<![CDATA[Heartfulness Path

<![CDATA[Heartfulness Path - Blog]]>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 07:14:38 -0600Weebly<![CDATA[You Are More Than Your Behavior]]>Wed, 31 Mar 2021 20:42:27 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/you-are-more-than-your-behavior<![CDATA[Obstacles in the Path...and a Dream]]>Sun, 28 Feb 2021 16:41:46 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/obstacles-in-the-pathand-a-dream

Art by Ina RH

Dreams can reveal a lot. Dreaming is not only when the processing of the days and weeks events occurs but also when inner guidance speaks through images, symbolism and scenarios that offer direction. Dream interpretation is best done by the dreamer as their guidance gives the perfect visual and emotional picture to instill the message. Certainly, there are beneficial archetypes that are invoked and yet each dream is also a distillation of an individual’s experience.....

Last night, I had a dream that revealed one obstacle after another in my path. It started with taking my sister and mother to the theater. They were to meet me there and left earlier than I did. I found myself walking across a long grassy field. As I looked down, I saw a snake coiled up in the grass. It did not frighten me. I walked around it and noticed that the field was filled with coiled up snakes. Some of them were hidden with just their head showing. I said to myself, “Oh they are just garter snakes and won’t hurt me.” I proceeded to simply walk around them noticing their eyes and shiny scales as they watched me.

Suddenly, I was at the bottom of a very steep thousand foot tall hill that was covered in snow. I had on semi-dressy walking shoes. The slope was slick. I made the decision to side step up the incline as the easiest way to get to the top. As soon as I started side stepping up the hill, I was at the top where there was a wide parking lot. Just then, my sister and mother pulled up in a car. There was an entrance to the theater. We could see a very long line of people and discovered that we were on the top floor of many levels below. Looking down the staircase, I saw the line of people on all floors extending to the stairs. Since all of the lines were long, we waited at the top one.

Photo by Susan Yin

Once again, the scene moved to approaching the ticket booth. I decided to find a bathroom before going in the theater. Finding the bathroom was not easy. At the entrance there was a maze like labyrinth with many hallways and rooms going off in all directions. With each one I looked into there were lockers, showers, rows of sinks but no toilets. Finally, turning a corner there was a toilet room tucked on the side. The door was only a half door, which could not close all of the way. A few people began to push inside and wanting privacy, I decided to leave for the theater instead of using the toilet. (Probably a really good decision in a dream!!)

My sister was waiting for me and we hurried inside with my mother. The room was long and narrow divided in half by a partial wall. At the far edge of the room a high column rose up with the stage at the top. It was facing the narrow width of the room not the long length. This meant that only the people at that end would be able to see the performance and even so it would be difficult to view because the stage was so high. There were large gaps between the occupied seats. Checking with the people seated, I was informed that all of the seats were saved. Sure enough, coins were lined up on all of them. A wide swath of space on the floor lay between the rows of seats and the stage. It looked like a good place to sit but my sister and mother did not like the idea and went back to seats they found on the other side of the partition at the end of the room with no view.

The producer/director of the play was standing at the foot of the stage column. I told him about the seating predicament. He said that the venue had been moved and he was disappointed but there would be another performance in a couple of months. I asked him if my tickets could be exchanged for that performance. He told me to check with the ticketing agent. Going back to my sister and mother patiently sitting and eating food at the other end of the room, I asked my sister for the tickets after explaining how we may be able to exchange them. She handed them to me but they were covered in the smoked salmon that they had been eating. The writing on the tickets was worn off.

I Woke Up!

Sounds crazy doesn’t it…with all of those obstacles in the way and still not seeing the show? What occurred to me as I reviewed this dream was about my emotional state and thought process as each obstacle appeared. When I awoke and thought about the dream, I first saw it as a series of frustrating experiences. That is how I could have approached each situation but in the dream I did not. Strangely, I was never frustrated or annoyed in the dream but just kept pressing on.

When each obstacle appeared, I made a decision about the circumstance. With the snakes, “Oh, they are only harmless garter snakes.” With the snow covered steep incline, “I will side-step up the hill.” With the ticket line, “I will wait in line.” With the bathroom, “I need privacy so I will leave.” With the theater, “I will ask others for their help.” Each time it was finding a solution and moving forward dispassionately. Taking each situation one at a time and not rushing.

My inner guidance was showing me how to approach the obstacles in my life. This past year there have been many unforeseen obstacles and situations that have come up and as many other people have experienced there has been a lot of waiting. Once a decision was made in my dream that situation took care of itself quickly. The pattern of making a decision without a lot of drama or worry but patiently and methodically taking appropriate action for the circumstance cleared the way. The circumstances were not pleasant ones. The point of the dream was not to wave a magic wand and create bliss.

Life will always be full of obstacles. The lesson is to know how to navigate them by calmly observing, thinking through different possibilities, and taking reasonable action in the present moment. Keeping the focus on the present circumstance allowed me to look at the choices with lucid clarity without the distraction, worry or overwhelm of thinking about the outcome. My inner guidance was in charge. There was a desired outcome but it didn’t interfere with moving forward with what could be done. In the dream, I was looking at what was right in front of me without expectations.

As we enter another year of obstacles, uncertainty and waiting, being in the present moment with whatever confronts us is our work. Our world is changing and has changed. In order to adapt, we need to see how our rushing around and treating every hurdle and hardship as a terrifying fire creating untoward anxiety and stress is not the solution. The capacity to trust our inner guidance, develop patience, focus on the tasks in front of us, and open to alternate possibilities, builds our resilience, and improves our mental and emotional states. This allows us to expand our faculties in a composed grounded manner where creative and innovative decisions and solutions arise.

We will learn and we will grow. I believe that humans are adaptable and resourceful. These times of extreme challenges are also the times when we have the opportunity to cultivate our best selves.

]]><![CDATA[Are You Enough?]]>Sun, 31 Jan 2021 19:52:07 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/are-you-enough<![CDATA[Creating a Safe Sanctuary for Your Relationship to Flourish: a Couple Bubble]]>Sun, 20 Dec 2020 20:19:03 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/creating-a-safe-sanctuary-for-your-relationship-to-flourish-a-couple-bubble

Photo by Einar Storsul

We enter into relationship. There is something about this person that attracts us and thus begins the journey into love. Magnetized by this spell, we innocently and naively and often blissfully, sometimes cautiously, “fall in love.” Have you wondered why it is called “falling in love?” Love pulls us into a chasm, the magnitude of which we cannot comprehend. It is a falling into depths unknown. This is a journey that starts with a promise and that promise is that all of our needs will be met and we will be happy. We soon discover that the “fall” into love is not what fairy tales have depicted.....

Relationship is fraught with high hopes and expectations. Most of these we are unaware of in ourselves until we discover that our partner is not meeting them. “If you loved me, then you would know what I need,” we silently believe. Unbeknown to even ourselves, we are looking for security. The world is a dangerous place and having a companion that offers a safe haven is a foundational need that love offers.

Love is not a destination. It is not a rest stop. It is a long and winding path of challenges and hidden treasures. Love is an act of creation and movement. It requires active participation to keep it alive and growing. Participating in relationship, you begin to find out what you need through the friction of differences as well as the comfort of what is similar. Love is a journey of discovery about oneself as much as it is about learning about your partner.

Since a sense of security is a basic need to thrive, how do you go about creating a safe haven in which both of you can feel secure, grow, and flourish? You start with love as the container of your sacred sanctuary. It is a place where you protect each other and stand together against the onslaughts and challenges of the world. You take an active role in learning about each other’s needs and desires and quickly repair hurts that occur between you. This is the undertaking necessary for a secure functioning relationship. When two people have a secure functioning relationship, it provides a solid and strong supportive structure that is resilient and adaptable. These are the relationships that allow each one to grow and these are the relationships with longevity and love that matures into a beautiful fruit of trust.

Trust allows you to enter into life and express your highest self. When you can count on a companion to be there for you, have your back, and protect the safety of your union, there is a sense of relief and freedom to engage with life. Trust is not a quality that is automatically bestowed between two people. It must be cultivated. There are actions and behaviors involved that build trust.

Get to Know What Helps Your Partner Feel Safe and Secure

This is a process that happens with intention and attention over time. Most people do not come out of childhood or adolescence with complete secure attachment. This means that we all have wounds and sensitivities, which form feelings of vulnerability in intimate relationships. These vulnerabilities will be unique to each person depending on his or her prior experiences of relationship.

Finding out includes asking your partner what helps them feel safe or what they need to feel secure, but they may not know. Be a detective. There are behavioral clues when your partner is not feeling safe. Some people withdraw; others get angry, moody, or melancholic. Some people want to fight and others disengage or dissociate. Notice your partner’s emotions and behaviors. Instead of reacting to their behavior realize that something is amiss. This is the time for you to give compassionate understanding. Validate their feelings. Let them know you are there for them and allow them space. Patience is priceless.

Get to Know What Helps You Feel Safe and Secure

Being aware of your behaviors and emotions will tell you when you are not feeling safe or secure. What triggers a sense that you are not safe and how do you respond? Exploring this facet of yourself will tell you what you need. You are then able to share with your partner what helps you feel safe and to work with these areas so that you develop inner security.

Emotional Honesty Empowers Transparency

When you pay attention to your partner’s emotional state and to your own, you are in touch with the tender vulnerable parts of yourself. It can be difficult to honestly reveal your true feelings for fear that it will disrupt your relationship. When you are angry, sad or afraid it may seem risky to open up and yet hiding your authentic feelings or keeping secrets distances you from your partner. Letting go of your inhibitions and defensive stance and revealing your fears, desires and opinions honors you and your relationship. As you open up there is greater freedom for your partner to be honest as well especially if you create a safe haven by being open and receptive to their thoughts, feelings and opinions. Compassion expands from letting go of judgment and mutually sharing your inner world. Differences are welcomed and become curiosities.

Your Partner Comes First

At the start of your relationship, you spent much of your time together or thinking about one another. The delicious interest in your partner never seemed like enough. Over time life and responsibilities take over. Work, children or other pursuits require attention and these can swallow up time that used to be given to your partner. When things get busy your relationship gets put on the back burner. Without proper attention the two of you drift off into other interests and people. This trajectory can find you confiding your daily experiences or sharing important ideas with someone other than your partner. It may seem innocuous but it will corrode the sense of mutual trust and safety you have built with your loved one.

Your partner needs to be “your go-to person.” They need to be the one who hears good or bad news first. They need to be the one you confide in and who hears your inner thoughts and feelings. They come first over any person, place, thing or what other people want. Intimacy is created when you share the significant aspects of your life. Make sure your partner’s thoughts, feelings and needs take priority. Make space for emotional connection. Be there for them when they are stressed or in distress. When you “have your partner’s back” you resolve differences with them rather than going to someone else. You don’t gossip, talk bad about them or “throw them under the bus.” You protect your partner in public and stand by them. When you disagree with their behavior or opinion, you discuss it when you are alone. Have an agreement that your relationship takes precedence over either of your need to be right. This builds safety and trust.

Protect Your “Couple Bubble” from Harm

The term “Couple Bubble” has become ubiquitous. It is a conscious decision to mutually create a protected safe sanctuary where you can truly relax, find respite from the outside world, and enjoy the comfort of a kind, loving atmosphere. In order to keep your bubble safe, you are willing to protect it not just from outside forces but from your own demons as well. No slings and arrows allowed. Maintaining this environment takes energy and attention.

Each person contributes by:

Equally giving and receiving
Respecting dreams and desires
Supporting mental, spiritual, and emotional growth
Listening to and communicating needs
Mutually making important decisions
Actively engaging in resolution of conflicts
Allowing time for closeness as well as independence
Being thoughtful and showing daily kindness
Having high regard for the well-being and care of each other

The romantic image of “Happily Ever After” can only happen when two people greet Love and relationship with conscious appreciation and understanding of the path ahead. I invite you to build a safe and sacred sanctuary filled with love, truth, beauty, trust, harmony and peace where you can authentically be yourself and mutually flourish.

]]><![CDATA[Transformation]]>Tue, 01 Dec 2020 03:59:47 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/transformation<![CDATA[Empowerment]]>Sun, 01 Nov 2020 00:47:31 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/empowerment<![CDATA[Burned Out: Rising Up Out of Anxiety and Stress]]>Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:29:03 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/burned-out-rising-up-out-of-anxiety-and-stress

Have you been checking the news? Often? Every day? Is it comforting or ramping up your anxiety? In an attempt to grab and keep your attention the headlines sensationalize the latest traumatic event in order to provoke a heightened emotional response. Your brain is geared to being alert to threats to your safety. Even hearing and imagining worrisome, shocking or disturbing events causes stress hormones to stream into your body. When you watch repeated startling images it can invoke a posttraumatic stress response. Your body does not know the difference between an event you are watching or imagining happening and actually experiencing it.....

Anxiety and stress are the most common mental disorders. The current state of the world is exacerbating people’s anxiety and depression. Ongoing stress increases the chances of anxiety becoming a disorder. The two go hand in hand. It has been reported that 1/3 of Americans are showing signs of clinical anxiety and depression as a result of the pandemic, political divisiveness, economic stress, fires, droughts, floods and other climate extremes, and losses of life, property and homes. Countries worldwide are experiencing similar upsurges of anxiety as instability increases.

By definition, anxiety is marked by “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” It seems each day brings an alarming crisis and mounting uncertainty. It is no wonder that anxiety is rising.

Recognizing Burnout

Anxiety can sneak up on you. You may not realize that your fatigue and exhaustion are a result of burnout from mental distress. Your sympathetic nervous system, which pushes adrenaline and cortisol, is working overtime without a break from the necessary calming balance of the parasympathetic system. Burned-out in this case means that your nervous system is overloaded and just like a fuse burning out of an electrical circuit, it damages your neuronal circuits.

Chronic stress is draining. It causes wear and tear on the body and the damage to the brain’s circuitry causes changes in the brain’s anatomy. Symptoms of constant anxiety, panic attacks, restlessness, insomnia, heart palpitations, inability to relax, high blood pressure, breathing problems and poor digestion as well as other impacts to the body can result. Research by William James Fellow Bruce McEwen on the neuroendocrinology of stress hormones found that chronic stress impacts specific areas of the brain, which can lead to changes in mood, learning, and memory. Burnout can result in a loss of motivation, emotional depletion, memory impairment, cynicism, rumination on negativity, and detachment. Your brain is worn out and needs a rest.

Approaching Threat

How do you manage the bombardment of so many external factors that you have no control over? Your body’s defenses and your sympathetic nervous system will ignite whenever your survival is threatened. This may occur when your values or way of life are threatened, or when you are isolated and alone, unaccepted or unloved.

Detachment is the natural outcome when you are mentally and emotionally exhausted and drained. You want to “chill-out” or numb out with mindless distractions. Mild distractions can be beneficial in the short term. However, when anxiety escalates you may dissociate, or turn to drugs or food to soothe yourself. Sitting in front of the television or your computer for long hours, erratically keeping busy or working until you drop are danger signs. These habits of retreating may become addictions that harm you, deplete your energy and don’t actually stop the anxiety. The underlying threat response is still activated and only temporarily submerged. Regular exercise, being creative, walking in nature, meditating, dancing, playing music that you love, laughing, playing and reducing time spent listening to media are all healthy ways to discharge and de-stress. These are great coping skills and when you understand why they work, you will be able to initiate a higher and more productive level of consciousness.

Connection Creates Security

In the moments you are doing the latter activities like exercising, playing and laughing, you are not separate from yourself. You are fully present and connected. It is all about connection. You are either connecting with life or disconnecting from it. Threat brings out the defenses of separation that purposefully disconnect you. It is easy to see that dissociating and inhibiting your emotions disconnect you from a vital part of yourself…you no longer feel alive or an integral part of life. When you are in that level of consciousness, you have a tendency to fall back into controlling life creating even more separation.

A healthy body is always checking for harmony, balance, and a return to homeostasis. You go in and out of balance with continual adjustments taking place. Physical connectivity between the physiological elements and processes of your body is required to achieve relatively stable equilibrium but so is emotional and mental connection to others. When you know that you belong and are supported it gives you a sense of safety and freedom, which not only relaxes your defenses but also reminds you that you are interconnected with life. So…connecting with people that support and love you will ease much of your stress. Having deep meaningful connection with others when you are isolated or the world is contained is not so easy.

Control Creates Insecurity

Relying on or seeking stability in the world or even in relationships can be a never-ending quest. Life and the world are in constant flux. The very best relationships have times of discord. Your body has a marvelously intricate system to maintain equilibrium; yet, it cannot control all of life and external events. Most happenings in life are absolutely not in your control.
Ay, there’s the rub. The ego’s threat detection program focuses on attempting to control what it cannot. “If I can fix what is wrong out there or with this person, then I will be secure, I will be safe.” “If I can control external events everything will be fine.” Control is a defensive losing strategy because it disconnects you not only from others but also from security itself. It sets you up to see the world as separate.

As Alan Watts reveals, “There is a contradiction in wanting to be perfectly secure in a universe whose very nature is momentariness and fluidity. But the contradiction lies a little deeper than the mere conflict between the desire for security and the fact of change. If I want to be secure, that is, protected from the flux of life, I am wanting to be separate from life. Yet it is this very sense of separateness, which makes me feel insecure. To be secure means to isolate and fortify the “I,” but it is just the feeling of being an isolated “I” which makes me feel lonely and afraid. In other words, the more security I can get, the more I shall want.” Without that sense of security, I am engulfed in anxiety and stress.

The Way to Everlasting Security is Interior Connection to Presence

If you can’t find safety in the external world, where can you find a safe haven? What is security? Change is scary because it reflects the impermanence of life. What is truly needed is an internal sense of permanence.

Ultimately, rising up from the debilitating carrion of stress and anxiety is metaphorically like the rise of the Phoenix from the fire and ashes. It is an undertaking and journey of the soul. It is a catalyst for tremendous growth. It requires you to remain present with your experience rather than standing apart from it. There is a place within you that is eternally present that is outside of the noise of turmoil. Presence is the light of consciousness at one with all of life. Consciousness has never been separate. It is permanent, secure and stable.

The Interior Connection to Presence Fosters Interconnection with the Unity of Life

It is the interior connection to presence that fosters interconnection with the oneness and unity of all of life and relaxes you into the deepest state of security. You are no longer in the illusion that you are separate because you know that you are integrally connected and one with life and consciousness itself.

Embracing Anxiety into Freedom

The sky turns dark and a huge plume of orange and purple smoke billows overhead. A fire has flared up on the mountains above. I am aware of a flood of distressing thoughts. Instead of being engulfed by them, I see them as a warning to be aware. There is a perpetual movement of these thought forms. Instead of grabbing onto them, I am in relationship to the present moment and to what is happening around me. Is there something to be done or not? I experience a burst of sensations and waves of emotions rushing through me. A feeling of fear erupts in my stomach and gets caught in my throat. Can I allow and accept this experience without controlling it? It is almost unbearably uncomfortable. At first I want to control it and push it away. I remember to be aware and accept the anxiousness and fear that is present without needing to be separate from it. As I experience being fully present in the now, my perception expands and I feel the energy of being alive and a part of life simultaneously with the sensation of the emotions arising in my body.

Miraculously, more presence in the moment creates an alchemical transmutation within and a higher intensity of awareness. I am more enlivened and conscious. This higher state of connectivity calms me. I can assess my situation and know that I am safe.

Presence is Fuel for Consciousness

Eckhart Tolle describes presence as the fuel for consciousness and higher intelligence. Be gentle with yourself. Your ego defenses are instinctual and strong. Embracing and befriending fear and anxiety is a practice. Each time you accept these raw energies, you will find that it gets easier to be present. Your integrity and interconnectedness are restored. It is because of this total acceptance of all parts of yourself that you no longer feel separate. You are an integral part of life and fully engaged. Your freedom is worth it.

]]><![CDATA[Waking Up from a Long Slumber in the Midst of an Existential Crisis]]>Sun, 30 Aug 2020 22:44:09 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/waking-up-from-a-long-slumber

The shut down of the world came as a surprise. Did you even imagine that it would be possible for nearly 7 billion people to stop their ‘normal’ activities and go into seclusion? In my part of the world the retreat began in March. I was suddenly thrust into an alternate reality. But it took time for me to comprehend the change....

March 2020

My daughter has come to stay for a week.  She needs a respite to heal from a car accident.  It is a blessing for me.  Happily, a respite for her means working together on projects.  My back deck is now a haven to enjoy with colorful flowerpots, fresh herbs, an umbrella covered table nestled in one corner, and a grill.  Working together we have hauled flagstone and hand built tiered garden beds, dug the clay, filled it with compost and planted vegetables and herbs.

Most news I receive is by email.  What seemed like a far away concern has now become a serious issue.  The coronavirus is causing a world wide ‘shut down.’  We are advised to ‘stay at home’ and wear masks when going out.  Stores and restaurants are closing down, flying is precarious and so my daughter decides to stay a bit longer.  Bags of frozen fish, canned goods, and cleaning supplies are added to my shopping list to shorten trips to the store.

My refrigerator terminates and we salvage what food we can in a couple of coolers in the garage.  Rats, I just filled up my frozen section!  What a time to have it go out.  It is a couple of weeks without refrigeration before I find a business that is willing to come inside and install a new refrigerator.  Within minutes of the new one being stocked my garbage disposal goes out.  Leaking from the bottom an inch deep of water covers the floor of the cabinet.  It has to be fixed pronto in order to use the kitchen sink.  My patience pays off after a masked trip to Home Depot waiting in long lines and talking with four different service personnel trying to figure out how to give me a refund for an unneeded refrigerator part while my daughter retrieves the new disposal.  With her strong arms and ingenuity, she has it fixed and the house is humming once again.

Every day there is more news about the novel virus spreading and I hear people having trouble with feelings of isolation with the ‘stay at home’ order.  For me, nothing has slowed down.  There are waves upon waves of situations popping up that need prompt attention.

April 2020

My cousin is in the hospital with Covid-19. I learn that he came down with a high fever and within the week he is in the hospital on a ventilator. So much about his condition and the virus is unknown. I hear some good news from his sister. It is a little over a week since he has been in the hospital and his oxygen and CO2 levels, blood work and organ functioning are normal. The sedatives have been lowered and he opens his eyes. They want to take him off of the ventilator but his breathing is not sufficient. His sister tells me one day his vitals are up and the next day they are down. His sisters and family are experiencing grief and pain not only because of worrying about his condition but also at not being allowed to be with him. The doctors are doing their best to figure out what treatments to give him. He has been given hydroxychloroquine and plasma from recovered patients. His condition suddenly worsens. He is not waking up. We prayed and were hopeful. Within three weeks, he has expired. It all seems to have happened so fast. The doctors and nurses caring for my cousin have come to know him. They make an exception and benevolently allow his wife and son to say good-bye as they remove the ventilator.

The strangeness of this virus is incomprehensible. My heart is heavy and weeps for my cousin, his wife and son and his sisters. A beautiful gentle soul, he is no longer with us.

May 2020

Reality has become surreal.  Each day there are more stories about the spread of the virus, the precautions to take, the empty shelves and people stocking up on essentials.  I plan my outings so that I don’t need to go very often.  The recreation center has been closed.  Restaurants are taking a beating with some closing for good.  My book club has gone to Zoom meetings as has my office.  Other groups are not meeting at all.  It is quieter….everywhere.

For the moment, the quiet does not disturb me.  I see how others are struggling and hear about all of the deaths.  It is so hard for the families not being able to be with their loved ones as they go through this illness or to be with them as they pass.  It gives me a greater appreciation for the safe enclave where I live and what I have.  My heart reaches out to give solace, hope and care.

I’m observing the reactions of people and have been asked to do a podcast on the effects the shutdown and fears of Covid-19 are having on people.  The fears are more than the virus.  People are dividing depending upon their fears, beliefs and values.  The situation is shining a lens on whatever fears and beliefs have been hidden.  Some people are concerned about getting the virus or unknowingly giving it to someone else.  Others are concerned that their freedoms are being impinged upon.  Whatever is valued most is being unhinged.

There is an ominous foreshadowing as the fear spreads.  Tensions are rising.  It is as though the world has succumbed to a thick sickening green pallor, a ubiquitous deep silence is enveloping and blanketing consciousness.  It is the stillness before hail pellets drop and the furious swirling funnel of turbulence rips and tears at the earth and psyche of humanity.

June 2020

On May 25th George Floyd dies at the knee of a policeman. Fury is unleashed in citizens all over the world at injustice. Marches assemble and groups protest. Chaos intensifies. Consciousness is raised and focused on rectifying the discrimination that black and minority groups have endured. The Black Lives Matter movement is far reaching and aims to bring liberty, justice, and freedom for black lives. There is push back against the movement and against the police. Some take it upon themselves to instigate violence. Divisions and sides are taken with blame being projected in all directions.

Disagreements between friends and families cause ruptures in relationships. It might be about how to deal with the virus, or the protests, or the economy, or corruption or what the heck is the truth. What one person holds as a value or sees as a truth is at odds with others. It is surprising to feel the enormous animosity and anger when a person’s intrinsic safety, beliefs, values and way of life are confronted.

July & August 2020

As if the virus, the protests, the loss of jobs and businesses are not stressful enough another existential challenge faces us. Fires, floods, hurricanes of immense magnitude and derechos strike one after another causing the loss of homes, beloved forests, property, crops and the livelihood of many. The destruction and tearing down of the stability and structures that have been relied upon is unfathomable. With millions of people out of a job, people isolated and confined, or homeless the rate of anxiety, depression and suicides has increased. A pervasive hopelessness ensues.

It does not matter what strata of society one comes from, this sense of despair and uncertainty is affecting people from all walks of life. Michelle Obama spoke about how her sleep has been off and how she goes through periods of emotional highs and lows where she just doesn’t feel like herself. She described it as a form of “low-grade depression.” She expressed her anguish at witnessing the enormity of racial injustice and the effects of the virus on all levels of people’s lives. As any one of us suffers, we all suffer.

An Existential Wake-Up Call

Depression is an energy that stops you cold, in your tracks.  When it does, it is a call to wake up and see what is happening around you.  Humanity is experiencing an existential crisis.  It is the feeling that one’s very existence is threatened.  At the fundamental core of your psyche, you feel the shakiness and fragility of being human.  With so many forces creating instability, chaos and change, it is impossible to not be affected in some way.

The existence we once knew is no longer.  We have exploited the resources of the earth by opening up gaping holes, tearing down mountains, destroying land and water supplies with little thought to the consequences.  We have been using toxic chemicals to wipe out insects, poisoning the land and water and in turn are poisoning ourselves.  People are sick.  Their immune systems are suffering.  We have lost our relationship to the creatures and elements of the earth.  We have upset the natural balance and the interdependence of life that we depend on.

Sadly, we have forgotten our kindred relationship to each other, to our fellow humans.  Relationships are suffering.  We have forgotten how to care and support one another in our striving for independence and the determination to be rich and successful at all costs.  It is Costing us Greatly.  It may cost us our very existence.

It is right to be depressed because that energy, which slows you down says, “Look around you, look inside of yourself, something is out of kilter.”  The time is up for self-interest that includes heartless detachment, prejudice, discrimination, greed, hatred and careless unmitigated derision of resources and people.

Fear is at the core of survival.  What is your relationship with fear?  Our mode has been to resist it, fight it, suppress it and run away from it.  It is in resisting it rather than meeting it with understanding that creates the destruction we are engaged with.  When you sit with your fear, what does it speak about?  What can you learn from it?  How do you react to it?  Learning about your fear will tell you much about your relationship to life.

Yes, these are challenging and pretty scary times.  I look back on March and see how the wee problems that occurred in my life are simple and easy to solve.  The larger ones are upon all of us now.  It calls for us to reach out to one another no matter what another’s values are or the culture they have come from.  Learn about the people around you.  What challenges and fears do they have?  What do they care about?  What do you care about?  Find the higher aspects of yourself.  Face your fears with compassionate care.

We are all waking up from a very long slumber.  Our fears have been driving us over the edge.  A portal of opportunity has opened for us to look deeply within and realize that fear is not an enemy.  It is here to help us survive.  It does not need to control us nor destroy us.

As you get familiar with the driving scared parts of yourself and relate to them it opens up other health giving vital aspects that have been waiting to arise.  Beautiful expressions of calm, caring, friendly, loving, confident, wise, creative and playful facets are allowed to emerge.

Can you imagine what happens when you allow these parts of yourself to express?  Can you imagine what it feels like to be in harmony with people and in balance with nature?  Crossing this threshold takes you into a new wondrous dimension.  You can do it if you want to.  It starts with befriending your fears.

]]><![CDATA[The Rewards of Appreciation]]>Thu, 30 Jul 2020 23:17:28 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/the-rewards-of-appreciation<![CDATA[My Heart Hurts: We Are One Family]]>Sun, 31 May 2020 14:55:06 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/my-heart-hurts-all-lives-matter

Art by Gaelle Marcel

Yesterday, my body collapsed and I was shrouded in despair and feelings of hopelessness over how we hurt one another. The weight in my heart gripped me in a state of grief and emptiness. Hopelessness and despair is a feeling that so many people live with every day. When you are constantly being denied, denigrated, blamed, shamed and worse in fear for your life, you can’t help but feel hopeless while the fire of an inner flame burns for equality. How demoralizing and bereft it is to not be free in a country that expounds freedom. I can only imagine the daily anguish felt from living this way. It is apparent that the acute pain caused by vile racism has plagued our nation since its inception causing the division and hatred we are experiencing today. We can no longer ignore the inequality and subjugation of any human. The separation we have caused is tearing us apart....

Abraham Lincoln’s words are as true today as when he spoke them. “A house divided against itself, cannot stand.” We must heal or this sickness will continue the chaos and destroy our nation and us. My heart hurts and this pain won’t easily go away and won’t until we care and recognize we are one humanity.

Today, I see a glimmer of hope. I see people of all colors standing for a change that needs to happen, for justice, equality, and treating each and every person with respect. Most people protesting are doing so in a peaceful way to raise awareness of the tragic injustice happening to black and disenfranchised groups of people. These are people with their hearts open. They feel and they care.

We have a long way to go. Storms of violence have spread across the nation. It is painful to see violence, and it is a reflection of the violence against human lives that has been fostered through oppression. There are those that are fighting for their life. When you have been shoved down and your anguish and pleas have been ignored the buried rage to survive bursts out, often in exceedingly destructive ways. You may judge it or not understand it but this reaction comes from a natural will to live and for justice to be enacted. Desperation causes desperate acts.

Desperation Causes Desperate Acts

Fear Closes the Heart

There is another insidious element of malicious violence that is being incited to create division and separation. There are those that do not want peace and harmony or justice and equality. Their racism stems from fear and entitlement. It closes one's heart to the suffering of others. Cold hatred lashes out with a desire to keep others down. These people do not want change or unity. They manipulate the view of the protests and create more fear and retaliation by threatening rhetoric or by intermingling with peaceful protestors and agitating violence by setting fires, looting and causing destruction.

As we know, violence begets violence and although the chaos is bringing an awareness that we cannot ignore, it is also breeding more hatred and misunderstanding. All attacks against protestors, bystanders, journalists, police, shop owners, and neighbors are toxic. None of the violence and destruction is acceptable or will bring peace. What to do?

Open to the Pain

This can only be solved by adjusting our consciousness away from the mental distortions of fear and into the depths of our heart. This means feeling the pain, despair, futility, and sense of powerlessness that is held within our fellow humans. At the deepest core of our being, we must open ourselves to feeling the suffering we cause each other through our defensive nature of separation. It takes courage to move beyond conditioned fear and to reach for understanding and compassion. Justice will prevail when we stand up to the truth of our dysfunction. When will we see that championing equality with the right to life and liberty benefits everyone?

Can you not see that if you hurt another, you hurt yourself as well? We are interdependent. What I do affects you and what you do affects me. Our nation and our world are out of balance because we believe we must compete, outwit, dominate and fight. These are primitive behaviors that no longer work. We are destroying ourselves. Let’s stop the hatred. Let’s lift each other up and care for one another.

Allow Feeling to Connect You

The world has rapidly changed. We are connected globally and we cannot go backwards into some past that really wasn’t just. In this mechanized world, will we succumb to numbness and ignore the pain caused from righteous indignation? Will we lose all of our feeling and with it our connection to one another? If we do not learn how to care, cooperate and empower one another, we will perish. Let’s realize that our unique differences are valuable gifts that strengthen all of us. Will you allow yourself to feel?

My heart aches….and that is good.

]]><![CDATA[How the Act of Caring Gets You Back to Love]]>Fri, 01 May 2020 03:20:42 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/how-the-act-of-caring-gets-you-back-to-love

Lapidary ~ Luis Eades

Doesn’t it feel wonderful when you know that someone cares for you? It is a deeply felt knowing that you are not alone in the world. It is an essential need. There is a longing to be connected to someone in your life that supports you and has your back. When you don’t feel “cared for” by your partner you experience disconnection. A lack of attention and care can leave you feeling unloved and forgotten......

Biologically we are “wired for connection.” Humans have a very long dependency period and being cared for is critical in order for a human child to survive. Caring relationships are basic to human existence and consciousness. The inherent desire for a companion that cares about our well-being continues throughout life.

In partner relationships, the desire to be seen, heard and known is fundamental because if we are truly known by another there is a sense that they care for us. We think of healthy attraction beginning with the spark of erotic polarity, which is necessary but unless it includes caring intention from both partners, the sexual attraction will not be enough to hold the relationship together. Caring intent is essential for intimacy and having a healthy meaningful relationship that lasts. The absence of being cared about can lead to loneliness, loss of meaning, despair and depression, which is why it is vital to keep the caring connection alive.

“A Caring person is one Who has Appropriate Motivations to Care for Others and
Who Participates Adeptly in Effective Caring Practices”
~ Virginia Held

Caring is an Action

Caring for someone is more than just liking or loving them; it means that you are concerned for their well-being. Your actions and behaviors include serious attention to protect their health and welfare. You are interested in looking after their needs and willing to put yourself aside to give to another. Virginia Held, a philosopher on the ethics of care, describes a caring person “as one who has appropriate motivations to care for others and who participates adeptly in effective caring practices.” The motivation to care can arise from the initial attraction to another and deepens with the sense of love for another. A person may “care about” another without knowing how to “care for” another.

The kind of care you received when you were young will have an affect on the kind of care you expect to receive and the kind of care that you give. Living in a culture that upholds independence and self-sufficiency as a high standard has diminished the value of caring to the extent that many people have not learned how to care for others or even for their own deepest needs.

Knowing what actions and behaviors the person you care about needs in order to feel “cared for,” supported and protected is necessary in order to give healthy caring intent. This is often where misunderstandings, feelings of discontent and of not being loved occur in relationship. One person may truly care about another but have no clue how to show their partner that they care.

Effective Caring Practices

Commit to the Relationship

All relationships go through periods of harmony and disharmony. Without a commitment to stay, work through problems and resolve issues there can be an underlying feeling of dissolution at any moment. Don’t be, “One foot out the door,” whenever there is an issue that arises. This is a lack of commitment. The thought that one’s relationship is not solid gives partners a sense of insecurity and the feeling that one’s partner doesn’t really care. Trust is fractured.

Trust is crucial for security and when both people commit to supporting each other through difficulties intimacy increases and the feeling of care results. Resolving and repairing issues requires skill. Commitment entails overcoming your habitual reactions that cause separation and learning the skills of coming back into harmony.

Connect with Your Partner and Give them Attention

Relationships suffer from absence, inattention and taking your partner for granted. Have the demands and activities of your life taken precedence over your relationship? Caring behavior includes attending to the thoughts, feelings, desires and needs of one’s partner. Once you commit to a relationship you may believe that you have “tied the knot” and are done with the job of giving your partner caring attention. “I’ve told you I love you, why do you need more?” Neglect feels like rejection and can silently creep into your relationship. Absence in the form of neglect and lack of attention does Not make the heart grow fonder. Distance for short periods of time can create a sense of appreciation and longing….but if you are not making an effort to be with your partner and connect with them or to be there when they need support, you are not valuing them and they will feel the lack of care and concern.

Attention is shown through being present with your partner, focusing on their needs, putting your needs aside and truly listening to them.

You care about how they experience life, what brings them happiness, what their passions are and what they want to pursue. You understand and empathize when they hurt and support them when they are sad.

Attention is shown through daily actions. Make appreciating your partner a priority.

Be Present and consistent. Our bodies crave the feeling of a trustworthy and reliable partner.
Connect with your partner every day. Ask about their day and take time for sharing. Be curious and interested in what interests them.
When you are traveling or apart from one another Call, Text, and check in.
Leave notes of endearment.
Remember special occasions, dates and events. Notice what lights up your partner’s face and how they like to celebrate. Treat Special Days with extra special attention. Plan ahead.
When your partner has a project or event that matters to them be supportive and show your appreciation for their passions. Make your partner your Priority and what matters to them matter to you. Be present and drop what you are doing.

Be Emotionally Engaged and Actively Listen

Make sure your partner is your “Go To Person.” Create a sacred intimacy between the two of you that no one else shares. Keep confidences.
Share your thoughts, ideas, and vulnerabilities. Open your heart.
Have common interests and share in social engagements and activities. Do an activity your partner enjoys even if it is not high on your list.
Be emotionally intelligent; know your feelings and be willing to share them.
Regulate your emotions; do not suppress and do not project.
Validate your partner’s feelings. Emotions are real; do not ignore, dismiss, or try to change your partner’s feelings. It is diminishing, hurtful and emotionally abusive. Instead, accept your partner’s feelings and do your best to understand.
Actively listen. Be present and look at them. Attune yourself to the other person. Notice their body language and the sound of their voice. Paraphrase back to them what they said. Validate their feelings and words. Ask for clarity if you do not understand. Show that you are interested in what they are saying. Don’t numb out.

Do Acts of Kindness

At the beginning of your relationship, you probably noticed the small gestures that gave your partner joy. You made their favorite meal, you tidied up your mess, you brought them tea or coffee, you planned a special outing and surprised them, you bought concert tickets to their favorite group and you made sure that when they had a tough day you turned off the television, sat with them and listened. The day-to-day kindnesses add up. Each time you do an act of generosity and kindness for your partner, you are adding the positive qualities of love and caring, which enhances your life and theirs.

“And in the End, the Love you Take is Equal to the Love you Make”
~ The Beatles

Value and Cherish Your Partner Every Day

The more you put into the relationship by being generous with your care and attention, the more safety and trust are enhanced. The Beatles had it right, "and in the End, the Love you Take is Equal to the Love you Make." When you cherish your partner you are valuing your connection with Love.

]]><![CDATA[A Viral Transmission of Transformation]]>Tue, 24 Mar 2020 15:53:09 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/a-viral-transmission-of-transformation

Do you remember that the promise of this year is one of change and renewal? It is upon you and all of us. Transformation can be messy and it may not appear the way you thought. The bitter pill of reformation has gone viral. Even if you have not contracted the virus it has reached you in the form of a revolution of normality. It is tearing down the fabric of systems that you count on. Change brings you into new territory and the absolute unknown. This is where we are, right in the center of uncharted waters. What lies ahead? Do you enter these days with fear or are you willing to take the opportunity to Dream a New Dream?....

The Covid-19 virus has changed everyone's life in a dramatic way. Have you desired change? Have you been troubled by the division between people and nations? Have you watched the degradation of the environment with sorrow? Even with self-isolation and social distancing, can you see that the virus has brought us together? We are having a world-wide Shared Experience. How each one of us responds to the challenges brought about by the crisis will determine our perception and personal experience of this time.

Fear is normal when the solid foundation you have built falls apart. The grief when family members and friends suffer or die is real. There is a concern for the basics of life when your income is no longer guaranteed, when there are bills to pay and when there is a shortage of necessities. It is wise to be conscientious and gather what you need. This crisis raises your awareness of what is vital for your survival and also what you value.

Your fears, vulnerabilities, and your actions point to the consciousness you hold. As you gather what is necessary are you doing so with respect and kindness to others? Are you sharing? Thich Nhat Hanh's words about fear are noteworthy.

Fear Keeps Us Focused on the Past or Worried about the Future.
If we can Acknowledge our Fear,
We can realize that Right Now we are Okay.
Right now, today, we are still Alive, and our Bodies are working Marvelously.
Our Eyes can still see the Beautiful Sky.
Our Ears can still Hear the Voices of our Loved Ones.
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

You live in the present moment. The past is over and the future is a dream. Open your perception of reality and be grateful for the abundance in your life. Have compassion for those that are suffering. Join together with loved ones and friends through your phone or visit on the Internet. Let your imagination have free reign and allow the spark of creativity to flourish. Dream a bigger Dream. Each day you have the opportunity to expand or shut down.

If panic or feelings of isolation arise let it pull you deeper inward. Welcome the opportunity to see what you value. What is sustainable and what is not? Be honest and take a close look at all that you cherish or give your time to and see if it is life-giving. How can this time be used to create a new world that is friendlier, more relational and less fearful of others, attuned with nature using sustainable modalities, and systems that allow everyone to thrive with honor and respect. Yes, it is a time of great change and constructive transformation can only occur if we Wake Up to our own consciousness of beliefs, values, and actions.

If You can Imagine it, You can Achieve it.
If You can Dream it, You can Become it.
~ William Arthur Ward

Hang in there. You are not alone. We are in this Together and that has never been more true than now. Acknowledge the truth that we are One Air, One Breath, One Family!

]]><![CDATA[One Air, One Breath, One Family]]>Sat, 21 Mar 2020 17:03:08 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/one-air-one-breath-one-family

What we are experiencing on the planet is unprecedented. Never before have we had the magnitude of global interconnection and communication during a crisis that affects every human being, as we are experiencing in this moment.

Much of humanity is focused on the media, the daily changes in life and the effect it is having on distant parts of the globe as the Covid-19 virus circulates around the world. Where is your focus and attention going? You don’t need to listen to the news to know something remarkably uncommon is occurring....

You can see it on the empty streets, with the closing of schools, people being sent home to work, and empty shelves at the grocery stores. You can see it in your personal life and how it has affected your livelihood. Now, people are self-isolating or sheltering in place either by choice or by government order.

As you observe this phenomenon what are you experiencing inside? Does fear arise? Does confusion, panic or astonishment arise? Are you at peace? Do you enjoy the “alone” time? Perhaps you are at home with family members that before were all out in the world. Now you find yourself in constant contact with them. Are you kind? Are you enjoying one another? What is your response?

Generosity and Good Will Begets Friendship

It has been just a week, although it seems like a month, since this became a serious enough issue that I thought to take action to be prepared. Being a pragmatic Virgo, I made a list of items I would need to stay at home for a month or so and set out to purchase them. Lucky to find a parking space at Costco, I started toward the door when a man ran up behind me, “Ma’am take my cart. There are none in the store.” A bit bewildered, I thanked him for his thoughtfulness. Before entering, a woman holding a bottle of hand sanitizer and wipes swabbed my cart handle. Again, I smiled and thanked her. Inside I beheld a sea of people and baskets. It might have been daunting yet as I navigated through the crowd, I felt a sense of joy. People were not pushing and shoving, they were actually slowing down and allowing others to get where they needed to go. There was an air of kindness…a sense that all of us were in this together. Checkout lines were long going all of the way to the back of the store. I rounded an aisle near the front to pick up some protein powder, the last item I needed, and saw a short line. In disbelief, I asked the man standing at the end, “Are you at the end of the line?” “Yes, he replied.” Time flew as I delighted in conversing and noticing our similar feelings and views on keeping a positive loving attitude and approaching the situation from within our heart. Normally, I am not inclined to be so open with a “stranger” but it felt good to share friendship and to reflect on our abundance and good will.

One Human Family Breathing Together

Awaken to the truth that we are One
One Human Family, Breathing One Breath,
Globally Interconnected and Interdependent.

If you haven’t noticed, we are witnessing an extraordinary moment. A moment when we have an opportunity to awaken to the truth that we are truly One: One human family, breathing One breath, globally interconnected and interdependent. Is there any doubt now that what happens in China or Italy or the U.S. or Canada or Australia, or Syria, or any country affects every single one of us? We are joined physically, mentally, emotionally, economically and spiritually.

You can look at the virus as a demon or as a transformer. It is showing us that we All Breathe the Same Air. We are One Breath. We are not Separate. We are one global family. With that understanding the question becomes, how do we respond as One Being? How do we lift our consciousness to a higher level of Care for One another?

The Gift of Vulnerability

There is so much I have thought about over the past days with so much to say…and so little to say. We are in Unknown Uncharted waters. Isn’t that the greatest fear? We cannot know for certain what lies ahead. The world has turned upside down and in the outer world there seems to be no stability. Our healthcare, economic, social systems, and leaders are showing their vulnerabilities. No one is immune. This tiny creature is raising All of our personal and systemic vulnerabilities to the surface.

As strange as it sounds, that is the Gift. We are getting a clear view of our response or reaction to this crisis. Distractions are few. We are at a standstill. When have you ever seen the world Stop Doing? We have been running around willy-nilly doing, doing, doing with endless thoughtless busyness. We have been so preoccupied with doing life that we have not stopped to see where we are going. What have we created? How are we impacting each other? How are we impacting all of life?

Regeneration

In a moment of fantasy, I had a Sci-Fi vision of Mother Earth creating this microbe to get rid of humans. We would not be missed. In actuality, the earth is taking a deep breath right now. Water in the canals of Venice is clearing and fish and dolphins are populating the waters. Pollution in cities is abating as cars, trucks, businesses and factories are shut down. Animals and other creatures are happily carrying on. We humans are the ones in crisis.

We are in a pivotal moment in consciousness. We have a great opportunity to pause and observe without judgment but with great discernment our habitual conditioned response to life. We invest lots of our energy in attempting to control just about everything. It is a basic reaction to ensure survival and it can also be our greatest downfall. There are a zillion different views on what and how to control the outer world and other people in order to be secure. How secure do you feel right now?

Internal Center of Stability and Balance

Can you awaken from the trance? You have never been able to control the outer world. External stability is fleeting. The only place where true stability resides is inside of you. A great teaching is offered in turning inward. Through this extraordinary circumstance you have a chance to glimpse the eternal part of you that is constant. Here resides a core of centeredness and stability that is awareness. You have the power of choice in how you respond to whatever you experience.

As you approach life from this pillar of timeless balance, you are coherent with the ebb and flow of life. You are able to observe and choose responses that enhance life. Innovative and creative solutions abound in times like these. Already, we are seeing people creating new and exciting ways to deal with work. Others are using their skills to find solutions to save people’s lives. What we know for sure is that we are all in this together. We are having a rare Shared Experience. I trust we will adapt. Humans are resourceful and resilient. We are in the midst of an upgrade in consciousness if we choose it.

As you move inward into your heart and know without a doubt that we are One, you will respond with care for all humans, for all creatures, and for our dear planet.

This is our challenge and how we respond will be written in our memories for all time.

This is Your Challenge and How You Respond
will be Written in Your Memories for All Time!

]]><![CDATA[Finding Your Balance When the World in Not]]>Fri, 28 Feb 2020 23:08:32 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/finding-your-balance-when-the-world-in-not<![CDATA[Forget the Doom and Gloom 2020 is the Year of the Yang White Metal Rat]]>Fri, 24 Jan 2020 18:41:19 GMThttps://www.heartfulnesspath.com/blog/forget-the-doom-and-gloom-2020-is-the-year-of-the-yang-white-metal-rat

As the cycle of the New Year begins, I always find it fascinating and very beneficial to look at the energies that will surround and engage us throughout the year. This year there are powerful forces mixing together creating a potent potion of movement in a vortex of energy that can be harnessed through focused intention and guidance to uplift and transform your experience of life. Forget the doom and gloom, these energies are ushering in the seeds of change. The creative potential at this time is astronomical. As you ground yourself in the vision you want to create, new perspectives and possibilities open up as if by magic. Your worldview and life may radically change as the world you have known alters....

Chinese Philosophical System of Cycles

Today we are going to look through the lens of two systems. One of these is the Chinese system of ancient knowledge, which has followed the rhythms and cycles of planetary and universal energies for centuries. They formalized this knowledge into philosophical principles of alchemy, medicine, and astrology. Earthly elements and characteristics of animals are the symbology to describe some of these forces. January 25, 2020 begins the celebration of Chinese New Year and this year rings in the energy of the Yang White Metal Rat formally arriving on February 4th.

Yang energy is masculine. It is strong, active, giving, fast, emptying and focused. Metal imbues resourceful righteousness, refinement, integrity, and provides structure and control. It gives you the confidence to lead your own life and the motivation to “step up to the plate.” The white rat is considered a protector and bringer of prosperity through self-knowledge, discipline, resilience, endurance and the ability to cope with difficulties. Incredible survivors, rats are intelligent, quick witted, adaptable and clever. They are problem solvers. Just think about a rat going through a maze. Their determination is unrelenting and they rarely give up in the face of resistance. One of the attributes that allows this relentless pursuit is patience. They are not dissuaded by failure or mistakes. The goal is always in focus and their attention is on creative and inventive solutions.

Did you know that rats are very sociable? People with pet rats know this. They are nurturers, extremely protective of their family and emotionally sensitive. Abundance and prosperity is implicit in rat energy. Nurturing qualities are necessary when one is as abundantly fertile as a rat. A mother rat is capable of having up to 200 babies a year. Rats have been known to enjoy the limelight and become jealous of other rats. Most of the time, they enjoy life using ultrasonic chirps to laugh and purring when content. When you observe rats in community, they share and help others. Lab rats will figure ways out of their cage and then release their friends. Their body and mind is highly adapted for survival with their extraordinary immunity to disease, tremendous balance and the mental acumen and resourcefulness to discern what is essential and what is not.

All of these characteristics offer the necessary power to create the life you want and need. As you will see, they perfectly coincide and blend with the western astrology lens of cosmic planetary forces that are beaming onto planet earth as she grows and matures.

Cosmic Planetary Forces

Astrologically there are some big hitter planets overseeing and enthusiastically activating change. Saturn moved into Capricorn for about a three year period from December 19, 2017 until March 21, 2020. It will briefly enter Aquarius before retrograding back into Capricorn from July 1, 2020 until December 17, 2020. Capricorn is hardworking and has the ambition, fortitude and discipline to climb the tallest peak in the same way the rat perseveres. Pluto has been in Capricorn since November of 2008 and will stay there until May of 2023. The work of these two planetary energies in tenacious Capricorn is to dredge up the shadow aspects and take a hard look at what is not essential or does not support an individual’s growth or humanity’s evolution of consciousness. Pluto reveals your relationship to power. Where do you give it away and when do you stand in your own power? Saturn discloses your limiting beliefs and asks you to be strong in standing for your truth and the discipline to follow your creative impulse. What is left after facing and purging your fears is the fundamental ground to germinate and birth your new reality.

These two planets came together at 22 degrees in a conjunction in Capricorn on January 12, 2020 initiating a new cycle and a shift towards new forms, relationships, systems, and structures that support your individual life and humankind. We crossed a threshold and a portal of opportunity opened as Jupiter, the planet of expansion, joined the party along with Saturn, Pluto, Ceres, Mercury, and the Sun forming a stellium of concentrated impact. The last three bring in Ceres nurturing fertility necessary for growth, the skills of clear and rapid communication of Mercury, and the continuous stream of life force activating and catalyzing growth from our Sun. Can you feel the gift in the promise of new life emerging in the aftermath of so much clearing?

Catalyzing a Bright Future

All of this remarkable confluence of energy is fostering the emergence of renewal. This time is ripe for evolving and creating. Use your imagination. Ignite your dreams. The soil of ingenuity birthing life giving vitality is extremely fertile. Rat energy is intensely active and activates prosperity. How can you employ these resources to your advantage?

“You Must be Imaginative and Strong-Hearted.
You Must Try things that May not Work,
and You Must Not let Anyone define Your Limits
because of Where You Come from.
Your only Limit is Your Soul.”
~ Gusteau from “Ratatouille” the movie

It is important to Follow your Heart and Patiently Listen to your Inner Guidance.

When difficult Transitions and Loss occur, Touch inside of yourself with Compassion. Allow yourself to feel whatever emotions arise. Learning how to Nurture and Care for Yourself is crucial for Creating and Sustaining Life.
What is Essential for your life? What is Non-essential?
What is the difference between Needs and Wants?
Where do you Limit yourself or give your Power away?
Be Courageous in Relationships and Communicate Your Needs and Desires in a Loving way. Share your thoughts, joy, hurts, and desires; it brings intimacy and companionship.
Use your Imagination and Guidance and Plant your Intentions into the Energetic stream.
Be Clear about your Intentions. Are they Life Giving and Sustaining for All? These powerful energies do not discriminate or judge, they only Create. Be Mindful of Others, the Earth and all of Creation.
It is a Time of Creating Great Prosperity and Abundance when you Focus on Your Life, Your Intentions and what You Desire to Create. It is easy to get wrapped up in world events, which distract you from your creative process. This is a time of rapid change and with it there is much destruction, loss, and chaos as the deep dark shadow elements of humankind continue to be expunged. There are those that will use this energy to advance themselves over others. Be Diligent and plant your seeds to create the world you want to live in.
Be Proactive about your what you want to Create.
Determination, Perseverance, and Resilience in the face of Difficulty is Required. Do not become discouraged by mistakes, problems or failures.
When you contact Outer or Inner Resistance, Take a Step back, Re-Group and Center yourself. Do not push the energy. Pushing the energy makes it grow stronger. Re-focus and just like a rat, use your imaginative inventiveness, instincts and inner guidance to discover ways to move forward around the obstacles.
Believe in your Power, have Confidence in Your Ability to Create the Life you Desire through Discipline, Self-Control and Self-Respect. Release self-doubt and limitations.
Stay in Balance through Self Awareness, Patience and checking your Ego.
Be Grateful and Appreciate all of the Goodness in Your Life.
Make Time to Engage with Loved Ones. Happiness is found in giving to others and cherishing relationships.

Feel the fresh energy of renewal and new beginnings that is upon us. We have been walking through stormy times yet all of it has been leading us to the realization that a different way of being in the world is imperative. Humanity is in the process of a very arduous labor. It is up to each one of us here at this time to care. It is with great care that we nourish and birth a world that is loving and kind and creates abundance for all.

I Wish You an Incredibly Fabulous Birth!

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