The Real Rewards Of Paying It Forward
What does it mean to ‘pay it forward’ from a spiritual perspective? On a simple level, paying it forward means we take a gift of kindness and pass it along to the next recipient, almost like a karma chain. We’ve all probably experienced such a gift, whether it was a cup of coffee, or a new car. But why do it in the first place? We’re all told that humanity is selfish, not selfless.
If we look at paying it forward beyond the superficial ‘it feels good,’ we see that it really does make us feel better on a physical and psychological level. Stress and depression rates are much lower for those who regularly volunteer, or perform acts of charity and kindness. Our brain experiences a ‘happiness boost’ almost immediately. Life expectancy is also higher for those who volunteer, compared to people who don’t. Doing selfless things simply does make us feel good. Continue reading
Traits Of Your Aries Child
A child born March 21st to April 19th is an Aries. Aries children are smart and very physically strong and coordinated. They are usually very athletic. They may be very quick to walk and talk. Aries are also extremely enthusiastic about life and tend to be optimists.
They are known however to have a bit of a temper. It will help you to establish that you are the boss and not give into temper tantrums very early on in your Aries baby’s life. Keep your calm and exemplify a dignified way of expressing anger and frustration. They are also know to hold a grudge, so teaching forgiveness will also be of benefit.
They are extremely generous and tend to want to give their toys to other kids. However, they may also expect to get some of their friend’s toys in return! They are strong forces and can be demanding and bossy. If you teach them to use that power to accomplish rather than control, they can be anything they want. Continue reading
Connecting With Your Inner Bliss
I recently came across an article about spiritual seekers who travel to distant lands to achieve such a state of bliss and inner peace. But in my experience you really don’t have to go all the way to some exotic destination to achieve a higher state of consciousness.
When I am alone, I often find myself in a state of complete and utter bliss. When I am by myself, my energy is my own. I feel centered and complete, as if on my own little retreat. I have always felt this way and I savor the quiet moments of my day.
With a willing heart to carve out some time in your busy day, you can center yourself by being mindful and allowing your thoughts to simply come and go. Simply take a moment of solitude and go with the flow. Continue reading
The African River Man
During the time of my ukuthwasa (period of initiation to become a traditional healer or sangoma) some decades ago in Southern Africa, my mentor and some other village elders would join our group of ithwasa (sangoma trainees) by the campfire and discuss other spirits. That is, others in addition to those of our ancestors.
We heard many tales of other spirits who control the rivers, oceans and lakes, as well as those who live in the sky and control the rain. There were also stories told of sacred places where spirits inhabited mountains, trees and rocks. I loved hearing those stories from various individuals whom have had unique experiences and felt they had seen and communicated with those various spirits. Continue reading
Communicate With Your Animals
My mother was in some ways a woman of the times. She hauled water from a well to feed and clean her children, as well as her home. She also made her own bread and jams from the local berries we picked. She also put up preserves for the winter and grew her own vegetables.
Just outside our backdoor was my mother’s vegetable garden, and the shed where she had to take the wood from for the big kitchen stove. Daily, my mother would come out of the house to complete her chores, and to this present time and I can clearly recall a blue jay bird that used to squawk at her. It was not just idle chat on the blue jay’s part. He would squawk, my mother would respond, and it always appeared as if he could completely understand what she was saying.
My siblings and I took it for granted that my mother could easily communicate with our fine feathered friends, and we assumed other people could do this as well. Continue reading
The Familiar Eyes Of A Kindred Soul
Have you ever met someone who you just felt were from the same soul group as yourself? Sometimes we look into the eyes of a stranger and feel a very strong connection. It could be a very awkward feeling, especially when you are not expecting it.
Yes, we do connect with those who are kindred spirits. You feel that you know that person, and most likely you do. You know that person because your memory of them is recorded in your cell memory.
We have had many past lives and sometimes we find we are incarnated in the same soul group as that person. We sometimes connect with them briefly, for only a few minutes. Sometimes we see them every day at work, at school. Some are our teacher in some way shape or form. Continue reading
Do Unto Others
Do unto others as you have them do unto you. It is also known as the Golden Rule. A simple and wise rule to live by, but something humanity struggles to adhere to.
It is also very close to another age-old axiom, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Again, this sounds easy enough. And what if you are one of those people, as many of us are, who are not in the habit of treating yourself very well at all?
How do you typically treat yourself? Do you like yourself? Do you love yourself? Do you approve, care, and not judge yourself harshly? Are you kind and encouraging to yourself? Or is your internal mental chatter and expression riddled with thoughts like: Continue reading
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