Thursday, September 28, 2023

Journaling - A Spiritual Pathway. πŸ“šπŸ“™πŸ–ΌπŸ“ΉπŸŽ™

πŸ“Έ image by https://unsplash.com/@prophsee

πŸ“Έ image by  https://unsplash.com/@esteejanssens

Journaling is a sure way for me to gain insight and clarity into what I’m thinking, feeling, and wanting. It has become a spiritual outlet for me. Journaling has been amazing therapy, as I have always had a lot of thoughts, dreams and life questions in my heart and in my head. By putting down thoughts and ideas on paper, it makes it easier for me to understand what’s happening in my life, my heart, and where I want to go. It also helps me gain insight and solve problems.

How easy is it to get off track and not even be aware of our thoughts in day-to-day lives? Pretty easy. Thoughts appear and disappear, and often float into our heads, leave, and then come back again. That’s when it’s easy to start overthinking and self-sabotaging. Daily life distracts us with an overload of stimuli, including our own internal biochemistry. Journaling creates an opportunity to settle down and set time aside for ourselves to go inward and connect to our spirit.

Writing, drawing, coloring and pasting pictures in a journal are ideas how to see what we’re wanting and feeling. What speaks loudly enough for us to pick a certain visual, or write about something that’s coming up for us? What draws our attention and gives us that feeling of “oh, this means .” 

There’s no one way to journal, and are many modalities to pick from. I use audio journaling, video journaling, journaling freehand, and chronicling. A book that is a mishmash of ideas, photos, drawings, lists, memories, and dreams is eclectic and fun. Putting our visions on boards and in books are also amazing tools. They create a visual of where we want to go, and open us up to what is important to us. Using a board is great, as it is in front of you all the time, and always allows you to see your dreams and goals. I also like using a book because it is tidy and keeps everything together, and I can add to it any time I like. I often open it spontaneously and it feels new every time.

The research shows that the creative process of journaling is good for us mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Psychology Today has numerous articles on the benefits of journaling, including how it increases happiness, overall mood, goal attainment and even physical health. WebMD states that journaling eases anxiety, creates awareness and helps us open up. The University of Rochester states that journaling helps with depression, stress and prioritizing problems and concerns. It also allows us to track symptoms, see triggers (and patterns), and  then find a better way to control them. 

Journaling in any modality can be a great outlet to spark an idea, a feeling, and creative thoughts. Just make it for you and about you. It is yours and doesn’t need to be judged or critiqued!

I hope this post gives you inspiration and a few new ideas to get started, or continue with your journaling projects. Happy dreaming and happy journaling! 

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Saturday, September 23, 2023

Libra Season, The Zodiac Sign of Peacemaker. ⚖️πŸ•Š✌🏼

           

The first day of a season is associated with the first day of a cardinal zodiac sign. The cardinal zodiac signs are leaders, trendsetters and the “idea people” of the zodiac. They are the visionaries.

The beginning of winter brings us the earth cardinal sign of Capricorn, hunkering down, using their organization, problem-solving, and possessing a strong work ethic to inspire others; spring brings us the fiery cardinal sign of Aries, a passionate, motivated, and confident leader; the summer, brings us the water cardinal sign of Cancer, leading with empathy, intuition, and emotional intelligence: and Autumn, brings us the air cardinal sign of Libra, taking the lead with fairness, diplomacy, and finding common ground to foster cooperation.

Cardinal signs don’t often like, or adhere to, taking orders from others. As Libras love balance, they want to make things fair in their own right. Libras love making peace and creating balance between others, but can also give a real good argument when they feel it is needed. This is because our Libra friends are Air Signs. Air element in astrology is the symbol for using our minds - the ideators, and communicators, the thinkers. Libras think, analyze, and are very intelligent. And they can become restless…

The scales, which represent the sign of Libra, can give us the illusion that Librans are always full of balance and sweetness all the time. They can be at times, but while they are in the process of balancing they can go from charming, sweet, and gracious, to quarrelsome, stubborn and difficult. Then they go back once they are rebalanced. As scales tip back and forth before they become balanced, the same is true for Libras as they go through their process of gaining their equilibrium. 

Libras love harmony, but can indulge a bit too much in food, love and drink. This can become a problem for their health if they are not careful, and it will throw the harmony they love so much off balance. Getting back in balance can be pretty easy for them, with pleasant and soft surroundings, interesting books, mellow music, and meaningful conversation.

Libras are truth seekers - they want the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth. Their need for absolute fairness makes them see all sides of a situation before they make a decision. They make excellent mediators and strategists, as they collect all the information before making an informed decision. With all that needs to be analyzed for Libras, they do not like to be rushed. Their process takes time, and if pushed too much, they will dig their heels in and become quite stubborn and argumentative. As their experience grows, their process becomes more streamlined, and Libras become wiser with time and age. Even when they make mistakes along the way, Libras genuinely try to do what they believe is right and fair. 

Most Libras are not showy, and prefer to be straightforward and honest in all their dealings. They are rarely careless and do not like nor appreciate over the top, extravagant behavior of any fashion. They think deeply, and ponder many of life’s more meaningful aspects. They are at their best in environments that are soothing, where things are in harmony. This includes color, sound, language, balance of a room - clutter upsets them (for good reason). Soft music, dimmed lights, good food (and drink) along with with pleasant conversation, will turn them on and make them feel they are balanced and at peace. And they will be a delight to be around. After all, their ruling planet is Venus, the planet of love, harmony, and relationships. This is when they are at their best.

When balanced, Libras are the perfect blend of deep intelligence, harmonious disposition, and sympathetic heart. This is the Libra that we all know, love and appreciate. ❤️

* Please note that I used the colors pink and green in the image above to represent Libra, which coincides with Libra's ruling planet Venus. Click here for my previous post on how astrology and planets affect color and days of the week.
 
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Sunday, September 17, 2023

I had a dream…to mind my own business! πŸ˜³πŸ™ˆ


I would like to share a dream with you I had in the hopes that it inspires you, and wakes you up to your own “dreams.” In this dream, I was was sitting at the edge of a lake watching the most amazing sunset I had ever experienced. It was magical with colors I hadn’t seen before, both electric and awe-inspiring. I was staring at this enchanting sky, completely taken away by the sheer beauty of it all, allowing the experience to take me outside of myself to another place. All the pieces of life felt like they were in place.

And then suddenly, I heard whispering off to my left. I had to make the decision to continue watching this beautiful sky or look to see what was happening. From habit, obsessive behavior, or just “needing to know,” I turned my head away from this gift to see what was going on. 

I could see there were people in the darkness, but I couldn’t make them out. They were silhouettes speaking in muffled voices. It was not menacing or threatening, but because I wasn’t sure what they were doing, I took all my focus away from the sunset to see what was happening. Again, wondering if they were planning something that I “needed to know about.” It turned out to be nothing. 

When I turned to look back to the sky ready to take in the sheer magnificence of it all, the sunset was gone. I lost the moment. How many moments do we lose, “needing to know” what other people are doing? Saying? Living? Choosing? All of which has nothing to do with us? 

In my dream, I lost the magnificent sunset, but it symbolized so much more. When I awoke, I took this dream as a huge lesson to stay focused on the beauty, the splendor, and the promise of what can be.

I often take pictures of sunrises and sunsets to always remind myself not to lose cherished moments. It’s not easy, and I for one, am always working on this.

May your days be filled with many ongoing moments that will take your breath away, and may your life be everything you want it to be. With clarity, focus, stillness, and courage to implement what we want (not to mention minding our own business!) we can make it our reality. πŸ™πŸ»

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Saturday, September 9, 2023

Feng Shui - Design Your Space to Transform Your Life. ✨πŸŒˆπŸ’«



I have loved Feng Shui, an ancient study on the energy in our environment and how it affects us emotionally, spiritually, physically and psychologically, for as long as I can remember. I am fascinated with its theory and love the feel of a room when it is feng shui’d. It makes a difference.

The theory involves placement of furniture and decorative items, color and organization and how it affects us. It creates flow in space that can be seen, and mostly, felt. We feel we belong in a space if it is done the right way. There is much to it, given that each area of your space, (building, home and rooms within space) defines a certain aspect of your life. Done the right way, it can have a very positive effect on all areas of happiness including love, wealth, health, relationships, reputation, creativity, wisdom and even our own sense of purpose. 

Above I posted a Bagua chart which demonstrates different areas within space to be thoughtfully placed. The energy will move through a home, building, and individual rooms, which is advantageous to us. 

I have written a brief description of each area below. I will be writing more on each area, and will go into more depth in future posts, so keep checking back.

Number 1 area, the bottom middle space, is career or journey, our purpose. The question, (what most of us think of) is “why am I here?” and “where am I going?” This location in our space should include water, as it moves and affects our emotions and drive, as life constantly moves. In this area, we can place actual water of a fish tank, or even just a picture of moving water. Another idea would be pictures, or decorative pieces, of where you want to go and what you would like to be doing. If direction is an issue for you, think of placing maps here to give you a path of your journey. Blue and black are great colors for this area.

Number 2 area, the top right corner, is the corner of relationships. For intimate relationships, the most important room to look at is your bedroom, as it is the room which denotes the most intimacy, closeness and safety. As in all spaces, there should be no clutter in this room, as it can create confusion and overwhelm. Edges should be soft, as it is comforting and nurturing. Colors should be soft and warm. Fabric should be comfortable and cozy. There should be no sharp edges or stark images, as they are unyielding. If you are a single person looking for love, take note of this area, as well as all areas in your home, and discard solitary figures. Pairing up items (even candles) will create the energy of twosomes. The visual will be important. This corner is also about female energy, so if you want woman power, make sure this area is perfected.

Number 3 area, the middle left area, is the area denoting elders in our family and also maturity. Growth is needed to not get stuck in old patterns, and to practice forgiveness for family members who have hurt us. This space should include pictures of happy family members, together and joyous, as well as tall green plants for growth within. Green is an excellent color for this area, as it shows growth and healing.

Number 4 area, the top left corner, represents wealth and good fortune. Money is associated with wealth, but wealth can be experienced through a wealth of fortune in all areas. Note the color of green - the color of money and growth, as it is in nature. In this area, you might put a healthy upwardly growing plant, or a fish tank, as it is nourished by water. Even a picture of water or fish (goldfish is my favorite) will do you well in this area. 

Number 5 area, the center, is your health, and the place where everything meets. This needs balance. It is the center of the room - so it should be cleared of clutter. This will keep the energy uninterrupted as it flows through the room, as you would likewise want energy flowing properly through your body without interruption or blockages.

Number 6 area, the bottom right, is helpful friends. This is a great place for pictures of friends in metal frames (silver and white are the colors to put here) to liven up your social life with supportive people. You may want to place happy pictures of friends, a telephone, or any object that symbolizes invitations. And make sure you have good lighting - nothing too dark and gloomy!

Number 7 area, the middle right, is creativity, one of my favorite areas. It is a place for joy, imagination, the arts, and pleasure. Place things here that inspire you to be creative - anything fun, and joyous. Something that lights you up and gets your juices flowing. The color silver works great as it sparkles, so include silver frames or pieces for the extra pizazz.

Number 8 area, bottom left, is the place of wisdom. This area’s color is brown, the color of a cave. Items here should be heavy and solid to give us a sense of grounding. A library would be perfect here, and if not, a great corner of a room or home where you can read, reflect, learn, research and meditate. 

Number 9 area, the top center, is reputation and illumination. What do you want to be known for? This area will bring clarity, vision and enlightenment. Anything inspirational will be perfect, including a poem, paintings, treasured items or a book - anything that lights you up. This is a great area for the color red and candles, as they represent fire and illumination. Be careful though, as too much can be too fiery and you may find yourself in heated exchanges.

All areas should be devoid of clutter. Clutter and mess in Feng Shui is a big no-no, as it has energy that is disorganized and distracting. For most of us, it is hard to look at clutter and not feel completely overwhelmed. Declutter (more of a post on this later), regroup, get clarity and find your Place of Zen. I will be writing more on Feng Shui in future posts, including deeper dives into each room and their meanings, including the use of color. Stay tuned and keep checking back in for more.

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Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Relationship Clutter. Weeding out Your Garden of Love. πŸŒΊπŸŒ±πŸ…πŸ₯•


Relationship clutter - we all have it. People in our lives who knock us down, compete about everything from silverware to vacations, and are skilled at giving passive aggressive, hurtful, and underhanded comments.

I believe it is always a good time to look at the people in our lives, and take an honest assessment by asking ourselves, "Is this person loving, supportive, fun, and most importantly, can I be myself in their presence without thinking about every word I say and every thing I do?" The key is to be ourselves, knowing we will be accepted as we are. 

For the garden reference - year after year, I witness friends preparing and spending much of their time getting ready to plant their gardens. It takes an inordinate amount of effort, heart felt focus, planning and maintenance. This work is done over and over, every day, for a long while before they see one bud, before they can count on one sprout, one peak of color, one promise of the season. Yet there they are, out there day after day, supporting the effort of growing their garden. Some years are better than others, some crops will surprise them with their abundance, but one thing is certain, they have to know what they want the garden to look like. So why don’t we put this much effort into the one thing that probably affects us the most as human beings - our relationship garden? What do we need to nourish, what do we need to weed out?

Letting go is sometimes healthy and necessary, and really good for us. Keeping unhealthy people in our lives can keep us obsessive, upset, off balance, and endlessly trying to figure things out (been there, done that!). Then we can’t enjoy anything outside the relationship which is good, healthy and fun. Much like weeds will strangle a garden.

The good news is we can look at our relationships and decide what we want them to look like, by looking at some current not so great ones to decide what and who we can let go of. Then we can be in an agreed upon relationship including love, support and respect. We can decide which ones are worth saving and savoring. 

May your relationship garden grow to the heavens with love and support!

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Friday, September 1, 2023

Summer Season Ending - Change, Acceptance and Moving On. ☀️⛱🌬🍁


Labor Day marks the end of summer. Many people view this with sadness as it represents the last days of long weekends, extended hours of sunshine, days at the beach, ice cream and shortened work weeks.

And what we overlook is the beginning of Autumn, which is one of the loveliest and most colorful times of the year. Who could argue smelling the crisp air and seeing vibrant fall colors brings new life to the stillness of summer? 

For many of us, it’s tough to let go of the freedom summer provides, with going back to more structured schedules. We don’t like that we have to give it up, forgetting that life is going to move on regardless of wether we decide to accept things as they are or not. 

Going through many, many transitions, a big lesson for me is that things are going to change. Some of those changes have been glorious, others not so much. It’s about navigating and working through it, even when I don’t want to. People leave us, we leave them. We age. The economy goes up and down, businesses change, end, and begin, because what people need also changes. We move, we need to say goodbye (and hello!). Illness happens, healing happens. People sometimes unexpectedly change their minds. 

I’ve navigated almost every life change you can imagine and I've been able to move on by looking back in order to move forward. I treasure every moment I can, knowing it may end, and allow myself to be in a place of gratitude, acceptance and navigation - still wondering what the next season of life is going to be like for me? 

I also look back. I have this obsession with tracking things. All kinds of things. Crazy things. I just love seeing where I’ve been and what it created. It helps me understand my state of mind at the time, as well as what I could have done differently, to be in a better place. I can then plan what needs to be done in order to move forward. The clarity is what aids in the momentum, and helps maintain perspective. This gives me amazing clarity, since all too often what we think we are doing is different than what it actually is.

Foresight and insight are very close cousins. In order to somewhat predict (because we never know) what will happen, or what will be needed in the future, we need the foresight to see patterns, pay attention and act accordingly. The insight comes from using that knowledge to get an accurate and intuitive understanding, so we can then pivot and be who we want, and live as we choose in the future, given all the facts. Throughout it all, believing you absolutely CAN AND WILL DO THIS, will propel you.

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Denying the Truth Doesn't Make it Go Away.

  The difference between dwelling and ruminating on the past (and feeling like a victim), and being willing to get clarification (and expose...