meditation
A Few Minutes Of Daily Self-Care
I often tell my students to take some ‘me time’ each day, even if it’s only five minutes for self-care. And I have heard 101 excuses as to why someone cannot do this, ranging from parenting responsibilities and career, to house cleaning and maintenance. These excuses typically start with the words, “I have to…”
At one workshop, I had several people offer their excuses for not having even a few minutes for themselves on a daily basis. Then I narrowed it down to a simple question. When you have to go to the washroom, do you hold it in all day long, and all night, because you ‘have to’ do something else? After the laughter stopped, because I did do an exaggerated imitation of someone ‘holding it’ by rolling on the floor in agony!
And then I asked the next question. By holding it all day and night, and writhing in pain and agony, what did I accomplish? How much time did I waste focusing on this issue of ‘I have to go,’ but ‘I don’t have time.’
This is the simplest way to explain time management versus wasted energy and time. I take a bath or shower each day, as do most people. I am usually at least a few minutes under the water in some way. Water is my peacemaker and my calming force. It energizes me and charges me for the day.
Your Sacred Center Of Self-Love
We all thrive on being loved. This is natural, of course, if you look back at humanity in history on an evolutionary level. Ancient people came together in tribes, families, and groups, to cultivate a place of safety, security, nurturance, and love. If you were different or stood out in any way, or even left the tribe, you were literally putting your own life at risk. This topic can be viewed from so many arenas, including psychological, spiritual, scientific, and psychic.
I often wonder how and when did we start defining ourselves by how others felt about us, and why did we believe that other’s thoughts about us were true? At what point in time did we allow others to define us? It’s as though we as humanity went into a deep trance.
We all know the phrase, “Love thyself first”. When did we forget this vital piece of information? There are many ways we can come back in touch with this essential truth, but for the most part, our society does not support a lifestyle that would naturally lead us back to our sacred center of self-love. How often do you take a moment to look in the mirror, or tell yourself, “I love you?” Most of us feel silly doing this, but it is very healing.
Spiritual Power And Spiritual Practice
We are spiritual beings having a physical experience. This is important to remember when considering the nature of spiritual things. The root word for spirit is ‘breath.’ This means that every person that is breathing is equally spiritual.
Too often people think that there is a hierarchical system within spirituality; that some people are ‘more spiritual’ than others. This is simply not true. There may be individuals that have a more intentional spiritual practice, with more understanding, knowledge, or wisdom. However, this does not make them ‘more spiritual.’
The nature and purpose of spiritual practice is also something that can be misunderstood. Whether it be prayer, meditation, invocations, or other sacraments, these practices are not just to get what we want. It can be a byproduct of authentic spiritual seeking and practice, but in nearly every tradition, true spiritual power is often summed up with three principles: Love, Joy, and Peace.
All spiritual practices are intended to lead us to tap into these three qualities. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, Love, Joy, and Peace are the first of many “fruits of the spirit.” Authentic spiritual practice is meant to lead us to the experience of these three things.
Finding Justice With Archangel Raguel
Often referred to as the Angel of Justice, the name Raguel actually means ‘Friend of God.’ However, Archangel Raguel is considered to be the overseer of not only justice, but also of fairness, harmony and redemption. It is his job to see that God’s will is done on both Earth and in Heaven. Furthermore, he wants you to have the best earthly experience possible. Here’s how to recognize when he is around.
Order In Chaos
Do you feel that your life is a little chaotic at the moment or not ‘in flow?’ Should this be the case, then you may well find that new ideas of how to turn chaos into calm, and thus bring a sense of order into your life, may pop into your head courtesy of Archangel Raguel himself.
Raguel is the leader of a band of angels otherwise known as The Principalities. This group of heavenly beings are known to assist others in the creation of order in their lives. They often do so by recommending spiritual practices, such as meditation, prayer, reading religious texts, connecting with nature on a daily basis, helping those in need, and attending places of worship – all of which would help them grow closer to God. Furthermore, when necessary, they may offer this type of advice to you.
Restore Your Love With A Recommitment Ritual
Performing a recommitment ritual can encourage a relationship to continue to grow and prosper. It can be performed as a couple or alone, in order to heal the relationship, restore love and bring the partnership back into balance.
To perform my version of such a ritual you will need:
3 glass bowls (4 inches or more in diameter)
Purified or filtered spring water
1 red rose (real or silk)
2 red candles
2 clear quartz and 2 rose quartz crystals
Rose or carnation incense
Cinnamon, allspice, thyme
2 sheets of paper and 2 pens
1 bell
Preparation
Holding the two sheets of paper together, cut them in half lengthwise, then again, and then a third time, to form a total of 16 squares. Divide the squares into two piles of eight.
Opal – The Powerful Seeing Jewel
Opal is known as the ‘seeing jewel.’ Its name originates from the Latin word opalus. I was told this by the owner of a beautiful crystal store in South Africa. Most Opal he said can be as much as 65 million years old! The stone contains a high percentage of water, which creates a play of color through light, and a sparkly phenomena.
Opal’s energy represents both the higher emotional body and higher mental body. This jewel adds light to the aura and helps to bring buried emotions to the surface. When I bought my first Opal from an interesting lady at a psychic fayre, she told me that the name originates from the Sanskrit writings and means ‘precious stone.’ It is amongst the most popular of stones sold throughout the ages.
The lady in question was from the Far East and said that in her culture Opal is a holy stone that holds the spirit of truth within. She added that the Greeks believed it provided protection from illness and the power of prophesy. She told me that Opal carries the energy of the Moon and water, and that it would enhance my psychic awareness. She also warned of its use in any rituals, because of its powerful energy.
How To Have A More Peaceful, Contented Life
Wouldn’t it be nice if life was always easy and we didn’t have to deal with any stress and arguments between loved ones. Imagine a world where everyone got along really well, where everybody was happy and content, and there was no struggle, so that the short while we all were on this planet could just be enjoyable!
I decided to ask my spirit guide what we could all be more aware of in order to have greater peace, contentment and joy in our lives. The response somewhat surprised me.
“Sleep,” said Spirit. Adequate sleep is one vital thing most humans on this planet are no longer getting enough of. If everyone had proper sleep habits, everybody would get along much better. I then asked how could we get better sleep, as most people work, have families to take care of, and many other responsibilities. And spirit said it has to be a conscious choice and a habitual routine. To improve our sleep our priorities have to change.