centering
Embracing The Night
At night we should be able to break free from our daytime stresses. After all, we aren’t really expecting someone to send us an email or receive a phone call when we are asleep – theoretically at least.
Nevertheless, far too many of us toss and turn during the night, worrying about the day ahead and possibly making mountains out of molehills along the way. I know I have done this far too many times myself and you, dear reader, probably have done so also? However, you could gain the maximum calming effects of the late hours by considering the following:
Take A Walk
Go for a walk with your friend, just after the sun has set. You do not need to engage in any conversation and do make sure to set your phone to silent mode. Stroll, breathe deeply and take in all the sounds of the night along the way.
Doing this can induce relaxation, even in particularly stressed individuals. What do you hear? Is it frogs, crickets, some nocturnal bird, or even the noise of traffic in the distance? All of this reflects that life is still going on, and making a mental note of these sounds can be very relaxing indeed.
You could also take the opportunity to really explore the natural world at night, as the light of the silvery moon really does show us Mother Nature’s remarkable beauty at this particular time.
Do pay attention to all the smells and sounds the night time brings, take note of the lovely nocturnal animals you see. It will remind you that even on the darkest night, life has not stopped and still has so much beauty and wonder to show you.
Spiritual Symbolism Of The Hummingbird
Mother Nature is a wonderful place to retreat to when we are seeking clarity, inner peace and a return to balance. This is especially true when we have the opportunity to watch animals in the wild. Each animal, bird, insect and living creature affords us a special magic or spiritual wisdom, which it carries to remind us of a part of our own spiritual being.
Birds in particular carry wisdom from a higher perspective. One such bird is the mystical hummingbird. The energy of the hummingbird first emerged in my artwork in 2016, when he appeared in a painting I titled Grace. When hummingbird first appeared in my artwork, he came as a sign or symbol of hope and joy. He appeared on the path of the angel in this artwork, and he has since appeared in numerous of my sketches and paintings.
Hummingbird may be tiny, but he is mighty in so many ways. His medicine or spiritual symbolism reminds us of our true spiritual nature and our ability to experience personal transformation, by transcending our burdens and finding freedom in expressing who we are as individuals.
Meditation Is Easier Than You Think!
No doubt you’ve heard of the many benefits of meditation, both physical and spiritual. But how does one start a meditation practice? It doesn’t have to be intimidating. According to the Zen master and teacher, Shunryu Suzuki, approaching meditation with a beginner’s mindset is actually ideal.
It’s important to clear up a common misperception about meditation. Meditation is not simply ‘thinking of nothing.’ Rather it is a spiritual process in which we learn to center, breathe, and achieve clarity.
Meditation is practiced by cultures all over the world and does not have to be associated with a specific spiritual tradition or religious belief system. It also does not have to involve sitting passively with a ‘blank mind.’ Rather it can be anything from coloring mandalas, to a walking in nature.
So, how does one begin, if you’re new to the practice? Consider the goals you wish to achieve with meditation: stress reduction, taming your thoughts, physical relief from pain, spiritual growth? Tailor your practice to build toward your personal goals. Remember, it’s a journey and not a destination.
Keeping a meditation journal, as you go along, can be very helpful. The most important thing is consistency. Make meditation a part of your daily routine, and ideally at the same time each day.
Once you have the basics in place, it’s time to begin. Choose a pose or stance which is comfortable, and a space which is calming, private and quiet. If playing comforting music or lighting candles, or incense, relaxes you, then do that!
Working With Elemental Spirit Guides
There are several different classifications of spirit guides and energies that we as humans can work with to help us on our journey. Most spiritual traditions teach about the elemental energy within the four classical elements. This is found in ancient Buddhist texts, Native American spirituality, shamanic traditions, within the Judeo-Christian and other monotheistic traditions.
Working with elemental spirit guides can give us insights and strategies to promote positive changes in our lives, reveal our unconscious self-destructive patterns, and transform our subconscious mind and create a harmonious and balanced internal story. Elemental guides can also assist us when we are walking through a difficulty or life challenge, as well as intensify our ability to manifest the lives we want.
It is not difficult to connect with the elemental forces. There are many strategies that can assist in bringing these elemental forces into our everyday lives.
The Spirit Of Water
The spirit of water is associated with emotions and love. It can be used to help in assisting with emotional challenges, grief, and a better understanding and greater experience of love in our lives.
In many ancient traditions there is a parallel between water and being humble. It is said to be the humblest of all the elements, always seeking the lowest point. However, in its humble position it is also one of the strongest elements. In seeking the lowest position, it can evaporate into the air, satiate the flames of fire, and carve through the mountains of the earth.
Daily Energy Cleansing With Epsom Salts
I love to take baths. I can remember enjoying a good bath as far back as far as my early teens. I have always loved the way it relaxes me – mind, body and soul. For the past 15 years I have been adding Epsom salts and essential oils to my baths. It’s not only relaxing and soothing on all levels, but it helps me to quiet my mind and allow anything that is not serving me to seep out… down into the drain.
My favorite time to take a bath is after a day of doing psychic readings. Being an empath I think it is super smart to take daily Epsom salt baths. Empaths tend to absorb energy from others and it can weigh us down. Baths with salts helps us to detach and connect with our own energy, and let go of any drama and chaos that may have attached itself to us.
I do energy cleansing visualizations while taking my baths and it has become my daily energy cleansing ritual. The salt cleanses me from any negative energy that may have attached itself to me. I can step out of the bath feeling lighter, energetically recharged, and renewed.
Are You Experiencing A Spiritual Awakening?
Doing psychic readings, I sometimes talk to someone who thinks they are ‘going crazy,’ but in actuality they are experiencing symptoms of spiritual awakening. But how does one recognize the common symptoms of spiritual awakening?
The term ‘spiritual awakening’ is somewhat overused these days in metaphysical circles. Just about anyone who has a ‘woo-woo’ moment, or gains deeper insight into a situation, or suddenly sees chakra colors, seems to believe they are having a true, full-blown ‘spiritual awakening.’
Spiritual awakening does tend to occur spontaneously, and from what I’ve witnessed, the more open-minded the person is and the less attached to outcomes they are, the more available or ‘ripe’ they are for a spiritual awakening to occur.
Just the other day a client was telling me of her experience while peeling a carrot over the kitchen sink. She said she was looking down at her hands, watching them, and wondering what was animating them? It can be a strange moment when you discover that you are not really who you thought you were. It can be disorienting, to say the least, to see yourself from such an objective position. However, if you know ahead of time that this is perfectly normal, and others have experienced these signs too, it can make your life a lot easier. Continue reading
When The Empath Becomes An Energy Sponge
I just completed a psychic reading for a long-standing client who is a successful teacher, as well as an empath and psychic in her own right. Despite being highly intuitive and, under normal circumstances, able to make good decisions based on her gut feeling, she was feeling totally at a loss, and in limbo concerning her current circumstances.
She asked me for guidance as to what could be happening to her, because even though her situation is not dire, she described herself as feeling like “a sponge that cannot not absorb any more.” She was feeling no sense of creativity or inspiration, nor any initiative to get the ball rolling for a future move for herself and her family. The Tarot’s Hangman card defines how she felt, as if she was just dangling and not getting anywhere fast.
Both she and her husband had made a big geographical move a few years ago, with the well-being of their children in mind. She was beating herself up, because she also felt responsible for every circumstance her family was experiencing, including her 17 year old daughter, who hasn’t quite yet identified her future career niche. Of course, the additional negative energy of guilt was holding her even more in limbo. To top it all, the schooling of her children and work of her husband requires that she lives and teaches remotely, with a several hours commute away from them, so they can only come together as a family once a fortnight. More guilt! Continue reading