Undue Influence
In legal terms, undue influence is a doctrine that voids a contract because a trusted person of power abuses their position to influence, if not coerce, someone else to act in a way that will not be in that persons best interest, but ultimately benefit the person in power.
In spiritual dealings, the undue influence can come from people that we invite in, not because we intend to be coerced, but because we trust someone else’s views and experience over our own instinct and ability to discern truth.
When we are learning about, or dealing with, anything to do with Spirit – power is an immediate cause for caution. If we are seeking it, or if someone is trying to get it, there is a problem.
Spirit does not seek power, ever. People do.
dis·cern·ment
noun
- the ability to judge well.
- (in Spiritual contexts) perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual direction and understanding.
Discernment is an incredibly precise tool. We already have it. It is the root of “knowing”. It is the instinct that is overwhelming; the radar that goes off when we walk into a bad situation and know immediately, and without proof, that we have to leave. It is the laser precision and action of powerful intuition and instinct. It is judging a situation for our best interest based on a instinctual, spiritual connection to a higher knowledge than our own. It is imperative to listen to our discernment.
However you need to connect to it – connect to your discernment.
How do we connect? Trust. Trusting ourselves.
Work on gathering information from trusted sources. Learn from sources that feel right; trust your instincts, listen to your discernment. We will know trusted sources based on our feelings when intentions are revealed. Because, we all reveal our intentions through what we say, why we say it, and what we are trying to achieve – right? But sometimes, we don’t want to see the truth.
In truth – sometimes my intention is NOT to eat the entire handful of dark chocolate – that is what I tell myself – but then, I realize – I DID pick up the entire handful! ßThat right there – that is accountability – I don’t always like it – but I need to deal with the fact that no matter what I told myself, I picked up the handful of chocolates – own it (and eat the chocolate).
There is nothing wrong with wanting to connect and learn. There is something wrong in giving your power away to anyone willing to take it & there are a lot of people waiting to take it (and your money!).
No one can tell you how to be a medium, but some will tell you they can (for a hefty price-tag). They can share experiences. They can tell you what worked for them. But following their path won’t make you a medium, empath, healer, or psychic. Seeking advice is one thing, but giving yourself over to it is another. Extract what connects to you. Leave what doesn’t.
Not listening to your own discernment and giving away your power to someone else’s prescribed path will never serve you – ever. It might make you feel confident for a minute, but eventually, the work of being you will come knocking.
This is true for both sides of a “reading” (1st task – come up with another word for these connections!).
If you are seeking connection with a medium/psychic/healer, ask yourself WHY. What are you looking for? This same question is important when you are the one giving the reading.
If we all go around looking for other people to tell us what to do – someone is going to take that job, and you should wonder why someone would be so eager to take the job of making your life decisions.
In my experience, ego and money are the primary drivers – don’t be this way, please – it is just gross.
When we ask someone else to tell us what to do and how to do it, we give over our power to discover and design our own path to someone else’s intentions. Some people are looking for that; they are looking for the benefits without the work. This is not a healthy exchange. Somewhere, at some point, the work will have to be done.
When we give our power over to others, we lose discernment; we become dependent on another person’s intentions. We are no longer in an exchange with Spirit; we are in an exchange with another person’s motives, intentions, and gains. We really need to be vigilant in our awareness of every exchange and we need to assess the intention and purpose of everything we seek.
Ask what their motives are.
Ask what your motives are.
Do those motives align; are they healthy?
Trust your discernment.
Set and seek your intention; don’t let it be set for you.
