Have you ever felt that you were not heard or people did not value or respect your experiences or perspectives?

A scenario of not being heard may look like this – you made a suggestion to the group and they moved on with the conversation as if they didn’t hear you. A minute later, someone would say the exact same thing you said earlier, and the group responded to this speaker as if it was the first time they heard such a “brilliant” idea!

Running into this type of situations can be frustrating. Those I have talked to tend to think that it’s the person’s authority that determines how much their words are heard.

Perceived authority comes in many forms. People with perceived authority are usually those holding higher positions; they may have great reputation or rapport with the listeners, or they may be considered more experienced.

Aside from perceived authority, there are other factors at play. For face-to face conversations, research shows that:

• 8% of what people hear come from our words;
• 37% comes from how we express the words (tone, pitch, speed, et cetera); and
• 55% come from our body language or non-verbal cues.

There are many ways we can articulate our messages so that they are heard. Regardless of the route we take, being willing and able to access the sovereignty within us is critical.

One of my teachers has said that the throat energy center, which governs our abilities to express clearly and effectively, is like tofu. It takes on the flavor of the other four energy centers:

• The first energy center is about whether we feel safe or not.
• The second energy center is about whether we feel alone or connected with others.
• The third energy center is about whether we think we need to control or manipulate others to get what we want.
• The fourth energy center is about whether we feel we are enough or not.

Can you see how we cannot be great at expressing our needs or ideas If we feel insecure, think we don’t belong, want to control others or doubt the value of our own ideas? When our words do not match our actions, it is another sign of distortions in our energy field.

We can learn and be very knowledgeable about the skills and know-how, but if our psychological and spiritual foundation is not intact, all the knowledge we have will not lead to effective communication.

The concept I lay out here is not just about communication; it’s about many, if not all, situations in life! 

There is energy work that addresses challenges on the surface, and there is energy work that addresses a person’s psyche. The deeper we go, the more benefits we see in different areas of our lives. It is like the diagram below by Dr. John Travis. Incredible transformation comes from bottom up. When we focus more on the top two layers of the iceberg, the impact is limited and not long-lasting.

In 2010, I developed a skin rash around my neck and throat area. It was itchy and painful. I remember waking up almost nightly because of the yellow liquid crystals oozing out of my skin.   

There were speculations that I was allergic to something in my new home. The allergy test came back negative. The Ayurvedic herbs or cleanse could not clear out the rash for me. Other than symptomatic relief, the health care professionals were not able to eradicate the cause of this rash!

This situation went on from October to March. The skin rash continued until I spoke to people in authority about professional ethical issues in two different organizations.

I spoke up because I was not willing to be threatened and put up with unfair business practices any longer. I wasn’t thinking of the skin rash when I chose to speak up.

That experience showed me what it was like to use my voice and hold my own. Upon reflection, my spirit loved me too much to let me stay in those ridiculous arrangements. Spirit helped me summon the courage within to speak up.

Symptoms in the throat, neck and respiratory system can stem from denying our true power or being afraid to express what matters most to us (in words or actions).

Denial of our power or creative expressions may lead to sore throat, thyroid issues, allergies, asthma or other ailments in the throat, neck and chest region.

We are given many opportunities to connect with our power and creativity. It’s a matter of realizing those are opportunities to connect with our hearts and souls, instead of limiting our experiences to ailments, difficult people or challenging situations.

If you feel the call to develop a more intimate and conscious relationship with your heart and soul, I invite you to join my group program Tap Into Your Authentic Power.

When you are in a group program like mine, you get to ride the momentum of the group energy supported by Divine Mother. This will empower you to create breakthroughs with greater ease and flow.

If you aren’t sure if the program is the right next step for you, contact me and we’ll have a conversation to explore that.

With Love,

Carmen