self-empowerment
Guidelines For 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.
To Fester, Or Forgive
Recently, a peer did a short talk on forgiveness, as part of a healing service. Besides her being courageous, sharing aspects of her personal challenges with parents and peers, she also offered a reminder of how instrumental forgiving ourselves is in our healing journey.
The reptilian, primitive part of the brain has a default state of always monitoring its environment. The hunter-gatherer ancestral days had us on constant alert. Anxious. Awaiting possible threat by the saber-tooth tiger. But our modern brain has evolved such, that when we are not active in a task, the brain occupies itself with dwelling on the past.
The idle brain tends to ponder past events and unpleasant thoughts, that in the default state, fill us with anxiety. Pain. Guilt. Self-blame. Shame. Anger. Disappointment.
The typical memories and thoughts, that can consume us in this default state, vary. Some are large and life-changing, such as the loss of a loved one or favorite pet, financial loss, divorce, adultery, retrenchment, and physical or emotional abuse. Others are more behavioral or emotional, but can be just as debilitating.
When our life is ‘heading south’ and we cannot seem to turn things around, we tend to replay the situation. This can lead to becoming more depressed, and having more reason to doubt ourselves. A vicious cycle can result. We spin and spin…like laundry in the dryer, being tumbled. If we remain in that dryer, resentment sets in.
The Year Of The Emperor
During my psychic Tarot readings, I often ask my clients for the month, day, and year of their birth, so that I can equate their Tarot lifetime archetype and current year cards. Tarot numerology has always been spot on in my readings, and it has also been accurate on a grander level, when looking at the current year in general.
The year 2019, when added across calculates as 2 + 0 + 1 + 9 = 12, which reduced equates to 1 + 2 = 3. These numerological calculations of 12 and 3 correspond to two cards in the Tarot.
The first is The Hanged Man (12), that often shows up in s spread when there is a sacrifice to be made, hold-ups, the need to let go of hang-ups, seeing life from a different perspective, or an overall feeling of waiting in general. This state of limbo is often seen as a voluntary sacrifice for a greater cause on a more macrocosmic level.
The Empress card (3), represents fertility, pregnancy, motherhood, female entrepreneurship, or mother to the son in the Hanged Man card.
What could these two cards be saying on a numerological level about 2019? I thought about this on New Year’s eve, as we were crossing into 2020. What sacrifices did we make on a personal level in 2019, as well as on a worldly level?
It appears there was a division of opinions on a mass scale, about many different topics, as well as a need for us to look at the ‘hang-ups’ that we were holding onto, and to see them from an outside perspective. Humanity, as a whole was in a way, on hold and pregnant with what we will give birth to this year, in 2020.
Cast Fear Aside And Embrace Courage!
I once read about a woman in a very unhappy relationship. She sought counsel from a highly-revered spiritual leader. In a calming tone, the spiritual guru cautioned that in order to gain marital happiness, the woman would need to let go of the partner she lacked happiness with.
The woman confusingly gazed upon the sage, with her hands tightly tucked under her chair. Again, the holy man repeated that in order for the right man to walk through the door, she would need to let go of the wrong man.
Even more puzzled, the woman confided that she was afraid of being alone. Her teacher, taken aback, turned to the woman and announced that fear was a disease of the mind and the heart – if allowed, fear would keep her in a state of perpetual unhappiness.
How many times have you missed out on life’s many blessings, because you were afraid of moving to a new place, changing career lanes, or ending a relationship with someone who did not honor your greatest dreams? Each of us has experienced these moments of stalemate consciousness in our lives, and each of us has become crippled by fear at some point.
Let me remind you that while a lack of confidence might only slow down your dreams, fear will completely get in the way of the manifestation of your greatest desires and goals. Without personal growth and courage, the formula will not change, and your life will remain the same.
Signs You May Not Be Using Your Soul Gifts
We all have soul gifts and metaphysical abilities. These gifts are meant to be used to help us fulfill our destiny, and support us along our spiritual path in this life. However, many any of us have soul gifts that are yet to be discovered.
We tend to be consumed with the hustle and bustle of life, and the latest gadgets, smart phones and social media trends. Meanwhile, we are not only unaware of the needs of those around us, we also remain unaware of our own unique, innate soul gifts and abilities. Many are sadly unaware of their reason for being.
For example, some have the gift of being a ‘master builder’ or ‘divine creator.’ They have an amazing ability to contribute to creating a fantastic new world with their imaginative powers, but they sometimes create their own imagined world so fantastic they would rather spend time there. They tend to withdraw from the reality of the materialistic world as we know it, and the people therein, when they are not using this gift.
Some people with soul gifts that are yet to be realized, may suffer from insomnia or nightmares. These unpleasant dreams come as warnings or revelations. They occur when one is not using the gifts you were given, or are not living or doing what you came to do in this life.
Some people may have unexpected or brief experiences with time travel or time slips, or even time loops. This could be the soul’s way of pointing you in a certain direction, or a time or place that the soul wants or needs to revisit. This may manifest through unexpected or unplanned astral projections, or possibly the physical body raising its vibration just briefly to make such anomalies possible. It may have one asking yourself, “Was that just a dream?”
Find Your Balance With Rest And Relaxation
As I made my way into 2020, with great intentions and resolutions, I found that my life was full of busyness, obligations and a calendar quickly filling up. My 2020 vision board was filled with new goals and dreams, and my employer was eager to roll out new duties and processes to an already demanding workload.
I felt hopeful for all the things I wanted to accomplish, ready to take on all of the manifesting and challenges with gusto. Determined to find balance. But, as I look back over the past few weeks, I realize that I was reluctant to get going.
I began to cut corners in my new workout regime, and my meditation practice was not as frequent and strong as I knew it could be. I was not focused on my goals and felt myself burning out quickly in all tasks. My plate was full and the harder I tried, I had to admit, I was just not into it.
I have been feeling absolutely overwhelmed by the huge amount of work I needed to catch up on. My workout goal has only been making me more tired. As I procrastinated on the items on my ‘to do list’ and the commitments piled up, I actually felt more paralyzed than motivated.
Instead of trudging further through the process in a reluctant mood, I then chose to make an abrupt halt for a few days and simply rest. Just rest. Took a break. Time out. I cleared all of my commitments and turned off connection to all work items. I had no need to get out of my pajamas for a few days. I ordered takeout and let any dishes and laundry wait for a while.
Be The Star Of Your Show!
Are you the star of your own show? If not, then maybe it is time. For once put yourself first by honoring your spirit, your sacred body temple, and the higher work you have been called to complete in this lifetime.
You can begin by honoring your spirit with deeply soulful ‘food.’ This can take the form of meditation, prayer, or simply enjoying whatever self-care activity or spiritual practice feeds your spirit the most. But in doing so, it is important to consciously disconnect from the mundane world around you, and allow the blissful energy of Spirit Divine to pour in.
As I write these words, I can literally feel the healing energy of the sunlight bathing me, even though I am logging on from deep in the cold Rockies on a cloudy afternoon. This intense energy is a message to my soul that each of us has the ability to tap into spiritual warmth and renewal within a single thought.
My late mother used to call this connection with the Divine the I AM presence that is abundantly accessible to us all. It is important to tap into this presence as a reminder that we are spirit energy, divinely guided, protected, and in ‘the spotlight of our own shows.’
Being a ‘star’ also means that you must take deliberate time to honor your sacred body temple. You do this by enjoying healthy foods and balanced nutrition.