self-awareness
Simple Guidelines For Real Spiritual Growth
Spirituality is a wide-ranging concept with many diverse perspectives. In essence it is the process through which our inner being seeks to relate to something bigger than ourselves. It is the search for the meaning and purpose of our human existence.
Spirituality is about our soul or spirit, and the unseen realms, as opposed to material things and physical life. It is also the life-long pursuit of inner peace, unconditional love, and existential wisdom and understanding.
Many people believe that the secret to spiritual growth and development can only be found in a book, a lecture, dogmatic belief system, or some other product or service that will magically unlock the doors to spiritual insight, happiness, joy and fulfillment.
However, spirituality is a unique, personal path that each of us can explore on our own, from within. The following guidelines may be helpful on your journey towards spiritual fulfillment.
Reflection
The first step in personal spiritual growth is reflecting on your life journey. To be spiritual is to be questioning and inquisitive. Spiritual growth is a process of constantly learning and improving. One must be willing to open yourself to personal and spiritual growth, and by doing this your world opens up and things become less scary.
Holding on to past events keeps us from experiencing new adventures, and the emotional baggage will only weigh you down. Accept your past mistakes and learn from them. Reflect on what changes need to happen for you to move forward.
We are all teachers. We are either teaching someone, or they are teaching us – both good and bad. Learn from your experiences and move on with life.
Seeing The Real World Of The Heart
As a woman and mother, I have questions about things happening in my world. As an intuitive empath, I receive questions that others have about things happening in their world. A recent experience sums up what I consider to be the most reliable source of inner wisdom, and where answers can be accessed by all of us.
I was awake one night with the energetic sensation of a specific situation permeating my experience. I could feel the energy in each expansion of my chest, as I inhaled. It filled my every breath, my every sense. My mind questioned, but I heard the guiding whisper of God in my soul say, “The real world is in the heart.”
There are spiritual dimensions of reality that are deeper, finer, subtler, more substantial than what is evident on the surface in the physical world. The door that opens to them is within the heart. There is truly more than meets the eye.
This realization reminded me of the illustration plates in the anatomy section of my parents’ encyclopedia, which fascinated me when I was a child. It wasn’t the human body per se that so intrigued me; it was the way the transparencies overlaid one another to form the whole picture.
At the top of them all was the skin, creating a picture of a human the way I was accustomed to see. As I turned the first page, I got a glimpse of something I had felt but never seen directly before with my eye, namely muscles. Page by page continuously showed deeper levels of anatomy beneath the surface, including the circulatory system, organs, and skeleton.
Embracing The Dark Season With Isa And Jera
This time of year, when the air first sharpens and the trees begin to release their golden leaves, I feel a familiar stirring in my heart and soul.
Early fall has always been more than just a change of weather to me. It is a threshold, a sacred gateway that leads us from the brightness of summer into the deeper mystical wisdom of the dark season.
There’s a particular magic in this in-between time of the year…where light and shadow meet, and the veil between worlds begins to thin.
Fall is not merely an ending; it is an invitation inward. It asks us to reflect, to release, and to realign with the deeper currents that move through all things. Just as the trees surrender their leaves, we too are asked to let go of bad habits, limiting beliefs, or self-imposed burdens that no longer serve our highest path.
Our ancestors knew this well. They did not simply mark their calendars this time of year…to cover the pool or reorganize their closets, like we do. Instead, they were in deep sync with the rhythmic cycles of the year.
In the North, they honored the harvest with gratitude, they stored up sustenance for the long winter months ahead…and they carefully consulted the runes. The runes were for them living messages from the gods that spoke of fate, nature, and the mysteries of life.
As an spiritual advisor who works with the runes, I often remind my clients that these symbols are not relics of the past. They are very much alive, pulsing with energy, ready to guide us if we open ourselves to their voices.
All Hallows Month Is Ideal For Self-Reflection
I did a reading for a new client yesterday, and during the session, I kept hearing the word “roots.” I told her, “You should get back to your roots.” She confirmed right away that she’d been thinking about moving back to her hometown to be closer to her family and friends.
That got me thinking about how October is often a time to think about where we really belong in life and in the world. This season, we’re thinking about place, direction, and home. It is the ideal time to reflect on whether it’s maybe time for a change, or if we should return to our roots.
It also got me thinking more about my spiritual roots and ancestry. October is a time to think about our physical lives and the spiritual truths, values, and principles that have been passed down to us. Are we still following those principles? Are we living in a way that reflects the wisdom of those who came before us? This is the kind of reflection October brings out, encouraging us to reconnect with our roots and the bigger picture of where we’re headed.
October, also known as the All Hallows Month, has always had a special kind of magic about it. It has always been a big deal in many spiritual traditions, because it is seen as a kind of in-between month.
This month is a time when the physical and spiritual worlds feel closer to each other, synchronicities multiply, and messages from the unseen find their way more easily into our lives. It’s no coincidence that so many cultures honor the dead and celebrate the mysteries of life and death during this season.
Understanding How Men Fall In Love: Mind, Body & Soul
What makes a man fall in love head-over-heels? When does a guy go from casual interest, to “I want you in my life.” Maybe it’s timing. Maybe he’s been waiting for someone like you. Or maybe you’re way ahead of him.
But from what I’ve seen in thousands of psychic readings over the years, what really flips that switch is chemistry and connection. The way you look into his eyes. The way you listen to him like he’s the only person in the room. How you make him feel, and that sense that, in his arms, you belong.
It is not true that most men are obsessed with looks only. While an attractive appearance certainly helps to get things off the ground initially, this is not what men stick around for in the long term.
Some men are drawn to personality. Some to your kindness and tolerance towards others. Some are drawn to the way you think. Some to the scent of you. Some to that feeling that life without you would be boring. Sound familiar? Yes, the truth is, men and women want a lot of the same things: feeling important, wanted, accepted, appreciated.
A man will bond with you when he feels he can make you happy. When he knows you accept him fully. When he feels seen. Even the parts he hides! Because when he knows that, he gives himself to you: heart, mind, and soul.
There’s another myth that men like sassy women who “play hard to get,” as so often portrayed in Hollywood romcoms. That’s not it at all. What he does like is a woman who is secure in herself, who laughs easily, who keeps her own life going, who has her stuff together (not perfect, just real). And yes, attractive to him. But more than looks…she has backbone, presence, a rhythm of life.
The Magicless Misery Of ‘Compare And Despair’
I once attended a Toastmasters meeting where a gentleman was delivering his first speech to this specific group. It was an ice breaker to have us get acquainted with him. Instead of the typical short autobiographical introduction this speaker chose to give us an overview of his philosophy of life.
He told his audience that he sees himself entering a new phase of his life right now. He spoke about how important it is to get to know yourself and to take care of yourself first and foremost, and to always live in the moment.
After the speech and applause, the toastmaster reflected briefly on what the talk meant to him as he had listened. He said it reminded him of a mentor who had once, many years ago, said to him, “Compare… and despair”. If in life you are constantly comparing yourself to others, or comparing what you have with what others have, or what you feel you lack, or need to achieve, then all that will do is bring yourself unnecessary despair.
The only thing you should ever compare yourself against, his mentor added, is yesterday. Today did you do something constructive or grow in some way that makes you a better person than you were yesterday?
Too often we compare ourselves with our peers, both in our personal and professional lives. Why did he get a raise and not me? Why can I not find a soulmate like she did? Why can’t I be a successful entrepreneur like him? How come they get to have all these wonderful vacations?
Reclaiming Your inner Peace In A Noisy World
When was the last time you sat down with yourself? I mean really be in the moment and connnect with your inner being. When did you last pay close attention to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations?
So often, we go about life on autopilot, barely acknowledging our inner world. Over time, this becomes a way of being.
We stay caught up in the human busy-ness that keeps us focused on the practical aspects of life. Important, yes, but often at the expense of our spiritual and emotional well-being.
The result is a kind of soul fatigue or a quiet weariness that stems from disconnection. We may notice a sense of restlessness or dissatisfaction, but struggle to trace its roots. That’s often a sign our inner world is calling for attention, urging us to slow down and truly listen.
Even when we do find quiet moments, we rarely use them to check in with ourselves. We live in a world of endless distractions: a computer at our fingertips, the internet in our pocket. This disconnect is creating a divide between real life and our presence within it.
Today, I felt inspired to write about reconnecting with our inner selves and creating more balance between our spiritual and practical experiences.
This doesn’t require a massive overhaul. It just takes intention. It can be as simple as spending a few quiet moments with your thoughts and feelings.
Here are three simple yet powerful ways to slow down and reconnect with simple, meaningful moments in everyday life.