If you missed it in my last newsletter You Are It, I now have a paid subscription option for this publication. Next Sunday the first paid newsletter will be out :)
If you decide to remain a free subscriber, you’ll receive:
one shorter piece of writing per month (similar to the one below)
If you become a paid subscriber for $7 a month or $70 a year (giving you 2 months free), you’ll receive:
two pieces of long form writing per month (similar to my previous post It Ends With You)
smaller intuitive reflections like journalling prompts
Q&A style newsletter/video answering your specific questions from the comments you make on here and social media
exclusive access to the private chat function on the Substack app which allows you to communicate directly with me and share your thoughts
possible guest postings from some of my wise friends
States of mind
“Heaven and hell are both states of mind” - Reverend Ike
For me, heaven and hell are experiences within me - an internal state of being.
Heaven is the experience of higher vibrational states like joy, love, ease, peace, and harmony. It comes from doing things I enjoy doing and being on a life path that is meant for me. A path filled with purpose and passion.
Hell is lower vibrational states like stress, anxiety, anger, worry, jealousy, shame, powerlessness. It is feeling trapped within your own mind and body. When your mind and body work against you, the soul cannot fully express itself.
An internal experience
It isn’t about escaping the negative emotions. If you experience them, lean into them with curiosity and find out why you’re feeling the way you are.
You can read all the positive books, watch all the inspiring videos, and attend the best seminars but they won’t really move the needle on making you feel better longterm if you don’t do the inner work.
That means actually facing what you know deep down you need to face.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of going through the motions of self-improvement and healing because the ego thinks it is making progress. We experience a false sense of progress because we feel we are completing tasks and that feels productive on the outside, but ask yourself is it actually moving the needle within? And you’ll know the answer by how you feel.
Take the time to figure out what you value in life and be guided by that. Focus on what brings you joy and experience your version of heaven right now.
If you don’t don’t figure out what you value in life you will fall prey to other peoples’ marketing plans and they will tell you what to value, and that’s a form of hell too.
This life
“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” - John Lennon
Who knows what happens after we leave this life. We’ll find out what happens after death whenever it happens. In the meanwhile I don’t feel it’s wise to live our current lives based on getting to a certain destination after death.
Don’t live in fear of what might happen after death.
Let yourself experience the fullness of life now and explore what makes you come most alive. Make the most of this life you’re currently experiencing. Trust your soul to guide you along the way.
As I finish writing this, I’m reminded of John Lennon’s lyrics from his famous song Imagine:
“Imagine there’s no heaven,
its easy if you try,
no hell below us,
above us only sky,
imagine all the people, living for today”
You can listen to this timeless beautiful song here:
One love,
V
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If you’re craving a safe space to explore your identity more deeply then find out more about working privately with me here
Podcast
I regularly share short solo episodes and longer guest conversations on my podcast Soul Wisdom Stories. You can listen here