Qualities of Being Blog Posts - Making the Most of Our Capabilities

Why should we celebrate the spring equinox?

On Monday March 20, at 6:20 a.m. EST, the northern and southern hemispheres of planet earth are equally illuminated. This marks the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere and the autumn equinox in the southern hemisphere.

It’s a day of equal balance of the hours of light and dark before the sun continues its journey towards longer daylight hours and warming temperatures in the northern hemisphere.

The equinox energy is strong for four days before and after March 20th, giving us time to bask in the opportunities and lessons it brings.

Where I live, in Michigan, it’s still gray and dreary, and it’s snowing as I write this. But a few days ago I saw a red-winged blackbird, and local lore says they come back when spring is just around the corner. So I took heart!

Ancient cultures throughout history have celebrated this time of rebirth of Mother Earth. But what does it mean for us?

Are these 9 Meditation Myths holding you back?

As a teacher of meditation, I’m always perplexed when I find people who don’t want to meditate, because the benefits are so enormous. I finally realized that it may be that some meditation myths are holding them back.

So I’d like to address them here:

THE 9 MOST COMMON MEDITATION MYTHS

1. It’s hard
2. I can’t stop my mind entirely
3. It takes too long
4. I have to sit on a pillow in the lotus position
5. I have no time
6. I’m not calm enough to meditate
7. I’m not spiritual enough to meditate
8. It will take years to reap benefits
9. It’s a religious practice

None of the above is true, but let’s address them one at a time:

Decluttering: are we our things?

I’m an imperfect practitioner of decluttering. I try, but it’s hard. Which raises the question: Are we our things? Do our possessions define us?

For some, the answer may be yes. I think that was true of me for many years.

But perhaps the “things” evoke memories that go far beyond the physical representations.

I’m much less attached to stuff than I used to be, but I still struggle with my annual decluttering extravaganza.

How do you do?

Start before you’re ready!

“Start before you’re ready” may be the best advice I’ve ever gotten.

As a child I was afraid to start any undertaking, for fear of doing or saying the wrong thing.

Afraid of failing.

I think a lot of people can relate to that, and it causes us to be overly cautious about taking risks or starting work or projects that would make our hearts sing, if it weren’t for the fear.

“Do not fear mistakes. There are none.” ~ Miles Davis

Goal setting: how to make 2017 your best year yet!

The concept of making “new year’s resolutions” has been a bit of a joke in our society for about as long as I can remember — the joke being that people never follow through so the “resolution” will never come to fruition. And for reasons that escape me, very few people talk about the key to success, which is “goal setting.”

And that’s a shame because the start of a new cycle [of anything, not just a year] is a chance at a new beginning.

“Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.”Fitzhugh Dodson

How often in our lives have we wished for a “do over?” Well, we can “start over” any old time. And setting specific goals, instead of making resolutions, is an excellent way to do it.

But you have to know the right steps.

Need a holiday gift idea?

In a world where many have too much “stuff”, what to gift at the holidays is often a perplexing problem.

I love to gift experiences, often in the form of books, and you might consider doing the same.

Whose God is it, anyway?

That’s the question I asked myself when I received a letter from a reader who was concerned that her prayers to God might be rejected because she’s not a Christian.

Whoah!

That’s a heavy thought, but I immediately reassured her that her prayers would not be rejected by a compassionate, wise, good and just God just because she isn’t a Christian.

The reason is that God is not Christian.

God is not Muslim.

God is not Jewish, or Buddhist or Native American…

There is just one God and whatever your beliefs, your prayers are heard. Period.

Native American Wisdom from Bear Heart

We live in a world full of stress, war, ecological disasters, and financial upheaval. Sometimes it even seems that the world situation may be hopeless.

But the fact is that we don’t have to look far for solutions. Indigenous peoples from around the world have much to teach us about living a balanced life.

Decades ago, as I struggled with fear of an uncertain future, money woes and a high stress job, I turned to the simple teachings of my spiritual mentor Marcellus “Bear Heart” Williams and they have transformed my life.

Here are twelve life tips from Bear Heart:

What if our leaders would marry the land?

In ancient Ireland, the ceremony of crowning a king included a marriage ceremony in which the king would marry the land, or more accurately marry the Goddess of the land.

This marriage meant that the King swore to protect the land and the people, and be a caretaker of the earth. In return, when a King was favoured by the Goddess:

• he would rule with wisdom,

• the land would be fertile and prosperous,

• the country would always be victorious in war.

When that sacred contract was broken, the land was no longer fertile.

What blessing have you given today?

Several years ago, when the pop singer Madonna was studying the Kabbalah with Rabbi Philip Berg, she invited Rabbi Berg up on stage at the end of one of her concerts and asked him to give the audience a blessing.

That was a lovely sentiment, but an unnecessary one. Because I’ve learned that we can all give blessings.

Summer Solstice: your new beginning

June 20, 2016 is an auspicious day: both the Summer Solstice and a Full Moon – it’s the first time these two events have coincided in 70 years!

The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the time to celebrate life in all its aspects.

It’s also the time to call in all the positive things you want in your life, and release what no longer serves you.

The Full Moon also brings in powerful energies for manifestation of what you want.

Read this post to learn how…

Shamanism and personal healing

Quite a few years ago, during a routine medical exam, my doctor found some abnormal cells – pre-cancerous, or what today would be called Stage Zero cancer.

She recommended laser surgery to remove them. Even back then, I was very holistic and didn’t want surgery of any kind, even laser surgery, so I considered my alternatives.

As part of my Native American studies, I had heard of prayer fetishes: objects that are created, personalized, and prayed over, to bring about a particular outcome. Taking a leap of faith, I decided I would make a health fetish as my path to curing my condition.

How to survive the loss of a loved one

We all have to face it at some time in our lives.

Learning how to survive the loss of a loved one can dramatically impact our quality life.

Learn what Native Americans teach.

The magic of a home altar

Would you like to jump-start your meditation practice? Or have an instant dose of serenity? A home altar might be just the thing to help you.

Many people may think of altars as something only found in a church, but they don’t have to be limited to that.

WHAT IS AN ALTAR?

Altars are built to hold focused energy, and help you to feel calm and centered when you approach them. It represents your intention to create more serenity, peace and love in your space and your life.

Are you willing to do the work to change?

In 2003 and 2013, I went to Brazil to see the medium Joao de Deus [John of God] at the Casa de Dom Ignacio de Loyola.

The Casa is a place where miraculous cures regularly occur. It’s also a place of kindness and acceptance of people from all over the world.

So I was surprised to read an interview with John of God in which, when asked what determines if a person gets cured, his answer was “merit.”

I had to think long and hard about that. Surely possible cures would not be intentionally withheld.

So my interpretation of “merit” was that the patients do the work they need to do to achieve and maintain health:

Gay rights: let indigenous people lead the way

More and more, modern people are turning to indigenous teachings to learn a better way to live. Perhaps acceptance of gay rights could be the next lesson.

Here are a few things Native Americans have already contributed:

New year, new you?

There’s a lot of talk of “new year’s resolutions” these days. Probably because the new year seems a good time to create a “new you.”

What is a “new you?” That is a personal question that each must answer for themselves.

For me, it has to do with qualities of being rather than getting a new wardrobe or hairstyle. Those things have their place, but if you’re a reader of this blog, you probably want to look a little deeper at your life.

I always strive to be a better version of myself: less judgmental, more compassionate and forgiving, kinder, more nurturing. The list goes on.

One of my frequent prayers is for help in taking my spiritual work to the next level, and I think developing qualities like that are excellent hallmarks of a spiritual life.

Food for thought. But yes, I also want to lose the five pounds I gained over the holidays!

So now on to the practical tips for making change:

7 ways to celebrate the Winter Solstice

“Winter Solstice is the time when light is born out of the womb of winter’s darkness.” Mara Freeman, in Kindling the Celtic Spirit

To original peoples around the world the Winter Solstice is a time of great celebration. This year it takes place on December 21.

It signifies the return of the sun through longer days and shorter nights until the sun reaches its zenith at the Summer Solstice.

Many ancient cultures considered it to be the true beginning of the “new year.”

It’s something modern society takes for granted, and may not even notice. We always assume the sun will rise and set every day. But what if it didn’t?

What if it gave up because we never said, “Thank you!”

A gift for you: The Fountain of Youth ebook is free now

I’m delighted to announce I have a new book out and the e-book is FREE on Amazon today and tomorrow.

The Fountain of Youth Is Just a Breath Away; Breathing Exercises for Relaxation, Health and Vitality.

It’s also available as a paperback, but unfortunately that’s not free! 🙂 But the paperback would make a great holiday gift for your loved ones.

You do NOT need a Kindle to read the e-book. You can read it on any computer or tablet by downloading the FREE Kindle App software .

Don’t like to read ebooks? Get the paperback here.

“What is right with you?”

Has anyone ever asked you that? “What is right with you?”

No one’s ever asked me that, but I certainly recall being asked, “what is wrong with you?” by parents, teachers and employers. I’m sure we all have.

All too often we, and others, focus on what is wrong with us. But there is more right than wrong with all of us.

Just as there is more that is right in the world than is wrong in the world.

People complain that there is only bad news reported in newspapers and the evening news. Well, the good news is that these events are out of the ordinary; that’s why it’s news!

The truth is that planet earth and everything on it is part of an amazing Creation, and we are each magnificent beings of light. Spiritual beings learning to be human.

We forget that a lot.

For some reason we seem to be trained to look for what is wrong.

I would say that 95% of my first-time clients ask, at the end of the healing session, “what did you pick up? What do you think is wrong with me?”

Meaning, they’re hoping for a clairvoyant reading that will tell them the problems I found.

I give everyone the same answer:

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