life design
The Transformative Power Of Silent Meditation
Spirituality is perceived in the East with many similarities to what is believed in the West, but with an entirely different way of talking about it. For example, in terms of Easter philosophy a person’s individual identity is not their ego.
Identity is the journey of self-discovery that consists of affirming one’s individuality and being able to express everything that we are. This can be achieved through meditation, prayer, or various other spiritual and recreational practices that clear the mind through engaging in an activity that soothes us and brings us into silent contemplation.
Silence does not detach us from our soul essence. On the contrary, it allows us to be fully present and completely ourselves, without the limitation of words and actions. It is not aimed at denying our true spiritual nature. On the contrary, it is a time of authentic self-awareness and beingness.
Different Buddhist traditions refer to the natural state of mind as a state of enlightenment. In the Sanskrit and Tibetan traditions, we also find terms that speak of a clear, open mind. In Tibetan philosophy, enlightenment or awakened energy is called byang-chubs – literally purity and wholeness.
Being calm, at ease, and silent constitutes a state of mind that would happen naturally unless something is bothering us. These internal obstacles cannot be blamed on others or our external reality. Life is always complex and rarely calm.
In fact, these obstructions are seen as being nothing but habits, the result of karma, that obstruct the free and unconditional luminosity of the mind, like clouds that cover the sun on a summer day. Karma does not mean punishment. It is the result of previous actions. They are the result of what we do and what happens to us.
Setting Intentions Successfully
I have discovered at different times in my life how powerful intention, when guided from the heart, can be. Again, more recently, I experienced this when it was important for me to manifest some prosperity for my family and get my own health issues back on track.
I was specific in setting my intention regarding the amount of money I needed to manifest in order to meet my family’s needs. I also set the intention to attract to me the information which would help me heal and return my sense of well-being.
Intention is a motivational force of energy and it’s a force to be reckoned with when our intention is for the highest good of all individuals involved. When we set our intention, we are focusing on positive visualizations and affirmations to help steer our lives in a desired direction.
I see intention as a process of becoming, a desire, or a longing to achieve a specific result. When you wish to help bring about better circumstances for others, and your intention of wanting the best things to happen for them, it works like mass prayer.
Every morning, before I begin work with clients, I stand in one corner of my work room and set the intention for the day by asking my spirit helpers to assist me in helping others on their pathway through life, and to help me to help customers find clarity and direction with their pressing concerns. Doing readings and healing with good intention works wonders, because one has the best interest of the client at heart, as opposed to working purely to make money.
Actually writing down your goals make them feel more real. In other words, ‘if you see it, you will believe it’. It is more than likely your goals will change in time, and as you surpass them you will be making new and higher goals. There are plenty of negative people (often relatives), who say this is not the time to dream, including the media who say it’s time to be realistic. Granted, we have to be sensible and make reasonable arrangements to meet our worldly commitments, but the greatest challenge is our ‘attitude’ about reality.
Moon Transits In Your Daily Spiritual Practice
There are many additional ways to apply Astrology in a spiritual lifestyle beyond the customary horoscopes and birth charts. For example, following the lunar transits is one of my favorite methods for working on my personal growth and spiritual development.
The Moon is the fastest transiting planet of the Zodiac, as it moves into a different sign every two and a half days. The Moon’s monthly journey through the constellations, enables us to reflect on the qualities and pertinence in our charts of each of the twelve zodiac signs.
How does one use the energies of lunar transits as a guide for personal and spiritual growth? In my work as a professional astrologer and psychic reader, I have found the following aspects useful:
Natal Chart
Do you have a strong natal Moon? How is it aspected? Have you struggled with any emotional issues in your lifetime? A Natal Moon with a lot of squares and oppositions can predict issues such as emotional lability and impulse control. Gaining insight into one’s struggles through astrological interpretation can help a person find spiritual healing.
Also, consider the transiting Moon’s current aspects with your natal chart. Is the Moon, for example, in a conjunction with your natal Mars? This aspect may create an emotional need to connect with your inner warrior on that particular day. Or perhaps the Moon is transiting your midheaven sign today, which is the highest point at the top of your chart that says, “I’m here!” to the world.
Karma, Dharma Or Lesson?
Karma is defined as the sum of our actions which will determine our fate or destiny. I choose to see karma as a reprimand from the Universe. We can see how people who are uncaring or cruel in their words or actions will suffer a fate similar to the those they have been unfeeling towards.
A good example of this is Scrooge. Mr. Scrooge was a slave driver, never had a good word for anyone, saw the worst in every situation whether it benefited him or not. The ghosts who came to visit him in the night showed him what his fate would be because of his thoughts and actions.
Dharma is defined as the principles that regulate the cosmic order or purifying the souls of human beings. I choose to see dharma as the other side of karma. That’s not to say that karma is negative, but that dharma is more positive, and the more we strive for the positive, the more we live in the light, the more we align with the Universe, the more dharma we incur. The easiest way to incur dharma is to live your life in a “’ it forward’ sort of way. Do for others just for the sake of doing, not for whatever you think will come to you because of your good works.
Then we have lessons. I believe that when we choose to be born, we contract with deity, spirit guides and certain people to learn certain lessons while we are here in this life. A lot of times, the relationship is karmic in nature, a situation in a past life that you need to do over, and most of the people involved now were involved then.
I’ve discovered in my years of reading people that we learn the best about ourselves, our limits, our feelings, our capacity to love, while in relationships with others. Whether sibling, child, parent, co-worker or mate, the lesson learned in the relationship will shape the way we deal with others for the rest of this life, and possibly into the next life.
Dating A Married Man
The subject of dating married men and being ‘the other women’ is something that for obvious reasons is seldom talked about. But I feel it might be healthy and necessary to discuss this more openly, as it is a much more complex issue than is often realized.
For example, many women who become involved with married men do not always know initially that he is married. In my experience, helping many female clients over the years in this predicament, many woman get into it by default after being misled by the man, only to find out later that he is married and has no plan of ever leaving his wife.
I could write a book on all the reasons why married men do not leave their wives. But instead, I think it is more important to focus on why so many women continue these affairs, once they find out he is married.
Now, you would think the empowered, modern woman of today would not put up with such a situation, but they do. I find these women are often so much in love and hopeful for what might be someday, that they convince themselves their situation is unique or different, and that he is unique or different. The truth is usually quite the opposite.
How to break free from this dead-end situationship? It can be challenging for sure, but certainly possible. I believe the key is self-love and self-worth. It requires the courage to step forward and say, “I deserve more.’
If you are caught up in a relationship with a married man, know that is seldom ends well for any of the parties involved. The chances that the outcome of your situation will be the exception to the rule is most unlikely. Stay true to your highest good and make the necessary changes for your future happiness.
Life Is In The Eyes Of The Beholder
What is the lens through which you view the world? When I close my eyes I see waterfalls, flowing streams, and flowers. This is the scenery surrounding me with my eyes open too. It tells me a story of life, of inner perception, and beauty.
The experience of life is what we make it, not because we are independently powerful controllers or causes of physical outcomes, but because we are eternally sentient beings with the gift of free will.
The spirit soul is a spark of consciousness, and we can express that consciousness through a variety of qualities. It is that inner flavor of our quality that then colors our experience and lens.
So, for example, when I see the water in the stream rolling around rocks and carving a curvy path through the land in front of me, I am reminded of a world that is gentle with feminine energy. She flows and nourishes and moves with consistent but soft determination.
I know that elsewhere there is also hard, jagged terrain and a state of mind that matches it. I can choose to match my mind to the beauty, diversity, and gentleness of spirit, or to the rigid harshness of a cold, hard, inert world of matter and might.
This choice presents itself at every step. Two people may suffer a similar loss in their lives, but process it completely differently. One might see it as an opportunity to grow and become more resilient, while the other might choose to feel angry and unfortunate. It depends on the lens through which we choose to view the world and our interactions with it.
Our circumstances also do not have to change for consciousness to change. When we change our inner consciousness and the lens through which we choose to view life, we change the experience.
The Many Deaths And Rebirths In Your Lifetime
You have already died many deaths. Many versions of you will ‘die’ in this lifetime. And, many versions of you will be reborn.
Of course, you have also passed through the veil between this life and the next for many past lives. But in this case, I am referring to ‘deaths’ we suffer in this lifetime.
We can identify these dramatic changes, transitions, shifts, or ‘deaths’ in our astrological chart. Your Saturn Return, for example, occurs around the time of our 30th birthday. Our Saturn Return forces us to take an honest look at everything we may have been avoiding until now. It forces us to make much needed changes and improvements. It is the ending of our youth and the birth of our new adult self.
We do not remain the same person throughout our lifetime. Our goals, ideas, and life lessons all serve their purpose until they are phased out to let in new information, new ideas, and new opportunities for growth. If we do this right, life keeps changing us. We continue to grow and expand.
For this purpose, it is wise to interact with people who have different beliefs, practice other religions, and have other political affiliations compared to our own. And more importantly, to really listen to them. We must allow all the information in and trust our intuition to let our beliefs and understanding of life continuously evolve.
Our life experiences constantly challenge and change our ideas, goals, and views. We are constantly shedding our old skin. Just as our body changes every day we are alive, so does our soul. We take in every experience, whether we know it or not. It’s like adding ingredients to a recipe.
Embrace these deaths and births along your life path. They are needed for your soul growth and spiritual expansion. I’ve witnessed over the years some people really fighting change and resisting growth…and it always makes them miserable. Fluidity and acceptance are spiritually essential. Simplicity will bring you inner peace.
