Mary Obana 0:05
I'm Mary Obana. Welcome to Shine. I'm all about friendly, soul-nourishing, spiritually-inspired conversations that expand perspectives and offer practical guidance so you can live joyfully and shine brightly.
I believe:
Everyone has something special within them, a unique gift—a light you are to find and share with the world. You are meant to shine.
I believe:
You have a deep knowing; guidance that is ready to serve you. It is always available if you listen.
I believe:
You are meant to live with complete joy and peace—nothing less. It's just awaiting your allowing.
Ready to get to it? Here we go!
Mary Obana 00:54
Hey there! It's good to be here with you. Thanks for joining me.
How are you doing? I mean, really doing? How are you feeling? Wow, is there ever a lot going on in our world: so much turmoil and suffering.
This isn't the first time, of course, that we've seen a world in conflict, but watching and listening to innocent people speaking directly to you through TikTok videos, sharing what they are enduring in nearly real-time? It hits home. How quickly things have changed for the people of Ukraine. Families separated. People hiding, grandparents to teens fighting. Your heart just pours out to them. And for the Russian people, too, so many of whom oppose what is happening. It's not that it is any more or less awful than things that have occurred in the past or that are happening right now elsewhere, but it just feels different this time. Maybe you're feeling this way, too.
It can leave us feeling sad, distraught, and helpless. What do we do when we find ourselves feeling this way? When others are in pain or going through something horrible, and we are so far away. What can we do to help? That's what this episode is about.
I hope that talking about this and sharing what I have come to know will help us contribute positively to those around us and those even a world away. We can help because we are more connected than you think.
While we may not know it, every one of us directly affects others. And I’m not talking about our actions. I’m talking about our feelings and emotions. You might be thinking, “Huh? I’m pretty sure the way I feel has little if any bearing on the world.” Well, I'm here to share that this is not true. From moment to moment, we are all affecting one another in seen and powerful unseen ways.
How?
It's our energy. Everything is energy. We are energy. Our thoughts are energy. Everything that we can see is and has energy. You see, everything is vibrating – people, plants, creatures, objects, water, sound, the air we breathe. Those atoms within everything are busy bouncing around and shifting back and forth, which creates a vibration. EVERYTHING is an expression of vibration and a form of energy that we perceive consciously and unconsciously.
Nikola Tesla said, "If you want to find the secret of the universe, you need to think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration."
As humans, we constantly emit energy that reflects our feelings and emotions. Or, more accurately, the vibrations given off by our feelings and emotions. And that energy affects others.
We all intuitively understand this. We even use language to describe it. You are feeling "up" or "down," being on the same "wavelength" as someone else, getting good vibes about something. You feel "up" when you're vibrating at a high frequency. High vibrations come with lightness, ease, positivity, possibility. Good vibes! Conversely, feeling "down" is when you're vibrating at a low frequency, feeling negative, anxious, scared, worried.
You feel energy from others, too. Do you know what it feels like when you walk into a room when people have just been arguing? They weren’t arguing when you got there, but you can feel that chilliness. Yuck. It feels very different from a room where people were laughing and having fun. That room feels light and upbeat. It feels good.
See, energy is real. And it affects all of us. When we surround ourselves with lower vibrating, more negative energy people, it can bring us down. When we surround ourselves with higher vibrating, positive energy people, it has a way of vitalizing us.
When someone in your family is in a great mood, it can lift you up. If someone is unhappy or cranky, it can bum you out. And they don’t need to say a word! Whether aware or unaware of this phenomenon, you have experienced the effect of someone altering your mood. And it doesn't have to be anyone you even know. A stranger walking by gently smiles at you. Or someone in line at the grocery store who is impatient, and you can feel their agitation escalating. Before you know it, a previously pleasant line grows quiet and uncomfortable, as if a dark cloud is hovering over everyone.
This transference of energy is real.
From others to us, and from us to others.
Ok, so what can we do? What are we to know?
Well, first, we cannot control others or their energy. Try as we might sometimes, we cannot. But we can control our own energy by being conscious and aware of our feelings and emotions. In every circumstance, at every moment, we have control over our energy because we can intentionally choose the type of energy we hold. Will it be positive energy grounded in love and gratitude or will it be negative energy grounded in fear? This isn't about focusing on our actions; this is about from where those actions come. How we are feeling. Our intentions.
We can apply this to every part of our life. Let's say your teenager made a… let’s call it a “poor decision.” Do you come from a place of anger and fear and shout, "What were you thinking!?" Or, do you come from a place of love and curiosity, "Tell me what happened so I can understand what you went through." These responses emit very different energy that can, as you can imagine, be felt acutely. An angry approach will likely generate a defensive, angry response – may be followed by a stomping off or a slammed door. In contrast, a loving approach will likely pave the way for an honest, productive conversation. I can tell you if I were on the other end of that conversation, I know I'd respond differently to those approaches.
Our energy affects others. And while we don't have control of outcomes, we do have complete control over where it comes from… where it all begins.
What kind of energy are we putting out in the world? Our energy is felt by others, and believe it or not, it can be felt and received over miles. Instantaneously.
I recently read The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony, a legendary conservationist who rehabilitated elephants all over the globe. Throughout his book, which you have to read if you haven’t already, I loved it – Anthony references many "unexplained occurrences."
For instance, he shared that any game ranger will tell you that if you decide to dart rhino for relocation to other reserves, there won't be a rhino to be found the day you go out to do it. Yet the day before, they were all over the place. Somehow they always know when they're being hunted, and they simply vanish. The following week when they only want to dart buffalo, the rhinos are in plain sight.
How can that be explained? Energy is sent and energy is received.
One time, Anthony watched a hunter stalking his prey. He had a permit to target only an impala ram from a bachelor herd. Yet the only two males he encountered that day were those breeding herds of females. And even more incredibly, those non-shootable studs stood nonchalantly within range, eyeing him without a care in the world, while the bachelors fled.
Then he described how he went on a business trip and, upon his return was surprised to see all the elephants outside his house, waiting expectantly as if part of a reception committee. He put it down to coincidence. But it happened again after the trip he took next and again after the next trip. It soon became evident that somehow they knew exactly when he was away and when he was coming back.
But then, this is crazy, this one time he was at the airport in Johannesburg and missed his flight home. Back at his reserve, over 400 miles away, the herd was on their way up to the house when they suddenly halted, turned around, and retreated into the bush. They later realized that this happened at the exact time Anthony missed his flight. The next day they were back at the house when he arrived.
How is this possible?
On March 7, 2012, Lawrence Anthony died.
Two days after his passing, wild elephants showed up at his home, led by two large matriarchs. Separate wild herds arrived in droves to say goodbye to this conservationist who fought for their preservation and survival.
A total of 31 elephants patiently walked over 12 hours to get to his South African House, walking slowly, making their way in a solemn one-by-one queue from their habitat to his home. The elephants had not been to that house for 15 years, yet they knew exactly where they were going. The elephants wanted to pay their deep respects, honoring the man who'd saved their lives. They stayed for exactly two days and two nights without eating a thing. Then they left, making their long journey back home.
How did they know? The timing was so precise.
Energy. It can be felt, consciously and subconsciously. Just more examples that we are all connected.
Have you ever thought of someone, and the next thing you know, they're calling you?
Everything is energy. And we are all tied to it. Connected.
So what does this mean for us today? How can we use this understanding to help others who might be a world away?
When I was preparing for this podcast, I turned to my guidance which is always so helpful for me. The message I received is that it’s true; we are all connected more than we feel we are. And in a world with so much conflict and dissonance, abroad and here at home, it sometimes doesn't feel that way. But truly, we are all connected. Disconnection happens from the mind. Connection happens from the soul. Operating, living from your soul, from who you genuinely are, looks different than operating from your mind. This is the truth. We are all connected. And while it can sound like some pie-in-the-sky sweet idea that is not based in reality, the truth is it is the only thing that is true. But our minds are active, strong, persistent. The mind and the ego of the mind are cunning and creative, and loud. It makes us feel separate. Us/Them. Good/Bad. Love/Hate. Duality comes from the mind. The mind makes it hard to hear the voice of the soul.
Sending loving energy to all those that are in pain. To all those that are suffering. To all those that are scared is important. We are connected through energy. And we can send that energy to others, just like those elephants in South Africa who were able to sense the energy so many miles away. So too, can others sense us and what we feel and think. We can send energy. We can send loving thoughts. We can send the energy of love and peace to those who need it most. We are connected. We all are connected. This is what we must know. And we can help others, too, through our energy. Connection is real and powerful. And there is no time more important than feeling that connection with others than now. Getting in touch with our own energy so we can help others with theirs. This will provide some feeling of contribution and fill our hearts with love and peace. Our world needs this now more than ever.
So yes, we are all connected through energy. And though we may feel helpless, we can support others who are struggling by sending them love and light. Light is the purest energy there is and offers a way through the darkness of whatever might be present. Using our conscious awareness to send it is easy. So long as it's genuine and you let go of any resistance. Resistance can come in the form of skepticism, anger, frustration, regret, guilt, fear, all low vibrating energy that blocks it. Remember, energy is REAL.
So what do you do? What do you say?
Honestly, the words are less important than the energy you send it with – your intention. If the words are rolling from your mind to make you feel better, but you don’t feel it, it won’t work. Energy is always the reflection of your true feelings and emotions, so if you say one thing, but you feel another, the energy of what you are genuinely feeling will always be transmitted. Being aware of what you are truly feeling is the key. If you're feeling the way you want, awesome. If you're not, you can shift your energy at any time by simply being aware.
All we can do is control ourselves. Our energy. What we bring to every circumstance. What we share with others, those we know, and those we do not.
When we come from a place of love, we carry different energy than when operating out of fear. The energy feels different and has a way of creating a connection, particularly amongst strangers, a recognition of our shared humanity.
Imagine a world where everyone came with positive energy. From a place of love, not fear. Energy is real. You can control your energy and send and share your energy with others. Let's make it positive.
I'd love to close our time together by sending beautiful energy to those that need it. Now if you're in a place where you can stop and focus, please join me. If you're driving, please keep those eyes on the road! You can listen.
Let's start by closing our eyes and taking some deep breaths. This has a way of quieting the mind and helping us focus. Now let's imagine all this love and light and positive energy building within us, filling us up with all these good feelings. Let's add strength, and protection, and peace. Once you can feel this all within you, I want you to imagine bundling it up in this beautiful package and visualize sending all of this good energy love, and light out and imagine it being received by all those that need it.
"Thank you for delivering love and light. May they feel its strength, protection, and peace now and always for the highest good of all."
Energy is real, and connection is powerful.
You just helped more than you will ever know. And it’s something you can always do, for anyone, any time, whether close by or a world away. Thank you.
If you know someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it with them so we can spread more love, more light, and more peace.
Thank you for joining me today. Until next time, take it easy.