By the end of the winter many of us are realizing that we are feeling rather closed in and surrounded by clutter. It is obvious that our homes need a good thorough cleaning and de-cluttering. We begin to get rid of all the things we see that we no longer need. We might take it to the local resale shop or we may donate it to charity or we might even organize a garage sale. Additionally we move our furniture and vacuum or shampoo our carpets, we dust the surfaces and really take the time to stop and look around and assess the level of clutter and dust that the long winter has brought.
Our homes are not the only thing that can seem to need a good cleaning; we must also take the time to assess our lives and our spirit’s need for a good thorough cleansing. Often we begin to feel tired and as if we are struggling to keep up with our lives, our friends, our family. Irritability is also a sign that we may need a dusting of the old clutter. If you find yourself just not quite feeling right, try a spirit cleansing to lift the spirits and restore your soul.
The first step to cleaning your spirit is to take a good inventory. Just as we look around our homes to see what we have accumulated, what we are using, what is broken and in need of being discarded or repaired, we must take a close look at the things in our spiritual life. Begin your inventory with a piece of paper divided lengthwise in half. On one side write Sustain the Sprit and on the other half write Exhaust the Sprit; this will be your inventory columns.
As we inventory our home it is pretty obvious what is trash and what is not. We can identify that mess of accumulated junk mail and throw it out, it is clutter, it bothers us and we have no problem getting rid of it. What about that item that no longer works for us but we just can’t bring ourselves to toss it out. Maybe it is an old favorite pair of jeans that has not fit for a number of years. When we look at them we don’t feel great about the reasons they no longer fit but we cling to our hope to return to them. Maybe the item we can’t seem to throw out is a tool or appliance that has broken but we hold onto it thinking maybe it can be fixed or parts used for something else. Just like in our physical lives we will come across something that we can’t really put in either column, it doesn’t work for us, it may cause us discomfort but we can’t discard it either. These are the areas in which we must commit to address more thoroughly.
As we look at our inner spirit and our inner life place on the paper under the column Sustain the Spirit all the things in your existence that edifies you. It may be your circle of friends or your church and perhaps your family. As you write these down take the time to fully acknowledge them and feel the sustainability that they bring to you. Pause to embrace them in your mind. Remember to write down the things you do for yourself that sustain you such as eating healthy foods, and the time you take just for yourself. Allow yourself to feel nourished and appreciate what you do for you.
Next, as you look at your inner life write down all things that come to your mind that bother you, bring you anger or anxiety. Take a look at these things and look deeply to see where they are rooted. Let go of what is holding you back and accept the peace in your life that you desire and you deserve. Perhaps you have stumbled upon an issue that needs more work, take note of this and make a commitment to address the issue to resolution later. Give yourself permission to let go of things you have overextended your self with and give yourself permission to delegate items that can be completed by someone else. Finally, the areas in your inner life that causes you discomfort but you cannot bring yourself to discard you may have to take a better assessment on. While your spouse or your children may be the immediate source of your discomfort and you cannot discard them, you can look at what the discomfort is and why it is there. What is your part in this?
Finally, whether it is in your home or in your spirit take a long and honest look and T.H.I.N.K. Look at everything and look for the truth in the item or the issues; are we seeing what is really there. Look for your own honesty with all that is around you; we can be masters at manipulating and fooling ourselves. Look for the intelligence in the items or issues; is it intelligent to keep things that do not fit or work rather than letting them go and freeing us for more room for the spirit? Look for the necessity of the item or the issue; is it really necessary to nourish and sustain us or do we cling to it out of habit? And finally, look for the kindness in the item or issue. That may seem strange but does the item or issue make us a kinder more gentle spirit or does it cast such a shadow on us that we lose our kindness and light?
Open the windows in your homes and open the windows in your hearts while we do our spring cleaning! Not only is spring cleaning a time to rid ourselves of what no longer fulfills us but it is a time to allow the warming light enter in and the fresh breezes blow away the cobwebs! The beauty we bring in will never create a sense of clutter and there is always room for more.
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There are a lot of spiritual leaders talking about how important it is to meditate and many books and CD’s available on meditation. But how do you really get good at it and make it a part of your life? Can you master the art of meditation? Yes you can!
Meditation is something I have fallen in love with, it is a source of relaxation, a source of edification for my spirit and my mind. In comparison, if we think of prayer as us talking to our higher power then meditation would be us stopping long enough to listen. I did not coin this comparison; I had first heard it in a meditation class I took.
The first time I meditated was profound to say the least and I couldn’t get enough. In my education a great deal of my courses had meditations to go along with the text knowledge I completed. Some of the requirements I realized that helped me master the art of meditation I will share with you below so that you too can share in this important skill of relaxation, self discovery and quiet listening.
I have recently conducted a study of, and completed a course in Ayurveda which is the Sanskrit word for the science of life. Many people believe Ayurveda to be the oldest practice of healing and was begun in
Essentially, to offer a glimpse of Ayurvedic basic principles: it represents the laws of the universe and the natural world as well as enlightening the individual soul, body and mind. These are made up of the five elements: earth, air, fire, water and spirit. To summarize, Ayruveda follows the laws of existence and nature.
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I have begun a series of articles on transformation and have begun with an introduction to the concept of giving birth to one's self. This is intended to be an in-depth study using my own personal story and transformation. The article and series can be found at: www.myspace.com/holisticallyalive
Enter The Light: How To Raise Your Personal Vibration
An article about the spiritual evolution of humans on a path to enlightenment. View the article in its entirety at: www.myspace.com/holisticallyalive
I am beginning a series on addictive emotions and have started the series with anger. To view the entire article as well as others in the series as they develop go to: www.myspace.com/holisticallyalive
At one time the human condition consisted primarily of survival and adaptation. We did not have the conveniences that we do today that essentially does the surviving and adapting for us. Today controlling our temperature is as easy as turning up or down the thermostat. When hungry we get food from the cupboard, refrigerator or freezer, pop it into the oven or microwave and in minutes we are eating. Out of milk? Pop over to the corner market and pick up some more. Without being in the survival mode our souls are entering a different phase of life that offers a spiritual evolution in place of the physical one of the past.
Everyday we are exposed to a multitude of contaminates and toxins from the air we breathe, the clothes we wear and the personal care products we use. Most of us don’t stop to think about the risk we take when we constantly put chemicals into and onto our bodies and often it is assumed that if it is for sale then it is tested and safe. Wouldn’t the health regulations make sure everything is safe to use? Not really. Below are the top factors in why we should think twice before going for the conventional personal care products.
