patterns
Living With A Sense Of Childlike Wonder
We can be quick to settle into ruts. The day-to-day routines of school, work and family often become repetitive and, dare I say… monotonous at times.
During these mundane periods of discontent, people often focus on themselves, and their lack.
They will complain about being overworked and underpaid. Whether professionally or personally, they often feel under-appreciated and under-acknowledged. Stress and resentment can start to build.
In order to alleviate stress, you already know that there are many options from which to choose. Whether people get into a daily habit of deep breathing, visualization, meditation or various forms of exercise, the body becomes transformed and stress is dissipated for the time being.
Rather than just staving off bubbling-under-the-surface irritation and potential health issues, we recommend taking things a step further.
Most people have heard the phrase, “Stop and smell the flowers!” Well, whether you prefer to cultivate the soil or be an observer, it is vitally important to redevelop a new sense of wonder in the garden of your life.
Make a little time for a detour now and then. Take note of your surroundings. Investigate, photograph, research some of the little things you take for granted in life.
Stop and take notice of everyday things in nature that you have been passing by for years. Even in the concrete jungles of cities, nature abounds if you slow down and take the time to look.
Begin Every Day With An Attitude of Gratitude
I find that people who don’t appreciate what they have, often have their gifts and blessings challenged, or even lose it. And obsessing about what we don’t have can lead to depression and anxiety. It certainly does not help you to attract more into your life.
So, consider shifting from thinking about what you don’t have, and what you want and goals, and instead try an ‘attitude of gratitude.’ This is a dramatic shift.
Changing from thinking about what we don’t have to instead feeling grateful for what we do have, what we have been given, and what we have already achieved, changes what we attract.
This shift in thinking does not mean you can’t have goals, it just means you don’t feel an emptiness associated with those goals.
Nothing is missing. There is just more to be gained. You already have the sundae… it doesn’t need that cherry on top. A cherry would just be a nice bonus!
I’ve seen people become so obsessed with a timeline for getting married, for example, that they soon did get married… but to the wrong person!
The universe knows your true destiny. It knows what you need and when. Try to be patient and trust the flow.
Putting 90% of your focus on feeling grateful for what you do have and 10% on what you would still like to obtain, will completely change your outlook on life, as well as your physical and emotional health.
The Healing Power Of Movement
In my earliest years of life, I was severely shy, fearful of anyone I didn’t know, and acutely anxious of being separated from my mother. Any time we were out, or in the presence of others, I clung to her tightly and hid in silence behind her.
My mom soon received many recommendations to enroll me in dance lessons, to help me come out of my shell. She did, and I emerged. That was my first experience of the healing power of movement.
It continued into my ‘terribly turbulent’ teens, during which ballet became my only safe haven and sanctuary.
In the ballet studio I could pour out every feeling. From the barre to the stage, every move was an opportunity to express what I needed to release, and to find the solace I needed.
A decade later, I found myself bedridden with chronic fatigue. Yet, visions of ballet spontaneously continued to dance across the screen of my mind’s eye – almost every moment of every day. I could feel the movement in my body, even though my body was unable to move.
I know now it was a premonition of a life-changing return to dance, that ultimately remedied my illness and opened the way to reveal my gift of intuitive healing dance.
The power of movement is a beautiful thing. It can literally shift, shape, and reform energy. Energy itself comes in many forms and functions. Emotion, if you think about it, is energy in motion: e-motion. Everything, including you and I, are an emanation of energy from the Absolute Truth and Personality of Godhead.
I Am Responsible For Me
We all make mistakes. Each one of us has looked back on our life path and thought, if only I could go back and change it.
I wish I would have bought that house while it was still available at a lower price, because I would be on easy street by now.
Or if I could go back and take that amazing job, which I did not realize was so wonderful at the time, due to my youth and inexperience, I could have retired with a huge pension and many benefits by now.
One of the biggest regret that comes up quite often, is wishing to go back and tell relatives and friends that we love them… before they passed away so unexpectedly. I have so much to say to them right now, I wish I would have said it then.
My favorite saying, and yes, I am guilty of this myself: if I could go back to my teens with the knowledge I now have as an adult, I would change the course of my life and do things differently.
Yes, it would be nice if such a magic wand or time machine was available to us, so we could travel back and start over. However, truth be told, in our youth, we probably would have done the same things again.
The knowledge I have now, is because of the life lessons and mistakes that I have made. My errors and poor decisions created who I am today!
Am I perfect? Heck, no. Do I still mess up? Oh, yes. However, do I carry the things I messed up in my backpack of hardships, or do it let them fall to the ground and return to Mother Earth, and not let them move forward with me?
Why Love Feels Different Around Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is a romantic time of flowers and gifts, candlelit dinners, and declarations of love for many people.
But beyond the red hearts and love language gestures, many also feel a curious shift in their emotional state during this time. For many people love feels more intense, more revealing, or even more confusing this time of the year.
Why does this happen?
From a spiritual and astrological perspective, February carries unique energetic patterns that directly influence our emotional awareness and relationships. While Valentine’s Day shines a spotlight on romantic love, the entire month operates like a cosmic mirror, quietly revealing the truths beneath our connections.
It’s not just about Cupid’s arrow, it’s about clarity, emotional timing, and spiritual alignment.
Valentine’s Day did not begin as a holiday celebrating modern romance. Historically, February 14th was observed as a Christian feast day honoring Saint Valentine, who was associated with devotion and commitment in early traditions.
Over time, the day became associated with romantic love in medieval European culture. Writers helped solidify the notion of Valentine’s Day as a day for expressing affection and making heartfelt promises to a loved one.
Spirit Is Always With You
How do you connect with your inner guidance? You soul essence? Ponder this question for a moment. Then shut your eyes, breathe deeply three times… and ponder this question again.
Spirit is always present within you. It does not take a time out to go get a coffee, or have a nap. Spirit simply is a part of you that never dies.
When you close your eyes and simply breathe, you will feel lighter. That is spirit trying to be more prominent than the ego.
Spirit never causes stress, discomfort, unease or negativity. Spirit is pure 100% unconditional love, and every person has this inside of them.
However, as you move forward in life, ego will always try to override spirit, whether in decision-making or choices that are important (or simple).
Ego can create discomfort, doubt, fear and the wrong type of attitude to live a spirit-filled, love-filled life.
How do you change these patterns? At least once a day, simply sit, breathe slowly, eyes closed, hands on lap. No parts of your body should be crossed, i.e. legs, arms or hands.
Now feel the essence of your true spirit flowing in your body and around your soul. Feel the essence of goodness that comes to you from this energy. Spirit will never make you feel down or negative. It will always be uplifting or at least instill a sense of calm or peace inside of you…even if only for the moment.
Clutter Bust Your Home To Liberate Your Soul
Choosing what you allow and keep in your life gives you a sense of having control of your happiness and your future.
If you are hoarder, or living a cluttered existence with too many material possessions, know that it is limiting your spiritual growth and personal fulfillment.
The path to enlightenment is not paved with stuff… and more stuff. Maybe it’s time to rid yourself of those things that no longer serve a purpose in your life?
Clutter is rarely just a collection of objects; it is often seen as a physical manifestation of delayed decisions, stagnant energy, or an attachment to the past.
Many spiritual traditions believe that our outer environment is a reflection of our inner state. Buddhism teaches that self and environment are one; in Taoism energy flow affects internal peace; in Hermeticism the small (home) reflects the large (soul); and in Hinduism physical space is a living extension of the self.
In Japanese aesthetics and philosophy, the concept of Ma refers to the pure, essential beauty of empty space. By decluttering, one creates the literal and figurative room for new experiences and thoughts to emerge.
Central tomany wisdom teachings is the idea that suffering stems from attachment. By intentionally removing objects that no longer serve a purpose, we practice the spiritual discipline of “letting go,” acknowledging that our identity is independent of material possessions.