spirituality
Healing Through Radical Self-Forgiveness
There’s no getting around the fact that we’re our own worst critics. There has been much written on the subject of forgiving others, but what about forgiving ourselves? This is the first and most crucial step to real, lasting, healthy self-love.
The roots of the pain many of us feel are guilt and shame – the knowledge that we have wronged or hurt someone else, and the lasting fallout resulting in self-harm. Guilt is sometimes a catalyst to change behavior, but shame often comes with long-term effects, such as negative thinking patterns, self-harming behavior such as addiction, depression or anxiety, and self-sabotage.
Over long periods shame is like a poison in our bloodstream which touches every aspect of our lives. But it doesn’t have to last! There is a healthy way to overcome the legacies of shame and guilt, and it all starts with compassion.
Do You Also Remember Atlantis?
Are you an Atlantean? Since I was quite young, I have been able to remember some of my past lives. I was raised by atheist parents, so I didn’t call them past lives, since I had never heard that phrase before. I called them ‘the other times.’
In one such other time, I was an Atlantean. I have met many Atlanteans on my path in this life. Are you one of them? I remember being always dressed in white, like everyone else there (just like I do now as Kundalini Yoga instructor). White is cleansing and represents purity. More importantly, white deflects negative energy. Black absorbs it.
I have noticed, as technology began to evolve more in recent years, especially since 2000, that I became more nervous, because I remember how technology destroyed Atlantis. Technology is meant to be a good thing, but how it used is a potential danger.
Karmic Issues Versus Karmic Debt
There is a vast difference between karmic issues and karmic debt. Suppose you have a neighbor that you don’t like. Maybe he is a braggart and a show off, but what might complicate this further is that he appears to be totally successful. He buys a new car every couple of years, while you are lucky that your old clunker is still getting you back and forth to work each day.
His pretty wife and three whiny, noisy children go on marvelous vacations every year and you are always made to know about their adventures, whether you care to listen, or not. You have to hear how exceptionally exotic and expensive all these getaways are. Meanwhile, you cannot even remember the last time you took your own family for an outing that required more than a tour through the entire kitchen of the local Golden Arches!
We Are All Equally Spiritual
There is so much terminology and discussion about what it means to be ‘spiritual.’ There are both religious and other esoteric practices that people use, and entire languages developed around spirituality. While I personally believe that much of this is good, it can also often lead to things like elitism and greater polarization of people and groups.
So, the question today is: what does it mean to be spiritual? The answer is far simpler than some might believe, simply because of the original meaning of the term ‘spirit.’
In the Western world much of our religious tradition comes from Greek or Hebrew esoteric writings. In Greek the term for spirit is pneuma, and in Hebrew it is ruach. These are transliterations of the original words.
The Power Of Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini is known as the Energy Yoga which empowers us to release any stagnant energy sitting at the base of our spine, which is connected to the chakra system. When we are feeling anger or fear, Kundalini Yoga can release this tension with quick movements. The intention is to let go.
Typically, more sedate forms of the Yoga discipline is promoted in modern day practice, which tend to focus on deep breathing, flexibility and stretching of the muscles and joints. Kundalini is the polar opposite of this approach. It combines meditation with cardiovascular and muscle strength building exercises.
There is a major caution with this kind of Yoga, since it is best to avoid it if you have any serious back, brain, neck or shoulder conditions. Also, do not do Kundalini if your pregnant, unless the session is specifically geared towards this under the guidance of a reputable teacher. Always consult with a doctor if your unsure and be aware of what your body can do and can’t do in the present moment.
Lost In A Dream
Even if we don’t always recall our dreams, we do have them every night. These are encoded messages from the most honored area, the higher self. There is no negative impact connected to this particular source of information. It is simply an individual guidance system that can help lead us into successful areas, or steer us away from potential danger zones. Once we acknowledge that we react from our thoughts and emotions, and understand what the end results are, we are then able to assist our own motives and create a change in the course we have set out for ourselves.
Dream interpreters can potentially evaluate, analyze and understand what all the signs, symbols, colors, and so on, may mean for us, pertaining to how we are conducting our daily lives. Dreams can hold a wealth of any type of information.
Dolphin – The Magical Marine Mammal
At one time in the distant past all of us came from the sea. Our bodies are still about 70% percent water and we have a natural connection with it. Is it any wonder then that humans and dolphins, one of the most intelligent and intuitive animal species, have such an ancient and powerful connection?
In myths from around the world, there are stories of dolphins assisting, healing, and guiding humans at sea. With their kind eye, perpetually ‘smiling’ face and use of language, they are in many ways like us. Scientists observe that dolphins are among the few animal species who have their own ‘dialects’ depending on their location. Some evidence even suggests that dolphins may be telepathic!