Gino (00:00):
Hello and welcome back. This episode, I call What is Your Lesson? So, I want to start by saying, as a result of writing the book Shine, I've opened the flood gates on hearing about people's trauma, and I love it. So, I'm having lots of conversations about trauma, and I truly do love it. I think I'm borderline crazy. But with that said, I was having a conversation, and one of my conversations about trauma, someone was sharing with me about the abuse that they experienced growing up. It was both physical and sexual abuse. As we were having this conversation, I had this aha moment. Now, this isn't the aha, but a simultaneous thought I had is how productive I believe it would be if the world were comfortable talking about religion, politics, finances, and our traumas, and not talking about our traumas to complain or woe is me, or to look for some pity party.
(01:17):
It's to release it. It's to understand it. It's to clarify. It's to educate ourselves. So, this may sound cold, this awareness I had, but first, I'll start by saying I noticed and I was so fascinated by how my body reacts to these conversations about human pain and suffering compared to five years ago. So, there's so much peace now when I'm having these conversations. Prior to that, prior to five years ago, I would feel this incredible anxiety. My nervous system would just get amped up, and I was so uncomfortable. Now that I'm able to just listen and stay present and conscious and aware, I'm able to just observe the conversation. I believe it's due to all the shedding that I've done in this last five years and everything that we teach in the book Shine.
(02:21):
So, as I'm leading up to this moment of awareness and this aha in describing that, it may be a little cold. Here goes. So, later in the day during some contemplation, the conversation came up for me, and I was thinking about a couple of things. The first thought that came to me was about all the forms of trauma or wounding people experience on the planet. So in this particular case, I'm talking to this person about physical and sexual abuse when they were young, and there are so many other forms of pain and trauma, sexual, physical, verbal abuse. There's the sudden loss of a loved one. There's bankruptcy. There's betrayal, humiliation, abandonment, violence, neglect, injustice, and the list goes on.
(03:20):
So, again, here I am in contemplation, thinking about trauma, wounds, pain in all forms. Then the next thought in the place my mind went to is I then thought about 8.5 billion people on this planet, and how most of us are experiencing trauma and wounding, and we're all walking around in pain. Most of us are walking around in pain. Worst case, I'm not an expert on 8.5 billion people, but I believe that to be true, that most are walking around in pain. At a minimum, I know here in the United States 330 million of us, plus most of us are walking around in pain, so at a minimum 330 million, but I think it's 8.5 billion. So then I'm thinking about that thought. That then leads me to the next thought, which was about you and me and all of the conversations I've had about trauma and healing.
(04:22):
Again, this might sound a little cold, but as I thought about those things, what I realized is that every one is the same, 8.5 billion, worst case, 330 million. We're all going through life. We're all living our lives, and most of us are experiencing pain, just different forms of pain, different forms of trauma, different stories, but nonetheless, pain, and some confront their pain, heal it, release it, learn and grow from it. Unfortunately, most don't. They hang onto it. So, I'd like to introduce a concept, a theory, a paradigm shift, or a really stupid thought. So, I'm perfectly prepared that this could just be a stupid thought. But if there's 8.5 billion human beings, souls on this planet going through all of that pain, there has to be a reason. There has to be a reason.
(05:36):
Maybe it's as simple as the reason is to learn, to grow, and to ascend. There's a theory known as a soul contract, okay? So, I know this is going to be a little bit out there for some of you, but this theory known as a soul contract is simply that before we came down to this planet as a soul, we chose this life experience. So, suspend disbelief. We're just having a conversation. But here, I then as I was... I've done a lot of reading on it. It's very interesting, but I'm going to read an AI-generated answer as to what a soul contract is just simply doing an online search, but a soul contract are agreements made by souls before they are born, outlining the lessons and experiences they will encounter in life to promote personal growth and spiritual development. These contracts often involve interactions with other souls, helping each other learn important life lessons through various relationships and experiences.
(06:49):
Each person you encounter plays a role in your spiritual journey, whether positive or challenging. For some, again, it may be way out there, but if you are a follower of the Bible, maybe you see that as God's plan and some of what goes on in heaven. If you're spiritual, you could possibly see this as the universe at work and what happens in the fifth dimension, or if you don't have any spiritual or religious beliefs, you might simply look at this as learning opportunities for growth and to simply think positive. This is just one of many theories or beliefs. I'm not pushing anything. I'm just posing a question. I just find it hard to believe that we are all supposed to walk around miserable and in pain.
(07:41):
So, if it's possible that this pain and trauma is a lesson to be learned in this lifetime, my question to you is back to the title of this podcast episode, "What is your lesson?" Consider seeing the pain as a lesson. I've had many lessons. I've had so much pain. I was talking to a woman, and she shared this thought with me. So, she said, "I'm a spiritual overachiever because of all the pain and all of the experiences." I don't know if I want that title, or as I think about it, maybe I do, but here's another way to look at it. If you keep repeating the same negative patterns in your life that don't serve you, bad relationships, financial problems, bad choices, bad decisions, maybe there's something there for you to learn. Consider that you're not getting the message, healing the pain, breaking the pattern so you can grow to the next level.
(08:47):
Now, how you heal, that's up to you. Everyone is different. There are a thousand ways to heal. We've talked about it in this podcast so many times, shedding layers, shedding layers. We offer 30 plus ways on how to do that in Shine. So, that's up to you. That's the beauty of how we customize this for our unique situation. I'm just stimulating your thinking. I'm stimulating my thinking. I too, just like you, am trying to figure it all out. I'm walking this path with you. So last point here, lesson, lesson. What is your lesson? There might be many lessons as I've experienced. Remember, I'm a spiritual overachiever, so there might be many lessons. So, once you heal this current pain, and release that pain and trauma, and learn, and break the negative pattern, and grow, unfortunately or fortunately, there may be another lesson right around the corner.
(09:49):
That is growth. That is expansion. That is ascension, and I think that's why we're here. Please take 30 minutes, and ponder all of this, and answer the question, "What is your lesson?"
(10:07):
Thank you for listening in today. We truly appreciate you taking the time to spend with us, and please tune in for the next episode. Until then, if you'd like to see where you are on your True Self journey, go to shedandshinepodcast.com to take the True Self assessment and receive personalized guidance. If you're all ready to begin your inner world journey with Rob and myself, please join us for the next round of the 10 Disciplines group coaching program. We wish you all the best in freeing your True Self. Stay focused and much love.
