authenticity
How To Embrace Your Shadow Self
Most people tend to shy away from acknowledging their dark or “shadow” side when it comes to spirituality.
In fact, the tendency to avoid the uncomfortable aspects of the self is due in large part to our religious or spiritual background. Throughout history, most traditions have encouraged people to suppress, deny, or transcend their human flaws and shortcomings in favor of higher ideals such as purity, salvation, or enlightenment.
This reluctance to face the shadow within continues to this day, with modern spiritual and metaphysical communities often favoring light, love, and positivity while largely ignoring the messy, difficult, and painful aspects of the human experience.
But by avoiding the shadow within, we deny ourselves the opportunity for a deeper understanding of our soul’s purpose and untapped possibilities for personal and spiritual growth.
According to Carl Jung, the famous Swiss psychiatrist who pioneered the concept of the “shadow” in psychology, “one is not enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.” Enlightenment isn’t about avoiding the shadow. Instead, it’s about facing it and integrating it into our being.
When we face the shadow within, we reclaim parts of ourselves that hold immense power, creativity, and insight. By delving into the deeper truths of our shadow selves, we can unravel the unconscious patterns that dictate our lives, allowing for true healing, transformation, and enlightenment.
Toxic Friendships: End It, Or Mend It?
Like all relationships, friendships have their ups and downs, testing the bonds that bind us together.
A true friend is someone who genuinely wants the best for you, celebrates your victories, and supports you through challenges. They offer encouragement, share your joys, and lend a sympathetic ear during difficult times.
The presence of true friends adds value to your life and fosters growth and positivity. You have a healthy friendship that thrives on mutual respect and care, where both parties feel uplifted and inspired to be their best selves.
In stark contrast, a toxic friend is often self-absorbed, putting their own needs and desires above all else. They manipulate situations to get what they want, with little regard for how their actions affect your happiness.
This type of friendship can feel draining, leaving you emotionally drained and questioning your self-worth. Instead of celebrating your achievements, a toxic friend may resort to jealousy or criticism, undermining your confidence.
Toxic friendships can deeply affect our emotional and mental well-being, often leaving us feeling drained and undervalued. These relationships are characterized by manipulation, constant criticism, and lack of support, creating an environment where one party consistently takes more than they give.
The dynamic can include jealousy, competition, or even emotional abuse, making it difficult to feel safe and authentic. Over time, toxic friendships can lead to diminished self-esteem and increased stress, underscoring the importance of recognizing and addressing these unhealthy connections.
The Life Lessons We Learn From Children
We can learn so much from children if we really pay attention and make the effort to see things from their perspective. Children embody a purity and wisdom that most adults have lost touch with in the complexities of daily life.
Many women in my age group, known as the “baby boomers,” were so busy trying to have a career and a family. We believed we could do it all, but in the process we missed many of the little things our children had to teach us. I was guilty of that.
But now that I have grandchildren in my life and have had the opportunity to take the time to see things differently, I have learned many profound lessons and insights from them over the years.
In their early years, children are still deeply connected to their spiritual origins and carry with them a high level of soul awareness that has not yet been clouded by the demands of physical life and the challenges of human existence.
This active spiritual awareness allows them to move through the world with an openness and purity that adults often struggle to maintain. Unencumbered by societal expectations, ego-driven desires, or fear of judgment, they are able to express love, joy, and creativity in their most authentic form.
Because they haven’t yet been conditioned by the limitations and constraints of the material world, children serve as powerful teachers, offering us glimpses of the spiritual truths that are easily forgotten in the hustle and bustle of adult life. They remind us of the infinite potential of our own souls and inspire us to reconnect with the deeper, more meaningful aspects of our being.
What Comes First: Friendship Or Romance?
Is it really necessary to build a solid foundation of friendship when you already have a gut feeling that the person you just met might be “the one”?
This is a question I sometimes get from clients seeking a love or relationship reading. They want to know whether they should focus on building a friendship first if they feel that their relationship has the potential to lead to a long-term commitment or marriage.
The answer can vary depending on the people involved and the unique dynamics of their relationship.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, building a friendship can provide a stable foundation for the deeper layers of a romantic relationship. Friendship helps create a space where mutual respect, understanding, and shared values can flourish – qualities that are crucial to a lasting partnership.
I find many folks jump into a relationship with both feet, convinced they’ve found their true soulmate, only to be disappointed later.
Developing a strong friendship with your partner can be incredibly beneficial. It allows you to get to know each other on a deeper level without the pressure or distractions that often come with romantic and physical intimacy. In a friendship, you’re more likely to feel comfortable being your authentic self. This authenticity can lead to a stronger emotional connection, which can then become the foundation for a more serious romantic connection.
Never Confide In The ‘Empathy Impaired’
I recently did a reading for a client who asked me a question that I had never been asked before. Even though it was my first time working with her, her question made me ask myself the same question about my own life.
Her question was simple: Who can I confide in? Who can I trust? We then worked through her short list of significant people in her life and I shared what I felt about each of them with the guidance of spirit.
I immediately felt that two particular people were not the kind of people you would want to trust completely, much less confide in.
The first clear indicator was inconsistency in their words and actions. If someone frequently says one thing and does another, it suggests a lack of reliability and sincerity.
Another red flag that immediately came up was gossiping or speaking negatively about others behind their backs, as this behavior demonstrates a lack of confidentiality and respect.
But I always want to make sure that what I am psychically sensing is accurate before I reveal this kind of information. So, I asked her for her date of birth, along with the first names and dates of some of the people she wasn’t so sure about. Sure enough, she confirmed what I had initially seen.
Psychics and mediums often use “soul identity details” such as birth dates, photos, names, or even personal items like clothing or jewelry to enhance the connection with a particular person’s energy or spirit. I think of it as looking into someone’s “soul footprints.” This enhances the psychic connection process in several ways:
Tarot Forecast June 2024: The Lovers
This month the universe presents us with the The Lovers. This Major Arcana card predicts the energies of passion, choice, connection and relationships as the tone for the month ahead. The primary energies this month are harmony, balance and unity. The Lovers card represents a time of deep connection and self-discovery with yourself and others.
The Lovers card is rich in symbolism, encompassing themes of connection, choice, and duality. It can represent romantic relationships, partnerships, or a harmonious balance between different aspects of the self.
This card usually symbolizes deep emotional bonds, love, and harmony in romantic relationships. It can signify the beginning of a new relationship, the deepening of an existing one, or the reconciliation of differences. It also represents the magnetic attraction and chemistry between lovers.
The Lovers card sometimes indicates instead an important choice or decision to be made. It emphasizes the importance of making choices that are consistent with one’s true self and values.
It can also represent moral dilemmas or ethical choices, encouraging us to follow our moral compass and make decisions based on integrity and truth. It can be a call to evaluate and realign with personal beliefs and values.
It also suggests duality and the balance between two forces, whether masculine and feminine, conscious and unconscious, or different aspects of one’s personality. It emphasizes the need for harmony and balance in relationships and within oneself. It’s about finding a balance between desires and responsibilities, emotions and intellect.
How To Recognize A Genuine Psychic Medium
Consulting a psychic medium to communicate with your loved ones in spirit is something I can wholeheartedly recommend. The readings I have had with gifted mediums have brought me much comfort and closure in my own life, as well as new insights and karmic understanding in my spiritual journey.
People often turn to psychic mediums as a way to find closure and healing from the loss of a loved one. The ability to receive messages or insights from the deceased can bring great comfort and inner peace.
A gifted psychic medium can convey specific details or messages from the deceased that confirm the existence of an afterlife and provide confirmation that our loved ones and ancestors are still connected to us. This can be especially comforting when we are grieving.
The experience of feeling connected to deceased loved ones can also alleviate feelings of loneliness or separation by fostering a sense of an ongoing relationship beyond physical existence. Sometimes messages delivered through a medium can also address unresolved issues or unfinished business with the deceased, facilitating healing and forgiveness that may not have been possible during the person’s lifetime.
Mediumship sessions can also provide spiritual guidance and insight into life’s larger questions. Messages from the spirit often include advice, encouragement, or perspectives that help us navigate our own spiritual journeys. Working with a psychic medium can be part of exploring one’s own spirituality and beliefs, opening doors to new understandings and perspectives on life and death.