self-awareness
Checking In With Yourself
In today’s hustle-and-bustle, busy world there is sometimes the need to slow down and take break. Take a moment to say hello to yourself. Do a check in. Catch up with you. As a wise man once told me, “You must start by starting!” Quite so, because it makes things much more confusing if we think about it too much.
The best time to begin your day is the previous night, when you go to bed. What’s your current practice before going to sleep? Have you gotten your clothes ready for the next day? That is a handy practice that many people do. Have you gotten your soul ready as well? That is truly where to begin.
Saying hello to your soul is a powerful healing tool. Doing it consistently, just like having coffee or tea in the morning, brings you closer to yourself and takes you to a higher perspective. By you treating yourself kindly, it spreads outward. As you heal yourself, so shall you heal others.
A Few Minutes Of Daily Self-Care
I often tell my students to take some ‘me time’ each day, even if it’s only five minutes for self-care. And I have heard 101 excuses as to why someone cannot do this, ranging from parenting responsibilities and career, to house cleaning and maintenance. These excuses typically start with the words, “I have to…”
At one workshop, I had several people offer their excuses for not having even a few minutes for themselves on a daily basis. Then I narrowed it down to a simple question. When you have to go to the washroom, do you hold it in all day long, and all night, because you ‘have to’ do something else? After the laughter stopped, because I did do an exaggerated imitation of someone ‘holding it’ by rolling on the floor in agony!
And then I asked the next question. By holding it all day and night, and writhing in pain and agony, what did I accomplish? How much time did I waste focusing on this issue of ‘I have to go,’ but ‘I don’t have time.’
This is the simplest way to explain time management versus wasted energy and time. I take a bath or shower each day, as do most people. I am usually at least a few minutes under the water in some way. Water is my peacemaker and my calming force. It energizes me and charges me for the day.
Connecting To The Universal Power
I have been in a very contemplative situation lately; probably because there have been so many deaths of loved ones that I have been so attached to. We all accept the idea that one day we will leave this existence and move on to another. But what happens in between? Where do we go immediately after leaving this realm? Is it safe? Will we enjoy it there? Do we get to come back? All of the above may be a small part of what plagues us, while we are trying to establish and maintain ourselves in the meantime.
My greatest desire for myself right now is to find a way to connect to the grand Universal Power and to solidify that connection. This will enable me to go about my daily existence with inner peace and calmness, and not allow myself to get mired down in the minutia of circumstances that I cannot change.
My first step is to understand why I am here. I feel part of the reason I incarnated into this world was first of all to help repair my karmic debt, by becoming immersed in some pain and suffering as a human being. There is no other world that I have been made aware of that would enable me to do this.
Near-Death Experiences Teach Us About Living
Near-death experiences have been in the public consciousness for some time now. The experience itself is rather universal across different cultures: a feeling of peace and serenity, as well as a glimpse of the world beyond, before returning to this life. Each of these experiences has a lesson to be learned for those still living, no matter who the survivor may be.
Maybe the most widely reported feeling by those who have had a near-death experience (NDE) is a renewed sense of purpose and meaning. A mundane life may lack these qualities (we think) until a brush with death reminds us why we live, and for whom – ourselves, our loved ones. Additionally, even those who previously said they were not spiritual may find themselves more drawn to the Divine and the mysteries of the Universe following a NDE.
Opal – The Powerful Seeing Jewel
Opal is known as the ‘seeing jewel.’ Its name originates from the Latin word opalus. I was told this by the owner of a beautiful crystal store in South Africa. Most Opal he said can be as much as 65 million years old! The stone contains a high percentage of water, which creates a play of color through light, and a sparkly phenomena.
Opal’s energy represents both the higher emotional body and higher mental body. This jewel adds light to the aura and helps to bring buried emotions to the surface. When I bought my first Opal from an interesting lady at a psychic fayre, she told me that the name originates from the Sanskrit writings and means ‘precious stone.’ It is amongst the most popular of stones sold throughout the ages.
The lady in question was from the Far East and said that in her culture Opal is a holy stone that holds the spirit of truth within. She added that the Greeks believed it provided protection from illness and the power of prophesy. She told me that Opal carries the energy of the Moon and water, and that it would enhance my psychic awareness. She also warned of its use in any rituals, because of its powerful energy.
Are You A Magnet For Drama And Chaos?
One of my clients recently relocated to a quieter area, after many years of living a city life. Naturally, she was anticipating a more tranquil existence in her new rural setting, as well as in her new job in a ‘not-so-corporate’ environment. But her new lifestyle did not live up to her expectations. Her geographical change still brought with it a fair amount of chaos.
“What is it with me?” she asked me. “I am like a magnet for drama, and I want the chaos to stop!” Although I kept my focus on doing a reading for her with psychic tools, this was quite a challenging question or me personally, because I had, in fact, also been attracting my own share of drama these past few years.
From my own experience, I know that a certain amount of drama can feel temporarily invigorating, as it prompts the body to produce an adrenaline rush. It can produce a pleasant surge of energy. But it can eventually become particularly debilitating when we are in continuous adrenal overdrive. It’s not an advisable state to be in constantly. After all, we are spiritual beings in a body, and spiritual teachings advise a balance of work, sleep, rest and play!
Self-Care Is Health Care
Some of us grew up thinking that self-care is out of the norm. We were taught that it took too much time away from our families and work. But nothing can be further from the truth.
My Guide recently came to me in a dream in the form of a loving angel of light. He sat across from me at a table and poured each of us a cup of tea. I really enjoyed this dream, because I had set an intention to get a message from Spirit so that I can help people to feel more fulfilled. I asked what I can do to help people, and my Guide told me to teach people the importance of self-care. I would be doing my part to help people get along better and be more present.
Those of us who grew up with people-pleasing parents may have seen them not being very happy, even miserable. I remember many moons ago sitting in church one Sunday and watching a women, who was head of the children’s ministry, get up and address the church. Her aura was always anything but showing calm energy. She was anxious and looked like she was on the verge of tears. Her husband always looked frazzled and the kids were unkind and craved attention from anyone who would give it to them.