education
The Path Of Personal Development
Personal development is an essential part of our spiritual mission and soul purpose in this lifetime. It is a lifelong process of self-improvement that involves setting goals, taking steps towards realizing those goals, and learning from our experiences along the way. It is an ongoing journey to becoming the best version of ourselves.
To fulfill this mission, we must develop various life skills, knowledge, insight and wisdom by growing socially, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. Personal development is thus a commitment to reach our highest potential in our current incarnation by striving to live a life of fulfillment and purpose.
The path of personal development is not the same for everyone. We all have unique personalities, traits, talents, interests, wishes and dreams. Our path is further determined by our values, beliefs, and life experiences, as well as our soul contract and calling in this lifetime.
It is a journey of physical, mental, and metaphysical self-discovery, in which we explore, uncover and evolve our true potential. It is a process of constantly learning and growing, which can take many forms.
To venture down our path of personal development we must take action and progress towards achieving your goals. It involves setting goals, creating plans, and taking practical steps to reach those goals. On a practical level this might include activities and pursuits like learning a new language, getting a degree, starting a business, achieving physical fitness, participating in a sport, volunteering, taking an art class, travelling abroad, pursuing a spiritual practice like meditation, divination, journaling, or dreamwork, and so on.
The Year To Reimagine Your Career
In numerology the year 2023 is a universal year 7 (2 + 0 + 2 + 3 = 7). This energy represents a unique convergence of creativity and practicality, and spirituality and materialism. This year brings with it an introspective, creative, transformative energy that is very favorable for anyone seeking to start a meaningful new project or business, or transform their career. It is especially ideal for anyone wishing to pursue a creative or spiritual career.
The number 7 is a mystical, highly spiritual number. It can further also be broken down into 3 and 4, because it is a prime number. This makes it a combination of creative, optimistic, lucky number 3, and practical, solid, grounded number 4. It is an ideal energy for personal transformation, reinventing career goals and innovative business plans.
However, to fully benefit from this transformative energy, significant soul-searching and self-reflection will be necessary for us this year. A fine balance will have to be found between analysis and logic on the one hand, and intuition and imagination on the other. This will empower us to set clear, powerful professional goals and better prepare us to successfully put our plans into action in 2024.
Next year will be universal 8 year, which symbolizes the flow of energy. It will be a strong year for material wealth, success and personal power. Next year will be spectacular for money and finance, business achievement, and professional success.
To make the most of this opportunity we need to utilize the creative inspiration and energy of self-knowledge and personal reinvention that 2023 offer us now to prepare. If we thoroughly lay the groundwork this year, we will be able to fully take charge of our career or business in 2024.
Empowering Life Lessons From My Abusive Father
My father Jim had to grow up quickly in the tough pre-war years. He was the eldest of six children and he did not have an easy childhood, nor tolerant parents.
But life became even more challenging for Jim as he reached adulthood. My parents were married at the age of 21 and had three kids by 23, and another baby at 34.
Jim faced many challenges. As a result, to vent his frustration and process all the stress, he often took it out on those closest to him, namely his wife and children.
Let’s just say my father was not always the ideal husband and parent. It became so bad by the time I was an adult that he would do whatever he could to disrupt my life and my family in any way that you might imagine. The sad part was that he actually wanted to hurt us, as doing so gave him a bizarre sense of satisfaction and control over those closest to him.
I first became fully aware of my father’s desire to disempower his kids when I was about 22 years old. The year was 1982, and jobs were very hard to come by in the United Kingdom in those days. I had an office job but wanted something better. So, I decided to attend school for a year to learn shorthand and typing at the local technical college.
One day, I asked my dad if I could get a ride with him to college, because I had to sit an important exam at 2pm that day. He said I need not worry, as he would drop me off in plenty of time. But then he proceeded to make every excuse not to leave the house!
By quarter to two, I started to panic, as I could not possibly walk or catch a bus from my house to the college with so little time. At ten minutes to two, he finally agreed to take me to sit the exam, but then when we got in the car, he said he needed to go to the garage for gas. I looked at the fuel gauge and saw the car’s tank was full.
I suddenly realized he did not want me to sit the exam, as he did not want me to pass it and better myself and become more independent. Thankfully, his sabotage attempt failed, as I did pass the exam and went on to get a higher paying job.
Taking Your Spiritual Practice To A New Level
Every person will go through several metaphysical growth spurts and changes in their spiritual practices throughout their lifetime. Whether we are pursuing Transcendental Meditation, Tai Chi, Yoga, Reiki, Tarot, or Dreamwork, it is inevitable that we will at some point begin to question what we might be doing wrong, or how we could do be doing it better?
This usually happens when we have reached a point where our growth or development seems to have reached a point where we need to take our practice to the ‘next level.’ But this is often easier said than done and this shift can be tricky to navigate.
First, examine what you feel or sense to be different or missing in your existing practice. Tap into your intuition and listen to your gut. Following our inner guidance at this point helps us better recognize which direction our personal and spiritual growth needs to go. Ask spirit to guide and direct you.
Second, research how others, who have gone through similar changes, have evolved and mastered their practice. Get a sense of a benchmark or an aspirational goal as to where you should be heading yourself. Then dive in by taking on new challenges in your chosen practice and start working towards that goal. Don’t feel rushed or panicked. Just take it one step and one day at a time.
A key element to building one’s spiritual practice I find most people do not make use of enough is the spiritual communion of sharing your learning and development journey with others. Find a group learning venue, development circle, or support group that will allow you to share your learning and experimentation with other seekers and practitioners. Finding such a like-minded group to get involved with on your journey can be very empowering!
You are not the only one going through the growth spurt or developmental phase you’re experiencing. Why go through it alone, if you can learn and grow along with others, and share your insights and concerns with the group? But, always keep in mind that everyone has different speeds of growth and development. So, never feel like your falling behind. Trust that you are progressing exactly how you are supposed to in your own unique way.
Journeys And Destinations
One often hears the saying “It’s about the journey, not the destination.’ But what does it truly mean? I believe the events of the past year has brought many of us to a deeper understanding.
The importance of the ‘journey’ became more evident with so many cultural holidays, birthday parties and family gatherings that had to be cancelled during the worst of the pandemic. For example, the significance of planning these special events became especially obvious this past Christmas, as well as the many cancelled festivals here in Spain.
The Christmas holiday season is usually a hectic time, with much hustle and bustle, including the mandatory family conflicts or ‘differences of opinion.’ But the joy of the season leading up to Christmas and New year is typically a time of excitement, especially for children.
People normally spend lots of time planning these celebrations and the excitement leading up to any gathering is often more fun than the event itself! Not having these occasions to look forward to has created a void in the lives of many people all over the world.
Instead, Christmas 2020 was a difficult time for many. It certainly brought up a myriad of personal challenges and negative emotions, particularly for those unable to visit loved ones, or not being able to have relatives home for the holidays.
Here in Spain, the locals are constantly planning their many fiestas. Each town and province has its own special festivals and cultural traditions, especially in the summer months. I have even witnessed the locals take to the streets in very cold weather, just to enjoy the vibe and camaraderie!
The Spaniards have a deep sense of community and they love letting their hair down whenever they can. Having grown used to the culture here, it made the silence of the empty streets this past year even more jarring than it might have been somewhere else.
Astrology Forecast March 29 – April 4, 2021
The astrological weather is pretty calm this week, with only one significant change in the zodiac energy: today’s Waning Gibbous Moon in Libra. The Libra Moon brings love and relationships to the forefront today, so if you’re facing any conflicts or challenges in the marriage, dating or romance arena, now is the time to get those straightened out.
Fortunately, the Libra Moon trine Mars in Gemini boosts our levels of courage and determination today. It can support you in taking action, as well as being open, resourceful and pragmatic in dealing with relationship challenges. So, today may be a good time to have that long overdue conversation with your significant other.
If you are single, today may also be a window of opportunity to get a date with that new acquaintance. The Libra Moon trine Jupiter in Aquarius later today favors increased popularity and higher levels of social success. So, what are you waiting for?
A Scorpio Moon tomorrow and Wednesday will be setting a rather intense tone. You could find yourself caught up in the details of a highly focused project, but take care not to miss the forest for the trees! Stay alert to what’s going on around you.
The workweek fortunately ends under a Sagittarius Moon, and you may finally feel like you’re all caught up! Maybe for the first time in two months. Enjoy the lull, as things will certainly pick up again next week.
Mercury moves into Aries on Saturday, and you could find yourself going down the ‘Internet rabbit hole’ with how-to-videos on YouTube or researching your family tree. There will be an eagerness to learn new things or become better informed with this Mercury placement, so it will be a goof time to surf the intellectual highway.
Saturday and Sunday unfold with a Capricorn Moon overhead, making this a most productive and satisfying weekend.
Nurturing Your Psychic Child
Have you ever noticed how young children, especially before they enter school, are full of wonder, curiosity, and awe? And did you know some children are born psychic? Sadly, only a few children continue to use and refine their psychic gifts as they get older, as their sense of wonder diminishes. As a parent, guardian, or mentor of children, it’s our responsibility to engage with our young psychics to nurture and protect their gifts.
It may be our first urge to dismiss their imaginary friends, conversations with departed loved ones, or remembrances of past lives as ‘fantasies’ or the result of an ‘overactive imagination.’ Instead of this, gently encourage your child and ask questions. What they are experiencing is very real and may not entirely make sense to them.
For example, show them family pictures of ancestors. They may be able to show you whose spirit is guiding them. If they are curious about a particular time in history (a past lifetime), a family trip to the library for some good books or documentaries about that time can be a great learning experience. Imaginary friends, which most children seem to have at a young age, may actually be angels or other spiritual guides.
Some children also have deep intuition or psychic sight, which may unnerve the adults in their lives. Perhaps your child has specific dreams or instinctively knows things which they should not. It is important that instead of reacting with fear or anger, you respond with empathy and encourage and to talk about whatever is on their mind.
Instead of simple ‘yes or no,’ or closed questions, ask your child how they are feeling and what you can do to help them. These dreams, visions, or prophecies can be cryptic and not easily understood. The fledgling psychic may feel overwhelmed or scared by what they see. If a child feels they can confide in you, and trust you, they will be more willing to use their gifts.
