What loss can bring us.

Life will bring us many twists and turns, many of which we aren’t expecting or prepared for. Some of them will break our hearts.

Loss is part of our process. Once it happens, the healing can begin with the unraveling of events, as we are no longer in the situation. Then the release can happen as we take ownership of our role in things, as well as getting validation of what we went through. 

Once we continue on our journey and heal, we start to bounce back from the loss. In order to create new positive experiences, healing can be time to make assessments, adjustments and grow spiritually.

Being creatures of habit, change and transition can be super difficult - especially when it is not planned for or on our “to do list.” So how do we forge ahead?

We accept what it was, what it is, and recognize what the loss brings us. What did we learn from the other person, even if that means what we don’t want to become? What could we have done to be a better version of ourselves? How can we forge ahead free from past prejudices, even if they were put upon us by the people and circumstances in our lives? 

Loss doesn’t always mean failure.

This new perspective gives us opportunities to fill up the gaps the loss brought us with new ideas, new experiences and new ways to contribute to the world. It allows us to have a new vision with new paths.

So when your loss feels like it is eating up your heart (as well as your mind, body and a good night’s sleep), remember the empty spaces loss brings can be filled up. It does not need to destroy you, but instead be a part of your life’s journey and your opportunity to fill your life up again.

It starts with the vision (the hardest part), then the plan (the easiest part), and finally, the action (the most important part).

I hope this message brings you hope, focus and the spirit to forge ahead through your toughest times.

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The Symbolism of Trees

 

Since ancient days, trees represent life, growth, wisdom, prosperity and protection. As we see the trees reach upward, we are reminded of our own journey of gaining wisdom and reaching upward, growing personally and spiritually. 

Surrounded by the stillness of the forest, we become aware of the grandness and interconnectivity of all of life, including our own.

 

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Full Moon in Scorpio today!

The full moon sheds light on our lives and shows us what we need to release and change to move forward. With the moon in Scorpio, it takes on scorpion characteristics. 

 

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Creativity Is Good for Your Spiritual Well Being 🎨🎵🎭

📸This is a picture I took of a museum replica of Frida Kahlo's art space. 

She's one of my favorite artists 💗

There is a strong relationship between creativity and our spiritual, emotional, mental and physical health. There are studies also correlating creativity with longevity.

Observing cellist Pablo Casals shows how playing his cello alleviated his symptoms of arthritis and emphysema. A study of a group of senior citizens participating in art classes reported an amazing 96% felt more alive and fresh, 88% felt less lonely, and 94% felt more at peace with themselves. 

Aligning ourselves with the flow of an act that we feel passionate about gives us a sense of purpose. This makes our focus so intense that we lose our sense of time and space. We become one with our intention and craft.

The appreciation for creating, and also the creation, has a very positive affect on us. Aesthetics play a huge role in our happiness and appreciation. As Shahram Heshmat writes in Psychology Today, “Aesthetic emotions play a crucial role in the processing and enjoyment of art. In the presence of beautiful things, we feel a broad range of emotions, such as fascination, surprise, awe, feelings of transcendence, wonder, and admiration.” 

As you might guess, the one thing that inhibits creativity the most is the fear of judgment from others. If we could venture into uncharted waters and let go, and feel that we are living in our own Spiritual Sovereignty (click here for my blog post on this topic), we can then become part of a beautiful creation that we ourselves create. It takes courage to remove the critical voices in your head, whether they be yours or somebody else’s. We all have those voices.

Interestingly, the top wish of the dying, (as described in my blog post here), is “I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” Creativity is an opportunity for self expression, learning a new skill, discovering an untapped talent, and using our imagination to create something beautiful.

Consider some of these creative ideas to get started:

📕Start a journal

🌠Create a vision board

📖Write a story

📝Craft a poem

🎵Learn to play a musical instrument

🗺Write down 100 things you would like to try

🤯Design a mind map

🧶Knit something

🧵Sew an outfit

🧵Needlepoint or Cross Stitch

🪑Make a piece of furniture (my mom did this!)

🎴Create a personalized greeting card for someone

🥘Cook a new recipe

✏️Draw a picture

🎨Paint a painting

🎭Role play

👗Add style to your wardrobe

📸Take a photo series

👩🏻‍💻Write a blog

📽Film a vlog

And there are so many more!

Free yourself from mundane and obsessive thoughts, improve your problem solving skills, and discover new interests and things about yourself you didn’t even know existed. Unleash your spirit, and be YOU!

 

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Watching the movie of our lives from the other side. 🎦🙏🏻😇

I am writing this blog, as it is two years this weekend that I lost my mom. I often wonder where she is, and if she has found peace on the other side. I believe she has. It’s the most surreal thing in the world to lose someone so close to you, such as a parent. I was with my mother in her last moments, when she took her last breath and passed away. The nurses in hospice had prepared me - they know when someone will transition within 24 hours. Watching my mother in her last moments was beautiful. We knew she was ill and in pain, and now she was in her final stage. It was serene, spiritual, and magical in its own way. I was watching her release her pain from this world and go to the other side. 

There has been much documentation regarding what happens after we pass, from people who have experienced a near death experience. They collectively say that we look back on our lives, and review it as though it’s a movie. We see how our actions and decisions have affected other people. We also observe how our actions may have affected their lives and decisions, which, in turn, may have affected other people’s lives and decisions. It’s an ongoing cycle, always turning and twisting.

What I find interesting is that in contrast of this notion, is that while we’re here on earth, we mostly think about ourselves.

I remember years ago speaking with someone who told me he was not spiritual, and that he was an atheist. He shared with me that he knew if he believed in “something,” he would have made different decisions. We both knew he meant “better decisions.”

Why? Because when you live a spiritual life, you believe there’s something bigger than yourself. The “self” wants immediate gratification, it wants to be right, it wants to be recognized, and many times, it wants to be glorified. The ego needs that to survive. Alternatively, thinking of ourselves as part of the “whole,” makes us more compassionate. And as we try to comprehend what we cannot understand, it helps us become more whole with others, and stronger together, as a result. 

Our actions mean something, and that matters, even if someone challenges us. 

I’ll end this blog with a little story Years ago, sitting in a small cafe in New York City, a woman walked in with this incredible flair and I complimented her on her outfit. She responded with, “You don’t know how much that means to me today. I am feeling terrible about myself, ugly and disconnected. I could hardly get out of the house. Your compliment really made my day and uplifted my spirits.” I didn’t know anything about her, but what I did know was what a compliment about someone’s outfit could do for her self esteem and feeling of worthiness.

Many people don’t divulge if they’re having disagreements with their spouses or are going through a divorce, or have concerns about money. They may have frustration with their kids, or concerns about their health. Or it could be they simply feel tired, old, and unlovable.

So, what will your movie show you about your life?

 

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How about living in the present? ☀️🌓✨🙏🏻

📸Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@fuuj

Many of us think about what we are doing now, and how it is going to affect our future. Many times we do things only to affect our future. But how about living in the here and now? 

What if we were living freely, accepting that what we are going through right now, is what we need for our spiritual growth? Have faith what happens in the future is what we will need for our spiritual growth. Accept what has happened in the past was needed for our spiritual growth.

If we were to be completely honest with ourselves, we would admit we are probably not the same person we were 10, 15, or 20 years ago. What happened between then and now has morphed us into who we are, and what we are doing now is morphing us into who we will be in the future.

When I look back on my life, it feels like I’ve traveled through a curved path to be where I am now. Not that this is the end of the story, but it’s where I am in my journey. Could that be enough? 

Could we accept that our time is limited on earth, and we need to experience in order to know? Once we know more, we become increasingly whole. We become fuller within ourselves. We have more empathy for people, because we’ve been through some of the same things. If we don’t suffer, we can’t have compassion for the suffering of others. If we don’t have joy, we cannot appreciate the subtle miracles in our every day lives.

Living in the moment can be one of the most challenging things we do. Our brain wants to know, so it can analyze and predict, and then plan to keep us safe. The process gives us a false sense of security because we truly never know what is ahead. Yet the analytical mind carries on as it does, as survival is the primary goal of the organism. 

Our spiritual self, however, knows we can trust ourselves, given our inner strength. We are an important part of the universal ecosystem.

When you think about what the spirit needs to experience in order to know, it needs to be living in the physical world. And as life is unpredictable, changing, challenging, and sometimes daunting, experiences have a purpose, though they may not make sense to us in the moment. 

Deep trauma can derail us. How can God let this happen? For many of us, we simply don’t know. There are things we can never understand while we are here on earth. Many situations have no clear purpose.

My core belief is that we are here to experience, so we can learn. The purpose is to feel, in order to know. "Now I know how you feel," is a commonly understood and applicable phrase. We understand through feeling, we feel through experience.

There is a purpose for us being here, whatever road we are led down. While we have different experiences, with different degrees of emotion, we are stronger than we think. With the universe behind us, as a powerful force in our lives, we are strong enough to carry on, living in the “now” and knowing now has purpose. 

 

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The Freedom of Living With Less. 🕊💫

 📸 image by https://unsplash.com/@harpersunday

Minimalism is not just a design concept of living in a sparse, mostly white, sterile looking room. Living a Minimalistic Lifestyle is a concept of being realistic about what we need, what is going to add value to our life, and what we truly value. Having lots and lots of stuff is overwhelming, distracting and expensive. When I worked as an organizer, I met clients who had many items (often very expensive ones) that they had lost interest in, or had no use for, and they felt overwhelmed trying to keep track of it all. Looking at closets full of stuff and knowing the amount of money we have wasted by not using these things, brings regret and shame - and it suffocates our spirit.

But we can’t just blame ourselves. In the consumerist society in which we live, we are urged and constantly bombarded to buy things - things that we may or may not need, may or may not have use for, probably don’t have room for, but look interesting enough to click, “add to cart” and order. On accounts where we are members, we don’t even have to punch in our credit card, as they already have it. Based on our shopping and browsing history, suggestions of things will pop up in our feed (as well as other websites that are tracking our history). And with all that convenience comes the added feature of everything being delivered to our doorstep in 24 hours. Multiple studies show that when people receive things that they bought, but do not like or need, very few return the items because of the hassle. 

By buying less, owning less and living with less, we can give our full attention and appreciation to what we do have and love, and we can give special care to those special items. With this, comes the ability to focus, and be more grateful. Things that are stuffed in corners, closets, or rooms locked up for no one to see, are mind numbing. When we have lots and lots of stuff, it’s hard to manage, hard to find things and hard to give special interest to anything.

Some people love having things in their space that bring back memories of their life experiences, but I suggest trying to eliminate at least 5 things that either no longer bring you joy, subject you to negative feelings, remind you of things you have wasted money on, or items that simply do not serve you. Once you do that, try 5 more. This can turn into a habit of being mindful of your space and lifestyle, so much so that while passing a bookshelf, you may see a book that you know you will never read again, and without hesitation, you grab it off the shelf and donate it. 

There is also the financial aspect. Things cost money to buy, repair and maintain. We waste money when we purchase things that we already own, but can’t keep track of.

Living a Minimalistic Lifestyle is living with intention. In spiritual terms, intention is the energy of us telling the universe what we want. The universe will help us, if we give it the direction. What do we intentionally want and need? What matters? Not only will your life feel more free with more intentional living, but having less will free up your mind to focus on things that truly matter to you. 

Ask yourself this big question: “How much is enough?” We have nothing to prove, nothing to show, and we need nothing needed to give us a sense of worth, because we are already enough without our stuff. 

 

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