Archive for March 1st, 2011

Family Pressures

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

QUESTION: Masters, as much as I love my husband, I find his parents very trying. His father is vulgar, unhygienic, and irresponsible. His mother is only slightly better. They are divorced now. His father doesn’t take care of his grandmother and thank goodness for his aunties, who are able to look after her. However, because my husband needs to chip in as well, he gets tired easily and he doesn’t have the energy to improve himself, in terms of his education. I foresee much suffering for both of us if this continues. I would like to know what are the life lessons that my husband and I are supposed to learn? Is my husband not improving himself simply due to his tiredness? ~H J J, Singapore

ANSWER: A sense of responsibility for others affects various people in different ways. Your in-laws care only for themselves. Day-to-day customs, hygiene, and socialization are personal matters, and it is difficult to convince any adults that they are not measuring up to societal standards. They simply don’t care what other people think about them.

When someone is forced into assuming responsibility for a relative’s care, which is normally provided by another, many factors come into play. How do people feel about this duty? Does it weigh heavily on them because they don’t see why they should have to do it and feel “put upon” by the situation?

Performing a service you do not feel is your responsibility does more to you than make you physically tired. It can impact you mentally and emotionally as well. An internal struggle brought on by re-living the reasons that place you in a situation you did not choose takes a lot of energy. If, in addition to fighting what you are doing, you see it is preventing you from carrying on in your life the way you feel you need to in order to obtain success, your whole life becomes a misery.

Your husband is doing all this work, being prevented from doing what he feels he needs to do for his future, and inside he is fuming at his father for forcing him into this situation. This is not the first time he has had to do something he didn’t want to because of his father’s actions, and each time his resentment and anger get stronger and stronger. This is emotionally tiring him out and bleeding off his initiative to better himself. He needs to realize where his feelings are going, and decide what he wants to do about the gathering negativity. Acknowledging that it is there is the first step to handling it.

An interconnected system

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

QUESTION: Masters, I am suffering from terrible and constant skin problems. I am vegetarian, have a good diet, do not smoke, and am a holistic health practitioner. I am in the process of further quite intense training at the moment and I wonder if this is a sign of further detoxification or clearing? What can I do to improve my skin? ~Liz, UK

[Disclaimer: The Masters offer spiritual advice and do not diagnose, prescribe therapies, nor treat human illnesses. Readers are advised to discuss their issues with a licensed medical practitioner. Toni and Peter]

ANSWER: All forms of toxins may exit the body through the skin. Emotional influences cause hormonal and chemical changes within the skin and viscera. When you are doing intense energetic work the balance of your physical body may be shifted. Your body also cycles through changes as each layer replenishes itself as a part of normal growth.

Your sensitive aspect is your skin. It reacts to excretions, toxins, the presence of chemicals, excess or lack of hormones, and stress-induced substances. You also are currently sensitive to substances with which your skin comes into contact. Lotions, soaps, sizing in fabric, and dyes are all possible stimuli.

Frequent cooling, cleansing bathing is a necessity. An occasional baking soda soak will pull out substances stuck in the pores. During this period of sensitivity, food substances that have been almost staples for you may cause reactions, particularly acidic ones. Your best chance of reducing future attacks is to do everything in moderation—even your food intake—balancing everything and not letting anything become dominant.

Clear your energetic body frequently to increase the speed of elimination. Just use your intention and visualize a steady stream of healing power coursing through your pranic tube, internal organs, and glands. You will see your body coming back into balance.

Blame it on the chocolate

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

QUESTION: Masters, I have built a fat layer all over my body. I realize this is mainly to protect and to keep away other people because of a fear of intimacy. Now I´m in a safe relationship and environment but I can´t get rid of my fat because of an addiction to chocolate. Don´t I love myself enough? ~Jen, Finland

ANSWER: Chocolate is a fantastic, comforting substance that can make the world seem right when it is crumbling around you. It is not the culprit here unless you consume pounds of it every day. In small amounts it is even very beneficial for your body.

You padded yourself for so many years that belief systems got entrenched and still control your emotions. It is not just the chocolate but everything you do to make yourself feel good that is preventing you from reshaping your body. You are loving yourself the best way you have programmed yourself to behave. To change you will have to examine how you conduct your daily life and do some reprogramming.

Removing extra fat from a frame requires a reduced intake of calories as well as an increased amount of exercise or activity. It does have to do with how much you love yourself, because you are fighting years of built-in instincts and it is not easy. You must be willing to dedicate yourself to the task.

Start by keeping a journal. Document everything you place in your mouth and every amount of activity that burns those calories. Add extra walking to your day. Park farther away from the entrances to buildings; walk around the block at lunch time and after dinner. Join a health or athletic club and do aerobics or an organized sport such as swimming or tennis. Then you will be loving yourself more and seeing changes in how you think about yourself and your day.