breathing
Transform Your Life With Mindfulness
In the midst of our fast-paced daily lives, marked by never-ending to-do lists and the constant barrage of modern distractions, it’s all too common to feel overwhelmed and stressed.
Finding moments of peace can be challenging, but there’s a ray of hope in the form of mindfulness. This ancient practice offers a haven of calm amidst the storm of our chaotic lives.
Mindfulness, the art of being fully present in the moment without judgment, is a profound spiritual practice for cultivating self-awareness. It encourages us to pay attention not only to our external environment, but also to our internal world of thoughts and emotions.
By incorporating mindfulness into our daily routine, we unlock a wealth of benefits that lead to greater fulfillment and happiness. And it doesn’t take much of a time commitment. It’s simply a matter of adopting a new perspective and appreciating the importance of each moment.
Mindfulness isn’t just a practice; it’s a habit and a way of life that leads to a calmer, more fulfilling existence. The following strategies are simple ways to incorporate mindfulness into your lifestyle and make it a permanent part of your daily routine. By embracing some or all of these practices, you can transform everyday activities into opportunities for self-discovery, self-improvement, and a deeper connection to the world around you.
Finding Silver Linings On The Dark Days
The sky was dark this morning. Overcast, miserable, wet and windy. Not the best way to start any day.
To make matters worse, after several very busy days with readings, I had one of those rare “goose egg” days. Not a single client called me all day!
Halfway through my shift, I realized that my mind was starting to brew up all kinds of negative thoughts. Idle hands are indeed the devil’s workshop. Fortunately, I was able to nip it in the bud by the end of my shift. The last thing I needed in this miserable weather was to plunge myself into a pity party.
Instead, I gently coaxed myself back into a state of calm, centered inner peace and gratitude. After all, I have a lot to be thankful for in my life!
I also had to remind myself that I no longer have all my eggs in one basket. I have learned the hard way over the past few years to diversify my income, and I also have a nest egg in the bank for a rainy day.
Those of us who have been on a long and challenging journey to a better life realize that having a totally negative day is sometimes a necessary part of the process of self-improvement and greater fulfillment. If things were always easy and perfect, we would have no motivation to strive for anything better.
Spiritual Techniques For Emotional Closure
Spirit has taught me, from a very young age, that gaining closure with a person (where necessary of course) is imperative so that we can move on with our lives in a positive way.
After all, we cannot possibly embrace our future wholeheartedly without having effectively dealt with our past. There are three types of closure:
1. Natural closure that comes with the passage of time.
2. Direct closure that we may have with the person or persons involved and where love is concerned.
3. Third party closure when we meet someone else.
All well and good, you may be thinking, but it takes time to get that natural closure. Maybe your ex (or whoever) won’t give you direct closure and you don’t want to have to wait until you meet someone else in order to get it! But you do need a degree of closure now.
Well, spirit recognizes this and offers the two following solutions which may be of benefit to all those who need to gain closure on someone and find forgiveness, and start afresh in the shortest possible time:
How To Be More Present In Your Life
We often hear the advice that ‘being present’ is an important spiritual practice to master on our journey through life. Being present with ourselves and in the moment. I like to think of it as being with yourself wherever you go and whatever you do. This is certainly true, but what exactly does it mean? And with all the busyness of life and keeping up with our daily responsibilities, how do you become more present in your life?
Firstly, cultivating ‘presence’ requires time management and effective planning. It is important to organise the responsibilities of our lives in a manageable way. Otherwise, we find ourselves in a constant state of worry and stress, having to manage daily demands ‘on the fly’. And this is a sure way to lose our presence.
Planning ahead may seem like the opposite of being ‘in the moment’, but it is actually essential. When we are busy making plans for the coming week, thinking about what we need to prepare for and making decisions about how to organise our time and spend our energy, we don’t think much about the ‘present moment.’ But this is something we need to do in order to then be more present in our daily lives. It is key to cultivating presence.
How To Ground Your Energy
‘Grounding’ is a common term you are likely to encounter early in your spiritual awakening journey. If you are interested in energy work of any kind, grounding is a key technique to help you stay energetically balanced and enhance your metaphysical practice.
Essentially grounding is a type of meditation that is quick and very intentional. Through grounding we connect our own energy field or light body with the energy of the Earth. This balances our chakras by clearing out those energies that are no longer serve us. Connecting to the Earth’s energy in this way releases negative patterns, thoughts, emotions, and habits, to achieve a clearer, elevated state of consciousness.
To become more grounded, try this visualization exercise. Start by closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing. If you are used to meditation this will be very familiar, if not that is okay! Just be present with your breath and pay attention to your breathing as you inhale and exhale.
Count to three as you draw in your breath, and again as you exhale. Gradually slow the rhythm of your breathing down and just be present with the experience of the air moving in through your nose and into your chest. Feel your physical body around you as you breathe.
I like to focus on my heart chakra while I do this, but it is not necessary. I just find that as I breathe in and out, I like to feel the swell of air in my chest, as if is ‘hugging my heart.’
Aligning The Muladhara Chakra
The muladhara chakra, or root chakra, is the first of the seven primary chakras or subtle energy centers in the human body. This chakra is located at the base of the spine at the perineum and is represented by the color red. It is the foundation of the chakra system. The Sanskrit word muladhara means ‘support,’ ‘root,’ or ‘base.’
The root chakra ensures our sense of security, stability, and belonging. It is also responsible for us feeling grounded and connected to self and others. It is essentially our energetic connection to the Earth.
When the muladhara chakra is open, aligned, and balanced, we feel a deep sense of security and stability. Our body feels physically energized and strong, capable of handling whatever physical challenges and obstacles may come our way.
However, when this chakra is underactive or blocked, we become dissociated from our physical body and feel disconnected from the material world. This can manifest as feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, fear. We become uneasy, restless, and unsettled in mind and body.
In contrast, when the muladhara chakra is overactive, we may become overly attached to our physical appearance and identity, extremely materialistic, and obsessed with accumulating wealth, property, and material possessions.
The muladhara chakra is incredibly important for maintaining physical, emotional, and mental health and well-being. An open, aligned, and balanced root chakra offers the following benefits:
The Key Elements Of Spirituality
One of the core principles of spirituality is the belief that we are all connected to something greater than ourselves. Whether we call this higher power God, Source, Spirit, the Universe, or the Divine, this belief is the fundamental tenet of all religions and spiritual traditions.
By recognizing our connection to something greater than ourselves and the interconnectedness of all things, we find a sense of peace and purpose that transcends our individual concerns and uncertainties.
Another important aspect of spirituality is the concept of mindfulness. Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment, without judgment or distraction.
By practicing mindfulness, we become more aware of our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, and learn to cultivate a greater sense of inner peace and calm. Mindfulness can take many forms, from simple breathing exercises to more elaborate meditation practices.
Gratitude is another key component of a truly spiritual lifestyle. By cultivating a sense of appreciation for the gifts and blessings in our lives, we shift our focus away from self-limiting fear, negativity, lack consciousness and a scarcity mentality towards the love, hope, benevolence and abundance that surrounds us.
Whether we are grateful for our health, our relationships, or simply the beauty of the natural world, expressing gratitude can help us feel more content and fulfilled.
