Rooted Reflections is a collection of grounded wisdom, seasonal practices, and soul-aligned insights. These writings are meant to nourish your nervous system, inspire inner balance, and reconnect you to the cycles of nature and your own deep knowing.
Unlocking the Mystery of 3D, 4D, and 5D: A Journey Through Dimensions
Unlocking the Mystery of 3D, 4D, and 5D: A Journey Through Dimensions
We’re living in a time of great transformation—a time when more and more of us are awakening to a reality far greater than the one we’ve been taught to see. If you’ve ever felt like there’s more to life than what meets the eye, you’re right. The truth is, we’re navigating not just one reality but multiple dimensions of existence. And understanding the shift between 3D, 4D, and 5D can be the key to unlocking your greatest potential.
These dimensions aren’t places you visit; they’re states of consciousness, ways of experiencing life. Let’s dive into what they are, the potential pitfalls, and how you can navigate this journey with practical tools.
3D: The World of the Physical and the Ego
Let’s start with the familiar—the third dimension. This is where most of us begin our journey. The 3D world is rooted in the physical: it’s about survival, achievement, and identity. It’s the realm of me vs. you, good vs. bad, and the belief that success equals status or material gain.
In 3D, life often feels linear. Time marches on in a straight line, and every decision seems weighed down by fear or desire. This is the world of duality, where we’re constantly trying to figure out what’s right or wrong, better or worse. It’s not a bad place to be—it’s just the starting point. The third dimension is where we learn the lessons of individuality and effort. It teaches us to build, to strive, to grow.
Dangers in 3D: Becoming stuck in competition, materialism, or fear. You might feel disconnected from others and your higher self, leading to feelings of emptiness or overwhelm.
Practical Tips for 3D:
Practice gratitude daily to shift your focus from lack to abundance.
Set boundaries to avoid getting lost in societal expectations.
Take breaks from social media or other influences that reinforce comparison.
4D: Awakening and the Bridge to Higher Consciousness
If 3D feels like you’re walking on a treadmill, 4D is like stepping off and realizing there’s an entire world waiting for you. The fourth dimension is the realm of awakening. Here, you start to see beyond the surface. Patterns emerge, synchronicities appear, and life feels more interconnected.
In 4D, time becomes less rigid. You begin to understand that the past, present, and future are all connected—and that the choices you make now ripple out into everything. This is where emotional healing becomes central. Old wounds and limiting beliefs rise to the surface, begging to be released so you can move forward lighter, freer.
You’ll start asking deeper questions:
Who am I beyond what society says I should be?
What is my purpose?
How can I connect more authentically with others and with myself?
The fourth dimension is a bridge. It’s where you learn to shed what no longer serves you and step into a more expansive way of being.
Dangers in 4D: Becoming overwhelmed by emotional processing or losing clarity as you encounter new perspectives. It’s easy to get stuck in the "healing loop," always seeking but never fully arriving.
Practical Tips for 4D:
Journal regularly to process emotions and gain clarity.
Seek guidance from mentors, therapists, or spiritual teachers.
Stay grounded through practices like yoga, breathwork, or nature walks.
5D: Unity, Love, and the Higher Self
And then there’s 5D. The fifth dimension isn’t just a step up; it’s a leap into an entirely new way of living. In 5D, the illusion of separation dissolves. You see the interconnectedness of all things—not just intellectually but in your bones. Life becomes an expression of unconditional love.
In 5D, you don’t act out of fear or ego. Instead, you’re guided by intuition, by trust, and by a deep knowing that everything is unfolding as it should. The constant push and pull of duality fades, replaced by peace, compassion, and alignment.
Dangers in 5D: The risk of spiritual bypassing—ignoring unresolved emotions or practical realities in favor of "love and light." It’s also possible to feel isolated if others in your life aren’t aligned with this level of consciousness.
Practical Tips for 5D:
Stay connected to your community, even if they’re in different stages of awakening.
Balance spiritual practices with grounded, practical actions.
Practice humility and continue learning—there is always room to grow.
Moving Through the Dimensions: Your Journey
You don’t have to choose one dimension over the others. Life is a dance, and you’ll find yourself shifting between 3D, 4D, and 5D as you grow. The key is awareness. Here are some tips for navigating this journey:
Notice Where You Are: Are you stuck in fear or competition (3D)? Are you questioning and healing (4D)? Are you aligned with love and trust (5D)? There’s no wrong answer—only an opportunity to grow.
Practice Presence: Whatever dimension you’re in, bring your awareness to the present moment. Meditation, breathwork, and yoga can help anchor you in the now.
Embrace Emotional Healing: In 4D, the path forward often requires looking back. Allow yourself to feel, process, and release old patterns.
Choose Love Over Fear: In every situation, ask yourself: Am I acting out of fear, or out of love? This simple shift can move you closer to 5D.
Trust the Journey: Growth isn’t linear, and that’s okay. Celebrate the moments of clarity, and have compassion for the moments of confusion.
A Final Thought: You Are the Bridge
You’re not just traveling through these dimensions—you’re helping to anchor them here on Earth. Every time you heal, love, or awaken, you create ripples that transform the collective consciousness. Your journey is bigger than you think. You’re not just moving between 3D, 4D, and 5D; you’re weaving a new reality where all of us can thrive.
So, keep going. Keep asking questions, healing wounds, and following your intuition. The shift to higher dimensions isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something you create—with every choice, every breath, every moment of love.
The Only Way Out Is Through: Embracing Pain for Healing and Growth
“Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.” – The Buddha
Suffering is part of being human. Over 2,500 years ago, the Buddha taught this truth through the concept of Dukkha—life’s inevitable challenges, like grief, loss, change, and illness.
But here’s what makes suffering worse: our resistance to it. I know this all too well. For nearly two decades, I numbed my discomfort in any way I could. Cigarettes, my beloved Mary Jane, alcohol, internet addiction, drama, love addiction, and codependency became my go-to tools for escaping what I wasn’t ready to feel. I clung to relationships, needing validation to fill an internal void. I fed off emotional chaos, mistaking it for connection. At the time, I didn’t realize what I was doing. I thought I was coping, managing, or simply trying to survive.
What I didn’t understand then was that avoidance didn’t heal the pain; it buried it deeper. Every distraction, every unhealthy attachment, and every hit of dopamine from another vice only added another layer to what was already unprocessed and unresolved. The longer I ran, the heavier it all became.
It took working with a fantastic therapist, deep introspection, years of practicing (the 8 limbs) yoga and mindfulness, journaling, bodywork, and working with psychedelics in ceremonial settings to finally see the truth: I wasn’t escaping my pain—I was running from myself.
The realization was both sobering and liberating: the only way out is through.
When I finally learned to sit with my discomfort, to breathe into those delicate and often terrifying spaces, I realized something essential: healing doesn’t require perfection or force—it requires self-compassion. That softness toward myself, something I had denied for so long, became the key to transforming my suffering into growth, clarity, and wisdom.
Modern Suffering: Comfortable Yet Overwhelming
Although we are fortunate here in the West—blessed with clean water, medical care, and countless conveniences—modern life comes with its own struggles that amplify our suffering:
Constant Overstimulation
We live in a world of endless input—notifications, emails, social media, TikTok, and AI tools. The internet, which promises connection, often leaves us overstimulated, disconnected, and mentally drained. Our homes hum with Wi-Fi signals, blue light, and electromagnetic fields (EMFs), keeping our nervous systems perpetually on edge.
Sedentary Living
Modern life traps us in chairs—at desks, in cars, and on couches. Unlike our ancestors, who moved constantly, we sit for hours. This stagnates our energy, creates tension in the body, and leaves us feeling lethargic and disconnected.
Disconnection from Nature
We’re cut off from the Earth beneath our feet and the grounding rhythms of nature. Artificial lights replace the sun, and concrete replaces the soil. Without this connection, we lose our balance, clarity, and sense of peace.
Addiction to Avoidance
I didn’t just numb with substances—I also escaped into internet addiction, drama, love addiction, and codependency. Whether it was scrolling endlessly online, seeking validation in relationships, or relying on others to define my worth, these patterns distracted me from my pain. I thought they were filling the void, but they were only deepening it.
Love addiction and codependency can feel like connection, but they are often rooted in a fear of facing ourselves. I chased relationships to avoid loneliness, mistaking intensity for love and chaos for intimacy. Instead of healing, I clung to people, hoping they would soothe what I wasn’t ready to confront.
The Glorification of Productivity
We live in a culture that worships busyness. We’re encouraged to do constantly, leaving little space for stillness, reflection, or simply being. Productivity becomes a mask, keeping us from facing what’s really going on inside.
The result? Despite our fortune and comforts, many of us feel more overwhelmed, disconnected, and emotionally exhausted than ever before.
Why Avoiding Pain Doesn’t Work
For over two decades, I avoided my pain. I smoked, drank, scrolled endlessly, and poured myself into relationships that weren’t healthy (among many other things). I became addicted to emotional highs, mistaking chaos for love and codependency for intimacy.
At the time, I didn’t realize that avoidance wasn’t healing—it was burying my emotions deeper. My unprocessed pain showed up as:
Chronic stress and physical tension.
Anxiety, depression, and burnout.
Patterns of love addiction, drama, and feeling “stuck.”
The more you resist pain, the more it persists. It wasn’t until I turned toward my discomfort—with curiosity, compassion, and softness—that I began to see the truth: pain can heal us if we allow it to.
The Role of Self-Compassion in Healing
For years, I believed I had to be tough to get through my pain. I thought healing meant pushing harder, forcing myself through discomfort with sheer willpower. I was wrong.
The truth is, healing requires self-compassion—the ability to hold yourself with kindness and love when you’re in pain.
Self-compassion allows you to:
Sit with your pain without judgment.
Speak to yourself as you would to someone you love: gently and with understanding.
Recognize that suffering is part of the shared human experience—you’re not alone.
When I began to meet myself with softness, everything shifted. I didn’t need to “fix” myself—I needed to love myself through it. Pain stopped being something I feared and became something I could hold, learn from, and release.
Self-compassion also involves reconnecting to your body and giving it the care it needs. For me, bodywork played a significant role in my healing. Massage, energy work, and somatic practices allowed me to release trauma and emotions that had been stored in my physical body for years.
Sometimes, the body holds onto pain long after the mind has forgotten it. Bodywork helps you access these areas, offering a release that is both physical and emotional.
How to Embrace Pain with Self-Compassion
Here are tools that helped me navigate pain while being gentle with myself:
Breathe Through It
Anchor yourself with slow, steady breathing. Say to yourself: “It’s okay to feel this. I am here for myself.”Speak Kindly to Yourself
Replace critical thoughts with supportive ones: “This is hard, but I’m doing my best. It’s okay to take my time.”Feel It Fully
Allow the emotion to surface without judgment. Let it be there, knowing it’s temporary.Move Your Body
Gentle movement—yoga, stretching, or walking—can help release tension and reconnect you to yourself.Get Bodywork
Massage, craniosacral therapy, Reiki, or other forms of bodywork can help release stored tension, trauma, and emotions, offering a deep sense of healing and connection to yourself.Reconnect with Nature
Sit with a tree, walk barefoot, or breathe fresh air. Nature has a grounding, calming power that soothes the nervous system.Write It Out
Journaling allows you to explore and meet your emotions with curiosity: What am I feeling? How can I show myself love right now?Practice Gratitude
Reflect on small, beautiful things in your life. Gratitude brings balance when emotions feel heavy.
Final Thoughts: The Courage to Feel, with Love
If you’re in pain right now, know this: you’re not alone, and you’re not broken. Pain is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign that you’re alive and capable of growth.
Take a breath. Be kind to yourself. Healing isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence, patience, and self-love. And sometimes, it’s about giving your body the care and attention it needs to let go and heal.
The only way out is through. And when you meet your pain with compassion—mind, body, and soul—you’ll find something extraordinary on the other side: freedom, clarity, and a deeper connection to yourself.
“You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – The Buddha
What’s one way you’ve avoided discomfort that no longer serves you?
Scroll Smart: The Hidden Effects of Social Media on Your Mind, Body, and Relationships
Let’s face it—social media is the ultimate love-hate relationship.
It connects us to people across the globe, makes us laugh with endless cat memes, and keeps us updated on the latest trends. But, lurking beneath the double taps and GIF wars are sneaky effects on our brain, body, and ability to connect with the people right in front of us.
So, how healthy is social media? Spoiler alert: It’s complicated. Let’s dive into what it does to our minds, why it’s hard to put the phone down, and how to make it a healthier part of your life (while keeping it fun).
The Brain’s Reaction: Dopamine Gone Wild
Every like, comment, or new follower gives your brain a little reward—a shot of dopamine, the same chemical responsible for making chocolate taste like heaven and slot machines so addictive. This is why we refresh our feeds like our lives depend on it.
But here’s the catch: The more you rely on these little hits, the harder it becomes for your brain to get excited about the slower, more meaningful parts of life—like a deep conversation with a friend or the smell of fresh coffee in the morning. Suddenly, a heartfelt moment IRL feels dull compared to the thrill of 2 new notifications.
Why Timing Matters: Avoid Social Media in the Morning and Before Bed
Your first and last moments of the day are critical for setting the tone and quality of your mental and emotional health. Here’s why you should resist the urge to grab your phone first thing in the morning or right before bed:
Morning Use: Scrolling social media as soon as you wake up bombards your brain with information and comparisons before it’s even had a chance to fully "boot up." This can spike cortisol levels (your stress hormone), setting a reactive tone for your day. Instead, start your morning with activities that focus on grounding and intention, like journaling, meditation, or a mindful breakfast.
Before Bed: Using social media at night disrupts your sleep in more ways than one. Blue light from your screen inhibits melatonin production, making it harder for your body to recognize that it’s time to wind down. Additionally, consuming content before bed can overstimulate your mind, keeping it busy with thoughts about what you just watched, liked, or commented on. This can lead to restless sleep and poor recovery.
Pro Tips:
Set a “no-phone” rule for the first and last 30 minutes of your day.
Use this time for relaxing activities like reading, stretching, or simply reflecting on your day.
Place your phone in another room or use a traditional alarm clock to avoid temptation.
The Social Media Trap: When Connection Becomes Disconnection
You’d think that something designed to connect us would make us better at relationships, right? Nope. When you’re glued to your screen, your presence in the real world takes a hit. Here’s how it sneaks up on you:
Distracted Togetherness: You’re at brunch with friends, but instead of laughing at inside jokes, you’re filming your latte art for Instagram. Your friends might smile politely, but inside, they’re thinking, Can we just have a moment without a camera?
Surface-Level Socializing: A quick “LOL” on someone’s post feels easier than asking, “How are you really doing?” Social media conditions us to skim relationships, not dive deep.
Loneliness Paradox: The more time you spend on social media, the lonelier you might feel. A huge online following can’t replace the comfort of someone who truly knows you.
Relationship Strain: Social media contributes to 20% of all divorces in the U.S., with studies showing that excessive use can lead to jealousy, emotional affairs, and miscommunication.
Body Talk: What Social Media Does to Your Physiology
It’s not just your brain—your body gets in on the action too:
Stress Spikes: Negative posts or doom-scrolling news stories can trigger cortisol (your stress hormone), leaving you on edge.
Sleep Saboteur: Social media emits blue light, which disrupts the production of melatonin—the hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. This is why late-night scrolling can leave you tossing and turning, even after you’ve put your phone down.
Posture Problems: “Text neck” is real. Endless scrolling equals slouching, which equals neck and back pain. Cue the chiropractor visits.
The Link Between Social Media and Depression
Social media use has been linked to increased rates of depression and anxiety, particularly among teens and young adults. Here's why:
Comparison Culture: Seeing curated highlights of others’ lives can make you feel inadequate or envious, leading to low self-esteem.
Validation Dependence: The pressure to get likes, comments, or shares can become overwhelming and emotionally draining.
Isolation: Spending hours on social media often replaces meaningful real-world interactions, compounding feelings of loneliness.
A 2018 study found that people who spent more than 3 hours per day on social media were 2.6 times more likely to report depressive symptoms than those who limited their use.
How to Reduce the Complications of Screen Light
The blue light from your screen isn’t just messing with your sleep—it’s straining your eyes and affecting your mood. Here’s how to minimize the impact:
Use Blue Light Filters: Enable “night mode” or use apps that reduce blue light on your devices.
Limit Screen Time Before Bed: Stop using your phone at least an hour before bedtime to allow your brain to wind down.
Invest in Blue Light Glasses: These glasses can help protect your eyes during extended screen use.
Take Breaks: Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to reduce eye strain.
Stats That’ll Make You Pause (Before Your Next Scroll)
The average person spends 2.5 hours a day on social media. Over a year, that’s nearly 38 days!
20% of divorces in the U.S. cite social media as a contributing factor.
Social media users who spend more than 3 hours daily are significantly more likely to report symptoms of anxiety or depression.
60% of people feel jealous or inadequate after looking at others’ posts. Remember, no one’s posting their bad hair days.
How to Make Social Media Your BFF, Not Your Frenemy
The good news? You don’t have to break up with social media—just define the relationship. Here’s how to keep things healthy:
Set Clear Boundaries:
Designate "phone-free" zones—like meals or bedtimes.
Try a digital detox once a week to give your brain (and thumb) a break.
Curate Your Feed:
Unfollow accounts that stress you out or make you feel bad about yourself.
Follow people who inspire, educate, or genuinely bring you joy.
Engage Meaningfully:
Skip the mindless scrolling and actually comment, share, or DM with purpose.
Use it to build connections, not just collect likes.
Prioritize Real Life:
Plan coffee dates, join a hobby group, or just spend quality time with loved ones without your phone in hand.
Final Swipe
Social media is like your favorite dessert: amazing in moderation but problematic in excess. It can brighten your day, keep you informed, and help you connect—but it can also drain your energy, disrupt your relationships, and mess with your health.
The key? Use it intentionally. Make it work for you, not the other way around. So next time you’re tempted to scroll, pause and ask: Is this enhancing my life or just filling the silence? Your future self (and your neck muscles) will thank you.
What’s your relationship with social media like? Are you scrolling mindfully or in need of a reset? Share your thoughts below!