Self-Help
Being An Empath Is No Excuse
There’s nothing wrong with identifying as an empath. Actually, it can be beneficial to step into this truth for oneself, and own your empathic experiences as a significant aspect of your life.
But for many people it is difficult to take on this ‘label,’ because they don’t feel worthy or they feel they are saying, “I’m more special than other people.” In these cases, there is great benefit in coming to terms with being an empath because it doesn’t have to mean either of those things.
Being an empath is not something they have to be worthy of – it’s a trait they either have or don’t have. And it’s not a matter of being better or ‘more special’ than anyone else – that notion comes from a fear of being judged.
Being an empath means being highly sensitive to emotional energies, and feeling those emotions in your own body as if they were your own. The term ‘empath’ is just a word we can use to describe this trait.
There is some scientific evidence for the empath experience. Studies* show we all have a very specific group of cells in our brain responsible for empathy and compassion, called the Mirror Neuron System. In the brain of highly empathic people, it is thought this group of cells may be hyperactive or hypersensitive.
Being an empath is a wonderful blessing and gift, instead of it being a ‘curse,’ weakness or disability. However, it is important for the empath to become empowered and own their sensitivity.
In order to accomplish this, it is vital for the empath to avoid adopting a ‘victim mentality’ or constantly blaming everything negative that happened in their life on the fact that they are an empath.
Some empaths erroneously believe many of the struggles they encounter can’t be overcome. They assume that they will always be crippled in some way by their experience as an empath. This is false. They may have specific experiences and lessons because they’re an empath, but these are opportunities for growth. Some of the ways this manifests are:
Astrology Forecast February 21 – 27, 2022
Interesting insights and ideas abound under today and tomorrow’s Scorpio Moon, but take care not to get caught up in the mental gymnastics of ‘what if’s.’ Instead, keep your focus on the facts. Writing things down or taking a break in nature can restore some balance as you ponder current truths and realities.
The Moon in Scorpio is an intense, passionate energy that can easily escalate into impulsive behavior, vindictiveness and arguments. Tensions will thankfully be somewhat alleviated this morning by the sense of harmony the Pisces Sun and Scorpio Moon trine will inspire.
Tomorrow evening will be a good ‘date night’ if you are up for some romance this early in the week, or if you need to play catch up with that belated Valentine’s day celebration. The Scorpio Moon sextile Venus in Capricorn on Tuesday is ideal for matters of the heart. It is also the one night this week you are unlikely to have any disagreements with your beloved.
Wednesday and Thursday’s Sagittarius Moon casts an air of fairness and justice over things, as it inspires you to speak up and ask for what you want, or at least get closer to knowing what it is you want.
If you want to be sure you will get anything done this week, aim for Thursday through Saturday to make some real progress, as the Moon will march through industrious and determined Capricorn and move things along quite nicely. Thursday’s Sagittarius Moon sextile Saturn in Aquarius will give us a head start by boosting our sense of organization and responsibility, brining even the most ambitious goals within our practical reach. However, the serious, conscientious tone of the Capricorn Moon may also cause some of us to go into ‘workaholic’ mode, while neglecting family and personal life, so be sure to make some real plans for fun and relaxation over the weekend.
Sunday is all about friendships and unity under the Aquarius Moon, as we pause to connect with our favorite people and see what they’ve been up to.
The True Power Of Your Worst Nightmares
When I was 24 years old, I was a somewhat disempowered young lady who went to work for the city council. All the girls in the office had an active social life and a boyfriend, except me.
In fact, I was bullied for it and became a bit of a joke around the water cooler, to the extent that I could not properly concentrate on the task at hand and ultimately lost my job. Looking back, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. But, at the time, it did not feel like it.
About a year ago, I started to have a recurring dream that I was 24 again, and sharing an office with the same mean girls, supervised by the same misogynist boss. But this time I had a very different mindset.
In my dream, the boss had criticized my work. So, I pick up the documents he complained about to, walk up to his office, put it on his desk, and tell him politely to type his own letters in future. I was going home now, because I am no longer prepared to put up with his nonsense.
Well, if only I had the same courage back in the old days, I might have suffered far less emotional anguish! I felt really empowered in the dream, and it brought me the realization that I no longer have to suffer fools and that I need to stick up for myself more often. However, the dream also revealed to me that I still had not entirely made peace with the past, otherwise the dream would not be recurring.
The moral of the story is that dreams do not only reflect how we are doing in the present, and how far we have advanced in life, but also what we need to do to work on ourselves to be even better in the future. How powerful and life-enhancing is that!
Another compelling dream I have been having of late is of myself flying a light hovercraft over the estate where I lived as a child. I faced several challenging, traumatizing things growing up there, including poverty and domestic abuse. However, this liberating dream confirms that I have managed to rise above those childhood setbacks and obstacles, and I am now in control of my own life and destiny.
Belief Is The Key To Manifesting
Is there something you want to happen, or something you desire, want or need? Put it out to the Universe as a request for what you want to happen in your life. But the key is to believe. If you do not believe it can happen for you, it most likely will not happen…because you are standing in the way of it happening.
Many people sabotage their own manifesting process because they do not believe they deserve to be happy. I have seen this happen so many times. But everyone deserves to be happy.
Things can change in your life. You just need to set the intention, take some practical steps to make it happen, and most of all trust the process and believe.
When you are in alignment with the abundance of the Universe and you trust that it will provide for you always, then it all starts to fall into place. Manifesting begins and ends with believing in the laws of the Universe.
For manifesting to truly work one must have the sincere, unquestioning faith of a child. Young children have the uncanny ability to wholeheartedly believe even the most impossible things!
If we had just a little more of the open-minded belief of children, our lives would be so much happier and more fulfilled. It is not about being naïve, but about being open and accepting.
If we do not trust the Universe to provide for us, we tend to repeat the same mistakes time and again. Instead of setting a clear intention for what they want to be different or better in their life, many people we just keep on manifesting the same old energy repeatedly.
For example, they break up with someone who they felt was not right for them, but then they start dating someone else who is exactly the same. They continue in the same pattern and repeat the cycle of continuous heartbreak, over and over – instead of saying I want to be with someone who treats me better, and work towards that.
Let Your Authentic Self Shine
Most people at some point change something about ourselves in the hope of being better liked or accepted by others. Whether it’s a group of friends, a potential romantic partner, or the manager at work, there is constant pressure to conform and fit in. But in the long run, does this help? The truth is: it really doesn’t.
The notion of simply being your authentic self is challenging in an era where everyone seems to be seeking approval and attention. Therefore, the authentic self or the true version of our soul is something one hardly sees in the digital era of social media, influencers, likes, and followers.
However, we may think that a person we see online is someone others won’t like. Maybe our internal critic sees that person as ‘too much’ of something or ‘not enough’ of another. But we are often mistaken, as someone being true to themselves and keeping it real is what most people are spontaneously drawn to.
You might feel like you’re the only strange person at work, or the black sheep of your family, but you’re not the only one. There are thousands of ‘odd’ people out there right now with the same doubts as you!
The old saying ‘there’s a lid for every pot’ is always good to keep in mind. Your authentic self is just what someone else has been looking for. If you feel you don’t fit in with the crowd, take a step back and ask yourself whether you truly want to be part of it anyway? Knowing your true value and finding the things most important to you, will help determine who you want to surround yourself with.
It’s also important to set healthy boundaries. If you feel peer pressured into joining a group, or liking something simply to fit in, ask yourself if this is true to your core. Does it resonate with your authentic self?
Astrology Forecast February 14 – 20, 2022
It’s all about love and romance this week, as the Moon moves into Leo on Valentine’s Day and stays there until it culminates in a Full Moon on Wednesday! The Leo Moon brings with it an air of confidence and self-expression.
Personal desires, flirtation, passion, romantic, relationships, and friendships, as well as contemplating what we truly value in life, will rise to the surface in the coming days.
Mercury in Aquarius, will further heighten our ability to be friendly and intuitively aware in our interactions with others, and some of us will even be able to truly turn on the charm today!
The Leo Moon opposite Saturn in Aquarius tomorrow might place a depressing damper on our mood after yesterday’s love fest. We may even feel unhappy and dissatisfied, question our relationships. We might also feel abandoned or lonely.
If you find yourself in this state of mind on Tuesday, try to work through your feelings before Wednesday, as the Leo Full Moon may further inflame a negative state of mind with moodiness, dissatisfaction, and irritability.
On Friday the Sun will move into soul-based Pisces and completely shift our focus from the external to our inner being. As the last sign of the zodiac, Pisces is a culmination of all we’ve experienced over the last twelve months and a time to go deeper and embrace our spiritual power and heart’s desires. We’ve spent the first part of the year looking at things outside of ourselves, and now we’ll be turning inward to see what personal and spiritual changes are forming.
Saturday and Sunday’s Libra Moon will aid us in determining how our inner desires are reflecting to the outside world, and how to approach things with more balance and ultimately, success.
The Power Of Deep Breathing
It is not generally understood how important deep, healthy, mindful breathing truly is. In fact, shallow breathing is linked to all kinds of health problems, including panic attacks, dry mouth, halitosis, cardiovascular issues, fatigue, respiratory problems, and sleep disorders. When we breathe with our chests, we use the muscles in our chests, shoulders, and necks to expand our lungs, which can result in neck pain, shoulder pain and headaches.
Most importantly, shallow breathing also hinders our immune functioning. The chronic stress and strain it places on the body, results in lower amounts of lymphocyte – a type of white blood cell that helps to defend the body from invading organisms. Shallow breathing actually lowers the amounts of proteins that signal other immune cells. The body thus becomes more likely to acute illnesses.
Deep, diaphragmatic breathing, on the other hand, can lower blood pressure, calm the mind, and improve sleep. It also lowers our heart rate, relaxes muscles, decreases stress, and increases energy levels.
Deep breathing also grounds and centers us. It has been proven to have a profound calming effect on the mind and body. When you are anxious, you take rapid short breaths. When you are content, you take deep, long, full breaths.
The way we breath also affects our mental abilities and thinking. Programming your brain when inhaling can lock thoughts into your memory and can be a powerful tool in our daily spiritual practice. Thinking or saying out loud affirmations like, ‘I am love and light; God and I, me and God are one; I am able to accomplish anything I want; I am powerful;’ will lock those thoughts into your psyche.