May

Let May bring new perspectives 💫 via Instagram http://ift.tt/1JX35pJ

Transition & Readjustment

Transition & Readjustment. A major theme in my life right now! 🙏🏼💫 #tarot via Instagram http://ift.tt/1z62th3

Let Go Of What You Can't Control

Accept everything that's thrown at you because it's there for a reason & let go of your need to control every situation. Just let things happen! 😊🙏🏼💜✨

A Few Techniques To Quiet Your Mind

1. FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION IN THE PRESENT: Nothing can cause more anxiety, stress and worry than being stuck in the past or thinking about the future. When you feel your mind drift off and away from the present, gentling bring your awareness back into the present.

2. MEDITATE: Meditation is all about focusing on the present moment and calming your mind. There are many different ways to meditate so you can pick one that suits you.

3. TAKE A WALK IN NATURE OR A TRIP TO THE COUNTRY: Turn your attention to the beauty that's around you. Let go of all the stress you've been holding on to and just take in the most you can that's within your surroundings.

4. USE A MANTRA OR AFFIRMATION: Create a mantra (word or phrase) or an affirmation (statement) that's relative and meaningful to you. Repeat this mantra or affirmation throughout your day to keep your attention focused on your intentions for the day.

A Daily Meditation (taken from Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss)

The goal of this meditation is to deepen the connection between you and your chakras. In this meditation, you will evaluate the health of your body, mind and spirit.

As you focus your attention:

1. Ask yourself: "Am I losing energy? If so, what fear is drawing power from this part of my body?" Take a deep breath and consciously disconnect your energy from that fear.
2. Invoke the protective energies of the spiritual guardians, the sefirot or sacrament, of that particular chakra.
3. Enter consciously into the energy of that chakra and sense the quality of energy activity increasing in that part of your body.

Chakra One: Feel yourself connected to all of life through the energy of the sefirah of Shekhinah. Through the sacrament of Baptism, bless the life you were given, along with the family that makes up your life.

Chakra Two: Using the energy from the sefirah of Yesod, let the energy that is being released from this chakra bring creativity into your life. Re-examine your intention if there is fear and negativity associated with the release of this energy. Through the sacrament of Communion, see everyone in your life as having a purpose. If you cannot see this, ask for the energy to see through these illusions.

Chakra Three: Using the energy from the sefirot of Nezad and Hod, integrity and endurance, evaluate your own method of behaviour and see if you have compromised your own honour in any way. If so, meditate on what honour means to you and ask for assistance with maintaining your personal standards. Using the sacrament of Confirmation, commit yourself to honouring your own dignity.

Chakra Four: Using the energy of love and compassion from the sefirah of Tif'eret, evaluate how you extend love to others as well as to yourself. This includes through the act of forgiveness. Focus on how well you care for yourself and how well you honour your symbolic view of the sacrament of Marriage.

Chakra Five: Using the energy from the sefirot of Hesed and Gevurah, mercy and judgement, evaluate the quality of thoughts you have of others and of yourself. Evaluate the words you have said to others. If they were harmful, send positive energy to these people. If they were false, acknowledge the fact that you have deceived others. Examine the fear that exists within you that caused you to deceive others. This uses the sacrament of Confession. Ask for guidance in giving you the courage not to act in this negative pattern again.

Chakra Six: Using the energy of the sefirot of Hokhmah and Binah, wisdom and understanding, examine your daily life. Ask for insight and guidance for the situations you feel confused about and frightened of. Remember the sacrament of Ordination, which states that everyone has a life purpose and you will always be led to it. It is impossible to miss your life's purpose.

Chakra Seven: Focus on the energy of the sefirah of Keter, your contact with the Divine, and the sacrament of Extreme Unction, consciously completing and releasing your unfinished business. Allow the universal energy to enter your body, mind and spirit and breathe this energy into your Being.

5 Things To Remember

Puny

What I learned today 🙏🏼✨ via Instagram http://ift.tt/1zy0rBj

A Quote to Keep Yourself Open

Keep your energy, heart, mind and soul open to everything. Don't let yourself shut down. Keep the good vibes flowing! 🙏🏼✨ via Instagram http://ift.tt/1G4RS5O

Smoothie Recipe

1 pear
1 banana
Handful of raspberries
Handful of blueberries
Handful of blackberries
1 cup almond milk
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder 🙏🏼💜😍  via Instagram http://ift.tt/1EaDAmv

Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)

Color: Violet

Position: Top of Head, Cerebral Cortex

Focus: “I Understand” and “Live In The Present Moment”

Crystals: amethyst, alexandrite, clear quartz

Rights: to know and to learn

Developmental Stage: throughout life

Demon: attachment

Key Words: awareness

Connections: 

1. Chakra of the Spirit (Eastern religion): lessons related to spirituality
2. Sacrament of Extreme Unction (Christianity): to receive or bestow the grace to finish one’s unfinished business so as to live and love in the present moment
3. Sefirah of Keter (Kabbalah): the energy of the Divine that flows into physical manifestation. This sefirah is the most undefined; it does not have an identity; there is no specificity in this point of beginning between heaven and earth

Issues: transcendence, immanence, belief systems, higher power, divinity, union, vision, ability to see the bigger picture, faith and inspiration, spirituality and devotion

Excess: Energy goes up and our through the chakra with no descending current.

• SIGNS: over intellectualization, spiritual addiction, confusion, dissociation from body

Deficiency: Rising current is blocked from completion to the chakra. There is no descending current.

• SIGNS: spiritual cynicism, learning difficulties, rigid belief systems, apathy, excess in lower chakras (materialism, greed, domination of others)

Balance: ability to perceive, analyze, and assimilate information, intelligent, thoughtful, aware, open-minded, able to question, spiritually connected, wisdom and mastery, broad understanding

Physical Effects: cognitive delusions, energetic disorders, sensitivities to light and sound

• SPECIFIC: coma, migraines, brain tumours, amnesia, mystical depression, chronic exhaustion

Healings & Meditations: reestablish physical, emotional connection (excess), reestablish spiritual connection (deficiency), learning and study, spiritual discipline, meditation, psychotherapy (examine belief systems, develop inner witness, work with higher power)

1. Visualize a violet cap sitting on the top of your head - Turn your attention to your breaths and tune into your inner self. Let go of the experiences of the day and of any situations and emotions you have yet to release. Keep your focus on the present moment and let your awareness move deeper into yourself. Relax your mind and let your thoughts quiet. Let yourself live in the moment and just Be. Let go of all judgements and perceptions.
2. Meditation - Meditation is the most effective for opening up the crown chakra. Meditation is calming and quieting the mind by focusing your complete attention on the present moment. Meditation can bring up past issues or buried feelings from the unconscious to the conscious mind. When these difficult feelings or thoughts appear, watch them from an objective, non-judgemental perspective. Allow the thought or feeling to play out on it’s own. Once the thought or feeling has subsided, analyze the meaning of its appearance and let it go. There are many different types of meditation: 
• Silent: Sitting in a comfortable position in silence, focusing all of your attention on your breaths. Feel your breaths expand and fill your entire body.
• Guided Meditation: Using an audio recording or voice to guide you through your meditation. Most find this form of meditation to be most useful when starting out.
• Mantra: Repeating a word, phrase or affirmation with every inhale and exhale.
• Observing the Witness: Take a step back from yourself and your mind. Simply observe your thoughts and feelings without trying to change or reject them. Accept them as they come and watch what they do. Pay attention to where in your body you feel them, and the effect they have on you. Watch with a detachment. Put all of your awareness into these thoughts and emotions. Once you become aware of your thoughts and emotions, they are brought into your conscious mind fully. With your full attention, let go of, and release, the hold these emotions and thoughts have on you.
• Looking at a Calming Symbol: Focus your attention on a calming image, mandala, or object (such as a flame).
• Walking: Go for a walk focusing on the present moment. Be aware of each step you take. Don’t let your mind wander to your destination. Enjoy, and feel, where you are with each step you take.
• Listening to Instrumental Sounds or Music: Using nature sounds, meditation music, or instrumental music, let yourself flow and relax to these sounds.
• Visualization: Visualize a relaxing image or scene to help calm your mind. Visualize your energy flow into each of your chakras or throughout your body with every inhale and exhale. Fill this visualization with the characteristics you want to manifest into your life. Picture all positive energy coming in (inhale) and all unwanted energy going out (exhale).
3. Mindfulness - Mindfulness means paying attention and staying in the present moment. When you are practicing mindfulness, you are experiencing as much of the present moment as you can. You aren’t lost in the past or caught up in the future, but you bring them together into the present moment. You are focusing all of your energy on the moment you’re in. When you are mindful, you are conscious. This act of conscious living allows you to witness everything as it happens and lets all situations just Be. By taking this step back and witnessing the present moment fully, the ability to avoid suffering and to live with ease is much greater.
4. Non-attachment - Practicing non-attachment lessens suffering and helps in the process of becoming mindful. See here for an exercise on dealing with attachments.
5. Transcending Your Ego Identities - Click here for a meditation that focuses on letting go of false identities and that works on connecting you to your true Self.

Breathe In, Breathe Out

Breathing in, I see myself as a mountain. Breathing out, I feel solid. Breathing in, I see myself as space. Breathing out, I feel free. 🙏✨ via Instagram http://ift.tt/1FFZeKm

Something To Work On

Something to work on via Instagram https://instagram.com/p/1aoFCkvElk/

Strawberry Raspberry Smoothie

For those who like some tang to their smoothie: Strawberry Raspberry Smoothie. Vanilla whey protein powder, almond milk, vanilla yogurt, strawberries, raspberries. The more raspberries, the tangier it gets! Adjust to your preference 😊 🙏💜🍓 via Instagram http://ift.tt/1CCNGoZ

A Meditation: Transcending Your Lower Ego Identities

The goal for this meditation is to let go of the identities you have placed upon yourself relative to the lower chakras.

Start in a seated position, focusing on your breaths. Bring your attention inward while letting go of all external distractions. Focus your energy on the present moment. Once you have done this, proceed to the steps below.

Step One: Let go of everything that is not your physical body. As you let go, bring your attention into your body. Feel it's edges, shape, solidity. Feel how it envelopes your soul in warmth and comfort. Now bring your attention to the part of you that is aware of your body. Notice how this awareness has not changed even when your body has. Feel the energy of this awareness and welcome it. Ask it to be with you on your journey through this meditation.

Step Two: Feeling your emotional body. Allow yourself to feel all of the emotions swirling around inside of your body. Be the awareness that watches them and allows them to Be without trying to reject or change them. Watch what your emotions do. Let them expand, lessen and settle into your body. Ready yourself to move on.

Step Three: Evaluate your actions and reactions to tasks and activities. See yourself doing daily tasks and activities. Notice your reactions to these tasks and activities. Determine whether your reactions were automatic, based on emotion or based on habit. Be aware of how hooked your ego is to these reactions. Let yourself take a step back to see that you are not the one who is creating your reactions, but it is your ego who is the cause of these reactions. Choose not to let your ego control you by choosing not to react. Embrace this awareness and ready yourself to move on.

Step Four: The person behind the persona. View yourself interacting with someone else. What does this person look like through their perspective? Is this person playing a role? Do they have many roles? Now imagine yourself as a puppet master conducting this role or persona. You have the ability to conduct and change the persona. See that you are not the same as the persona. Who's the person behind the persona? Let the persona fall away and ready yourself to move on.

Step Five: Look at all past situations and creations formed by you. Remember everything you have created in your life time, whether it be good or bad. See the I that created these situations, but separate the I from the situations themselves. See that you have the ability to create many more situations and formations. Leave behind all past situations, after acknowledging them, and ready yourself to move on.

Step Six: Look at the archetypal energies present in your life. Notice any archetypal energy that you might be trying to fulfill or follow. Where do these energies come from? Notice how they are culturally influenced. See these archetypal energies as separate from yourself. Be aware of the part of you that has existed for eternity and has already experienced many different ways of life. Be the part of you that as the option of choosing which ride to go on. Let go of these culturally influenced energies and ready yourself to move on.

Step Seven: Feel your ultimate Self. Feel the presence that was with you throughout this meditation. Let go of all of the identities you have defined yourself with. Let go of the body, emotions, reactions, personas, projects and archetypal energies that you have paid close attention to throughout this meditation. Feel that lightness that comes from letting these identities fall away from you. Feel yourself expanding as one with the universe. Feel the connection between yourself and the world. Embrace the Self that exists after dropping these false identities. This is your ultimate truth and reality.

Ten of Swords

Embrace new beginnings. Liberate yourself from old behaviours, drop useless emotions, make room for a "new you." Declutter your personal life! Accept your illusions for what they are and allow these illusions to bring you self-awareness. Keep your focus forward and let go of the past that's pulling you backwards. #tarot #advice #lessons #cards #spirituality #mind #body #spirit #enlightenment #consciousness via Instagram http://ift.tt/1c8uYQT

Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)

Color: Indigo

Position: Brow

Focus: “I See” and “Seek Only The Truth”

Crystals: tanzanite, sapphire, lapis lazuli

Rights: to see

Developmental Stage: adolescence

Demon: illusion

Key Words: intuition, imagination

Connections: 

1. Chakra of the Mind (Eastern religion): lessons related to mind, intuition, insight, and wisdom
2. Sacrament of Ordination (Christianity): to receive or bestow the grace to make sacred one’s path of service
3. Sefiroh of Binah and Hokhmah (Kabbalah): Binah is the energy of the Divine mother, representing understanding and the intelligence of God. Hokhmah is the energy of wisdom and the contact point between the Divine mind and human thought

Issues: image, intuition, imagination, visualization, insight, dreams, vision, self-evaluation, truth, openness to the ideas of others

Excess: Too much energy inward causes an over bombardment of psychic input which diminishes clear seeing.

• SIGNS: hallucinations, delusions, obsessions, difficulty concentrating, nightmares

Deficiency: Unable to see out. Self-reflection is narrow and egotistical.

• SIGNS: insensitivity, poor vision, poor memory, difficulty seeing future, lack of imagination, difficulty visualizing, poor dream recall, denial, mono-polarized (one true right and only way)

Balance: intuitive, perceptive, imaginative, good memory, good dream recall, able to think symbolically, able to visualize

Physical Effects: vision problems, headaches, neurological disturbances, full spinal difficulties, learning disabilities, seizures

• SPECIFIC: brain tumour/hemorrhage/stroke, blindness, deafness

Healings & Meditations: create visual art, visual stimulation, meditation, psychotherapy (colouring and drawing, art therapy, working with memory, connecting image with feeling, dreamwork, hypnosis, guided visualization, past life regression therapy)

1. Visualize an indigo, five-pointed star between your eyebrows - Let each of these points represent wisdom, knowledge, discernment, imagination and intuition. Picture these 5 characteristics flowing into you life. Imagine the colour indigo filling you up and centering you. Allow this light to bring peace and calm into you and your life.
2. Dream Work - Dreams are very intuitive and, a lot of the time, they show you your unconscious thoughts and feelings. They can portray very important messages that can help you move toward your life’s purpose. Paying close attention to your dreams opens up your third eye. If you’re having trouble accessing or remembering your dreams, follow these steps:
1. Make an affirmation that you will say every night before falling asleep that says that you will remember your dreams.
2. Review your day from start to finish before falling asleep.
3. Upon waking up, review any dreams you might remember without moving your body position. If you have already moved, it may help to remember the dream by returning to the same body position you were in while having the dream.
4. Every morning, write down anything you remember about your dreams. Evaluate the meaning behind each dream. What feelings arose within the dream? What objects were there in your dream? Could they symbolically represent an aspect of your life? The more you pay attention to your dreams, and your subconscious mind, the easier it’ll be to remember them.
5. Vitamin B or melatonin can help with remembering dreams.
3. Encouraging & Improving Visualization - For those who have difficulties visualizing images or scenarios through your mind’s eye, try these techniques:
• Visual Art: Draw each chakra as it feels to you. Evaluate the drawings to see what needs work and be aware of the energy of each chakra in regards to what you drew.
• Collages: If drawing doesn’t appeal to you, try making a collage based on a certain topic or situation relevant to you. Meditate using this collage and add to it as you continue to change and grow.
• Mandalas: Make a mandala for each chakra with the corresponding colour. Use each mandala to meditate with when focusing on the specific chakra.
4. Creative Visualization - This technique is used for visualizing the things we want to manifest into our lives. Start by meditating and visualizing the situation you want to manifest. Absorb your bodies responses and feelings into your chakras. Imagine yourself already in that situation, don’t make an effort to visualize it. Once you have successfully visualized and felt the situation, let it go. Picture it being released from your thoughts into the universe where it will manifest.
5. Guided Visualization - Lay on your back and let yourself fall into a meditative state. Have a friend, or listen to a recording, read or tell a story specific to the situation of your choice.  The story must have a resolution where the healing takes place. Visualize the story through your mind’s eye as you hear it and let yourself feel and explore it. Experience it through your body and mind. 

Self Expression

Self expression is a way to communicate your thoughts, feelings, emotions and ideas through movement, writing, dancing, singing, art, music, or speaking. Self expression contains honesty, soul, release, space, therapy, peace, security, creativity, cleansing, detoxification and freedom. Let yourself go, through the things you are passionate about, and breathe. 🙏

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1GS8HlT

Blue Goldstone

Blue Goldstone is great for providing composure, stabilizing emotions and giving energy. This stone is one of wisdom and helps us to remember the light within the dark. It also removes and repels unwanted entities from your environment.

Smoothie Recipe

1/2 cup frozen strawberries 

1/2 cup frozen blueberries 

1/2 cup frozen blackberries 

1 banana 

1 tsp honey 

2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder 

1 tbsp chia seeds 

1/2 cup coconut milk or almond milk 

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt or greek yogurt 

*add water or milk for desired thickness 

🙏💜

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A Meditation for Attachment

Everyone's attached to something. Once the object of your attachment is gone, you go through this period of suffering. Everything in life is impermanent so why form this attachment to something that will eventually leave? How do you detach yourself from something you care about so much? Try the exercise below to help loosen your attachments.

1. Think about the object of your attachment and the pain you feel over losing it. Let yourself really feel this pain and discomfort. Become your witness and observe these feelings from an objective point of view.
2. Write down what you are attached to, along with other aspects of the object that you are attached to. If it's a person, write down who you are attached to along with the aspects of that person you are attached to. Write down what parts of the relationship you are attached to and the things you don't want to lose from it. Write about which of these aspects benefit you and what you think you will lose if these aspects disappear. What part of you needs these things? Why? You may also be attached to certain emotions or ideas, such as your job, money, success, anger, victimization, or the need to be right.
3. Listen to the stories and feelings your body and mind bring up about losing your object of attachment. Write these down. Next to them, write down the truth about losing them.
4. Make a list of what this attachment is costing you. How much energy are you spending on it? How much time and energy spent on your attachment could you devote to another area of your life?
5. Evaluate the reason for this attachment. What's the lesson to be learned?
6. Meditate on withdrawing your energy from this attachment. Imagine how your life would be if you still had this attachment, you never lost it and your life turned out exactly as planned. Once you have these feelings of excitement built up, move your attachment away from you so that there's a clear separation. Send appreciation towards it and thank it for the lessons it has given you. As your attachment leaves, release your hold on it. Pull back all of your energy that you were spending on it. Now picture the things you can invest your energy in instead. See the energy you just pulled back connecting with these aspects of your life. Visualize these new aspects filling any remaining emptiness you may feel from losing your object of attachment. Let these aspects fill you with positive energy and strength. Offer a last goodbye to your attachment and let it go.

Blueberry Coconut Smoothie

Blueberry Coconut Smoothie:
2 tbsp vanilla yogurt
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 tbsp almond butter (or raw almonds)
1 banana
2 tbsp raw, shredded coconut
1 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp natural sweetener
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1NozrKT

Throat Chakra (Vissudha)

Color: Blue

Position: Throat

Focus: “I Speak” and “Surrender Personal Will to Divine Will”

Crystals: lapis lazuli, aquamarine, blue agate, turquoise, kyanite

Rights: to speak and to be heard

Developmental Stage: 7 to 12 years

Demon: lies

Key Words: communication, truth

Connections: 

1. Chakra of Will Power (Eastern religion): lessons related to will and self-expression
2. Sacrament of Confession (Christianity): to receive or bestow the grace to cleanse one’s spirit of negative acts of will by using one’s voice to be honest
3. Sefirot of Hesed and Gevurah (Kabbalah): Hesed is the energy of the love and mercy of God; the energy that gives us instinct to speak words that do not harm others. Gevurah is the energy of the power of judgement; the energy transmitted into us so as not to judge anyone, or ourselves, negatively

Issues: communication, creativity, listening, resonance, finding one’s own voice, faith and knowledge, judgement and criticism

Excess: Lack of connection to the lower chakras, resulting in no grounding and expression of the surface personality.

• SIGNS: too much talking, talking as a defence, inability to listen, poor auditory comprehension, gossiping, dominating voice, interruptions

Deficiency: Attempts to communicate outward are unable to move outside of the core of the chakra. Communication coming in overwhelms the chakra which retreats in fear.

• SIGNS: fear of speaking, small/weak voice, difficulty putting feelings into words, introversion, shyness, tone deaf, poor rhythm

Balance: resonant voice, good listener, good sense of timing and rhythm, clear communication, lives creatively

Physical Effects: disorders of the throat, ears, voice, neck, tightness of the jaw, toxicity, thyroid problems 

• SPECIFIC: raspy throat, chronic sore throat, mouth ulcers, scoliosis, laryngitis, swollen glands

Healings & Meditations: loosen neck and shoulders, release voice, singing, chanting, toning, storytelling, journal writing, automatic writing, practice silence (excess), non-goal-oriented creativity, psychotherapy (learn communication skills, complete communications, letter writing, inner child communication, voice dialog

1. Visualize a blue, inverted pyramid at the centre of your throat - The back wall of this pyramid represents the truth. It gives you the strength to hear and speak the truth. The left side of the pyramid represents your will power to speak up for what you believe. Envision it filling you with the power to know your own voice. The front of the pyramid represents communication. This side gives you the ability to communicate and connect with others through the power of your voice. The right side of the pyramid represents your creativity. This creative energy helps you to express yourself through any creative form. Imagine the blue light of the pyramid intensifying. With this intensification, the aspects of all sides of the pyramid grow stronger as well.
2. Journaling/Writing - Dedicate 20 minutes everyday to journaling. Journaling helps to express the thoughts and emotions you don’t pay enough attention to you. It helps you to let things go and forces you to pay attention to the emotions that are calling your attention. Your journal is a place where you can say anything without judgement or worry of hurting others. Writing down your thoughts helps you to work things out that your mind has trouble working through. Journaling is a way to build the strength of your voice and strengthen your throat chakra. Self-expression through art, music, dance, etc. are just as beneficial.
3. Mantra Meditation - Mantra meditation is repeating a word, sound or phrase. You focus on the mantra you choose and repeat it in between every inhale and exhale. The mantra can be said out loud or in your head. Your goal is to keep your attention on the mantra without letting your thoughts drift away. There are certain sounds related to each chakra. The seed sound vibrates with elemental qualities of the chakra, while the vowel sound vibrates with the body itself.

• Chakra One: seed - Lam (lahm), vowel - Ohh (as in road)
• Chakra Two: seed - Vam (vahm), vowel - Ooo (as in rule)
• Chakra Three: seed - Ram (rahm), vowel - Ahh (as in father)
• Chakra Four: seed - Yam (yahm), vowel - Ayy (as in play)
• Chakra Five: seed - Ham (hahm), vowel - Eee (as in sleep)
• Chakra Six: seed - Om (ohm), resonant sound - Mmm
• Chakra Seven: no seed sound, resonant sound - Nngg (as in sing)

          As you chant or think each sound, feel the vibration where the relative chakra resides and                     picture the chakra clearing and intensifying. You may wish to combine sounds to focus on                   certain chakras. For example, Ohh and Ayy may be Ayoh.

Feelings Come & Go

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Quiz: Do You Love Yourself?

Take this Do You Love Yourself? quiz found here to find out where you stand on the self-appreciation scale and for some useful tips an what to do for YOU!

I got 6 B's & 6 C's :)

Story: The Window

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.

His bed was next to the room’s only window

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation..

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and colour of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.

Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats.. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colour and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man could not hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, ‘Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.’

Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy.

‘Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present .’

Om

Om: peace, calm, stillness, quiet, center, solidity, grounding, energy, high vibrations, connection, spirit, self, consciousness, understanding, breath, expansion, presence, love, joy ✨ What does this symbol mean to you? #om #symbol #spirituality #meditation via Instagram http://ift.tt/1I8HIBA

Heart Chakra (Anahata)

Color: Green

Position: Heart Area

Focus: “I Love” and “Love Is Divine Power”

Crystals: rose quartz, diamond, peridot, aventurine

Rights: to love and be loved

Developmental Stage: 4 to 7 years

Demon: grief

Key Words: love, relationships, compassion

Connections: 

1. Chakra of Emotional Power (Eastern religion): lessons related to love, forgiveness, and compassion
2. Sacrament of Marriage (Christianity): to receive or bestow a blessing for union with oneself, symbolizing the need to love yourself in order to be able to fully love another
3. Sefirah of Tif’eret (Kabbalah): the energy of compassion, harmony, and beauty

Issues: love, balance, self-love, relationship, intimacy, anima/animus, devotion, reaching out and taking in, hope and trust, forgiveness and compassion

Excess: The chakra will have a lot of energy outward with not much coming in. This causes a reaching out to others in the same excessive manner.

• SIGNS: codependency, poor boundaries, demanding, clinging, jealousy, overly sacrificing

Deficiency: The chakra will have rigid boundaries, resulting in inability for the energy within to get out and the energy outside to get in. This causes isolation.

• SIGNS: antisocial, withdrawn, cold, critical, judgemental, intolerant of self or others, loneliness, isolation, depression, fear of intimacy, fear of relationships, lack of empathy, narcissism

Balance: compassionate, loving, empathetic, self-loving, altruistic, peaceful, balanced, good immune system

Physical Effects: disorders of the heart, lungs, thymus, beats, arms, shortness of breath, sunken chest, circulation problems, immune system deficiency, tension between shoulder blades, pain in chest

• SPECIFIC: asthma, congestive heart failure, heart attack, mitral valve prolapse, cardiomegaly, lung cancer, pneumonia, breast cancer

Healings & Meditations: breathing exercises, pranayama, work with arms, reaching out/taking in, journaling, self-discovery, psychotherapy (examine assumptions about relationships, emotional release of grief, forgiveness when appropriate, inner child work, codependency work, self-acceptance, anima-animus integration)

1. Heal & Empower Your Heart - Click here for steps to healing past wounds and empowering your heart.
2. Visualize a green, crescent moon across your upper chest - Imagine a green, crescent moon that stretches across your entire chest. Intensify this colour and shape. As you intensify the colour, feel love and compassion filling it. Visualize yourself in a nature scene where you feel protected and loved. Let nature bring you healing and peace. Know that, within your heart, you always have access to that eternal light that brings you love, protection and healing.
3. Self-Acceptance & Wholeness: The Inner Family - This exercise is meant to help with accepting each part of yourself and to help build connections within yourself to form a whole. Start by making a list of various aspects/parts of yourself (ex. the ambitious one). Next to each name, write a few words that describe how you perceive this part of yourself. For example, the ambitious one might be driven, willful, or direct. Next, write down what you think each part wants. The ambitious one might want to constantly succeed or get what it wants. How realistic are these parts desires? Do they always succeed in getting what they want? Now start looking at who relates to who, what parts relate to others. Identify which parts need to work on their relationship with one another and create a dialog between them until a resolution occurs.
4. Opening Up Love Using Breath Work - This exercise is best done with a partner. Lay down with your legs bent so that your feet are on the floor. Make sure your chest is open and not hunched or rounded forward as this constricts the heart chakra. Have your partner take note on your breathing pattern. Have them point out to you, either through touch or words, various parts of your body that aren’t expanding or contracting with your breath. As your partner points each out to you, bring awareness to each part of the body and fill it with your breath. Next, extend your arms outward with each exhalation and pull them into your chest with each inhalation. Keep these motions slow and conscious. When you pull in, think about what you are reaching for in regards to love. When you reach out, imagine what you are letting go of or what you are offering. Have your partner take note of any hesitations in your actions of reaching and pulling and have your partner bring them to your awareness. Lastly, have your partner hold your hands. Continue your reaching and pulling, but with your partner offering resistance. Through resistance, your energy flow increases and opens up blocked feelings. Have your partner observe and offer feedback on what they observe.
5. Forgiveness - Start by forgiving yourself. Identify all areas in your life that you have not forgiven yourself for. Replay the situations and observe any feelings that arise that you have not yet dealt with or didn’t have time to deal with at the time. Try to come up with an understanding for why you did what you did. Figure out which part of yourself was activated at that time (ex. the quiet one, the ambitious one). Imagine how you would react if another were to act in the same way you did. Would you judge them as harshly as you did yourself, or more? What expectations were put upon you in that situation? Were these expectations just? Be compassionate to the part of you that was activated in this situation. Look at what it was trying to find or accomplish, what is needed. Try and offer it forgiveness. Next, follow the same steps that you used to forgive yourself to forgive others. Forgiveness releases the past and pulls you back to the present by softening and opening up the heart.
6. Come Closer, Go Away - This exercise requires a partner, specifically one you have a relationship with (romantic or any other form). Sit in front of your partner with your hands meeting each other halfway at heart centre. Have you partner pull your hands to his heart while saying, “Come closer.” Offer some resistance, not enough to stop the pull, but enough that requires effort. Next, have your partner push your hands away from his heart while saying, “Go away.” Again, offer some resistance. Repeat these actions until your partner realizes a domination in one of the actions. The dominating action tends to relate to what the person wants more of in the relationship. Now switch places and do the same. Discuss with your partner both of your observations and see how they relate to your current relationship.

Breathe

Give yourself time to breathe. Take a walk in nature and let everything go. Grieve over anything you've lost. Smile for everything you've gained. Say goodbye to endings and hello to new beginnings. Let yourself really feel everything around you and inside of you. Forgive yourself and others. Get lost in your surroundings and realize that everything's okay. Remind yourself that everything happens as it should. Remember to see the good in the bad. Release your attachments to the past and future and focus all of your energy in the now. Let go of judgements, perceptions and that feeling you have of not being good enough. You are not this and you are not that, you simply just are. Let yourself Be.

Prayer: May I Want My Own Healing

It's okay that I don't know where I am going

it's okay if I don't know where I came from

it's okay if I don't know where I am

it's okay that false thoughts linger in my mind and that I cannot always rise above them or win a fight

it's okay that I am human

it's okay to feel fear

it's okay to feel angry

it's okay to feel tired

it's okay to feel sad

it's okay to feel despair

it's okay to lose myself

it's okay to fall

it's okay to lose my mind

it's okay to lose touch with the ground

it's okay to doubt my existence

it's okay to feel imperfect

it's okay to feel weak

it's okay to feel shame

it's okay to feel guilt

it's okay to feel stuck in pain

it's okay to feel suffering

even when I choose dark, light breathes through me, truth holds me together

prayer speaks through my heart, I am still a child of earth

I am a free soul

I am never standing still

My soul moves forward

I don't need to understand love

Love finds me, comes out of me, love is faith, faith is hope, hope is light, light fills me into every atom of my being

light is everything

I rise above all dark matter and of every event in my human life

I am not my failures, I am not my mistakes, I am not my feelings or my thoughts

I am not dark, I am not right or wrong

Light will not elude me

Light will not elude life

Light will not elude eternity

Light will not elude life

I am rooted and intertwined with all life, all life's cycles, all complex matters, all divine wisdom

I am a being of light

May I slowly begin to detach myself from self-hatred

May I slowly begin to detach myself from self-destructiveness

May I slowly begin to detach myself from false thoughts

May I slowly begin to detach myself from defining myself out of lies

May I slowly begin to be gentle and kind with myself as I always have to those around me with ease

May I slowly begin to detach myself from my old failures

May I slowly begin to detach myself from my old beliefs

May I slowly begin to detach myself from everything that has ever hurt me in my whole life

Light does not define me by my thoughts, by my pains or by my failures

Light vibrates unconditionally

Love is not conditional

Light gives itself to me

Light breathes through me

Light never leaves

Light does not hold me responsible

Light does not judge me

May I slowly begin to detach myself from self-punishment and self-hurt

May I slowly learn forgiveness

May I not define myself out of things that happen or that happened to me

May I be open to heal

May I truly want my own healing

May I truly want truth to alter me

May I truly want truth to set me free

May I hope, May I believe, May I love, May I let my light shine

May I be vibrant and radiant

May I see the light in me not with my eyes but with my heart

May I feel compassion towards myself

May I have the knowledge and wisdom that life always unfolds as it should

May I slowly begin to detach myself from self-doubt

May I slowly begin to embrace myself with forgiveness

May I learn through life's lessons

May my soul go where I am supposed to go

May I find in myself courage and strength to rise above all false stories about myself

May I rise

May I keep breathing

May I keep living

May I meet myself

May I be amazed

May I be in love

May I be in light

May I be in freedom

may i want my own healing - sofie jansson - 5th of january 2012

Quote: Becoming Conscious

Written by Carolyn Myss in Anatomy of the Spirit #spirituality #spirit #consciousness #awareness #quote via Instagram http://ift.tt/1EthOaj

Alone Time

Schedule some time in for yourself everyday or a few times a week! When you spend time alone, you're able to delve so much deeper into yourself. You begin to understand yourself more. Dedicating some time to yourself lets you figure out your feelings, desires, wants, needs, goals, solutions to problems. It strengthens the connection between your body and spirit. Spending time alone allows you to open up and reflect upon yourself. Everyone needs time to themselves otherwise we miss that important relationship with our inner self. The more we understand ourselves, the better we are able to understand others. Asking for time alone is never a bad thing and does not mean you're antisocial. It just means you're willing to take care of yourself. This is why spending time to yourself is so important. 🙏 #repostseries via @purplebuddhaproject via Instagram http://ift.tt/1wSRzKp

11 Meditation Tips For Beginners

For those who have never tried meditation, it can seem like an unproductive, strange way to spend twenty or so minutes of your day. However, meditation offers a slew of benefits to anyone on the planet, and it costs nothing to start up a daily practice.

By meditating regularly, you can increase your vibrational energy, or life force, and even retrain your brain to think positively. If you need some help getting started with meditation, refer to these tips for guidance.

1. Don’t get frustrated with your brain.

In the beginning, you will probably have a hard time just sitting quietly, even for five or ten minutes at a time. It takes time to adjust, as meditation is a foreign concept to many people. However, as long as you make a conscious effort to tune out from everything and go within, you will soon find that the restlessness slowly melts away.

Read the rest at Power of Positivity --->

Steps To Empowering & Healing Your Heart

Healing old wounds requires a lot of effort on your part. To truly heal yourself, you must be willing to make the effort. Here are a few steps that will aid you in the process of healing past wounds, letting them go, and forgiving yourself and others (as long as you dedicate yourself to each step!):

1. Commit yourself to turning inward, and going deep into yourself, to find all of the wounds that cause you pain. 
2. Identify your wounds and the effects they have on you. Do your wounds hold power over you? Do you fear healing? If so, why? Have a friend, or someone close to you, witness the effects these wounds have on you.
3. Observe how you may use your wounds to influence and control the people and situations around you, as well as yourself. Do you use your wounds as an excuse to get out of something?Do you use these wounds to control how another person acts by relating these wounds to their actions or personality? Do these wounds give you a reason to quit something because you're dwelling on your past, encouraging your depression over the painful situation? Do you fear that you will lose friends, and people close to you, by healing yourself? Are you attached to these wounds because they've become a part of your familiar life and you don't want to lose that?
   Continue to observe your actions in regards to your wounds. Try to become conscious of the effects your wounds have on you, and change these patterns to ones of positivity. Relinquish the power that these wounds have over you.
4. Identify all of the good that has come from your wounds. Start showing appreciation and gratitude to these wounds and your life. To help with this step, take up a spiritual practice and stick to it. Remember to be disciplined when it comes to healing yourself.
5. Forgive. Forgiveness does not meaning telling someone, "It's okay." Forgiveness means to release the control that the perception of victimhood has over our psyche. It is a means to let go of the need for personal vengeance and the perception you have of yourself as a victim.
   Evaluate what you need to do in order to forgive others or yourself. Go through with these actions, but make sure that these actions aren't sending another message of anger or blame. If they are, this means you aren't ready to let go and forgive yet.
   Create a ceremony that will allow you to release all negative influences your wounds have had on you and that will bring yourself back into the present, using the act of forgiveness.
6. Live in appreciation, gratitude, and love through your attitude and your actions. Allow change to come into your life. Finally, remember to stay present and to not dwell on your past.

Why Do You Love Doing The Things You Love?

One of my yoga teachers posed the question, "Why do you do yoga?" When she asked this question, I started reflecting on the things I go to for a break from my everyday life, on the things I love doing.

For me, there are two things that really make me feel alive: gymnastics & yoga. I love both of these things for the same, and different, reasons. They help me practice staying in the present moment. They give me the focus, discipline & concentration I can use for other situations in my everyday life. When I need to let something go, when I need to work something out, or when I need a break from my daily life, I can go to either of these things. Yoga strengthens my spirit, gymnastics strengthens my mind, and both strengthen my physical body. I love movement and both of these give me a way to expand and better myself through that. I'm so grateful for having these two things in my life!!

Now it's your turn! Why do you love doing the things you love?

Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

Color: Yellow

Position: Solar Plexus

Focus: “I do” and “Honour Oneself”

Crystals: topaz, citrine, amber

Rights: to act and be an individual

Developmental Stage: 18 months to 4 years

Demon: shame

Key Words: power, will, individuality

Connections: 

1. Personal Power Chakra (Eastern religion): lessons related to ego, personality, and self-esteem
2. Sacrament of Confirmation (Christianity): to receive or bestow an expression of grace that enhances one’s individuality and self-esteem
3. Sefiroh of Hod and Nezah (Kabbalah): Nezah is the energy of endurance of God; the power to maintain strength and stamina beyond the physical body; the power that awakens when we accept our life as it is. Hod is the majestic energy of God; an energy that allows us to transcend the limitations of the self; the energy that is enhanced by showing gratitude for all one has and for life

Issues: energy, activity, autonomy, individuation, will, self-esteem, proactivity, power, trust, fear and intimidation, care of oneself and others, personal honour, responsibility for making decisions, sensitivity to criticism

Excess: The energy within the chakra builds up if there is no expression and may turn against the Self. Or the energy is focused and directed but excessive, leading to obsessive and dominating characteristics.

• SIGNS: overly aggressive, dominating, controlling, need to be right/have the last word, manipulative, power hungry, deceitful, attraction to sedatives, temper tantrums/violent outbursts, stubbornness, driving ambition (type A personality), competitive, arrogant, hyperactive

Deficiency: The energy flowing out from the chakra is very weak with no aim or direction. The chakra is depleted.

• SIGNS: low energy, weak will, easily manipulated, poor self-discipline and follow-through, low self-esteem, cold (emotionally and physically), poor digestion, collapsed middle, attraction to stimulants, visit mentality, blaming of others, passive, unreliable

Balance: responsible, reliable, balanced, effective will, good self-esteem, balanced ego-strength, warmth in personality, confidence, spontaneity, playfulness, sense of humour, appropriate self-discipline, sense of one’s personal power, able to meet challenges

Physical Effects: eating disorders, digestive disorders, muscle spasms, muscular disorders, hypertension, disorders of stomach, pancreas, gall bladder, and liver, colon/intestinal problems, adrenal dysfunction

• SPECIFIC: gastric or duodenal ulcers, hypoglycemia, diabetes, pancreatitis, chronic fatigue, arthritis, hepatitis

Healings & Meditations: risk taking (deficiency), grounding and emotional contact, deep relaxation and stress control (excess),  vigorous exercise (running, aerobics, etc.), martial arts, sit ups, psychotherapy (build ego strength, release or contain anger, work on shame issues, strengthen the will, encourage autonomy)

1. Visualize a large, golden globe expanding from your solar plexus - Imagine this globe spreading warmth, confidence, self-love, and self-healing throughout your body. See this bright, yellow globe intensifying and growing more powerful. Feel acceptance for yourself and for your life within this globe. Let this light fill you with individuality and will power.
2. Healing Deficiency - Make a list of your goals and desires. Make a plan to organize your life, or set a daily, weekly or monthly goal for yourself to motivate you to take control of your life. Deficient third chakras lack that drive to put energy into the things you’re passionate about so you need to rebuild that will power that pushes you to go after what you want. If there’s a physical activity that you enjoy doing, make more time for yourself to go out and do it. By adding more time for yourself into your life, you increase the energy in your third chakra.
3. Healing Excess - To remove all of that excess energy built up in your third chakra, you need to find something relaxing to do that doesn’t involve goals or the feeling of “moving forward.” Guided meditation and yoga are great places to start. Both can move you to a state of deep relaxation, as well as remove any blocks created from tension.
4. Give Up Being Safe - Take risks and accept challenges. Step outside of your comfort zone and away from what feels safe. Your own personal power increases through these actions and resolving them successfully.

Wanderlust Festival

WHO'S WITH ME?! Wanderlust Festival brings together yoga and meditation instructors, music performances, artists, chefs, and speakers. There's multiple locations so you can pick the closest to you! For more info, visit www.wanderlust.com!  via Instagram http://ift.tt/1MrWCU1

Do What You Love

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30 Day Minimalism Challenge

This past month, I decided to do the 30 day Minimalism Challenge and it's awesome! I encourage you all to try it :)

Acro Yoga

Goals: try acro yoga via Instagram http://ift.tt/1NEh1st

Quote

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10 Benefits of Meditation

10 Benefits of Meditation #meditation #benefits #spirituality via Instagram http://ift.tt/1A8XJSM

March Yoga Challenge: Journey To Handstand

Officially doing this!! #journeytohandstand #latestart #yoga @beachyogagirl @kinoyoga @aloyoga via Instagram http://ift.tt/1EBV4G3

A Meditation For Positive Thinking

Let Go & Declutter

This is what today was all about. I did some SERIOUS decluttering and letting go of things. I woke up this morning knowing that I had to let go of some binds that were causing me some major energy blockages. I went to a yoga class today that also happened to be focusing on decluttering your life. In that practice, I managed to cut all of the unnecessary ties that were useless for me to hold on to & it feels like a weight was lifted off my chest! 

Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)

Color: Orange

Position: Lower Abdomen

Focus: “I Feel” and “Honour One Another”

Crystals: carnelian, tiger’s eye, onyx

Rights: to feel, to want and to have pleasure

Developmental Stage: 6 months to 2 years

Demon: guilt

Key Words: emotions, sexuality, movement, pleasure

Connections: 

1. Partnership Chakra (Eastern religion): lessons related to sexuality, work, and physical desire
2. Sacrament of Communion (Christianity): to receive or bestow an expression of grace (as a host) that represents holy union with God and with the people in one’s life
3. Sefirah of Yesod (Kabbalah): the energy of the procreative force of God, merging energy into physical form, the energy that drives us to connect with the sacred within others

Issues: movement, sensation, emotions, sexuality, desire, need, pleasure, blame and guilt, money and sex, power and control, creativity, ethics and honour in relationships

Excess: The chakra will have a weak boundary and poor containment. There won’t be enough sexual/emotional expression.

• SIGNS: sexual acting out (sex addiction), pleasure addiction, excessively strong emotions (ruled by emotions: hysteria, bipolar mood swings, crisis junkies), oversensitive, poor boundaries, invasion of others, seductive manipulation, emotional dependency, obsessive attachment

Deficiency: The chakra will have a rigid boundary that let’s little energy pass into it, causing little drive to reach outward.

• SIGNS: rigidity in body and attitudes, frigidity (fear of sex), poor social skills, denial of pleasure, excessive boundaries, fear of change, lack of desire, passion, and excitement

Balance: graceful movement, emotional intelligence, ability to experience pleasure, nurturance of self and others, ability to change, healthy boundaries

Physical Effects: disorders of reproductive organs, spleen, and urinary system, menstrual difficulties, sexual dysfunction (frigidity, impotency), knee trouble, lack of flexibility, deadened senses, loss of appetite for food, sex, and life, ob/gyn problems, pelvic/lower back pain

• SPECIFIC: chronic lower back pain, sciatica

Healings & Meditations: movement therapy, emotional release or containment, inner child work, boundary work, 12-step programs for addictions, assign healthy pleasures, develop sensate intelligence

1. Visualize a large, orange pyramid in your lower abdomen - the four walls of this pyramid represent well-being, deservedness, pleasure and abundance. See the colour intensifying, giving you enough energy to do the things you love and must do. The back wall of the chakra/pyramid represents well-being. Imagine this wall giving you vitality to move forward in life, to do what you love, and to enjoy the process of enfoldment. The left wall represents deservedness. Using this wall, release any doubts you have about what you deserve and trust that life is comfortable and pleasurable. The front wall represents pleasure. Imagine the negative energy, that was blocking your ability to experience joy, dissolving under the warmth and pleasure found in your lower abdomen. Embrace in the goodness that surrounds you. The right wall represents abundance. Allow the good to flood into your chakra and be grateful for everything you have. See the colour intensifying.
2. Reclaim Your Right To Feel - Most emotions remain locked away inside of you because you feel guilty if you express them. This repression creates excess in your second chakra. Learn to express yourself and your emotions through any activity, such as journaling, poetry, music, art, etc. There are endless possibilities. To deal with intense emotions, you want to put all of your awareness into the emotion you’re feeling. Be aware that it’s there and bring your presence into yourself. This allows for a softening of the emotion, while showing ignorance to what you’re feeling only makes the emotion more intense and creates blockages within your second chakra.
3. Working Through Guilt - See here for questions and methods for working through guilt.

7 Cardinal Rules For Life

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Smudging

The smudging ceremony is a Native American tradition that cleanses bad feelings and negative vibrations from houses. Smudging may create a peaceful environment in your home. Smudging is done by burning specific dried herbs and letting the smoke float around the house. You can use dried herbs in a bowl or use a smudge stick to cleanse your house by smudging.

The smoke from the burned sage helps to shift levels of reality connecting us here in the physical world to the subtle realm of a more spiritual existence. Smudging calls upon the spirits of sacred plants to drive away negative energies and restore balance. The botanical name for the sage used in smudging rituals is salvia apiana, derived from the Latin root salvare, meaning “to heal or save”.

The Om Symbol

Om Bracelet

Want so much!!

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Purple Buddha Project

I first found out about Purple Buddha Project through their Tumblr blog found here. I decided to look into them because I really liked what I was seeing and found that they are an organization that donates money to have bombed land cleared in Cambodia and Laos every time someone purchases a piece of their jewelry. They reuse any scraps they find there (bomb shells, bullets, etc.) by turning these objects from a symbol of negativity to a positive one. That's what their jewelry and items are all about! Visit their website for more information and check out their awesome jewelry!!! :)

March

Let March bring new things! #meditation #march via Instagram http://ift.tt/1vNyh8E