happiness
Nothing Tastes Sweeter Than Gratitude
During the holidays, most homes and businesses have their festive lights and decorations up. One of the parking lots in my neighborhood is currently featuring a flamboyant set of beautiful red lights that really struck me as I was driving by the other day. In fact, it caused a strong emotional reaction within me.
Now, what might be so profound or special about a display of red Christmas lights, you may wonder. It is, after all, a typical holiday decoration seen everywhere this time of year. So, what’s the big deal? Well, those lights set me off so much because it brought back precious memories of my childhood.
I grew up in a very small town in New Brunswick, Canada. My family struggled and we were very poor. However, that did not prevent my parents from ensuring that we still enjoyed a few rare luxuries and treats on special occasions.
The most memorable of these were the “barley toys,” as we used to call them. Every Christmas, it was the tradition for each of us to receive a packet of barley toys. Now, this has nothing to do with actual toys. Instead, a barley toy is a kind of clear sugar lollipop or sucker shaped like a toy. These translucent, glass-like candies traditionally come in whimsical shapes, including various animals, as well as ships, trains, cars and, of course, Santa Clause.
According to the Startup Candy Factory in Provo, Utah, one of the earliest clear toy candy makers in the United States, German immigrants brought this holiday tradition to America and original recipes for it can be traced back to the 1700s. It was originally called “barley candy,” because cane sugar was very scarce at the time, so early candy makers used the cheaper and more readily available barley sugar.
Love Is The Energy That Connects Souls
There is one great metaphysical force or energy that connects us all. This greatest force is love. Love is the only energy that can truly overcome all and heal all. It connects us to each other – even those that we cannot be with.
Have you ever experienced the phone ringing and you just knew who it was on the other end before you even picked up? Then, once you had said hello, you think to yourself, “How did I know it was her calling?” You even get goose bumps once your intuition is confirmed. It’s a neat feeling, isn’t it?
Well, it’s also like that when out of the blue we think of someone for no reason. It’s usually because that person is also thinking of us. We are all connected.
We have naturally have what it takes to make these connections happen. One of the ingredients that it takes to be ‘dialed in’ like that is balance. We need to have balance in our lives. If we are disconnected and out of alignment in our lives we are not tuned in very well to these energetic connections we have with others. This is especially true when we indulge in some form of substance abuse, like smoking, alcohol or drugs. These things can really mess with the mind, body and soul.
You need to be healthy and you need to meditate or pray on a regular basis to help you stay on the vibrational frequency that you need to be to receive intuitive impressions, thoughts and feelings from those you love.
It is very difficult to be able to hear someone or feel someone, and love them so much and want to be with them so much, and not be able to. Know that if you are feeling these things from those you love you are very much connected. Remember, sometimes we have to wait to be with that person physically, because it’s all in divine timing – not our own timing.
Is Your History Repeating Itself?
Are you feeling stuck making all the wrong choices and decisions? Are you repeating the same make mistakes? A study at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences analyzed the processes that occur before the human brain makes a decision. In this study, participants were asked to press a button with their left, or right hand. They were able to do this at whatever moment they decided, however, they were asked to remember the specific time they recognized making their decision and to relay that information to the researchers.
By observing the participant’s brain scanner, it was discovered that the researchers knew the participant’s decision seven seconds before the participant knew, based on observing electrical signals within the participant’s brain. This is important information, because it validates how much our subconscious minds are making decisions without us fully being aware of the choices we are making.
Although this research is based on making immediate decisions, how often are you aware of where their decisions are being based upon? How can you know if you’re making a decision based on old thought patterns and habits, rather than based on higher, conscious awareness?
The philosopher George Santayana famously said, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” While this is true on a global scale, this is also true in our personal relationships. My interests in psychology and consciousness originated from observing my family, their unhealthy patterns, and observing the resulting choices I’ve made myself, in response to those patterns.
May Our Souls Continue To Rejoice
We have indeed so much to be grateful for today. May the joys and rememberances of this post-pandemic holiday season keep our hearts alive with hope, faith and gratitude throughout the coming year.
May our souls continue to rejoice with the miracles of joy, hope, faith and love of the Christmas of the Christians; Yule of the Pagans; Candle-mas of the Celts; Hanukkah of the Hebrews; Eid ul-Fitr of Islam; Pan-African festival of Kwanzaa; and Hindu celebration of Diwali.
In the old days, before the reformers came, the Old Oak King conquered the Holly King every year around this time. Mother Earth would then sleep under a white blanket of snow, the quiet ice of still waters, everything waiting for the Summer Solstice, when the Holly King would win the battle in turn.
We face the same battles of duality in our own lives. At times we are happily progressing along our own path, expanding, learning, growing spiritually, when suddenly an impasse comes along that requires us to become still, to be patient, to wait, to rest, to contemplate, to accept. We are seldom thankful, as we would prefer to continue rushing towards our goals, our dreams, our desires. We grumble, we complain, we resist, we fight the wait, and then we wonder why we are waiting so long.
Sometimes we are meant to just take the time to rest, draw strength, find ourselves. The true lesson and miracle of this season is the wait, the peace, the rest, until we once again see our dreams more clearly.
How To Achieve Inner Peace This Holiday Season
I recently did a deep meditation to ask Spirit how we can achieve inner peace this holiday season, as well as throughout the rest of the year. Here is what Spirit revealed to me.
Self-Care
Take better care of yourself – mind, body and soul. This is key, because if you are not taking care of your own health and well-being, then you won’t have much to offer others.
Do not neglect your spiritual practice. Pray. Meditate. Chant. Journal.
Eat a healthy diet. Get enough sleep. Exercise. Moving the body helps with circulation and helps with all kinds of pain. You will feel better for taking an hour to exercise. We are happier when we feel better.
Take some time to relax and have fun. Read. Reading is very relaxing and is a healthy escapism. What interests you? Find books on subjects you enjoy and start reading. Someone once said that books make good friends.
And most of all, don’t neglect your daily spiritual practice. If you do not have a practice, get one.
Goodwill
Think about this past year, and make a list of those that were naughty and nice to you. Pray for both. Ask for happiness, joy and goodwill to enter everyone’s lives, and then also visualize this. Visualize each person and open your heart. Wish each of them goodness.
The Healing Power Of A Smile
I have noticed something very interesting lately, since we are no longer wearing masks in public. There are two types of people: those who often smile and laugh, and those who do not. You can smile at some people that seem to not be very happy and they will smile right back at you, while others will just look at you like you’re an alien.
I love to smile at people and change their energy, it uplifts them. I can tell. I can see the auric energy around those who smile, and it’s much brighter and lighter. It’s a healing, positive energy. Those that don’t smile have dark and cloudy auras. It makes me feel good to help people get into a better mood and access their higher consciousness, as it will just keep the ball rolling for a positive domino effect for the rest of their day.
But there are those people who find nothing pleasant or amusing and will not smile for anything. I understand that sometimes life just seems to hand us a bad hand of cards, or just seems depressing or no fun. But we all have the ability to smile and our sense of humor is a gift from God. If you can’t smile for yourself to change your own energy, or find yourself unable smile back at those that smile at you, maybe take a look in the mirror and that may inspire you to crack a smile. It changes energy and lives.
As a psychic, I consult many people who are in unloving relationships and marriages. They stay with partners who are unkind, abusive, or unfaithful. They carry a torch for spouses who talk them down to them and make them feel less than. For many it causes mental and physical health problems.
Explore Your Inner Shadows With Your Soul Light
To achieve true spiritual growth, happiness, and fulfillment it is necessary for us to unravel the shadows of our inner being. To know oneself is to recognize both your light and darkness, and to love and accept your entirety. The truly awakened person is not afraid to look at their own flaws, wounds, pain, trauma, and shortcomings. Awakened people boldly face their inner darkness and know themselves deeply.
The key to finding your authentic truth is to unbolt the door to one’s mysterious psychic basement. It’s the courage to honestly question how well your life is going, including the fulfilment of your passion and purpose, the success of your plans and projects, the health and happiness of your relationships and family, and the bravery of your dreams.
True spiritual growth is the search for truth beyond the surface. It is to boldly plunge the depths our being. It is to leap up to our highest peaks and crawl deep into our darkest corners. Because only once we have fully opened the doors of our interior, can we begin to affect change, growth and personal transformation.
By confronting our inner mysteries we acquire freedom, wisdom, and access to a new way of beingness. We become reborn, renewed, empowered. A conscious spiritual warrior in command of our powers, gifts, and capabilities.
But how to achieve this breakthrough? The first step is to welcome, embrace, accept, and cherish the scars and wounds. Then, we investigate its origins, to find the root of what has been influencing our life towards victimhood, self-limitation, self-sabotage, or repeated self-destruction.