Mysticism
Crown Chakra Meditation For Mental Health
These days, many people face mental health challenges. In a world where so many demands are placed upon our time and energy, there never seems to be enough time for relaxation and proper self-care. One way to improve one’s mental health and gain greater clarity is to regularly do some energy work focusing on the crown chakra.
The chakras are a system of energy centers that regulate our physical health, mental acuity, and emotional well-being. Chakra (cakra in ancient Sanskrit) means ‘wheel’ and it is essentially a ‘spinning disk’ or vortex of energy. The chakras represent the flow of life force or pranic energy through the mind-body.
There are seven primary or major chakras in the subtle or light body, spanning from the base of the spine up to the crown of the head. Each chakra has its own frequency, symbolism, color, and function. For optimal health and well-being, the chakras should be kept activated, open, balanced and aligned.
The seventh chakra at the crown of the head, also known as sahasrara padma, is the highest of the primary chakras. It is depicted as a 1000-petal lotus flower and represented by the color violet. This chakra is the energy center of our spiritual connection to the divine, from which all the other chakras emanate. The crown chakra is where we connect to God, Goddess, Source, Spirit, the Divine. It is also my experience that it is at the crown where we engage with our guardian angels and spirit guides.
The True Meaning Of Judgment
Judgment is card 20 in the Tarot’s Major Arcana. Arcana means “hidden things, mysteries,” from the Latin arcanum meaning “a secret, a mystery” and arcanus meaning “secret, hidden, private, concealed.” Arcana are therefore “pieces of mysterious knowledge or information.”
In a standard Tarot deck, there are 21 Major Arcana cards. They define The Fool’s journey (the first card) through life and all of the life lessons we encounter along the way. As one of the final stages in The Fool’s journey, the Judgment card represents having learned sufficient lessons to now awaken from the illusion and limited perceptions.
The most well-known tarot deck is the Rider–Waite. Pamela Coleman Smith, aka “Pixie,” was a British artist who illustrated the deck. She deserves much credit for the brilliant way she captured advanced spiritual concepts in the deck’s artwork.
The Rider–Waite Judgment card depicts three resurrected figures, a woman, man, and child, reaching up to an Archangel overhead blowing a trumpet as a wake-up call. The scene is based on Christian imagery representing the Resurrection and Last Judgment. The flag of St. George hangs from the trumpet, which references 1 Corinthians 15 in The Bible.
The Judgment card reminds us that no matter what our background may be, we can rise up and transcend any trauma or adversity in life, regardless how challenging the situation. We also have the power to see through the illusion of life and wake up to the truth.
Life Lesson From A Resilient Robin
A few days after I saw a robin attempting to build a nest on a neighbor’s balcony in my apartment building, I spotted another robin with a chest covered in mud. I was thrilled, as I knew this meant a little miracle of life was going to happen. And, it did. Three days later, she laid her clutch of tiny blue eggs in a nest built in a perennial shrub, next to the complex entry way where residents come and go all day.
Her strategy for building the nest in such a busy location became apparent two days after she had laid her eggs. A pack of savage crows descended on the nest, tragically cutting her clutch in half. Unlike the other robins, she had built her nest here so that she could potentially depend on human activity for added protection. Sadly, her plan failed.
Crows are one of the most intelligent bird species on the planet. They know and remember their potential enemies and prey. She may have cleverly built her nest here, hoping to avoid them because there are constantly humans around, but keeping crows away can be a real challenge, because of their intelligence and their adaptability. Things that scare them off at first, soon does not bother them anymore.
The crows were however the least of the strategic robin’s problems. After the crow rampage, the landscaping crew came through the property, using a weed whacker on the shrub where her nest was located. I later found her outside. Assuming she was traumatized and stress-foraging, I felt really sad for her. But she stared at me questioningly, then flew into a tree, while I feebly tried to console her. “All your efforts have been in vain,” I sadly thought while looking at her.
The Twin Flame Relationship
The concept of a twin flame relationship has gained much popularity in recent years, as more people seek to understand the nature of their romantic relationships.
Twin flames, also known as ‘mirror souls’ or ‘karmic lovers,’ are essentially two halves of one soul. Our twin flame is therefore the other half of our original soul that has been split into two different bodies in this lifetime.
Twin flames share a deep spiritual bond that goes beyond physical attraction or emotional connection. Our twin flame is our perfect counterpart, and once we are reunited with them, we experience the ultimate expression of divine love and spiritual connection.
A twin flame is however not exactly the same as a soulmate. While soulmates are also souls with whom we have meaningful spiritual or karmic connections, we only have one twin flame with whom we are connected on a much deeper level. Soulmates are therefore distinct souls that are separate from us, while we share the same soul with our twin flame.
This soul bond is said to be unbreakable and eternal over many lifetimes and in other dimensions. Twin flames are destined to fulfill a higher purpose together and to help each other grow spiritually.
Recognizing your twin flame can be difficult, as it is not always obvious initially. Twin flame relationships are characterized by intense attraction that goes beyond mere physical attraction, as well as a deep sense of familiarity and a feeling of finally being ‘home’ when together. There is usually an indescribable feeling of completeness or wholeness.
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.”
Miracles Happen Every Day
I’ve been very blessed in my work to hear so many people’s stories. Often in my yoga class, we take time for people to share their personal miracles and spiritual experiences. I’ve also had people tell me about miracles that have happened to them throughout their life, privately and in psychic readings.
One of my clients told me about the day she was sitting in her parked car with the window down. A young man suddenly came up to her and put a gun to her head. He demanded she give him her wallet. Then the gun accidentally went off, she believes, while it was pressed right up against her temple.
She instinctively closed her eyes when she heard the click of the trigger and the blast of gunfire. But then she opened her eyes and was still very much alive! The gun was still pressed up against her temple. She turned and looked at the young man, who had a terrified look of shock on his face. He immediately ran away.
Something had prevented that bullet from hitting her. When she called the police, she actually started wondering whether she might have imagined the gun going off at all? When we have time to think about something we tend to rationalize, and we may begin to think that perhaps we are delusional or making something up. However, the police did find a bullet hole in the side of her passenger door!
A student once told me that she had lost the diamond in her wedding ring. She was devastated and looked all over the house, at work, and even in her car…everywhere she could think of. She spent over a month looking for it, intentionally not vacuuming her car or house.
Let Spirituality Be Your Guiding Light
In a fast-paced world where superficial, materialistic pursuits tend to dominate our lives, the search for deeper meaning and purpose has become even more significant for many people. Spirituality has always been a guiding light in this quest.
Spirituality offers solace, clarity, and a profound connection to something greater than ourselves. It is inherently personal and subjective, and not limited to religious affiliations, formal belief systems, or cultural traditions.
To be spiritual is to have a deep awareness of the higher self, as well as a heightened connection to God, Goddess, Source, Spirit, the Divine, the Universe.
Our preferred spiritual practice does not have to be some form of dogmatic religion, which tends to involve organized rituals, ceremony, and fixed doctrines. Instead, it can also be an individual exploration of higher consciousness that seeks a direct and personal experience of the sacred and divine.
Spiritual awareness is also not confined to merely a few isolated moments of contemplation, but instead a holistic, consistent state of mind, or way of being in the world, that permeates every aspect of our life.
By integrating spiritual principles and practices into our daily life, we infuse our everyday choices and actions with intention and authenticity, leading to a more balanced, fulfilling, and purposeful existence.