Lifestyle
The Spiritual Importance Of Self-Nurture
We live in a challenging world. As true as that may be, Spirit teaches us that there is much that can be done to rise above any challenge, to become empowered in the process, and thus to manifest a better future for ourselves. One of the keys to this is self-nurture.
Why should we nurture ourselves, and more importantly, how do we nurture ourselves?
Self-nurturing is often confused with self-indulgence. However, self-nurturing is not an act of selfishness or vanity. It is simply taking care of yourself, both spiritually and physically, to keep your mind, body, and soul strong and able to meet the challenges of everyday life.
As a result, you will be better equipped to meet the challenges of everyday life and to contribute more to society.
Here are some good ways to take better care of yourself.
Feed Your Senses
Make sure that what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch each day is mostly positive, uplifting, and as nourishing as possible. True, this may not always be easy because we live in a noisy, troubled world. But it can be as simple as reading an uplifting book, listening to uplifting music of your choice, or watching a movie that you find particularly authentic and positive.
Finding Silver Linings On The Dark Days
The sky was dark this morning. Overcast, miserable, wet and windy. Not the best way to start any day.
To make matters worse, after several very busy days with readings, I had one of those rare “goose egg” days. Not a single client called me all day!
Halfway through my shift, I realized that my mind was starting to brew up all kinds of negative thoughts. Idle hands are indeed the devil’s workshop. Fortunately, I was able to nip it in the bud by the end of my shift. The last thing I needed in this miserable weather was to plunge myself into a pity party.
Instead, I gently coaxed myself back into a state of calm, centered inner peace and gratitude. After all, I have a lot to be thankful for in my life!
I also had to remind myself that I no longer have all my eggs in one basket. I have learned the hard way over the past few years to diversify my income, and I also have a nest egg in the bank for a rainy day.
Those of us who have been on a long and challenging journey to a better life realize that having a totally negative day is sometimes a necessary part of the process of self-improvement and greater fulfillment. If things were always easy and perfect, we would have no motivation to strive for anything better.
Astrology Forecast November 6 – 12, 2023
Two planets change signs this week, shifting our focus and raising the vibrations for the next few weeks.
Venus moves into Libra, the sign it rules, on Wednesday, followed by Mercury’s move into Sagittarius on Friday. Both will spend the month of November inspiring loving and joyful energies.
Meanwhile, productivity will be the name of the game from this afternoon through Wednesday as the Moon moves through Virgo, calling for organization, analysis and integration. Detailed, focused work, sorting through information, and organizing plans are all themes to expect during this meticulous transit.
It may even be a good idea to work late today, for while things may be highly organized and productive at the office, the Virgo Moon’s opposition to Saturn in Pisces late this afternoon could cause some trouble at home, especially regarding disagreements about dependent children and family finances. Bite your tongue and keep the peace. Also, if an elderly parent or relative lives with you, they are likely to interfere, which will only add fuel to the fire.
The rest of the week will be more relaxed and personable as the Moon transits Libra Thursday through Friday. Combined with Venus entering Libra tomorrow, people will be more friendly, kind, and helpful than usual, so this will be a good time to ask a friend that big favor or your employer for that long-overdue raise.
The weekend unfolds under a mystical Scorpio Moon that will spark our imaginations and bring us into contact with interesting people, ideas and information to consider. Going with the flow will be a theme, as this moon is famous for changing our direction at a moment’s notice.
Learning To Honor My Higher Self
Have you ever had a conversation with someone that made you feel very uncomfortable, upset, even angry, to the point where you could feel their negative, toxic energy attaching to you? I certainly have, more times than I care to remember.
This feeling of extreme discomfort is usually a clear sign that the interaction you are having with this person is going against your higher self. Yet, even though we are aware of this on some level, we often fail to do what is right for our highest good and instead continue to interact with the energy thief in question to our own detriment.
Truth be told, I have been guilty of this myself many times. Only to face the aftermath of unhappiness and disappointment for not honoring my higher self.
I have recently become increasingly aware of this personal failing and have been actively working to identify my motives for putting and keeping myself in these situations.
I have come so far in my quest for increased self-awareness and spiritual growth that I am willing to explore and deal with the deepest corners of my soul-self. True enlightenment is not only about our brightest achievements, but also about our darkest inner shadows.
Spiritual Self-Care Empowers The Empath
Because empaths spend a great deal of time experiencing the emotions and feelings of others in a very visceral way, spiritual self-care is especially important for us.
Work, family, friends, and intimate relationships, not to mention current world events, can take a toll on anyone, but they can be especially overwhelming for the empath. That’s why it’s important for empaths to be clear about which feelings and emotions are their own and which are coming from external sources.
Empaths are often compared to sponges, as they tend to ‘absorb’ all the energy and emotions around them. Sooner or later, the empath’s energy field becomes overwhelmed with energy imprints, residue, and attachments, and cannot absorb any more.
Instead of adopting a spiritual self-care routine to maintain their health and well-being, some empaths tend to engage in self-destructive behavior or self-medicate with food, alcohol, caffeine, or even drugs in an attempt to find relief. In the worst cases, this can result in a complete breakdown or worse.
It’s obviously wiser and much healthier for empaths to find a more constructive way to recharge their energy and center and ground themselves. Also, bad lifestyle habits will do nothing to shield your aura from outside energies.
Astrology Forecast October 30 – November 5, 2023
Things will be humming along this week, but don’t expect to get much done.
The Moon is in Gemini for the first three days of the week, inspiring social interactions and brainstorming sessions. The Taurus Moon trine to Pluto in Capricorn this morning will make matters worse by awakening our emotions and evoking the desire for new adventures or planning holidays to exotic destinations.
So, until the middle of the week there may be a lot of idle talk and daydreaming, but very little action. But all is not lost. Some of the ideas and plans we share with others contain seeds of truth that will surely grow into real manifestations!
We may be tempted to just stay in bed on Thursday and Friday as the Cancer Moon combines with the Scorpio Sun to call us inward. We may tend to be in a deep, philosophical mood or experience a sudden spiritual growth spurt. Temporarily becoming a couch potato, however, is a necessary pause to integrate all that has happened over the past few weeks.
Over the weekend things will start to pick up again as the Moon dances into Leo while Saturn goes direct after four months in retrograde. The mental fog of the week will begin to lift, making this a great time to set our goals and intentions for the rest of the year.
Random Acts Of Kindness
I was at the gym the other day, working out while feeling really sore and demotivated. It was about to rain and I was just feeling so uncomfortable and miserable.
As I reluctantly lay back in this machine to kick my legs out, I saw a woman limping over to another machine across from me. She was clearly struggling, but you could tell that she was determined, even though she was having a hard time. I thought to myself that I should not be so negative about my own situation because it was just a little muscle stiffness. That brave lady was obviously dealing with so much more.
I experience this kind of scenario all the time in life. Whenever I feel deprived, unlucky, or self-pitying, my guides remind me to count my blessings and check my privilege. Instead, I need to remember those who are truly in need and how much the less fortunate have to go without.
Did you know that an estimated 828 million people in the world go hungry every day? This means about one in ten people on the planet does not have enough food to meet their basic needs. You may be thinking, what can I do about it? Well, I can only speak for myself. I recently decided to donate a pound of canned goods or a bag of groceries to those in need for every pound of weight I lose. It keeps me in check and reminds me to be thankful that I have food on my table every day!