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The Soulful Practice Of Kirtan Chanting
An ancient spiritual practice less known in the West has transformed my spiritual routine in recent years. It is known as kirtan a beautiful form of devotional chanting that originated in ancient India.
The term “kirtan” comes from Sanskrit and means “narrating, reciting, telling, describing” of an idea or story, particularly in a religious context. This enchanting practice weaves together music, meditation, chanting, and a deep sense of spiritual expression.
Kirtan is a central practice in the Bhakti Yoga tradition, which emphasizes love and devotion to a personal deity. It involves the repetitive chanting of mantras and divine names, traditionally in Sanskrit, accompanied by musical instruments such as the harmonium, tabla, and cymbals.
Traditionally, kirtans focus on chanting the names of deities like Krishna, Rama, or Sita. The kirtan leader sings a line and the congregation responds, creating a rhythmic and melodic interplay that is both meditative and invigorating.
While Kirtan remains rooted in its spiritual origins, it has gained global popularity beyond India and the Bhakti tradition. As the practice of yoga has boomed worldwide, kirtan too has seen an immense rise in popularity. It’s a testament to the universal appeal and transformative power of this captivating practice.
Kirtan events and gatherings are known for being welcoming and inclusive, focusing on the shared experience of chanting rather than strict religious adherence. Unlike the typical musical experience in spiritual settings, kirtan invites everyone to participate in a soulful, call-and-response chanting that creates a profound connection to the divine and brings people closer together.
Tarot Forecast July 2024: The Tower
This month’s card is the Tower, which predicts the energies of disruption, revelation, transformation and the breaking down of old structures.
The Tower card is a powerful symbol of sudden upheaval and change. It’s traditionally depicted as a tall tower struck by lightning, representing chaos and upheaval. It represents life throwing us a curveball.
As lightning strikes and flames dismantle the old structure, it forces us to confront our foundations and belief systems. While painful, this destruction can lead to necessary revelations and a chance to rebuild on a stronger foundation. By letting go of what no longer serves you, you open yourself up to new possibilities.
The Tower showing up in a reading, though scary and troubling at first glance, always precedes a period of significant growth. Destruction creates opportunity. Most situations we face are opportunities, even the bad ones. It’s all about the opportunity and how you see it.
Embracing chaos will be the key to clarity and growth this month. This is a time to rebuild and redesign your life in a way that is more in line with your true self.
Approach the month with an open heart and a willingness to let go of what no longer serves you. Whether it’s health, finances, career, relationships or personal growth, the Tower’s influence will lead you to a more liberated and empowered version of yourself. Trust the transformative power of the Tower. Embrace the changes and you will emerge from this month stronger, wiser and more in alignment with your true self.
Wishing You A Joyful Solstice!
To our cherished clients, we wish you a happy and meaningful Solstice today.
May this day bring you joy, clarity and inspiration. Whether you are celebrating the triumph of light in the north or contemplating the shadow in the south today, know that you are part of a great, beautiful cycle of renewal and rebirth. Embrace the energies of the Solstice, let it inspire you, and may you find joy and wisdom in this moment.
Today Mother Earth reaches one of the most profound moments in her annual celestial dance: the summer and winter solstices. This day marks a pivotal point in the year, a day imbued with deep spiritual and esoteric symbolism that resonates across cultures and traditions.
Whether you find yourself basking in the abundant light of the summer solstice or reflecting in the serene darkness of the winter solstice, this time offers an opportunity for profound personal transformation and renewal.
In the Northern Hemisphere, today marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. The sun reaches its zenith, showering the earth with its most powerful rays. This day has been celebrated for millennia as a time of joy, abundance, and the triumphant power of light. It is a reminder of the life-giving power of the sun, which nourishes the growth of crops and sustains all living things.
is often seen as a celebration of life itself. It is a time to honor the light within us and to recognize the light in others. Spiritually, this day encourages us to embrace our inner radiance and to let it shine forth into the world. The heightened energy of the solstice can help us connect more deeply with our purpose and passions, inspiring us to manifest our dreams and goals.
Release Your Attachment To Attract ‘Zen Love’
I have talked to so many people over the years who desperately want someone special to come into their lives, but it never seems to happen for them. They wonder why they can’t connect with anyone, why they never seem to find true and lasting love.
When I do readings for them, Spirit often reveals that the root of the problem is that they either want it too much, or they turn themselves and the other person they are trying to attract into “polar magnets,” pushing each other away instead of being attracted to each other.
In order to attract what you want into your life, you have to let go of any attachment to the outcome, stay clear of any negative emotions, self-sabotage, and limiting beliefs, and essentially allow it to come to you without any obsession or force. I call this attracting “Zen love.
Zen love is finding someone when you are not really looking. It’s when you want it, but you don’t want it so desperately that it just doesn’t happen. I equate it to thinking about someone and then letting go of the thought. It is usually when you let go that they suddenly call you on the phone.
You put out the intention to meet someone special and then you let it go. That is being “in Zen. Not forcing it. Going on with your life and staying positive and just having that inner knowing that everything is going to be okay. That inner knowing without any added force allows good things to come to you.
Meanwhile, if you really want someone special to come into your life, instead of constantly dwelling on it or stressing about it, be proactive and put that wasted energy to better use. Get out more, live wholeheartedly, go places and do things.
Just Let The Universe Work Its Magic
As spirit beings in human form, we tend to be subject to our willful ego. Many of us can be particularly stubborn when there is something (or someone) that we desperately want, causing us to lazily focus on that thing or person and nothing else.
Even when Spirit gently nudges us in another direction and the Universe patiently whispers, “No, that is not what is meant for you,” we stubbornly cling to our obsessions.
God, Source, Spirit, the Divine wants only the best for us and the Universe will never deny us those things that serve our highest good. In the readings, the messages from our guides, angels and ancestors always come from a place of love and never from a place of withholding, exclusion, punishment, revenge, fear or neglect. Spirit wants us to live our best lives, to experience lots of love, and to grow both personally and spiritually.
Psychic advisors like myself are sometimes “the messengers who get shot.” We sometimes read for people who get very upset with us when the guidance we receive from Spirit is not what they had hoped to hear. Continue reading
The Meditative Art Of Sumi-e Painting
As a spiritual advisor and artist, I’ve always been drawn to the ways in which art and spirituality intersect to offer pathways to deeper self-awareness and tranquility.
One such path that has had a profound impact on my life is Sumi-e painting, also known as suibokuga or ‘ink wash painting.’ It is a traditional Japanese painting technique that uses black ink, typically in varying concentrations, to create brushstroke-based works of art.
Sumi-e is characterized by its minimalism, simplicity, and emphasis on capturing the essence or spirit of the subject rather than its literal representation.
Paintings often feature subjects such as landscapes, flowers, birds and other natural elements. Artists use various brush techniques to create different textures, tones, and depths using only black ink on absorbent paper or silk.
The art form has deep roots in Zen Buddhism, which emphasizes spontaneity, simplicity, and harmony with nature. Practitioners often meditate before painting to cultivate a clear and focused mind, which they believe enhances their ability to express the essence of the subject.
Sumi-e painting has had a significant influence on various art forms, including calligraphy and other East Asian brush painting styles. It continues to be practiced and appreciated for its timeless elegance and ability to evoke profound emotions with seemingly simple brush strokes.
Why Some Souls Depart This Life Early
In over 15 years of doing spiritual readings, I’ve had to deal with some very difficult questions from clients who have suffered extreme loss or trauma.
One of the most heartbreaking, however, is making sense of the death of an infant, child, or young adult, sometimes after a cruel and very unpredictable death.
Grieving the death of a young person can bring up some of the most profound and challenging emotions. While it is never easy to address this kind of loss with grieving parents and relatives, Spirit has been consistent in its guidance over the years.
Although I have been spared the loss of someone so young in my own life, I am no stranger to it. I have supported many families in this regard over the years, both professionally and in my personal life.
The first time I realized how fragile life really is, was when I was only 12 years old. I was looking forward to the summer vacation from school. One of my classmates who lived down the street and her family had relatives visiting for the summer. Two of the visiting cousins were more or less our age, so I had a nice group of girl playmates for the season!
There was also the younger brother of the visiting cousins, who was only six years old. He was an adorable child with blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a freckled face full of mischief. He followed his two sisters, my girlfriend, and me wherever we went during those carefree days. I did not mind having him around and even encouraged the others to let him play hide-and-seek and many other childhood games with us.