A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

A New Awareness

2013 has been an interesting year to say the least and now it is over. Once again the energies of change are upon us. As 2014 dawns, we may feel a little less sure of ourselves and of the world as a whole and yet there is always the promise that comes with the new year. It will be another year of growth and change. We may not always enjoy the growth that comes to us but have faith. For we as a race are as capable of monumental goodness to balance out that which will shock us. Be at peace my friends and may the new year bring you a bounty of good times, and love.

Feeling Lost

Have you ever felt lost or out of place in your own life? It isn't as uncommon as you might think. There are many reasons to feel lost and most of them come at junctions where our spiritual paths collide with our waking world. There are many people who will seem to sail through their lives without feeling lost, at least not to the extent that some people will experience. When we talk to our friends and family about feeling lost their response is usually something along the lines of "just choose something and do it." Unfortunately for the person feeling lost, this is the last thing they want or need to hear.

It would seem so simple ... just pick something, just do something, just do anything. Yet movement of the mind, body and / or spirit during these times can be stressful, unsettling and almost impossible for the one being affected. Those affected feel more adrift than normal and there is a growing distance between friends and loved ones who don't seem to understand. There may be action taken, action that seems to fit either what they believe the best course of action to be or what society tells us the next steps should be.

Feeling lost can vary from situation to situation or from event to event. Sometimes simply repeating what we believe our the actions of our path will eventually lead us out from under this feeling, while at other times we seem to sink deeper and deeper into a well of separation. The feeling of being lost can end as quickly as we notice it and at other times it can seem to go on for years. We still function and do what we believe what we are doing will take us to where we need to be even if the sense of loss keeps growing and more often than not they can lead to a sense of really having missed something important.

Our ego's play a huge part in how we are interpreting our role in our lives and when we fixate on a sense of "this is the only way to get where I need to be" the feelings of being lost get worse. In reality the feelings of being lost in our lives usually come about by many of the shifts and changes we need to make. Sometimes the shifts and changes are real, physical changes while others can be perception based and all can be difficult.

We find that as we begin to feel lost there are usually some small changes or adjustments that get us feeling like we're finally back on course. Other times the feeling of being lost can be over whelming and last for weeks, months and in some cases years. There also seems to be a comparison of the magnitude of feeling lost with magnitude of the change that we either need to make or that is coming in our lives. I have known many people who have drifted along feeling depressed and lost, wondering what they should be doing with their lives, while they ignore either the learning they've done or the gifts that were inherited by their spirits.

We are told very early in our lives that school, learning and our careers must be based on society's concept of how business or lives measure our success. When we are forced by our path and spirit to change course and buck society's expectations, fear and condemnation creep in. We find our selves ridiculed and suddenly those people who were "believable and creditable" are far less so in the eyes of society and of the legal systems that try to rule our daily lives.

A case in point:

I had thought my life to be going along fine yet with divorce, finding myself a single parent and suffering a work injury, I managed. I found my spiritual path and began to build on it while providing for my small family in a socially acceptable manner. Yet years of continued accidents had made me begin to examine what else I could do, to balance my life. I thought I was doing everything I had to. I would drag myself to work and suffer more accidents while trying to express my spiritual path in newsletters, readings and workshops. Something wasn't right, something, somewhere went wrong for me ... or at least that is what I believed.

Accidents at work took a toll on my health, and my spiritual work was viewed as a hobby by many and I was certainly told more than one "you can't make a living doing that!" Cutting and hurtful sentiments from loving family members and friends added to the feeling of being lost and trapped which had begun to settle in and grow. I searched for new outlets. I explored advancement at work that may have removed me from continued accidents just to be told I was too valuable to move on and should stay where I was, doing advanced work for little pay. I branched out further in my spiritual studies and even completed the theoretical training to be a Gnostic Christian minister believing that is where my journey would lead when I was offered an unbelievably marvelous opportunity. Again the universe saw my dreams differently and another injury, lost wages and more health problems cut the remaining safety lines I had been told I needed. My life suddenly felt more adrift than ever before.

Other opportunities came and as I embraced them, new spiritual paths and lessons became a part of everyday life. Again, I was told they would never amount to much or that they were cute hobbies with no real staying power. Yet those that participated in or attended found comfort and relief but for myself, the chasm of being alone and adrift was always just on the other side of the praise and growing larger as time went by.

Now change is here, drastic and life altering and yet oddly comforting. The fog is lifting, finally and the realization that this is the right path for this time. Yes there are times when the tide seems to pull me away from the shore I see but it is never really as far from sight at is has been for a number of years.

That is the truth behind most times we feel lost. The size and time spend adrift is in accordance with the type and severity of the change we will be making. It is a call to release the past, the dreams and the visions as we have believed them to be and it is a step outward into a future that has been calling us for sometime now. As with all releases and changes some are easier to get through. The thought of changing homes and cars for some are looked at with joy and the don't suffer any sense of loss, for they know and are looking forward to new and better. The fond memories are stored away and life goes on. Facing major changes can be more difficult. We believe we have followed our life journey and yet we come to ending relationships after 30 or 40 years, whether marriages or employment, and we suddenly recognize the import of those years and wonder if we have wasted a third of our lives following false dreams.

The reality is that there are no false dreams. They are the events we came to experience and it is during these experiences that we grow and change and begin to understand our selves. The emotions we experience make it real and our handling of these events and emotions gives life and meaning to thoughts. We can face the coming change when we need to and if that need takes a little extra time so be it. We will come to shore when the time is right or we will find the hand that leads us out of the fog in due time. It is only then that we can accept our journey as our own and understand our selves when again begin to feel lost.

I bid you peace as you are journey on your path, knowing that the feelings of being lost and adrift will bring you forward to becoming you. Blessings.

CRYSTALS

Amethyst (Revisited)

When I began writing about crystals I was aware that I was doing an injustice to the energy of many crystals with my then limited experience. I am therefore going to revisit a number of crystals and give them proper dues.

Amethyst is a very popular crystal and its violet colour makes it one of the easiest crystals to recognize. Due to amethyst's highly spiritual influences it is one of the most common of the Master stones, for amethyst has the ability to heal almost every system in the body. Amethyst has been a popular stone from ancient times and was used extensively in ancient Greek culture. In ancient times, amethyst was believed to provide the bearer with protection while traveling and from homesickness, from drunkenness and from the ill wills of other people. Amethyst is a beautiful violet crystal and it can vary between being almost translucent to very dark depending on the inclusion within it. Amethyst can be found almost world-wide with major sources being India, Canada, USA, Britain, many areas in Central America, Brazil, Africa and northern areas of the Asiatic continent.

As a tool for physical healing, Amethyst is said to improve mental clarity and thought processes. Amethyst calms both the physical and mental storms that can hinder growth and change. It can benefit sleep by being placed beneath a pillow, both as a treatment for insomnia and as a protection from negative dream energies. Amethyst has been used for the treatment of headaches and migraines in particular. Amethyst in the past has been used as a skin tonic for acne and other skin problems. Amethyst aids the body with the production and balancing of hormones. It has been used extensively to aid the body in removing toxins while supporting the body's immune system. Amethyst also is beneficial for releasing emotional, physical and spiritual and psychological pain in the body. Amethyst is also said to support and repair the respiratory system, the digestive tract, and the endocrine systems.

Spiritually, Amethyst can aid in a number of ways and in this instance the colour of the amethyst will aid in which application it is best suited for. All amethyst is believed to attract justice while deterring those who would do harm. All amethyst will cleanse the aura and re-balance the energies of the chakra system, especially the crown, third eye and throat. Pale amethyst is said to connect to the crown chakra and will promote open communication with the higher universal energies. Darker amethyst works well on the third eye and throat chakras and opens active communication and acceptance of intuitive thoughts and messages. Amethyst aids in transforming negative energies into useful energies for spiritual growth.

Amethyst should be washed fairly regularly under warm running water. Usually once a month will suffice however if your amethyst begins to feel heavy it can be rinsed more often. Do not leave amethyst in sunlight to recharge, instead place it in a dish with hematite crystals overnight.

Amethyst

Thoughts for February and March

February brings forth a new and exciting energy. With the passing of the mid-point of winter, Imbolc or Candlemass, we begin to recognize the coming changes. The days now are getting noticeably longer and slowly the sun's warm begins to penetrate the chill that has come with winter. These changes are always present at this time of the year and yet this year there seems to be even more emphasis on the coming season of growth than has been experienced before. There is a subtle but noticeable change in the coming energy. More and more events are ramping up to show us the changes that are not only possible but that are heading our way. While they can be frightening and exhilarating at the same time there is a growing sense of wanting to be an active participant instead of just observing.

Of course March brings the official start to the spring season. By now the early blooms are everywhere and we eagerly seek the signs that tell the logical mind that winter is over. Last hurrahs of snow and ice may come but our mind is ready to accept that they are short lived at best. Our excitement grows as we see the beginning of new life form. Again our desire to be an active participant is growing and in this year that will draw our spirits out into places we dreamt of but were too timid to approach. This year, spring, heralds that change, that acceptance of the world to let us be an active and willing participant. It truly is a time to embrace your dreams, your wishes and your desires because the energy of this year says "Let's make it happen, let's make it real!" This year is our year to spring forth also.

MONTHLY MEDITATION

"Growing into Myself"

"The Earth is gently warming beneath my feet.

Soon the first blooms of early spring will appear and winter's grasp will be fade.

Now is the time for my spirit to grasp the growing warmth and to begin to harness that raw energy.

What shall I do with this surging tide of warmth and desire.

First the tentative shoots spread out to surround and protect my dreams and desires.

Growing ever outward gathering strength and nourishment from all I come into contact with.

Bringing back that which will serve my greatest purpose and need now.

I will not hold back, not now, not any more.

Today my roots spread far and wide and my base is established.

Now is the time to come forward, to burst into the bright sunlight of a new day and of a new season.

Today I will not hinder my growth. I will instead join in whole-heartedly.

I will bask in the sunlight and the warmth .

I will acknowledge my light and life-force and I will shine and show my true self to the world."

February 2014