Author: thespiritualreporter

Meditation: A Time for Allowing Messages

Singing……

The more we get together
Together, together
The more we get together
The happier we’ll be

‘Cause your friends are my friends
And my friends are your friends
The more we get together
The happier we’ll be

“The More We Get Together” is a traditional British folk song and popular children’s song. Like “Did You Ever See a Lassie?“, its tune was taken from a 1679 Viennese tune by Marx Augustin, “Oh du lieber Augustin“. Wikipedia

As I sat and meditated before bed, thanking my spiritual support team for another day by my side – exalted ones, angels & guides and family & friends in spirit – a clear message came through. The above song played in my head like whistling a happy tune. Ah, my team was happy I was spending time clearing and cleansing my thoughts and expressing gratitude for the day despite the frazzled moments and ups and downs.

I’ve come to learn that meditation is not about completely emptying the mind of thought. To me, it’s about allowing. Allowing our thoughts to free-flow in and out of our minds and then to make space for insights and messages from our higher selves and/or our spiritual support team. If you’re not familiar with the concept of “higher self”, it’s generally thought of as our eternal consciousness, our real self.

This message in song resonated as an acknowledgement from my team that my reflective time is not only a very important source of peace, but also clarity. Practicing daily reflective thought or meditation in pursuit of peace can result in messages if you’re open and intending for messages to come through. A song coming to you randomly, can be your “spirit team” guiding you and inspiring you for your highest and best good.

I find siting quietly for even three to five minutes can be quite useful. Allowing is easy, just takes a little practice. First, allow the thoughts flow. It’s helpful not to try to stop them from coming, just come in and through the mind and then out. This clearing can lead to gaps in thought. And, then this space allows for the insights. Once you experience the allowing, you’ll know. And, a message can come through. If you’d like, let us us know about you’re allowing and messages here or on the Facebook page – The Spiritual Reporter – Media Category.

Enjoy! Your spirit team is there for you.

Getting Familiar with the Unfamiliar

“”I want to go places that I’ve never been before,” said me the other day. 

To that end, I went for a walk in a labyrinth, which I’ve always wanted to do. A local spiritual center conducts a labyrinth walk on the first Friday of the month, and I decided this was the perfect first “new” place to go. Now, I could school you and me on the origins of labyrinths from Rome and ancient Greece, but Wikipedia does that very well for those who want to study it. I’m most interested in, and I surmise you are too if you’re following me, harvesting information and inspiration from walking the Labyrinth.

Before entering the path, the small group who had never been in a Labyrinth were given some instructions. “There’s no right or wrong way to walk the path,” the facilitator announced. “And the maze has one entrance and one exit and you are allowed to pass people by coming or going.” She also suggested we think about our “problems” and when we get to the center, one could sit or stand and leave their problems there and walk out renewed.  Hmm, thinking about my problems didn’t feel right. I drifted over to the “guidelines” on the wall which told us to quiet the mind and set an intention. This spoke to me much more than thinking about my problems which are on my mind without this exercise. Before entering, I sat quietly and asked for the universe to send me messages or information that I needed to know at this time. 

As methodically as I type the word Labyrinth in order to spell it correctly each time, so did I walk. I looked around the winding path wondering how I would get to the other quadrant of the circle and in and out of this maze. It didn’t seem possible, as others reported as well later. At first glance, it seemed as if I would just keep going around in circles and there was not really much to the pattern. I trusted and moved forward. I walked, turned and examined my steps. I saw that there was a very intricate pattern involved in the winding. Why was I questioning what the facilitator said? The word unfamiliar popped into my head. I was unfamiliar with this process. As I continued my walk, I realized just how I would get to the center and walk the entire circle. That’s when the phrase, I’m getting familiar with the unfamiliar, came into mind. I had to take a step onto the unfamiliar path to travel to new places and get familiar with them. And, there it is. The message I needed to hear right now.   

In a recent conversation with a friend discussing starting this blog and website, it was made clear that it’s important to stop over-thinking the perfect way to start. And, even the perfect format, name or platform. Taking the first step was an important element to it’s success.  As well as being comfortable with the idea that the tone of the blog, the purpose of the website and the end-goal of the role this would play in my life would be revealed and evolve as I moved forward.  Most importantly, that it was all okay.

So, as I twist, turn and walk through this year, I’m going to mindfully choose unfamiliar places in the physical world in the hope that more messages and insights will be revealed as I go along.  

What unfamiliar place have you always wanted to go?  A restaurant you’ve never been to that you always pass by.  The park with a hike that’s just ten minutes away that is seemingly to far to fit in.  Approach the new person at work and ask them where they were born. Give it a try, it will be okay.

Logic: The Great Intuition Blocker

When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful
A miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees, well they’d be singing so happily
Oh joyfully, playfully watching me
But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible
Logical, oh responsible, practical
And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable
Oh clinical, oh intellectual, cynical

Songwriters: Richard Davies / Roger Hodgson The Logical Song lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

The wisdom of Supertramp still rings in my head after all these years. When I hear the words of this song it plays like a guy who went from childhood to prison all in one verse. To me, logical, practical and clinical are the curse words of the mind imposing limitations on thoughts and creativity. As a person who’s always been super responsible and logical on the outside, there’s a great spirit of anti-logic that’s been building for a long time as I’ve become educated in the what doesn’t feel right to me department. 

I learned that logic and comedy don’t mix.  At one point, I went to school to learn how to be funny. As if that were possible.  It was a class at the Second City Comedy Group. One discussion stuck out in this 5-part series. “Comedy is not logical,” the teacher maintained. “In fact, the laughter comes when the next word or line is illogical or a surprise.”  Think of the classic, “Take my wife….please.” Immortalized by the late-great Jack Benny. (If you’re too young to remember this classic-comedian, google him.)  A vote for putting logic aside.

Also, as I meander down this path of spiritual discovery called life, it has been made clear to me that intuition is not logical either. Every day, I try to utilize my own intuition and gut when making decisions.  To me, intuition is a feeling inside.  An instinct of unknown origin. A knowing. 

If I had been logical the day my intuition told me to move to California, I would never have done it.  In fact, moving to California defied logic.  All of my family friends lived in the greater New York area and New England. My ex-husband didn’t have a job.  I had no family or friends in Hermosa Beach.  And my boys were deeply rooted in the school and community in which we lived.  But, every fiber of my being told me I had to be there.  That there was a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow jet stream that carried my life to the west coast. 

My life opened up incredibly with the people I’ve met who I know now were calling to me from inside. I know my spiritual life was taken to a whole new level here rather than if I had gone against my gut and played it safe and small in New York.  I’m so glad I did. 

It’s not easy to follow that feeling and it takes a lot of practice to trust it. A lot.  And, it certainly doesn’t have to involve moves of 3,000 miles.  It can be as simple as the feeling to buy that lemon in the supermarket for a recipe you don’t even know you’re cooking that night, but for some unknown reason you feel you’ll need it.   

My thought for today is you choose to live your life via the logic-meter in your head or you allow those inexplicable heartfelt feelings come through and guide you to places you never thought you’d go.  My intuition has taken me on quite an adventure and is now launching my foray into my spiritual journaling. 

What are you logically pushing away in your life when your gut or intuition tells you to do?    

Test it.  Take off the GPS when driving down the road of life and use your own internal GPS. You might just end up an amazing recipe for Chicken Piccata for dinner or a make a move to a whole new life.   

2019: The Year of Knowing

Knowing I’m capable. 

Knowing I can actually do it.

Knowing I’m worthy to receive the rewards.

There is a shift afoot in myself, and I wish this same shift for you. I’m done with being in doubt.  I’m done with thinking negatively.  And for this reason I’m dubbing 2019 The year of Knowing.

I’m declaring this to instill it deep within and around me.  I’m filling my mind with the white light of positivity to help push way those inevitable thoughts of doubt and questioning my resolve.  For years I’ve been saying that I do believe in myself and that has been helpful.  However, the shift from believing to knowing is critical.

I’ve come to understand that the knowing is the key.  The key I’ve been searching for my whole life.  It is in the knowing that bridges the gap between potentiality and certainty.  

Take, for example, this simple process of making something happen.  First, you have an idea and then set forth an intention. Next, you take action on the intention. Then most importantly, trust and allow it to happen.

You have the thought, “I would like a fire in the fireplace. Okay, I’m going to make one.” You collect the wood and the kindling and the matches. You can pretty much trust (tongue in cheek) if you strike a viable match (not wet or used), it will light. You then put this lit match to the kindling, and you know it will light.  You allow the fire to build and you know the wood will burn creating a fire in the fireplace.  You knew this process would work. You’ve seen someone build a fire before. You’ve smelt wood burning from a fireplace. And, you’ve poked at burnt wood, evidence of past fires. All the physical evidence of knowing it would happen.  

Here’s the rub.  What if you wanted to use this process to make something NEW happen?  Something you’ve never seen or done before.  Perhaps, it’s not new.  Perhaps it’s something that happened or you did it, but you doubt it can happen again.  The challenge is… the element of certainty is hard to come by when there’s no evidence.  

What if you made a choice to know it would happen? Imagine the power and the force behind that idea and intention.  Now, I can imagine what you’re saying.  “You mean if you KNOW you can win the lottery, it will happen”? Let me be clear about what I’m saying.  The mind is a powerful, powerful tool in creating your life.  And if you choose to let the mind assist you in creating that life in a positive way and with intention, you will accomplish more to that end by harnessing this process.  Science has proven the power of the mind over matter.  The power of prayer, even.  So, let’s take it to the level of intention and thoughts.  

I’m ready to take this concept of “knowing” out for a spin and see where it takes me.  I hope you give it a try.  Let me know how you’re doing.  I know it will be a good year!