self-compassion
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.
Self-Charity Is Your Spiritual Responsibility
Charity truly begins at home. To be truly charitable to others, we must first be kind and generous to ourselves.
Whether we view “charity” as giving alms to the poor, showing kindness to strangers, or extending non-judgment in times of questionable behavior, it is imperative that we first take care of our own needs. Why? Because we cannot freely and easily give to others what we have not given to ourselves.
Our true nature as incarnated spirit beings is to be loving, kind, and giving. However, it is our spiritual duty to take care of ourselves first so that we can offer more to others and make a real difference in the world.
Self-charity, or prioritizing our own needs before helping others, involves several key components.
Self-awareness is critical, requiring regular self-reflection and mindfulness to stay in tune with our mental, emotional, and physical states. Prioritizing self-care through activities such as regular exercise, healthy eating, adequate sleep, and relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga is essential.
Mindful time management helps balance work, rest, and play, ensuring we don’t overcommit and have enough downtime to recharge.
Emotional management is essential and includes healthy ways to process and express emotions, such as journaling, talking to a trusted friend or therapist, or engaging in creative activities. Setting boundaries, learning to say no, and protecting our time, energy, and resources help us manage our lives effectively. Seeking support when needed, whether from friends, family, or professionals, ensures that we don’t carry burdens alone.
Overcoming Your Inner Saboteur
Have you ever wondered why people sometimes try to ruin an ideal opportunity in their life, or deliberately sabotage a promising relationship?
Even though I have done thousands of readings over the years, I cannot help but still be surprised when I work with people who are in the process of sabotaging a wonderful relationship or alienating a loving, caring partner. Reading for people of all ages and walks of life around the world has shown me that this behavior is relatively common.
Not all psychic readings are about difficult relationships, difficult or cheating partners, or boring marriages. Sometimes they are about perfectly wonderful relationships that one of the partners is doing their best to destroy!
In these relationships, the saboteur consciously or unconsciously creates a toxic scenario or behaves in a dysfunctional way that will ultimately lead to a breakup. For example, the saboteur will begin to find fault with their partner, subtly push them away, or find reasons to walk away from the commitment.
Relationship readings for self-saboteurs often begin with them saying something like: “Well, things are rosy now, but they always start out that way,” or “Knowing my luck, she’ll soon get bored with me,” or “To be honest, things are so good with him, I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop!”
It reminds me of my grandmother, who was abandoned by my grandfather when my mother and her sister were very young. She used to say, “All men are gorillas!” I later realized that my mother had adopted the same mindset.
The Spiritual Heart Of Watermelon Tourmaline
Watermelon tourmaline holds a special place in my spiritual practice, and in my heart! Not only is this captivating stone a feast for the eyes, it is also a powerful tool for personal and spiritual growth, especially in opening and healing the heart chakra.
As a psychic practitioner, I have witnessed the transformative power of this gemstone in opening the spiritual heart. From a psychic perspective, its energy is a bridge to the heart center, helping us to connect more deeply with ourselves and others.
Watermelon tourmaline is a unique and visually striking variety of tourmaline that features a color gradient resembling the interior and exterior of a watermelon. This gemstone typically displays a vibrant pink or red center, surrounded by a green outer layer, mimicking the look of a watermelon slice. This distinctive coloration is due to the natural zoning of different trace elements within the crystal as it forms.
Its unique coloring symbolizes the harmonious blend of heart chakra energies, with the green representing the nurturing and healing qualities of the heart chakra and the pink embodying love, compassion and emotional warmth.
The heart chakra, or anahata, is the fourth primary chakra, located in the center of the chest. It is the bridge between the lower and upper chakras, connecting our physical existence with our higher spiritual aspirations. When balanced, the heart chakra emanates unconditional love, empathy and emotional balance. However, energy blockages in this chakra can lead to feelings of jealousy, resentment and emotional instability.
Is Your ‘Friend’ A Toxic Energy Thief?
Do you have a friend who constantly makes you feel unbalanced and drained, while adding no value to your life? We’ve all had that so-called ‘friend’ who doesn’t seem to care much about our well-being. Sometimes they don’t even seem to like us at all!
They are that fair-weather friend who drains your energy and constantly exhibits toxic behaviors that destroy your inner peace, steal your joy, and disrupt your spiritual balance. Interacting with them increases your stress or anxiety, and even triggers a sense of disconnection from your true self.
If you have such a “friend,” consider this a serious wake-up call. After all, with a friend like that, who needs enemies? And if you have more than one such friend, consider this an urgent intervention!
The truth is that having an energy vampire masquerading as a friend in your life poses significant spiritual dangers and negative effects on your overall health and well-being.
Constant interaction with someone who is unkind and unsupportive hinders your personal and spiritual growth. Instead of uplifting and encouraging you, they serve only to hold you back and may even discourage you from pursuing your dreams. These people are not your friends.
It reminds me of the karate classes I used to take. We were taught to have ‘situational awareness.’ In karate, this refers to being fully aware of your surroundings, including potential threats, opportunities, and obstacles during training, sparring, or self-defense scenarios. It involves being mentally present and observing the environment, the opponent, and any relevant factors that could affect the outcome of a situation.
Always Feel Free To Own Your True Feelings
Has anyone ever told you that you are too happy? Or has anyone ever told you that you smile too much? My guess is probably never.
So, why is it that whenever we experience negative emotions, be it grief, despair, or depression, we are often told that there is a time limit to such feelings and that we need to get over it. In today’s society, it is essentially also taboo to express feelings of loneliness, sadness, fear, or simply being unhappy.
My brother died at the tender age of 12 and left such a void in our lives that my entire family grieved his loss for decades. Fortunately, we were raised to accept this as a perfectly normal and natural process for us. We all understood that we would work through our feelings of grief and loss in our own way and at our own pace. We did not grieve according to a schedule or set of societal rules.
I find that a useful way to think about feelings and how to process them is to think of our emotions as being processed by our heart and mind like food is processed by our body. Just like food, we need to break down, digest, and assimilate the lessons and insights in our emotions to serve as growth “nutrients” for the soul.
Tarot Forecast May 2024: Judgement
The card for this month is Judgement, which encourages us to rid ourselves of what no longer serves us and to address karmic issues for personal and spiritual growth.
We may especially find ourselves facing the consequences of past actions or decisions this month.
Judgement emphasises the importance of accountability and responsibility, urging us to learn from our experiences and strive for karmic balance. By taking responsibility for our choices, we can break free from negative patterns and create a better future.
This will therefore be a month of reckoning and evaluation. Judgement invites us to reflect on our actions, choices and life path, and challenges us to take responsibility and face any unresolved issues with honesty and courage.
It will be a time of resolution and redemption, allowing us to find closure and make amends for past conflicts or mistakes.
By facing our challenges with integrity and compassion, we can experience inner peace and acceptance, paving the way for healing and growth. It also offers an opportunity for profound transformation and awakening, giving us a fresh start and the chance to embrace new beginnings with optimism and enthusiasm.