Becoming Your Own Hero!

What do you think of when you look at this photo?

Do you think, wow that takes a lot of practice, determination, and stamina to accomplish such a feat! You go girl!

Or, do you think, this photo is exploiting to women. Pole dancing is demeaning to women and contributes to low self esteem in women who do not look like this?

How dare she post a photo like this in a spiritual blog!

Was your first response to the photo positive or negative?

If it was positive, YAY YOU!!!

Today's post is all about letting go of judgement.

Sometimes we are so accustomed to passing judgement we don't even realize we are doing it. We see a photo or hear a song on the radio or see something on television that elicits a specific emotional response.

That emotional response is a clue to us on an area of our subconscious we need to work on. Anytime we feel a negative emotional response based on something we see, hear, feel, smell, or taste, there is a clue that we have an unresolved issue that was just triggered by that emotional response.

For example, if seeing a woman pole dancing brings up within us the thought that this woman is being sexually exploited, we are saying that there is something wrong with the act of sex, or a particular aspect of the act of sex. We are assuming the woman is not enjoying what she is doing. We are projecting our feelings onto someone else.

If, however, we can look at this photo and say... that's impressive.. or.... if I tried, I could do that, then we are looking at the photo without judgement. Truth be told, there is no real sexual implication in this photo whatsoever. 

What if we said, oh that makes people who are large feel bad about themselves.. it implies that everyone has to be thin to be acceptable.. 

Another judgement.

We are assuming that large people feel bad about themselves. We are perhaps internalizing something we feel about ourselves.

One way to get to the core issue is to ask ourselves why the emotional response was triggered in the first place.

For example, if we thought to ourselves, this is not a spiritual photo, how dare she post this on a spiritual blog?

Why?

Perhaps we think that there are specific rules about what is and is not acceptable.

Why?

Because showing a woman half clad upside down on a pole is not acceptable or spiritual.

Why?

Because if I tried to do this and present myself as a spiritual person I would not be accepted.

Why?

Because I allow certain rules of society to dictate to me what is and isn't spiritual.

Why?

Because I am afraid of being rejected.

Why?

Because I am afraid of not being loved.

If we reduce all of our judgements down to the core issue, almost every time we can reduce it to a fear of some kind, and especially, the fear of not being loved.

What if we circumvented the whole process and just decided that no matter what, we would decide to love ourselves and do what gives us joy?

How freeing that would be!

The next time you are tempted to judge, think about this.  WHY? Why do you feel this particular emotional response? Does it go back to something you were taught, something you experienced, something you were led to believe?

What about judging ourselves?

We do this every day.. I am not good enough. I am not smart enough, pretty enough, talented enough, young enough, old enough, thin enough,  I am not enough.

If this photo elicited a response that oh, I am not ..... enough, decide today to change that thought.

You are enough. You are completely loved. There is nothing to fear.

If we cease from judging, we become our own heros. We begin to create a utopia right here in our own skin.

Whether or not we can hang upside down on a pole half clad will not matter. We will honor the right for this girl to do it and feel wonderful about herself, to feel sexy, to feel accomplished, to feel joy. And we will feel joy about feeling good about ourselves no matter whether we can do a similar activity or not.

This is your assignment.

The next time you are tempted to judge someone or something, ask yourself why?

Get down to that core issue.

Let it go. Allow whatever sparked your judgement to go and just allow it to be.

Know you are loved. You are accepted.

You are your own hero.

Goodbye to the Old, Hello to the New!

Yes, I am going to add my thoughts to the thousands of others out there encouraging you to let go of 2013 and all the things that did not serve you as you welcome in this New Year.

However, I also think it is a good time to be thankful for all of those memorable events of the past year. Whether you look back at 2013 as a wonderful year or a challenging one, I am sure it is safe to say that you, like me, had a mix of both!

At the beginning of the year, Spirit told me that this was to be my year to embrace my power. This did not mean that I was going to lord it over others or flex my spiritual superhero muscles or even save the world. I learned over the course of the year that this meant that this was the year to start having faith in myself, and confidence in my purpose and calling.

I experienced a wonderful few days at my first "event" in New York where I gave mini ten minute readings back to back all day.

I expanded my monthly classes to include a second location in the neighboring town of Leesburg.

I welcomed new healers into the world in my first Reiki I class after becoming a Reiki Master.

I had the privilege of joining a record number of couples into wedded bliss!

When a part time position became available at the Post Office, I bravely bid on and was awarded the position to give me more time to do my weddings and spiritual work. This was a huge step for me, to surrender a portion of my income that is set and always there to jump into the unknown of at least partial self employment!

I began writing my second book, which I have been avoiding for at least two years now, due to fear of how it would be received by people who have known me in my past and even in my present. There are things in this book I have never told anyone!

I was so privileged to attend a week long mediumship training class with amazing mediums John Holland and Janet Nohovac. I learned so much in this intensive week that really honed in my gift and boosted my confidence in this area of my giftings.

I am so thankful for each of these experiences and hope to carry them into the next year as I invite Spirit to be an even more present force in my day to day walk of service. My only request of Spirit is that I be allowed to be of service to others while also making sure that I don't overextend myself to the point of not enjoying my life.

If you are in a place of desiring to be of service to Spirit or in any way compelled to make your part of the world a better place, you may notice that you sometimes put yourself last on the list. For me there is always a blog to write, a class to prepare for, a chapter in my book to tweak, a soul to help. This is good. But sometimes I look back and realize that I am not having any fun! Oh yes, serving Spirit is fun in itself. But sometimes I need to put on my joy hat and just go out for a run or take a hike outdoors or maybe even go shopping!

If you are even reading my blogs then I bet you are someone who has a desire to be of service to Spirit in some way, or you are curious at least about your spiritual side.

Let me encourage you to have balance in your quest for enlightenment. We are here to make the world a better place, but sometimes we take ourselves too seriously! Serving Spirit should mean  doing those things that make your heart sing and your inner self dance a jig! If it doesn't give you joy, then maybe it is time to rethink something! Take a break!

One of my intentions for the coming year is to laugh more. To spend more time in nature. To soak in life here in this planet. To love more.

Sometimes the best resolutions are ones that are easy to keep. Sure I would like to give up some of those things that are not good for me, but for now, I just want to do what makes me happy. I encourage you to do the same.

Yes, I still want to be of service. Some of my most incredible joy comes when I give a message from Spirit to someone that delights them, heals them, or in some way makes them feel better than before.
When I attune someone to Reiki it is such an incredible surge of joy that it is indescribable.

So yes, seek Spirit. Explore your spiritual side. But if your spiritual practice is not giving you joy, then maybe you should try something else. Take lots of breaks. Laugh a lot. Go out with your friends and family and treasure the experiences that make you laugh.

This is my sincerest wish that you may find 2014 the year when you discovered a new depth of joy that you never knew was possible. When you healed from your past hurts. When you forgave those who in some way challenged or offended you. When you learned to accept others who do not see life or God or the world in the same way that you do. When you stopped being afraid.

Remember that you can't be full of love and full of fear at the same time. You can't be full of joy and depressed at the same time. Go for the joy. Go for the love. Let go of everything else.

And so it is.

222

It's been about a week or so these numbers keep showing up for me.

I see it on the clock. On the odometer of my car. House numbers when I am driving or out running.

These numbers have come to me in the past to let me know that my family members are okay and it is okay to release worry about them. Good to know.

We all have numbers that come up for us frequently. Sometimes it is a single number, but more often it is a sequence of numbers or the same number repeating itself often.

The number two is all about nurturing. It is the number of couples, obviously, and in the study of feng shui it is the number of items in your home you place together when you are trying to attract love. In the case of three twos together, if you add them together, you get six, which is the number of family and relationships.

People who have two in their personal numbers often are people who love to nurture others, but often find themselves in the position of not feeling nurtured or often giving of themselves too much and not being nurturing enough of themselves.

Today while I was out running, lost in my own little world, it seemed that I would just happen to jolt back to reality long enough to notice a house number 222. No other house number jumped into my awareness. Back to my run. Back to my connection with Spirit. About a half mile later or so, I jolted back to reality again. Another house that was numbered 222. Deja vu? Didn't I just pass this house?

Okay, Spirit, what are you trying to say?

I think my family members are okay. There is always something going on, but nothing that I have been losing sleep over. What are you trying to tell me?

"What about your relationship with yourself? Are you nurturing  yourself?"

How many of us find ourselves in the position of feeling the calling to save the world or at least our little part of it but do not take the time to nurture ourselves? Whether it is a night out at the movies, or perhaps a bubble bath or a good book, perhaps the message for today is that it is okay to take a day off from saving the world and do something good for yourself!

Treat yourself to something fun, or something that you normally deprive yourself of. Send  yourself a silly love note! Eat a piece of chocolate!

No one needs to be Wonder Woman or Superman all the time. Take off that superhero suit once in awhile and be good to yourself! Lay down the worry and know that everything is going to be all right!

Just for today, lay down your Superman suit. Give up to your Source anything you are worried about. Know that everything is just as it is supposed to be.

Give thanks for all the good in your life, both the things that have come to pass already and those which are to come.

Today, I am thankful for two legs that still can run, a heart and lungs that come alive when outdoors, even if they protest a bit at first. I don't notice my heart beating or my lungs breathing when I am dormant inside sitting in front of the television. It is only when I challenge them, when the breeze blows against me as I make my way through the neighborhood, that I feel most exhilarated!

I am thankful for my connection to Spirit, who continually nudges me to be my best, to do my best, but also to enjoy my life.

What are you thankful for today?

If you are not nurturing yourself, take today and do something for yourself. Look in the mirror and tell yourself that you love yourself!

Of all the things you can be thankful for, be thankful for yourself. Of all the relationships you may enjoy in your lifetime, the relationship with yourself is the most important one! Other relationships may come and go, but the one you have with yourself truly is forever!