psychological challenges
Ask Spirit To Guide Your Every Step
As babies we learned to walk on our own. We may have had some guidance and support from our parents or caregivers, to protect us from falling, but in the end we mastered it on our own. And once we learned to walk, we could in time advance to running, skipping, jumping, and so on.
Similarly, we must learn to make major life decisions for ourselves. We may receive guidance and support along the way from others, including Spirit, but in the end, we must master our life choices on our own.
One of the major challenges we all face in life is how we choose to manage stress and hardship in our life. Stress is a given. Setbacks happen. Overcoming adversity is part and parcel of our journey in this lifetime. No one can live an entirely peaceful and easy life of serene bliss, without dealing with some drama and chaos from time to time.
But we choose different ways to cope with the daily challenges of life. Some people choose to lead a healthy, uplifting lifestyle, as well as practice spirituality, while others sadly opt for destructive ways to ‘cope,’ such as substance abuse, various forms of addiction, and self-sabotaging behaviors, which only serves to make their troubles worse.
When it comes to spirituality, everyone must choose their own path. It is usually what works best for you personally that is ultimately the best way to go. But some choose to not have any belief system. One thing I have learned in this life is that spirituality is essential.
You don’t have to go it alone. There is a great force, a powerful presence known as God, Source, Universe, Spirit, the Divine that guides and protects us. All we must do is ask.
Another important life lesson I have learned is that no one can truly know what you are personally going through, except yourself. Others will have their ideas and opinions of who you are, and what you may be going through, but none of that really matters.
The Perils Of Mercury Square Neptune
As an astrologer, it is my job to get information across to my clients in a clear and concise way, that won’t leave them perplexed or confused.
But on occasion there is a clear and present danger. There are astrological aspects that can challenge astrologers, muddle our minds, drape us in a fog of uncertainty and confusion. Such a dreaded hazard is when Mercury square Neptune comes along and clouds our normal channels of communication.
When this mentally perilous aspect rolls around, it is time to switch channels and watch another station. If there is ever a time we must trust in our inner wisdom and knowledge, yet speak the messages that come through from higher places, then it would be when this square rides into town!
We endured a triple whammy of this the past three months, with Mercury squaring Neptune in May, June and July, on the back of one of the most chaotic Mercury Retrogrades in a very long time.
Yes, when the dreaded Mercury square Neptune arrives it howls like Johnny in The Shining, “I’m here…!” Under this astrological influence we’re on shaky ground when it comes communication and getting your message across. It’s usually really difficult to talk sense, let alone think in any sort of rational, logical, coherent, organized way.
Mercury is all about the mind, our thoughts, our reason. Mercury is all about ‘just give me the facts,’ while Neptune wants to infiltrate our thoughts, sink into the murky depths of the subconscious ocean, and expand outward with absolutely no borders to stop its movement from spilling out all over the place.
This Neptune intrusion is way too messy for the fussy Mercury, who likes its contents in small, neat, digestible, bite-sized files it can dissect and differentiate. But being a curious guy, Mercury ventures out anyway, despite the warning buoys signaling chaotic doom.
Finding The Courage To Heal
All of us will experience some heartache, adversity and grief in our life. It may be a serious health scare, the ending of a relationship or marriage, the tragic loss of a loved one, retrenchment from a ‘secure’ job, sudden bankruptcy, becoming homeless due to a foreclosure, or becoming the victim of abuse and violence.
These major setbacks in life can be truly devastating, and the pain and trauma extremely difficult to rise up from again. In such times of loss or trauma, it is vital to allow yourself to feel your true emotions. To effectively process and heal from traumatic events. hardship and bereavement, we must acknowledge our raw feelings. Grief and trauma are deeply private and personal journeys with no rules and no deadlines.
However, do not allow the ego to keep you trapped indefinitely in a place of anger, bitterness, hopelessness, or self-pity. If left unattended for too long, our initial emotional responses to the negative event can become toxic in a way that simply keeps us away from our truly divine self and our future happiness.
Yes, it is always hard work to release intense loss or trauma and move forward. It takes courage, self-awareness, and inner strength. However, if you proceed with faith, trusting and believing that this too shall pass, and that there is a reason for everything, even if you don’t understand it right now, you will ultimately be able to move forward in a healthy and productive way.
No matter what happens to you in life, you will grow stronger and wiser by working through it. Regardless how intense the dark night of your soul may be, move forward step by step, day by day, trusting that you can heal and will become stronger. Focus on self-care and loving yourself and hold the faith that better days are coming into your life. We all deserve to be happy and have inner peace.
You Are Stronger Than You Think
It is a lesser-known fact that depression can show up in our lives at any time, at a moment’s notice, with no warning. You can be in the happiest time of your life, and it can still sneak up on you.
Depression is a sneaky mental illness. You can do the therapy and treatment, the journaling, meditation, affirmations, and energy healing work all you want, but for some of us it can return at any time and still negatively impact our lives.
Emotionally exhausted days in bed or walking around like a zombie with no motivation or life direction. It is like carrying a bag of rocks on your back that gets heavier and heavier, until it finally overwhelms you entirely.
A person with high-functioning depression can fake a huge smile on the outside, while underneath they are falling apart. Their upbeat laughter and busy schedule are simply a coverup for the dark, ominous shadows that follows them everywhere they go.
For some it ends in suicide. Many of the lives tragically lost over the past year were not all directly due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The pandemic has also taken the lives of many people who simply could not cope with the trauma of these challenging times.
The world remains so judgmental about mental illness, despite the recent pandemic that has so brutally exposed its prevalence in our society. The pandemic has also not brought people closer together, as one might expect. Instead, it has torn already dysfunctional families, friendships, and workplaces further apart. It has given rise to abuse, anger, hatred, fear, and intolerance.
But you are stronger than you think. You may even be someone else’s rock at the moment and not even know it. And if the worst is currently upon you, or someone you love, call upon your angels, spirit guides and ancestors to hold you up, to guide you and to lift your energy.
We Are Here To Witness The World Change
We have all had to make extreme changes and compromises in the way we were accustomed to living this past year. While I enjoy traveling, another person may enjoy attending larger gatherings and events, while someone else might love dining out. Whatever it is that we used to love doing, most of us had to make major concessions and sacrifices and give it all up.
Now our world is slowly, but surely, beginning to recover. We have all been eagerly watching medical science progress and research findings unfold, while we are gradually finding our way back to some sort of normalcy.
Many of us will, however, continue to take extra health and safety precautions. Participating in social events and public gatherings will be something not everyone will feel entirely comfortable with anytime soon. It will be ‘baby steps’ as we increasingly return to everyday life.
It has indeed been an unusual time in our lives. Many of us have changed our outlook on life, our way of thinking, our priorities. And our world has seen some significant changes. It has been a challenging, transformative time. I believe we are here to witness one of the biggest shifts or changes in world history. We are literally a part of history in the making.
There are great changes happening on the fourth and higher-level dimensions with regards a ‘grander plan’ for this earth dimension. The world of spirit continually impacts the earth plane in profound ways. Alchemists and metaphysicians have always believed ‘what happens above, also happens below.’
In other words, things are currently changing or shifting in the spirit realm, so life on earth is changing along with it. The trauma, upheaval and chaos we have been experiencing in recent times is therefore fueled or driven by a Universal change in the Cosmos.
We are sentient beings who come to the earth plan to evolve and expand. We evolve more quickly and powerfully while we are incarnated in a physical body. Our body is our vehicle here on the earth plane and we must always take good care of it.
Journeys And Destinations
One often hears the saying “It’s about the journey, not the destination.’ But what does it truly mean? I believe the events of the past year has brought many of us to a deeper understanding.
The importance of the ‘journey’ became more evident with so many cultural holidays, birthday parties and family gatherings that had to be cancelled during the worst of the pandemic. For example, the significance of planning these special events became especially obvious this past Christmas, as well as the many cancelled festivals here in Spain.
The Christmas holiday season is usually a hectic time, with much hustle and bustle, including the mandatory family conflicts or ‘differences of opinion.’ But the joy of the season leading up to Christmas and New year is typically a time of excitement, especially for children.
People normally spend lots of time planning these celebrations and the excitement leading up to any gathering is often more fun than the event itself! Not having these occasions to look forward to has created a void in the lives of many people all over the world.
Instead, Christmas 2020 was a difficult time for many. It certainly brought up a myriad of personal challenges and negative emotions, particularly for those unable to visit loved ones, or not being able to have relatives home for the holidays.
Here in Spain, the locals are constantly planning their many fiestas. Each town and province has its own special festivals and cultural traditions, especially in the summer months. I have even witnessed the locals take to the streets in very cold weather, just to enjoy the vibe and camaraderie!
The Spaniards have a deep sense of community and they love letting their hair down whenever they can. Having grown used to the culture here, it made the silence of the empty streets this past year even more jarring than it might have been somewhere else.
We Are Never Alone
Extreme loneliness and feeling isolated have become more prevalent over the past year. Distancing ourselves from loved ones, friends and co-workers has not been easy, but being the determined spirits we are, we are all finding new ways to communicate and stay in touch. Yet, it will never be the same as a real-life hug.
Living in a house with several other people also does not shield us from feeling lost in all the chaos and noise that reaches us from the outside world, leaving many of us feeling empty, anxious and downcast.
To navigate these challenging times it is vital to have strong internal center and active spiritual life. Being spiritually aware and grounded empowers us with the knowing that we are never alone. Spiritually conscious souls know that the Universe, Spirit, God, Source, is always with us, supporting us, directing us, and protecting us.
Touching base with Spirit on a daily basis offsets the void of loneliness, fear or despair when it rears its ugly head. Some people do not have a social support system, and this can generate even more severe loneliness, depression and mental health challenges.
It’s important to remember that in our daily prayers and meditations, we are able to send protection, healing light and loving energy to others at a distance. We should be mindful to reach out to others more often and share our ‘spiritual glow’ with them.
It is also helpful to remember that there is always a higher purpose with everything that happens in our world. Keeping this knowledge uppermost in our minds can take us out of panic mode and remind us that faith and trust will bring us through to the other side of this pandemic.
When a sense of loneliness arises, one of the best things you can do is to reach out to someone else who is in a more difficult or less privileged circumstance than yourself. It serves to break the hold that a feeling of solitude can have on us.