A Spiritual Plan for Transitioning into Wholeness………

 

Day in and day out it is easy to find ourselves going through the motions of life.  Waking up, going to work, coming home, trying to fit everything else in, and collapsing at the end of the day.  Once you begin to taste the beginning of living a spiritual existence, you learn that there is more to life.  An awareness grows inside of you, and although you may still be going through the same motions on the outside, on the inside, in your spiritual center, something changes.  This is when you feel that you need to make changes on the outside.  This awareness becomes a seed within you, but like any seed, you must focus and tend to this new life within you in order for it to blossom, in order for it to grow. 

 

We may go on indefinitely, feeding our spiritual center on the inside through reading, meditation, relaxation, but still repeating the same motions in our everyday life. 

 

Life will only allow us to repeat the same habits and patterns so many times, before our spiritual center becomes so out of alignment with our physical reality, that change is not even a question.

 

You will feel this when you do not get the same satisfaction as you used to get from old patterns or habits in your life.  When you can allow awareness to step into your life, you’ll begin to notice that certain activities, situations, and people no longer appeal to you.  These are representative of old parts of yourself, your soul is moving in a different direction, but your physical body is still brought comfort from these old ways.  These old patterns, things and people in our lives act as a grown-up teddy bear, bringing you comfort and security. 

 

You can continue on this track indefinitely, knowing that a situation, person, habit, pattern or thought process is no longer good for you, but continuing it anyway, because it has become an ingrained automatic conditioned response to your life.  Living a spiritually centered life in the past has been possible in this way.  We all have been witness in our lives to people who know spiritual principles, but continue the same unconscious habits, they do not open up to embody the knowledge and wisdom that the spiritual teachings brought.

 

In this new place of spirit that we live in today, this old way of being is no longer being supported.  We are now being forced to open our hearts and minds in areas of our lives that were previously closed.  As we move into the Aquarian age, we will be forced to leave behind many more old ways of thinking and doing, and without a plan, without a structure to work within; we may find ourselves spinning in circles.  There are so many different approaches to finding our way through this transition, that I could not possibly provide an exhaustive plan for what to do to align yourself with the spiritual energies that are waiting to enter your life.  However, I can provide you with the support that has been shown to me.  I can only hope that you too can find a way to apply some of these strategies to align and connect with your highest self, with your soul, for it is when we can live from the wisdom of our soul that we can begin to transcend this earthly experience and all of the suffering it brings.

 

Opening to Uncertainty

 

One of the hardest places to be in life is dwelling in uncertainty.  Whether we are waiting to hear news, unsure what our job or relationship will be in the future or worried about how we will pay the bills, uncertainty in the human experience brings out our deepest fears. 

 

However, uncertainty is ALWAYS a sign that a great blessing is always on it’s way. 

 

The universe has delivered us space to shift. 

 

We have the opportunity to do things the way we have always done them,

or to challenge ourselves to rise to a new level of existence. 

 

By viewing moments of uncertainty as our friends, as tools for growth, we can begin to transform our lives from the inside out.

 

Think of an area in your life that you are uncertain about right now.  Ask yourself, what do I fear most about this situation?  Sit with this fear in meditation - without thought – simply take in what the fear feels like in its entirety.  Often we distract ourselves or shut our eyes to our fears, this technique is the only surefire way to ensure that your fears will continue to resurface again and again.  Once you can identify your fear, and begin to sit with it in meditation, your transformation has begun. 

 

Connecting in this way slowly begins to build your confidence in yourself to deal with whatever life brings across your path.  By examining your fears in this manner one by one, you are not only getting to know this deep level of your own psyche but you are also strengthening your spiritual center.  This center is what will bring you through anything in life.  This center is something you will NEVER lose.  It cannot be taken away, it will not disappear.  Once you begin to strengthen yourself in this way, changes on the outside will begin to have less and less bearing on your inner world.  You will find yourself calmer in the face of uncertainty and even misfortune.

 

Connecting with Nature

 

No matter how we try to connect to life, we cannot dispute the facts of our existence.  We live on this planet together not only with other humans, but with all animals, plants, the sun, the moon, the stars and the green earth beneath our feet.  We understand the importance of other people in our life to help us get to where we need to go to, but we often ignore the power of Mother Nature to guide our journey.  For those of us that have a hard time quieting out mind, connecting with mother nature provides the perfect opportunity for silence and gives our minds something to focus on. 

How often do you connect with nature?  You may be outside, but is all of your attention on other people, or within your own mind?  Connecting with nature does not mean simply going to the beach or the mountains and breathing in the air.  It means allowing yourself to slip into a state of oneness with this planet and with the universe.  Every single part of nature has the same energy that is contained within us.  The same intelligence that allows our blood to flow and our hearts to beat, that allows flowers to bloom and rain to fall from the sky.  Moving into alignment with nature can teach us infinite lessons about our own energetic flow and open us up to the wisdom of the earth.   

 

The Sun

 

Each morning the sun rises, and very predictably, sets every evening.  We can learn much from the power and patterns of the sun. In many ancient traditions, the sun has been regarded as a symbol of rebirth, of new beginnings, of beauty and unyielding power.  Through cultivating a connection to the sun we can begin to tap into this innate power within ourselves.  Through aligning our days with the sun’s patterns we can begin to live in more harmony with our own natural cycles and rhythms.  When the sun rises in the morning, it awakens our own dormant energy.  If we are clear and open, the sunrise will always be the birth of a brand new day.  No matter what drama is occurring in your life, if you can find time to connect to the sun every morning and throughout the day, you will begin to notice more rebirth within your days.  Allow the sun to clear your mind, ask it to clear away any fears or limiting beliefs, ask to give you strength.  We have been provided with everything we need on this earth to heal, and the sun is central in our lives to our healing.

 

The Moon

 

The moon holds the feminine power of intuition and is aligned with our emotional body.  Our ancestors have always held the cycles of the moon as sacred measures of time who, much like waves that come and go in the ocean, bring renewal and freshness as they pass.  Paying attention to the cycles of the moon and taking note of how you feel during these times, can help you to reach a deep place of understanding about your own emotional cycles.  The moon moves through 2 ½ day transitions that are the most important to pay attention to.  Use the list below and find a lunar calendar to determine where the moon is currently -

(The farmer’s almanac has a great site: www.almanac.com/astronomy/moon/index.php ) and begin to watch the rhythms of mother nature as they unfold within your life:

 

Moon in Aries : Gives us access to our fire; temper, impatience and passions run high.  A time to get things done, to initiate projects, to do what makes you feel alive, but be careful not to lose empathy.

 

Moon in Taurus: A time to slow down, a time of creativity, sensuality and connection to mother earth.  A fertile time for issues at home with sex and your body.

 

Moon in Gemini: A time to interact with others, social networking and communication.

 

Moon in Cancer: A time to reconnect with the depth of our emotions, and to tend to the home.  Water is especially healing during this time.

Moon in Leo: A time to celebrate and express generosity.  It is time to express ourselves and appreciate one another.

 

Moon in Virgo: A time to return to work.  Problems are highlighted during this time because our problem solving abilities are heightened.  Take advantage of this energy and do not allow yourself to become overwhelmed.  A time to organize and brainstorm solutions.

 

Moon in Libra: A time to focus on the beauty life brings us.  A time to reassess and reestablish balance in any areas that are in discord.

 

Moon in Scorpio: A time to dive deep into our psyche and deal with all that life brings us.  A time of courage and a time to find solace in quiet time and relaxation.

 

Moon in Sagittarius: A time to explore our world.  An excellent time to connect with mother nature, it can bring us a philosophical perspective on life.

 

Moon in Capricorn: A time to organize, build, manifest ideas and manage our world.  A time to set clear short term goals.

 

Moon in Aquarius: A time to join together in sacred collaboration with others.  An excellent time to network or search for new friends.

 

Moon in Pisces: We can become painfully aware of what we are feeling: a time for heightened senses.  We may need time away to soothe our soul.

 

(Moon Transits from: We’Moon ’08: Gaia Rhythms for Womyn, Mending The Web, Mother Tongue Ink, South Korea)

 

The Sky

 

The sky is the indicator of the energies that are brewing for the day.  The vastness of the sky is only a pindrop in comparison to the vastness of the universe.  Revel in its grandeur and recognize your own connection with that vastness every day. 

 

A powerful daily practice is to imagine yourself stepping outside of your human body while standing outside, underneath the sky.  See if you can feel a connection to the energy of the sky.  This will require a different type of energy every day, depending on the conditions.  The weather that surrounds us in the sky is the same ‘weather’ that stirs inside of us in the form of emotions.  Learning to sit in union with the sky, allows us to open ourselves up to connecting with the intelligence within the center of the universe, the intelligence beyond the weather. 

 

Make a commitment to connect with the sky every day, and notice how the stillness beyond is the same as the stillness within.  This stillness will begin to appear within everything.  This stillness beyond the sky and the stillness within ourselves emanates from the same light, don’t take my word for it, try it, you will feel it for yourself.  Connecting with the sky can be one of the most transforming experiences of your life.

 

 

Creatively Living

 

Once you have connected fully to life through slowing down and connecting to nature, you will begin to see yourself as more connected to a deeper source of life than ever before.  To feel connected at this level requires a depth of every experience not only when you are sitting outdoors underneath a beautiful tree, but in every other moment of your life.  How can we feel deeply connected to life every day in this way?  Is it possible? 

 

Definitely!  The essence of life is creation, we are all creating every day.  This deep connection with life requires a creative interaction with each part of your day.  To understand the essence of creative living, one must first grasp the connection between our creativity and our creator.  To begin with, every single human being is born with creativity.  When we are at play, everyone is naturally creative.  We show these creativities in different ways.  Our creator is where our creativity steams from. 

 

So how can you bring play, how can you bring this deep connection, this creativity into everything you do?  Ask yourself the question, How can I make this fun for myself?  How can I make this a game?  I do this all the time.  I approach ‘grown-up’ tasks like preparing financial statements or doing the laundry with the energy of a child.  My intellect is still sharp, I am completing the task, but I have allowed my energy level to relax.  Play is therapeutic for your mind, body and soul.  You can instantly begin to feel the effects of ‘play therapy’ in your life. 

 

Now your creativity is flowing in the most natural way possible.  If you can allow yourself to do this with focus and the total release of making any mistakes, you are allowing your true genius to pour forth.

 

 

Discipline and Patience

 

It is only with a deep understanding of the forces at work within nature, and how they manifest within our own bodies and minds, and an understanding of how to live with deep creativity that an ease enters into our discipline. 

 

Once we can finally align our bodies and minds with the unconscious intelligence of mother nature – our discipline simply becomes following this flow.  Your only discipline is to become aware of your own energy and connection to spirit throughout your days.  As long as EVERY activity is performed with complete awareness, only growth will come, even if the activities are old habits you are trying to break.

 

We have a tendency to shut off our spiritual centeredness when strong emotional ties linked to old parts of life arise.  These are the times to challenge yourself to stay in your center, these are the times in which the most growth occurs.  This shift in perspective about what it means to have discipline, can shift the outcome of your days.  Instead of struggling to always get things done, to take care of yourself, to have satisfying relationships and to move forward in a satisfying way towards your life’s purpose – just strive to practice awareness in every part of your life.  Let this be your only task.  Drop everything else.  It’s all you need.  Once awareness comes into every part of your life, your center has been calmed, and no matter what happens on the outside, the struggle will cease on the inside.

 

And then the most important part of any practice is patience.  I remember as a teenager, I was so happy when I finally bought my first car.  To me it meant I would never have to wait around for anybody again.  I remember my mother telling me, “It doesn’t work like that, you’ll always have to wait for something”.  I did not listen to her, I was convinced, my days of waiting were over!  Of course, my mother was right, and I am still waiting today.  Except today, I have learned to enjoy the waiting.  I have learned that sometimes, it is in the waiting when the magic really happens, if you pay close enough attention.  However, I still find myself with residue of that youthful impatience, when it arises now, I recognize it for what it is, patience is the glue that holds our dreams together, without it, we cannot bring our greatest dreams into reality.  Our goals, visions and dreams for the future all require patience.  Nature moves in beautiful harmony all day long, always changing, but never rushing to change.  Some phenomena in nature have taken billions of years to manifest.  Why are we in such a rush? 

 

Aimee Shea is a Holistic Counselor and Healer in Southern California helping children, teens and adults come into alignment with the live they were meant to live.  Visit www.indigorisingonline.com for a complete description of services and classes available.