Sunday, April 29, 2012

May 2012: Blossoming & Becoming




“If a great thing can be done, it can be done easily, but this ease is like the ease of a tree blossoming after long years of gathering strength.”  ~John Ruskin

In the springtime we experience what can be thought of as the "first harvest", with the second often more widely recognized harvest in the fall. If we were to apply the cycles of the seasons to the cycles of our lives, we would gain a great deal of insight about how to recognize the opportunities that are available to us and work more effectively with the energies of the times. For example, understanding the subtleties of the first harvest has important implications which are important to the development of our soul. For the first harvest relates directly to the emergence of the soul, because it involves the restoration of beauty and bounty to the earth; blossoming of flowers, new life, growth and greening. Love is literally in the air!

“The role of the artist I now understood as that of revealing through the world-surfaces the implicit forms of the soul, and the great agent to assist the artist was the myth.” ~Joseph Campbell

It might be helpful to think of the things that we experience in the springtime as being the work of the soul, and to take that a step further, understand that what is nurtured and harvested at this time, will have an effect on the quality of the denser second harvest of the fall. This is not necessarily about rigidly living by the seasons, but by understanding that these patterns which are revealed through nature are showing us something about manifestation and creation cycles and patterns, that are real and applicable to our lives in many areas, from relationships to businesses.

"Art need no longer be an account of past sensations. It can become the direct organization of more highly evolved sensations. It is a question of producing ourselves, not things that enslave us." ~ Angela Carter

The soul feeds upon inspiration and life force. It requires beauty and vitality to create something new and treasured from its depths. Exposing ourselves to and experiencing beauty is not an option, but just as nurturing to our being as eating and drinking. The flowers, foliage and insects of the first harvest are literally what give rise to the second, typically food crops which nourish our bodies. It is interesting to see the interplay of the two and how they are connected, with certainly one no less important, than the other. For surely if the body is weak and hungry, the soul has no vehicle, and if the soul is weak and hungry, the spirit and ultimately the body will wither.

The month of May, with its focus on mothering, flowering, nurturing and blossoming is a reminder to us all to give the joys and the artistry of the soul more weight in our lives. It reminds us that the work of the soul is anything but frivolous, for without it, we might be able to squeak by and survive for a while, but the reality is that we must allow our souls to open and bloom if we want to actually grow and thrive!

MAY AFFIRMATIONS
I am open to the expansion of my being.
My unique perspective and insight reveals my soul's purpose.
I allow my soul's purpose to emerge into the light.
I bloom and blossom as I focus upon my heart's desires.
As I find my place within my community, others can then find their place more easily.
When I work as a team, I am invoking the power of the divine feminine.
The soul's work is equally as important as any other work that I do.
I give the expression of my soul weight in my life.
I pay attention to all the aspects of my being.
I let love flow through my creations.
I create myself with intentions from my soul.
I contemplate and reflect upon my heart's desires.
I use my powers of manifestation for abundance of love, peace, purpose and joy.
I use the power of intention to create a beautiful life.
I work with Light to fill the darkness and reveal the truth of my life.
My life is my masterpiece and I live my joy.
Love is at the foundation of my every thought, word and deed.
I am loved and loving to myself and others.
I allow the petals of my consciousness to lovingly expand to the light.
I nurture and nourish my body, mind, heart, soul and spirit.
I call upon omnipotent forces for assistance with my life, including angels, guides, guardians and my higher power.
I trust the omnipotent forces that I call upon.
I reach deep into my soul, for I have purified my heart and reclaimed my inner child.
I set my inner child free to grow and mature into a loving,healthy, creative adult.
I am devoted to helping others to express their soul.
I honor the spirit of all things.
I recognize my darkness, lovingly turn it into the light and look to the sun.
I open my heart to the world, by revealing my soul creations.
I receive the abundance of my soul.
I trust my soul and free myself to express my true self.
It is safe to be me because I surround myself with those who nurture and support me.
Others nurture and support me, because I nurture and support myself.
When I help myself, helpful people are drawn to me and want to do the same.
If I allow others to be served by my soul's purpose, I will attract others who are awakening to their soul purpose.
I receive the bounty of the earth and the beauty of my soul.
My wisdom is important to the world.

Friday, April 27, 2012

ATA: Attracted to Addicts?



Have you ever noticed that the same people show up in your life over and over again? They just have a different name or a different face, but their actions and behaviors are the same.  Well, if so have a look at the following questionnaire and if you have answered yes to more than half of these questions, then this class: Attracted to ADDICTS? is for you. It will give you the tools you need to begin today to understand why you have attracted the same people over and over again and make the necessary changes to attract people who are in alignment with your souls purpose.

ATA3—attraction to addicts, addiction and addictive behavior

The Addicts’ Behavior
1 His/her mood swings can be sudden and frightening.
2 S/he seems to have no moral boundaries.
3 S/he can lie without blinking and continue to lie indefinitely.
4 His/her attitude is that the rules do not apply to him/her.
5 S/he habitually blames others for his/her circumstances.
6 S/he promises to ‘never do it again’ whatever ‘it’ may be.
7 S/he hides or minimizes the extent of use of any alcohol or drugs.
8 S/he does almost everything - from sports to food- to an extreme.
9 S/he can justify almost any behavior and convince you of it.
10 S/he has a difficult time being intimate or discussing intimacy.

Your Behavior
1 You feel guilty or ashamed because you have ‘found’ another addict.
2 You wonder how you ended up in this situation once again.
3 You find yourself being more angry than usual.
4 You have allowed the addict to change the direction of your life.
5 You often feel as though you must walk on eggshells around him/ her.
6 You are beginning to feel as though you are losing your mind.
7 You drink more than usual when you are with him/her.
8 You find it hard to believe that s/he is lying to you again.
9 You want to believe that things will change ‘this time.’
10 You worry about what others will think if you leave this relationship.

Join us for this weekly group and take a journey into the heart of relationship recovery with author and recovery advocate, Trina Hayes. Trina has authored a book called, Attracted To Addicts, along with a companion journal, which will be used for this class.

When: Every Thursday 6-7:30pm
Location: Church of Spiritual Light, 1939 Park Meadows Dr. #1, Fort Myers, FL 33907
Cost: $5 (donated to the space) Books may be purchased from Trina
Phone: 239-560-6314

"Attracted to ADDICTS? is a compelling personal story filled with factual insight about the reasons people are attracted to addicted, compulsive and other dysfunctional people.  It explores why ending a relationship with one addict often s sets the stage for getting into a relationship with another addict.  Most importantly, it give guidelines for finding a way out of the cycle through personal change." ~  Terry Gorski Founder of Cenaps, www.cenaps.com

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Sophia Ceremony


By those who love her she is readily seen,
And found by those who look for her...
In every thought of theirs,
she comes to meet them.
-Wisdom of Solomon 6:12 and 16

Sophia Ceremony

Purpose of Ritual: 
Dedicate myself to the Goddess Sophia and asking her help in letting my past negative self go.

Ceremonial Materials:
Candles - 1 black candle (dissolve negative energy)
1 white candle (all healing)
Incense - clove, eucalyptus or lemon (healing, protection, energy)
Offerings - tree blossoms
Picture of White Dove
When to perform: New or Waxing Moon
Oil to anoint
Sage/Palo Santo Spray
Create Sacred Space

Opening Prayer
 North - I call upon the earth, Gaia, to surround me with loving energy and to assist me in dispelling negative energy in my life.
East - I call upon the air, to blow into my life and sweep away the negativity.
South - I call upon the fire to burn away the negative and cleanse my life.
West - I call upon the water to send waves of positivity into my life and take back the negative.

I now ask Sophia to come into my life and show me the way. I ask her to cleanse me and remove any negativity in my life. Please lead me on the path I need to be on to establish myself as a happy, healthy, positive person.

O Gnostic,
O Knower,
of the unity of Love and Wisdom,
the androgyny of Heaven and Earth,
and of Nature and Spirit.
O Knower
of The Great Goddess,
The Great Mother,
who calls herself
Sophia.
Holy is her name,
Sophia,
cocreator of all things,
earthly and divine.
Divine Love
lives with Eternal Wisdom,
together as one,
as a child in its mother's womb.
Sophia
gathers all of her children.
O Gnostic,
to you she calls
to fulfill the prophecy,
to manifest the vision
of Peace on Earth.
           
I call upon Sophia and her 3 daughters, Faith, Hope and Love

Take oil and anoint yourself on the forehead:
"Sophia, replace the negative thoughts with positive."
the lips: "Sophia, replace the negative words with positive."
the heart: "Sophia, replace the negative feelings with positive."
the palms: "Sophia, replace the negative actions with positive."
the feet: "Sophia, take me only on the path you lead me."

I thank Sophia for coming into my life, my heart, my soul. For leading me on the right path and bringing me to a more positive place in my life.

Closing & Release
East - I thank the air for your blessings.
South - I thank the fire for your blessings.
West - I thank the water for your blessings.
North - I thank the earth, Gaia, for your blessings.

Amen. Aho!