spirituality
Meditation Is Easier Than You Think!
No doubt you’ve heard of the many benefits of meditation, both physical and spiritual. But how does one start a meditation practice? It doesn’t have to be intimidating. According to the Zen master and teacher, Shunryu Suzuki, approaching meditation with a beginner’s mindset is actually ideal.
It’s important to clear up a common misperception about meditation. Meditation is not simply ‘thinking of nothing.’ Rather it is a spiritual process in which we learn to center, breathe, and achieve clarity.
Meditation is practiced by cultures all over the world and does not have to be associated with a specific spiritual tradition or religious belief system. It also does not have to involve sitting passively with a ‘blank mind.’ Rather it can be anything from coloring mandalas, to a walking in nature.
So, how does one begin, if you’re new to the practice? Consider the goals you wish to achieve with meditation: stress reduction, taming your thoughts, physical relief from pain, spiritual growth? Tailor your practice to build toward your personal goals. Remember, it’s a journey and not a destination.
Keeping a meditation journal, as you go along, can be very helpful. The most important thing is consistency. Make meditation a part of your daily routine, and ideally at the same time each day.
Once you have the basics in place, it’s time to begin. Choose a pose or stance which is comfortable, and a space which is calming, private and quiet. If playing comforting music or lighting candles, or incense, relaxes you, then do that!
Smudging Your Home To Clear Negative Energy
It’s a good idea to cleanse the energy in your home once a week, in my opinion. I do this with smudging, going around the perimeters of my house asking the powers that be to bless and protect my home and those who dwell in it. It helps to keep negativity and toxic energy out.
Smudging is an ancient shamanic practice and a ceremony practiced by Indigenous peoples of the Americas, which involves the burning of sacred herbs and resins. The smoke is believed to neutralize negative energy – as it clears it takes the unwanted, toxic energy with it, releasing it into another realm where it can be regenerated into positive energy.
I have also attended Catholic church ceremonies several times in my lifetime. They always start with incense at the beginning of a service. I like to describe it as ‘cleaning the negativity and toxic cobwebs’ that have accumulated. Yes, homes collect all kinds of energy over time, just like dust on a lampshade. And it needs to be cleaned! Every home benefits from a frequent smudging.
I especially like to always smudge after any negative encounter that may have taken place in my space – literally anything negative, be it the presence of an actual person, a bad dream, or telephonic argument with a loved one, I like to clear out that energy, as it makes my home brighter and lighter. As a highly sensitive empath, I just love the feeling of fresh, peaceful energy in my home.
On smudging days, I first dust my home and clean it, always with the windows wide open. Then I smudge myself, before smudging my home. I cleanse my own aura from my feet up, then go back down in a swirling motion all around my entire body. I use both hands when doing this, to evenly move the smudging stick around me. I visualize my aura being cleansed completely.
The Spirit Rituals Of Life – Part 2
I had just finished making the bonfire for the evening. The sun was setting and I had had a good day walking in the woods on what looked like a well-worn path. I was contemplating the day and reflecting on some things that came to me.
I was not remembering what my ancestor had said about an angel coming to visit me. I had just let it go, and felt if it was meant to be it would happen in the right timing. I was not going to obsess over it. I just wished to enjoy each precious moment and was looking forward to deep meditation after the sun when down.
When I went into meditation, I did as I normally do, connecting with the earth and doing my visualizations. In my mind’s eye my feet began to grow roots to the middle of the earth, and I was filling up with earth energy and light. I meditated for what seemed like an hour. Upon coming out of the deep meditation, I was feeling warmth, from the fire… but also from something else.
I looked straight ahead and on all sides of me was pure white light. It was the whitest light I have ever seen. It was so white that I think there had to be a different name for it. It evoked a serene feeling that was beyond anything I had ever experienced. The best way to describe this light was that it was that of a very powerful angel.
The angel was very tall, with huge wings. They were enveloping me while they stretched out what seemed to be very wide. It felt so healing and comforting.
Archangel Raphael – The Angel Of Healing
Rafael means Healing of God. His name not only refers to physical health, but also to that of the soul. He is a healing archangel that represents the aspect of God that helps us maintain a healthy balance in our body, and our emotions.
The body is the temple of the soul, but only if we are taking care of both. Harmony between body and soul translates to inner peace and a natural ease that guides us to joyful moments, and helps us be strong through the difficult times.
Raphael can be the guide that we need by our side, not only in times of difficulties, but also in every challenge, in every new project.
Rafael is also the Protector of Medicine, and is sometimes referred to as the Angel of Science, but he has also adopted other names, such as Archangel of Health; Angel of Healing; Angel of Providence; and even Protector of the Dusk Winds. He is also called the Angel of Consecration, because he helps all who consecrate their life to the service of a higher ideal.
He is also referred to as the Guardian of the East in some Kabalistic traditions, in which he represents the element of Air (as he is also called Ruler of the Winds) and the spirit (or mind) of the person. He is often invoked to free the spirit from what in the past was termed ‘demonic attacks,’ and nowadays we might refer to as obsessive thoughts.
The Spirit Rituals Of Life – Part 1
I recently had the opportunity to spend time in a cabin out in the woods. The best part for me was the bonfire at night, while listening to the wisdom of my spirit guides.
I had hoped to enjoy solitude there, but it turned out there were other folks staying in cabins nearby. I was on this three day vacation in the woods to meditate. I had planned to go on this trip alone to get some deeper spiritual insight into what brings true fulfillment in life.
I also knew in my heart I did not have to go to an ashram far away in India, or some other exotic destination. I knew in my heart going into the woods that true contentment and happiness can only be found from within.
Blessings come to us when we are willing to listen to that still silent voice within. Spirit always meets us halfway. The first blessing came on my first day there, when I learned that the people in the neighboring cabins were all leaving and I would have the place to myself soon, except for the people who run the camp. But they were far enough away and I could finally enjoy some serious silence and seclusion.
The first night was simply magical! If I walked a little ways from the cabin, I could see the entire sky lit up with stars. I walked to the camp store to purchase some odds and ends, and trekked back to my quiet spot in the woods to get a bonfire going. Then I just relaxed, peacefully watching the flames. I was surrounded with the elements of fire, water, air and of course earth.
Maintain A High Vibration With Constant Awareness
Being aware is the most important component of maintaining a high vibration. We tend to revert to old patterns and habits that cause a lower vibration at times. One needs to be consciously aware and pay attention to these lower vibrations, when they happen, and do something to realign your energy frequency.
When you experience a shift in vibration, there are many great techniques to raise your vibration, such as Transcendental Meditation or Kundalini Yoga… or just something as simple as taking a salt water bath! Another quick way to shift your energy is to put sage oil in a spray bottle of water and spray it over your head, to give yourself a quick cleanse.
You can also maintain a high vibration by keeping your house clean, and asking the angels to bless you with their love and light. Do whatever it takes to shift negative energy in your life into a positive frequency. The longer you stay in a zone of negative energy, the harder it will become to get rid of it.
Your energy frequency plays a vital role in your life, as it defines your connection to both the physical and the spiritual world. Aim to keep your vibration as high as possible at all times, as lower vibrational frequencies are linked to feelings of depression, fear, doubt and anxiety. To keep your vibration high, and maintain it on high in the world we currently live in, is certainly a challenge, but it is worth the effort.
Love, Joy And Happiness After Years Of Hardship
I have a client who used to be extremely depressed. I recommend she speak to a therapist or counselor instead, because I felt that is exactly what she needed at the time. She had been harboring a lot of bitterness, grief, sadness, anger and other toxic negative emotions for a very long time. She needed professional help that I felt was beyond my scope of expertise.
So, she found a therapist and went for counseling, but months later she told me that the only thing she felt she accomplished was her spending thousands of dollars on help she never really received. She had still found no relief from her deep distress.
She had been bitter for a long time. While raising her children and attending church, her husband would cheat on her. She also worked the entire time the children were young, until they graduated. Meanwhile, he would leave on ‘business trips’ to go and gamble away their hard-earned livelihood, and spend time with other women. Then one day, he met someone he wanted to marry. So, they divorced and he moved far away to be with his new wife. He was a narcissist.
Her sadness and grief was also due to the loss of her mother, whom she had taken care of for 20 years after her father passed. She sacrificed a lot to dedicate herself to serving her mother’s needs. During this time she had no notion of self-care. She suffered on all levels: emotionally, physically, spiritually. She even gave up going to church. She was slowly dying inside and didn’t even know who she was anymore.