On my way to New Orleans! The weather is crappy, but the weekend is going to be great, and that’s all that counts. I thought that I’d post the Ask Erik column from April for you guys today. Enjoy!

I’m no skeptic, but I just can’t reconcile the paradox between a soul-contract and free will. After 40+ years of not really caring too much about my life, thinking I didn’t have options, I’m much more excited about life than ever thinking now that anything is possible. However, talk about soul contracts paralyzes me a bit, like, what’s the point if I planned on something different as a soul than what I have in mind now? Can Erik shed some light here? I’d be so grateful.

God bless you all involved in Channeling Erik. I loved the book and love bouncing around the blog and videos. Amazing, truly amazing.

–Sally

Sally, this is great question, and I’ve been asked it many times! So many people see this topic as free will “vs.” soul contract, but it’s not actually like that. Believe it or not, they do work together. To put it to you in short, think of it like this: You are an artist; your destiny is the canvas; free will is the all the colors of paint on your pallet, and your brush is your soul contract. Free will allows you to change the colors of your path, but you’re still destined to experience what you’re going to experience in this life through your contract. Free will is available to help you have diversity in the way you experience something. So yes, you do have options. You are in charge of this journey. The soul contract is about life lessons and soul growth, and free will is a beautiful map that can take you to your destiny through many different routes. No matter what you do or don’t do, you’ll never fall “off your path” as many often say. There’s really no such thing. There is purpose and value in every experience.

 Also, keep in mind that your Higher Self is continually guiding you. So to think that what is in your mind is different than what is in your soul contract is really not the case. It’s more of an illusion. Your Higher Self will guide you to and through your experiences, but you have the free will to choose the colors and flavors of those experiences.

 I hope this helps Sally! Free will allows options and decisions so have fun with that again. Don’t hold yourself back thinking there’s no point in it.

***

Hi Elisa,

Thank you for this opportunity. My question is: Will my son ever be happy and able to work in this life?  I accept that schizophrenia is his journey and mine is being here for him, but he is so lost. He has had such a difficult time with life his entire 25 years, and this illness is heartbreaking. He can’t work because of extreme agoraphobia, and he has been denied SSI and Medicaid twice. We are already drowning in debt, can’t afford medical insurance of any kind and are forced to pay his medical and therapy expenses with credit cards. I’ve always been very positive and happy no matter what life gives me, but this has knocked the wind out of me. I will do anything for my son, but is there any light at the end of this unhappy tunnel before it is our time to leave this earth?

–Dianna

Dianna, I feel your pain. I do. I know what it’s like for your son to feel misunderstood, incompatible with life itself and drowning in confusion. Schizophrenic disorders are extremely tough to deal with as a human because of the separation it can cause: separation from life but also from self. Yes, this too, like other illnesses, can be lessened in severity and even healed. Past life regression and hypnotherapy can be very affective in helping schizophrenic disorders. These disorders are usually rooted in long time issues of self-denial. These generally are individuals who have a debilitating fear of being themselves along with zero self-acceptance at the soul level. This fear is what actually separates the individual’s awareness from the sense of self at times, causing the divide in consciousness that presents itself as schizophrenia.

Kim: So why is it that sometimes these people have other personalities, almost like another person takes over them off and on?

Erik: Well, that’s caused by a few things. One is that they might have a sensitivity to other spirits that try to inhabit the body because when one is so fearful of being themselves, it’s like being on auto-pilot, and that can look like a green light for other spirits to come in and possess them. Other times, schizophrenia is from a lack of being grounded in this incarnation. Instead, their consciousness is scattered among other incarnations. Coming in and out of those is extremely jarring and disorienting.

Kim: So how do we help? What do we do?

Erik: First you have to reconcile with your fear. Understand where the fear is rooted. It’s usually self-acceptance. Then, reverse the fear. Know that there is always possibility for change depending on the level of one’s interest in understanding the root cause.

Also, I know it sounds impossible, but you have to change your thoughts about the situation you’re in. Right now, you see it and accept it as never-ending, that this is just how life is going to be, but you can change that reality by changing the way you reflect on the situation as a whole.

***

Hi Erik,

I’ve read that some people are old souls and some are young souls, and I was wondering if you could tell me what I am? Also can you tell me if I’ve had lives on other planets or dimensions, and if so, what life is like there? Life on Earth feels so strange to me.

Thank you Erik and everyone for always helping people.

— John Whalen

John, I’m happy to help, and I’m grateful that I can. The concept of old and young souls is sort of a funny one to me because it implies that linear time exists, which it doesn’t. We may have more experience, accomplishments, development and understanding than other, and I guess that’s what you’d consider an “old soul.” You have more experience with other planes and dimensions than you do the earth realm, and that is why you feel a sense of disassociation with everything. Visiting Earth is a rather new experience for you, and although this isn’t your first go-round on Earth, you haven’t had many human incarnations. You prefer incarnations in other dimensions due to the level of acceptance there vs. what you experience here on Earth. Life for you in other realms is much easier than your life as a physical human. You have experienced an ease of moving through emotions and experiences and attainable understanding, however, on Earth the experience is quite the opposite for you. Release the need for understanding some things, and surrender to what is happening around you. This will help you also part ways from being so apprehensive in this life and allow ease through your experience. 

***
Hi Elisa,

Thank you again for all you do and Erik too! Okay, I have had 2 reoccurring lucid dreams for years. I think one is a place by a lake somewhere in Europe, and another I think is in Vancouver, but I just keep having these dreams over and over. What are they about, past lives, future lives or maybe somewhere I might move? I’ve spent so much time searching Google Maps to find them but I cannot. (I could give so much detail about the dreams, but I don’t think it’s required.)

Thanks again, Elisa

–Shane in Vernon BC Canada

Hey Shane! What’s up? Ok, the dreams you are having are “past” events or other incarnations, as you might have heard. Oftentimes when individuals experience reoccurring dreams, it is to shift their focus and awareness to unresolved emotions. That’s why they are reoccurring. They are still in your subconscious and will resurface time and time again until the issue is understood, healed and released. The vividness comes from your awareness shifting and aligning more directly with these occurrences.

So in order to understand and move on, connect to the feeling these dreams give you. Feel what they are trying to tell you.

 ***

Hello Elisa,

Thank you for everything you do and all your dedication! I would like to ask questions of my Higher Self.

A traumatic legal incident occurred in my life last year and is still hanging over me. That’s all I can say. Was this incident part of my life plan? Will it be okay?

Lorri, thank you for your questions! From your Higher Self: The legal battle you’ve been in is partially a manifestation of your fear, and giving attention and energy to your fears will help it come into existence one way or another. Another reason for this experience is to help you understand the insignificance of control in certain situations. Needing control can be a crippling desire for some, and it is for you. Work on “tathastu,” meaning, “So be it.” Accept things as they are and forfeit the need for control. As you begin to align with the purpose of why this is happening, the issues will dissolve.

What am I here to learn?

See above.

We have started a new business with amazing potential. We know it will make money, but will we get money flowing in before we run out of the money we have?

This is simple, kind of like what I said above. If your fear is running out of money, shift your focus away from that fear to avoid manifesting what you don’t want. If you can do that, you will sustain yourself financially.

Elisa, whether or not you choose my questions, thanks again.

–Lorri

***

Hi Elisa

Please ask Erik if there are any words of advice he can give me about my job search and relocation in my immediate future. I was laid off of my job last year, and my unemployment insurance is running out this summer. Job prospects are minimal in my small community, and I’ll be putting my home up for sale. Any insight he can give me is greatly appreciated.

I bought several of your books as gifts at Christmas. Once I started reading them, I couldn’t put them down. Thank you all for what you have done for me and others. It’s truly a beautiful thing.

Lots of love to you,
–Rhonda Judson

Rhonda, thanks for being a supporter of the entire CE community. I can feel your love! The important lesson for you to see here is to not be victimized by the events in your life. Instead, reflect on where these changes have brought you. You will be relocating for a few reasons: primarily because you are unhappy with your physical location and second, to suit your employment needs. Change is on the horizon, but keep your mind open to employment options that are out of your current comfort zone.

***

Erik, my husband went through a horrific divorce with a very corrupt justice system. He was a very successful businessman and lost his business, home and his relationship with his kids. Plus, this corrupt judge that made all decisions for the divorce was also the juvenile court judge. With that said, my husband’s daughter was molested by the boyfriend of the ex-wife, and the judge did NOTHING to this man who, by the way, had spent 4 years in prison. To this day my husband has horrific nightmares, few hours of sleep, etc. He started wondering if he had PTSD. Question: What was the lesson for this experience in his life? Does he possible have some form of PTSD, and how can I help him?

–Connie

Connie, you have already heard your intuition. Yes, PTSD is manifesting from the chain of events, and this is because your husband is internalizing the events that he’s been through. Internalizing these events is not necessary, but learning from them is. He is learning to depend on self, and that is what this incarnation is about for him. Among all of the circumstances that he has been through, he has been forced to rely on himself, knowing he couldn’t rely on those on the outside. Yet he has internalized their actions. That has caused some damage that you now see as PTSD. Helping him to understand the difference is going to be the key to helping him heal and move forward without the stress and nightmares. This is all about him relying on himself to get through this. He has been in situations with “corrupt” individuals because he knows he HAS to rely on himself. It’s time for him to trust what he feels. When he does, he will see healing occur and stress will reduce. I hope this helps him to see and understand why he has been brought through this. A technique known as EMDR will help him process this more quickly. See if there is an EMDR provider in your area. It’s really kick ass, and they use it a lot for veterans with PTSD.