spiritual practice
Spiritual Living Still Requires Sustainable Action
As a spiritual counselor to many with the gift of intuition, my goal is to connect with the unseen to inspire others to live in the world that I know is still possible, where avoidable suffering and tragedy are events of the past, and where each of us can live our best lives ever.
A dear friend recently contacted me from beautiful California, where multiple wildfires, fueled by the annual Santa Ana winds, have been raging throughout the state. I asked how she was faring during the season of high winds and smoke, and her reply was that life was normal as usual and that nothing out of the ordinary was occurring.
Having lived through wildfires, earthquakes, storms, and other extreme events of nature, I was taken aback that my friend seemed unshaken by the present threats. But then I remembered the refrain that my dear mother often repeated, “This too shall pass.” This was often coupled with another reminder that prayer, or positive thoughts, also require a corresponding, uplifting action.
Before my conversation with my friend ended, I carefully coached her to always be ready to protect herself and her family in the face of developments that were beyond her realm of control – especially from that deep spiritual center she draws her life’s energy and direction.
Spiritually speaking, we all have the right to be safe in the presence natural events, or unexpected crisis that may arise in our worlds. But living a life guided by Spirit also requires that we do our part to protect ourselves. This protection might take the form of creating a financial nest egg to keep afloat in the event there is a major change with employment, for example. Our personal responsibility might also manifest as shoring up one’s pantry with food and water in event a grocery supply is hampered.
Take Advantage Of Today’s New Moon Energy
Along with the Full Moon, the New Moon is one of the most defining phases of the lunar cycle, because the Sun, Moon and Earth are all in perfect alignment during this phase. This month’s New Moon occurs today, in the mid-morning hours, while the Dark Moon happened last night. Both phases are potent to utilize intentionally.
The lunar phases are known to affect the ocean tides and all water on the Earth. Similarly, in Astrology, the Moon represents everything associated with the water element, such as our mood, emotions and dreams. The Moon in our natal chart also shapes the blueprint of our inherent skills, gifts, talents, and psychic abilities.
Since ancient times, the lunar cycle has been utilized as a tool for conscious creating, manifesting and spiritual practice. In the case of the New Moon, the Moon find itself directly between the Earth and the Sun. It reaches a point when it becomes totally ‘dark,’ with no sunlight illuminating it at all. The Moon then emerges again as a tiny sliver of light, known as the New Moon.
The transition into the New Moon actually presents us with two powerful points of lunar energy to work with – both the Dark Moon’s total blackout, and New Moon’s re-illumination.
The Dark Moon is a short but powerful time for soul-searching. It is the deep ‘cocoon phase,’ before the shell of rebirth cracks open. It represents a moment of release of that which is no longer serving us. The Dark Moon is the ideal time to enter into stillness, re-evaluate goals, and plant new seeds of desire. The darkness is a potent point of creativity. Pay close attention to any dreams or visions you may had in the past 24 hours. It is worth being very intentional at this time of the month.
Reconnecting With Source In Uncertain Times
In uncertain times, it sometimes feels as though it is difficult simply to put one foot in front of the other, in order to get through each day. With so many stressors and concerns on the horizon, the hours can be consumed with worry and fear.
Although it is absolutely necessary for our survival to think ahead, plan and develop contingencies where necessary, it is also equally as important to carve out some time to meditate, dream or create, even if it is only for just a few minutes each day.
It can be truly rejuvenating to withdraw for a few moments into a serene state, where anything is possible and order prevails. If you can get out into nature to do this, all the better! If not, then use the mind’s beautiful power of visualization to surround yourself with the idyllic scenery of your choosing.
To get started, practice deep breathing to calm your thinking and relax your body. Do not worry if your mind becomes distracted. Just bring your focus back to your breathing, and enjoy the environment that you have created. If you are not in the habit of daily meditation, it might seem as though your mind never remains still, but the ability to stay focused for a little longer during each session will come in time.
When you have achieved a sense of relative peace and tranquility, call on your healing Angels and Guides. Ask them to quiet your mind and heal your body. Ask them to show you the full scope of your issues and help you find the answers that will work best for you, and everyone else concerned. Ask them to guide, guard and protect your friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers, to reduce their worry and help them to make wise decisions.
Navigating The ‘Soul School’
Based on my communication with the ancients, my guides, angels, and those who have passed before me, it is my belief that we were born into our bodies as a soul, and we are in ‘soul school’ during our time here on Earth.
I also believe we chose to take our particular body, and chose other souls with whom we would interact during this lifetime, which can be referred to as our ‘soul family.’ We each agreed to play certain roles in each other’s soul growth.
Just like in school, once we learn certain concepts and master the fundamentals, our soul can choose to continue with advanced studies. Judging from my own accomplishments and challenges in human school, it made me stronger. When I stuck with it, I received the lesson of that particular subject and didn’t have to repeat it. I was then able to move on. The same I believe holds true for the soul.
When we keep doing the same thing we get the same result. When we master the spiritual lesson, we get to move on to things which has a greater match to the vibration we are expressing and desire.
When we get stuck, which we all will at some point, we keep repeating that pattern with either a person, situation or circumstance. The good news is we don’t have to stay there. Often they are not meant to be permanent; they are there only for a season in our life.
The latter can be difficult, sad, hurtful, and hard to understand sometimes. Because we often ‘want what we what, period.’ We can too often not imagine the greater possibilities. Also what we know, can feel safe and predictable.
Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow
A loyal client recently asked me to send her one of the guided meditations in my collection. I have collected many over the years, and she experienced several of them in a meditation class I used to offer. She said she was planning to start a small meditation group of her own, and would be happy with whichever meditation I chose to share with her.
I sincerely wished to help her, and therefore wanted to choose carefully. So, on my walk this morning, along a path lined with olive trees, I asked my guides for a sign or symbol of what script would best help her get going with her guided meditation venture.
Well, Spirit never ceases to surprise me. The ‘sign’ was almost instant, and prominent. Out of nowhere, I suddenly smelled the exquisite scent of the ‘Yesterday Today and Tomorrow’ plant (Brunfelsia). I immediately knew exactly which meditation to send my client.
Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow Meditation
Sit in a comfortable chair and close your eyes. With your eyelids closed, glance upwards for a few moments, directing your eyes towards the heavens. This is helpful in relaxing your eyes and also symbolic in connecting with Spirit.
Now, take several deep breaths and, as you do so, relax your head in a downward position. Allow your eyeballs to relax downwards too, whilst still keeping your eyelids gently closed.
Escaping Karma
Karma is often one of the most misunderstood spiritual experiences that we have as humans. People will often use the word ‘karma’ to represent something punitive, or to point out that another person will “get what’s coming to them.”
But looking at karma through the lens of retribution is almost the opposite of the reason why karma actually exists. In fact, when we hold a perspective about karma that is punitive, we tend to create some sticky karma for ourselves in the process.
Karma is in truth an expression of the self-correcting Universe, reflecting its intelligent, loving design. The goal of karma is to expand a person’s awareness of love, joy, and serenity. Karma simply means that whatever we give out, comes back to us multiplied.
The concept of “karma is going to get that person,” is often directly associated with personal vendetta. Therefore, so many spiritual teachers throughout history talked about forgiveness and loving our enemies. When we focus on karma “getting” the other person, we tend to bring about harsh justice for ourselves.
It is also important to understand that the karma that other people experience is not proportional to how offended we are. The goal of karma is not to ‘make’ other people feel the way that we felt when we were offended.
Improving Your Emotional Responses To Change
Change is inevitable, yet most people don’t know how to manage, or accept it. Living to the fullest is about constantly adapting to different stimuli and changing situations, as we go about our daily lives.
The change I am referring to is not about major socio-economic changes or political events in the world. I’m talking about personal growth, life transitions, and emotional and psychological challenges.
Knowing that personal changes and challenges are inevitable in our lives, how does one handle it in a more positive manner? First and foremost, you have to have the desire and will to succeed in making a change for the better. It must come from within, or it will feel as if it is being forced upon you.
Let’s look, for example, into emotional changes as a result of circumstances or events we may be able to control, or not. Emotional expression is innate in all of us. We can however choose how, and when, to express our emotions, and to what degree. For some of us this is easier said than to done, but never impossible. We can choose to be happy, sad, or even mad. How we choose to react in any given situation is the one thing in life we always can control.
To change a negative emotional response, we have to first understand what brings on that emotion and how the trigger affects us in a given situation. We must acknowledge the stimulus, as well as the emotion I tends to trigger. Finally we must choose how to address it, so it no longer is a negative response.