Today is kind of a busy day. No, a really busy day. I don’t know how I’m going to finish! Plus, my vision is a little blurry this morning, so that makes everything a bit slower. That said, I’m not going to start with a big fanfare, and please excuse the lack of editing. Even though I’m being a bad girl, I hope you like my Facebook page. It really does help me out! I’ll put the link at the end. All you have to do is click on it, the click on “like” in the upper righthand corner. Just two clicks away. I know you can do it! I have faith in you!  Heehee. Also, the Erik’s Encounter page is broken. Until I fix it, can you guys who have had experiences email me then, including those of you who have emailed me recently? emedhus@gmail.com.

Me: Here’s another one from a reader. “In my life, I have met people that I seem to have an incredible connection to right away, and I want to be near them. Here’s an example. I went on a date with a guy 8 years ago and, although we’re not together romantically, we are such good friends now, and we’re close in an indescribable way. Please ask Erik if these people were connected to us in a past life and we now recognize them somehow now.”

Erik: Yes. Soul family. You’re part of the same soul family.

Me: Okay, here’s another one from a reader. “Why do we end up with terrible family members and wonderful friends who become our real family? What is the spiritual purpose of having to protect ourselves from the very people who should love us the most?”

Erik: Damn to hell those family members!

Me: I know. I can speak from expurience.

That’s not a typo. “Expurience” is Texan for “experience.”

Jamie (chuckling): Expurience.

Erik: Thanks, Mom!

Me: Not you! I’m only talking about two of them!

Erik: I know, but I had to do it. Well, when we’re planning our incarnation, we often put together the most difficult lessons with family members. Those are the strongest bonds, so the lessons that come from those can be the most powerful. If we put those lessons onto someone who isn’t a family member, then that person could easily walk away. They would have every right to. It wouldn’t be about family loyally and that embedded strength that comes from the concept of family. It’s hard to leave family. It holds you responsible for following through with the lesson you picked.

Me: You have to struggle to work things out, to learn from them, to teach them, to try to make it work. There’s got to be lots of lessons in jut that perseverance alone!

Erik: You got it, Mom!

Me: So what is the spiritual purpose of having to protect ourselves from them? Do we have to protect ourselves? What does that mean?

Erik: Like energetically?

Me: I don’t know. He or she didn’t say.

Erik: Okay, let’s take it as an energetic question.

Me: Okay.

Erik: And then we’ll answer it as a non-energetic question, let’s say, “Family member gone rogue!”

He says this like a news anchor.

Erik: And he’s physically threatening.

Me: Okay.

Erik: So what’s the lesson behind protecting ourselves, energetically, from our family members? That’s a life lesson that relates to self-preservation. Self first. It’s a self-worth and healing lesson. If we’re looking at it energetically, and, let’s say they’re a vampire that wears you out, emotionally—

Me: Emotional vampires. A few of them have crossed my path.

Erik: Yeah. And they use guilt and kindness and manipulation to get you to do the things that they want you to do. This can all be balanced by shifting you energy into where they can’t have access to it. Now, if we’re talking about a physical lesson where you have to leave, you can’t stay with this “loved one.” They’re abusive. This is like the breaking down of values and concepts. It’s not about the—

(Pause)

Jamie (to Erik): What do you mean by that?

(Pause)

Jamie (to Erik): So it’s not about self-worth?

(Pause)

Jamie (to Erik): Like breaking down the values of loyalty?

Erik: Yes. People often put loyalty above love.

Me: Ah, yeah! We have that whole, “Gotta do the right thing” going on when it really might not be the best thing.

Erik: Yeah, It’s about doing what’s best according to your heart, not some rulebook. Some people will sacrifice themselves to maintain loyalty to the family because they believe that’s the best aspect of love and is what is expected of r needed from them.

Me: Which is not true.

Erik: Totally not true. Love is so much fucking bigger than loyalty.

Me: Yeah, there are many facets to love.

Erik: Totally.

Me: Forgiveness, respect and so much more.

Erik: Yeah. All of it. That would be all wrapped up in that physical struggle where you gotta get your shit together.

Me: So what do you do?

Erik: You have to ask yourself why you’re putting up with the abuse. So you think you deserve it? Do you think people will look down on you for cutting ties with that family member like, “Oooo, you’re not following the rules”? Are you doing it because you’re too tired of fighting those conflicting feelings? Well guess what? Blood isn’t always thicker than water. A soul is a soul in your life. Choose to be with those who will help you grow. Sometimes that means maintaining the connection with that asshole, at least for a while, but in that case you have to figure out what the lesson is, embrace it, and let go when you feel that spiritual agreement is honored and complete. Then, you take the bonds you still have with another person and ask yourself, “How is this person going to help me grow?”

Me: But it’s hard to sever a family tie without feeling guilty.

Erik: That’s because you feel responsible for two things. Number one, for the other person’s reaction. “Oh, I’ll hurt their feelings. I’d hate for someone to do that to me,” or “Oh no. He might get angry.” Fuck that shit. There are always ways to protect yourself physically and emotionally, and if that protection breaks down, there’s probably a lesson in that, too. Number two, you feel responsible for obeying the social rules. Well who created those rules? Humans, just like you. They’re guidelines that were collectively drawn up, but they’re to etched in stone. They shouldn’t interfere with your sense of what’s best for you or even what’s best for the person you’re trying to disconnect from. It’s okay to make the rules as you go along and tailor them to the situation.

Here’s the link CLICKCLICK! Thanks guys. I love you all!