Spirituality
Connecting With Your Inner Bliss
I recently came across an article about spiritual seekers who travel to distant lands to achieve such a state of bliss and inner peace. But in my experience you really don’t have to go all the way to some exotic destination to achieve a higher state of consciousness.
When I am alone, I often find myself in a state of complete and utter bliss. When I am by myself, my energy is my own. I feel centered and complete, as if on my own little retreat. I have always felt this way and I savor the quiet moments of my day.
With a willing heart to carve out some time in your busy day, you can center yourself by being mindful and allowing your thoughts to simply come and go. Simply take a moment of solitude and go with the flow. Continue reading
The African River Man
During the time of my ukuthwasa (period of initiation to become a traditional healer or sangoma) some decades ago in Southern Africa, my mentor and some other village elders would join our group of ithwasa (sangoma trainees) by the campfire and discuss other spirits. That is, others in addition to those of our ancestors.
We heard many tales of other spirits who control the rivers, oceans and lakes, as well as those who live in the sky and control the rain. There were also stories told of sacred places where spirits inhabited mountains, trees and rocks. I loved hearing those stories from various individuals whom have had unique experiences and felt they had seen and communicated with those various spirits. Continue reading
Do Unto Others
Do unto others as you have them do unto you. It is also known as the Golden Rule. A simple and wise rule to live by, but something humanity struggles to adhere to.
It is also very close to another age-old axiom, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Again, this sounds easy enough. And what if you are one of those people, as many of us are, who are not in the habit of treating yourself very well at all?
How do you typically treat yourself? Do you like yourself? Do you love yourself? Do you approve, care, and not judge yourself harshly? Are you kind and encouraging to yourself? Or is your internal mental chatter and expression riddled with thoughts like: Continue reading
Spiritual Awakening Is A Double-Edged Sword
Many times in my life I’ve had to move on, leaving friends, family, relationships and spouses behind, because I outgrew them. The spiritual awakening process is a double-edged sword. When we awaken, our value systems change. The shift is a blessing, but burning bridges always hurts, and often when we least expect it.
One of the most obvious symptoms of knowing we’re no longer in sync with those around us, is when we can do nothing other than listen to our inner guidance, as it gets louder and louder. And, the more we tune into it, the more authentic we become and we can’t pretend anymore. Truth and integrity take over, because those values are more in alignment with our soul.
Often, those closest to us, align themselves with their own illusion of who they want us to be. They project onto us the values they think they most admire, and choose to find these in us, as opposed to who we really are. As Maya Angelou stated so wisely, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them; the first time.” Continue reading
Recognizing The Color Of Your Door
Since I was a very young child, I always believed I would become a teacher and held on to that belief until I was somewhere in my late 20s. It came as a complete surprise to me to discover that this was not where my life purpose was heading. It is so easy to see where misinterpretations occur as one tends to look back.
Teachers commonly resonate with the color brown. They are usually, calm, dedicated, certainly prepared for the unexpected, as this is sure to happen occasionally when dealing with children of any age.
Teachers and instructors are most often also the ones who will donate extra time and energy to outside causes and have a general concern for what is happening in their environment. Good teachers usually volunteer to assist with extracurricular activities and do not anticipate a payback relating to their time and energy. Continue reading
Spiritual Guidance On Organized Religion
Sitting at a local café, drinking my smoothie, I couldn’t help but overhear a conversation behind me. They were talking loudly and were not really going out of their way to be discreet by any means. The one girl was talking about how her mother had passed. She spoke of chemotherapy and did not want the same ordeal for her friend, who is obviously going through something similar.
She then shared a story of how her aunt called her a few weeks ago and told her about a dream she had. In this dream the aunt was visited by the girl’s departed mother, who told her that if she could do it all over again, she would do two things differently when she was alive. She would not have taken the chemotherapy and she would not have spent so much time in church. Continue reading
Forgiveness – Letting Go To Be Free
Think for a moment of all the heavy emotional burdens we tend to carry: resentment, anger, jealousy, vengeance, hatred. When we carry all that baggage, in some cases for years at a time, our mind, body and soul suffer the consequences. It can do a lot of harm over time, since these emotions are associated with very powerful negative energy! The good news is, there is a simple and effective way to leave all of it behind: the miracle of forgiveness.
True forgiveness is not just about our relationship to others. It begins with forgiving ourselves. If you were to take an honest inventory of your outlook on life as it stands right now, what would that be? Are you often judgmental, bitter or harsh on yourself and others? It’s time to offer some forgiveness. Continue reading