About Moura

At Luciad, the Daughter vows to take the Divine Light into the darkest places of existence. During Moura, She journeys to the heart of the Nether World. For Filianists, it is a time of discipline and purification, being mindful of the Daughter's purpose and preparing for the renewal of the world at the New Year. Continue reading "All about Moura"

About Moura

At Luciad, the Daughter vows to take the Divine Light into the darkest places of existence. During Moura, She journeys to the heart of the Nether World. For Filianists, it is a time of discipline and purification, being mindful of the Daughter's purpose and preparing for the renewal of the world at the New Year. Continue reading "All about Moura"

How to move out of your comfort Zone….the feminine way..

We were not designed to settle with a life that is ‘just ok’, we are here to experience our own version of YES!

If we are really honest with ourselves we can see that we are at our happiest when we are stretching beyond who we thought we were and into a larger, more expansive, creative, confident and juicy version of ourselves..

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But does that mean we need to drag ourselves, kicking and screaming in the direction of growth?? Does that mean we should be bullying ourselves out of our comfort zone and beyond?

Or is there another way to do it? a kinder way to do it?

I feel quite privileged to be a professional hand holder ( aka a coach) for women who want to step out of the comfort zone (which they have begun to notice is actually quite uncomfortable indeed.) And I have found that NO we do NOT need to bully ourselves out of our comfort zones, but that often the best approach to making profound shifts and life changes is to get out of our comfort zone in what I call ‘ the feminine way’.

What do I mean by feminine? i mean the more YIN way…

‘Feminine’ as in flowing, receptive, not pushing, not striving, not should-ing…

It is a way of engaging with our fears with sensitivity.

It is a way to move out of our comfort zones whilst feeling safe, connected and grounded.

(Basically, It is a way to grow and expand that honors the little one inside of us who is totally shit- scared.)

A small note about the masculine approach (which often fails to address the little ones needs)

First of all..there is nothing ‘wrong’ with a a more masculine ‘yang’ approach. With this approach you PUSH your way out of your comfort zone, at certain times this may be the ‘kick up the arse’ you need. But…

If you bulldoze your way through your fear, you may well have to, at some point, backtrack and deal with the fallout (which sometimes shows up as actual trauma) that often comes as a result of not listening to those tender parts of us that need patience and love.

Here is my approach to getting out of the comfort zone WITH patience and love.

1. Get to know the scared little person

I notice that every time I am about to move out of my comfort zone, I freak out. I am sure I am not the only one..we all have our own version of the little scared person who lives inside of us.

I encourage you NOT to try and push ‘her’ out of the way. Instead, take the time to get to know her, intimately.

These are the kinds of questions you can ask your scared little self to get transformative insights.

  • What are you really afraid of?
  • What do you need right now?
  • What do you need to feel safe?

2. Make a deal with your little friend

Once you have made friends with the little scared one inside of you, you can begin to explore how you can best work together and make the journey out of the comfort zone ‘ok’ for every part of you.

Once you have formed this dialogue you will begin to see what her fears are, and most importantly, what her needs are, and you can make a deal…for example..

Maybe your little one will feel safe about letting go of your full time job if you let her know that you will line up some other kind of income first.

Perhaps she will feel ok about moving into relationship if you make the deal with her to keep connecting in with yourself, so as not to lose your self in the relationship.

Do you get the picture?

Parameters, boundaries and action plans all help the little one to feel safe..as do kind words of reassurance and a compassionate approach.

3. Giant leaps and baby steps.

Life will always move through periods of expansion and contraction. It is so natural whilst in a period of expansion out of your comfortable old shapes and patterns , for there to be a period of ‘OH FUCK!!!’ (ie:the freak out).

And you might as well accept that and work with that.

Sometimes its time for a great leap, sometimes it is more kind to take a baby step, sometimes you need to curl up and whimper for a while…and that should be totally allowed as long as you notice when it is the time to get up, brush yourself off and walk on, perhaps in baby steps..

4. Don’t try and do it all alone

I am someone who feels compelled to constantly move out of my comfort zone, just cause I know that that ultimately serves me. But I don’t try and do that without support. I KNOW that need hand holders and midwives to assist my great leaps, and baby steps out of the comfort zone.

Women need support, from other women

and if we don’t get it, we suffer, it truly is as simple as that. Don’t try and expand without support systems firmly in place, find your sisters, your midwives, your priestesses, without support you will become hardened.

Get Good at asking for help!!

(You want to stay soft and receptive as you grow, this only comes when you feel supported by your sisterhood)

Do this for your self, do this for your sisters, and if you do not have someone who you can cry on along the way, get one!

So… if you have been one of those women who bully themselves for not bring ‘good enough’ or tough enough or whatever enough then I am happy to say

YES !! You can work on your self with LOVE!!!!

Yes you CAN let go of the ‘should’.

You can be a brave warrioress, an empowered woman doing her thing in the world AND a crumbling wreck at moments. It really is ALL ok!!!!

I find that for most women, we thrive in a tender and yet uncompromising environment. And that when change evolves in fluid, responsive way, in alignment with our deep needs as women to feel safe, nurtured and connected to our natural feminine flow, then the transformation we experience is deep and long lasting.

And I will leave you with this reminder..

..the real reason we leave our comfort zones, is to enjoy a life which is more expansive and fulfilling…so remember to be EXCITED about the space beyond your comfort zone, and know every little baby step is a bold and wonderful movement to embodying your greatest truth.

shakti

 

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Guest Blogger – Sheri Horn Hasan – Mercury Retrograde Review

MercuryretrogradeI invited Karmic Evolutionary Astrologer, Sheri Horn Hasan, to do a series on Mercury Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is her third and final post in her guest blogger series.

If you’re a Spirited Woman who’s had difficulty over the past two and a half weeks with your computer, cell phone, television (or other technological/electronic equipment)—not to mention issues around travel delays, missing tickets, or scheduling snafus—rest assured that your troubles will soon abate.

I myself traveled cross-country last week and upon arrival at my destination (after six hours on an airplane), discovered my computer had crashed. You can’t get much more Mercury retrograde than that!

However, there is an end in sight…

On Monday, January 25, Mercury the messenger god will begin to appear to stop moving in the sky—this is called a “station”—and slowly appear to pick up speed once again over the next week or so.

Unreturned phone calls, unanswered emails, and Facebook messages that you’d begun to assume never reached their destination will slowly but surely be returned, answered, and received. In short, communication will resume its pre-Mercury retrograde pace.

Now that the first Mercury retrograde period of 2016 is almost over, it pays to take a look again at how during this time you may have experienced the subtle exchange of information between your conscious brain and subconscious.

As I mentioned last week, this current Mercury retrograde cycle is occurring in the sign of Capricorn--representative of the type of concrete tangible manifestation that’s connected with our ego’s definition of “success.”

You may want to look back at this period—when all is said and done—and conduct a Mercury retrograde review. In this way you may begin to attempt to discover where tangible concrete progress toward discerning whether your ego’s definition of “success” is in alignment with what your soul needs to be truly happy and fulfilled.

As our world begins to slowly return to normal, let us start to connect the dots of Mercury retrogrades’ true purpose: to allow the integration of our conscious thoughts and desires with that of our deeply rooted unconscious needs.

Your attitude toward your finances and material possessions may be ripe for scrutiny now. Any changes necessary to shore up your sense of security—be it financial or spiritual—should be contemplated during Mercury’s retrograde cycle through an earth sign.

Becoming aware of the connection between the deeper value of the Spirited Woman’s resources--in both their physical form of material goods and money, and in the more spiritual and esoteric guise of soul growth—is strongly recommended.

Mercury Retrogrades In 2016

For this entire year, Mercury will retrograde through earth signs. As the retrograde cycle in Capricorn comes to a close, we will begin to prepare for April 28’s next Mercury retrograde cycle, this time in Taurus.

Taurus—ruled by the planet Venus—is all about values. At this time you will be called to look into where your priorities lie in terms of your hierarchy of needs, including the needs of the physical body.

Taurus is an earth sign that rules the five senses, which provide us with the pleasures of life: touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. How do these five senses help us to define that which we truly need to be happy? What do they tell us about the care necessary to maintain our bodies and keep our senses alert and alive?

When Mercury retrogrades through Virgo beginning August 30, he will be finishing up this year’s emphasis on earth signs, and denote the spirited woman’s needs to continue to pay attention to health and physical well-being.

Earth signs in astrology correspond to earthy themes—business and success, the physical body, five senses, & material value, and health, work, and service. These Mercury retrograde periods remind us to take stock of what is our true definition of success, what it is that we truly value, and what we need in the way of satisfying work and service to maintain a physically healthy body & psyche.

At the end of the day, this earthy trio of considerations is what Mercury retrogrades remind the spirited woman to keep top of mind. In this way we become more conscious of how to keep ourselves happy and healthy--mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally!

SheriHornHasanAmazon #1 Bestseller & professional intuitive psychological/archetypal/evolutionary astrologer at Karmic Evolution Astrology, Sheri Horn Hasan analyzes natal horoscopes as the blueprint that can help one’s soul to recognize & reach its highest destiny in this lifetime. Her mission is to assist others to move from chaos to clarity and co-create their own future through astrology! Read Sheri’s story about her astrological awakening!
 

Guest Blogger – Sheri Horn Hasan – Mercury Retrograde Review

MercuryretrogradeI invited Karmic Evolutionary Astrologer, Sheri Horn Hasan, to do a series on Mercury Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is her third and final post in her guest blogger series.

If you’re a Spirited Woman who’s had difficulty over the past two and a half weeks with your computer, cell phone, television (or other technological/electronic equipment)—not to mention issues around travel delays, missing tickets, or scheduling snafus—rest assured that your troubles will soon abate.

I myself traveled cross-country last week and upon arrival at my destination (after six hours on an airplane), discovered my computer had crashed. You can’t get much more Mercury retrograde than that!

However, there is an end in sight…

On Monday, January 25, Mercury the messenger god will begin to appear to stop moving in the sky—this is called a “station”—and slowly appear to pick up speed once again over the next week or so.

Unreturned phone calls, unanswered emails, and Facebook messages that you’d begun to assume never reached their destination will slowly but surely be returned, answered, and received. In short, communication will resume its pre-Mercury retrograde pace.

Now that the first Mercury retrograde period of 2016 is almost over, it pays to take a look again at how during this time you may have experienced the subtle exchange of information between your conscious brain and subconscious.

As I mentioned last week, this current Mercury retrograde cycle is occurring in the sign of Capricorn--representative of the type of concrete tangible manifestation that’s connected with our ego’s definition of “success.”

You may want to look back at this period—when all is said and done—and conduct a Mercury retrograde review. In this way you may begin to attempt to discover where tangible concrete progress toward discerning whether your ego’s definition of “success” is in alignment with what your soul needs to be truly happy and fulfilled.

As our world begins to slowly return to normal, let us start to connect the dots of Mercury retrogrades’ true purpose: to allow the integration of our conscious thoughts and desires with that of our deeply rooted unconscious needs.

Your attitude toward your finances and material possessions may be ripe for scrutiny now. Any changes necessary to shore up your sense of security—be it financial or spiritual—should be contemplated during Mercury’s retrograde cycle through an earth sign.

Becoming aware of the connection between the deeper value of the Spirited Woman’s resources--in both their physical form of material goods and money, and in the more spiritual and esoteric guise of soul growth—is strongly recommended.

Mercury Retrogrades In 2016

For this entire year, Mercury will retrograde through earth signs. As the retrograde cycle in Capricorn comes to a close, we will begin to prepare for April 28’s next Mercury retrograde cycle, this time in Taurus.

Taurus—ruled by the planet Venus—is all about values. At this time you will be called to look into where your priorities lie in terms of your hierarchy of needs, including the needs of the physical body.

Taurus is an earth sign that rules the five senses, which provide us with the pleasures of life: touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. How do these five senses help us to define that which we truly need to be happy? What do they tell us about the care necessary to maintain our bodies and keep our senses alert and alive?

When Mercury retrogrades through Virgo beginning August 30, he will be finishing up this year’s emphasis on earth signs, and denote the spirited woman’s needs to continue to pay attention to health and physical well-being.

Earth signs in astrology correspond to earthy themes—business and success, the physical body, five senses, & material value, and health, work, and service. These Mercury retrograde periods remind us to take stock of what is our true definition of success, what it is that we truly value, and what we need in the way of satisfying work and service to maintain a physically healthy body & psyche.

At the end of the day, this earthy trio of considerations is what Mercury retrogrades remind the spirited woman to keep top of mind. In this way we become more conscious of how to keep ourselves happy and healthy--mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally!

SheriHornHasanAmazon #1 Bestseller & professional intuitive psychological/archetypal/evolutionary astrologer at Karmic Evolution Astrology, Sheri Horn Hasan analyzes natal horoscopes as the blueprint that can help one’s soul to recognize & reach its highest destiny in this lifetime. Her mission is to assist others to move from chaos to clarity and co-create their own future through astrology! Read Sheri’s story about her astrological awakening!
 

Guest Blogger – Sheri Horn Hasan – The Benefits Of Mercury Retrograde

Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology to do a three-part series on Mercury in Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is Sheri’s first post. - See more at: http://www.thespiritedwoman.com/go_blog_blog_blog/#sthash.BFuKtV7m.dpuf
Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology to do a three-part series on Mercury in Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is Sheri’s first post. - See more at: http://www.thespiritedwoman.com/go_blog_blog_blog/#sthash.BFuKtV7m.dpuf

MercuryI invited Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology to do a three-part series on Mercury in Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is Sheri’s second post.

Last week’s blog centered on how Mercury retrograde periods are quiet, barely noticed opportunities for the Spirited Woman to incorporate her innate, inherent, intuitive wisdom from her subconscious into her conscious brain, and vice versa.

This week let’s look at Mercury’s primary function and how all spirited women may benefit from Mercury retrograde periods!

The ancients regularly watched the planets in the sky and noticed how activity occurring on earth mirrored planetary interactions in the heavens. Way before the invention of telescopes and other technological devices this cause and effect became clear to them time after time.

Mercury is the messenger of the gods. His movement in the heavens foretells times when archetypal themes related to communication, learning, and how the mind processes information, occur. Mercury represents the twins Castor & Pollux and so is also directly related to siblings, early childhood learning, local commerce, and transportation.

Often during his retrograde periods - this one has been in effect from January 5 and will last until January 25 - we find ourselves reviewing rather than moving forward boldly into new plans, be these plans personal or business-oriented.

Watch for the themes mentioned above to become prominent now in one way or another as they seem to have been placed temporarily on hold causing us each various degrees of frustration…

Tuning In To The Rhythm Of Mercury Retrograde

As the Spirited Woman is being called to listen to her soul’s internal intuitive wisdom, and her psyche is busy becoming wiser, she doesn’t have the space in her brain to concentrate on moving forward - yet.

“The use of this cycle alerts us to the unconscious rhythms of reflection, and attunes us to our inner clock by dint of knowing when concentration and introspection are most needed,” writes psychological astrologer Erin Sullivan in her book “Retrograde Planets.”

“When to consider and reconsider ideas, projects, relationships, and lifestyle according to one’s own unique timing is the greater purpose of Mercury retrograde,” Sullivan concludes.

All Mercury retrograde periods for 2016 will be in earth signs. Earth signs are always about manifesting on the physical plane, and their general purpose - at least in part - is to ensure not only that we survive but that we feel safe and secure in our environment, our relationships, our careers, etc.

The current retrograde period is in the sign of the sea goat: Capricorn.

Archetypal Capricorn energy is ultimately about becoming one’s own best authority (i.e., one’s own best parent) and standing on one’s own two feet as a mature individual.

Capricorn energy is also associated with making tangible concrete progress in one’s life, and so it is connected to the concept of success. But the question always comes up: success at what cost?

Often, a Spirited Woman’s ego may unknowingly get in the way of what her soul truly needs to be happy in this lifetime. When this happens, it becomes an ego trip down the wrong path toward a perception of “happiness” not based on an inner sense of intuitive wisdom, but rather ( and often) on a misguided attempt to achieve something that one has been told, taught, or forced to believe will bring true “happiness” or “success.”

Mercury retrograde in Capricorn now calls us to go deep about what kind of foundation we really want to lay in order to be certain that we may successfully build upon our dreams. Discerning which dreams stand the solid chance of becoming reality and which are solely flights of fantasy by listening to one’s gut is part of this period’s internal work.

For some of us spirited women, this means having the courage to listen to our internal voices - our higher selves - to ascertain what will ultimately make our souls truly happy.

When we heed the call of other - those who have had authority over our lives when young, those who told us, taught us, or forced us to believe a definition of “success” that does not match our true inner selves - we may be investing in the wrong dream.

Becoming mindful that any delays or slowdowns in your progress are for a reason right now is most helpful. We cannot multi-task Mercury retrogrades away with wishful thinking. It’s far more appropriate - and rewarding - for every Spirited Woman to honor the natural rhythms of life and go with the flow…in due time all will become clearer and you’ll be back on your path moving forward again!

Stay Tuned! More About What Happens When Mercury Moves Forward Next Week!  

SheriHornHasanAmazon #1 Bestseller & professional intuitive psychological/archetypal/evolutionary astrologer at Karmic Evolution Astrology, Sheri Horn Hasan analyzes natal horoscopes as the blueprint that can help one’s soul to recognize & reach its highest destiny in this lifetime. Her mission is to assist others to move from chaos to clarity and co-create their own future through astrology! Read Sheri’s story about her astrological awakening!

Guest Blogger – Sheri Horn Hasan – The Benefits Of Mercury Retrograde

Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology to do a three-part series on Mercury in Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is Sheri’s first post. - See more at: http://www.thespiritedwoman.com/go_blog_blog_blog/#sthash.BFuKtV7m.dpuf
Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology to do a three-part series on Mercury in Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is Sheri’s first post. - See more at: http://www.thespiritedwoman.com/go_blog_blog_blog/#sthash.BFuKtV7m.dpuf

MercuryI invited Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology to do a three-part series on Mercury in Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is Sheri’s second post.

Last week’s blog centered on how Mercury retrograde periods are quiet, barely noticed opportunities for the Spirited Woman to incorporate her innate, inherent, intuitive wisdom from her subconscious into her conscious brain, and vice versa.

This week let’s look at Mercury’s primary function and how all spirited women may benefit from Mercury retrograde periods!

The ancients regularly watched the planets in the sky and noticed how activity occurring on earth mirrored planetary interactions in the heavens. Way before the invention of telescopes and other technological devices this cause and effect became clear to them time after time.

Mercury is the messenger of the gods. His movement in the heavens foretells times when archetypal themes related to communication, learning, and how the mind processes information, occur. Mercury represents the twins Castor & Pollux and so is also directly related to siblings, early childhood learning, local commerce, and transportation.

Often during his retrograde periods - this one has been in effect from January 5 and will last until January 25 - we find ourselves reviewing rather than moving forward boldly into new plans, be these plans personal or business-oriented.

Watch for the themes mentioned above to become prominent now in one way or another as they seem to have been placed temporarily on hold causing us each various degrees of frustration…

Tuning In To The Rhythm Of Mercury Retrograde

As the Spirited Woman is being called to listen to her soul’s internal intuitive wisdom, and her psyche is busy becoming wiser, she doesn’t have the space in her brain to concentrate on moving forward - yet.

“The use of this cycle alerts us to the unconscious rhythms of reflection, and attunes us to our inner clock by dint of knowing when concentration and introspection are most needed,” writes psychological astrologer Erin Sullivan in her book “Retrograde Planets.”

“When to consider and reconsider ideas, projects, relationships, and lifestyle according to one’s own unique timing is the greater purpose of Mercury retrograde,” Sullivan concludes.

All Mercury retrograde periods for 2016 will be in earth signs. Earth signs are always about manifesting on the physical plane, and their general purpose - at least in part - is to ensure not only that we survive but that we feel safe and secure in our environment, our relationships, our careers, etc.

The current retrograde period is in the sign of the sea goat: Capricorn.

Archetypal Capricorn energy is ultimately about becoming one’s own best authority (i.e., one’s own best parent) and standing on one’s own two feet as a mature individual.

Capricorn energy is also associated with making tangible concrete progress in one’s life, and so it is connected to the concept of success. But the question always comes up: success at what cost?

Often, a Spirited Woman’s ego may unknowingly get in the way of what her soul truly needs to be happy in this lifetime. When this happens, it becomes an ego trip down the wrong path toward a perception of “happiness” not based on an inner sense of intuitive wisdom, but rather ( and often) on a misguided attempt to achieve something that one has been told, taught, or forced to believe will bring true “happiness” or “success.”

Mercury retrograde in Capricorn now calls us to go deep about what kind of foundation we really want to lay in order to be certain that we may successfully build upon our dreams. Discerning which dreams stand the solid chance of becoming reality and which are solely flights of fantasy by listening to one’s gut is part of this period’s internal work.

For some of us spirited women, this means having the courage to listen to our internal voices - our higher selves - to ascertain what will ultimately make our souls truly happy.

When we heed the call of other - those who have had authority over our lives when young, those who told us, taught us, or forced us to believe a definition of “success” that does not match our true inner selves - we may be investing in the wrong dream.

Becoming mindful that any delays or slowdowns in your progress are for a reason right now is most helpful. We cannot multi-task Mercury retrogrades away with wishful thinking. It’s far more appropriate - and rewarding - for every Spirited Woman to honor the natural rhythms of life and go with the flow…in due time all will become clearer and you’ll be back on your path moving forward again!

Stay Tuned! More About What Happens When Mercury Moves Forward Next Week!  

SheriHornHasanAmazon #1 Bestseller & professional intuitive psychological/archetypal/evolutionary astrologer at Karmic Evolution Astrology, Sheri Horn Hasan analyzes natal horoscopes as the blueprint that can help one’s soul to recognize & reach its highest destiny in this lifetime. Her mission is to assist others to move from chaos to clarity and co-create their own future through astrology! Read Sheri’s story about her astrological awakening!

What Makes a Spirited Woman?

FlowersFor now, this will be Pamela Hale's final post for Spirited Woman. I know she will come back on occasion. She is a most talented writer, blogger and friend. I will miss reading her precious words that have helped so many of us thrive and grow.

I've been blogging for Spirited Woman since the spring of 2013, and have posted well over 100 blogs now, so I've spent some time thinking about what it takes to be a spirited woman. Of course Nancy Mills would know more about this than I, since she thought of the whole thing, and has gathered this tribe together to celebrate, collaborate, learn from each other, and serve others. But I have a few thoughts to offer.

As usual, one of my thoughts comes from my own photograph. This one was taken in the garden of the Self Realization Fellowship in Encinitas, CA - holy ground, for sure. And the plants know it. Who couldn't grow in a beautiful way surrounded by the sacred energy that has been cultivated there longer than these flowers? So one element that grows a Spirited Woman is sacred ground.

We weren't all born into sacred ground. Some of us had rough beginnings and a challenging trail to navigate. So we have to learn to create our own sacred ground. How do we go about that?

As a shamanic practitioner, I'm used to doing ritual and ceremony to create sacred space. But you don't have to be a shaman. Just light a candle. Say a prayer. Ask the invisible beings that surround us to support you. Clean out dense or unhealthy energies with sage, or just with your intention, or your arm making a sweeping motion. There is no recipe needed. You have the power already. Create the energy in your surroundings that will help you flourish and grow.

Just the act of doing that says that you're willing to take responsibility for how you live, and for how your surroundings support your choices. That decision is full of spirit, and acting on it makes you full of spirit.

Spirit is, after all, the life force. The invisible magic that makes flesh come alive, that makes flowers bloom, that motivates birds to sing, that turns the earth, that both breaks and mends every heart. So you are already a Spirited Woman.

I think one of the magical things about Nancy's venture is that just by naming ourselves spirited women helps us be just that.

Another aspect to being a Spirited Woman is finding sisters to support you, to play with you, to give you reflection on your life, and to encourage you the way only women can do for each other. Having a tribe, a sisterhood, a community helps us keep meaning in our lives. And meaning can help us survive anything. Sisters can help us survive anything.

You may have a sisterhood of friends. My own community of women friends is one of my life's greatest treasures. It's taken a long time to build, and now that I'm getting older, I treasure it as never before. Maybe your sisterhood is only one true friend, or a handful. It's rare to have more than that, if you are looking for real intimacy. So if you have this in your life, be grateful. You are already wealthy.

If you're still growing or seeking a sisterhood, then this online community might be a way for you to find like-minded women who can become your friends. And if you already have a community, TheSpiritedWoman.com is a way to grow it, to expand it beyond the dreams our mothers or grandmothers had. You could end up with friends and sisters all over the world.

And so, Nancy, I am grateful to you for forming this community, and for welcoming my contributions to it. I've decided to take a rest from my regular blogging, so that I can get my writing out into the world in a more organized creative format; books of some sort will hopefully begin appearing soon. In the meantime, I will remain a part of this community, with gratitude for my readers, my sisters, my colleagues and unseen, spirited friends. Bloom on!

Pamela Hale, http://www.ThroughADifferentLens.com
Click here to read more of Pam's posts.

What Makes a Spirited Woman?

FlowersFor now, this will be Pamela Hale's final post for Spirited Woman. I know she will come back on occasion. She is a most talented writer, blogger and friend. I will miss reading her precious words that have helped so many of us thrive and grow.

I've been blogging for Spirited Woman since the spring of 2013, and have posted well over 100 blogs now, so I've spent some time thinking about what it takes to be a spirited woman. Of course Nancy Mills would know more about this than I, since she thought of the whole thing, and has gathered this tribe together to celebrate, collaborate, learn from each other, and serve others. But I have a few thoughts to offer.

As usual, one of my thoughts comes from my own photograph. This one was taken in the garden of the Self Realization Fellowship in Encinitas, CA - holy ground, for sure. And the plants know it. Who couldn't grow in a beautiful way surrounded by the sacred energy that has been cultivated there longer than these flowers? So one element that grows a Spirited Woman is sacred ground.

We weren't all born into sacred ground. Some of us had rough beginnings and a challenging trail to navigate. So we have to learn to create our own sacred ground. How do we go about that?

As a shamanic practitioner, I'm used to doing ritual and ceremony to create sacred space. But you don't have to be a shaman. Just light a candle. Say a prayer. Ask the invisible beings that surround us to support you. Clean out dense or unhealthy energies with sage, or just with your intention, or your arm making a sweeping motion. There is no recipe needed. You have the power already. Create the energy in your surroundings that will help you flourish and grow.

Just the act of doing that says that you're willing to take responsibility for how you live, and for how your surroundings support your choices. That decision is full of spirit, and acting on it makes you full of spirit.

Spirit is, after all, the life force. The invisible magic that makes flesh come alive, that makes flowers bloom, that motivates birds to sing, that turns the earth, that both breaks and mends every heart. So you are already a Spirited Woman.

I think one of the magical things about Nancy's venture is that just by naming ourselves spirited women helps us be just that.

Another aspect to being a Spirited Woman is finding sisters to support you, to play with you, to give you reflection on your life, and to encourage you the way only women can do for each other. Having a tribe, a sisterhood, a community helps us keep meaning in our lives. And meaning can help us survive anything. Sisters can help us survive anything.

You may have a sisterhood of friends. My own community of women friends is one of my life's greatest treasures. It's taken a long time to build, and now that I'm getting older, I treasure it as never before. Maybe your sisterhood is only one true friend, or a handful. It's rare to have more than that, if you are looking for real intimacy. So if you have this in your life, be grateful. You are already wealthy.

If you're still growing or seeking a sisterhood, then this online community might be a way for you to find like-minded women who can become your friends. And if you already have a community, TheSpiritedWoman.com is a way to grow it, to expand it beyond the dreams our mothers or grandmothers had. You could end up with friends and sisters all over the world.

And so, Nancy, I am grateful to you for forming this community, and for welcoming my contributions to it. I've decided to take a rest from my regular blogging, so that I can get my writing out into the world in a more organized creative format; books of some sort will hopefully begin appearing soon. In the meantime, I will remain a part of this community, with gratitude for my readers, my sisters, my colleagues and unseen, spirited friends. Bloom on!

Pamela Hale, http://www.ThroughADifferentLens.com
Click here to read more of Pam's posts.

Guest Blogger – Sheri Horn Hasan – The Deeper Meaning Mercury Of Retrograde

MercuryretrogradeIt appears that a multitude of spirited women are interested in astrology. The stars seem to fascinate us. From sun signs to rising signs we are hooked. And often times, when a Mercury in Retrograde period comes up, which we are in now - we panic just a bit - because we have read so many negative things about it. I invited Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology to do a three-part series on Mercury in Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is Sheri’s first post.

I turned to the study of astrology (a subject about which I'd always been curious) when I was diagnosed with a chronic, incurable, potentially-debilitating autoimmune disease nearly 16 years ago - to help me make sense of my world. I'd love to share with spirited women everywhere how the power of understanding the energies of the universe may lead us toward greater self-acceptance, self-love, empowerment, and true soul growth.

When I began my journey toward greater self-awareness, the first step became the realization that life is always a matter of choice and that my future lies in my hands and no one else's. Now a professional astrologer and past life regression facilitator (in addition to my work as a professional writing coach & editor), I believe the universe is benign, always works in our best interest, and provides us with continual and consistent opportunities to grow in consciousness each and every moment of each and every day.

While our egos may not always get what they want, we may rest assured the universe will always provide the spirited woman's soul with what it needs.

So when Mercury retrograde periods happen, as they do 3-4 times per year, instead of quaking in my boots, I began to go deep about how this time is better spent recognizing it as an opportunity for me--and all spirited women--to become wiser.

Many people think of these periods--when the planet Mercury appears to stop in its tracks in the sky and move backward for approximately 21 days—as times when communication between humans on Earth gets all screwed up.

Indeed, often we do miss appointments, lose our cell phones, forget our plane tickets, suffer the agonizing indignity of not having our phone calls or emails returned—for weeks!—and generally miss the small print on just about everything, from major contracts to minor purchases.

Never heard of it? Then let me give it to you straight: Mercury retrograde periods—which will occur four times in 2016—are meant to help, not harm, us.

We are, in fact, in a Mercury retrograde period right now--one that began on January 5. This period will last until January 25 when Mercury appears to stand still and then begin to move forward slowly, gradually picking up speed as he goes.

The good news?

This period--often one in which other astrologers shout dire warnings about not signing contracts, making large new purchases (especially of electronic equipment), starting a new project, or forming a new business--actually presents the spirited woman with the capability to incorporate her innate intuitive knowledge (from her subconscious) into the more empirical part of her brain as true wisdom.

Similarly, the reason astrologers tell you that Mercury retrograde periods are a time to engage in all of the  “re’s”—i.e., to re-do, re-think, re-organize, re-process, re-evaluate, re-view, etc.—is because we’re also being given the opportunity to take information collected consciously and to process it into our unconscious.

This cannot happen, however, without a suspension of the more logical portion of our brains, with often results in the kind of confusion that leads one to think she's purchased the tickets but hasn't, to leave one's cell phone on the bus, or generally get communication signals crossed in one way or another.

However, the result--an increase in the spirited woman's consciously realized creative capability and resulting empowerment--is almost always worth it!

Stay tuned! Next week: More About THIS Mercury Retrograde Period!

SheriHornHasanAmazon #1 Bestseller & professional intuitive psychological/archetypal/evolutionary astrologer at Karmic Evolution Astrology, Sheri Horn Hasan analyzes natal horoscopes as the blueprint that can help one’s soul to recognize & reach its highest destiny in this lifetime. Her mission is to assist others to move from chaos to clarity and co-create their own future through astrology! Read Sheri’s story about her astrological awakening!

Guest Blogger – Sheri Horn Hasan – The Deeper Meaning Mercury Of Retrograde

MercuryretrogradeIt appears that a multitude of spirited women are interested in astrology. The stars seem to fascinate us. From sun signs to rising signs we are hooked. And often times, when a Mercury in Retrograde period comes up, which we are in now - we panic just a bit - because we have read so many negative things about it. I invited Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology to do a three-part series on Mercury in Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is Sheri’s first post.

I turned to the study of astrology (a subject about which I'd always been curious) when I was diagnosed with a chronic, incurable, potentially-debilitating autoimmune disease nearly 16 years ago - to help me make sense of my world. I'd love to share with spirited women everywhere how the power of understanding the energies of the universe may lead us toward greater self-acceptance, self-love, empowerment, and true soul growth.

When I began my journey toward greater self-awareness, the first step became the realization that life is always a matter of choice and that my future lies in my hands and no one else's. Now a professional astrologer and past life regression facilitator (in addition to my work as a professional writing coach & editor), I believe the universe is benign, always works in our best interest, and provides us with continual and consistent opportunities to grow in consciousness each and every moment of each and every day.

While our egos may not always get what they want, we may rest assured the universe will always provide the spirited woman's soul with what it needs.

So when Mercury retrograde periods happen, as they do 3-4 times per year, instead of quaking in my boots, I began to go deep about how this time is better spent recognizing it as an opportunity for me--and all spirited women--to become wiser.

Many people think of these periods--when the planet Mercury appears to stop in its tracks in the sky and move backward for approximately 21 days—as times when communication between humans on Earth gets all screwed up.

Indeed, often we do miss appointments, lose our cell phones, forget our plane tickets, suffer the agonizing indignity of not having our phone calls or emails returned—for weeks!—and generally miss the small print on just about everything, from major contracts to minor purchases.

Never heard of it? Then let me give it to you straight: Mercury retrograde periods—which will occur four times in 2016—are meant to help, not harm, us.

We are, in fact, in a Mercury retrograde period right now--one that began on January 5. This period will last until January 25 when Mercury appears to stand still and then begin to move forward slowly, gradually picking up speed as he goes.

The good news?

This period--often one in which other astrologers shout dire warnings about not signing contracts, making large new purchases (especially of electronic equipment), starting a new project, or forming a new business--actually presents the spirited woman with the capability to incorporate her innate intuitive knowledge (from her subconscious) into the more empirical part of her brain as true wisdom.

Similarly, the reason astrologers tell you that Mercury retrograde periods are a time to engage in all of the  “re’s”—i.e., to re-do, re-think, re-organize, re-process, re-evaluate, re-view, etc.—is because we’re also being given the opportunity to take information collected consciously and to process it into our unconscious.

This cannot happen, however, without a suspension of the more logical portion of our brains, with often results in the kind of confusion that leads one to think she's purchased the tickets but hasn't, to leave one's cell phone on the bus, or generally get communication signals crossed in one way or another.

However, the result--an increase in the spirited woman's consciously realized creative capability and resulting empowerment--is almost always worth it!

Stay tuned! Next week: More About THIS Mercury Retrograde Period!

SheriHornHasanAmazon #1 Bestseller & professional intuitive psychological/archetypal/evolutionary astrologer at Karmic Evolution Astrology, Sheri Horn Hasan analyzes natal horoscopes as the blueprint that can help one’s soul to recognize & reach its highest destiny in this lifetime. Her mission is to assist others to move from chaos to clarity and co-create their own future through astrology! Read Sheri’s story about her astrological awakening!

The shame game and how to stop play playing

Recently I have become super fascinated with SHAME!


And I want to speak about it, in fact I feel I MUST speak about it, for my healing, for the healing of all woman.

Why? Cause it needs to be spoken about. When we don’t speak about what we feel ashamed about then we keep the shame well and truly alive.

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And why am I excited about blogging about shame?

It is because I want women to be free, and I can see with absolute clarity that shame is a weapon that our small self, in cahoots with the negative forces in this world, use to keep us down.  In other words…that part of us that self sabotages our growth and freedom and happiness, and which is mirrored in the world we create around us, keeps our ‘stuff’ locked in, and inaccessible, by covering them with shame.

But there is a way out of the game of believing our shame…

When we feel ashamed we feel small and worthless, and it is incredibly debilitating. When we feel shame about our bodies, and who we are, then shame holds a strong power over us, sucking our life force into its shadowy grip.

Shame robs us of our feeling of self worth. There are many kinds of shame, some we inherit, some we create over and over again through our inner self critic’s unkind dialogue. And sometimes shame is subtle and sneaky.. there are so many ways that we can come under the power of shame and consciously or unconsciously play the shame game.

I feel that we need to speak about shame, so that we can disempower what we feel ashamed about and empower ourselves in the process.

Have you had something that you felt really really awful about and you kept it to yourself and then when you finally did speak about it, sure you felt exposed for a bit, and it hurt, but then after that died down, you felt totally liberated?

Yep that is how it seems to work.

What we own and meet with love is drained of shame

Here are a few more pointers to how to stop playing the ‘ shame game’.

Be there for yourself uncompromisingly.

Shame is all about telling ourselves that who we are/what we have done/ what we feel, is unlovable, unacceptable and wrong.

Yet when we dedicate ourselves to the knowing that every single part of ourselves is inherently OK, judgment transforms into compassion.

As the midwives of transformation that we are as conscious evolving women, loving self acceptance is pretty much the most potent alchemical tool we can use. Unconditional love melts shame, it might take time, but it will, and we can cultivate this for ourselves. But it helps to ‘get to know’ our shame first.

Notice when you are ashamed

When your voice goes all funny, when your shoulders droop, when you have trouble keeping the gaze of another. These are all good telltale signs that the shadow of shame is present.

Feel it in your body

When we feel a feeling that we absolutely do not want to feel (it could be numbness in your sexual organs, it could be your desire, it could be your longings and achings and fear of exposure….) whatever it is, if we turn away from it, shame has done its job of leading us away from meeting and loving a part of ourselves…

So here is a trick, instead of turning away, explore it, become fascinated. How exactly does it feel? Is there a story line it is attached to? Hold a loving space for yourself to feel the shame and feel beyond the shame,

Be there for yourself, without compromise, invite the shameful feelings in for tea, feed it sweetness, unbridled compassion, take it into your embrace as the lost outlawed shunted traveller that it is. Give it a home in your heart.

 What is the shame telling you?

 Once shame is accepted you can investigate what the shame is telling you…is it an indicator that you are doing something out of integrity OR, as is often the case, it is showing you where you do not accept yourself the way that you are..

Share it in a space of love

Sometimes it is too hard to ‘go there’ and feel and investigate the shame so we can call in back up. My backups are nearly always sisters on the path who have a capacity to hold me and love me as I am.  If you do not have one of these yet then call them in or hire one (she/he could be a healer/teacher/ psychologist/friendly maternal toilet cleaner). (Or join the Nakedly Unashamed community of women now!)

One amazing sister who I have had the privilege of spilling my heart and guts to on occasion, shared with me the following story.

At a moment when she had received a hurtful careless comment, she had gone to the mirror and looked at herself and watched herself cry.  She opened her heart to herself as she did it, she did not shame that broken piece of herself, that hurt aching part; she met it and she loved it,  she asked what it needed.  It needed love!  She gave that love through her simple willingness to see it and meet it with compassion.

Learn from this amazing woman, we are all teachers and healers to each other on this crazy path of life.  We have an awesome capacity to love, we need to direct this at ourselves.

In the words of the Buddha; (I have paraphrased but you get the gist….).

‘You will not find anyone in the whole universe more worthy of love than yourself’

Did you get that? In other words…

Our hearts are big enough for every single damn bit of us, and we can extend the space to hold the wounded parts of our sisters too

This is the revolution we are living.

When chunks of shame become lightened and freed through our clear seeing and radical love, we become more whole, more alive, more real.

There is more space, more depth, more love.

And isn’t that what we hunger for?

Mine the depth of your being and you will find yourself free of the shame game and shining in the light of your own hard won truth.

Join your sisters in the Nakedly Unashamed Shame- Free challenge beginning on Jan 4, its FREE, it will be a container for you to explore shame and how to live shame free! Join here

Or if you need some one one one support then i would love to help you…

 

IMG_0039My deepest wish is for all women to live without guilt, fear and shame.

Contact me now for a free 20 min Skype consultation if you are interested in one of my coaching programs
 
 
 
shakti

 

The High Feast of Nativity

And a cry issued out of the cave, saying: The holy Child is born from the most holy Mother; Light has come forth from Light, Perfection from Perfection. And at once the air was filled with the daughters of heaven, and the sky was ablaze with the radiance of their joy. The joyous festival of the Nativity of the Daughter celebrates the birth of Light in the Cave of the World, the great Event that sustains the life of the cosmos. A blessed Nativity to you all.

The High Feast of Nativity

And a cry issued out of the cave, saying: The holy Child is born from the most holy Mother; Light has come forth from Light, Perfection from Perfection. And at once the air was filled with the daughters of heaven, and the sky was ablaze with the radiance of their joy. The joyous festival of the Nativity of the Daughter celebrates the birth of Light in the Cave of the World, the great Event that sustains the life of the cosmos. A blessed Nativity to you all.

Be Nakedly Unashamed in 2016

​

Come on girls, it is 2016, time to quit feeling ashamed about your body, you have more important things to do, like creating a beautiful respectful space in your mind and body, so you can flourish as a juicy fulfilled woman and be in service to the world.

Nakedly Unashamed is a FREE group process for women. Designed to support you to finally kick your inner critic to the curb, step OUT of the old programs of shame and into radical self love..

So many women suffer from body shame( and other ways that we feel shame about who we are) and old patterns die hard, it can feel too hard to move past this alone.
It IS too hard to do it alone! so lets do it together !!

Nakedly unashamed is a 28 day process where you are invited to take the plunge with a community of supportive woman and graduate out of old unloving programs and RECLAIM YOUR FEMININE POWER.

This is for you if you have a little voice that sabotages your experience of FEELING WORTHY AND LOVEABLE AND DESIRABLE about WHO YOU ARE, AS YOU ARE

This is your opportunity to greet 2016 in a whole new way, without the extra baggage of guilt fear and shame ,

Gosh you might as well sign up, its even FREE!

What you get:

  • A meditation to do daily...(this is from my Wild Sacred Feminine Meditation Recordings..)
  • Guidance on how to create a non judgemental loving space in your body and mind.
  • A community of sisters to support you
  • Free group meditations and webinars...

Go to the NAKEDLY UNASHAMED FB GROUP ( its private, it is only for supportive sisters committed to the cause like yourself) for updates with the details for the process…

Yay! I am excited ! We are going to the next level girls, watch out world!

​Thank you for joining me in standing for LOVE

Love Shradha xxxx

The gift of vulnerability……..Do you reveal your true face?

Feeling and revealing our vulnerability, and being TRULY SEEN…we are so scared of it yet we want it so much as well..


What is going on with that? In this article i explore this curious conundrum experienced by so many women and i give some simple tips on how to be seen and met in your true essence.

vulnerable me

I have certainly been one of those women who have ‘held it all together’ and put on a brave face to hide deep feelings within myself.

Yet the more I have journeyed deep into my feminine power, the more I have found the courage to NOT hold it all together and to reveal my tender parts, my vulnerable self, to the world.

And yes! What a relief! I have discovered that I love admitting that I am not perfect! It is soooo liberating!!!

 

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I love it when I let go of pretending to be strong, wise, attractive or just plain ‘enough’.

I love putting all my cards out on the table. I love it when habitual masks I have used to hide behind CRACK, and tender vulnerable realness seeps out.

Masks are tiring…

The effort it takes to put on a brave face and intricately design a front to put on that looks acceptable and appealing is friggin exhausting! Masks are a form of armour, and the thing about armour is that you have to carry it around with you, you need to uphold it and worst of all, it puts a barrier between the true you and others, and the true you, and your own intimate experience.

So why do we bother?

First of all I would point out that most of us are often not even aware that we are putting on a front, our armour has become such a part of our lives and the way that we interact with the world, that we forget that it does not serve us, and is entirely optional…

Please note- armour is indeed optional..

I would suggest that the reason why we consciously and unconsciously choose to guard our true face has probably got something to do with a deep fear or being rejected.

And why do we equate rejection with ‘the end of the world’?

I imagine it is because the experience of being ‘rejected’ by another person rubs up against where we are rejecting ourselves on a deep fundamental level.

We show our best face to the world so at least others will believe we are worthy….so that we can believe that ourselves.

I know, because I have studied this mechanism in myself.

And I observe that this wound of not feeling ‘enough’ is huge in women. It might show up in different disguises, and yet, if we peel back the layers and different disguises then whoop! There it is!

A sad vulnerable girl who is scared that she is not enough and that if she reveals her true vulnerable self she will be rejected and exposed as not enough…

Bless us! ~Bless HER!

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The thing is that hiding your vulnerability just keeps that hurt and misguided little girl from the light of day. But if we accept her enough to let her be seen… then deep healing usually occurs.

A suggestion…

Instead of hiding her, what about taking her out for a dance? What about putting her right there on the table with the rest of your cards? Your masks, fears and pretences, what if you just said ‘fuck it’ I hurt, this is how much I hurt, this is my truth right now, and do what you like with it, I am still going to stand by myself whatever your reactions and perceptions are….

The truth will indeed set you free…

The truth is that we are, you are, full of deep hurt from deep woundings and the fears that these old wounds trigger. The truth is that you are also just so much deeper and wider than your wounds and your negative self-beliefs.

And If you deny them you deny your true essence and the opportunity to go beyond your past and be completely alive and naked and real and exposed to life in its fullness.

Somewhere within the true expression of your vulnerability is a precious spark of aliveness, whereas masks and armour are static, vulnerability is a living thing, it moves and evolves and transforms. True vulnerability is healing in action, it is life energy seeking recognition, once given and received with unconditional love, it dissolves into something else….back to pure life force.

Your vulnerable self is desperately asking for you to be present with her  so you can be free to be completely, unashamedly…YOU!.

She is asking you to accept every single part of you.

So that you may drop the masks and be truly available to the mystery of life unfolding within you, no holds barred….

Yet because so many of us have been raised to hide our true feelings, it can feel a bit intense and on some level actually dangerous to reveal our vulnerable self to the world….therefore to reclaim your true vulnerability you need to find a way to feel open and yet incredible strong and safe and contained, at the same time.

How to do that? Here is what works for me;

1.Get grounded.

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Yep, this is key, cultivate your relationship to the ground, feel your feet on the earth. Allow your body to feel supported by the earth and your vulnerability will feel like it stands on firm ground.

2.Be discerning.

Your vulnerability is precious; reveal it to people who are able to receive that as a gift. Seek out safe containers (workshops, rituals, loving relationships) that can hold you and support you as you explore what it is like to let your true face be seen.

-Do not throw pearls before swine…

3.Give it space and time

At the end of the day, all your vulnerability and the wounds beneath it, want, is the space and time to actually feel what it feels. Resist the tendency to distract, brush over, and/or put your attention on others rather than your self.

4.Receive with respect and gratitude10276437_10152265629454830_1003072028_n

The ability to feel is a blessing, it shows you are truly alive rather than guarded and numb, so even if it feels sticky and yukky, be grateful for the opportunity to engage with your emotional landscape.

5,Compassion.

Compassion, compassion, compassion, it is KEY. Have compassion for humanity, as it is expressed in you and others. Welcome and rejoice displays of true vulnerability, open your heart to receive and accept, without any need to hide or ‘fix’.

And remember…

Noone is really judging you but your self….

If someone else is judging you, then that is really his or her problem not yours…

Every single time I have witnessed a woman as she has let go and allowed her mask to crumple, and her tears to flow, I have been shocked by the level of beauty she has embodied in that softness.

Women are beautiful when they are vulnerable because they become truly alive, soft and real.

DSC02941Anyone who would still prefer you as a masked Barbie doll you are better off without in your life. You deserve people in your life who say YES to every part of the vast and wondrous living terrain which is you.

And if all this feels like a bit much and you do not know how or where to start…I really encourage you to seek out workshops where you can ‘practice being seen’ in a really safe and supportive space. Most Tantra workshops and women’s circles ( if held in a space of authenticity and integrity) are ideal, check out my own workshops and retreats or work with me one on one.

And in the meantime, practice by being real with yourself, you can begin by making this pledge to your self.

I……herby declare that I am dedicated to living life naked and real, rather than perfect and armoured. I am MORE than enough just as i am!

floating surrender shakti

 

Do you need some extra support as you explore who you really are? Let me be the one who holds the space for you to dive deep and find a nourishing and empowering way to live. My Womens Coaching programs offer you the time and space for deep transformation.

Contact me to sign up for a FREE 20 minute Skype call now.

 
shakti

 

Survival guide for the present time……….Tips on how to keep your sights on the bigger picture when life is poking you in your tender bits..

Is it just me, or has it been super intense of late…


Actually I know it is not just me…I witness in the many people that I encounter, that this is a time of challenge for many, whether you are feeling it physically, emotionally, financially or mentally…you are probably feeling it.

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Feels to me like spirit is asking us all to pull our socks up and live to a higher level of integrity. The patterns we have been playing out in the past do not have a place in the future that we are collectively creating. In the process of becoming collectively more conscious these patterns are being illuminated for us to see clearly, to heal the issues under these patterns. And create a new story. 

It can feel all a bit scary…for me anyway..but some part of me knows that good things are being birthed, we are not being punished; we are being refined, we are being upgraded, we CAN pull our socks up, it is time…

And in the process of this upgrade I feel anyone who has any degree of awareness and sensitivity is experiencing some pretty dramatic phenomena playing out… Our own perfectly designed dramas eliciting the releases and realisations that are needed to facilitate this shift.

Oh how tempting it would be to ignore rather than explore the nature of our experience as we are being challenged…(anaesthetics in many forms being the preferred survival tactic for many…)

Yet a fully engaged relationship with our experience is likely to be the only way out of the particular patterns that we play out…

If there was ever a time when we need to learn healthy and loving ways to meet ourselves and our experience it is now…IMG_1337

The parts of us which are being poked…. are the parts of us looking for our attention, the circumstances which arrive and the emotions which are erupting are unlocking aspects of ourselves that previously lay beyond our conscious awareness.

You are a vast being, you have aspects of yourself in which you are very developed, exceptional and wise. And you probably also have parts of you that are deeply entrenched in a sense of fear and separation. Your deep unresolved issues keep you playing out stories from the past, rather than living in the way that you truly want to be living. It is a time when all this can come to the surface to be seen and accepted.

The wise parts as well as the confused and scared and stuck parts….You are all of it , and none of it, accept it all as it appears. Then from a place free of shame you can be in a position to survey the bigger picture.

SHE does not mistakes

Whatever shape your challenges have come in, no matter the mental stories that they create, know that ALL of it has a part to play …whatever higher power you resonate with, understand that it does not make mistakes, this whole drama is not random…your pain is not for nothing…( I promise!)

The next step after acceptance of the different aspects of you is to extend the field of your acceptance into every aspect of your story and understand that truly ALL this is a part of the plan…there is a bigger picture, we are all walking ourselves out of a intricate and magnificent maze of illusion.

Through engaging consciously with the process that life has designed for US (in the form of the challenges that life is bringing to our attention) sooner or later we walk out of the maze into a new realm. In the process we become an instrument of the divine, birthing new ways of being, new levels of seeing.

 Staying on track

 As I navigate my life, as a deep diver, brave enough to explore my reality (and if you are reading this you probably are either doing this or you are ready to). I for one am looking for ways to ‘stay on track’ when my mind takes control and I fall into overwhelm.

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I notice that when I am ‘ in the thick of it’ and feel like curling up and escaping from it all…that I am looking for an escape from the intensity from my feelings, and I am also looking for a way to escape evolving. Curling up and whimpering is totally fine for a while(in fact I recommend it especially if you can curl up somewhere out in the nature) but ultimately I find my way through by remembering the bigger truth. That I am an expression of spirit, in human form, this pickle that I find myself in, in terms of being a vulnerable human running around in particular circles, is superimposed upon a bigger truth.

 The truth that I am free already… completely superbly whole… ultimately I know exactly what I am doing, nothing is wrong, and despite this fear/ anger/ misery/ apathy and frustration.. I am in fact a superconductor for the divine, I am balanced between heaven and earth, I am connected to everything, and I am an instrument for healing as I traverse this path of self healing.

 What else to do in the midst of what can feel like a complete mess but try and find that thread that connects us out of the head fuck and into an experience of the bigger truth?

just trust

The way that my body and mind can truly comprehend the bigger reality is through embodying it; through experiencing myself as energy and intelligence; so much more vast than the limited mind and its fixations.This not a mind trip, it is a reality; I AM actually made up of energy. And when I get out of my head and into an awareness of this then my story does not feel so hopeless, it is seen to be what it is..a story…a story created with a purpose, to bring healing and awareness.

Constant reminders to self…

 How I would love to offer you, and myself, the magic potion to make all our pains go away. Instead I offer you what I offer myself… constant reminders to self!

That you are ok as as you, you haven’t irreversibly fucked up, you are not really stuck in a ditch never to find the way out of the maze… you are plodding along in the direction of exactly where you need to go and you deserve oodles of compassion and self care along the way.

Hand on belly and heart

These reminders are best accompanied by a physical gesture. Go on and do it now!

Sonja Shradha Devi

Place one hand on your belly and one hand on your heart. Once you have fully ‘arrived’ in your body whisper to yourself the higher wisdom you need to remember right now.

Sweetly coax yourself back into a space of loving compassion for where you are and what is going on. From that loving place open yourself to receive the higher truth that life is asking you to come back to right now. Or just breathe…that’s enough too…

 

A channel between heaven and earth

 In lieu of that magic balm, I leave you with one more practice that helps me stay on track…

 No matter how tender I am, I make a point of finding a bit of nature and do Chi Gung. Chi Gung is so simple that you can have a go even if you are feeling phenomenally resistant and is therefore perfect for when you feel disconnected and heady. Through Chi Gung present moment awareness and inner integrity become places of focus for the wayward mind and simple gestures of connection offer reference points for the physical body to align with.

Heaven and earth alignment is a simple practice to bring us back into alignment, back into ‘super conductor mode’ rather than’ crumpled and lost mode’. Here is how you do it;

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Go out into the nature, bend your knees a little and tuck your pelvis in so you feel grounded. Spread your hands above your head as If you are embracing the sky, connect to the quality of the sky, spacious and infinite, open up the crown of your head to be filled with this open sky quality. Then bring your hands together and imagine you are bringing the vastness of the sky down through your body, bring you hands all the way down to the earth and connect to the quality of the earth, solid and supportive and nourishing…let your mind connect to the vibration of mother earth, and once you feel this connection imagine that you are drawing this energy up with your hands up into your lower belly. Then rest there, feeling your body in perfect alignment between earth and sky.

To feel aligned with the part of you who is infinitely wise is to connect to the quality of the sky (the heavens). To feel in touch with the earth is to connect with that part of you who feels supported by life and is ready to face the challenges that come with gifts of growth…

It is so important for us to have a cosmic bat belt full of practices that show us back to a view of the bigger picture, enough so that we can breathe a bit and allow the next step to evolve out of a healthy space.

May you keep on reminding yourself of the higher truth whenever you ‘forget’. May you honour your unique path and may your journey be gentle and kind and supported, with an eye on the bigger truth as you. Life is asking you to pay attention.Stay with it!

 ….Go back and take care of yourself. Your body needs you, your feelings need you, your perceptions need you. Your suffering needs you to acknowledge it. Go home and be there for all these things…

– Thich Nhat Hanh

Sonja Shradha DeviDo you need some extra support ?

I would love to hold space for you to get a better view of the bigger picture and to access the gifts wrapped up in your challenges..I offer individual Skype sessions and coaching programs-feel free to contact me now about either.

 
shakti

 

Putting Isiopolis Under Her Wings…at least for now

A Portrait of Isis, by Feather Collector. See it here.

A Portrait of Isis, by Feather Collector. See it here. This reminds me of a vision I had of Her long ago.

My fellow lovers of Isis,

I have been writing this blog since May of 2009 and it seems that the time has now come to put it on hiatus. I don’t know for how long. A while.

As some of you may know, I work full time at a rather demanding job. This leaves me only weekends to write. Since 2009, I have been spending pretty much all of that writing time on this blog, leaving me none for other projects.

The good news is that I find I have a significant new writing project to which I wish to devote that time. Yes, a book, but I won’t say what it is right now. It, too, will be a while. There’s much research and much meditation still to be done. But you can be sure it will grow from our work together with the Great Lady of Sacred Magic.

Of course, you can still reach me here at Isiopolis for comments and questions as usual. I’ll stay in touch.

And remember, there are 325 posts that still live here at Isiopolis, so I hope that you just might find something of interest to read while I’m out.

Thank you all so much for reading Isiopolis…and I’ll see you again on the other side of my project.

Under Her Wings,

Isidora

Cuivanya, the Feast of Divine Life

Cuivanya, the Autumn Equinox festival, celebrates our Mother God as the Ground of All Being and the Creatrix of the World. Its central symbol is the apple. The whole universe is but the manifestation of the Spirit of Dea. All things, from the vast galaxies to a blade of grass, are Divine Ideas in the Mind of Our Lady infused into material substance. Traditionally "the World" refers both to the particular world we inhabit (the ground beneath our feet and all that stands thereon or flies above it) and the entire cosmos, both physical and non-physical.