resilience
The Essential Spiritual Practice Of Self-Love
The first person each of us is meant to love is ourselves. But somewhere along the way, many of us forget or overlook this essential form of love.
In a world that tends to reward judgment and criticism while valuing perfectionism and material success, many of us become estranged from our own worth and divine essence by falling into these societal patterns of self-judgment and negativity.
To make matters worse, what most people caught in this web of self-criticism do not realize is that unconditional self-love is the very foundation of our soul journey in this lifetime. In fact, it is the essential spiritual practice for a more joyful, deeply meaningful existence and a cornerstone of our spiritual evolution.
We often find ourselves caught up in self-doubt, judgment, and the pursuit of external validation. These patterns hinder our connection to our true essence and limit our ability to radiate divine love and compassion. Embracing unconditional self-love frees us from these limitations and allows us to step into our authentic power.
This journey begins with self-awareness and compassion. By observing our thoughts and feelings without judgment, we can identify the limiting beliefs and negative self-talk that have shaped our perception of ourselves. With gentle understanding, we can release these self-imposed chains and replace them with affirmations of self-worth and acceptance. When we practice self-compassion, we create a safe space for ourselves to heal and grow, embracing our imperfections as part of our unique journey.
Tarot Forecast October 2024: Ten Of Wands
The card this month is the Ten of Wands, which predicts the potential for life’s challenges to feel overwhelming in the weeks ahead, but this will also offer us the opportunity for personal growth through perseverance.
When we push through difficulties, we not only build strength, but also shape our perception of success. It’s important to remember that how we view our challenges often determines whether we see them as victories or defeats.
The burdens that life places on us make us grow and know that we are resilient when things don’t go our way. Knowing that even when we see situations not working in our favor, if we see value and learning in it, we dare to stand up for ourselves and go for it anyway.
This month it may feel like we’re juggling a lot at once, but in these challenges lies the opportunity to gain wisdom and clarity. It may feel heavy, as if we have too many responsibilities or carry an emotional burden that’s hard to release.
The central image depicted on the Ten of Wands cards is a figure burdened by having to carry ten heavy wands, symbolizing an overwhelming load or heavy burden. The figure is struggling under the weight, illustrating the concept of carrying too much responsibility or facing numerous challenges. It emphasizes the physical and emotional strain that can result from over-commitment or excessive obligations.
The figure is also walking along a narrow path or road, suggesting a journey or direction. The path indicates that the stresses are part of a larger journey or goal, implying that the challenges are necessary to achieve something significant.
The Empowering Eight Energy Of September 2024
As this month unfolds, we find ourselves in a powerful and transformative period in terms of numerology.
September 2024 carries the dynamic energy of the number 8, which resonates strongly with the overall vibration of the year, as this is a year of the number 8.
In numerology, each month is assigned a number based on its position in the calendar year. September is the 9th month of the year, so the number for September is 9.
To find the numerological number for a year, you add up each digit of the year until you reduce it to a single digit. So the number for 2024 is 8.
2024 → 2 + 0 + 2 + 4 = 8
To find the combined energy for a particular month within a particular year, add the number of the month to the number of the year and reduce the sum to a single digit (if necessary).
9 (September) + 8 (year 2024) = 17
Reduce 17 to a single digit: 1 + 7 = 8
Thus, September 2024 carries the dynamic combined energy of the number 8. This creates a powerful alignment that amplifies the qualities of the number 8 this month with significant opportunities to achieve personal growth, balance and abundance.
How Venus Debilitation Impacts Your Love Life
As we find ourselves in the midst of the annual Venus debilitation transit until September 18, it’s important to understand how this cosmic event tends to affect our love lives and relationships.
In astrology, debilitation refers to a planet being in a weaker or less favorable position in the zodiac, which affects its ability to express its natural qualities. When a planet is debilitated, it is limited in the expression of its positive qualities and may instead exhibit more challenging qualities. This concept is a key element in Vedic astrology (Jyotish), which emphasizes the dignity of the planets based on their positions in the zodiac.
Venus is considered weak in the sign of Virgo. Virgo, an earth sign ruled by Mercury, is associated with practicality, analysis and critical thinking. These qualities conflict with Venus’ natural inclinations toward love, harmony, pleasure, and artistic expression. This period can bring emotional instability, communication breakdowns and a need for introspection in your relationships.
But while a Venusian weakening is usually seen as a challenging or negative time for love and relationships, it can actually be a blessing in disguise. This cosmic event forces us to look deeper into the dynamics of our relationships and helps us identify areas that need attention or improvement.
When Venus is weakened, it strips away illusions and forces us to confront the realities of our romantic lives. By facing these truths, we have the opportunity to address unresolved issues, break unhealthy patterns, and communicate more honestly with our partners. This introspection can lead to a greater understanding of what we truly need and value in our relationships, paving the way for more authentic and meaningful connections.
The Spiritual Power Of Choosing To Forgive
Forgiveness is a much-discussed topic in spiritual circles. It is also often deeply misunderstood.
Forgiveness does not mean condoning wrongdoing or accepting abuse or cruelty. Instead, it involves choosing not to carry the darkness and negativity that has been inflicted upon you, and refusing to allow it to affect your well-being, either physically or emotionally.
While it’s ideal to find compassion for those who have wronged you, it’s not always possible. Understand that those who caused you harm are often suffering themselves.
Happy and fulfilled people are naturally kind, generous, and honest. In contrast, those consumed by self-loathing and misery tend to spread chaos and cruelty. Their relationships are full of conflict and dissatisfaction.
I once worked with a man who was clearly struggling with mental illness. Circumstances placed us in a business relationship that I initially tried to avoid, preferring to distance myself from unhealthy situations. However, I was compelled to help him because I was told that my true role was to support his children and providing help where it was needed most.
This unfortunate man is consumed by rage from his own traumatic past-abuse by his mother, mistreatment by her successive husbands, and conflict with his first ex-wife. His life is a testament to the destructive power of unresolved anger and lack of forgiveness. His toxic energy is rooted in past hurts and a cycle of inflicting pain on others.
Begin By Loving Yourself Unconditionally
The first person each of us learns to love is ourselves. And that’s exactly how it should be, although many of us seem to forget this fundamental truth as we navigate the complexities of life.
But if we don’t cultivate self-love, how can we expect to show genuine love and care for anyone else?
In our society, love is often misunderstood as an abstract “thing” that we either have or don’t have. This view is fundamentally flawed. Love is not just a passive state or a fleeting emotion; it’s an active, conscious choice. We must make self-love an integral part of our daily thoughts and actions.
Unfortunately, our culture is often harsh, judgmental, and narrow-minded. This societal backdrop can deeply affect our self-perception, making it easy to forget how to love ourselves. Many people experience moments of self-doubt or feel less than perfect.
This self-criticism can snowball and lead us to constantly put ourselves down. But this doesn’t have to be our reality. The foundation of all healthy relationships – romantic or otherwise – is unconditional self-love.
So how do we cultivate this essential self-love? It begins with simple affirmations. Remember that you are you – and that’s more than enough. Create a mantra that resonates with you and repeat it regularly. When you’re comfortable, try speaking directly to your reflection in the mirror. It may feel awkward at first, but it’s a powerful way to reinforce positive self-esteem.
Tarot Forecast August 2024: Seven Of Wands
The card for this month is the Seven of Wands, which predicts the need for determination, resilience and facing challenges head-on.
The Seven of Wands depicts a figure standing on higher ground, holding off opponents below with a single wand. The imagery conveys a sense of defiance and unwavering determination, suggesting that despite the challenges and competition, victory is possible through perseverance and courage.
As we enter this month with the Seven of Wands as our guiding influence, we are reminded of the importance of staying true to our values and beliefs, even in the face of significant obstacles. The Seven of Wands encourages us to adopt a warrior-like spirit, ready to defend our positions and protect what we hold dear.
This card signals a time when we must be prepared to encounter resistance and opposition, whether in our personal, professional or spiritual pursuits. It serves as a reminder that while challenges are inevitable, our strength lies in our ability to remain steadfast and resilient. The Seven of Wands teaches us that through determination and unwavering focus we can overcome adversity and emerge victorious.
We are likely to find ourselves in situations this month where we need to defend our position or beliefs, but remember that your courage and inner strength will see you through. Our resilience and positive attitude will inspire those around us, creating an atmosphere of motivation and progress.