There is a lot of talk around this time of year about why can’t we stick to our new year’s resolutions, and it is encouraging to see this community addressing the deeper reasons behind motivation. I started to look at things differently after I finished my first year of study at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing (BBSH) here in Australia. I realised my motivational struggles weren’t about willpower at all, they were about inner alignment – the deep connection between our goals and the emotional and the energetic patterns driving them.
Why Resolutions Falter
Barbara Brennan’s seminal book ‘Hands of Light’ outlines her work with the human energy field. Drawing on established psychology principles and auric studies, she taught that our behaviours, thoughts and emotions are influenced by unresolved wounds and ‘negative core beliefs’ that we carry in our energy field. These are often developed in childhood and becomes our inner child wounding. If wounds go unacknowledged, they appear as energetic blocks in our auric field, preventing our energy from flowing naturally in balance. So, when we set goals without addressing these deeper emotional layers, our energy fields may block our desires and we prevent our energy from flowing naturally in balance.
The Inner Child’s Role in Motivation
In practice, your inner child might have learned to associate success with a fear of rejection, or comfort with overeating. These patterns are often subconscious, yet they drive much of our adult behaviour.
When you set a goal that challenges these deep-set patterns, your inner child might resist, feeling unsafe or unworthy of the change. This resistance may present as procrastination, self-sabotage, or a complete lack of motivation.
I know this is all easier said than done – changing our mindset is at the heart of all self-healing and positive thinking processes. But when it is hard to do, I found energy work was a good way to clear old wounds – it removes stuck energetic blocks and aligns my energy field. This then makes it easier to take action that flows.
Transforming Motivation into Alignment
The core message I took away from my first year of study was the beauty and simplicity of Brennan’s approach: shifting the focus from an ‘action-oriented fix’ (e.g. going on a diet) to healing and expanding into my true core essence. When I healed the underlying wounds and aligned my energy, motivation becomes less about pushing myself and more about naturally flowing toward what feels right. It’s all about the alignment, not force. So instead of trying to force myself to achieve a goal, I now focus on creating inner harmony.
If you would like to learn more about BBSH and working with your inner child, clearing emotional wounds and energy fields – have a look at their website www.barbarabrennan.com.
Applications for the Australasia 2025 school year are open until March (with other school options available globally). BBSH Australasia is hosting online Q&A sessions ahead of the 2025 term, alongside options for one-day workshops and introductory sessions. A virtual ‘Hands of Light’ class is being held on 8th Feb, and details are up on their Facebook page – Barbara Brennan School of Healing Australasia
By Jo Shipley, BBSH Student Year 2 Student
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