health
The Soulful Practice Of Kirtan Chanting
An ancient spiritual practice less known in the West has transformed my spiritual routine in recent years. It is known as kirtan a beautiful form of devotional chanting that originated in ancient India.
The term “kirtan” comes from Sanskrit and means “narrating, reciting, telling, describing” of an idea or story, particularly in a religious context. This enchanting practice weaves together music, meditation, chanting, and a deep sense of spiritual expression.
Kirtan is a central practice in the Bhakti Yoga tradition, which emphasizes love and devotion to a personal deity. It involves the repetitive chanting of mantras and divine names, traditionally in Sanskrit, accompanied by musical instruments such as the harmonium, tabla, and cymbals.
Traditionally, kirtans focus on chanting the names of deities like Krishna, Rama, or Sita. The kirtan leader sings a line and the congregation responds, creating a rhythmic and melodic interplay that is both meditative and invigorating.
While Kirtan remains rooted in its spiritual origins, it has gained global popularity beyond India and the Bhakti tradition. As the practice of yoga has boomed worldwide, kirtan too has seen an immense rise in popularity. It’s a testament to the universal appeal and transformative power of this captivating practice.
Kirtan events and gatherings are known for being welcoming and inclusive, focusing on the shared experience of chanting rather than strict religious adherence. Unlike the typical musical experience in spiritual settings, kirtan invites everyone to participate in a soulful, call-and-response chanting that creates a profound connection to the divine and brings people closer together.
Tarot Forecast July 2024: The Tower
This month’s card is the Tower, which predicts the energies of disruption, revelation, transformation and the breaking down of old structures.
The Tower card is a powerful symbol of sudden upheaval and change. It’s traditionally depicted as a tall tower struck by lightning, representing chaos and upheaval. It represents life throwing us a curveball.
As lightning strikes and flames dismantle the old structure, it forces us to confront our foundations and belief systems. While painful, this destruction can lead to necessary revelations and a chance to rebuild on a stronger foundation. By letting go of what no longer serves you, you open yourself up to new possibilities.
The Tower showing up in a reading, though scary and troubling at first glance, always precedes a period of significant growth. Destruction creates opportunity. Most situations we face are opportunities, even the bad ones. It’s all about the opportunity and how you see it.
Embracing chaos will be the key to clarity and growth this month. This is a time to rebuild and redesign your life in a way that is more in line with your true self.
Approach the month with an open heart and a willingness to let go of what no longer serves you. Whether it’s health, finances, career, relationships or personal growth, the Tower’s influence will lead you to a more liberated and empowered version of yourself. Trust the transformative power of the Tower. Embrace the changes and you will emerge from this month stronger, wiser and more in alignment with your true self.
Tarot Forecast June 2024: The Lovers
This month the universe presents us with the The Lovers. This Major Arcana card predicts the energies of passion, choice, connection and relationships as the tone for the month ahead. The primary energies this month are harmony, balance and unity. The Lovers card represents a time of deep connection and self-discovery with yourself and others.
The Lovers card is rich in symbolism, encompassing themes of connection, choice, and duality. It can represent romantic relationships, partnerships, or a harmonious balance between different aspects of the self.
This card usually symbolizes deep emotional bonds, love, and harmony in romantic relationships. It can signify the beginning of a new relationship, the deepening of an existing one, or the reconciliation of differences. It also represents the magnetic attraction and chemistry between lovers.
The Lovers card sometimes indicates instead an important choice or decision to be made. It emphasizes the importance of making choices that are consistent with one’s true self and values.
It can also represent moral dilemmas or ethical choices, encouraging us to follow our moral compass and make decisions based on integrity and truth. It can be a call to evaluate and realign with personal beliefs and values.
It also suggests duality and the balance between two forces, whether masculine and feminine, conscious and unconscious, or different aspects of one’s personality. It emphasizes the need for harmony and balance in relationships and within oneself. It’s about finding a balance between desires and responsibilities, emotions and intellect.
Our Priorities Are The Moral Of The Story
I have always loved thought-provoking stories. One of my favorites I heard when I was only seven years old. It’s profound wisdom has stayed with me all my life. It goes like this:
An old lady of about 85 years of age lived alone in an old, dilapidated log cabin in the woods. Due to her advanced age, daily life was a struggle, but this feisty woman knew she had to keep going to survive.
One day, while out gathering wood for a fire, she was approached by a mysterious wizard.
“Good morning,” said the wizard. “I have great news for you. Today is your lucky day! ” He then explained that he was the Wizard of the Forest, and that he would grant her any wish her heart desired.
The old lady paused to consider this generous offer. But before she could make up her mind, the wizard interrupted her thoughts. “I could turn all the wood you have into solid gold. Imagine how rich you would be!” he suggested.
“Oh, what good would that do?” replied the old woman. “I could hardly carry it back to my hut, for the gold would be much heavier than the wood!
“Well, then perhaps I could turn all the water in your house into wine,” said the wizard with great enthusiasm.
The Art Of Aura Reading Made Easy
All living beings have not only a physical body but also a metaphysical body. This energetic body is most commonly known as our aura or light body and emanates from and surrounds our physical body.
The aura is a subtle energy field made up of luminous colored layers of energy that radiate from a few inches to a few feet around us.
It is known by various names in different spiritual and esoteric traditions, such as psychic atmosphere, biofield, odic force or etheric body.
Our aura reflects our health, emotions and mental state. Its energetic colors change according to our mood or well-being. Some traditions describe the auric layers with specific meanings, while others focus more on the different colors and their interpretations.
The aura is made up of subtle energy, also known as prana, chi or qi, or life force energy. This energy flows through the body through channels or pathways that correspond to the energy meridian system in Traditional Chinese Medicine and the chakra system in Hindu, Buddhist and Yogic traditions.
The aura has several layers or fields of energy, each with its own qualities and significance. These layers include the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of a person. However, different traditions interpret the number and composition of these layers differently.
Tarot Forecast May 2024: Judgement
The card for this month is Judgement, which encourages us to rid ourselves of what no longer serves us and to address karmic issues for personal and spiritual growth.
We may especially find ourselves facing the consequences of past actions or decisions this month.
Judgement emphasises the importance of accountability and responsibility, urging us to learn from our experiences and strive for karmic balance. By taking responsibility for our choices, we can break free from negative patterns and create a better future.
This will therefore be a month of reckoning and evaluation. Judgement invites us to reflect on our actions, choices and life path, and challenges us to take responsibility and face any unresolved issues with honesty and courage.
It will be a time of resolution and redemption, allowing us to find closure and make amends for past conflicts or mistakes.
By facing our challenges with integrity and compassion, we can experience inner peace and acceptance, paving the way for healing and growth. It also offers an opportunity for profound transformation and awakening, giving us a fresh start and the chance to embrace new beginnings with optimism and enthusiasm.
Exploring The Benefits Of Reiki Healing
Reiki healing offers a variety of potential benefits for both your physical and mental well-being. Reiki teaches that when our life force is high, we feel happy, radiant and vital, and when it is low, we feel sick, drained and stressed.
Reiki is a form of energy healing in which practitioners use their hands to channel life force energy to the recipient. This universal energy or life force flows through all living things and is called ki in Japanese. The concept is similar to qi (or chi) in Chinese culture and prana in Indian culture.
A qualified Reiki healer is trained to channel healing energy to balance the flow of your life force energy and return you to a state of harmony and vitality.
Reiki has grown in popularity in recent years. Once viewed with skepticism by mainstream medicine, there’s a growing openness to complementary therapies, and Reiki is seen as a gentle and relaxing practice.
In today’s fast-paced world, stress is a major concern. Reiki’s reputation for promoting relaxation and reducing stress makes it attractive to many. Celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock and Gwyneth Paltrow and any mothers have spoken openly about their use of Reiki, giving it a touch of glamour and social validation.