Lifestyle
A Spiritual Life Must Be An Authentic Life
While attending a spiritual retreat, my friend, who is also a psychic medium, suddenly said, “You see the woman over there?”
“Yes,” I said. “Who is she? Do you know her?”
“I do,” she replied. “She’s a poser.”
Well, I was not familiar with the term ‘poser,’ so I responded, “What are you talking about? What is a poser?”
She then explained that the woman in question claims to have been a working as a psychic medium for 30 years, with lots of credentials and certifications from different organizations. However, my friend was at another convention just the previous year, where she had met this lady. And at the time, she told my friend that she had only recently discovered that she was psychic!
“That, my friend,” she concluded, “is what I call a ‘poser.”
Well, this was a stark reminder for me. In this ‘post-truth era’ we now live in, it seems anyone can claim to be an expert in anything, as long they can talk a good game. Watching the nightly news just last week, there was a report of a ‘doctor’ who finally got caught after he had been practicing medicine for years without the necessary credentials.
The notions of people being ‘posers’ reminds me of what some of my clients have been saying about online dating apps they have tried. There are many posers on all the social media platforms. People lie about their age, profession, relationship status, and so on. Some also use fake profile photos.
Astrology Forecast May 15 – 21, 2023
Get ready to rock and roll this week, as several important astrological shifts take place and reset the tone for the next few months.
Today’s Aries Moon offers a perfect start to a successful work week by boosting our energy levels and assertiveness. We feel mentally sharp and confident today to take on even the most difficult challenges. The Aries Moon sextile with Pluto in Aquarius this morning will add fuel to the fire with a heightened sense of adventure and fearless risk-taking!
The sign of Taurus takes center stage this week, starting with Jupiter’s move into the sign of the bull on Tuesday, which will inspire us with a more grounded and ambitious focus for the next few years.
The Moon enters Taurus on Wednesday for the remainder of the work week, culminating in a Taurus New Moon on Friday. New Moons signal a two-week cycle of fresh starts and new beginnings, so this is the ideal time to take all those brilliant ideas you’ve been pondering and start putting them into action.
Mars will move into the vibrant sign of Leo on Friday and spend the next two months encouraging us to shine brightly in the world. Mars thrives in fire signs, and Leo is no exception. It’s a good time to share more of your gifts and talents with the world! And if you haven’t been tooting your own horn lately, the Sun will dance into Gemini on Sunday and encourage you to broadcast your brilliance out to the world for the next four weeks.
Painting As A Powerful Spiritual Practice
As a visual artist, I find painting to be a powerful tool for spiritual growth and manifestation. Art has been used as a medium for self-expression and energy channeling for centuries. Painting in particular is an enlightening way to tap into one’s innermost thoughts and feelings and connect with your higher self.
One of the ways that painting can be particularly helpful in growth and healing is that it offers a way for us to let go of what no longer serves us. We too often hold onto old traumas, fears, and limiting beliefs that keep us stuck in negative patterns. Channeling these toxic thought patterns and emotions into art can help us to release it and create space for new energy to flow in.
The act of painting itself can be deeply meditative and calming, allowing the artist to quiet the mind and tap into their intuition. When we allow ourselves to be mindful and entirely present in the moment and focus solely on the act of creating, we access a state of energetic flow that is incredibly soothing, healing, and transformative.
Additionally, painting can be used as a powerful tool for manifesting. When we create art with a specific intention in mind, we are essentially using our thoughts and imagination to give physical form to that intention. Making an original painting is much more powerful and intentional than creating a vision board, for example. By painting images and scenes of the things we desire, we are sending a clear message into the universe that we are ready to receive it.
True Spirituality Is About Everyday Existence
It is often assumed that to lead a truly spiritually aware life we must increasingly distance ourselves from the material world and be more fully immersed in the spiritual world. We must reduce our involvement with all things physical, and instead focus exclusively on the non-physical or metaphysical.
This is, however, not what being truly ‘spiritual’ is about. True spirituality is in fact quite the opposite. It is about living this physical life to the fullest. It is about being present in every moment and living with joy, appreciation, and gratitude.
Spiritual living is about honoring and expressing the love, grace and compassion of God, Source, Spirit, the Divine in our everyday existence. It is about relishing in the divine beauty and abundance of creation, and embracing the unconditional love and light of divinity in our lives every day.
As spiritual beings in physical form we do need material things in order survive in this physical reality, and ensure a more fluid, comfortable existence. And while we are busy focusing our time and energy on acquiring those material things that we need, it does not mean we are no longer being spiritual, or not being ‘spiritual enough.’
For instance, most of us need to work to earn a living, to put food on the table and a roof over our head. Going to work every day and being of service is just as much a spiritual act as spending time in transcendental meditation, for example, or participating in a prayer circle.
Astrology Forecast May 8 – 14, 2023
The main astrological event to look forward to this week is Mercury turning direct on Sunday! However, keep in mind that the effects of Mercury retrograde energy can become more profound as the planet prepares to change direction, so electronic glitches, miscommunication and travel issues could be more distinct through this week.
Today’s Sagittarius Moon casts a happy-go-lucky vibe, and though we may not get much done, we can make up for lost time tomorrow and Wednesday, when the Moon marches through Capricorn.
In fact, tomorrow promises to be an exceptional day for professional success, business prowess and getting important things done. A Capricorn Moon sextile with Saturn in Pisces, as well as a trine with Mercury in Taurus will imbue us Tuesday morning with an increased sense of responsiblity, goal-setting, organization and even effective communication, despite the retrograde return. It will therefore be a good time to schedule that important staff meeting or group zoom call.
Beware however Tuesday afternoon’s Taurus Sun conjunction with Uranus, as it may cause us to be highly individualistic, self-absorbed and rebellious. As tempting as it may feel in the moment, this will not be the best time to pick a fight with your employer, or challenge the authority of your team leader.
Thursday and Friday’s Aquarius Moon will prematurely get us in the mood for a fun, social weekend, so it may take some effort to stay focused on work responsibilities, instead of cutting loose and doing something crazy. The energy over these two days will however benefit creatives, as this lunar aspect inspires imagination and our flair for design.
The weekend unfolds under an easygoing, cheerful Pisces Moon. Remember however that desite Mercury turning direct Sunday night, retrograde energy tends to linger for another week or two during the aftermath known as the retrograde ‘shadow.’
Spirit’s Calling Cards Are Everywhere
Both experienced and novice psychics will tell you the spirit realm is in constant contact with the physical world. Although spirit may not communicate in the way we do, their messages are constantly here for us to see, hear and feel – if we know how and where to look for it.
The spirit realm exists beyond our time and space, but spirit is still able to interact with us. Hollywood movies would have us believe they can make objects float through the air, but it’s much more subtle than that.
Interference with electronic devices, such as clocks or laptops, is common when spirit is present. Take note if your computer seems stuck on a particular page or a clock stops at a certain time. Your spirit guardian may be sending an important message.
Static physical objects like family pictures may also change in the presence of a departed loved one. You may notice a photograph becoming blurrier or curling up on one side. Sometimes the frame is shifted or moved.
Take a walk outside every day. Are you seeing birds or butterflies? Both are messengers of spirits, so pay close attention to what you see, including their colors and patterns, and look up the meaning later. If you’re lucky a butterfly may land on you. Up in the skies, cloud formations, rainbows, and falling stars are all associated with spiritual messages.
Psychic or intuitive experiences is another way spirits speak to us. Have you ever felt like you ‘hear your name’ being spoken or called, or ‘feel the touch’ of a hand on your shoulder, while you are alone in a room? This is a sure sign a spirit presence is nearby.
Time To Start Living Your Best Life!
This past three years have been difficult on many levels for all of us, whether it be financially, emotionally, physically, or mentally. It has been a difficult time for even the most happy-go-lucky people among us.
Most of my clients have lost someone or something of significance in their lives, whether it be their personal freedom, their peace of mind, their health, their job or business, or a loved one. Some have tragically even lost everything, or in some cases everyone.
Thankfully, many of these people have been picking up the pieces and moving forward with their lives. Some are however still struggling. The one thing I have noticed with those who continue to suffer is that they seem to have given up on life. They appear to have lost their desire to live, or simply to get out of bed each day. But no matter what our circumstances may be, this is the one thing we must never allow ourselves to do as spiritual beings in human form.
If you find yourself still struggling, understand that you have a great strength inside of you that will always carry you to new heights if you just allow it. Understand that this challenging period in our history was meant to teach us what truly matters and what is most important in life. It was also meant to help us release the things that no longer serve us.
It is time to shift your energy. Time to take a good hard look at where you are at, where you have been, and where you ultimately want to be. Each day, declare, “Today is the first day of the rest of my amazing life. I am powerful, smart, and strong. I can do, be or have whatever I set my mind to.”