A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

A New Awareness

As 2015 begins we may find ourselves full of hope for the new year and for all the promises that this new beginning brings. It will be important to remember that while there will be new beginnings, there will also be many more endings. Many of these ending may indeed seem overwhelming but are truly part of the re-balancing needed within our own spirits. The energy changes and shifts will still continue although they should not fluctuate like those of 2014. Again of year of change is upon us and it is important to be calm and loving as each of us travels along our life path.

Failure and Success

Have you ever signed up for emails or to sites that promise to help you get through the life lessons with inspirational messages? Or perhaps by those site who promise free astrological or numerology reports to help guide us through our life dramas, only to be bombarded with email after email about the opportunities you're missing or have missed? Have any of those emails or messages began by asking you whether or not your life is a failure? Have they tried to shame you into purchasing more services from themselves or from other "friends'?

It is amazing that sometimes when we are in the thick of our life experiences along comes a message that promises relief and that allows us to seem to find out bearings. We begin to believe that maybe these others will offer some insight that we've missed. Then comes the guilty emotions. Maybe we haven't done all that we could; phrased as "I'm worried that you're about to miss..." or "I know what is blocking your progress...". Maybe we have been weak. Maybe we have given up because of other life events. Yet these follow-up emails truly don't do us any favours. Even highly spiritual people can get sucked into these schemes. We too experience the pains and trials of everyday life and sometimes a phrase catches our attention and we listen a little too trustingly. Yet when I recently received an email asking if my life was a failure, I became aware once again of the manipulation of these emails and re-avowed my commitment to following the insights I've been given.

Firstly, let's look at failure. When we think of failure we tend to think of a final attempt with no chance or thought of redemption. It is a finality. It is an absolute! Failure for all its energy and usage denotes a total ceasing of work towards a goal. It doesn't allow for the fluctuations of life dramas and for our journey to change, to grow and to alter. It also denotes a singularity of existence that does not allow us to change our minds. Life is not about a single objective and the paths to our desired objectives are rarely straight forward.

Yet what we call a failure is simply something that didn't go the way we expected. It didn't work out. But is that then really the end of things? Does that mean that tomorrow morning, we can't get up, take another look at what we want and try to move forward once again? Of course it doesn't. We may choose to work toward the same outcome or we may choose to change things up a bit or change course altogether. Which ever way we choose to proceed we haven't really failed at anything and we certainly are not experiencing a failure.

Failure as an expectation is a concept based in the demands and expectations of society. There are those people in our world who will see their objective and be able to move toward it unhindered. They may even seem to be guided into their desires with ease. The truth is we will never know the extent of what anyone sacrificed to attain their dreams or what obtaining those dreams cost them. You see even success has its price.

Success is of course, easy to define. When our plans bring us to our desired outcomes or beyond, we are more than ready to accept this as success. Is this really success or did a plan just move forward as expected? Did we imagine greater turmoil than we experienced? If we look hard enough we can find fault with success too. Yet we all strive toward it and society, friends, and family members expect no less from us. Success can set us up for disappointment also.

For success can breed an expectation of continuity and greater growth. It is easy to become trapped within the thoughts of being successful and of the need to keep being successful. Rarely do we hear of someone stopping after one marvelous stroke of success. If that person does, we are quick to assume that there were other problems that we were denied knowledge of and somewhere within the thoughts of the ego we begin to assign blame that perhaps they were not all they should have been.

It becomes a strange way to exist when we so narrow our vision to see only failure or success as a way of being. When we tend to assign everything in between to a state of almost non-existence, we rob our selves and those we care about of the joys inherent in all of life's events. We cheapen any effort or strides made by a simple comparisons. Few points in life that are truly black and white and I don't believe that the measurement of failure or success should be included.

I bid you peace as you acknowledge, with pride and understanding, where in your life and where you have journeyed. Blessings.

CRYSTALS

Rhodochrosite (Revisited)

Rhodochrosite is a fairly common crystal and is available in almost every country though most crystals come from the United States, South Africa, Russia and South America. Rhodochrosite is predominately pink with white intrusions and stripes. In Native American tradition, Rhodochrosite was given as a token of love. It was also in many ceremonies as a way to connect with the divine spirit. Thus Rhodochrosite is recognized and used for expanding our perceptions of self love and compassion.

As a tool for physical healing, Rhodochrosite is very beneficial for migraines, although it may take a longer period of time to be truly effective. Rhodochrosite supports and heals the respiratory and circulatory systems. It has also been shown to help the body filter toxins from the kidneys. Rhodochrosite is also believed to support eye health and can benefit the skin. Many of the healing uses for Rhodochrosite include elixirs, if you intend to use them in this fashion please contact someone who specializes in crystal elixirs.

Spiritually, Rhodochrosite helps us to open our hearts and work through painful situations without closing ourselves off to the world. It helps to understand the value and importance of self love and to find that which is special within each person. Rhodochrosite can aid in identifying harmful and repeated patterns that block our progress and allow for the gentle release of the associated emotions. .

Rhodochrosite should be cleansed after each use. A quick rinse under running water should be sufficient, then allow the Rhodochrosite to rest among rock crystals away from direct sunlight. With a lot of use Rhodochrosite may become cloudy or show subtle changes in colouring, if this should happen simply wear the crystal next to your skin until it returns to normal.

Rhodochrosite

Thoughts for December & January

The light returns and our spirits can once again begin to rejoice. In December we come out of the dark of the year and the festivities we plan are simply a physical reminder that our time in the dark healing is coming to an end. We are ready and willing now no make the shifts within our thoughts to embrace a new beginning. The Solstice brings a change to our days. Slowing growing in length once again we can see promise and potential arising our of the dark. Like our spirits after being wrapped and held within the bonds of healing love we physically begin to stretch as we prepare to let our spirits soar in the renewed light

With the New Year beginning soon after we set forth the intentions of our minds and spirits to become a seed for growth and change in our own lives. Potential and promise abound everywhere and can be found in every thought and whisper that crosses our path. The embrace of loved ones sets us free and allows us to acknowledge that we are not alone for this journey.

MONTHLY MEDITATION

"My Life is Not a Failure"

"Today I take stock in my accomplishments.

Some have been wonderful while others have disappointed.

Yet beyond the disappointment is the belief and knowledge that I have changed.

I have grown a bit wiser, a bit stronger and a bit more courageous.

I may be bent but I have withstood and survived.

I can be proud no matter what comes my way.

The only one to impress with my life story is myself,

and my reflection says I have done well."

December 2014