emotional well-being
Is It Time To Reset Your Life?
As the festivities fade and the hype of new year’s resolutions subsides, it’s natural to pause and truly reflect on the direction of your life.
Often idealized as a time of joy and connection, the holidays rarely leave room for true introspection. Instead, they bring a whirlwind of obligations — shopping, entertaining, traveling, and endless social engagements. In the rush to meet expectations, both our own and those of others, the peace and reflection we crave are often drowned out by the festive chaos.
But as the holidays end and life returns to its normal routine, many feel a spontaneous urge to make an honest assessment of where they are in life. What’s working? What isn’t? Where do adjustments need to be made?
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to lose sight of our true passions and purpose. Often we carry unnecessary burdens, cling to outdated habits, or stay in situations that no longer align with our higher selves.
Now is often the time of the year when your intuition may be whispering — or even screaming — that something needs to change. This inner knowing often manifests as dissatisfaction, a longing for something more, or a deep sense that you’re meant for greater things.
Recognizing the need to reset your life can be one of the most empowering decisions you’ll ever make. Letting go of what no longer serves you is not only a courageous act, but also a fundamental aspect of personal and spiritual growth.
Releasing Resistance Transforms Your Life
Many years ago I traveled to Sedona, Arizona to attend a teacher training program for The Sedona Method. Little did I know that I was about to discover one of the most important keys to a happy and fulfilling life.
I soon found myself in a conference room filled with psychiatrists, psychologists, and doctors from all over the world. I was a young mother and an novice psychic reader. I didn’t feel on the same professional level as the doctors and behavioral health professionals in the room. I felt intimidated, uncomfortable, and wanted nothing more than to go home.
But within the first few days of training, my worst nightmare came true. The trainer asked me to come to the front of the room and stand facing everyone.
“Oh no,” I thought to myself. “Why in the world did I even come to this class?”
He asked me to demonstrate one of the resistance release techniques he had taught us to a psychiatrist sitting in the front row. My knees were shaking and my heart was racing. But there was no escape, so I decided to just do it. It was a terrifying experience at the time, but it was also one of the best things that ever happened to me!
The Sedona Method is a technique designed to help you release the resistance created by painful or unwanted emotions, allowing you to experience greater personal freedom and well-being. The method involves a series of questions that help you become aware of your feelings and gently encourage you to release them. Resistance is often the cause of suffering in relationships, financial health, career, and all other areas of life.
Reclaim Your Peace And Power With Healthy Boundaries
Saying “no” is one of the most powerful things we can do to maintain our personal and spiritual well-being and energetic balance.
Many of us are caught up in the daily whirlwind of commitments, expectations, and the constant need to meet the demands of others. For those on a spiritual or esoteric path, this can be especially challenging.
The desire to be compassionate and supportive can sometimes blur the lines between compassion and self-neglect. However, one of the most profound spiritual lessons is this: it is okay to say no. In fact, it is imperative!
Knowing when and how to say no is a critical self-care skill that allows you to set healthy boundaries and protect your time, energy, and mental health. Moreover, it is crucial for our spiritual growth and essential for living a life filled with purpose and fulfillment.
Saying no and standing your ground requires recognizing your inherent worth and honoring your personal limits. Too often we stretch ourselves too thin, trying to be all things to all people. This may come from a fear of disappointing others or a belief that our value is in how much we give. Many of us also feel spiritually obligated to be there for others, often because we are so deeply affected by all the struggles and suffering we see in the world around us.
However, when we put the needs of others ahead of our own without balance, we risk depleting our physical, emotional, and spiritual energy. In such a depleted state, we are of no use to anyone.
The Spiritual Wisdom Of Butterflies
My grandmother was a poet. When I was a child, she wrote a beautiful poem about me. It was about a fairy girl who spent all her time outside chasing butterflies. The poem had a poignant message:
In time, the pendulum swings,
and you can’t hear the butterfly’s wings.
It was her way of reminding me to hold on to my youthful passion, to nurture the light within, and to resist life’s inevitable disappointments.
This wisdom has stayed with me long after her passing, and in the years since, butterflies have become more than a reminder of her — they’ve become her messengers.
Butterflies often appear in my life when I’m feeling overwhelmed, under attack, or grieving a loss. They flutter around me, landing gently on my skin and hovering close as if to whisper a reminder: “Don’t let anyone steal your light.”
These delicate creatures have become symbols of resilience, hope, and the enduring connection between my grandmother’s spirit and my own.
Butterflies hold deep spiritual significance across cultures and belief systems. They are seen as symbols of transformation, freedom, and the soul’s journey.
Their life cycle — from caterpillar to cocoon to winged beauty — mirrors our own processes of growth, healing, and self-discovery. They teach us that even in our most confined and vulnerable states, there is the potential for magnificent change.
How Mars Retrograde Impacts Your Love Life
From tonight until February 23, 2025, the astrological climate will be dominated by Mars Retrograde, a time when the assertive planet of passion, drive, and action appears to be moving backwards across the sky.
The Mars retrograde cycle occurs approximately every two years and creates a celestial atmosphere that challenges us to slow down, reflect, and reevaluate how we navigate the aspect of our lives impacted by a retreating Mars, especially love and relationships.
This time Mars will reverse through the bold sign of Leo until January 3, 2025, before retreating further into the emotional waters of Cancer until February 23. The shift from Leo to Cancer will bring a dynamic shift in how we experience passion, intimacy, and connection.
Mars retrograde typically signals a period of inward focus. The fiery, action-oriented energy of Mars is muted, forcing us to rethink how we assert ourselves and pursue our desires.
When Mars is in retrograde, direct action often feels less effective. Misunderstandings may arise, frustrations may simmer, and the usual outlets for passion or conflict resolution may not work as intended.
In the context of relationships, Mars retrograde tends to bring old wounds and unresolved issues to the surface. The next 79 days will be a time when hidden frustrations or imbalances within partnerships come to the surface. It’s not uncommon to experience tension during this time, as retrograde forces us to confront aspects of our love lives that we may have avoided.
Spiritual Self-Care For The Sensitive Soul
For those of us who are highly sensitive, including psychics, mediums, healers, and empaths, practicing consistent spiritual self-care is essential to maintaining our overall well-being.
If you identify with this group and neglect the daily maintenance of your energetic health and spiritual hygiene, you leave yourself vulnerable. This can manifest as emotional, mental, and even physical health problems. The good news? You can safeguard your well-being with a dedicated spiritual self-care routine.
Spiritual self-care is about nurturing your inner being and maintaining healthy energy flow and balance. It includes practices that support your spiritual well-being and ensure that you stay grounded, centered, and connected to your higher self and the universe.
Regular spiritual self-care is also a matter of health. Research strongly supports the positive effects of spirituality on our overall health. Studies show that spiritually active people tend to live longer and enjoy better mental and physical health. For example, spirituality has been shown to correlate with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline.
Spirituality is associated with better mental health, including lower levels of depression and anxiety. Studies show that spiritual activities promote positive emotions such as hope, forgiveness, and gratitude, which contribute to resilience to stress and emotional challenges. It also promotes healthier lifestyles, including reduced substance use and better stress management.
Forgiving Yourself Is A Spiritual Necessity
Self-forgiveness is more than just a mental health recommendation – it is a spiritual necessity. It is vital for the spiritually aware person to release guilt, self-blame, and self-criticism, because forgiving oneself is crucial to both personal well-being and spiritual progress. It allows for healing, growth, and the ability to live a more fulfilling and harmonious life.
Failure to forgive ourselves can have profound personal and spiritual side effects. Carrying guilt and self-blame leads to chronic emotional distress and contributes to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Over time, this can manifest itself in physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, or even chronic illness.
A lack of self-forgiveness undermines self-worth and hinders personal growth and development. Difficulty forgiving yourself also strains your relationships with others, as it can lead to withdrawal, defensiveness, or projecting negativity onto those around you. Without forgiveness, our negative feelings toward ourselves can fester and damage even our most cherished relationships with our loved ones and friends.
Holding onto guilt and self-blame blocks the flow of positive energy through the chakras and hinders spiritual well-being. For example, guilt often stagnates in the solar plexus chakra, affecting one’s sense of personal power. Self-forgiveness is essential for clearing such blockages in the energy field.
Forgiveness is also essential to achieving inner peace and harmony. Without it, one can experience constant inner turmoil and restlessness. When we hold onto guilt, shame, or self-blame, parts of our spiritual essence or inner divinity are suppressed or disconnected. It causes separation from one’s spiritual path or a sense of disconnection from spirit and the divine.