kindness
How To Practice The Art Of Gratitude
My life has not been without its challenges. Nevertheless, I love my job, have a beautiful son, an adorable husband and supportive friends and family. Therefore, irrespective of current world events, I genuinely have a lot to be grateful for!
Gratitude is beneficial for all of us, including physically, emotionally and spiritually. For one, appreciating the good things in our lives helps us to be more tolerant and forgiving, with a higher sense of life satisfaction. Grateful people also tend to have more hope and inner peace and feel less anxious and alone.
God, Spirit, the Universe loves gratitude! Those who are sincerely grateful are blessed with even more to be grateful for. Like attracts like.
How does one ensure that you practice the art of gratitude ever day? The following guidelines should help:
Seek Out The Positive
In my own personal research into positive psychology, I became aware of something referred to as negativity bias. In case you have not heard of this, it means that our negative thoughts tend to be more dominant than the positive ones.
An excellent way of counteracting this negative way of thinking is to seek out at least three things in your life every day that you are well and truly grateful for. Try to make this a daily habit. By doing so, it should have you smiling in next to no time!
I remember when I was about 26 years old and in a particularly challenging place in my life. I was advised by a psychic, whom I reached out to with my troubles, to watch the film or read the book, The Color Purple by Alice Walker. It is some of the best advice I have every received. Once I had read the last chapter, I felt so grateful for whatever I had in my life.
Astrology Forecast April 19 – 25, 2021
Today the Sun moves into Taurus, the sign that will inspire us to manifest our dreams over the next four weeks. Creative ideas will turn into tangible movement and we’ll have the power to reclaim our physical and financial balance.
Later today, Mercury will also join the Sun in Taurus, adding our logical and practical sides to this creative energy for the next couple of weeks. Problem-solving will become child’s play and accessing the information we need will be as easy as typing the issue into a search engine. Today’s Moon-Neptune Trine will further stimulate our creative impulses and imagination!
The Moon will travel through Leo on Tuesday and Wednesday, calling for us to make ourselves the priority. If we’ve been lacking in self-care, now is the time to regroup and put our own needs first. If you are highly sensitive, especially take heed the Leo Moon in opposition to Saturn in Aquarius on Wednesday, as it can trigger a low mood, or even sadness, loneliness or depression. If such feelings arise, reach out to someone you trust and remind yourself that you are never alone. There are kind people in this world who care.
Detailed work is best done on Thursday and Friday under the meticulous Virgo Moon. On Thursday Mars will move into the sign of Cancer, which tends to slow outer movement and direct us to work on our inner selves for the next two months.
Regrouping and restoring balance will be the theme this weekend as the Moon dances through Libra and illuminates where our focus needs to be; mainly on our relationships and personal surroundings.
We Can Co-Create A More Caring World
Each part of our body has many functions, many parts. Some we can see and some, of course, we cannot. Each has a very important function and serves a role that helps our body to work and operate well.
For our body to continue to run well, we have to take care of all the parts. We must ensure, for example, that we don’t drink too much alcohol, or eat too many processed foods, because if we do it could ruin our health. But healthy living goes beyond our physical lifestyle. If we think negative thoughts, or are emotionally bitter or cynical, then we also promote disease in the human body.
It also goes beyond our own life and body. Our planet is also a living, breathing body and all the smaller parts of our wonderful world must also run smoothly, in order for nations and countries to survive and grow, and for all to live in peace and harmony.
If we all do our job, and we are all on the same team with the same values, such as harmony, love and peace, we could have a gloriously peaceful, harmonious world. We are aware of things like corruption, greed and dysfunctional politics. These evil practices go on and make for ripples of constant negativity. Sometimes we see it in horrible ways, where lives are ruined and destroyed.
We all have different talents and gifts. If we all listened to the messages from our higher consciousness, and acted on them, we could co-create a meaningful change in the world. If we all did our part, and maybe weren’t so complacent, and really listened and heeded our true calling, we may be able to work together – just like our body uses all of its parts to function. We are all one in spirit and we are all connected. We must all contribute.
Astrology Forecast April 5 – 11, 2021
The Sun will be moving through creative Aries this week, inspiring our hearts and minds and giving us a glance into the possibilities for the future. We can also expect an easy-going and smooth-flowing week ahead, as the Moon touches base with many of the planets and tones down any conflict or worries.
An upbeat mood is sure to surround us as the Moon saunters through Aquarius the first three days of this week, emanating friendship, cooperation, and joy. But instead of engaging in frivolous social activities, today’s Lunar energy could be channeled into more meaningful social interaction with those In our circle who need it most. The cool thing to do today would be to reach out to someone you know who may be in need of some social support and friendship. Unconditional love is also a gift of this Moon, making it easy for us to embrace the differences, as well as the similarities of all who cross our paths.
The Pisces Moon on Thursday and Friday evokes our spiritual side, evoking a sense of being one with the Universe. Beware however the Pisces Moon Square Mars in Gemini on Friday. This planetary aspect could cause conflict, moodiness and even unexpected temper tantrums. Avoid getting into unnecessary arguments with your partner or spouse. To resolve differences or speak your mind, wait for the Aries Moon Sextile Mars in Gemini on Sunday, when there will be an air of greater openness and honesty to discuss unfinished business.
The rest of the weekend unfolds under an Aries Moon, culminating in a new Moon on Sunday. This is a great time to reconnect with loved ones, dive into something creative, or simply practice the art of being.
Energy Protection For Children
I just did a phone reading for client who said she was feeling as if “the life force has been sucked” from her, after she received an unexpected call from a former work associate.
In hindsight, she says, this individual had always had this effect on her when they used to work together in the corporate field many years ago. She didn’t actually put two and two together at the time, but now she realizes that it was him who used to constantly drain her energy at work. At the time, she simply put it down to work stress and exhaustion.
She was surprised to realize that, even over the phone, certain individuals have that ability to drain us! We then discussed how she could even better protect herself psychically and shield her energy field from this former colleague and other energy thieves she may encounter in life.
An interesting aspect of energy protection and psychic shielding that is seldom considered is how children are affected by the people they connect with in life. Children are exposed to various social settings and energy environments that could be toxic and negatively affect their energetic well-being.
The veterinarian I rely on for my pets told me last week that he finds his work overwhelming at times. He feels it is due to the human owners of the pets, rather than the animals themselves.
At times, he says, he finds some pet owners really exhausting, as they bring both their anxieties about their pets, plus their own personal concerns with them. I could sense what kind of clients he had been dealing with to make him feel this way and believe me it was not a pretty sight!
He then asked me about his own two sons who are growing up now and how he could advise them to shield themselves in the future from the energy drain of people, and even social media. This made me think of the increasing number of clients who have been asking me the same question. How can I protect my child from people their energy, should they find themselves in a toxic environment?
Reach Out And Touch Someone’s Life Today
It has been nearly a full year since many countries started going into their first lockdowns due to the global pandemic. Some people have endured much suffering and loss, especially due to the passing of loved ones.
Some have also become ultra-stressed working on the front lines in healthcare facilities, nursing homes and many other essential services. Many have lost income, jobs and businesses. Many are facing mental health challenges. Many schools have been shuttered and teaching became virtual. Parents have been struggling to multi-task between working at home and entertaining or educating their kids.
Regardless of where we find ourselves on this stress continuum, it is important to try to find some order in all the chaos. Although it might be hard to reconcile with the state of the world as it is today, it is still vitally important to carve out a little time for self-care and putting yourself first.
Just a few brief minutes of deep breathing, visualization, meditation, reading uplifting books, journaling, or a perhaps the luxury of a quick walk outside to clear the cobwebs can all work wonders! Whatever is feasible on any given day, it is important that you create a little oasis of calm for yourself. Reduce the pressure of the day by showing yourself some love and respect first.
If you are in doubt as to where to start, you can begin by just focusing on some gratitude and appreciation. Despite all the loss and heartache many of us have suffered in recent months, there is always something for which we can be grateful. Whether it is something grandiose and eventful or small and precious only to our hearts, give thanks for whatever comes to mind.
Love can be a wonderful motivator. We often do things for the people we love, rather than doing those same things for ourselves. It can feel wonderful to see the reaction of our little ones, spouses, elders, colleagues, or neighbors when we say or do something special to surprise them or acknowledge them. That is all it takes to show some love, compassion, appreciation and friendship.
Keeping My Promise To A Departed Loved One
Sometimes we become so busy and preoccupied in our daily lives that we forget the commitments we made to loved ones, relatives and friends. But this does not only apply to the living. Some of us also forget the promises we make to those that are no longer with us.
Too often we hold the hand of a loved one on their deathbed and promise to look after those they will be leaving behind. They wish for us to look after those they will no longer be able to care for and love in this life. And we promise wholeheartedly to do whatever it is they ask of us in their final moments.
But once they have departed and life returns to normal, we soon forget these promises and serious conversations. Our memories become conveniently selective. We usually don’t mean for this to happen, but life does have a way getting in the way.
I had a shocking reminder recently of my own selective memory in this regard. Several years ago, I got into the habit of journaling about issues in my life that deeply matter to me. Recently, I was not able to sleep and was encouraged by spirit to go through my journal.
So, I sat up at about four o’clock in the morning and randomly opened my journal on the very page where I had written about a promise that I had made to a loved about another person, whom I had a strong dispute with in the past. Being only human, I had some seriously negative feelings towards that individual.
However, I had promised to check in and be supportive to this person, whom I did not like very much at all, on behalf of the person who was in their final hours. At the time, I remember saying that I would “do my best” and that “if I could, I would.”
The promise was much more than just checking in on the relative. It went as far as the very items I was meant to get at the grocery store, as well as things to say to this person when I delivered it. I had however conveniently forgotten about it since, until I discovered the entry in my journal.