intention
Change Your Life With Mantras And Affirmations
We live in difficult and uncertain times, and happiness often seems elusive. It is possible, however, through training your mind, to ‘flip a switch’ to activate feelings of joy and happiness with just a few words. This is known as affirmations and mantras.
The two concepts are somewhat similar or related. Mantras are short words or phrases used in meditation in order to create focus, peace and calm, as in the practice of Zen. Affirmations are positive statements of intention that are repeated frequently to create new neural pathways, thought patterns and energy frequencies.
It’s easy to incorporate these two techniques into your daily spiritual practice.
Mantras
If you already meditate, you may choose a traditional mantra, such as Ananda (the Sanskrit word for bliss) or Ohm (the primordial, sacred sound of all creation). You could also choose another mantra that has special meaning for you, or even create your own.
As you engage in meditation, pay special attention to your breath as you focus on you mantra, either spoken aloud, or silently in your mind. Let all negativity go as you exhale. Repeat this process for 10 to 20 minutes each day, preferably in the same place, without any outside distractions. This way your mind begins to associate your mantra with feelings of calm and serenity.
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.
The Spiritual Significance Of A Global Pandemic
Remember that defining moment recently, when the novel coronavirus finally made its way into your everyday reality? Your spiritual well-being and metaphysical beliefs were probably the last things on your mind. In fact, the spiritual meaning of this pandemic will not be a major consideration for most at this time. But in the dark, difficult days that still lie ahead, the Covid-19 pandemic will increasingly reveal its profound spiritual truths. And in its devastating aftermath, we will have no choice but to acknowledge and embrace its spiritual significance in our post-pandemic reality.
When Covid-19 was officially declared a global pandemic, and made its unwelcome way into international news headlines, many people reverted to the ‘first law of nature.’ They responded instinctively with their best personal strategies for self-preservation.
Some hysterically stockpiled a lifetime supply of hand sanitizer and toilet paper, while others stubbornly gathered en masse at street festivals, religious gatherings, and even at their nearest beach, despite medical experts and authorities advising against it. Many simply carried on with life ‘as normal’, until they could no longer ignore the writing on the wall.
Meanwhile, the least anchored among us, tried to alleviate their overwhelming anxiety and confusion by seeking certainty in fake news, superstition, and the outlandish fearmongering of conspiracy theorists. Some went into hardcore survival mode, compelled by their lack consciousness and a scarcity mentality, while other still continue to choose the path of least resistance: denial. And in-between these polar opposite responses, the best, and worst examples of human behavior continue to surface all over the world.
Tomorrow Will Worry About Itself
Scrolling through my Facebook feed today, I noticed a link to an article titled, “Hell Is Coming.” It featured a graph for the stock market plummeting deeply into the red. Obviously, I did not read the article – the picture and title said enough!
I am sure you have also been noticing an increase in negative messages on social media platforms and in the mainstream news. As a spiritually aware person, I don’t see any intrinsic value in this kind of negative speculation.
Yes, we all must deal with the circumstances that we are currently facing in our world, and it is important to effectively process our feelings along the way. However, when it comes to speculation, there is no difference between a positive speculation and a negative speculation. They are both fantasies conjured in the minds of others, spreading through our adoption of it.
According to some self-proclaimed ‘experts’ the sky is currently falling! Fortunately, I have never taken much stock in conspiracy theories and doomsday soothsayers.
It is true that we are going through a time of unprecedented change, and we are facing challenges that we have never faced before. But, that dramatic article could have easily read, “A Cure For Covid-19 Is Coming” or “This Is A Great Time To Invest In Affordable Stocks.” Why is it that we don’t see many opinions about best-case-scenarios out there?
Make Your Spring Cleaning A Spiritual Cleansing
Although I rent my home, I set aside time each year to spring clean and spiritually cleanse my living space. You may wonder why I invest this time, when I am probably going to pack it all up and relocate soon? Well, I believe the way you treat yourself in your current home will actually help to manifest the joy and happiness in your next home.
Now, spring cleaning conjures up the traditional vision of shaking out rugs, deep cleaning the entire home, and opening all the windows to let the fresh air inside. But, taking the time for a spiritual cleansing, alongside your annual spring cleaning, can let in so much more!
The positive energy from creating a deeper connection to the space around you is actually an investment in not only in your living space, but in yourself. A happy home is a connection to joy and inspiration, and attracts into your life more of what you desire. Putting on hold any and all spiritual connection with your current living arrangement, can actually put on hold your chance to connect with the life you really want.
Clear The Clutter
A highly impactful energy change already begins with clearing out the clutter from your home. Clutter not only blocks your mind and body, but it also blocks energy flow and quite often leaves those living in clutter feeling eternally ‘stuck.’ People who live in cluttered homes often become stuck all areas of their life: emotional, physical, financial and spiritual. Even if you do a little bit at a time, clearing out clutter is the one of the quickest and most positive practical and spiritual changes you can make in your home.
Easy Ways To Manifest What You Need
The belief some people have that manifesting is difficult and complex, or requiring much effort and resources, may stop them from taking action with something they truly need in their life. If you urgently need something special, or just a bit of good luck in your life, there are a few things you can do right now to make that happen.
Visualization
The first method is visualization, which is simple enough. Just relax, close your eyes and imagine how you want a particular situation to go. For instance, you can imagine having a positive conversation with your boss that ends with him realizing you really deserve that vacation right now, or that raise, or even that promotion. Okay, maybe you deserve all of that, but let´s start with just one of those outcomes for now!
The important thing with visualization is to feel as if you already received what you desire – to feel how your body and mind accepts the new reality. If it seems too difficult to accept, this might be part of the reason why you do not have it yet. Therefore, it is important to start practicing deliberate manifesting with those things that you honestly want, and feel are not too difficult for you to accept.
Finish your visualization with a positive statement of intent, such as, “May it be so, or something better for all.” Then open your eyes. This could be done in just a couple of minutes, with some practice.
How To Attract Abundance And Prosperity
In today’s economic climate many hard-working people are constantly worrying about making ends meet. Sadly, this can lead to a sense of desperation, and when we are in such a place it becomes even more challenging to attract prosperity and abundance. Indeed, financial distress can result in a spiraling negative mindset, which in turn creates further negative energy, resistance and blockages.
Fortunately, there are certain things we can do, on both a practical and spiritual level, to alleviate financial stress. In turn, this raises our energy vibration to a more positive frequency, where we can begin to attract a much healthier bank balance!
Get Practical
The first step is to get practical. We live in a practical world and therefore we need to take a pragmatic approach when and where necessary. Spirit can only begin to assist and support us once we take some action and accept personal responsibility.
Unless you are in a practical, active mindset, any spiritual or metaphysical attempts at working with the Law of Attraction to change your financial situation would be a complete waste of time. Hence the practical advice first!
Ask yourself, for example, whether you can save any money by reconsidering your monthly expenses and revising your spending habits. look at ways and means of cutting any unnecessary excess expenditures. Consider selling items that you no longer need, to generate some immediate funds.