Do Spiritual Beliefs Influence our Mental Health?

Last May I signed up for an environmental psychology class at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Three weeks on why we tend to ignore the science, and not take action. The sustainability side was fascinating but what I enjoyed most was the introduction to Jungian and depth psychology. 

We looked at the effect that unconscious archetypes have on mental health at a group level and how these archetypes are expressed in religions, narratives and cultural identities. Our spiritual beliefs play a big role in how we connect with the unconscious (both individual and collective), with each other, and with the planet. 

For example, ancient belief systems often attributed certain behaviors to the influence of gods and goddesses like Venus, Mars or Cupid. When a person acted out that part of their psyche in a way that was disfunctional or disruptive (maybe too much jealousy, fear or ambition), they had a conceptual framework that could be used to describe how they were feeling as well as clarity on what needed healing. If my ambitious or competitive nature got the best of me, I could easily say “Mars is getting the best of me; I need to do something about this.”

Whether we saw that Mars energy as external and supernatural, or internal and subconscious didn’t matter. Only that we had a framework to work through those feelings. The rise of monotheistic religions has had the unintended consequence of eliminating this pathway to healing and integrating the psyche; as we learned in class, the world has actually seen a rise in psychological and emotional problems. 

This isn’t to say that everyone needs to be pagan or polytheistic. I personally feel that most religious beliefs were meant to be symbolic and not literal, connecting with a Higher Power through our imagination and intuition. But the mental health tendency does highlight a need to connect with the psyche and the unconscious. We can do this with energy healing, astrology and tarot.  

And obviously, counseling works! After thinking about it for eight years, I have finally decided to apply to a masters degree in counseling psychology with an emphasis on Jung. In time I hope to combine counseling with the techniques in my energy healing books. 

On another note; here is a write up of the environmental psychology class.

Reiki hugs, 

Regina 

2025 Update: I put that psychology degree on hold. The time was not right.

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Regina Chouza is an energy healer, astrologer and author of A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love and Chakra Healing & Magick. She holds a BA in Philosophy from Tufts University; Regina’s passion is bringing self-love, joy and empowerment to healing pursuits. Read her books to awaken your intuition and channel energy healing. Available on Amazon.

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> Español: @AngelMedium33

 

Access the Soul Star Chakra and Take your Life Off-Road

A few years ago I read a book called The Universe Has Your Back, by Gabby Bernstein. I love it on so many levels, but there was one thing that stuck with me. From the moment that I began reading, a specific visual kept popping into my mind; an image of my 4-year old self sitting on my mom or dad's lap and pretending to drive a car. It made me laugh.

The message was that we may think we are driving, but we are too small to see the road, to reach the pedals or to know how to drive. The second part of the visual was me handing over the steering wheel and letting the adults drive. I felt a ton of resistance and didn't want to let go of the wheel 😅

At one point, Gabby uses the same metaphor - it blew my mind - us handing over a steering wheel and letting the Universe take over. Since then I have reminded myself of that clairvoyant image every now and then, but I hadn't given the actual steering wheel much thought until recently. A few weeks ago I sat down for my daily energy healing meditation, grounding myself before running white-gold light through the transpersonal chakras, which can be found above the head, in the Aura. 

These energy centers are in the spiritual Aura layer (the outermost layer). They have to do with the soul's evolution, as well as kilowatts of soul-light that we can channel into the physical world and into our lives. 

The Soular (or Soul Star) Chakra sits about two palms above the Crown Chakra. It has tons of information on past lives, innate talents, and traits we have inherited from ancestors. When I tuned into the Soul Star I saw an image of a steering wheel. It could be the steering wheel that we hand off as our soul navigates time and space, or maybe a map of the terrain. For example, it can tell us which routes will be easier, more fun, and which areas to stay away from. 

I am not entirely sure what it means, but it resonates. I would love to invite you to meditate on the Soul Star and to share your experiences on social media! 

My gut feeling is that as we awaken the Transpersonal Chakras, our awareness shifts and we can connect in deeper and more direct way with the intelligence that resides in the Universe, whether we see it as a Higher Power, the North Star or a Mother Goddess such as Tara, the female Buddha of liberation and compassion. It also helps to know that we are not alone; we can lean on that connection for support. The energy centers above the Soul Star Chakra are access points for what we might refer to as Divine Intervention. The lower chakras ground that assistance and intuition in the physical world in a practical way.  

Want to Know More? 

Working with chakras takes us up and down a ladder of awareness that gives us a broader view of who we are and how we fit into the Universe. Before going up that ladder, we need solid foundations. Here is a meditation to Activate the Earth Star Chakra, below your feet. This helps us connect with the spirit of Nature including trees, plants and flowers for deeper grounding. It is one of the Transpersonal Chakras (See HERE). 

Reiki hugs, 

Regina 

ps ... Read my books for an intro to energy healing and intuition. Please note, they lay the foundations but my books do NOT include the transpersonal chakras 🤍

 

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Regina Chouza is an energy healer, angel medium and the author of A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love and Chakra Healing & Magick. Blogging at Diary of a Psychic Healer since 2010, her passion is bringing the qualities of love, joy and empowerment to healing pursuits. Read her books to unlock your intuition. 

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> Español: @AngelMedium33

Image: www.canva .com

SHK

Astrology, Carl Jung and the Precession of the Equinoxes

One of my Christmas presents last year was a book called Jung on Astrology - a collection of essays and letters from his family’s private collection. It was published by Safron Rossi and Keiron le Grice, both professors at Pacifica Graduate Institute (the depth psychology school that I hope to attend later this year). The book is wonderful, though it helps if you already know how to read a natal chart. Great for energy healers, counselors, astrologers, and anyone who wants to go deeper with astrology and psychology ✨✨✨ 

One of the things I appreciated was Jung’s explanation of why natal charts can still be accurate, even though the Sun is no longer in the Sign of Aries every March. It would have been 2000 years ago, but the backdrop of stars moves gradually, coming full circle every 26 thousand years. This is due to the Earth shifting on its axis and our view of the sky changing with it. This is known as the Precession of Equinoxes: historically, the position of the Sun and stars was mapped on four days each year: longest and shortest days (Solstices) and half-way points (Equinoxes). 

Two thousand years ago, if a person was born on the Solstice on Dec 21st, the Sun would have been visible in the constellation of Capricorn. Nowadays it is likely two signs over, but we still use that ancient map to read natal charts. One of the questions asked is why we use a Zodiac map that should be out of date, but somehow still fits our personalities. A poetic answer could be that it takes thousands of years for starlight to reach us; Jung had a better idea. It applies to Tropical Astrology - there are many systems, Vedic, Chinese, Etc. Tropical is common in the west👇🏻 

The ancients used the stars to find their bearings geographically and psychologically, noticing that the energy on Earth (or in their lives) had specific, action-oriented and fiery qualities after the Spring Equinox each year, and other characteristics in the following months. They would have imagined and projected the archetypal concept of Aries onto the stars that were behind the Sun at that time of year, doing the same with the rest of the astrological months. The specific energy of those calendar weeks is unchanged by the moving backdrop of stars, which only ever served as a reference point. 

If you have seen a natal chart, we study the position of all the planets to learn about the unconscious and what makes us tick. The natal Moon in Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) needs relationships to feel secure, whereas Moon in Earth might be focused on work or material things. When the rest of the planets travel through that place the in the sky, they too are painted with that energy. For example, when the planet of thought, commerce and communication (Mercury) is in Aries, thought patterns and speech are ruled by Mars/Aries. 

This idea of linking the Zodiac signs to the calendar seasons and to the natural world resonates because my first astrology tutor, Demian Allan, had us think of Zodiac signs in terms of their ruling planet, their Element (Fire, Earth, Air or Water) and whether its corresponding calendar month came first, second or last in the season (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). We can work out a sign's personality with these three building blocks; it made the learning process easier.

The Zodiac signs that kick off a calendar season tend to be full of leadership and beginnings. We see this reflected in Nature around us, with flowers blooming, the heat of summer, the fall of leaves, or first hints of snow. The signs that correspond to the middle month bring stability and a fixed sense of purpose (hello Taurus!). And finally, the Zodiac signs (or months) that close the Season are blessed with the flexibility and adaptability needed to finalize projects in our lives. Ideally, our ten planets and luminaries will fall in all of these so that we have leadership, determination and adaptability. Typically the Sun, Moon and Ascendant have more weight in the personality. 

We did study the Zodiac in Demian's class, but this approach gave us an intuitive read of the energy in each month (Zodiac Sign). So for example, if we look at Aries we have the confidence, charisma and action of the Element of Fire, taking lead as the first month of Spring, with the planet of war, competition and drive as its ruling planet. The Zodiac sign of Libra also has leadership qualities as the first month of Fall, combined with the sociability and intellectual nature of Air signs and the friendly influence of Venus. We went through the same exercise with all of the Zodiac signs to get an intuitive feel for their characteristics.  

I am not done reading Jung on Astrology but I would recommend it. As far as I can tell, Jung approached astrology as the projection of the unconscious onto the sky. The influence of the planets represents the archetypes that we see in ancient myths, tarot and movies. As a psychologist, Jung steers away from some of the more superstitious and deterministic elements of astrology, trying to root it in science (and in what can be explained). His approach will ground those of us who are into the magical side of astrology (HERE). 

>> 2022 Update! I have since discovered that Ptolemy had the same take on the stars being signposts for the Seasons, way back in the 3rd or 4th century. A lot of ancient greek texts were translated in the 1980s, after Jung passed away. Check out Chris Brennan’s book, Hellenistic Astrology. It has a ton of historical information. 

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Reiki hugs, Regina 

 

Image: Canva. com (updated 2025)

The Angel of Personal Power, Clairvoyance and Soul Light

Years ago I signed up for a clairvoyance workshop with Sue Allen, who later founded the School of Intuition & Healing. The class was an immersion in the spiritual world; Sue taught us how to activate our intuition so that we could sense the presence of angels, archangels and various teacher guides - distinguishing one energy from another.

Integrating Light & Shadow

We tend to think of the archangels as fluffy and full of light - but this isn't always the case. Angels are messengers; their vibration changes depending on their role in the Universe. I tend to see them as misty vortexes of light with colors mixed in. In some cases we might get a sense of wings, because that is how our mind expects to see and feel them. 

When connecting with the spirit world, not everything that shines is good, and not everything dark is bad. The only way to know is to connect with your Heart Chakra and see how it makes you feel. Some of the darker or heavier guides play an important role in the healing process.

The idea is to switch on our clairvoyant sensors so that we can see in the dark - embracing and healing personality traits that we would rather ignore or hide. We can do this by connecting with the archangels or with spiritual figures such as Jesus, Quan Yin or Buddha (depending on your background). But sometimes, a midnight blue angel with ‘night goggles’ is what we need to feel comfortable with our darkness. If we only reach for what appears to be bright, we will never feel comfortable with our Shadow or with anyone else’s. 

The Shadow represents anything in our psyche that makes us feel uncomfortable. Rather than face it, we often shove it into the unconscious, or project it onto the world. This dynamic accounts for some of the traits that we admire and/or reject in others. In school we learned to send healing through the Shadow, especially to difficult emotions, integrating and processing it slowly. It also helps to make all of these patterns conscious, and the angels are quick to point them out. 

If you're new to angels I’d recommend connecting with Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. As the angels of protection, emotions and energy healing, they help us cover all of the basics.

Clairvoyance and Soul Light  

Energy Healing brings more of our Soul’s wisdom into our daily lives. Part of the process is looking at all the things we’d rather sit on or ignore. If you are ready to go deeper, lately, I have been working with Archangel Ozukiel, a midnight blue-violet angel who can help us bridge the divide between our light and our shadows. 

Last year, I began sensing his energy during clairvoyant meditations. Archangel Ozukiel helps us awaken clairvoyance through the Brow Chakra, where we hold thoughts, opinions and beliefs about the world; as well as the Sacral Chakra, where we tend to process emotions and energetic exchanges with others, conscious and unconscious. His blue light is soothing, calming our energy body before diving into the subconscious, where Archangel Ozukiel’s dark violet light fills the Shadow with Love.

The idea is that we need to love and accept the Shadow first, without seeking to change it. Only then can we integrate these traits from a place of love, understanding and clear-seeing, rather than a place of shame. We may even find ourselves appreciating these traits.

In a roundabout way, this actually brings more of your Soul's light (power) into your everyday life because every aspect of your being is now able to channel that energy. As long as we try to suppress the Shadow, we will ignore half of who we are, and keep operating at 1/2 capacity. 

The Pluto Connection 

In natal astrology, Pluto rules both the personal and collective Shadow. It also tells us how we relate to power, and how we can access the power that our full self has to offer (integrating Shadow + Light)

The word power can have negative connotations in many cultures; personally, I like to think of it in Spanish. The same word, poder, refers to: 1) noun: having influence in the world, and 2) verb: being able to do what we intend to do. From this point of view, Archangel Ozukiel helps us access our soul's light-power, so we can do all of the things that we want and need to do, whether it's for our benefit, for another's benefit, or for the fun of it.  

These kilowatts of soul-light come from the highest aspect of our being. That level of awareness makes it easier for us to act with compassion and love. We find a balanced and loving expression of power. On the contrary, if we experience power surges or personal power ‘outages’, it is probably because we have yet to integrate our Shadow and we are still operating at half-capacity. 

If angels aren’t your thing, you can also explore the Shadow with energy healing, tarot, counseling and astrology. ✨

Reiki hugs, 

Regina 

> Suggested reading: Things Every Psychic Explorer Should Know. 

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Regina Chouza is an energy healer, astrologer and author of A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love and Chakra Healing & Magick. She holds a BA in Philosophy from Tufts University; Regina’s passion is bringing self-love, joy and empowerment to healing pursuits. Read her books to awaken your intuition and channel energy healing. Available on Amazon.

> Español: @AngelMedium33

 

Angel Image:   小胖 车 on Unsplash.com 

Ask the Angels: What is a Soul (Pre-Birth) Contract? ✨✨✨

I recently discovered a book called The Angel Bible, by Hazel Raven. It is lovely and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for an in-depth look at angels. It includes a meditation with Archangel Uriel, the GPS angel that helps us find our path and life purpose. The meditation guides us into our Soular (Soul Star) Chakra where we unravel a scroll that tells us what our soul contract is - essentially, agreements made before coming to Earth. 

In the meditation, I closed my eyes and pictured myself unraveling the scroll, much like a fortune cookie, only to find myself torching it instead. The message was that we are free to do and be whatever we like (harming none) and to let go of the the belief that I couldn’t choose my future 👩🏻‍🎨 

The next feeling was a gentle reminder that all belief systems are an attempt at explaining what we think is going on around us. It’s OK to take these theories and beliefs as tentative roadmaps, but not to take them as absolutes. Sharing this experience in case it resonates. 

Below you will find a guided meditation with Archangel Raphael. He activates our intuition through the chakras so that we can receive clear guidance, and also clears stagnant blocks of energy from the Aura. For example, beliefs that limit your options. He is one of the angels that I connect with most often in my work as a healer. 

Hazel Raven’s The Angel Bible can be found in bookstores, and if you would like intuition tips, this post covers four things I wish I'd known (with certainty) when I signed up for intuition class in 2010. 

Reiki hugs, 

Regina

 

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Regina Chouza is an energy healer, angel medium and the author of A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love and Chakra Healing & Magick. Blogging at Diary of a Psychic Healer since 2010, her passion is bringing the qualities of love, joy and empowerment to healing pursuits. Read her books to heal yourself. Find her on Instagram.com/reginachouza or on Facebook, as DiaryofaPsychicHealer.

> Español: @AngelMedium33

 

Anchoring Spirituality in the Psyche and in our Emotional Health

I have some thoughts to share on how we can ensure that healing takes hold on all levels of our soul, spirit, and personality.

Healing Is About Integration 

A few months ago I gave a meditation where we connected with all of the stars in the Milky Way and with Archangel Metatron. He is one of the angels who sits at the highest levels of reality, though he can slide up and down the spiritual dimensions to reach us in the physical world. 

When I asked my intuition why blend the two, the response was that soul healing runs along two major axes. 

The archangels and particularly, archangel Metatron, help us go up and down a vertical ladder of awareness - much like a piano where we learn to play all of the octaves. The starlight connection helps with lateral integration, or healing of relationships. It's how we get along with the world.

a) Vertical Integration (Spiritual)

If we think of consciousness as a ladder of awareness, we can go upwards to get a sense of a spiritual world - whether we believe in angels, goddesses, or one particular understanding of God. We can also take our awareness down to connect with the natural world, becoming sensitive to the energy and spirit of Mother Nature, which includes trees, rivers, mountains, flowers and crystals. 

Some traditions emphasize the Heavens, while others focus on Nature and Mother Earth. Energy Healers spend lots of time grounding because planet Earth gives us the foundations needed to access the upper echelons of the ladder. This is how we activate our intution and psychic abilities. 

Up isn't better than down. The natural world has plenty of wisdom and magick to share with us. It is also healing and de-stressing. Just think about how it feels to leave your phone behind and go for a hike. Grounding is essential for healers; without it, we can burn ourselves out, or even lose our sense of reality and purpose on Earth. The first chapter of Chakra Healing & Magick focuses on grounding your energy. 

Vertical integration means feeling just as comfortable with the spiritual world as the physical world - going up, going down, and bringing both together in the Heart.

b) Lateral Integration (Human)

This is the part that I found most intriguing. We connected with the stars in this clairvoyant meditation, taking our attention to other planets, dimensions and universes (or inwards, to your own universe of feelings, experiences, and associations). In my consumer marketing days, we used to say that every human being was a universe: complete with beliefs, affinities, and unimaginable social interactions. 

Lateral integration involves healing our relationships: personal (with yourself), individual (friends, lovers, family) and collective (society). It's how we relate to one another. It often needs work - self healing. Intuition can make us more sensitive too, making lateral integration more pressing. 

Ask yourself: How do you get along with people in your life, at work, in school and in the world? There are social groups that we feel a part of and others that we see as distant, different or foreign. This is where self awareness comes into play; the attributes that we shy away from are often projected onto others. We can shine a light on the unconscious in many ways; tarot, astrology and meditation are good options.

 

> In this clairvoyant meditation, I visualized a network of stars going out in all directions - a metaphor for healing on a broader level. Take your attention beyond your physical body and channel starlight, intending to heal any parts of your personality that feel separate from or triggered by your surroundings.  

It's also about creating a circuit of energy. I felt that starry energy circle through my arms; it went up my left arm, through the heart, and out the right hand to the Universe. The healing was in the heart.  

What do we stand to gain by expanding our awareness to include all of the planets & stars in the Milky Way? My intuition brings me back to the basics: connect with yourself (inwards) and the people around you (outwards). Healing relationships so that we feel belonging, community and compassion on a global, cross-cultural level. Resolving conflicts and processing emotions is a big part of this.

Lateral integration makes it easier for us to send healing to the collective; this happens when energy healing flows through the transpersonal energy centers in your Aura to people in your community and in the world. Heal yourself, heal the world. I'll come back to this in the future as it involves both vertical and lateral awareness.  

c) The Intersection is the Sweet Spot

We heal by integrating the four directions (Up/Down, In/Out). Many personal conflicts come from stumbling blocks in the subconscious; these can be found by going inward. I have often looked to natal astrology for clues. You can work with Energy Healing and with creative tools to shine a light on your inner self. At the end of the day, lateral integration involves working with the psyche and our emotions. My goal is to focus more on energy healing and shadow work. 

Spiritual Integration (Vertical) is fun and exciting but the human aspect (Lateral) can be messy, painful and even ugly. It confronts us. It's not uncommon for spiritual types to shy away from it; I have done so myself. This is what I am working on now and it dawned on me that the four directions consolidate our healing efforts. 

The concept has given me a framework to work with, hope it helps you too! FYI - I am a philosophy major and energy healer, I am NOT a psychologist or a counselor. 

Awaken your Inner Healer (Books)

  

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Regina Chouza is an energy healer, astrologer and author of A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love and Chakra Healing & Magick. She holds a BA in Philosophy from Tufts University; Regina’s passion is bringing self-love, joy and empowerment to healing pursuits. Read her books to awaken your intuition and channel energy healing. Available on Amazon.

> Español: @AngelMedium33

Images: www.canva com