On Sunday May 10 #HigherSelfie Live comes to London town – a spirituality “un-conference” to help you step into your Highest Self. Founders Lucy Sheridan and Jo Westwood explain what it’s all about…Main image: Ania Powałowska
What do you think the world would look like if we all spent more time on our Higher Self…opposed to just our selfies?
I think the world would FEEL as beautiful as we’re so keen to make it look! It’s so easy to just concentrate on all the surface stuff in our lives. We’ll primp and preen our brows for hours to take a selfie, and yet, if we gave just a fraction of that attention and love to ourselves and our every day interactions, the incremental benefits would be bananas.
On an every day level, we’d all feel a bit more chilled, calm and open to what a day can bring us, rather than worried or anxious about what’s going to happen or not – whether we’re stressing about a traffic jam or a job interview. On a bigger picture level, there would be less bitching and arguments because our ego minds wouldn’t have a leg to stand on, or be able to interfere with our perceptions of each other.
There would also be more job satisfaction, as people would be in careers that they were intuitively called to do rather than simply going through the motions in a role and industry that doesn’t interest them at all.
Lucy you’ve written for the Numinous before about the digital overspill of our lives – do you really believe that social media is bad for the soul?
I think if it’s not managed in a conscious way it can be really bad for the soul. On one hand social media brings connection and entertainment and positive aspiration. But it can also put us in a “compare & despair” mindset, leading us to create online personas that show only a very tightly curated version of our lives.
On a practical level, it can also affect our offline connections. I can’t remember the last time I was out for dinner and at least one person wasn’t scrolling or checking in at intervals while I was trying to have a conversation. Ultimately, its affects are subtle and insidious, and the more aware we are of that, the more potential for us to have a healthy relationship with social media.
What daily practises do you both use to connect to your #Higherselfie?
Jo is a student of A Course In Miracles
Personally, I’m very into affirmations and maintaining an attitude of gratitude – my gateway drug years ago was The Secret
And how have your lives changed as a result?
I think it’s made us stronger emotionally and mentally, so that the time it takes for us to get over the knocks life throws at us is collapsed – we’re better able to accept and process what happened in a way that doesn’t drag us down and hold us back.
A big part of that is a shared ‘miracle mindset’. Of course we have the odd bitchy miss-step and we don’t profess to be perfect – but more often than not, when we’re not attached to a need to control, we always strive to make space for a miracle.
I think one of the key impacts of this is being able to see, attract and, more often than not, create from scratch, amazing opportunities for ourselves personally and professionally. Our bud Louise Androlia would call it ‘making magic’ and she’s right!
So what exactly is an “un-conference”?
It’s like the punk/alternative approach to a live event – with #HigherSelfie we’ve set out to mix up in the way people can access self-development ideas in an immersive and dynamic way which isn’t on offer anywhere else.
This means that aside from two VIP handpicked guest speakers, the agenda is decided on the day and all guests are invited to submit a talk beforehand for the chance to appear on one of our stages and rock their light. If fellow attendees like your talk vibe they’ll vote for it. The talks with the most votes will get to take the mic on one of our stages and share their perspective.
Ultimately, everyone is welcome to submit a talk, regardless of expertise or experience. We believe we’re ALL equally valid, and valuable. That’s what #HigherSelfie’s all about!
What do you want people to share?
We’re really open to people sharing from whatever corner of spirituality, wellness and self-development they feel called to. We all have a different passion – for some it’s raw food, for others it’s Reiki. Some people will be all about yoga, mindfulness and spirit guides and for others Tarot, crystal healing and numerology are where it’s at. We want to hear about it all!
The ethos and founding principles of #HigherSelfie will also require an ego coat check from everyone. That is, you might get chosen to speak, you might not. Just remember your ego is not your amigo. Leave that sucker at the door and get immersed in the good vibes whether you get a spot on stage or get to cheer on your fellow Selfers from the audience.
And what do you want people to come away with?
For us, it’s all about feeling part of something – we’d love people to find their tribe and leave with some new friends and more access to the good stuff that lights them up.
Many people might have an interest in self-development and spirituality, but not have many people they can chat to about it and are dying to share their passion with some like minded people. If we’re doing anything it’s creating a container for that connection, to allow people to explore the magical world of living as your #HigherSelfie.
Numinous founder Ruby Warrington will be beamed in live from NYC as digital key-note speaker at #HigherSelfie, which will take over a warehouse location in London all day on Sunday May 10. Click the image below to sign up and get all the details!
