Lately, I’ve been feeling a lot of Erik goosebumps, and I’m not sure why. He usually does it when I’m working on the book, but he gives me them on other occasions, too. Regardless of the reason, I love having my boy near me. For all of you new blog members, be vigilant because he might give you this sensation, too. They’re not like regular goosebumps. They’re more intense, and they build slowly. In your case, he mostly does this either to get you to pay attention to something in your life or to just say, “Hey, dude.” If you have any visits, sensations or pranks from Erik, be sure to share them by clicking on the “About Erik” tab, then choosing “Erik Encounters.” Here’s another spirit encounter story I’d like to share. About 3 to 4 weeks after my father died, I woke up at 4:30 AM (as per usual) and saw a man’s hand resting right next to me on the edge of my mattress. I don’t know what possessed me because I was a little freaked out, but I reached over and grabbed it. Not only did it feel absolutely solid, I recognized it as his hand. Weirdly enough, there was no arm attached. I looked up where his body should have been, and I saw nothing. No body. I’m not sure what to make of it. I guess that was his first, “Hell.”  I can see a few of you (only 31 out of 30,000 users) have shared these posts on your Facebook timeline as well as other social media such as Google +, Twitter, etc. Just click the link’s URL and copy and paste it into your timeline or click on all of the social media buttons at the beginning of each post. I’ve also placed them at the end of each post. I really, really appreciate it. It would also be helpful to email the link to your contacts list. This not only helps me, it might help others as well. Again, I will remind you of things like this on a regular basis since we’re always getting new members.

Me: How can we get over jealousy, pettiness, etc.?

Jamie repeats my question to herself. (Long pause)

Jamie (aggravated): Straighten up, Erik.

Funny electronic sound in the background.

Erik: That was a fun sound. You have to know why you’re having it to begin with. The jealousy, pettiness, all this kind of stuff is you saying, “I’m going to choose to look at the external world and see what it has or she has or he has and see if it’s better than mine.” It’s completely fine to observe and to use that observation to guide you on who you want to be, but your guidance needs to come from within. As soon as you give your power or your energy over to the fact that you think person is better than you and you can never have that, then this starts to create jealousy in your world.

Me: I’m also talking about all negative emotions that come from us like resentment, for example.

Erik: Oh, that’s no small topic, Mom.

Me: I know. I’m just difficult.

Me: Cram it into a nutshell.

Erik: First of all, it’s hard to do that topic, Mom, because then you’re saying that there are emotions that are negative that people don’t want, and you’re getting into the whole judgment scheme yourself, so your busting out your own game. Not sure if I understand that whole, “busting out your own game” thing, but…

Me: So, there are no wrong emotions? Is that what you’re saying?

Erik: There is no wrong emotion. If you’re feeling that it’s wrong or that it’s right, you’re placing judgment on someone else. Nobody has the right to place judgment on somebody else. It all had to come from within. That’s the deal.

Me: Okay. Deal. Okay, so how do we get over, well, we don’t want to get over, um—

Erik: It’s hard, isn’t it?

Me: Yeah, getting over it implies something negative.

Erik: Yes. Me: So, how do we discard an emotion that we don’t want?

Jamie looks up at Erik and repeats my question.

Me: Just by focusing inward and not being externally directed?

Erik: Once you’ve decided you come across something that doesn’t fit you anymore, it doesn’t serve your direction, your passion, your connection anymore, you get rid of it by not giving it energy. You get rid of it by not entertaining that idea. It’s a discipline. It’s a sharpening of a pencil. You turn the crank, you shave the—

Jamie (laughing): How can he make that sound so nasty?

She and I giggle.

Erik: Anyway, you discipline yourself by not focusing on that emotion or action as an outcome or as a resource to fall back on. It’s a discipline, and many people find different ways to discipline themselves. Some people like to use pen and paper. They pin up notes; they put notes in their car; they find images that help them maintain their strength or who they want to be. Creative visualization.

(Pause)

Jamie (to Erik, shaking her head): I have no idea what you just said.

(Pause)

Jamie: Oh! (Pause)

Jamie (to Erik): Yeah, I don’t know how to pronounce that, and I don’t know if you’re right. (To me) The author who did creative (She stumbles over “visualization.) Oh my gosh! [The author who] created creative visualization a long time ago. I think Shakti Guing, Guina?

I’m only spelling this out phonetically as she says it, so go easy on me, people.

Jamie: We’ll figure it out later.

Me: I don’t know.

Jamie: Shakti.

Me: So, basically, if I was jealous of someone, and I did not want to feel that way—not that it’s a negative emotion, but I don’t want to feel that way—I might, for example, think in my mind of them being a very old man or a tiny baby.

Erik (sounding doubtful): Uh, that’s creative. If we’re going to talk about jealousy, we’re going to have to talk about why you’re jealous in the first place, Mom. So, give me an example. What are you jealous about?

Me: Well, I’m not jealous about anybody [now], but say somebody is jealous because they have more money that them.

Erik: Okay, so because of the money thing.

Me: Mm hm.

Erik: So, you’re attracted to that person because they have more money, so that means you actually like them, but you’re jealous, because they have it and you don’t. Well, that’s just lazy bullshit. That means you need to earn more about money so you can strive to be similar to the person that you’re jealous of.

Me: Why are you saying I like them? Just because they have money or just because I’m putting the energy, so if I didn’t like them, I wouldn’t even bother to give them energy?

Erik: Jealousy only stems—every emotion stems from love, but jealousy really comes from, “I like that so much that I hate that you have it and I don’t.” Period. So, if you’re jealous of something, sit down and find out what you like about that person, and strive to have it on your own.

Me: Okay. Erik (shouting in song): Stand on your own two feet!

Jamie and I chuckle.

Me: Okay, so the love aspect of jealousy, what would that be, for example?

Jamie: The love aspect of jealousy.

Erik: That’s the whole “see what you like about them.”

Me: Okay. I totally don’t get it.

Erik: Whatever you’re jealous about is something that you actually want.

Me (clearly giving up): Okay. I don’t think I have to love somebody to love what they have, though.

Erik: No, you don’t love the person, Mom. You love the attributes or—

Me: What they have.

Erik: Mm hm. Me: Okay.

Erik: The money, the legs, the hair, the color of the eyes.

It’s called colored contacts. Helloooo.

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