conscious living
Cleansing Rituals Are A Vital Spiritual Practice
Energy cleansing should be a key component in our regular spiritual practice. To achieve and maintain a state of higher consciousness and enhanced spiritual awareness, we must constantly aim to purify and rebalance ourselves mind, body and soul.
Purification rituals are traditionally practiced in many world religions and various spiritual traditions embrace tangible cleansing rituals as a way of communing with and manifesting the Divine energy. Water-based rituals of purification are practiced, for example, in the Baháʼí faith, Christianity, Hinduism, Indigenous American religion, traditional African spirituality, Islam, Judaism, Mandaeism, Neopaganism, Shinto, Western esotericism, and Wicca.
It is no accident that animals also clean themselves regularly by grooming their fur or feathers. Nature instinctively understands that ‘cleanliness is next to godliness.’ Mother Nature also cleanses herself throughout the year with changes in the weather and the succession of the seasons.
I’ve never been much or a ritual or ceremony person myself, but I have come to embrace the need for a regular energy cleansing routine as I have grown in my own spiritual and psychic awareness.
For many years now, one of my go-to rituals is a simple spiritual cleansing bath with Epsom salt. I find it is a wonderful practice to realign my energy flow and restore inner peace and harmony. Nothing beats a proper ‘soul detox’ every few days.
Another practice I’ve adopted of late is chakra candle work. I often use these scented candles to jumpstart a client’s cleansing process, or cleanse and rebalance my own energy. The candle for each chakra is infused with its own combination of essential oils. The heart chakra candle is my personal favorite. It’s laced with sandalwood, jasmine, and rose essential oils and really packs a punch!
Focus On Your Own Karma
I often get questions about karma, vengeance, and divine justice from clients when I do readings. Will the haters get what’s coming to them? Will karma finally get my cheating ex? Will my abusive employer get his comeuppance someday? If so, how long will it take for them to feel the hurt and pain they inflicted on me?
When someone calls me hoping to hear that the other person will get their ‘karma,’ it usually relates to a recent incident and they feel like the rug has been pulled from under them – especially when the attack or betrayal was seemingly unfounded. They usually hope for immediate, soul-crushing retribution!
In my own life, I have not experienced such ‘instant karma.’ In fact, true karmic debt is a very slow turning wheel. Expecting immediate payback is a lost cause and a foolish pursuit. Revenge is sweet, they say, but the spiritual truth is that seeking venegeance will only add to your own karmic debt. If someone has hurt or wronged us, the pain will ease over time. Time heals all wounds, even if the scars remain.
The only meaningful ‘payback’ I have ever experienced in my own life, was the times when I received apologies from loved ones on the other side in mediumship readings. Those messages all came from the souls of family members who have completed their life review after their transition. Once we cross over into the spirit realm, we always get new clarity and an expanded understanding of our actions, or lack thereof, and how it has caused harm to others. For some souls this process takes much longer than for others.
This happened to me on several occasions over the years, with various mediums relaying spirit messages of remorse, apologies, and loved ones asking for my forgiveness. In every instance the ‘perpetrator’ had no idea of the impact they had had on me while they were in this life. Some of them also explained that their hurtful actions were due to a learned dysfunctional behaviors and trauma from their own life experiences, especially from childhood.
How To Access Universal Flow
In the spiritual community it is often said that one must aim to constantly be in ‘universal flow,’ but what does it actually mean? And how can one achieve this state of ‘flow?’
If you personally haven’t experienced this, I can assure you it truly is as amazing as you may have heard it described. It is a blessed state in which opportunities flow in effortlessly, and joy, connection and well-being abound.
Being in flow gives us access to wisdom and understanding in a way we just don’t see when we aren’t riding that divine wave. It feels like one is prepared for absolutely anything in life!
But what exactly is universal flow, and how can you tap into it?
‘Universal flow’ means you are tapped into the divine guidance that is always available to us, and you are in alignment with your path, purpose, and the divine flow of the creative life force. It means that you are tapped into this flow of sacred energy and allowing it to guide your choices and your perception. It is a surrender to the benevolent will of God, Source, Spirit, the Divine, and coming into alignment with to the limitless flow of abundance and well-being in the Universe.
In this state of allowing, the right people, opportunities, and resources can flow into your life, for you to access and make use of as needed. It can provide you with everything you need to manifest your dreams and fulfill your purpose.
Waiting On The World To Change
Waiting On The World To Change is not just a great John Mayer song, it is also a devastating pattern in many people’s lives. Too often people are waiting for some outside force to come along and bring them the happiness and fulfillment they want. Living one’s life ‘on hold’ in this way can become a incapacitating habit that will only serve to make us eternally stuck and unhappy.
When we are waiting for a change from someone or something other than ourselves, we are not taking control of our own power. More importantly, we are also not taking personal responsibility for our God-given free will choices, nor are we holding ourselves accountable for our own actions (or inaction).
We all have that friend who is always saying how great her relationship would be ‘if only’ her partner would change a certain habit, or do something differently. Or that colleague who never gets the promotion, while she keeps blaming others as to why she is constantly overlooked. Or the diseased relative who ‘cannot’ improve her health and wellness, because making better lifestyle choices just doesn’t fit into her busy work schedule and social life.
The worst one for me is people waiting for that amazing soulmate relationship to finally materialize, when they are not making even the least bit of effort to put themselves out there and meet new people.
Some people spend a lot of time constantly setting new goals or intentions, making wish lists, creating vision boards, or doing visualizations or rituals, to manifest the changes they want to see in their lives. But what if the thing they need to change is actually themselves?
Mystical Messages From The Rainbow Spectrum
On a recent countryside walk the most beautiful, arc-shaped rainbow appeared across the valley. There was something extraordinary about this particular rainbow, because it brought back fond memories of beloved pets who recently crossed over Rainbow Bridge, as well as departed loved ones whom I have lost over the years.
When I got back home, I felt prompted to honor the memory of all the animals who have been a part of my life over the years. They have mainly been rescues, except for a few, as well as animals I had formed a bond with through their owners, and also dogs I have sponsored in different parts of the world.
The colors of the rainbow convey profound spirit messages from the souls of pets and people who have crossed over. It is of mystical significance for me. A beautiful rainbow after many hours, or even days of rain truly is a joy to behold. It inspires hope, optimism, and child-like happiness, particularly if one has been going through a doubtful, or even despairing time in your life.
In modern yogic, energy healing, and other new age spiritual practices the colors of the rainbow spectrum have become associated with the colors of the seven primary chakras. This concept was first introduced in the 1970’s by spiritual author Christopher Hills in his groundbreaking book Nuclear Evolution: Discovery of the Rainbow Body.
I recall one of my many mentors saying during an Aura-Soma® course, “You are all rainbows.” Aura-Soma is a divination and color therapy system based on the color spectrum. It was devised by British pharmacist and chiropodist Vicky Wall to harness the vibrational energies of nature for improved well-being and vitality.
Intuitive Breathwork For Inner Guidance
Our angels and spirit guides never want to see us feeling down or suffering, whether it is emotionally, physically, mentally, or spiritually. They are always there to celebrate the good times with us, but they are also there to support and guide in our worst times. Spirit simply loves us unconditionally, no matter what is going on.
I strongly recommend taking a few minutes tevery day to shut out the noise of the world, as well as your own negative self-talk, to be still and open yourself to inner guidance from spirit. Go within to listen to spirit. Shift your awareness out of your heart and mind and into your gut to find your inner spiritual truth.
I speak to my guides daily as part of my spiritual practice. I usually ask them what they recommend I accomplish today, or what direction would be most beneficial for my highest good. I always receive an answer.
Mostly it comes through as a clear inner knowing or gut feeling. At times I receive it as a vivid thought, or an inspired idea, or a clairvoyant glimpse of something or someone significant that will cross my path.
I find get the best results with the answers I get from spirit after a few minutes of my tried and trusted breathwork exercise. I do the same preparation when reading for others and I also use it at times to clear energy blockages from my chakras.
It only takes about five minutes and is something that anyone can do daily to increase spiritual awareness and decrease inner noise and mental clutter. I have seen many of my clients thrive once they included this technique in their daily practice.
We Should Be More Like The Turtle
Most people seldom give themselves permission to take a breather and just relax. As a hypnotherapist, I often see clients for stress relief sessions. In this case, they usually feel it is more justified for them to take some time out, because they are paying for a form of professional healthcare. After all, they made an appointment for the session and their doctor referred them. So, it must be okay.
Many people cannot even relax on a vacation! They feel they absolutely must do all the tourist things, even if they are tired, or the money they spent of the trip will be wasted. Or they feel compelled to spring clean the hotel room, instead of lying on the beach. Only to feel they need a second vacation to recover from the first vacation once they return home.
In the good old days, folks used to simply take a ‘joy ride’ somewhere with no real purpose or destination in mind. They did it purely for the enjoyment and the adventure. It was a standing joke in my family that if you chose to get in a car with my dad, you had better have the entire day off, because you never knew where you would wind up or what time you would get back home.
My kids still reminisce about our family taking a ride during the holidays to see all the Christmas lights and decorated homes. We used to stop for hot chocolate with marshmallows and everyone received a homemade cinnamon candy cane. It was the tradition.
Today, we live in such a busy, fast-paced world in which we feel guilty for taking time to take care of ourselves. But what is more important: the journey or destination? We all need to rest and restore our body, mind, and spirit on a regular basis. Neglecting one’s self-care is a prescription for poor long-term health, and making bad life choices.