Energy
How To Ground Your Energy
‘Grounding’ is a common term you are likely to encounter early in your spiritual awakening journey. If you are interested in energy work of any kind, grounding is a key technique to help you stay energetically balanced and enhance your metaphysical practice.
Essentially grounding is a type of meditation that is quick and very intentional. Through grounding we connect our own energy field or light body with the energy of the Earth. This balances our chakras by clearing out those energies that are no longer serve us. Connecting to the Earth’s energy in this way releases negative patterns, thoughts, emotions, and habits, to achieve a clearer, elevated state of consciousness.
To become more grounded, try this visualization exercise. Start by closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing. If you are used to meditation this will be very familiar, if not that is okay! Just be present with your breath and pay attention to your breathing as you inhale and exhale.
Count to three as you draw in your breath, and again as you exhale. Gradually slow the rhythm of your breathing down and just be present with the experience of the air moving in through your nose and into your chest. Feel your physical body around you as you breathe.
I like to focus on my heart chakra while I do this, but it is not necessary. I just find that as I breathe in and out, I like to feel the swell of air in my chest, as if is ‘hugging my heart.’
The Angel That Saved Me
I love to go hiking, often alone. Over the years I have had a few scary moments. One time, it was an encounter with a rattlesnake, another when lighting struck a mountain ridge very close to me. Fortunately, I have not had any incidents with bears or mountain lions!
However, I did have one very frightening experience involving another person. I was walking back down in a quiet, wooded area, about one hour away from the trail’s end, when a man came walking up towards me. We exchanged brief greetings, as he passed by me, and I continued down the path.
But then he stopped, turned around, and followed me.
“I think I’ll hike back down with you,” he said, once he caught up with me. The tone of his voice sent a shiver down my spine.
“Thank you, but I am actually needing a little alone time today,” I replied politely and just kept walking. But he ignored what I said and kept walking next to me, speaking in a manic way.
My intuition prompted me to keep walking and just let him talk. My gut instinct was telling me that if we were to stop, the situation might escalate! Meanwhile, I could feel my energy shifting to my lower chakras (fear, fight, flight) and had to work very hard to stay centered in my upper chakras (intuition).
The stranger became increasingly excited with our ‘conversation’ and it was apparent that he was mentally unstable. He began talking about “loving first times,” while I sensed the danger increasing. My intuition was now in high gear and I started praying silently in my mind. “Please help, please. If ever I needed a guardian angel, then it is right now.”
Astrology Forecast July 10 – 16, 2023
Mars transits into Virgo today, heralding a two-month cycle of detailed and deliberate action, strong intellectual energy, enterprising ambition and increased productivity.
Whether you’re doing research to write the next Oscar-worthy screenplay, mapping out a plan for a big remodeling project, or setting up a new business, the next two months will prove invaluable to set the stage of the next chapter in your life.
Tuesday will be the most powerful day for productive work and business success. Mercury will move into Leo to add to our Mars-in-Virgo inspired ‘star power’ by further elevating our ideas and inspirations.
Tuesday morning’s Taurus Moon sextile with Saturn in Pisces will also chime in to add to our sense of responsibility, goal-oriented action, and organizational abilities.
In the afternoon, the Moon’s conjunction with Jupiter in Taurus will reward our efforts with heightened social influence and financial gains. So, take advantage of this powerful window of opportunity to shine tomorrow!
We’ll take a step back on Wednesday as the Moon moves through Taurus, to ground, center and rebalance, before moving forward.
Thursday and Friday’s Gemini Moon will lure us into more social activities to connect with friends, or brainstorm with colleagues..
Give yourself permission to embrace the free-flowing, easy-going vibes of Saturday and Sunday’s Cancer Moon. It’s okay to take some time out from all the planning, analysis and deep thinking for a relaxing weekend after all the mental gymnastics of the week.
Astrology Forecast July 3 – 9, 2023
A Capricorn Full Moon sets the scene today for a potentially temperamental, irritable start to the week. The Moon’s opposition to Mercury in Cancer is likely to add to this ticking time bomb. So, take care to center yourself!
Tread lightly at home with significant others, find your inner peace before you venture out, and try to avoid unnecessary contact with relatives, as this lunar energy is notorious for its tendency to trigger family conflict and drama. You may also have a ‘bad hair’ moment this morning, and feel very indecisive about what to wear. Just keep it simple and go with that go-to favorite outfit.
A calm, focused state of mind is especially vital today and tomorrow to ensure that we will complete obligations, tie up loose ends, and release it, as once the Moon moves into Aquarius on Wednesday, we want to be ready for the next cycle to pursue new projects, adventures, and goals.
The key to bringing our dreams to life is to begin within, nurturing them energetically, before manifesting them in the physical world. The Moon in Pisces on Friday and Saturday will prove a great time to do just that.
By Sunday we’ll be ready to take action on our new plans and ideas. Spurred on by the Aries Moon, we should see great progress in the days to come. It’s not typical to see such powerful activity when the Sun is in Cancer, but all the planets seem to be aligned for an assertive shift forward, so go ahead and dust off those manifesting skills this weekend.
Astrology Forecast June 26 – July 2, 2023
Mercury moving into the sign of Cancer today will encourage us to review the first half of this year to uncover what we have learned and where we have succeeded, as well as what still needs to be done.
Combined with the easy going Libra Moon today and tomorrow, as well as Wednesday’s Scorpio Moon trine with Mercury in Cancer, the first three days of this week is a valuable opportunity for sound judgment and practical thinking to help us rebalance and regroup.
The vibe may seem a bit ethereal under Wednesday and Thursday’s Scorpio Moon, followed by Neptune, the epitome of ethereal, turning retrograde on Friday.
For the next five months this planet that rules spirituality, soulfulness, the occult and the unseen will travel backward through Pisces, the sign it rules. The esoteric energies of this aspect will inspire new visions for the future, reveal answers to questions we haven’t been able to answer for quite some time, and clear out any illusions or misconceptions that may have been holding us back.
Saturday and Sunday is about choices. Saturday’s Sagittarius Moon offers us the choice of allowing restlessness to distract and frustrate us, or we can opt to channel its fiery energy into learning something new or mastering a useful skill.
Sunday’s Capricorn Moon will give us another choice: do we want to clean out the garage and post the clutter in an online auction? Or do we just want to slouch on the couch and catch up on our binge streaming, and napping?
The Messenger Must Know When To Hold Her Peace
Ever heard of “less is more?” Well, there is a lot of spiritual truth in the saying. It is especially valid in this day and age, where everyone seems to have preconceived ideas and strong opinions on just about everything. Sometimes saying less, or even saying nothing at all, is enough, and usually for the best.
Saying nothing can be very empowering and liberating. We have free will to choose how we want to spend our time and energy. I choose to focus on things that are for my highest good, and those I care about.
It is not our duty to correct every misinformed opinion or ignorant viewpoint we encounter. Does that mean we should be self-absorbed and uncaring? No, certainly not. But we can also not make the world a better place by wasting our precious time and energy trying to fix everyone, and correct everything, while our own inner peace and well-being suffers.
Compassion, charity, and kindness are all much needed in the world today, but not if it is constantly at our own expense. I therefore prefer to wisely pick my battles, and stick to my lane. One person cannot be everything for everyone. We must focus on our own unique strengths and capabilities when helping others.
If we randomly go out on a limb to help everyone with advice and support, it is often not appreciated and frequently met with negativity and resistance. Not to mention trying to point out the facts or truth of a matter, which can be very risky these days! There are some things in life people just need to figure out for themselves. They don’t always need to hear it from us.
Gratitude Is The Essential Spiritual Practice
In a fast-paced world with many distractions and challenges, it is easy to overlook gratitude’s transformative power. Cultivating a mindset of appreciation by acknowledging all the good in our life greatly enhances our well-being and quality of life.
Gratitude is advocated in many cultures, religious teachings, and spiritual traditions. It is generally considered the mother of all virtues and the essential spiritual practice. In Judaism, for example, gratitude is considered an essential part of worship. Islam encourages believers to be grateful and express thanks to Allah in all circumstances. Christians are encouraged to praise and give gratitude to God not just in thought and feeling, but also in deeds and action.
Gratitude is also a virtue that Hindus believe should be cultivated in order to live a fulfilling life of inner peace and contentment. Many Buddhist monks begin each day with a chant of gratitude for the blessings in their life. In fact, in Shin Buddhism, gratitude is seen as a primary practice that has priority over meditation and study.
In modern times, scientific research has shed further light on the profound benefits of having an ‘attitude of gratitude.’
While traditionally confined to the realm of philosophy, gratitude has garnered much attention in the field of positive psychology in recent years. Neuroscientists have also begun exploring gratitude from a scientific perspective, seeking to unravel the intricate workings of the brain when we practice and experience gratitude.