health
Kindness Begins With Greater Self-Care
In a world where you can be anything, be kind. And kindness starts with being kind to yourself. When we are not kind to ourselves, we cannot be kind to others, and others will also be unkind to us! When we are not kind to ourselves we allow that type of behavior, be it from a spouse, sibling, friend, or relative.
So, kindness really starts with us. When we are kind to ourselves, the domino effect is that we are happier, healthier and more energized. When we are not carving out time for self-care, we are not being kind to ourselves, and cannot truly be kind to others.
Sometimes people can be unkind not even realizing it. How is that? Well, by playing the part of the victim, or acting like others are responsible for their happiness or contentment. They make others feel guilty, because they are putting their problems upon others, without realizing that it is often their own self-made issues.
Everyone has free will. We are ultimately where we choose to put ourselves. In the end no one else is to blame. Period.
A vital aspect of self-kindness is to employ healthy boundaries when others make us feel bad, because they are sad and unhappy. When we take better care of ourselves and come in alignment with our soul, body and mind, we can recognize this. You are not put upon this Earth to energetically fill up the cups of others. Learn to say no, and learn to stand up for yourself when others try to take advantage of you. This is one important way of being kind to yourself.
Simple Ways To Reduce Your Stress Levels
We all feel the effects of stress in our lives at the moment. This is an especially difficult time in the world, and it is challenging us in ways that we did not expect.
Stress is a feeling of being under way too much pressure. This pressure can come from different aspects of your daily life, such as career challenges, life transitions, relationship conflict, health problems, family issues and financial worries. Whatever the stressors in your life are, they can affect your well-being very negatively.
We all experience stress, but how we handle it affects our lives to various degrees. You might have tried different approaches, but not much has worked. Sometimes the solution is much simpler than one might realize. Here are some positive lifestyle tips to manage your stress levels. Even if you just apply a couple a day, these basic strategies can make a real difference in cultivating a calmer state and greater peace of mind.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is so important in so many ways, and so often neglected in our busy lives. Adequate sleep helps us to stay focused, heal is from within, and manage our days so much better.
If you are not sleeping well, or not getting enough sleep, make every effort to resolve this. It is probably the most important thing you can do to reduce your stress levels. I find meditation music or white noise very helpful, and taking short naps during the day are an excellent means to get extra rest.
Replace The Naysaying With Faith, Courage And Hope
The world has come to a standstill, as we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us are in still shock that a microscopic virus could pose such an exponential risk that it is now altering our entire way of living.
Some of us have also become paralyzed with fear, overwhelmed with thoughts of how our lives might be forever altered. I too have had my moments, when I have felt that the latest news headline was just one too many!
I have heard a lot of deep concern from people in recent weeks, especially over health, safety and economic outcomes. I have been advised by well-meaning friends, for example, not to make any major life changes and to put on hold significant endeavors, because the economy might not ever recover. I was even warned by a well-meaning neighbor not to venture out too far from home, because of the threat of getting hurt and needing to be transported to the nearest emergency room, where I could then contract COVID-19 and possibly never recover.
Unfortunately, we do live in a world that tends to replaces the concept of hope with just the opposite. Therefore, with the best of intentions, these naysayers have chosen to focus only on gloom and doom. I don’t mean to dismiss the tragedies some of us might be witnessing up close, or from afar, as they are very real and deeply painful. But I am also making a huge effort to hold on to hope.
For example, when people suggest that there won’t be a cure for the virus, I remind them that our collective health is in the custody of the Divine and that life will continue to thrive on this planet, under the protection of Spirit. Without any doubt, I believe there will be a cure for Covid-19, whether via a scientific breakthrough or herd immunity.
April 2020 Astrology Forecast
April 2020 is set to be a month of major changes, new beginnings and taking action. The past few months were slow moving and foggy because of Mercury retrograde, along with the Sun being in Pisces. The Sun will fortunately be in Aries until April 20th, and we will have more energy and motivation to get things done, or say no to what isn’t working.
On April 3rd, Venus will transit over to Gemini, and there will be decisions to make in our personal relationships. Since this sign is dualistic, expect there to be highs and lows in our interactions with others. There may also be choices to make between who would be a better fit for maintaining a long-term relationship.
The Full Moon is in Libra on April 8th, encouraging us to strive for balance and beauty. This energy can make some people frustrated, because Libras don’t like to make quick decisions without knowing all the facts. Relationships will be highlighted at this time. They will either get stronger, or end, depending on how strong the connection really is.
On April 11th, Mercury moves into Aries, which is great for speaking your mind, but do not get too extreme or cutting with your words, because it will create more problems down the road. Aries is a fire energy and needs to be contained to a certain degree, so it doesn’t explode.
Herbs And Your Spiritual Well-Being
When our physical body is weakened or sick, we take remedies to heal it. We reach for a tincture, supplement or medication that we trust will help us. But, in the same way we care for our physical body, we also need to take care of our energy body and aura.
Yes, the light body or auric field also needs loving care, in the same way our body does. As a certified herbalist I find this is often overlooked in the field of health and medicine.
Many people only think of herbs as something you use in cooking to season food. Years ago, when I discovered that herbs were also a great way to treat the body for illness, I wasn’t expecting to find out all the other benefits herbs can offer us.
During my herbal studies coursework, I discovered that herbs not only help us heal physically, but can also work to bring our spiritual body back into alignment. The herbs work with us on many levels to promote harmony and wellness.
For example, when we drink Lavender tea for stress or anxiety. Try it yourself. Breathe in Lavender essential oil and notice how your thoughts instantly calm and the muscles in your body relax.
But Lavender not only promotes a sense of peace and calm, it also affects our spirit and changes our energy vibration. In addition to the effect it has on our nervous system, Lavender works with us on a spiritual level, to purify our soul and to clear out negative energy clogging our higher chakras.
The Alcohol Demon
The physical damage caused by alcohol abuse is common knowledge. The long-term effects of alcohol consumption on the liver, pancreas, kidneys, heart, esophagus, and the lining of the stomach can be devastating. And those of us who have shared our lives with alcoholics, know of the damage it can do to relationships, children, families and careers.
But how often do we consider the spiritual implications of alcohol abuse? What really happens to the soul or spirit when we consume alcohol?
Some alcohol-related statistics are quite alarming. For example, it is said that some 700,000 people are in treatment for alcohol abuse every day. And did you know that about 40% of all auto accidents are alcohol-related? It is also estimated that 18 million Americans deal with alcohol-related health problems, and there are an estimated 10 million alcoholics just in this country.
Doing some research, I found an article in the The Costa Rica News titled, The Spiritual Consequences of Alcohol Consumption. The article explains that the English word alcohol originates from the Arabic al-kuhl, which means “body eating spirit.” It is also the origin for the English word ghoul. According to Middle Eastern folklore, a ghoul is an evil demon believed to eat human bodies.
In his book, The Mystery of the Golden Flower, the Gnostic author, Samael Aun Weor writes that alcohol “is in fact a demon or a malefic spirit when it possesses a human being; it is clear and easily demonstrable in its effects from drunkenness, to delirium tremors and madness with forms of paralysis and other hereditary defects passed down through descendants.”
Our Loved Ones In The Realm Next Door
Someone very close to me recently had an unusual near-death experience. It was a profound event she says she will never forget, and it reminded me of the fact that our loved ones are always around us, whether we believe it, or not.
My dear friend had to go into the hospital for an iron infusion. She was severely deficient and the iron supplements she had been taking, weren’t doing the trick. Not looking forward to the procedure, and having been told that she could have an adverse reaction to the infusion, she was not at all excited to go to the emergency room.
Soon after they started the infusion, she passed out! But this was more than just her fainting. While she was in this altered state of consciousness, she had repeated encounters with both her deceased parents. She felt their warm embrace comforting her and telling her all was going to be okay, and not to worry.
“We are both with you, we love you and we are here protecting you,” they told her. “It is not your time, you still have things you have to do and people around you who love you, and care a lot about you, and need you.”
The experience was quite traumatic for my friend. She came to twice, and then passed out again. Three times in total. Being that she is over 70, and considered very weak for her age, the medical staff were concerned for her safety. Thankfully, all went well in the end. Today she feels much stronger and has more energy, as her blood was build back up thanks to the iron infusion. But she says she doesn’t think she will be getting such an infusion again anytime soon!