Connie L. Habash - Awakening from Anxiety: A Spiritual Guide to Living a More Calm, Confident, and Courageous Life

Praise for Awakening from Anxiety

No one likes to feel anxious. But what if anxiety were a path to personal empowerment instead of a cul-de-sac of despair? What if our struggles with anxiety were invitations to step into a new level of openhe artedness?

The epidemic level of anxiety we are seeing today the world over is inviting us to step into a new level of presence, according to author Rev. Connie L. Habash, LMFT, who offers her readers a new possibility: that the way forwardthe way to peace and wholenessis found in meeting the anxiety, not pushing it away. I couldnt a gree more.

With many experiential practices and tools, Awakening from Anxiety is that rare combination of spiritual understanding and practical, down-to-earth guidance. It is a useful manual both for beginners and those already committed to a path of awakening. The book is both comforting and enc ouraging.

Jett Psaris, author of Undefended Love and Hidden Blessings: Midlife Crisis as a Spiritual Awakening

Awakening from Anxiety is a profound and comprehensive guide for anyone suffering from anxiety. It is also a wonderful guide for anyone interested in awakening to a level of consciousness where anxiety simply does not exist. Simple and direct in its style, this book will be extremely helpful to a large number of people dealing with emotional issues, including anxiety.

Leonard Jacobson, author of Journey Into Now and founder of the Conscious Living Foundation

Awakening from Anxiety is a thorough guide to releasing and moving beyond anxiety in its many forms, including worry, stress, fear, unease, and uncertainty. It includes very practical, helpful exercises, based on case studies and on Rev. Rev. Connie L. Habash, LMFTs lifelong personal experiencetried and true methods that work. Her conversational, down-to-earth and humorous style makes the books deep psychospiritual truths easy to understand and apply in ones daily life. Thank you, Rev. Habash, for a book that is much needed in our increasingly stressful, anxiety-ridden, modern world. May it re ach many!

Brad Laughlin and Leslie Temple-Thurston, authors of The Marriage of Spirit , Returning to Oneness , and Living with Enl ightenment

Awakening
from
Anxiety

Awakening
from
Anxiety

A Spiritual Guide to Living a More Calm, Confident, and Courageous Life

Rev. Connie L. Habash, LMFT

Mango Publishing
Coral Gables

Copyright 2019 by Rev. Connie L. Habash, LMFT

Published by Mango Publishing Group, a division of Mango Media Inc.

Cover Design: Roberto Nez

Cover Photo/illustration: hanibacom / Shutterstock

Layout & Design: Jayoung Hong

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Awakening from Anxiety: A Spiritual Guide to Living a More Calm, Confident, and Courageous Life

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication number: 2019905278

ISBN: (print) 978-1-64250-080-6, (ebook) 978-1-64250-081-3

BISAC category code SELF-HELP / Anxieties & Phobias

Printed in the United States of America

Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretations of the subject matter herein. Any perceived slight of any individual or organization is purely unintentional.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Throughout this book, I have used examples from many of my students and clients personal lives. However, to ensure privacy and confidentiality, I have changed their names and identifying information. All of the personal examples of my own life, however, have not been altered.

To all the seekers; those who seek to heal,
those who seek to know,
and those who seek to become their t rue Self.
Youre not alone.

To my students and clients over the yearsyou have inspired me to write this, and I am eve r honored
and grateful to know you and to witness your awakening.

And to my daughtermay you al ways know
that everything you need is already wi thin you.
Seek and you will find.

Table of Contents

Spiritual Mistake #2
Flight to Light

Spiritual Mistake #3
Leaving Your Body

Spiritual Mistake #4
You Create Your Reality

Spiritual Mistake #5
Feeling the Pain of the World

Spiritual Mistake #6
The Safety/Danger Polarity

Awakening from Anxiety is an amazing book that directly addresses a growing contagion of stress, anxiety, and panic attacks. Connie is heroic in her unique approach, which can benefit people of all ages and walks of life. It is a timely work that gives the reader a way to traverse physical, emotional, and spiritual obstacles to experience a more calm and balanced state o f being.

The author gives personal examples as well as case studies of clients who have been able to overcome fear and anxiety to make changes in their lives. Connie has taken a complex subject and made it come alive to those who are new to, and those who are already steeped in, a spiritual t radition.

Connies unique approach to this subject is found in her insightful chapters on spiritual mistakes that can lead to more anxiety rather than that highly coveted state of serenity. While so many are hurling themselves into practices that awaken their heart to feel the suffering of humanity, Connie warns of compassion fatigue, which can cause physical, mental, and emotiona l injury.

Connies important work is so needed in our world today where new thought and ancient spiritual principles coexist side by side, creating either expansion of consciousness or confusion. She sorts this out in a very real and practical way. What a wonderful relief to know that we dont have to achieve an image of perfection or grasp for an ideal of being a spiritual person. According to Connie, this can only create more stress, anxiety, and even panic attacks when we dont think we are doing it right or arent goo d enough.

I thought this phrase from the author was brilliant: My understanding of Spirit is that it is Infinite, Unlimited, everywhere Present, and all that Is. How can anything that has no limits or bounds be limited by our idea of a word called perfection? The gift of this book helps me to realize that we are still okay even if we dont meet the standards of others or the goals we may have knowingly or unknowingly set for ourselves.

Thank you, dear author, for sharing the deep insights you have acquired throughout your many years of teaching, counseling, and journeying your own lifes experiences. They are i nvaluable!

Rama Jyoti Vernon, founder of California Yoga Teachers Association, co-founder of Yoga Journal, and author, Yoga: The Practice of Myth and Sacred Geometry and Patanjalis Yoga Sutras , Books I and II tr anslation.

As spiritual folks, we arent exempt from the experience of anxiety. In fact, because were often more sensitive, earnest beings in our endeavor to grow and awaken, we may be more pr one to it.