Forgiveness.

We have all been deeply hurt at one time or another through the words or actions of another. We have also, all done some damage of own towards others. I know for myself that I have hurt and offended others without even being fully aware that I had done so.

When someone hurts us or vice-versa… what do we, as humans beings, normally do? Do we hang onto our anger and resentment, bringing forth thoughts of revenge and rage , or do we decide to embrace forgiveness and move forward? Truly moving forward includes moving on without holding onto grudges or bitterness. This can be a very daunting task that sometimes takes us years to accomplish. I am still learning how to truly forgive. It’s really difficult to allow all your wounds to heal. Especially if the people who have caused those wounds have never given you an apology. Sometimes, even if the other person does apologize, we are wound up so tightly with our anger and our unforgiveness, that we simply refuse to accept an olive branch when offered to us. These pent-up negative feelings can cause horrible damage to our relationships, careers, families and to our own bodies. I believe that many devastating illnesses and conditions that manifest within the body at times stem from harboring bitterness and unforgiveness towards others and for ourselves.

When I have had times of really feeling hurt and angry towards someone for transgressions against me, my angels/guides have said to me “Remember that you are all doing what you can with the knowledge, awareness and energy that you have to work with… and as you change and evolve, through experiences with one another, you grow in your ability to maintain grace and peace together.” They also remind me that I am the true creator of every relationship and situation that I draw to me and am not ever a victim. This divine guidance has helped me to take some of the emotion out of hurtful exchanges and release my judgment of others who have offended me. I still feel the initial sting when someone wounds me, but I have a much easier time letting go of it when I remember these messages from spirit.  With these gifts of knowledge I am able to release my resentment and hurt, allowing me to put things into perspective and have understanding, compassion, and even empathy for those who have offended me. The wounds may remain in my memory, or may have caused permanent changes in my life, but I am free of the grip of bitterness or grudges which can truly hurt me in the long run.

Forgiveness, however, doesn’t mean that you deny the other person’s responsibility or erase the act. What it does is help you to lift yourself out of the negative energy of the wrongful act. When you forgive you set yourself free from being imprisoned by negativity. Being a person who has the ability to forgive allows you to move away from the role of victim. You take back your power and release the offending person’s or the situation’s power it has had in your life. In having this awareness and truly owning your power, you will no longer define yourself or your life by how hurt you have been. You then have the power to define yourself as a being of grace and serenity within.

“He who is devoid of the power to forgive, is devoid of the power to love.”  ~Martin Luther King, Jr.~

Blessings to all!

Karen~

The Dark Night Of The Soul.

The Dark Night Of The Soul is a metaphor that is used to describe a time in a person’s spiritual life, that manifests as a time of struggle along with a sense of loneliness or isolation. This is a common experience for individuals who are seeking growth and spiritual maturity as they walk the path towards their union with God, The Source Of All Creation, or All That Is.

The origin of The Dark Night Of The Soul comes from a poem, under that title, that was written by 16th century poet and Roman Catholic mystic Saint John Of The Cross. This poem describes the hardships he endured as a Carmelite priest, while he was imprisoned by his Carmelite brothers who were opposed to his reformation to their order. During this phase in one’s spiritual life, you may feel that you are in the midst of a spiritual crisis that affects everything in your world. This period of time is referred to as “dark” because you feel that you are disconnected from the light or that somehow God has forsaken you. You feel prayer and all the ways that you used to gain comfort from spirit, to allow you to sustain your faith, have suddenly lost their value and left you bereft. This leads to being stripped of parts of your psyche, ego and former perceptions of self and of God.

This is truly a blessing in disguise as it makes way within the conscious/concrete mind for an awakening or quickening of the soul. Having to take your steps forward in faith, and seemingly alone, rewards you with a sense of strength and courage that you may not have found or known within yourself otherwise. It actually opens your eyes more fully to Divinity and strengthens your connection and your awareness of your own value. Usually having come through this phase of your spiritual life restores your soul to higher state of being and you will have fewer experiences in which to question your value again. Finding within you, your hearts true home.

For those of you who feel that you are experiencing The Dark Night Of The Soul, let me tell you from my own personal experience and from the experiences of some beautiful people who are close to me, that even though you feel isolated and as if you are in the center of a devastating storm…don’t lose faith and you are absolutely not alone! You will find your strength and make it through this time and as you begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel you will be a stronger and wiser soul for it!

As Jesus has said to me “The death of the old brings forth life renewed.”

Blessings,
Karen~

The Blessings Of Being A Tree.

Sometimes we can become overwhelmed with feelings of anger, sadness, depression and fear. When we see negative situations going on in our environment or are having our own personal struggles; It can feel like trying to tread water in the midst of a powerful storm. Those waves of negative emotions washing over us, and at times with such force as to really feel as if they are dragging us down.

We all go through these times in our lives and these episodes can seem to go on far too long, or repeat themselves over and over again. While we, in our pursuit to be peaceful and happy, try fighting our way out into the sunshine again. This can become a vicious cycle. As we come up against challenging aspects and go down the path of feeling tumultuous emotions over them and then on top of that we compound the issue by feeling guilty or angry over having the problems in the first place. All of this can leave us worn out on every level. Barely having enough strength to try sort out how to begin to find any answers or solutions.

Well..I am here to tell you that I have been there and I know how hard it can be when you are so caught up in negative emotions, that you feel stuck, frustrated and powerless to really do anything about it. Dragging your vibration down and causing actual physical pain. So here are a few gifts that spirit has given to me, that have made a tremendous difference in my life.

First – You must stop and think about the fact the everything is energy..even your thoughts and emotions. It is very important to realize how very powerful the energy is that is generated by your own thoughts and emotions for you. This energy is yours! You made it and it is YOURS TO COMMAND!! Once you think about it in this way and are able to put it into it’s true perspective, you realize that you are not helpless or a victim. This is a profound moment! When you experience this clarity and then are able to look at any situation knowing fully that you have the power to command your own energy. No one can take this from you! You are in control and if  you feel out of control, somewhere in some way you are giving your power away. So think about that for a moment…

Step two – Now that you have put things into perspective and have that wonderful feeling of hope, from regaining your personal power, you can move on to an amazing exercise. This exercise will allow you to ground and cleanse yourself of all the negative energy in your system; thus putting you solidly back on your own two feet, standing fully in your power. Here is how it goes… First sit comfortably and take some nice, full, deep breaths. Imagine with each breath that your body and mind is becoming more relaxed and ready for a healing experience. Then imagine, either from the bottoms of your feet or tail bone, that there is a root growing down into the Earth. That root keeps on traveling down deep, till it connects at the core of Mother Earth. You will have a nice, warm and nurtured sensation once there, and then with your intention, allow Mother Earth to pull all the negative energy down and out of your body. You will feel a pulling or draining sensation as this takes place and just allow yourself to flow with it, letting Mother take that energy, cleansing it for you and returning it back to a neutral state. Now that your energy is clean and perfectly balanced out, use your intention to allow it to come back up your root and flow beautifully back into your body. This is an amazing and wonderful feeling. You will feel instantly renewed as your vibration rises. As you feel this energy rising up inside of you, you are ready to branch out with it, connecting now upwards to Spirit. Allow these powerful energies to combine within you, filling you with pure, unlimited Source Energy.

Step three – Now that you are full of unlimited  source energy, you can focus this energy in any direction that you desire. It will also fill you with a sense of peace and serenity, knowing that you can always use this gift to help propel you towards your highest good. Remember that where your focus goes, your energy flows. So…focus on your blessings and you’ll be drawing more positive energy into your life!

I guarantee, that when you are feeling anxiety and pain; if you do this exercise, it will empower you, helping to bring you put of negative cycles. Do this exercise daily and reap all the benefits of this powerful Spiritual practice.

Always remember to give thanks to Mother Earth for her Love and support. Care for her as she has always cared for you!

Blessings to you!
Karen~