Dispersing the Dark by Being the Light

So... I never believed in most of what has been revealed to me since this Awakening shift jolted me out of my previous limited and dis-empowering belief system. Honestly, I feel like I'm a "sleeper agent," having undergone amnesia to completely immerse into this human sense of reality to understand it and to be the bridge, helping to assist others with first hand-knowledge, perspective and experience because I have undergone similar rifts and fissure with love.

At any rate, one of the things I had not believed in were demons. I thought, if I didn't believe in them, then they could not exist and how silly it was to be so medieval in my thinking.. demons- bah! It's all semantics, anyhow, and it can be said that these are simply jealous and judgemental energies, parasitic in nature, that feast off of lower vibrations such as fear, shame, envy, greed, lust, insecurities and other imbalanced, misaligned, non-loving manners of Being.

At the end of last summer, 2015, I experienced a full-on psychic attack that hit me (and my cat!) because I stood my ground and called attention to some sinister activities. I called upon Arch Angel Michael and asked for protection and was informed with clarity: You ARE the protection. You ARE the light. And so, I was directed to banish the darkness with authority using my own light, allowing it to disperse and leave me.

 I asked my Guidance why it was not vanquished, completely obliterated instead of simply being allowed to move on to someone else and the answer that I was given was that the Darkness has every right to be here, just as does the Light. It is only when there is no where for it to find purchase in anyone that it will move out and away from this world- meaning every one needs to release fear so the darkness has no where to settle in. The best way to disperse the darkness is to beam it with love and light and command it to leave with authority.  You do not need to be scared of the Dark.  Simply do not allow it to intimidate you.  Keep yourself pure by sending love to anyone who is in need of healing from afar.  You do not need to be in the fray to be effective in healing those deep wounds which may cause people to act out of insecurity and desperation.

Do not feed fear or it will grow.  Focus on Love, on Unity, on compassion, forgiveness, mercy, discernment and liberty.  In this manner, we will continue to create and sustain beauty in our world.

There are those who need healing and those who are the healers and all of us are within that spectrum, having experienced both.  Keep this in your heart when you come across others who wish to attack or distract or keep you from embodying your Higher Self.  Have mercy, send them love and keep yourself protected and disentangled so that you are not engaged and feeding it anything less than love (like worry or concern, for example).  Love it and let it go.

Living With Your Twin Flame: Tips for A Healthy and Stable Reunion

Twin Flames: How to Viably and Pleasurably Sustain a Higher Standard of Love

Many Twin Flames have been able to reunite with their One True Love in this lifetime.  We have been fortunate to have met and rekindled the recognition that sparks between us.  Some Twin Flames have agreed (on a soul level) to be together, perhaps even live with each other, during this immensely tumultuous time of purging and clearing the emotional, spiritual and mental bodies.  Some of us had an agreement to "touch and go" with our Twin Flames throughout this energetic re-calibration, triggering deeply set patterns of insecurities, fears and sabotaging relationship factors so they could be seen, healed and re-set.  It has often been a "blessing in disguise" to experience these dynamics, each of which has been quite necessary to undergo before being able to firmly set yourself into the impenetrable Love Bubble of Divine Love with your Beloved.

The time draws nigh for the waves of Twin Flames who have been energetically intertwining to now live together on a daily basis.  This is the time for which we have been eagerly awaiting and it is full of excitement (and also, perhaps, may be laced with some anxiousness and concern, because it is truly and really here on a physical scale) with your True Love.  Here are some tips on how to fully embrace and maintain your bliss together.

Protect Your Union: Guard against Jealousy and Judgement

Your heart wants to shout it from the mountaintops: "Look everyone!  We're together and we're in LOVE!"  You desire to be vindicated for what you've known to be true, though it may have appeared to others that you were crazy for holding out, and want to finally tell everybody that you're not a lunatic for all that you've been undergoing.

Please wait. (You've already perfectly practiced patience many, many times so this should be quite easy for you by now.)  Keep your Reunion private for a while.  Stay in your undisturbed honeymoon together without the input and influence of friends and family until your foundation together is solid, stable and you are Guided to "come out," as it were.  This is very important!  Even if you have developed close friendships with other Twin Flames along this Journey, keep it to yourselves for a time.  We've heard the old adage, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."  In this case, it very well can be true- you would hope to God that all of your friends and family have the very best intentions for your happiness, however, there are still some niggling aspects of jealousy, doubt and/or judgement that very well could (even inadvertently) be sent your way and become a destructive energetic force between you.  You do not need to invite that into your newly found romance at all, Beloveds!  So again, be advised to wait until Guided before announcing your Reunion to others.

Spend Time Each Day Making Love with your Twin Flame

Sounds great, doesn't it?  The more often that you can ground and deepen your love together, the better your relationship dynamic will be.  "Making love" with your Twin Flame is more than 3D sex.  It's not a "wham, bam, thank you ma'am" type of energy that we're talking about here.  It is waking up and gazing into each others' eyes with sincere love and appreciation, smiling from your heart in gratitude and adoration of each other.  It is kissing slowly, deeply, sensually.  It is intentionally reaffirming your love and bestowing a gift to each other with every touch, every stroke.  To love each other thusly is the purest form of worship, and yes, the angels cry tears of joy when witnessing this exchange, for it is beautiful to behold.

Leave Behind the Past and Focus on Creating the New Together

You've worked hard in releasing old pain bodies and neither of you wishes to re-visit them.  Do not talk about old relationships.  Do not ask, "why didn't you....?"  Do not wonder what to do with each other.  The Doing will come on it's own.  Right now, it is important to focus all of your energies on Being the Love together.  Your greatest Mission is to Be the exemplars of balanced Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine in relationship with each other.  The world desperately needs this, more than anything else right now!  If you're at a loss as to what to do or say- KISS each other, for heaven's sake!  There's always time for that :)  Then you can go frolicking in the park or skipping down the sidewalk holding hands, singing in the woods or at the grocery store and generally spreading your love energies to our world wherever you go together.

Reaffirm Your Vows of Devotion 

A very dear and treasured friend of mine expressed the notion of multiple weddings.  She expressed her plans to have loving ceremonies with her Twin Flame in small private settings as well as large and elaborate ones.  You can "get married" and reaffirm your vows to each other as many times as you'd like, and all over the world!  This life is your adventure with your Twin Flame- you are creating the dynamics of how you'd like to Be together.  Be creative, have fun and above all, Be the Immaculate Love that you came here to Be!  Make every day your dancing day!  Claim each moment as precious and treasure the time you have together.  Always give thanks and never, ever take your Twin Flame for granted.  You are the light of their life, as they are yours; you are both benefactor and beneficiaries of your own true love story.  With the radiance that you give to each other, be assured that the whole world is indeed elevated by the gift that you Are together.

Go Forth and Prosper

Employ all the Mastery that you've worked so hard to achieve and use it to guard against insecurities and fears, jealousy, anger, lust, debauchery, obsession, feelings of lack or judgement and all of those imbalanced and lower vibrational tendencies that you've now abolished.  Use discernment wisely.  Stay away from drama and negativity.  You are living in the realms of the freedom of Faith now.  Remember: You are highly treasured and immaculately protected.  Enjoy your new life together, Beloveds! 

The Blessings of Golden Gate Park

Frequented by hippies and artists for generations, Golden Gate Park has been romantically referenced in many songs and poems, and continues to be treasured and beloved by all who live and visit the Bay Area.  In March of 2015, I spent nearly a week in San Francisco, CA.  Golden Gate Park has been an especially compelling place, not only because it anchors a substantial bit of nature in the midst of a great and grand city, but for me it also conjures personal fondness as it was the place where my parents were married on February 21, 1969. 

I walked into the park, entering near the disk golf course and found myself wandering down winding trails to a beautiful cradling tree near a placid duck-pond.  Into this tree I climbed and meditated quietly, absorbing the peaceful sounds of nature and gentle ambiance with general enjoyment.  During my meditation, I was lovingly guided to bless Golden Gate Park.  It came as a bit of a surprise, as I had not previously been guided to bless a place before.

As affirmation, when I opened my eyes, I gazed up into the sky above me and saw a beautiful rainbow directly ahead.  This had some significant meaning to me, as I had witnessed a pair of great, grand double rainbows only the day before arching over the Golden Gate Bridge on March 23.  Rainbows have symbolized "God's promise kept" to me and, undoubtedly, many others and whenever I see them, I grow giddy inside.

And so, as instructed, I began to pray and consciously breathe blessings into Golden Gate Park, starting first where I was, stationed in that cradling tree, and then moving on, as guided, to drive the circumference of the entire park, continuing with the blessing.  I blessed all those who entered to be filled with joy and happiness and a sense of peace as they set foot on the grounds.  I blessed all life that grew there to be protected and to thrive, each tree and plant, each insect, bird and creature who called this park their home.

The next time I returned to Golden Gate Park, it was a few months later, and I was accompanied by my daughter in July, 2015.  We found a sunny spot near the Conservatory of Flowers and lay down on an inclined hillside to soak up the sun.  Soon after we settled in, a number of different families, each with small children, began to gather close to us and, independently, decided that it would be a great idea to roll down the hill.  Soon, many children, and some of their parents, were laughing merrily and taking turns rolling down the hill right next to us.  It was a happy contagion. 

Sarah and I walked around the flower beds, listened briefly to an improvisational Latino-jazz band that was stationed on a nearby park bench, then continued to explore the park's smoothly black-topped trails and dirt-soft footpaths. 

We took turns taking pictures of each other in fun, frivolous, extemporaneous poses throughout the park, thoroughly having a pleasant and silly time. It became a delightful mother/daughter time of bonding between us (one of many!), for we share sincere enjoyment in each others' company. 

At some point, we found ourselves once more in a much less heavily trafficked and heavily treed area.  We continued our impromptu photo-shoot whilst lounging along the trunk and branches of an inviting tree.

And then, something amazing revealed itself in a few of the next images that Sarah took of me: a softly glowing orb in white hue illuminating from my heart-center was captured in the following images:

I really did not take much notice of the light emanating from my chest until someone pointed it out to me later.  It was suggested that I look up the meaning of what this may be, and what I was led to discover was titillating.

I typed into Google the phrase "White light glowing from heart" and was lead to the website AuraPhoto.  These are the excerpts that stood out to me:

"Auras that expand out indicate spiritual expansion, expressiveness, extroversion, social activity, desire for connection, gregariousness, positive outlook, sense of adventure."
 
 "Blue/White: "Peace. Loving, and Balancing" best describe your focus in life now. You are natural, clear conduit for spiritual balancing energy for others as well as yourself. This light colored blue energy indicates you are in a regenerative, restful phase. If you do not work in the energy-balancing arts, you may find yourself gently encouraging and nurturing others with just your mere presence. Presently, your highest goals are to achieve complete inner peace and to develop your relationship with the Creator."  

I have been on a diligent search for Divine Love these past couple of years, indeed reawakening my relationship with Creator/Source and a deeply passionate quest for inner peace.


"White is blinding truth of light. It is pure in pigment and light, like absence of sin and the joining of powers. It is the coveted ivory, the awaited buffalo, the liquid eye, the moon."
 



The "absence of sin and the joining of powers" is of increasing interest, as I am being guided on this Twin Flame journey of spiritual soul-merge, consciously catching my triggers, re-calibrating my center pillar of stability and strength, and ridding myself of all undesirable, outdated patterns of belief and relationship paradigms into which I had been immersed. 





And finally, the heart chakra: what does it mean when an auric color exudes from one's heart?
"Empathy. The color of your heart is usually the force coming into your being."

Now, if you are like my empirical/science minded daughter, you may simply dismiss the white glow in these images as white light being reflected from my shirt.  However, I have personally experienced far too many etheric episodes and exceptional connections in the past few years to be so dismissive.  The illusory nature of the spiritual experience continues to mystify even the most devoutly concrete personality, especially when it happens to *you*.

Twin Flames Holding Space with Unconditional Love

The Waiting

You have been "awakened and aware" that you are a twin flame, that you are so intimately connected with another person that there is no denial and no escape.  You may have even tried every manner of attempting to disconnect from them, to "cut the cords" or untether your heart to allow you some peace of mind, some sanctuary from the longing, only to discover that this is impossible. You love this person with all of your heart and every portion of your being desires to Be with them... and it yet has to manifest.  Your Twin Flame may not seem to heed the call of your heart, may not seem to respond to your beckoning, may not seem to step into their divinity and may seem to continue to play the static, circling games of illusory 3D. 


You submit, you surrender to the inevitable realization that you must walk through the fire to get to the other side.  You do your inner work, smoothing out the kinks and cramps of old, outdated non-loving patterns, catching your triggers and diligently, mindfully working through responding to outer and inner conflict with love and forgiveness, compassion and empathy.  You find all of your fears and face them head-on, stepping into the fire and walking through the pain, discovering that each test tempers your strength further.

With infinite patience and unconditional love you reach out to your Eternal Beloved and let them know that you will always love them, that you hold the space for them to step into being with you, that you are committed to them and your union, that you have no desire to be with anyone else.




And still, your Twin has yet to fully and completely yield to physical reunion with you.


Many "awakened" Twin Flames continue to wonder about the timeline of their physical union with their divine counterpart, continue to wonder about the direction and installation of their "mission."  You know (and may have known for years now) that you have work to do, and this work is to be done together with your Twin Flame. 


One may become frustrated or irritated with the length of time, the manner in which they will reunite with their twin flame, and even attempt to throw up their hands in despair, wondering how could their Beloved be so blind to the connection, or even have the energy to turn their eyes away from you and continue to wall up their heart?

Twin Flames: The Unity of the Pair

When you start to wonder "why?" they are acting the way they do, or not acting the way you expect them to act, it is imperative to remember that You Are One.  What does this mean, exactly? 


Being a Twin Flame means that you are the same soul expression, the same vibrational imprint as your counterpart- one embodying the more female aspect and the other embodying the more male aspect.  Both of you have lived lifetimes of experience, of expansion of awareness through trial and error in relationship with others, with the world, with belief systems and with the self.  Each Twin Flame pair has encountered beautiful and harrowing experiences, tested the boundaries of relationship to sometimes extreme levels.  We have gone into the deepest, darkest recesses of what it means to be human, sometimes to the detriment of our soul's love and light, causing rips and rifts in our ability to remember the path of Divine Love.


Soul damage has occurred; the pair of Twins has become encumbered by fear and guilt on either end of the spectrum of experience.  One aspect may respond by lashing out or attempting to control others.  The other aspect may respond by withdrawing.  Both responses are evidence of fear, guilt, shame and unstable inner love of self.

Because You Are One with your Twin Flame, it is imperative to remember that, had you walked the same path as your Beloved has walked, you would have responded the very same way!  Do not judge your Beloved Twin Flame in the manner by which they process this Divine Journey into Mastering Love.  This opportunity is another gift for you to Master and embody your own expansive ability to hold the space for them with unconditional love, with infinite patience, with ultimate faith and trust in Divine Timing and with absolutely no pressure! 


Use this time to continue to cultivate your own Mastery of Divine Love, to prepare the stage for your mission together so that your Twin Flame may easily step into their role when it is time.  Keep yourself open and available, holy and pure; be the vessel to receive your guidance by meditation, journaling, prayer, and all methods you have discovered to go within to stay centered within your peace.  Keep constant contact with your intuitive guidance and your higher self.  Remember, harbor no ill feelings toward your Eternal Beloved.  They Are You, and to hold anything less than love is to not love yourself, and not trust in the process that you have agreed upon.

In the meanwhile, keep in mind that the more you can mindfully and lovingly contain this magnificent holding space, the more potential energy you garner, and, like coiled springs, will manifest amazing, mind-blowing energy when you DO come together.

The Grand Plan for Twin Flames "Why the Wait?"

Thousands of Divine Feminine Twin Flames Have Been Diligently Working

It is not by accident that Twin Flames are born into this time-frame, this sliver of experience together.  Many thousands of divine feminine Twin Flames have been "awakened" over the past few years, tasting the resplendent Divine Love that is unmatched, unequivocal when meeting our Twin Flame counterpart.  It is the proverbial "carrot" that has gifted us with the Hope it takes to endure the trials and tribulations that this cleansing course delivers.

In essence, we needed the imprint of that love to be able to carry us through this harrowing, intense spiritual journey.

At the same time, many of our masculine counterparts have shied away, presented their "poker faces," leaving us baffled and riddled with wonder, worry and sense of rejection.  It causes us to go within, to take a good, hard look at ourselves and ask: "What is the life that I really desire?"  And, "What will it take to get there?"

What does this do for the Soul we share?  It enables within us the energy required to Master the Journey of self-love, of self-acceptance, of self-actualization that we've denied ourselves for thousands and thousands of years having been separated from our divinity.

I've asked Spirit "Why does it have to be this way?  Why are so many thousands of twins across our entire world suffering the separation where one is awake and the other asleep?  For it seems almost cruel to carry these feelings, this knowledge and be yet unable to manifest the physical union...."

The answer I receive is that there is a Divine Plan- all is as it should be, as it always was and as it always shall be.  We have been purposefully set apart so that we can undergo the ultimate training in trusting, allowing, accepting and then rejoicing!  The divine feminine has volunteered to take the initial steps required in purging that which no longer serves us, specifically old and outdated paradigms and patterns of behavior and relating.  It is obvious to see how eager we are to return to equilibrium in status and self-actualization because we've (voluntarily) denied the feminine for thousands of years her power.

It started with feminism and free love, women returning to the work-place, being recognized for their own independent contributions to the collective.  No longer are women the property or chattel maintained and traded by the men in their lives.  But, at the same time, women are not men!  We are realizing that feminine power is vastly different than male power- and both necessary in finding true balance in society.  We require the nurturing and empowerment just as much as we need the protection and production to be able to fully thrive. 

So much of our existence here has been ego-based, and that was on purpose as well.  We desired to understand and experience what it was to be separate from one another, and that led to being divisive rather than unified.  It was a necessary strategy for us to be egocentric to survive here in this reality of "separation" in order to fully experience it!  Now that we have fully experienced separation to the Nth degree, so absolutely (and somewhat appallingly!) we are fully prepared to really embrace the journey of undergoing the return of the pendulum's swing: the return of unity consciousness, the return of ourselves to our Divine nature which is indeed our inherent birthright.  Because we've built up our ego for thousands of years, it takes concerted effort to regain graceful balance and is not a job that is done overnight.  This is the Perfect Plan in action: to see how we are One by feeling and knowing without a shadow of doubt, and this step is initiated and ignited by the Twin Flame recognition.

When the awakened Twin accepts the Journey of cleaning and clearing out all learned and inherited irritants of ego-separation and is able to trust, allow, accept and then rejoice, we will then be able to hold the divine love of our Twin Flame Union with the strength of the integrity that is required without spilling it, without splitting or splintering.  We are the vessels, and tempering us takes time, patience and careful, caring consciousness.  This is the Mastery of self-love.  This is the return of ourselves to our Self.

Be ready to receive the Divine Masculine, for their time of awakening is at hand.  Use all of the tools you've honed in this Journey, your exquisite experiences, your garnered strength to hold them with unconditional love and forgiveness, for they are coming...

(An aside: Divine Feminine Twin Flames also may incarnate into male bodies; this is an important piece of dismantling old, outdated prejudices that Twin Flames have agreed upon in birthing the New Paradigm for the Golden Age of Enlightenment)

The Creation of the Universe

In the time before Time, when the days were endless and there were no nights and everything existed in the hands of Perfection, Brahma enjoyed the company of his consort, his mother-sister-daughter-bride, his constant companion, his treasured Beloved.  They were everything to each other and they were All that the other had.

They enjoyed creating novelties to surprise and charm the other.  They would laugh and play together, sing and dance with one another, each moment an expansive delight in one another’s presence.  All was Perfection and there their joy was unanimous and unequivocal.  

Amidst their creative endeavors, they discovered the true pleasure of playing hide and seek with each other; each of them would take turns with one of them closing their eyes whilst the other tip-toed off to hide, waiting to be found by the other.  With every game, they discovered new and innovative ways to hide from each other, always wishing to give the other a novel riddle as to where they could be found, so that each time the game became more beautiful to behold, more challenging to complete.  It was in this manner that time and space were made, a stage set for their playground.

More and more complex creations were made manifest to enable the expansion of their perfect playground.  Great gardens grew and waters were woven, skies were opened and deep caverns created.  They made many, many realities, always taking great delight in their creations, for this was their most prized game, their joyful uncovering and rediscovering of one another, for they cherished each other very much and were always thrilled to be reunited.

Every world that was made was more spectacular than the previous.  Various rules and regulations enticingly set the nuance of each firmament, thus providing vast variety which enhanced the elements and colored the conditions of each place.  So enamored were they with each other and with their thrill of seeking and finding, that they put much loving energy into the grounds of their glory, and became fascinated by the fantasies of the worlds in which they hid.

At the start of a game, the Beloved told Brahma to close his eyes and to not peek because she had a very special treat for him this time, so he placed a great fog around himself to shroud his vision.  

As her consort counted in wait for her to hide, the Beloved divided herself up into innumerable pieces, hiding herself invariably in incalculable places, sprinkling herself throughout the vast galaxies and realms in which they had created.  In addition to this, she made herself so varied and unrecognizable to him that he would have a sincere challenge finding her in all of her facets of Being.  

It proved to be the longest expanse of the time either of them had ever experienced, so long in fact, that they eventually started to forget who they were, and that they were even playing a game.  

It is into this reality that we find ourselves now, lost and unsure, longing for the love of our Eternal Beloved and all of the missing pieces which need to be placed back together to be fully and wholly reunited. 

Once upon a time we were each other’s delight, and there is still a bit of that sparkle of a dream within our hearts, for that is where the Beloved has put all of her pieces for her perfect partner to recollect.

Discovering The Law of Return

We are existing concurrently in multi-dimensions and timelines of our Self- all fractals of the reality which is whole and complete.

There are certain Laws which govern our existence.  One of the most well known laws is that of Karma, or, more precisely, The Law of Return.  It states: Each thought, deed and action will be returned to you in order to teach empathy, compassion, mercy and forgiveness. 

Be thou aware of the Law of Return.  Cast only what ye wish to catch!

Oh, to be a healer is to cast the light and disperse the shadows.  Blessings come in many forms and flavors, all of which can guide us toward love and unity.

Look deeply at the wound; see the hooks and barbs embedded therein.  Love gently extracts the thorns and thistles.  Love heals the damages inflicted.  Love mends with great care and compassion; with practiced patience does Love gingerly heal all afflictions.  Love always wins, for in truth, all there is is Love.

Let the shadows be dispersed!

Dance in the light of joy and forgiveness!

How precious we are, every one!

What grips and grapples, what ensnares and enslaves, Be Gone!  In the name of Love, Be Gone, Be Gone!

How to Get Grounded Without Falling Down

 Living in the Creative Heights

Artists, inventors, philosophers, mystics, and all spiritualists who expend much time and energy in the creative realms ofttimes become so enraptured with their esoteric heights that they may forget to eat, sleep or do other necessary activities of daily living.  For example, have you ever been in the groove of your creative or meditative mode and find yourself saying, "I really need to go to the bathroom, but it can wait, I can hold it!" and then, in what seems to be the blink of an eye, you find that three hours have passed and your bladder is extended beyond belief and is not happy.  Perhaps you find yourself rushing to appointments and forget to bring items with you that you needed because you've given your time and energy to the creative idea, forgoing the very real and pressing presence of the here and now.  It is not that you're lazy or procrastinate; it's that you're preoccupied by the grander plan, the greater schematic, and everything else seems to take second or third (or sixteenth) place.  All you really want to do is keep on creating!

It may seem silly to even broach this subject, for many people in our society will not be able to relate to not keeping a regimented schedule or a consistent time table.  Most people live their lives completely by routine; it is a viable way of living, for living by rote routine provides a very real sense of stability in an otherwise unstable reality.  "The world may be falling to pieces, but at least I have my morning coffee."  However, most artists and other creative folk have a difficult time keeping a regular sleeping schedule, let alone a breakfast routine. 

It Is Important to Keep Grounded to Sustain a Balanced Existence

As one who admits to actively living in the heights of creative mode and much preferring the energy up there, verses the density of dogma, disease, demand and dementia that pervades our mundane world, I can attest that it is quite necessary to remind myself to stay grounded without falling down and losing the joy and freedom for which I have so diligently worked to achieve.  This requires a great deal of discipline, finesse, balance and discernment for as soon as one starts to pay attention to the lower levels of living, one may easily become discouraged, disgruntled and as un-eased as the collective.  To assuage this downward demise while still keeping a strong tether to the here and now, I have discovered a few very important activities that will work wonders in maintaining the balance necessary to live more fully without compromising integrity, honor or impose unnecessary harm upon the sensitive soul.

Be Fully Present In Your Body

So much time is spent out of body, conjuring new ideas, creating novel concepts of awareness, spinning and weaving the warp and weft of our worlds, that we may forget the beautiful sensuality of being in our bodies.  We have many sensational faculties with which to employ and to delve into each of our subtle senses.  Using conscientious alacrity and aplomb adds wonderful levels of enjoyable awareness we simply may have forgotten.  Here are a few ideas to spark the enjoyment of being in your body.

Take a Walk, Dance, Hike, Swim, Skip, Roll Down the Hill

Move your body! Remember what it feels like to be actively awake and aware of your movements as they relate to the world around you.  Be in nature as much as you are able, for its simple resplendence and beauty will rejuvenate your very soul.  Watch the sunrise and sunset, listen to the wind blow through the leaves and see the sunlit patterns cascading through their canopy.  Drink deeply of the woodland experience. Inhale the rich beauty of moss and mushrooms. Splash in the surf and skip stones in the streams.  Cast your gaze upon the twinkling stars at night.  If you do live in an urban setting, go to a park, find someplace that is less chaotic, less maniacal; steer clear of places where there is mayhem to disturb, disrupt and distract your inner peace.  Do not spend time in places and amongst people who will cause you worry (i.e. social media, the news, your gossiping neighbors, etc.)  This will only serve to deflate and deplete your energies.  Likewise consider competitive sports: the layers of desire and division may inhibit your fullest enjoyment of the activity.

Care for Plants, Pet Your Pet,  Play with Children

Activities which involve other life also stimulate your well-being as long as it is reciprocal in balance.  Gardening, putting your hands in the dirt, smelling the flowers, pruning the plants are all very grounding and loving activities that will reward you on many, many levels.  Most pets and children have the innate ability to freely give love and joy without being demanding.  If you are finding yourself taxed by obligatory walks with the dog or dutiful outings with the kids, this is not going to reset your peace of mind.  If you do not have (or want to have) access to your own children or pets, simply observe kids at play or animals in nature.  This removes you from the interaction a step, but does allow you to feel the energy and enable you to become replenished by it.

Cook, Bake, Bathe and Pamper Yourself and Other Self-Nourishing Activities

How wonderful is it to waltz in the wafting aromas of a gloriously good meal?  Each step in preparing food for yourself and those you enjoy can be such a pleasure in and of itself, well before the sharing and consuming of the meal.  You create an idea of what to make, you carefully consider and choose the ingredients (maybe you can hand-pick the peaches from the farmers market for your compote or the patiently pluck the herbs from your garden for the soup?) Let each bite be it's own gift and savor your repast with delight.

How lovely is it to soak in a warm bubble bath and steep in the sensations of aromatic tinctures, lighted candles, and potted plants, to nurture and nourish your body with oils, to pause with pleasure at the perusal of your own, glorious magnificence?  Actively engage your senses. This is celebrating yourself on all kinds of levels by treating yourself well, with respect and utter joy.

Do It with Love, Or Don't Do It at All

In the end, it is all your choice how you wish to expend your energies.  We all have things we want to do and things we must attend to create and maintain an exquisite existence in this life.  Do not rush your tasks; consciously achieve making each step a delight, and not a chore.  This will indeed extend your enjoyment throughout the entire process and garnish you with enough joy that may easily radiate as a pure gift to others.

Toxic Relationships: How They Occur and How to Gracefully Disconnect From Them

Every one of us has been hurt in this world.  We've all fallen down, made mistakes, hurt others, hurt ourselves.  None of us have escaped this experience of life without having sustained a bruised heart and broken trust.  Some of the worst wounds have occurred when those who are closest to us have abused, exploited or neglected us, even while claiming that they love us.  Instead of being pure and unconditional, love suddenly has strings attached.  The soft, sweet signals of love become entangled with and tainted by denser qualities, casting shadows of doubt and showers of despair.  

Most people are able to move through their struggles when proper attention is paid to their inner shadows of insecurity, self-doubt, anger, grief and resentment; however, there are some people that choose to not expend the time and energy it takes to clear out their wounds.  They may distract themselves with busyness, withdraw or go numb, hoping to hide from the pain and pretend everything is ok when it is not.  Walls may be built to protect the inner wound and the outer world becomes a competitive battle-ground. 

When Pain Turns Toxic

If an inner turmoil is "swept under the rug," the pain must go somewhere.  Sometimes the pain goes inward and the person suffers internally, masking their pain with mood enhancing medicines or mind-numbing drugs; their pain may be played off non-nonchalantly, often without the knowledge of others who are very close to them.  This can eventually manifest into auto-immune diseases, anxiety and/or depression, risky behaviors, alcoholism and avoidance behaviors (such as over-working).  If not properly contended, these coping habits will turn into seriously disabling conditions. 

Sometimes the pain goes outward and the person will lash out to those around them, targeting others to dispel their grief and angst.  We've all experienced having been around someone who is unpleasant.  Seemingly out of nowhere, we become the brunt of their "bad mood."  They criticize and judge, cajole then condemn.   It is likely the person is going through challenges in their life and they do not know how to properly deal with the emotions and thoughts that surface.  Some wounded people become caustic or sarcastic, demeaning or demanding. 

It is important to understand that people only fight or flee when they are in pain and do not know how to deal with it properly.  It may be a colleague or a supervisor, a friend or a stranger.  If it is someone with whom you feel no obligation or less of a personal connection, it may be easy to allow it to roll off your back, to simply turn and walk away from the bitter venom that arises; but if the person is a relative, a spouse or a close friend, you may feel duty-bound to stay and take the abuse, to try to help them by listening and offering suggestions, to stay in loyal contact with them because of cultural or personal expectation. 

This article is to help guide those loving, compassionate and empathetic souls who have long-suffered the sting and continuously bear the burden of another person's displaced wounds (directed intentionally or unintentionally upon them) and who have observed through time these continued patterns that the wounded person in their life has not been able or willing to take accountability for themselves and the harmful behaviors they exhibit.  

The wounded person seeks approval and sympathy from outside of themselves because they do not understand how to nourish themselves, and will continue to take it from others who are willing to give it to them.  This can be seen as the "poor me" syndrome whereby the wounded person recounts how horrible are their life circumstances and how unfair others have been to them.  This is a cry for sympathy and attention.  At the same time, the wounded person may often judge, criticize and condemn other people to a fault for their mistakes in order to point out how worthy they are in comparison.  This is the wounded ego at work crying for recognition through self-inflation by the degradation of others.  Both actions are dis-empowering.

The wounded person stays in their wounded place because they are enabled by others not to take accountability for their own care-taking and self-love. It is up to each individual to reclaim their power in the unbalanced relationship. When the enabler continues to allow the disabled to feed off of their energy or dump their refuse over the good-will of the other, the imbalance will make both people unhealthy unless the cycle is broken.  If what is shared and shown in love is not seen or ignored by the disabled and attacks continue, then one must remove themselves from the relationship until the wound is recognized and willingness to change the pattern is made manifest. The enabler must stand up for themselves by holding the dis-abler in loving accountability.

Riding Yourself From an Energy Vampire

At some point, you will recognize when it is time to curtail the relationship.  Here are some signs to recognize when you are at this stage:

• You are depleted whenever you are around this person.
• You do not enjoy their company but feel obligated to continue to keep them in your life.
• You stress out about their drama.
• You feel judged, dishonored and tricked by them.
• After spending time with them, you feel like you have been used, under-valued and under-appreciated.
• You hear them talking badly about you to others despite your best efforts of friendship and loyalty.
• They are paranoid about how you feel about them and seek constant reassurance.
• You keep hoping things will change in the dynamic of the relationship and continue to be disappointed.

It is a significant step to remove yourself from an energy-vampire especially if they have been in your life for many years.  The pattern of abuse has been worn thin by time and is so rote that it may be jolting to them when you finally stand up for yourself.  Do not second guess yourself when you decide to step back and cut the tendrils that tether you to them, despite your good heart.  It is not ok to be someone's punching bag,  no matter who they are in relation to you, no matter how sour their lives have gone or how abused they have been by others.

Here is an example of a letter I wrote a few days ago to someone who has shown decades of abusive patterns via control, judgement and belittlement, who has offered support and then changed their mind at the last moment as a power-play and was not willing to take accountability for their misdeeds against me and others. 

 Dear xxxxxx,
I write this letter with love.  It is very apparent to me that you are suffering ~ you have such bitterness, anger and judgement that rides heavily on  your heart and prevents you from having joy, levity and self-love.  When you speak to me with loathing, hatred for your life circumstances, judgement against me and so many others,  it is like poisonous darts or a vomitous mass you project.

Please know I have worked very diligently and very carefully in removing people from my life that are motivated by fear and guilt.  I only abide with those who are gracious, loving and compassionate.

Until you can work out some of the darkness that shadows your heart, shrouds it with malice and resentment toward me and others, I will not abide or tolerate any connection with you.

Please do not write or text or call me.  You are free to come and visit once you have cleaned yourself up <3

I do not need your judgement or your pity.  I most assuredly do not need your money or your time.

Best of luck!


Use this as a template, as you like, to help untangle yourself from anyone who misappropriates your goodness, tries to dis-empower you or tries to take away your dignity with guilt and oppression.  Please notice that, in the end, the door to the relationship is not completely shut, but boundaries are indeed set so that until the perimeters are met, the relationship will not continue.  There will be no space for argument, no more fuel for the fire to continue.  Do not engage with them until they acknowledge their mistakes and make the real effort to change these deep-seated patterns of abuse and exploitation.  It is entirely possible that the wounded person may never want to take accountability for themselves in this life. Be willing to accept that you've done all that you can and now it's their turn to master the strength to heal themselves.