Projections

 Projections  ©2021 Joan M. Newcomb, CPC

I’ve had some interesting experiences recently being the recipient of people’s projections. One person anticipated being judged for their being inconsistent with their schedule, one person was pissed that a project didn’t include more time zones. 

Also, I’ve had times when I’ve misjudged people because of my projections.

Projections are perceptions we view the world through (or are viewed by others). Just like a combat vet reacts to fireworks and thinks they’re back in a war zone. Energy gets projected onto people, places, things. It’s almost always negative. Sometimes it’s unrealistically positive, projecting someone is more angelic than they really are.

Projections mean that you’re not in the present moment, and you’re definitely not experiencing clarity. Clarity is simply the truth of what is. Truth can be ugly, but there’s also a feeling relief because it’s real. You can do something about reality. You can’t do anything about projections except spin your wheels.

How can we see things clearly? How can we be seen clearly?

The first question’s answer is simple (but not necessarily easy). Be in the present moment. Question your thoughts. If something is dramatic, or scary, or really, really bad, then it’s probably not real. Unless you really are in a war zone. But even then. When you’re really in a war zone, it’s more likely your senses get heightened and things slow down. That’s being in the present moment, being present with what is.

Our bodies are walking picture galleries. We’ll react to anything through our lenses from the past. Our minds will make up stories about what is going on around us, and we view the world through those movies.

Being still, being in the present moment, allows us to perceive clearly as Consciousness. If something is matter of fact, benevolent, or amusing, then it’s probably real.

How can we be seen clearly?

Well, we can’t change, fix or manipulate the pictures of others around us. We can only be centered in our own awareness. It’s more a matter of not resisting other’s projections. 

Sometimes, as we evolve, as we grow brighter, we’ll receive more projections. Because to others used to the dark, our light is hurting their eyes.

As we become more Conscious, we bump up against our own unconscious projections. We're so used to them, they're invisible to us. But they act as plexiglass walls to our own growth.

Collectively, we're all expanding to a newer, lighter, brighter reality. So even if it seems uncomfortable or dark right now, light is on the other side.

Shadow Boxing

Shadow Boxing ©2014 Joan Newcomb

Years ago I noticed that I spent an awful lot of the time creating conversations in my head.  Usually I'd be on "Oprah",  because obviously the world needs to know my personal gripes.  Or I'd be telling some imaginary audience my litany of woes.

Some days it's just you and your shadows.

I decided to interrupt these episodes of 'stinking thinking' and change the subject.  After two weeks, I discovered that I'd lifted out of a depression that I'd been in for years.  I had rerouted my thoughts, created new neural pathways and actually changed my brain chemistry!

Later on, when beginning my quest to manifest a life partner, I caught myself complaining about all the previous failed relationships.  I switched this to positive affirmations about my next relationship, and manifested meeting the man who's now my husband in less than a month.  I'd given the Universe a clear request, which brought quicker results.

Our minds are storage containers of pictures, memories and impressions.  We view our reality through these images.  We're not really engaging with the world around us, we're interacting with our own mental image pictures.

That's not to say we aren't receiving other peoples' projections.  We can definitely feel it when people are thinking about us, even if we can't discern the exact words, or even who's emitting them.

But we receive their impressions through our impressions.  If we're feeling good about ourselves, it doesn't matter how much another person (or group) projects that we're their scapegoat or black sheep, it won't affect us.

On the other hand, if we're feeling bad about ourselves, it doesn't matter how many awards or accolades we're given, we won't accept the validation.

Our mindset distorts our experience of our surroundings.  We may be in such Mary Sunshine denial that we don't realize we're involved with an alcoholic.

We may be so traumatised from our past, that we can't believe we're in a healthy work environment.

Sometimes we're years out of those situations, with solid recovery under our belts, and we suddenly feel back in the funhouse again.  Maybe a family reunion triggered a feeling of fallback, or renewed inner work peels away a new layer.

These are opportunities created by your Essence for your own evolution.

We're constantly going through Spiritual Remodels, as we grow and expand.  More than likely you're not back in the basement, but on an upper floor.

We can't work on others projections, but we can dissolve our own shadows.  We can catch our thoughts and reframe them.  We can meditate on receiving light (I like to imagine gold sunlight filling my space and dispelling all darkness).  Imagining a stream of bubbles popping out in front of you is an effortless way to release unconscious mental image pictures.

Take the next 7 days to try any or all of these techniques, and your world will be tranformed!

Projections ©2006 Joan M Newcomb

Projections ©2006 Joan M Newcomb


As we’re nearing the end of this year, and this holiday season, I’ve been musing about projections. Projections are energy that’s projected through our pictures or concepts. Typically projection has a negative connotation – that it’s a limitation or misinterpretation of what’s really going on. But it occurred to me that projection can be very positive as well. Intentions are an example of a pro-active projection; sending out a positive energy for things to go successfully.

Being empathic, I’ve struggled with the effects of someone’s pessimistic projections – whether they’re thinking poorly of me (or whomever I remind them of) or they’re thinking the circumstances are going badly. But over the holidays I had a great opportunity to turn that around. I expected to have a wonderful holiday and expected to have a wonderful time with my relatives and my new in-laws, and I did. (Expectations are also an example of projections).

Recently a client of mine was expressing concern over talking with some of her business contacts. She expected that they would react negatively to what she would be saying. I asked her what it would be like if they were actually fine with the information, or even (surprisingly) pleased. Projecting a positive outcome before picking up the phone can effect what you receive from the person on the other side.

Everyone is talking about goals and goal setting as we approach January 1st. Projections are different than goals because there’s emotions attached. It’s creating a picture to view your world through that brings up feelings. It’s the energy of feelings that gets projected to the world around you. When you take charge of your projections, by consciously choosing how you view the world, you can change your reality immediately. A common term for this is ‘re-framing’, but the idea of consciously projecting gives it more of a three-dimensional perspective.

This ties in with the Law of Attraction, because you can be projecting an energy that attracts, or an energy that repels. Think about it.

One fun and effortless way to play with this is to set an intention as you fall asleep for what the next day is going to be like. What you’ve done is constructed a picture for yourself, and when you wake up you view the world through that picture. You can also decide in advance what it’s going to feel like when you do a particular activity or go to a particular event. People naturally do that when they go to parties or concerts.

What if you did that before you go to work? The night before, set an intention that the next day at work is going to be fun, the meeting is going to be full of happy people, everyone’s going to get along, etc. etc. (you can substitute the word ‘work’ with school, family gathering, or whatever applies to your particular situation). See what happens the next day!

And yes, you can do the same with an entire month or even an entire year. A slightly different twist when you’re working with a period longer than a day is to imagine a timeline in front of you. You can decide whether it’s your life in general, your career path, your relationship path, or any other path you choose. You can project along the path what you want it to be like. Some people are quite detailed -- even planting flowers along their imaginary paths! Some just fill the path with energy, gold sunlight, loving pink, vibrant red, healing blue. It projecting the energy (or emotion) you want to experience into your future.

So have a happy 2007 (or whatever you want to project it to be)!