spiritual expansion
The Joy Of Being Your Authentic Self
Many people feel forever discontented, because they are constantly trying to find ‘happiness.’ However, like love, there is no real limitation to the experience of joy and fulfillment in our lives.
Joy is not something that we find outside of ourselves, but rather the unconditional expression of our authentic self. It cannot really be found through chasing ‘happiness.’ Joy comes when we are free from fear, worry, resentment, blame, guilt, criticism, and judgment – whether it is the practice of these things, or the fear of them.
True joy comes from just being yourself, which requires that you learn to accept yourself as you are, with all your unique quirks. Without this authentic expression of the self, we will always feel incomplete.
The Univeral Law of Attraction states that we attract our life experiences based on our state of consciousness and our energy frequency. Joy is a state of consciousness that is limitless, because your authenticity is unending and expansive. In other words, being joyful brings about more joy!
The trouble with chasing happiness is that it becomes a frustrating ‘wild goose chase.’ We try and manipulate circumstances, or we rely on chance, or other people, to bring us fulfillment. Neither works. Have you ever tried to change another person? How did that go?
There are two caveats to this. First, true joy does not mean that you are happy all the time. Yes, you experience happiness more often, because you are aware that whatever negative feeling you may be having is only temporary.
Some people try and feign happiness thinking that these universal spiritual laws can be tricked. There is no twisting of spiritual truth. There is no amount of ‘happy thoughts’ or positive thinking that can shift one’s inner reality. Only true authenticity brings joy.
The Resilient Spirit Knows No Bounds
Our world has lately been feeling like a carnival ride gone awry. Despite all the madness, one thing bears remembering: the innate resilience of our spirit.
We are still here, and we are still standing. And we are willing, able, and capable to forge ahead. For many the move forward will be in a completely different direction than before, while for some the path has merely been adjusted to better suit us.
To be resilient is to be able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. Resilience is the ability to bounce back into shape, after being bent, stretched or compressed. This is the essence of what our spirit is designed to do.
Our spirit or soul is the eternal part of us that connects us to the Divine, Source, God, the Universe. It is the Spirit we call upon to show us the way, carry us through, or facilitate the manifesting our dreams, goals and aspirations. It is that unbreakable, unshakeable part of us that fuels us to continue to move forward regardless of circumstance.
Spirit is also the place where our hearts and minds find peace, love, compassion and understanding. Every time our spirit is stretched beyond normal bounds, and we bounce back, we are even stronger, more confident, more loving, and more certain of ourselves.
Through surviving much adversity, we also come to understand that because of this resilience, what we are made of is not meant to be broken. If anything this resilience allows to stretch even further, reach even higher, and accomplish even more.
Spiritual Ascension 2020
When we experience a big shift or breakthrough, it will often feel like our lives are falling apart in order for something greater to manifest. The year 2020 is a prime example of this. It continues to be an extreme year on all levels, and it has truly been testing our inner and outer world.
I believe there is a spiritual reason for all of this. We are shifting into the Age of Aquarius. Our purpose, spiritual connection, relationships, and physical bodies are in the midst of a major spiritual awakening that feels like an intense storm or crisis for many of us.
We are now becoming more aware of the people, places and circumstances that no longer serve us. It is an opportunity to strengthen our intuition and re-calibrate our inner compass.
Emotions are also running high this year, since we are constantly being triggered, but it’s happening to get us in touch with who we really are as spiritual beings, and to help us navigate through the fears connected to our past traumas.
It is meant to integrate the light and dark aspects within each of us, and to embrace it wholeheartedly, without caring what other people may think.
You may also have been noticing certain ascension symptoms. For example, your body no longer wants certain foods, and substances, so be sure to cut back on anything that makes you tired or irritable, or causes you physical discomfort. Drink lots of water, keep a health journal, get some exercise, and eat a healthy, wholesome diet. It will help you be more calm and mindful during these demanding times.
There will continue to be days of anxiety, anger, impatience and frustration, so be sure to acknowledge when any such negative emotions surface, so you can find a moment to breathe and re-direct your energy into something that helps you find greater peace of mind.
Open-Minded Curiosity Is The Key To A Happy, Healthy Life
A client asked the other day how I keep my immunity up during these challenging times, and if there is anything special one can do to stay mentally healthy. My answer was simple. You simply need to keep an open mind, and have passion for life.
Working with spirit has taught me over the years to live my life wholeheartedly, with daily gratitude, and with an open mind and a healthy curiosity. I am always eager to learn and experience new things. We are not meant to be constantly stuck in a rut, nor spend our lives in mediocre stagnation.
Just the other day, a friend told me that she thought I am the most imaginative and adventurous person she has ever met. I am always so optimistic and upbeat, she said, and she gets energy from me just by spending time with me.
She has also witnessed how positive things happen in my life through my spiritual practices. For example, I use certain crystals, visualizations and affirmations to bring about real change in my life – not only for myself, but also for others.
The more we are open-minded to explore new horizons, and learn new things, the more we allow positive, creative new energies to enter our reality, empowering us to achieve things that we otherwise wouldn’t – especially when we just sit around doing nothing.
Escaping Karma
Karma is often one of the most misunderstood spiritual experiences that we have as humans. People will often use the word ‘karma’ to represent something punitive, or to point out that another person will “get what’s coming to them.”
But looking at karma through the lens of retribution is almost the opposite of the reason why karma actually exists. In fact, when we hold a perspective about karma that is punitive, we tend to create some sticky karma for ourselves in the process.
Karma is in truth an expression of the self-correcting Universe, reflecting its intelligent, loving design. The goal of karma is to expand a person’s awareness of love, joy, and serenity. Karma simply means that whatever we give out, comes back to us multiplied.
The concept of “karma is going to get that person,” is often directly associated with personal vendetta. Therefore, so many spiritual teachers throughout history talked about forgiveness and loving our enemies. When we focus on karma “getting” the other person, we tend to bring about harsh justice for ourselves.
It is also important to understand that the karma that other people experience is not proportional to how offended we are. The goal of karma is not to ‘make’ other people feel the way that we felt when we were offended.
Keeping Your Heart Chakra Open
My heart chakra is usually always open. I find that when I open my heart center, it helps me to have a clear mind and be of service to others.
It is very helpful to me in this day and age, because so many people come to me with questions about love, advice for marriages and friendships, really all areas of life. So, for me, to not have my heart chakra open would make it very difficult to do my work.
Every reader is different in the way the work. Personally, I have to constantly be mindful to take time to meditate, and to make time every morning to declutter my mind of useless thoughts.
The best way for me to have a decluttered mind, and be open to dialogue with spirit, is to do my daily heart chakra meditation. I do this by holding my rose quartz crystal, while I simply sit quietly. I then visualize myself with my heart open and connecting with all of humankind, and the planet. It is only after doing this that I will feel ready to do readings.
I was driving down the street the other day, and realized my heart chakra was not open. I was stressed, and worrying about various things, causing myself to have a negative domino effect in my energy flow. As soon as I realized this, I stopped the car. I literally pulled over to the side of the road, and thought about what was causing my heart chakra to be so blocked.
Let Your Authentic Self Sparkle
Too many relationships are ruined by worrying about what other people think of us. We worry about what people will say, what people will think. I’ve seen many people disconnected from their loved ones in this way, with their only means of continued communication being social, or texting. They’re so afraid of expressing the things they should say, and so on.
If we could just remove our hardened shell and reveal who we really are, and allow our souls to sparkle, be authentic and keep it real with one another, I think we would connect perfectly.
In today’s world we are so brainwashed to think we have to be something we are not. I see so many people communicating, but putting on airs, acting like they are someone they are not, to try and impress, or to sell an idea, or sell themselves as someone else. It can take a toll on the body, mind, spirit. If only we could allow ourselves to show the world who we truly are, and to speak our truth, and sincerely connect with our loved ones, family members, friends, we would all have happier, richer lives.
Sometimes we stop being who we truly are, because the person we communicate with snaps at us, or has a problem with our opinions or how we view the world. When we share our thoughts and opinions freely, these people make us feel like we can’t be who we truly are around them.