Cecile George and Grace Hui for Incentre

So, you have just received an Initiation and your structure is full of light. You might feel like you are walking on water, floating with the clouds or tired. Different people will feel it differently.  Clients often ask me what they can do to support themselves after initiation and I know that it can be a helpful for people to understand more about what to expect and how the experiences can evolve I created this overview based on my experience of supporting and guiding people in the transition and integration period post initiation.

Grace Hui for Incentre

There is no better place to really sink into your heart and allow it to heal. As all the phrases say “Follow your heart”, “Go with your gut”. They all mean the same thing – Go to where your true and untainted self resides and that is where your heart is. Not the heart that is coloured by the dramas, traumas and negativity of the human mind but the pure heart that knows its purpose and worth. 

In the light of Healers Academy, as you learn to truly serve, you also serve yourself as layers of pain, hurt, anger and trauma melt away, allowing you to truly see yourself as the divine being that you are. In the love of the temple, you learn to begin to truly love yourself and when you genuinely love yourself, you will begin to love others.

It is at the Healers Academy that the foundation of world peace is laid. Imagine a world where we all saw the intrinsic worth of all life including our own! That’s Shamballa, or world peace, the mission of the Modern Mystery School.

Grace Hui for Incentre

Nowadays, it is generally uncomfortable for us to accept the possibility that trauma or karma could be passed down. Yet, look at the patterns within families that somehow replicate. This could be patterns of behaviour or even mirroring life events that occur as a result of ingrained feelings or patterns of behaviour.

Often, these patterns of behaviour are unconsciously replicated, even if they are to our detriment.  Do you notice certain patterns that your parents replicate from their parents? And, in the same vein, we find ourselves replicating?

So, why do we repeat them even when we can see from our parents that it didn’t work out very well for them when they did the same thing?

Grace Hui for Incentre

Love is the driver humanity’s most selfless acts. We sacrifice in the name of love. We perform feats of courage and surmount seemingly unsurmountable obstacles motivated by love. Yet, Love remains something that words fail to fully describe. Yes, we can describe the actions that love drives us to do, but language somehow falls short when it comes to explaining what love actually is.

We know about love and popular culture across the ages has certainly given us a lot of opinions about love. But yet, what it truly is remains somewhat a mystery.

Is it a feeling? Is it something that transcends time and space? Is love a force for good or is it a force to be feared?

The answer to this is that it depends on what one’s relationship with love is.

Grace Hui for Incentre

In the Mystery School traditions, the vast majority of our classes and healing sessions are done face to face. With the advancement of technology, we have been frequently asked why we couldn’t do these classes or sessions online?

As humans, we are far more than just our physical bodies. Our physical bodies are just one aspect of us. Our energy body surrounds our physical body and is in fact much larger than our physical bodies. If we tune into it, we can all feel it too. Our physical bodies are what we need to live on earth. However, when we die, it is our energy that continues to live on. Our energetic structure therefore has a profound effect on our physical bodies. By and large, energy is felt and sensed and this is much easier felt and sensed in person. Energy communicates in person and not online. This is why when working with energy, this has to be done in-person even if logically, it might seem more efficient to work online.

 Grace Hui and Cécile Tanmaya for Incentre

The word “occult” has taken on a wide range of meaning these days. To some, it is a word that sparks “fear”, and yet for others, it is a word that inspires curiosity. But what does the “Occult” actually mean?

Some think that the occult is spells, charms and magic – something out of this world. But in truth, the word “occult” translates to mean “ that which is hidden”. The journey to discover “hidden knowledge” is the practice of the occult. 

So, what are the six truths about the Occult that are rarely known?

Grace Hui for Incentre

Spiritual Ego?

In my own path of progression, I have definitely fallen into the trap of not feeling worthy of sharing the tools that I have been so privileged to have been handed down with others because I have been so enmeshed in the stresses of life. In those times, I have desperately wished those pains away instead of using the tools and trusting the process. By believing that I cannot share my light if there are unresolved ongoing problems in my life is an illusion created by my ego and realising this has been illuminating in my own growth. 

Everyone has problems and no one is perfect. As Sovereign Ipsisimus Dave Lanyon of the Modern Mystery School so aptly says : “You are not perfect the way you are”, going on to explain that no one is perfect and that the only time we are perfect is when we are seeking perfection. This is not meant to be a criticism or a put down. Rather, it is about seeing and accepting reality for what it is. Human beings are not perfect but we can always improve and if we stay in the illusion that imperfection is somehow an impediment to service or growth is what ironically stops our growth. 

It is our imperfection and our ability to accept this and to grow from it that is genuine progression. 

I was under the impression that ego was about showing off and believing that one was better than another. Upon realising that inherent feelings of unworthiness are also a part of my ego too was the most liberating self-awareness. 

If I am unable to serve because I am imperfect, then no one can because guess what? No one is perfect! Serving through imperfection and accepting my imperfections while trusting the process and improving is how we transcend the present pain. 

By hiding, I am serving no one, least of all myself. By believing that I couldn’t serve because I had problems, I was remaining stuck in my pain (which could lead to suffering).

In pretending and therefore repressing pain is what leads to suffering. In hiding in the pain, I was becoming attached to it instead of releasing it which in turn causes suffering!

Grace Hui for Incentre

Innovations in AI such as chatgpt are wonderful tools that can help us get to where we need to be. But, we first need to know where we want to be and we can’t truly know that unless we truly know ourselves.

The advent of modern technology, especially innovations related to or associated with computers and devices have revolutionalised the way we communicate. We are able to reach a far larger audience within a much shorter time frame. While this is mostly a boon, it is also imperative that we are able to make the technology work for us as opposed to being ruled by it. Technology is an amazing tool but it cannot be our master because it does not have the same discernment that we humans are supposed to have and exercise. This is even more important with the development of Artificial Intelligence or “AI”.

It is fair to say that advancements in AI has come along in leaps and bounds since its inception. So much so that some research has shown that it can replicate human behaviour and actions convincingly. With Chatgpt becoming more widely used, the possibility of some jobs being replaced by AI is becoming more likely.

But can AI really replace humans?

And, how do we find our place in a world that has human-like AI?

More importantly, how do we navigate our spiritual path in the face of AI that seems human?

Grace Hui for Incentre

The term “Astral Travel” conjures up all manner of speculation these days. To some, the idea of astral travelling sounds like a spellbinding curiosity. To others, it is considered “out there” where it is imagined that a group of people wearing hemp get out their tin foiled hats. Yet others associate astral travelling with psychedelics. There are also those who look at this with fear. 

“Is it safe?” “Will I get stuck there” are some of the questions that are asked. 

So while astral travelling is a concept that has gone somewhat mainstream, what it truly is, is still at often times misunderstood.

So, What exactly is Astral Travel?

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?

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.

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

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?

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

I first read this book when I was in law school 20 years ago. At that time, I enjoyed the lyrical style of Paulo Coelho. As each sentence flowed into the next, it read like a romantic and timeless song. The idea of a quest and a mission, as embarked upon by the tale’s protagonist, a shepherd boy, fired in me the idea of a life of purpose and adventure while the free spirit in me engaged with the idea of destiny.

The boy shepherd was never named - he was quite simply referred to as “the boy” or “the shepherd”. This anonymity gave me the promise that this mission was available and applicable to all. The idea of the “unknown” was tantalising to me.

However, beyond the physical excitement of a potential crusade into the unknown to pursue one’s destiny, I did not understand any further. The idea of destiny and free will also seemed to be contradictory concepts that evaded any deeper understanding on my part. While the book engaged me as I was reading it, its deeper meaning escaped me then. At the end of the book, I put it down as a book well written and never read it again for another two decades.

Oftentimes, hurts are inflicted on us and it is not our fault. We may be victims of circumstances or someone else’s actions. However, how we choose to navigate our way out of that quagmire is our responsibility.

Victim versus Victimhood

Being a victim is temporary while being in victimhood is a permanent narrative that is created.

One can be a victim of something without falling into victimhood. There is a difference.

Sometimes, after we fall victim to something, we become attached to the suffering that the event has caused, not realising that it is something we have the power and indeed the responsibility to shift.

This is not to say that we bury the pain or repress it. In fact, we don’t have to forget that the event happened at all. It’s simply the realisation that while pain is inevitable, suffering is not!

Pain might be the direct result of the event that caused us to hurt. If we allow it to move through us, it does pass. However, if we choose to let it define us, it becomes our all-consuming narrative. So much so that we carry the burden of endless suffering, forgetting that we have the power to shift this!

To transcend, we do not have to forget, we only have to realise that within each of us, we have the power to shift.

Nothing is immutable!