The Libra in me is in a constant state of judgment in its search for balance.  Upon exposure to perceived hypocrisy, untruth, favoritism or lack of integrity, its hackles go up and the scales tip, seeking to correct the injustice.  And each time, I ask myself, “why?”

Why does it matter what others are doing?  Why does it matter what they think or say?  And what does it really have to do with who I am, anyway?

Life isn’t fair.

These words echo in most of our ears, drilled in from early childhood and reaffirmed over and over as we grow into adults.  Yet the need for things to be fair lies within us, constantly rebalancing our interaction with others and shaping the worlds in which we live and grow.  Can it be overcome?  Should it be overcome?

There is a universal balancing mechanism in play which naturally re-harmonizes spiritual energy.  Known by various names, it is a return of energy to the sender, amplified as it moves through different vibratory frequencies.  Its implication is that any energy sent out, be it thought, word or action, is increased and then returned to the sender directly in various forms through which balance is eventually restored.  For those of us seeking instant remedy, there may be some frustration associated with this, as the universe does not work according to our individual timetables.

When there is a “wrong” done against us (real or imagined), why does earn hours of our frustration and energy?  Perhaps this is the best question.  The teaching is that anything bothering me is simply a reflection of my unresolved emotional wounds and attachments.

Great!  Someone’s clearly unjust acts bother me and it’s on me?!

Not exactly . . . We don’t have control over what someone else does, says or thinks.  We simply must understand that there are two sides to everything.  And sometimes more!  Why something bothers us personally is something we are responsible for addressing.  Only upon healing our personal attachment to it, can we move past it.

We all make choices based on our personal life experiences.  Our woundings, our strengths, our passions, our fears, our egos . . . and sometimes, our spiritual guidance . . .

When someone acts out of integrity, s/he is doing so from someplace outside of an empowered space.  We have a choice to respond from our own wounds or from a place of personal empowerment.  Our response resonates light or deepens the grooves of our pain’s darkness.

Insisting upon our definition of fairness in all life’s experiences gives strength to our shadows and wages a battle we cannot win.  Living in integrity shines light into the world and the faces lurking within our personal darkness.  We cannot control others, nor should we seek to do so.

We can, however, make personal choices that exemplify and facilitate Harmony, Optimism, Passion and Empowerment.  We can live what we speak and desire & shift that which causes spiritual or physical disruption within us and around us.  Only then will our need for “fairness” fade to compassion, humility and continued personal growth as well as the ability to live without judgment and fear.

August marks the beginning of Harvest season and the celebration of Lammas.  This is a time for not only reaping the benefits of our ripened crops, but for paring away that which we no longer need.  It is also traditional to hold tournaments in which individuals can demonstrate athletic and mental prowess! All in the name of fun, of course . . .

My recent move from California to Illinois brought me to the not-so-surprising realization that I own a lot of . . . stuff.  As I began packing up my two-bedroom apartment in late May, I found myself sorting through everything with a willingness to let go.  Still, four trips to the Salvation Army later, I was purchasing box after box in order to fit what remained in a 17’ truck.

We are supposed to reap the fruits of our labors.  But is it just the physical bounty we must catalog? Certainly our material items are a measurement of our success.  We purchase the best items we can afford or spend extra money to stock up on items we will use in the months to come.  And there is something to be said for all of this!  We are meant to be abundant!  We are to take delight in this world and what it has to offer us by way of our abilities to create!

And there is more.

Lammas is not only the harvest of physical fruits.  In it’s celebration we measure our spiritual gifts, our relationships, our dreams and our skills.  We assess our mastery of living life!  And peel away the bruised and rotten layers no longer serving our growth or evolution.

We recognize and release our attachments to that which we have created!

As we unloaded the truck upon its arrival in Illinois, I watched as one of my crates tumbled down a flight of stairs spilling items that had made the cut for my big move.  The face of the college kid handling the crate was more than a little mortified as he stared at the broken pieces of various items that had been thrown from within it.  He looked at me and began a fumbling apology that I interrupted with, “they’re only things.  Nothing I own is irreplaceable.”  As we picked up the pieces, memories of the people and events connected to them flashed through my mind.  And with or without the objects, those memories will never disappear.

I am less and less attached to the “things” I own in this world.  This is a temporary stop in the midst of a long journey.  I appreciate my earthly treasures.  And I will continue to work hard and flourish in my abundance, accumulating more items I will have to pack for my next move!  But having and needing are very different concepts in my world these days.

My connection to and healthy relationships with God & Goddess, my Family, Friends, Community and the Earth are the “things” I need.  Everything else is a bonus!

As Father’s Day approaches I think of the extraordinary man who I am fortunate enough to call my father.  Forty years ago, I can only wonder what he was thinking as he and my mother went through the paperwork and other legalities associated with adopting their first child.  I believe we were all brought together by no mistake!

When my mother crossed over late last year, my sister and I had the opportunity to go through the boxes of old family photos (slides, mostly).  In them were pictures I now cherish, highlighting the special memories time slowly erases from the mind:  Dad and me in the snow, decorating the Christmas tree, posing for family albums or snuggling with my sister and me in the magick of storytelling, his soft voice enthralling us for centuries of tales scribed by extraordinary authors.

While photos don’t remember everything, within the magick they carry, they spark memories from within us, waking up our appreciation, love, sadness and joy.  My dad is the best man I know.  In a profession sadly overcome with hypocrisy and political maneuvering, he has always lived his convictions and the lessons he shared in his sermons.

With degrees in philosophy and religion, he is a master practitioner of both.  I always loved hearing the deep debates between my parents.  Hours of discussion, argument and wisdom being passed back and forth.  These days I sometimes find myself fortunate enough to spark his interest in a topic or two.

We have not always agreed, nor will we, I suspect.  I have a very different life, in some ways, than I’m sure he envisioned for me.  But he is my father.  It is his strength and support that has held me together and lifted me up in the past few months, just prior to and since the birth of my daughter.  He has been my rock, my sounding board, my advisor and my home. . .exactly when I needed him the most.

At my daughter’s birth, he stood for hours in my apartment waiting for her to be born in our well-prepared environment.  Midwives, cameramen and close friends nearby, it was Dad who gave me the silent comfort I most needed.  When the hours of labor turned into days, he prayed with me and supported me, body and spirit, as I made the decision to go to the hospital.

When Maya was finally brought into this world (via emergency c-section), her grandpa cut her umbilical cord and supported her as she was brought to me.  In the subsequent days, he slept on and off in my hospital room, doting on his newest grandchild and on me as well!

For a month he stayed with us in my apartment, doing the 3:00am walking and rocking, attending every doctor visit, doing laundry, fixing meals and hosting the numerous people who came by to visit and see the baby.  We missed him terribly when he returned home!

My father has done more to show his love and support for me than I could ever have dreamed.  His sacrifices, gifts and love are only words describing his generous and humble nature.  He is so much more than that!

Thank you, Dad.  Thank you for accepting me, for loving me, for supporting me.  Thank you for being my Dad and Maya’s grandpa.

Happy Father’s Day!

“Just get over it!”  “Let it go.”

How many times have those words reached our ears?  How many times have we sought to follow those instructions . . . and have had no idea how?

It seems simple enough in concept.  If you don’t like the way something tastes, stop eating it.  If you don’t like the way something feels, stop touching it.  And yet when emotions are involved, everything seems much more complex.  We often find it deeply challenging to walk away from abusive relationships, to let go of the attachment we feel to someone else’s pain, or to that of our own.

The mind understands concepts, rationalizing and finding peace in its intellect or finding struggle with its confusion around emotions.  The heart seeks peace through deep connection, emotional balance and flowing energy, defying the mind’s attempts to make sense of things.

Letting go of an emotional attachment is a physical and energetic process that must find balance within both the heart and mind.

We may never understand someone else’s choices to think, say or do what they do.  Dissecting someone to find their core of truth or to see the world clearly through their eyes is quite probably an impossibility!  We are too complex.

Healing, letting go, must happen within the self.  We cannot depend upon someone else to participate in or orchestrate our process.  Self-love, self-respect, self-acceptance, forgiveness, patience and compassion are the keys to letting go.  If we exist and choose to live within those energies, there is no room left for self-pity, self-loathing, self-hatred, anger, grudges or “holding on.”

As empowered beings, we accept and allow ourselves to be in our current time and space and summon the strength to move forward, making the choice to establish healthy boundaries and pursue healing.  Here, we can also allow others the space to be what they choose to be.

Everyone grows.  This is a reassuring fact that allows our deepest wounds to heal.  Living outside of judgment and in the space of “allowing,” gives us permission to see another person’s growth, as well as our own.  This knowledge helps us to set strong and healthy goals and boundaries as we develop healthy patterns and relationships.

There are tremendous avenues of support and healing in the process of letting go.  As you begin your journey, here are a few simple things to investigate which will jumpstart your journey!

The Physical Body

• Emotional Cord Cutting
• Honoring the body as a Living Temple

The Mind

• Etheric Surgery
• Practicing Healthy Boundaries

The Spirit

• Reiki
• Meditation, Yoga . . .

For more information on these techniques, please visit our website at:  www.TheSpiralJourney.com

Beltane translates as “shining fire.”

Great bonfires, decorated Rowan branches (May Bush), decorated eggs, flowers and ribbons marked this celebration in ancient times and today.  A cross-quarter day, Beltane marks the midpoint between the vernal equinox (Ostara) and the summer solstice (Litha), and falls opposite of the pagan new year (Samhain).

A time for purification, transition, protection and divination, great bonfires once illuminated the hilltops and their smoke cleansed as it sent wishes across the veil.

Also known as a time for Handfastings (“marriages” intended to last for a year and a day at which time the couple could part or cement their vows), Beltane remains a time of great feasting, family gatherings, magickal energies, dancing around the Maypole, sexual empowerment and celebration with the fairy-folk and other elemental beings.

A time for balance, passion, beauty and vitality, this is a celebration of love, union and fertility!  It is a time of male and female harmony, and the energies of duality.

As “modern thinkers,” we often quickly dismiss the celebrations and magick that exists all around us.  Ancient pagans felt the energy of the land and the season, honoring the beauty and potential of the world.

In the business of life we often overlook the natural world and turn to technology for comfort and wisdom.  Even now, as I type these words on a computer, I am grateful for these advances, and at the same time, long for the smells of the old inks and charcoal pens.

Yet there is magick in all that is.

Magick is the act of creation.  With each breath, thought, word and action we create the world in which we live.  We create our relationships and our visions.

All magick requires balance, focus and passion so that its execution truly reflects our desires.  The great fires of Beltane need not be flaming on hilltops to illuminate our visions!  Ignited within, these fires burn at the core of our being.

As our ancestors once did, let us choose this day, supported by the stars, planets, seasons and gods and goddesses, to ignite our passion, restore our balance and fertilize our visions!

Your “Shining Fire” is the Light you bring to the world with the Magick that you are!

Blessed Be!

As I watch my two-month-old daughter sleep, my heart is filled with tremendous warmth and peace. She is still, and as she smiles and squeaks, I cherish the sensation of her tiny warm body against mine, knowing that too soon she will not choose to fall asleep in my arms. In this moment, I wonder at her smiles . . . and the nature of her dreamtime . . .

Quieting my mind, I breathe in the stillness of this moment and slowly begin the process of connecting with her as she sleeps. Her sacred temple is uncluttered and clean. It is filled with Light and surrounded by the same! I am in awe of its beauty and the purity of her connection to all that is.

In this moment Angels are softly present. She is gently nestled with them within a protective web of Light and into it she will weave the story of her own life.

Silently, I watch her joyfully playing with the Angels and Masters she has known for all time. She is easily connected to all of her spiritual guides, still unpolluted by her short time in the physical.

She giggles with the fairies and elves, not only in her dreamtime, but during her waking hours as well. I have watched her eyes light up and listened to her tiny giggles and coos of pleasure as she interacts with them daily. In her temple they dance and sing, breathing the brilliance of nature into its foundation.

I pray she will always find joy in these friends, these teachers, and that she will always believe in and know the many extraordinary beings of Light beyond the veil.

As her mother, I wish to protect her from the darkness that she may encounter here. But this is not my job. Instead, I am to guide her, to teach her by my rather flawed example. But thankfully, we are not meant to be perfect. And she must make her own choices. I can neither protect her from the dark, nor force her to the Light.

And so I hold her in my arms and as she dreams with her guides, I will dream with her. She has begun her wondrous journey!

Awe is defined as “an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration.”  Its nature implies innocence, discovery and raw, unaffected emotion.  It is the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual recognition of being touched by the Light, Magick and Mystery that both surround and radiate from within each of us.  It is the key to understanding the Whys and Hows of this physical existence and what waits beyond it.

To be ‘in awe’ is often associated with the observation of a child making its first discoveries.  The journey from childhood to adulthood, from unadulterated awe to scientific understanding is sadly designed to strip one from the other and creating an existence devoid of wealth, depth . . .and truth.  For we can stand in awe and shine the light of that experience into our ability to understand, process and implement the information into the tangible awareness of ourselves.

“The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical.  It is the source of all true science.  He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead.  That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God.” –Albert Einstein

Einstein equates the ability to allow awe, to connect to the emotion of it, as the ability to acknowledge that which is beyond the human mind’s power and intellect.  God.

Truly, as we stand in our individual universes, creating our personal realities day after day, we are touched by the ‘sensation of the mystical’ if we are aware enough.  We are struck with ‘awe’ and awakened on a spiritual level, and then on the physical level, just a little more by the experience.  Herein, we are drawn closer to God.

Science and Mysticism coexist in the delicate balance of life, as all things coexist.  Infuse Reason with Awe and connect to the Divine!

“I thank God for my relationships, that I may understand eternity.”

A small part of a daily prayer, this statement carries tremendous energy with regard to the power of relationships and the nature of eternity.

Eternity, like infinity and God, is an almost impossible concept for the human mind to grasp.  There is no tangible point of reference.  We have never been there, seen it or touched it.  The great mystics and spiritual teachers speak of it, and science has created theory after theory as to its shape and form.  Still, for the human mind, there is no real understanding.

But what of eternity’s connection with relationships?

As human beings we are here exploring the nature of relationships from the moment of our conception in the womb!  We develop relationships with places, things, people, concepts, animals and ourselves.

So how do relationships correspond to eternity?

Every relationship we have defines a facet of ourselves.  Are we co-dependent?  Do we need to be right?  Are we flexible or in judgment? Do we recognize our part in discord?  Are we attentive and compassionate?  Do we seek harmony and resolution?

The questions above are not meant as a battering ram, rather, as a perspective-check.

Who am I?  What is my purpose?  Where did I come from?  Where am I going?  Truly eternal and universal questions.  Once we can answer them we will hold the keys to unlocking the secrets of eternity and our own eternal existence.

Relationships bring us back to these questions over and over again as we are presented or confronted with the opportunities to look within.  Through our inward journeys we evolve, implementing our lessons in our living relationships.  We expand the mind, soul and spirit in this process. . .beginning to gain a glimpse of eternity.

Vast and seemingly unreachable, eternity need not bear the definitions we have placed upon it from our limited human experience of the universe.  Understanding happens beyond the mind.  It is not held apart for the mystics, religious or gurus.  It is accessible from the world of the tangible, the world of the human.

Relationships, personal growth and the desire to attain greater spiritual awareness are tools we have chosen to access the vibration of eternity.  If we use them, we will have no choice but to evolve, ever embraced by the infinite Grace of God.

Everything is a relationship.

The nature of these relationships is based on our approach to and understanding of ourselves and the energies at play in our lives.

Perspective, empowerment, emotion, balance and change (or lack of these things) are at play in all relationships.  From money and career to love and friendship, these energies are at play, either solidifying or cracking the foundation of our interactions.

We all think and act from within our own perspective of any given relationship.  It is who we are!  It is the sum of our experiences and the foundation of the personality.  But is the personality who we actually are?  Or is it, rather, the mask we wear as we uncover the deeper secrets of ourselves as we journey through this physical experience.  The personality can change.  As we are exposed to different cultures, ideas, experiences and people, we incorporate these things into ourselves.  We take on the characteristics with which we identify, and expand our awareness of the world.

Every person seeks to be empowered.  Empowerment brings heightened spiritual and physical awareness, passion for life and joy!  True empowerment provides us with the grace to be compassionate towards others, accepting each individual where they are in their own growth and discovery process and granting ourselves the same courtesy.

When we are connected to our empowerment, there is no inclination or need to pass judgment on our relationships or the players therein.  We can observe, note and step back to view the bigger picture, directing our attention on what we can do to make things better.

As human beings we are often influenced by our emotions and the emotions of others.  In person-to-person relationships, this is an obvious observation.  We desire connection; we want to be “right;” we seek approval; we require justice; we need to be heard; we allow our personal emotional attachments to influence how we react and interact within our relationships.

All reactive responses are based in our fears, our lack of balance within and understanding of the energies at play in our lives:  the elements, relationship mirrors, astrology, physical health, sense of security and more.

When in balance with these things, we are able to see multiple perspectives broadening our vision to take in the bigger picture.  Healthy communication comes not out of what we are feeling, but instead, comes from a desire to gain understanding, support the Light and facilitate the change in energy that brings all parties to a place of greater balance and flow.

In our relationships to more “inanimate” things, the correlation is still the same.  If we are afraid of abundance or having a healthy relationship, how can we possibly connect to the energy to create these things?  Again, we must take a step back and approach the relationship from a place of empowerment and strength, rather than fear.

Continuing to do things the way we have done them will only bring the same results over and over again.  We must be willing to make the changes necessary to support our growth and the relationships we desire!

Would it be possible to have a world without “Darkness?”

Our physical experience is made up of opportunities to learn and evolve, to reconnect to Spirit as we make choices to discover, integrate and potentially master the energies of the earth as so many Ascended Masters have done before us.

The classroom in which we all journey through life is vast, and no two people will ever have identical experiences.  However we are all presented with the choice between Light and Dark.

Many days we choose to embrace the darkness around us.  Darkness sometimes masks itself in our emotions, but it is always present in the following:

• Judgment
• Criticism
• Fear
• Anger
• Resentment
• Depression
• Pity
• Abuse
• Martyrdom
• Enabling
• Escapism
• In-Action
• ANYTHING that contributes to Separation instead of Solution!

And yet we have all participated in these very human experiences!  Are we wrong?  Are we evil for doing participating?  Certainly not.  These are our tools for learning, our guidelines for growth and indicators of our personal healing and empowerment.

We live in a world of Duality.  Where there is Light, Darkness, too, exists.  We focus on the Light to illuminate our Shadows, our Emotional Wounds, so that we may heal them.

As children we begin to test the boundaries of our physical and emotional worlds.  We learn what hurts and what feels good.  We are molded by our parents, peers and society’s doctrines, sometimes rebelling and sometimes accepting them.  The impressions are made, however, and they become an integral part of who we grow to be!

As adults we often identify with the programming and wounding of our childhood.  We often feel somewhat helpless to the old scars and guidelines even though we intellectually grasp their no longer relevant origins or applications in our current state of empowerment.

We must be reminded that we are no longer the helpless children we once were.  We are accountable for our own choices and we create our own reality with those choices!

Hiding from the Darkness simply causes more Fear or Resentment, essential tools of our “inner demons.”

Allowing ourselves to see the Shadows, the things, emotions, people, and energies that block us from the Light, gives us the opportunity to reassess and make choices that support our healing!

When we see something we truly do not like about our actions, thoughts or emotional state, when we know what that Shadow is, we can conquer it!  We can change our reality with awareness and action!!

Working with these Shadows one at a time slowly peels away the layers of personal history and stops the buildup of additional sediment.  Choosing to release a Shadow is the most important step in healing.

Once the choice is made it resonates within the physical body and then begins to move into the layers of the aura, cleaning out emotional debris and allowing Light to fill the resulting holes.

The more we focus on what we are creating, the more the Light becomes our focus!  The result?  We carry less Darkness and cannot be so easily wooed by its seductive nature.

Shifting consciousness, spiritual awareness and greater personal empowerment are the results every student of Light desires.  We begin by identifying our Shadows and taking them on one at a time.  In addition to this, the focus of each day’s energies is wrapped around the following energies:

• Gratitude
• Forgiveness
• Hope
• Joy
• Compassion
• Humility
• Spiritual Connection
• Healing
• Empowerment
• Passion
• Wisdom
• Faith
• Service

We cannot escape the Darkness.  It is our teacher.  But make no mistake, it is not a friend.  Denying its presence is Darkness in itself, but embracing it carries deeper dangers.

Illuminate your Shadows and the Darkness will shrink from the Light you create.