challenges
Life Lessons From Spirit That Make Us Stronger
As we wander through life, we often face many roadblocks, many stumbling blocks and many disappointments. There are many questions that arise as we walk our path and at times it feels like the entire world is against us, as we progress on our journey.
Many people blame God, Source, Spirit, the Divine, or other people for the situations they are in, and cannot get past. This simply an illusion that we create in our humanness. Spirit does not want us to fail in life. Spirit does not want us to be unhappy. Spirit does not want us to live a pauper’s life.
It is time to sit down, take a look at all what has happened to you and discover two things about each situation. Why did it happen, and what was the lesson you learned from it? As you look at the examples of pain, suffering or disappointment in your life, what do you see? Were they life lessons from spirit?
For example, you have been with the love of your life for many years. One day your your beloved unexpectedly abandons you for another person. What could you have done to prevent this? What could you have done differently? Why were you not enough? You were in love, totally and unconditionally devoted to this person, and you thought they felt the same way about you. Why did they do this to you?
In almost all cases where this happens, there is nothing you could have done to prevent this. It was not you who walked out of the relationship or marriage; it was your partner. And all people have free will and free choice. This was not your decision to make.
Aligning The Manipura Chakra
Manipura chakra, also known as the solar plexus chakra or the navel chakra, is the third of seven primary chakras in the body. The Sanskrit word manipura means ‘gleaming jewel’ or ‘radiant gem.’
The solar plexus chakra is located in the area of the upper abdomen, above the navel, and is associated with personal power and identity, self-confidence, sense of purpose, individual will, and personal transformation. It also governs our digestive system and metabolism.
When the manipura chakra is open, aligned, and balanced, we are able to assert and believe in ourselves, make choices and decisions with conviction, and take responsibility.
On the other hand, when this chakra is blocked or underactive, we may experience a lack of self-confidence, uncertainty, indecisiveness, and feelings of powerlessness.
In contrast, when the manipura chakra is overactive, we may become temperamental, aggressive, arrogant, domineering, controlling, and even manic.
An open, aligned, and balanced solar plexus chakra offers the following benefits:
Increased confidence and self-esteem. A balanced manipura chakra instills a deep sense of self-confidence, helping us to assert our opinions, make decisions, and act with conviction. It enhances our self-belief and allows us to overcome obstacles with resilience.
Manifesting A New Reality
It is never too late for a fresh start or a new life adventure. An attitude of optimism is key in a spiritually aware life. Within the realm of universal possibilities there is always the opportunity to evaluate your current standing compared with your desired end result, and to make some changes if necessary to manifest a new reality.
Visualizing the sought-after outcome is paramount in creating your new reality. Whatever you focus on intently will manifest consistently. Remember, what you think about, you bring about!
Continue to focus on the positive outcome, not the intricate steps necessary to attain success. Believe that the environment you have visualized continues to manifest in the background.
If you continue to give energy to negative scenarios, you will create more of the same. Stay stuck in the mire of discontent and you will remain frozen in that spot. It is impossible to take flight when slogging through the quicksand of doubt day-to-day.
Visualize for a few minutes each day as you drift off to sleep at night, and again each morning as you start to awaken.
Create in your mind’s eye the most magnificent vision of your new reality or desired outcome, with vibrant color, exquisite sound, penetrating scent, palpable touch and delicious taste. See, hear, smell, touch and taste all the components of your eventual success.
But you are not merely an observer. You must be a wholehearted participant in the creation of your new reality, so see yourself in the picture.
Transform Your Life One Step At A Time
Knowing when to make that much needed change in your life can be daunting and very confusing. We often feel this need for change when we already have a lot going on. We tend to also overthink things and then feel overwhelmed, or even paralyzed with anxiety or fear.
Once you get into this kind of ‘stuck’ pattern, nothing seems to get done or resolved. No choices or decisions are made. In turn, this causes even more unhappiness, distress, and turmoil in your life. We all have a tendency to get in our own way.
Over the years of working with many clients in this situation, spirit has always made one thing very clear: it always starts with a firm choice or decision. You don’t have to act on it immediately, but it instantly begins to shift your energy in a new direction, or towards a long-term solution.
Indecision, fear, or lack of commitment to a clear vision for the future is first and foremost what keeps many people stuck indefinitely in the stagnant energy loop of an unhappy, unfulfilled life.
Once you have made up your mind about what you intend to achieve or which direction you wish to go, you gain more clarity and become calmer and more grounded to start taking baby steps forward. Then you can begin to resolve the situation one step at a time with spirit’s support.
To get started consider a simple, step-by-step approach to make break the process down into smaller steps that will be less overwhelming and more attainable.
Life Lesson From A Resilient Robin
A few days after I saw a robin attempting to build a nest on a neighbor’s balcony in my apartment building, I spotted another robin with a chest covered in mud. I was thrilled, as I knew this meant a little miracle of life was going to happen. And, it did. Three days later, she laid her clutch of tiny blue eggs in a nest built in a perennial shrub, next to the complex entry way where residents come and go all day.
Her strategy for building the nest in such a busy location became apparent two days after she had laid her eggs. A pack of savage crows descended on the nest, tragically cutting her clutch in half. Unlike the other robins, she had built her nest here so that she could potentially depend on human activity for added protection. Sadly, her plan failed.
Crows are one of the most intelligent bird species on the planet. They know and remember their potential enemies and prey. She may have cleverly built her nest here, hoping to avoid them because there are constantly humans around, but keeping crows away can be a real challenge, because of their intelligence and their adaptability. Things that scare them off at first, soon does not bother them anymore.
The crows were however the least of the strategic robin’s problems. After the crow rampage, the landscaping crew came through the property, using a weed whacker on the shrub where her nest was located. I later found her outside. Assuming she was traumatized and stress-foraging, I felt really sad for her. But she stared at me questioningly, then flew into a tree, while I feebly tried to console her. “All your efforts have been in vain,” I sadly thought while looking at her.
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:
Are You Ready For The Unexpected?
It has been quite the saga with the dishwasher in my apartment! It has not worked properly for over a year now. The maintenance crew here at the apartment complex has been able to keep it going, but it keeps flooding and breaking down. They have however grown somewhat weary with the ongoing dish drama, but I still manage to gain some sympathy for my struggles.
The last time they came by to repair the temperamental kitchen appliance, it took three weeks for them to show up after I put in the maintenance request. They took me by surprise, but I am not sure who was startled more – me or them. You see, I sometimes like to work in my pajamas, and therefore I was not at all prepared for their visit! Fortunately, I was able to retreat to my home office and merely close the door.
It got me thinking about our everyday readiness to embrace the unexpected in life. As spirit beings we signed up for human adventure riddled with many twists and turns, as well as some adversity and unforeseen surprises. The only way to safely and successfully navigate all these ups and downs is to be guided by the higher self with the support of spirit.
When we raise our vibration through spiritual practice and a conscious lifestyle, we build a foundational state of readiness that empowers us to calmly expect the unexpected, and to always be prepared for anything.
I think of it as ‘Father Readiness.’ In The Bible, Matthew 24 states that “no one knows the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
