Many self-help books are written, as well as articles, offering top tips on how to live your life to the fullest. Others tell us how to see each experience as an opportunity to learn or grow. 

Today, there are virtual mass-access platforms where everyone is choosing which topic, proposal or worldview is more relevant or which one they identify more with in that moment of their lives. 

We seek what we think we need, but not necessarily what we want. Here lies the question: how do we discover what we really want?

All of these books or articles have a common denominator: the dark night of the soul, inflection, to hit rock bottom, shadow confrontation, or a divine message or call. 

As for myself, like all those who undertake this conscious or unconscious search with the essence that moves them, I decided to call it an epiphany. And although the term seems to already have a connotation connected to a religious celebration, what I extract is that it is nothing more than the description of a moment in which a path or message is revealed to us. It’s like a guiding light that we experience as a strong feeling of peace, a moment in which we strip ourselves of prejudices, beliefs, expectations, external demands, fears, doubts and social constructs. 

Perhaps for a fraction of a second, everything that is not part of that pleasant moment of revelation doesn’t matter anymore. It’s an exquisite moment of ecstasy, filled with deep peace, joy and gratitude for living the wonderful gift of being totally present and enjoying life  consciously — even for just a moment. 

Here and now

The great challenge is to hold on to this epiphany, here and now, as we move away from this ecstasy and return to the old. That old comes like a thief and steals the very essence of living and leads us back to that mechanical way of existing.

I confess that my greatest moments of fulfillment have been those where I have achieved that state of being present, that enjoyment and living to the fullest, an awareness of each situation or experience that is either misnamed “pleasant” or “unpleasant.” And I say misnamed because these words are loaded in a belief system. Our moments or experiences are just that, and each of us are the ones who give these terms their meaning and we live them that way.

Some of my epiphanies have been professional accomplishments from my sessions — the stories of those who have been touched by my words and who lovingly share their experiences with me. Other moments have been stronger and have stayed with me longer; they arose from experiences such as loss, abandonment and what I experienced in my own brush with death. 

The detail of each of these situations is not relevant because it’s just my interpretation and perception of those moments. But what is relevant is that these epiphanies, beyond what was being felt as gratifying, painful, sad or offensive to me (even though it might sound paradoxical), filled me with light and immense peace.

These epiphanies have helped me develop new ways of thinking and working. They allowed me to be spontaneous again and let my inner child flourish again, to travel spontaneously, to reinvent myself professionally, to be in contact with nature and work on my connection with its energy, its wisdom and healing, to grow spiritually and strengthen my contact with the highest expression of my being.

And now, tell me, what are your epiphanies?

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About Dr. Zoila Mojica

Dr. Zoila Mojica, is a clinical psychologist/sexologist specializing in individual, group and couples therapy. For 15 years, she has worked in her own practice and with companies, associations and academic institutions in the prevention, approach and treatment of populations at social risk, victims of sexual abuse, commercial exploitation and human trafficking. She also is known for her work in interpersonal communication, intimacy and empathy. 

Dr. Zoila is also a professor at ULatina in San Jose, Costa Rica. Her seminars, workshops, lectures and sessions have taken her around the world. Her new book is soon to be released in 2022. For a consultation, appointment and information please contact turner@howlermag.com