mental clarity
The Joy And Wisdom Of The Hummingbird
Mother Nature is a wonderful place to retreat to when we are seeking clarity, inner peace and a return to balance. This is especially true when we have the opportunity to watch animals in the wild.
Each animal, bird, insect and living creature affords us a special magic or spiritual wisdom, which it carries to remind us of a part of our own spiritual being.
Birds in particular carry wisdom from a higher perspective. One such bird is the mystical hummingbird. The energy of the hummingbird first emerged in my artwork in 2016, when he appeared in a painting I titled Grace.
When the hummingbird first appeared in my artwork, he came as a sign or symbol of hope and joy. He appeared on the path of the angel in this artwork, and he has since appeared in numerous of my sketches and paintings.
Hummingbird may be tiny, but he is mighty in so many ways. His medicine or spiritual symbolism reminds us of our true spiritual nature and our ability to experience personal transformation, by transcending our burdens and finding freedom in expressing who we are as individuals.
Just as the hummingbird suspends himself in flight, to reach for the nectar of the flower, when we hold true to our own values, our experiences are in alignment with the desires of our own hearts. We are then open to experience the sweet nectar of life. The nectar of life is contentment, inner peace, being valued, and the ability to find fulfillment. It is the feeling of joy!
Embracing The Shadow Within
When I first began to intentionally and consciously walk a spiritual path, I remember doing so because it just felt so right. Every step I took toward ‘enlightenment’ in this lifetime seemed to bring more brightness into my life, and so many more blessings.
In those early days I was really rolling! I was expecting this to be an easy ride – all joy and light and love. It was wonderful.
What I hadn’t expected was the inevitable emergence of my shadow through as a result of all my spiritual work. And it was not something I was going to be comfortable with – admitting I had places of darkness within me, unloved aspects of myself, disowned pieces of my soul which had been abandoned and in such pain.
Through a series of, what seemed like, unfortunate events, I was given opportunities to face my shadow side. Challenges in relationships with friends and loved ones arose. I couldn’t understand it at first, and felt very alone and misunderstood. I was shifting the blame for this onto the people around me, instead of going inward.
Going inward, into the light, was totally okay, but going inward into the darkness was terrifying. My ego-self raised every defense to keep me from going there. Eventually, I could avoid it no longer.
My life at this point had endured tremendous change in the course of only a few years- so much so, that the entire landscape of my existence and the people in it were now different. While many of the changes were positive, the magnitude of the differences between my ‘old life’ and my ‘new life’ forced me into robust self-reflection.
They Can’t Gaslight You If You Trust Your Gut!
Gaslighting can be a very destructive aspect of a toxic relationship. It basically refers to any form of “reality twisting” or “crazy-making” that is designed to confuse or manipulate the victim.
Gaslighting is used to gain power and control in the relationship by making the victim question their reality. The phenomenon is typically found in romantic relationships, but it can occur in all kinds of social relationships, including friendships, at work, and with neighbors.
Sometimes it’s done in an obvious way, right under the victim’s nose, but more often it’s done under the radar, and you don’t always know who’s gaslighting you, or even that you’re being gaslighted.
“Gaslighting” is a psychological term derived from the 1938 stage play Gas Light and its 1940 and 1944 film adaptations. The movie is about a husband’s attempts to systematically drive his wife crazy by repeatedly dimming the gas lights in their home, only to deny that it ever happened when the wife asks him if he also noticed it. Over time, he manipulates his wife to the point where she believes she is imagining things and loses her mind.
Gaslighting is a common manipulation technique used by dictators, con artists, abusers, sociopaths, narcissists, and cult leaders. It’s done in such a way that the victim rarely realizes how much they’ve actually been brainwashed.
At first, the victim may have the idea that they’re not imagining things, but that someone else is doing this to them. They may even have an intuition about who that person is. However, the goal of gaslighting is to get victims to doubt these rational thoughts and replace them completely with the belief that there is something wrong with them, either mentally, spiritually, emotionally, or physically. The worst part, in my opinion, is that it makes you doubt your own intuition.
Finding Peace and Joy In The ‘No-thingness’
Like Neo in the movie The Matrix (1999) our minds occasionally slip into luminous moments of complete stillness and clarity — tiny mental pauses where all thinking stops just long enough for us to glimpse the truth of all existence.
In these fleeting spaces between our thoughts, it becomes clear that the comings and goings of life are just that… temporary ‘blips’ of experience that arise and pass through our awareness.
I have come to know these moments as realizations of ‘no-thingness.’
In these brief pauses, something quietly opens up within us. We notice the obvious — what has always been there — hidden behind the busy waking mind and its constant commentary. Our awareness shifts from being consumed by temporary events to seeing what’s always there: the background, the container, the eternal.
These silent mental breaks reveal something much deeper and greater than our own existence and awareness.
There’s a word for this in ancient Sanskrit: svabhāva. It means one’s true nature — the essence of who we are beneath the roles, stories, and conditioning. The term is used in many yogic and Vedantic texts to describe the innate reality or unconditioned self beyond our human ego and thoughts.
Our true authentic self is not something we become. It’s something we remember. When we glimpse the silence between thoughts, we’re not discovering something new — we’re reconnecting with our original divine self. Not the self that reacts and worries, but the self that simply is. Svabhāva is the part of us that doesn’t come and go. It’s the constant presence behind every changing moment. It is the essence of living a truly conscious life.
Balance Your Mind With Crystal Energy
The human brain is a dual force, with the left and right hemispheres complementing each other to create a balanced mind.
Each side of the brain brings its own gifts to the whole, working together to shape our unique perceptions and experiences.
The left brain is known for its logical, structured, and analytical approach to processing information, excelling in tasks like reasoning, mathematics, and language.
In contrast, the right brain is more intuitive, imaginative, and emotionally expressive, fueling creativity, visual thinking, and spiritual insight.
This division of cognitive function influences how we think, solve problems, and interact with the world, both internally and externally.
In the realm of energy work and healing, various crystals and stones support and enhance the natural strengths of each brain hemisphere, promoting overall mental and emotional harmony and balance.
Whether you are seeking increased focus for problem solving or a boost in artistic expression, the right combination of crystals can support a harmonious mind that fosters both intellectual and creative growth.
By setting clear intentions and using the appropriate crystals and stones regularly, you can harness their energies to align both hemispheres of the brain and promote an integrated approach to life.
In this sacred balance, the mind and soul find unity, creating a deeper sense of wholeness and fulfillment—a fusion of logic and intuition, structure and flow, thought and feeling.
Tarot Forecast March 2025: Ace Of Swords
This month the Ace of Swords heralds a time of clarity, breakthroughs, and decisive action.
Representing the power of the mind, truth, and the ability to cut through confusion, the Ace of Swords signals a month filled with sharp insights, important conversations, and fresh perspectives.
Expect newfound mental strength, intellectual growth, and the courage to face reality — bringing clarity to various areas of life in the coming weeks.
Visually, the Ace of Swords presents a striking image. At its center, an upright sword with a gleaming blade symbolizes intellect, reason, and the ability to pierce through uncertainty. A golden crown encircles the blade, adorned with a vine or wreath, signifying success, authority, and the rewards that come from truth and justice.
The sword emerges from a cloud, representing divine inspiration or sudden insight that dispels confusion. Surrounding it, small flame-like orbs known as yods embody divine energy, enlightenment, and guidance from a higher power.
In the background, jagged mountains reflect the challenges one may face — reminding us that while clarity is powerful, the journey to truth is often met with challenges and obstacles.
The Ace of Swords signals a fresh start in thought, ideas, and perception, urging us to embrace truth, reason, and the transformative power of the mind. In the coming weeks, embrace truth in all areas of life — honesty will set you free. Use both logic and intuition, allowing your mind to guide you while staying connected to your heart. Cut through distractions and focus on what truly matters, eliminating unnecessary mental clutter.
Overcoming Your Self-Limiting Beliefs
You’ve probably heard this before. I talk about it all the time. But this concept has had such an impact on my life that I just have to keep sharing it!
You are not your thoughts or your emotions. You are the soul or spirit that has the ability to observe and experience your thoughts and feelings.
When I came to this realization, I had been working for years on my tendency to be very critical of my inner dialogue. But it was only when I looked at it from a spiritual perspective that I realized how hard I had been on myself.
Our minds are constantly full of inner chatter that, left unattended, can become a toxic breeding ground for fear, self-judgment, and limiting belief patterns. Once I realized that as a spiritual being I was separate from my thoughts and feelings, I began to observe them more objectively.
As a natural consequence, I found myself asking some very compelling questions. What was I believing about these thoughts? What kind of emotions do these thoughts evoke? This kind of self-reflection opens up a conversation with your heart, your soul, your higher self.
Your mind is designed to keep you safe. Too often this means keeping you within your comfort zones and self-limiting beliefs. Your heart and soul, on the other hand, want you to grow and expand. The higher self wants you to learn, play, explore and experience as much as possible in this lifetime.