These interview questions were submitted by Bethany, a writer, reader, and creator in the Pacific Northwest who has been reading ErinPavlina.com since 2014.
When a person has a mental or personality disorder/disability, such as depression, anxiety, or narcissism, what does this say about their higher self? Are the mind and soul not connected, therefore having any of these afflictions of the mind might mean there is something wrong with the soul or higher self?
The higher self does not program a person to have a mental illness or personality disorder. Those manifest after a person incarnates into a body that either has a chemical imbalance or the person develops the illness over time due to their life circumstances and choices.
However, the higher self is mindful of what is happening to the incarnated person at all times. So the higher self will always attempt to guide the person towards healing if that is what they desire and if that is what is in their best interest.
Do those living with mental and personality illnesses such as depression and anxiety choose to incarnate that way? And why would they choose to struggle?
They don’t choose to incarnate with a disability, however some souls know in advance that there is a possibility of physical or mental disability and they accept that they might end up that way. Once the body is created, there are DNA ramifications that can predispose a person to some type of disability. And sometimes the soul knows that before heading in and sometimes it doesn’t.
But let’s talk about something like anxiety. Sometimes anxiety is produced because of the life the person leads, but sometimes a person can feel anxiety over a traumatic event from a past life that carries over into this one. In this case, again, the soul might be aware that it could suffer some anxiety, but it doesn’t know for sure until it gets here and is activated, so to speak. Like if a person was mauled by dogs in a previous life, it may know in advance that if it encounters a dog it might feel anxiety. But it still chooses to incarnate because the possibilites of life are endless and it doesn’t really know what’s going to happen until it incarnates and starts living.
When a person is about to make a terrible decision, does their higher self or guides try to change it?
Your guides and higher self are in a state of constant vigilance. They see and know everything you are doing. If they see you are about to head into a dangerous situation, they will try to warn you, which is why it’s so important to work on your intuitive abilities so you can receive their message in time. But the guides and higher self are respectful of free will. Intervening will rob you of your free will. They can try to warn you when you are about to head into danger but ultimately you are allowed to do what you want.
Do any of the candles, stones, and crystals you see in the specialty mystic type stores actually help you connect to your guides or higher self?
Not directly. But you can use them to focus your intentions and you can use them to prevent you from being distracted so that you can contact your guides and higher self more easily. You can infuse stones with specific energy/intentions so that when you pick them up and hold them, it will amplify your abilities.
Can you tell who else is an intuitive when going through your daily life? Do you feel any more drawn to them?
Yes, I can tell by looking at someone’s chakras exactly how intuitive they are. I can see if they are open or closed, active or inactive, and I can see what their dominant intuitive modality is going to be. In some of my readings, my clients will ask me what their best intuitive modality is and I can tell them, so that they can work on increasing that particular one.
What has been the most rewarding moment so far in life that your gift has given you?
That’s a hard one to answer because there have been so many times my gift was rewarding. I’ve used the gift to prevent suicides. I’ve used it to find missing people. I’ve used it to diagnose medical conditions people didn’t know they had that were life threatening. And I’ve used the gift to bring peace to people who are suffering. So I guess the most rewarding moment was when I realized I could use the gift to help other people and then had the courage to put myself out there as a professional intuitive, because that’s the moment that made all the other moments possible.
Do animals have higher selves and guides? Do dogs come here to help us? It seems like dogs are always there to comfort the sad, sick, and lonely.
Animals incarnate to explore life just like we do. But certain animals do develop the ability the comfort people who are suffering. I don’t feel as if animals have the same type of higher selves and guides that we do. There is something there guiding the process of their incarnation, but it’s not the same as it is for us.
Do you basically know how your life is going to go or do you think there is anything your guides or higher self could surprise you with?
Once the stork drops us off on planet Earth, it’s anyone’s guess how your life will turn out. Free will trumps all. Every choice and decision you make leads you down another corridor in the maze of your life. Your higher self and guides want you to experience whatever you desire. They will help bring things to your awareness, and they will help you notice things you might be missing, but they do not seek to control your life in any way.
Do our guides leave us when we are on our death bed or do they wait to greet us when we pass?
They are there while we are passing and are often the first beings we encounter on the other side, in addition to our loved ones, animal companions, and Source.
If you had to pick only one message to pertain to every single person about what the most important thing about life on earth is, what would it be?
Do what you love and don’t hurt anyone on purpose. Be kind and remember we are all One. We come from the same Source and we will return to Source when we are done.
