heightening of awareness or sensing. The etheric body, the subtle correspondent to the dense physical body, has grown more lighted (to the clairvoyant eye), its note is shifting octavally and harmonically (to the clairaudient ear), and the chakras and nadis have more light and more subtle substance moving through them. This requires the same correspondence within the dense physical body; and so we get allergies, or experience headaches or nausea in certain environments, and feel much better in others.

We also grow more empathic and emotionally psychic as we move along the spiritual path. This is natural, not always easy, and sometimes quite difficult. The good news is that this is evidence of the higher solar plexus opening within someone and the possible opening of the heart chakra. It also puts one in touch with the suffering of others. Eventually, this same empathic sensitivity develops detachment, spiritually understood, and leads to compassion.

Psychism is not intuition, but the two have much in common. And colloquially the two words are used almost interchangeably. Psychism comes from the relatedness of the solar plexus chakra with all life on the planet. It is our felt-sense of community, what we all have in common: caring, love, kindness, and attachment in its full range. Intuition comes with certain petals in the heart chakra in full functioning, and their correspondent petals in the ajna and crown chakras being open and functioning as well. Intuition requires a certain clarity and receptivity in the mind. Psychism merely requires that a feeling or felt sense be registered. This is a good thing and a bad thing because this means that psychism is always on, always happening, unless the person has become aware of this fact and also knows how and when to turn it on or off. The good thing is that psychism puts us en rapport with everyone. The bad thing is that it puts us en rapport with everyone. There are no barriers energetically. As a result, people begin to feel more sensitive overall, picking up on other’s feelings, dreams, moods, and pain. The spiritual path causes us to feel more in every way so as to understand.

Nutrition and supplements will not mask or change this growth in the capacity of our emotional/astral nature, nor should we want that adjusted. Growing more conscious is total, no part is left out. But certain things can help us help ourselves.
Quietude, beauty, and nature. In the hectic and full life that most people lead these three things might not be included on our to-do list; but they are a priority.
Omega 3 helps to soothe the etheric body.
Magnesium helps to soothe the nerves.
Cat’s Claw (una de gato), a Peruvian herb sold in any natural food store, is excellent for the digestive tract, liver, and pancreas as they take the brunt of the increased activity within the solar plexus. I have personally seen this herb work miracles with diverticulitis, acid reflux, and nervous stomach.
Botanical essences such as lavender, posey, calendula, or tansy. I do not think Rescue Remedy or its equivalent in other brands should be used regularly, nor the above mentioned botanical essences. Yet when we need assistance we should not hesitate to put a few drops in our water, just as we would not hesitate to do so for our child or loved one.

Illumination: this is a generic term inclusive of others, such as revelation, understanding, recognition, release, acceptance, and awareness. It would seem that the mind is the major player here, but our emotions and personal sense of self are involved as well. Illumination is the process whereby we begin to see things differently, and interact with things, people, and events differently; our view changes. As a result, our demeanor changes as well. We might be in the phase of self-reflection or discovery and tend to focus on patterns within ourselves that can be changed. This can leave us feeling self-critical. We might be in the phase of self-empowerment and exploration where we are trying new disciplines, new food, new habits, tasting and testing a bit like Goldilocks to see what fits and feels right. Or we might be in the phase of inner light. This is when our mind is opening to the more that is present inside, the deeper parts of our self, and to wider and all-encompassing truths, as well as the light and lightness of being that comes with this phase. And of course, we could be experiencing all of the above in some combination.

Dietary supplements, especially the few already mentioned, will help the physical, etheric, and emotional body through what we may experience as the roller-coaster of illumination. The highs of insight and understanding combined with the lows of recognition of personal patterns needing to be transformed, and the seeming no-end of this process, do give our bodies and self-esteem quite a ride. But this is a ride that wants to constantly bring benefit.

Quietude, nature, beauty, and environments that give peace or serenity can assist the mind let go of its insatiable activity. Also, as we let go of the veils or faces that we wear in order for the deeper true self to shine through, we might assist our self with mantram, affirmation, a creative art or creative expression of some kind, and good meaningful conversation with confidantes and friends.

Along the line of illumination, I am reminded of something once said to me in private session. The client said, “You know the difference between psychotic and psychic?” Answer: “Who you tell!” The wisdom of this is obvious. As meditation and experiences with the subjective increase, our mind opens to a whole range of experiences that only others similarly engaged would understand or be safe to communicate with. Telling a physician about seeing light within our head or hearing the sound of the soul might not be smart. Therefore, there is wisdom in knowing who to share spiritual experiences with; and although this is not a dietary supplement it is necessary. I am of the opinion that it is imperative that we communicate (in a journal or to a friend) our internal experiences, mostly for reasons of articulation. Finding words for the subjective helps ground the experience; and this is good for all of our bodies. We also can hear in our words the need to maintain relativity. There will always be a greater, more inclusive, expansive, explosive experience. That has to be! Thus whatever we are experiencing is not the end-all and be-all of any insight, revelation, realization, or enlightenment. Perspective is a great supplement.

Lastly, there is kindness as a supplement, antidote, wise response, and everyday action. First, there is kindness to our self, our bodies, our childish mind that wants its own way, and our wounded or aggrandized ego. Second, give kindness to all we meet. This is done with a smile, in word and deed, through respect and honor. It is also lived through acceptance and allowing. Let simple acts of kindness be our supplement to our self and others. It’s usually free, no tax necessary.