Be the Change You Want to See in the World

by June Kaye Spencer

What does the title of this article do for you? Anything or nothing? Is it just words or does it inspire you?

These words captured my imagination and have led me on a new journey. It is a quote from a wonderful man called Mahatma Ghandi, who may conjure up an image of a little, bespectacled gentleman, dressed in orange, walking in sandals, surrounded by people. Why am I telling you this? Because during his lifetime he symbolised what he believed the world could be like – a place of peace – by living his life from that perspective. Even after his death we can remember what he lived for. So where is this leading me? To another question: how can we change what we are unaware of in our world? My answer to that lies in a process that has also inspired me: Inner RePatterning, which I have co-developed with my dear friend and colleague Tania A Prince, and we would like to inspire each of you.

What do you want to change in your world? In my work as a teacher of mindfulness and stress intervention practitioner, I ask people this question every day, many times a day and so often they reply ‘I don’t know’. There is nothing wrong with this answer, I have given it many times myself when I have been stuck in a dilemma and not known what to do until now. Now I have a therapeutic tool that allows me to see, feel, sense the changes that I want to make in my world. This tool is a ‘mindful’ process called Inner RePatterning.

Imagine if your life feels like you are always stuck, your thoughts are negative and they go round and round in your mind like a never ending CD, or a DVD if you have images or flashbacks attached to them. Imagine that your perception of the world is doom and gloom and that is all you believe you have ever known or will know. Is it surprising you don’t know what you want, or how or what you are even going to change to make a difference? Many of my clients suffer from anxiety, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other complex issues, such as the need to self-harm to release emotions. I wanted to find a gentle way to help them to help themselves with my support. Inner RePatterning meets that need and I use it in one-to-one and group sessions as part of a stress intervention programme which uses a mindful approach. Mindfulness is having an awareness of our needs and the needs of others, in the present moment without judgment, while being in a place of allowing.

So often we ‘zone out’ or numb ourselves using alcohol, drugs and other distractions because we are unable to deal with our thoughts, feelings and perception of our lives. Inner RePatterning offers these clients and many others an opportunity to release negative thought, emotional and behaviour patterns while being supported in a safe place with a trained practitioner. It is also easy to learn and can be used as a self-help tool to manifest change. I have witnessed a transformation in many of the clients I work with and feel honoured to be part of their journey of change.

One young person I worked with identified three core issues: a fear of pleasure, a fear of loss and a fear of being robbed of personal power. There was a great deal of regret in his life and he felt swamped with doubt and anxiety about the immediate future, especially since his anxiety often manifested in social settings. We used Inner RePatterning. After that session he said: “Since using this process, I have established a new, profound connection with my spirituality. I am now less afraid of emotional intimacy. I have an innate sense of certainty, and I trust life to bring me what I need.”

He is now able to ‘Be the change he wants to see in his world’ because he became aware of what he needed to change and then recognised the changes as they became part of his new experience of life and his world.

You, too, can experience transformation and be the change you want to see in your world. Tania and I would love to support you and be honoured to be part of your journey. For more information about our work, the process, training courses, trainer and practitioners of Inner RePatterning join our newsletter to download a free e-book

June Kaye Spencer