Grace Hui for Incentre

Since the days of yore, there have always been stories and legends of other beings who share this world with us. From folklore that has been passed down the generations to the personal experiences of others, these magickal beings have made their presence known in subtle ways and sometimes, not-so-subtle ways!

In our modern way of life, these tales have been dismissed as superstition or the product of a vivid imagination. Some who may have had encounters with these beings may have also chosen to keep these experiences to themselves for fear of being made fun of. As such, these magnificent beings have been relegated to the stuff of fairy tales for children.

Yet, despite all of humanity’s misgivings, these magical beings continue to leave an imprint. In popular culture, they have appeared on the silver screen and also on TV series. In fact, some of our most successful television programmes are premised on the very beings that we have chosen to consign to fantasy.

Yet, is it really true that these wondrous creatures are but only the product of the mind? Is it a coincidence that they continually make their appearance in popular culture? Why do we play dress-up on Halloween? Why are we continually drawn to these beings despite the so-called “logical mind” insisting that they are not real?

By Grace Hui for Incentre

The phrase “no choice” has become part of commonly used day-to-day parlance. The Collins dictionary the phrase as follows: If you have no choice but to do something, you cannot avoid doing it while the Macmillan dictionary defines having no choice as being in a situation where you must do something.

In other words, when one has no choice, one is in a position where there is only one option and nothing else. In our modern life, how often is it really true that we have no choice?

Given how loosely and frequently this phrase is now used, have we lost sight of what it actually means to have no choice? Have we disempowered ourselves by reinforcing the misguided belief that we have no choice but to accept an undesirable outcome or unsatisfactory state of being when in reality, we do have a choice?

Of course, the choices available may not always be the easiest or the most comfortable which in turn leads us to pick an option that may seem like the least hassle. To justify our choice, we then label it “no choice”.

But, if we were to be honest with ourselves, is it really a case of no choice? Or is it a choice of picking the path of least resistance?

Grace Hui for Incentre

It is probably fair to say that most people want to feel safe and in that quest for safety, it is also possible that some of us may go into fear. Many of us want to protect our personal spaces, our physical, mental, emotional and energetic well-being. It is however sometimes easy for us to unconsciously slip into the drama of fear which serves no one. Not only is going into a pattern of fear not protective, it is actually damaging.

In our bid to protect ourselves, are we subconsciously enabling the fear of the mind?

By Grace Hui for Incentre

Self-care is about filling our cups so that we can serve others from an overflowing cup. In other words, it is very much about ensuring that we do not become depleted. How we choose to refill our cups will differ from person to person. For some, it might be taking time to meditate, while for others, it might be a dance class in the gym. It might also be a variety of these activities.

Much of the messaging on “self-care” focuses on individual needs. While this has merit in a world where we are often chasing after “goals” and ticking off checklists and where we do need to be reminded to slow down, how do we balance self-care while also being caring to those around us?

Even as we look after our own needs, it is imperative to remember that self-care does not mean that we fixate only ourselves and what we want to the exclusion of society.

As Ipssimus Dave Lanyon of the Modern Mystery School says, “the irresponsible can subsist because the responsible exist” After all, “you are only as strong as the weakest link-but is it not the strong that hold up the weakest link?” He goes on to ask: “Where are you in the chain and where are you capable of being?”

So folks, self-care is not an end in itself. Rather, it is a means to an end. We exercise self care, so that we can serve! While it is responsible to look after ourselves, it is also a responsibility for us to care for others even if it may inconvenience us.

Self-care does not mean selfish.

Yet, the line between the two might be very fine.

While Psychedelics have a long history of use in many ancient traditions such as in Shamanism, these practices were often undertaken under the strict guidance of a highly trained Shaman. Usually, the utilisation of such psychedelics such as peyote or Ayahuasca will be accompanied by years of rigorous preparation through meditation, diet and other lineage-based practices beforehand. That practice would have necessitated an intense purification of the ego and self-mastery - which would have taken years!

Now however, we seem to have lost some of that wisdom and discipline, partaking in such psychedelics without fully appreciating the sacredness of such practices. Instead of working on ourselves and taking full ownership for our personal power, we have outsourced our spirituality to a drug to “feel good”.

This has polluted, diluted and corrupted the ancient traditions of Shamanism.

Not only is this disempowering, it is also dangerous - not just to our physical bodies but also our spiritual ones.

The psychedelics found in nature and utilised by highly trained Shamans would contain properties that should be a vibrational match for the taker. If the taker’s energy structure is not at a high enough vibration, it could cause tremendous damage to one’s energetic structure.

Taking such psychedelics without being ready is therefore not only ill-advised but completely misguided, displaying not only a contemptuous lack of respect for the sacredness of that practice but also encouraging “running away from reality” as opposed to mastery over the self and circumstances.

Partaking in psychedelics in this way is not an initiation into greater knowledge or power. Rather it is a deception of the self!

In ancient lineage-based practices, psychedelics found in nature will be consumed to mark the individual’s growth. The individual would already have undergone the hard work to be deemed “ready” to partake.

In other words, the drug comes AFTER much purification of the ego and not BEFORE

By Grace Hui for Incentre

In this day and age, it has become fashionable to talk about being “authentic” or to be “true to yourself”. While we may all loosely understand what these terms and phrases kind of mean, are we really all on the same page? Have some of the original meanings behind these words become confused and diluted?

I think we can all agree that to be “authentic” and “real”, we shouldn’t pretend to be what we are not. A universal example of that is perhaps not to pretend that we have a perfect life and to acknowledge that everyone has struggles and problems. With social media, it can be tempting to present a curated version of one’s life which has no bearing on reality. In turn, this creates distortion, potential jealousy or envy and undue pressure to “keep up with the Jones”.

On the flip side of this, is to get sucked into the drama of problems and chaos presented by others who might be rebelling against the idea of perfection. Have you noticed that posts that create outrage, spark emotions and wallow in patterns of behaviour get a lot of traction? Some of these posts have been presented as “authentic” but are in reality, enforcing a pattern of behaviour that encourages us to be stuck in the drama of the situation.

Is this more about being attached to the drama of apparent authenticity than genuine authenticity?

By Grace Hui for Incentre

To be a leader is to serve. It is to be the last person to sleep and the first person to show up. It is the person who will make the difficult decisions because it is for the highest good. It is the person who will instil rules for the safety of all and also the person to exercise mercy.

The shadow of leadership has come to dominate leadership in some circles where people confuse leadership for fear or where leadership is confused by division or control.

In reality however, ruling through fear and division or in tyranny will never bring lasting results. In fact, it will destroy the cause. The person who acts in this manner destroys the cause.

Leadership in its purest form is a leader who acts by example, who unifies and who eradicates separation. It is also a leader who is authentic and not a hypocrite.

This applies in our individual lives too. Do we have separations within the self? Are we living in a way that does not gel with who we really are? Are we the leaders in our own lives or are we merely following someone else’s?

By Grace Hui for Incentre

As with anything, there is duality. Something can be at once good and bad. It all just depends on how we choose to look at it and what actions we choose to take from it.

There is nothing inherently bad or good about being vulnerable. It is but an opportunity - a chance to do something with it.

If we avoid ever being vulnerable, we will never get to know ourselves and, if we don’t know ourselves, then we will never really be empowered or free. We will always be swayed by what happens to us and our happiness will always be dependent on things we cannot control. If we knew ourselves, we will be able to cultivate the stillness that brings about a state of joy. The external is but a reflection of our inner states.

As within so without, as above so below.

If we embraced vulnerability but never take ownership for healing from what has caused it in the first place, then we remain as we are, aware of our wounds but unable to move past it. So while allowing is an important first step, we cannot stop there if we wish to truly live freely.

The true nugget of expansion comes from viewing vulnerability as a gift to knowing ourselves, sitting with it to give it the space it needs and then taking the actions needed for us to heal from it.

By Grace Hui for Incentre

It is probably fair to say that most of us want to feel that we are in control of our lives and the direction it is going. We want to feel in charge - the notion of having power over the situations and occurrences in our lives can give us a sense of false security.

However, is the idea of having power often an illusion? Are we confusing power for empowerment?

What is the difference?

By Grace Hui for Incentre

In the mystery school traditions, we are trained to consistently seek to know thyselves and our “triggers” are perfect providers of information about ourselves. When faced with a “trigger”, we are given the opportunity to dig deeper. We are presented with the chance to heal and overcome.

If we spend all our time identifying things we should avoid, we will never really grow. We will just be running away from ourselves. A process that does us a great disservice. After all, how can we become the best versions of who we truly are if we invest no time in getting to know ourselves?

When we truly know ourselves, we will know our divine purposes, and facing up to our “triggers” is extremely illuminating for that process. There can be no breakthrough without mastery.

Every time a “trigger” presents itself, it is an invitation to surmount. Joy comes from true freedom and true freedom can only be availed to those who have mastered their “triggers”. Think about it. If you are constantly trying to escape what makes you uncomfortable, are you really free?

By Grace Hui for Incentre

Finding empowerment and equality for women are very much hot topics for the day. Social media is daily set alight with pithy quotes, quick slogans, and memes about the concepts of self-empowerment and the power of women. While there is value in these messages, they are sometimes incomplete and could lead to confusion.

There is no doubt that these are important issues. Everyone wants to and should be empowered. Divine feminine energy should also be nourished and nurtured. However, somewhere between seeking empowerment and giving prominence to so-called “girl power”, have the genuine meanings of empowerment and the divine feminine become somewhat corrupted?

New Year Resolutions
Resolutions represent hope. The hope that if we make some creative changes to our daily habits, life will be lighter, happier, more abundant. And – why not? It’s a great idea to step across the portal of the new year with an intention for new beginnings. Yet, a long two years have passed since my resolution lists have been drawn with any confidence. I don't know about you, but this new year I am again tiptoeing tentatively across the finish line. Don't get me wrong I still have an inventory of hopes: eating less, moving more, learning new skills, quitting bad habits and making more money. But this new year it’s with a different approach. I’m going to the core.

"It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change."
Charles Darwin

By Grace Hui for Incentre

In order to avoid self-sabotage, we first have to recognise the difference between the temporary fear of discomfort from something that is genuinely bad for us. To be able to differentiate between the two, we need to cut through the density of mind chatter to access our higher minds. This can only be done if we are truly empowered to really know ourselves.

It is only with overcoming resistance and loving ourselves enough to show up that we can grow and soar to greater heights. It is only with breaking through the pain barrier can we emerge from our shadows to be the best versions of ourselves.

By Grace Hui for Incentre

Sometimes, healers and lightworkers may get into a loop believing that if they are entrusted to heal others, that they must be at a perfect stage in life. But, is this really possible or even sustainable? To ask ourselves a further question, can we really help others heal if we cannot recognise our own need for healing and to heal ourselves?

There is no shame in falling apart or making mistakes. Most healers are healers precisely because they have gone through trauma themselves and wish to help others who are suffering. So, if it is your experience of your past traumas that led to your desire to serve, why run away from other traumas you may face? Perhaps, these new traumas will also lead to your greater service of others as you heal from it?

By Grace Hui for Incentre

Everything around us is made up of energy. This is not just true in the domain of spirituality but also proven by conventional science. We and indeed, other living beings, are continuously affected by vibrations around us.

This also means that we have the power to create the energy that we want around us. In other words, there is no need to fear negativity. Rather, we can feel empowered with the knowledge that we can change what does not nourish us when we are aware. From this awareness we can live with the understanding that everything is mutable, that energy can be transmuted.

Have you entered a space and immediately felt uplifted by it or, have you attended events and met people whose positivity was contagious and made you feel joyful? Have there been times where you have been in the presence of such peace and calm that the effects linger within and around you for hours or days to come?

Conversely, have you had encounters where the negativity of someone brings you down, or worse, drains you? Have you inhabited spaces which just didn’t feel quite right and had an adverse effect on you emotionally, mentally and even physically? This is not to say that others may have the conscious decision to harm you. They could just simply have formed a negative opinion about you which they have not released and have put on you.

Because of how psychic we all are we are more often than not, afraid of the judgments of others. For example, we may stay in a job we don’t like, dress in a certain way, drive a particular type of car, dine at a specific restaurant or reside within a given postcode, not because we actually want to, but because we want others not to judge us”. The energy we can invest in avoiding judgement tells us how uncomfortable it feels.

In the same vein, our positive thoughts about others and the loving energy that we send them also have an uplifting effect on them. It can also raise our own vibrations to be within this field of loving positivity. This explains why prayers and high vibration words are able to heal and comfort.

Our energies do overlap with that of others and we do have the ability to affect one another. When we are happy, we can make the people around us feel happy. When we emit serenity, we have the ability to influence our surroundings to similarly be an oasis of calm. On the reverse, if we do not check in with or look after our own emotional and spiritual wellbeing, we may project our own anger or frustration outward, negatively impacting those around us. This same principle works for everyone which means that we have the power to influence what we want around us.

We all have both darkness and light within us. If we don't acknowledge our dark sides and learn to bring light to illuminate our shadows, we can unconsciously put this on someone else. If we are not aware of our own energetic hygiene, we may not recognise that these negative energies, which are not from us, are taking over.

This does not have to be an inevitable occurrence in which we have no ability to control. Far from it - there are many ways we can protect our energy spaces. We also have to take ownership of what we put out there. As the Hermetic principle goes - as within so without, as above, so below.