Goddess Power

This weekend I will be attending a festival where I will sell my bracelets. This is a brand new experience for me and for that I am truly grateful. I am so happy to be able to share my passion for jewelry and the power of stones. Each piece is near and dear to my heart and I thank the divine for giving me the inspiration to move forth with this project!

The notion of treating ourselves like Goddesses has really helped me to reach this point in my life. I say it loud and proud!! Oh my Goddess!

Goddess sticker

Anahata

My heart opened yesterday. It was astounding and powerful. I tend to have an inner battle between my ego and my heart. Which one rules? It all depends!

This past weekend I was involved in a discussion regarding the various functions that the heart chakra has and those include love, compassion, balance and peace. When a person's heart chakra is blocked it makes it difficult to accept and embrace love. This doesn't have to be a conventional love between two people but more like an all encompassing love of our surroundings and ourselves. Further, the heart chakra when it opens and expands allows for us to feel a sense of balance and peace. Love NEEDS balance! Healthy love, healthy relationships all need balance. This chakra can give us this fundamental balance. It is all interconnected. Can you feel it?

Yesterday, I was sitting at my desk and a very intense feeling rose through my chest and expanded all around me. I was unsure what was happening but I was in a state of euphoria. I basked in this profound feeling and let it wash over me as I would let the sun warm me on a hot day. My ego was lifted maybe even temporarily forgotten. I didn't rationalize any of it. I just knew that it was something that had to be shared. My heart was open and had not been in a long time. I took that opportunity and with further impulse, hugged another person.

What I felt after that was the equivalent of the feeling one might receive upon entering Elysium. A natural high, an abundance of peace and every part of me wanted to stay in that hug; which had created an impenetrable sphere where no judgment or time could pass. The actual touch lasted no more than fifteen seconds. I didn't want to pull away. Maybe I had left my physical body and all the judgments that were in my head. Whatever it was, I wanted more and the feeling persisted throughout the day.

Bathed in the light, basking in the energy and peace; I smiled. Ego was silent but only temporarily.

The voices of the ego arouse again and I tried to rationalize everything that I felt. Why did that happen? How could it have happened at that time? Did it mean something? There are no answers and maybe there aren't meant to be.

I can understand the need to share energy and the importance of touch and I was reminded when I least expected it.

Energy Vampire

I usually have an abundance of energy. I wake up in the morning and feel energetic and ready to take on the world. I'm certainly a morning person and have always been. For three weeks, it felt like I had nothing left within. It was the oddest thing. I would wake up, sprawled across my bed with zero zest. I pulled my clothes on, walked the dogs and drove to work. Work was misery as well! I tried to stay awake and noticed that little things were irking me. I was not my typical social self either. Everything was a haze and I simply had nothing to offer to anyone. This is odd because I am always the person who people come to for advice. I listen, examine and give some sort of inspiration. It made me sad when I realized that I was not the lack of energy was causing my friends to stay away. Finally, it culminated when I admitted that I was unwell. The winter had done a number on me and I had a chest cold, flu and achy muscles. All the things that I was doing to get better didn't appear to be working so my energy went lower and lower.

One day I bounced back. I could feel that the energy was rising. This came after I accepted that I was physically sick and that I needed to give my body a rest. I spent an entire weekend in bed. I needed the sleep and my body thanked me for it. Sometimes we want so hard to fight the illness that the fight itself takes away all of our energy. I accepted my lowered immune system and stopped working so hard to fix it. Instead, I let my body fix itself. We can't always control everything and illness may be a way for the body to tell us to slow down. I certainly slowed down because I had no choice. 

For those three weeks I was not myself but eventually I gave my body what it needed. Peace. Silence. Serenity. I turned the lights out in my room, put an eye pillow on my eyes with the smell of lavender relaxing me and I allowed my body to pull me to slumber. 

I'm back now and I'm feeling cheerful as usual but I now know that it is pointless to fight against my own body. It knows what it needs and I must listen. 

Mind Over Matters

Sometimes being positive isn’t enough. Tidal waves of negativity surround us, engulf us until we can no longer see or hear anything but the negativity. These forces are powerful and they drown our inner voice. Perhaps our inner voice is a part of the negativity. The thickness of the dark cloud can infect the mind. There was a time when the physical sickness and mental anguish that my mother went through invaded every part of my life. I was paralyzed with fear and every thought that I had was negative. I couldn’t fight the thought that she was going to die. She was struggling through cancer and the chemotherapy was changing her on a daily basis. I watched as her body changed, as her attitude changed and how the strain of the illness ravaged our family. There were days I was angry and days I couldn’t stop the tears. I had every right to be angry and dismayed but I didn’t know what to do with those emotions. They were unproductive and they ultimately damaged my life. Riddled with anxiety and fear, not only could I not help my mother but I also forgot who I was.

One or two negative thoughts can quickly spread to much more than that. They can become a part of your existence if you let them. I allowed them to follow me minute by minute, day by day. My mother survived the cancer. Sadly, I didn’t realize how fantastic it was that she was cured as I was stuck in the cycle of negativity. How could I probably rejoice when I was stuck in misery? My fear was that she would get sick again and that this time she wouldn’t survive. Instead of spending time with her and being gracious for the moments we shared, I was fraught with worry. Luckily this story doesn’t end on a negative note. She is still alive and kicking and has built a better life for herself.

On the other hand, it took me a very long time to come to grips with my own problems. I realized that the only way that I could get over my crippling fear was to actually accept the fact that the cycle of life is natural and inevitable. We are born and then we die. It’s not a callous concept to recognize and accept. It is simply a fact. I had to admit that my mother would one day die and that I would have to accept that.

This was very difficult for me. I fought the notion and found myself confused and sad. One night, I accepted it. However, it didn’t take just one night to accept it. It took several nights that became weeks. One never knows how long it will take to accept things in our life that create such anxiety. I had to learn to heal on my own.

First, accept your fear. Whatever it may be it is valid in your mind. Even if it is not rationale, it is still a fear that you possess. So take a moment and listen to your thoughts. Accept them and whatever feelings they may cause. I think that sometimes the acceptance phase may last longer than a few days. I know that I had to accept by constantly thinking about the fear that was gripping me so tightly.

Second, wallow in your fear. Yes, it seems odd but you need to accept and then embrace whatever it is that is crippling you. You need to know the feeling that you get each time this thought is invoked. What does the fear do to you? Ok, great! Now you know exactly what is going on in your mind and in the pit of your stomach.

Third, consider whether there is something you can do about this fear. My fear was completely out of my control. There is nothing that I could do to prevent sickness or death. When it comes to these things I am ultimately powerless. We all are. So in my case, there was nothing in this world I could do to change the fate of those I love.

Fourth, let it go. Try to let it go. It won’t necessarily happen overnight but you will reach a point of satisfaction once you are able to see more clearly.

Fifth, replace your fear with something positive. Change the negative way you speak to yourself about the fear. Find a hobby or a mantra that can replace your anxious thoughts.

Sixth, repeat! Always try to find your way back to a positive notion even when there is something so heavy weighing on you. It took a very long time for me to be get through my unfounded fear and I always have to remind myself that I am not in control of such situations.

Tunnel vision and waves of fear will always stop us from reaching our full potential. On the other hand, we are allowed to worry and we are allowed to feel. Just don’t let it get out of control. Recognize and admit all of this so that you can move forward with happier moments in your life.

Low Energy Day

There are days when my energy levels are extremely low. I may have had a restful night but for some reason I wake up and I'm exhausted. There could be several reasons for this such as impending illness, lack of quality sleep, etc. Other times it just happens and we don't have a readily available reason. Here are a few techniques I use to pull me out of a low energy funk.

1) Turn on some fast paced music and do a little dance as I'm getting ready for work,
2) Hug a pup.
3) Sing a song.
4) Force myself to smile even when the frown seems to be plastered permanently on my face.
5) Take a spoonful of honey. This usually gives me a boost in energy if my blood sugar is too low.
6) Listen to a funny radio station.
7) Relax my body because it is usually tense at this point, which further depletes my energy.
10) Energy tapping! (I'll get in to this at a later time)
11) Eat warm, hearty foods. Sometimes we are just low on fuel.
12) Stretch often. Touch your toes and raise your hands to the air.
13) Try alternate nostril breathing. Use your thumb and forefinger to close one nostril while breathing in through the other nostril. Breathe deep, pause, then plug the other nostril and exhale. This is a brain balancing exercise. Repeat several times and then just breathe regularly.
14) I don't use caffeine to give me a boost but for some people that might work. Instead, I drink a whole lot of water. The first thing I do when I wake up is drink water and it has changed the way that I function throughout the day.
15) Stick to the citrus! Your body might need some good old fashioned Vitamin C. Bust out a lemon, grapefruit or orange. It will not only raise your immune system but it will also give you a natural boost.

Give these a shot the next time you feel like you are dragging through the day!

Go Hug A Tree!

Have you ever felt disconnected from the world and even the people you love? We are surrounded by machines but we are creatures who need to interact with one another. A machine cannot give us the warmth that we crave. Touch is such an essential part of the human experience. It is restorative and it connects you to other people. Hugs are fantastic! Find someone to hug! Smile. Take a moment and do something silly.

Your body craves to touch the earth, to smell the air, to feel the wind. We are inside so much of the time! Whether I want to or not I have to spend time outside at least twice a day so that my dogs can do their business. It doesn't matter how cold or hot, wet or dry the weather is because we are going to take a walk one way or another. I've learned to embrace those moments as my time to convene with nature. I look at the sky, the moon, the stars and in the morning the dew on the grass, the deer grazing and my dogs sniffing everything possible!

Another thing I try to do is actually touch the earth. When I stand near a tree I make sure to gently place my hand on it and connect with its energy. Everything is made of energy and you can feel it if you just clear your mind and allow the connection to unfold. There are a lot of unkind phrases for people who revere nature so much but there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking your shoes off and feeling the mud on your toes. In fact, it has now been scientifically proven that hugging a tree is good for you!!! Shocking? Not really! We have so much in common with trees, plants, insects and animals so that is why we must share this vast earth together.

I'm a big advocate of taking even a few minutes a day to be outside. This time you should get out there and hug a tree, speak to a plant or a bird, marvel in the colors around you and touch nature!

For more information on tree hugging check out the article below.

http://www.themindunleashed.org/2013/07/tree-hugging-now-scientifically.html

Stay True

Working in a diverse environment can provide for an alluring flow of knowledge and energy. Everyone comes from various backgrounds and experiences. They have so much to offer one another if they are willing to do so. There are a few complications in this realm because it’s always wise to keep personal and business separate as it can lead to various issues. My philosophy is to go in to work with kindness and the willingness to do my best. Keep your personal problems in your personal realm. I would never take out my bad mood from some personal situation on a co-worker. Sadly, I know many people that do in fact take out their aggression on unsuspecting coworkers.

In fact, I was one of those unsuspecting co-workers at one point. I came in early one morning and was grabbing some water, internally repeating my mantra and preparing for a great day at work. A fellow coworker walked in and I greeted her with a cheerful hello expecting a similar response. Instead, she blew up on me and cursed me out. I stood there in shock for a few moments and searched her face for an answer. All I saw was anger and frustration. So I said “excuse me?” in a genuinely confused voice and she repeated her tirade. I took one look at her and abruptly walked away. I was not going to engage in her vile attitude and I decided to simply go back to my desk.

Several hours later I heard that she had had a very bad evening and I was the first person she saw in the morning. I was the unfortunate individual that she took all of her emotions out on from the night before. The reason that I decided not to engage in her unprofessional behavior was because I did not want to meet anger with anger. Not only that but I was not going to allow her behavior to alter my attitude. I was in a great mood and nobody was going to disturb that!

She eventually apologized but the issue with this young woman was that she had a history of unprofessional dialogue at work and she was very negative. I pulled myself away from her path and ensured that her energy would not touch me. I have no hard feelings for her unwarranted attack.

The lesson that I learned was that because of the diversity in the work place; we must learn to adjust and sometimes even move away from individuals who don’t share our values. I don’t mean religious or political ideology. I believe in spreading happiness and knowledge at work instead of negativity and hate. Some people do not and when I interact with those people I am careful that they do not damage my state of mind. It is certainly easy to fall in to the trap when everyone around you is miserable or complaining. My suggestion is to get up from your seat every hour and take a few minutes to stretch, breathe and remind yourself why you are doing the work that you do.

Remember that NO one has the power to change who you are and who you want to be EXCEPT for you!

Alter The Conversation

In order to change how we look at the world we must change the way we view the world and ourselves. Negative self talk appears a lot more than we realize. What is negative self talk? It's telling yourself that you're no good, that you're stupid, not pretty enough, etc. When you tell yourself these things on a daily basis it becomes your reality.

Some of these notions are so ingrained in our belief system that we don't even realize it anymore. One time someone asked me what I did for a living and I answered with an unsatisfied tone and rolled my eyes. I didn't know that I had done this and she quickly pointed it out to me. She asked me why I spoke so negatively about the work that I did. I told her that I hadn't said a word. She then told me that I didn't need to say a word but that it was in my gestures, expressions and posture. I was absolutely stunned. I couldn't think of what to say to her. It was true that I was unsatisfied with my job and my role in the company but I didn't realize that I wore that expression day in and day out! I had allowed these feelings to sink in until they eventually became a part of my demeanor. I knew that it would require my own actions to change the course that I was on but I didn't know that the whole world knew I was miserable.

Negative self talk is something that spreads the more that we engage in it. We feed the beast when we tell ourselves that we are too fat or too skinny, too old, too dumb, too inexperienced. I decided to listen to myself for one day. Every thought that came and went was acknowledged. Was it a negative thought or was it a positive thought? I decided at the end of the day that I would never want to be friends with myself! I saved up all the positivity and kindness for everyone around me but at the end I was downright mean to myself. Who would want such a callous disbeliever as their friend? I sure didn't!

I started listening to myself daily and found a trend of negativity when it came to certain aspects of my life. I chose to focus on those and change the inner dialogue. Each time a negative feeling or thought came up I would address it and then alter the way that I spoke to myself. I took it further by incorporating a "negative thought jar". Each time a negative thought or opinion arose, I put any change I had in the jar. It forced me to stay focused on the way I treated myself.

Here are some transformed thoughts:

"You got a speeding ticket. You're such an idiot, now you have to pay a fine, go to court. What a headache!"
"You got a speeding ticket. Maybe I'll leave a little earlier next time. This was a blessing in disguise because I could have hurt myself or someone else by speeding. A fine is a whole lot better than a car accident!"

"I'm losing my house. My possessions. My livelihood. I'm done. I'm nobody. I'm a loser."
"I'm moving on to new things, new beginnings and I have my health. I am thankful to be alive."

This change in perspective is not something that some can do overnight. Not only that, it's something you must work on daily! Life is constantly tossing flowers and tropical storms our way but we must learn how to embrace our thoughts, let go of the negative and let the positive energy in.

Surround Yourself With Positive Energy.

It might take a tragedy in order to recognize who your real friends are and sometimes it takes a tragedy to recognize which friends are no good for you. Some people will stick by your side and provide positive reinforcement, healthy words and a shoulder to cry on. Other people actually enjoy feeding off the negativity and sadness. They are unhappy with something in their lives and they choose to take your breakdown and run with it.

My difficult time happened about a year ago. I started to internalize immediately and there were a few people who truly shocked me in their generosity. Their positivity helped pull me out of the abyss of darkness that I had created in my own mind. There were times I would get annoyed by their unusually bubbly words but later I understood the reason that they said the things that they said.

On the other hand, I had to say goodbye to a good number of friends as well. I realized that the relationship that we fostered was one of negativity and gossip. If the only thing that your friends want to do is speak ill about other people then they are insecure. They carry a heavy burden and sometimes a simple talk can change their path. I will speak more on awakening your family and friends with calm and steady words at a later time. Today, it is your day. Focus on yourself. If you feel uneasy around a friend or coworker then pull away. Try to pinpoint what it is that you don’t feel comfortable with.

I have always been a sensitive person. I often wondered why some people made me nervous, anxious or just plain uncomfortable. Slowly, I began to realize that my senses were telling me that the energy of these people just did not work with mine. Once I began to realize that my body was giving me sacred information, I began to put it to use. I even thanked myself and the universe for so lovingly telling me that I should not be around those people.

I removed myself from certain circles that were not right for me. Instantly, I began to feel better. More energized. These people had become energy vampires and I wanted all of my energy back! I never treated them unkindly but I slowly allowed the relationship to deteriorate or just disappear, which in my opinion was best for both of us. Other people were far more aggressive and accusatory about my intentions. I understood their frustrations and even anger. Sometimes it is not easy to explain that you have changed the way that you look at life and your role in it. I knew more than ever that I had to get away from that type of aggressive and unrelenting energy. It was just all wrong.

Today, I still meet people with energy that doesn’t work with mine. The way that I handle it now is by breathing and asking the universe to give me patience. I accept those people for who they are and I continue to move on through my journey. That’s all you can do really. Encounter, accept and release.