compassion
Envisioning A Better World For All
More than a century ago, the great Indian sage Paramahansa Yogananda spoke in his teachings and writings about envisioning a better world for all. He believed in the transformative power of individual and collective consciousness and emphasized the importance of spiritual practices such as meditation and self-realization in creating a more harmonious and compassionate world.
Yogananda stressed that true change begins within each individual. He believed that by working on our own spiritual growth and self-realization, we radiate positive energy and higher consciousness that contributes to a more peaceful and loving world.
He encouraged individuals to envision a new world of peace, harmony, and unity. By holding this vision in our minds and hearts, he believed, we could collectively bring it into being. Yogananda promoted the concept of universal brotherhood, which recognizes the interconnectedness of all beings. He encouraged people to look beyond differences of race, religion, and nationality and to treat one another with love, respect, and understanding.
Yogananda also spoke of the power of visualization and positive thinking. He saw prayer and meditation as powerful tools for individual and collective transformation. He encouraged individuals to live with a sense of purpose and to align their actions with higher ideals.
In a modern world filled with challenges and uncertainties, it is indeed essential that we hold on to a common vision of a better future. We must strive to create a world in which every individual, regardless of background or circumstance, can thrive.
The Spiritual Virtue Of Patience
Patience is considered an essential virtue in most spiritual and religious traditions for several reasons. It is consistent with the core values and teachings of various spiritual paths and belief systems.
Many spiritual practices emphasize the importance of maintaining a state of inner calm in the midst of life’s challenges. Patience is fundamental to achieving inner peace and serenity. Patience helps us maintain a sense of serenity even in the face of extreme adversity.
Patience also enables us to surrender to the universal flow and accept the divine timing of outcomes for our highest good. We are better equipped to accept the divine plan and trust in the unfolding of events and circumstances as they are meant to be. Patience signifies our belief in a higher power and the universal order of all things.
Through patient introspection and self-reflection, we learn to understand our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, which leads to spiritual growth and self-improvement.
Impatience leads to negative emotions such as anger, frustration, and resentment. By practicing patience, we can better control and manage these emotions, which promotes emotional well-being and spiritual harmony.
Without patience, it is also difficult to develop understanding and empathy for others. Being patient with our own flaws and imperfections, as well as those of others, promotes the spiritual qualities of empathy and kindness.
Spiritual Self-Care Or Ego Indulgence?
Spiritual or metaphysical practice is a pursuit designed to help bring greater meaning and fulfillment to our lives. It is a lifestyle that requires us to be very honest with ourselves and very intentional about the choices we make. But lately I’ve seen a lot of discourse around spirituality that basically encourages you to do pretty much whatever you want in the name of ‘free will’ and ‘self-care.’
Free will is sacred. Yes, it’s true that we are divine, spiritual beings who get to enjoy this incredible adventure of physical life. We get to choose how we move in the world, what we want for ourselves, and how we want to live. But there are two sides to this coin. Yes, we can choose what we want to manifest and how we wish to live our lives, but that does not absolve us of our karmic responsibilities and the consequences of our actions.
I’ve written before about karma and how it’s not meant to be a punishment, but rather a teacher. There are to metaphysical laws that are the basis to our karmic responsibility in this lifetime, namely the universal law of cause and effect and the spiritual law of karma.
The universal law of cause and effect is that for every action there is a reaction. There is a natural order in the universe in which our actions always have consequences, both good and bad.
The spiritual law of karma is a more specific application of the law of cause and effect. According to this law, the totality of our actions in this life, as well as all of our past lives, determine our future. This means that our actions create the conditions for our future experiences, both good and bad.
The Empowered Empath
People are naturally drawn to empaths. They tend to open up and pour their souls out to the empath, instinctively knowing that their secrets are safe and that there will be no judgment or condemnation. This is great, unless you are the empath who is constantly feeling burned out and exhausted from the burden of keeping everyone around you happy, with no one to talk to yourself.
I’ve been doing readings on PsychicAccess.com for more than a decade now, and in that time I’ve had the privilege of reading for many people who are born empaths but were unaware of their innate gifts and abilities. They have since grown exponentially in their awareness and have learned to trust what is at the core of their being.
Not only have they become aware of what makes them so different, they realize that they are not ‘crazy’ or ‘too sensitive’ or ‘imagining it.’ They have been told such things all their lives, but now they can trust their very keen intuition and know that they are usually right on the money.
The moment empaths embrace their true, gifted nature, the gut-wrenching anxiety, tension headaches, and other health problems begin to subside. Their confidence soars. It is wonderful to observe this newfound self-empowerment.
But the openness and courage required to do this kind of soul searching is not easy. It takes determination, and it’s not for the faint of heart. Not to mention the difficulty of cultivating the patience required to learn where and when to say what you feel and know. Sensing the outcome of events or relationships, or more importantly, knowing that something is going on with someone before they know it, can be very challenging.
Aligning The Anahata Chakra
Anahata chakra, also known as the heart chakra or heart center, is the fourth of seven primary chakras in the body. The Sanskrit word anahata means ‘unstruck’ or ‘unbeaten.’ It is the subtle sound produced ‘without touching two parts.’
The anahata chakra is located in the center of the chest, near the heart, and is associated with empathy, love, compassion, and forgiveness. It also governs our heart, lungs, thymus gland, and circulatory system and plays an important role in our immune system, emotions, and relationships.
It is symbolized by a twelve-petaled lotus flower with an intersection of two triangles representing the mystical union of the male and female, the metaphysical and physical. The anahata chakra serves as the bridge between the lower three physical chakras and the higher spiritual chakras, connecting the earthly and divine energies within us.
When the anahata chakra is open, aligned, and balanced, we feel a sense of connection with ourselves, others, and the world around us. We are also able to let go of negative emotions such as anger, resentment, and fear to rather give and receive love, foster compassion and empathy, and extend forgiveness towards ourselves and others. When the heart chakra is in balance, we experience a profound sense of love, tolerance, harmony, and emotional well-being.
On the other hand, when this chakra is blocked or underactive, we may have difficulty in expressing love and compassion. We are also more likely to be unkind and intolerant and experience negative emotions such as anger, resentment, fear, and even hatred.
Setting Healthy Boundaries With Toxic People
I have often wondered why so many of us tolerate unhealthy, unhappy, and sometimes very dysfunctional relationships with relatives and friends. Too many of us endure the toxic dynamics in our families and friendships, putting up with being the scapegoat, emotional punching bag, financial provider, free therapist, or nanny.
Why is it that many of us tend to keep giving the people in our lives second chances and multiple opportunities to learn and grow, hoping that they will somehow become more considerate, loving, and compassionate?
Meanwhile, we ignore their nasty words, spiteful behaviors, and toxic exchanges. We remain kind, tolerant, and patient. We try to help them lighten up, or connect on a deeper, more caring level. We hope that maybe someday everyone will be happier together and enjoy sharing more love and belonging, instead of dysfunction and drama.
But as the years go by, they continue to disappoint, abuse, and betray us. The loving kindness and mutual support never comes. Try as we might in these toxic situations, the people we love and care about will continue to talk down to us or try to make us feel that we are not good enough. These complicated family and friendship situations can eventually cost us our physical and mental health, our financial security, and our personal accomplishments.
I find this to often be the case with my clients who are gifted, empathic, highly sensitive, and spiritually aware. Some even consider it their purpose or calling in this lifetime. However, while being a wounded healer or earth angel is certainly a noble calling, being a scapegoat or doormat is definitely not! God, Source, Spirit, the Divine wants us to be happy, healthy and safe, and to live our best life.
Working With The Angels
I have worked with angels and spirit guides most of my life, and have discovered many lovely ways to receive guidance and support from these celestial beings. Although it may seem all too simple, all we really need to do is ask. Our guides and the angels need our consent to intercede on our behalf. The only exception to this I have ever experienced is emergency situations, when angels appear to rescue or protect us from imminent danger. But even in these cases, you often find that the rescued person said a prayer or two before the angels showed up.
The angels wish for us to seek their assistance in small or large matters, and they delight in helping us. We each have one or two guardian angels, who are with us from birth, but there are many other angels and archangels that support and guide us in different matetrs. We simply need to ask! The restrictions of time and space, as we know it in this physical world, does not apply to the angelic realm, so they can help us all at the same time and at any time.
One of my most memorable personal experiences with the angels was the time I engaged three contractors to do refurbishments at my home. I paid each of thm significant sums of money upfront to purchase the necessary materials, and so on. But as soon as they had the money they suddenly became impossible to reach! All three of them kept pushing forward the agreed dates to start and complete the work.
Rather than getting frustrated or upset, I immediately turned to Archangel Metatron, who can bend time and space, and Archangel Michael, who is our great protector. I asked them both to kindly exert their loving influence on the hearts of the contractors, and to give them a gentle, yet firm nudge to get started on the work. I then thanked the angels and blessed all that would be working on the projects.
