Month: September 2024

Focus Your Energy✨

On By Heather Wiest

I decided many years ago to ditch the Post-it® notes and reduce the reminders. For decades, I thrived on structuring my days and completing tasks deemed important. My practice of yoga kept encouraging me to let go of control, to let life flow naturally — just like with the breath. So, I gave up the lists. I began to really see and sense what mattered most in the moment. I became more present and alive. Situations seemed to unfold better, and I actually accomplished some extra projects along the way! Yes, I also completely spaced an important appointment — that ended up rescheduled for the perfect time! 😊 I am learning to trust Divine nudges and timing, and to focus my energy.

“There is a time to be open, almost unfocused, as we take in what the world, the universe, is showing us. There is a time to get out of our heads and quietly take the journey our hearts lead us into — following with the openness and wonder of a child. But there also comes a time to aim our attention and focus our energy on what we want to accomplish. Instead of floundering with scattered thoughts and possibilities, we choose one, then act on it. We stay in step with the natural rhythm, but we’re pulling our scattered attention together and focusing it as part of that rhythm. To do that, we may have to work through or push away inner distractions. Moving through our inner obstacles enables us to accomplish our goal — whether that’s a task, a particular piece of work, or learning a new hobby. Is there something you want to do? Is your heart urging you to learn something, accomplish something, go somewhere, do something? Make it a goal. Focus your energy.” ~ Melody Beattie

What is the fire in your heart that has become dim, because you’ve been consumed with day to day life? Let go of the minors, and focus on the majors. Intend to make a difference in this moment. As we say in yoga, the energy flows where the attention goes! ✨

“When we focus our energy towards constructing a passionate, meaningful life, we are tossing a pebble into the world, creating a beautiful ripple effect of inspiration. When one person follows a dream, tries something new or takes a daring leap, everyone nearby feels that energy; and before too long they are making their own daring leaps and inspiring yet another circle.” ~ Christine Mason Miller

Focus Journaling Questions inspired by Elena Mironov

✭ If your life is busy right now, WHAT is keeping you busy? Is this still important to you?
✭ What IS actually important to you?
✭ Is what you’re doing a source of fulfillment, or are you just in a constant habitual or reactive state?
✭ Are you putting your energy into something that is helping you grow–evolve–develop into a higher version of you?
✭ Are you letting distractions carry you off track? Are you tired or unmotivated?
✭ What gives you a sense of meaning and a feeling that you’re helping–contributing–giving back?
✭ What would you like to change right now?

Focus your inner fire and energy and take that daring leap! 🔥

You must learn poise, soul-balance and poise, in a vacilating, changing world. Claim My power. Use it ceaselessly. You cannot ask too much. As long as you get back to Me and replenish after each task, no work can be too much. My Joy I give you. Live in it. Bathe your Spirit in it. Reflect it.

God Calling: Relax, January 15

May you go with the natural flow, yet focus your energy. Pursue your heart’s passion. Make a difference in this world. You are strong & capable of ANYTHING! ❤️

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Autumn Aspirations 🍁

On By Heather Wiest

The Autumn equinox is the moment where our days and nights find equilibrium, marking the start of a seasonal shift. We take this time to reflect upon the past few months and the lessons learned along the way.

A new season is a great time to set some new intentions for your life.

❦ What has been coming up for you in the last days, weeks, months?

❦ What isn’t serving you, what do you want to let go of?

❦ What new intentions do you want to bring forth and cultivate?

You don’t have to fear change. What you need to fear, a friend once told me, is things remaining the same. When that happens, life has stopped. Your life is constantly, quietly evolving each moment into something new, something different, something that adds gracefully, beautifully, and perfectly to what was.  

Melody Beattie

Autumn is referred to as a Vata (air) season, which means the presence of air and space is more noticeable in and around us. You may feel more light, carefree, creative, or even spacey and scattered. We harmonize this by learning to go with the flow more — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. As we practice letting things come and go, it is a particularly good time to remind ourselves to breathe deeply. The heart and lungs are a focus of this season, and the breath flowing through helps make space for the release of whatever the heart is holding to tightly, or resisting. Autumn is a very special time to make space around and in the heart. Step out of your tension, out of your fear. Laugh. Lighten up. Loosen up. Change your energy. Relax until you find the flow. Relax until you find your rhythm, until you feel life’s rhythm again. 

In order to protect ourselves from taking on any negative energy from other people or situations; we can learn to SHIELD. There are times when you may find that being around certain individuals or groups of people leaves you with feelings of discomfort. It may be that spending time with a particular friend feels draining or that dealing with a specific coworker exhausts you. Being around toxic or angry people is also draining. And you may even find that being surrounded by a crowd of people lowers your energy levels rather than perks you up. This is not that unusual. Each of us radiates energy and is capable of being influenced by the energy of other people. It is important to learn how to shield yourself, so you don’t unknowingly take on someone else’s energy.

There are a number of ways to avoid being affected by people’s energy. SHIELDING is one preventative technique you can use. Center yourself and envision being enveloped in a cocoon of loving and protective light. This protective layer should allow you to consciously regulate the energy around you. The intent to shield oneself is all you need for this technique to work. You can even create a TRIGGER WORD to assist you in quickly creating a shield. Say this word each time you create a new shield, until the word and the shield become automatically associated in your mind.

While it is important to know how to shield yourself from energy, there are those energies that you may not want to shut out. The energy of laughter from a newborn baby, the feeling of joy radiating from someone in love, and the frequency of calm emanating from a mentor are just some of the energies coming from others that you may want to have around you.

Adapted from Taking on the Energy of Others, by Madison Taylor

Maybe Not by Danna Faulds

Begin somewhere. Take one deep breath and dive. Plunge into the core of your most persistent fear or your greatest joy. Grow comfortable with the act of exploration. Well, maybe not comfortable, but confident of your ability to be sure footed on slick rocks, steady while the winds gust. Well, maybe not entirely confident, but willing to set out despite persistent doubts, breathing your way into whatever you are facing. Well, maybe not even all that willing, but you take it anyway, that first step into the unknown. Courage is starting where there is no secure outcome, no sure result. The secret is you can begin again at any time. Take one deep breath and dive.

God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways—the path that brings me back to you. ~ Psalm 139: 23-24 TPT

I am at peace in the midst of change. I am listening to my heart and soul — creating space for new intentions — breathing deep and diving in. I remain completely relaxed and receptive regardless of the end result. My body is light, my mind is at peace, and my heart is unconditionally open. 

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Survivor Story

On By Heather Wiest

In 2013, 2017, and 2022 I was blessed to visit the 9/11 Memorial in New York City — all incredibly moving experiences. One of the amazing stories to come out of the 9/11 tragedy is that of the Survivor Tree. A poem written by Faith A. Johnson describes it well:

The Survivor Tree

A miracle of botany, human spirit, and community,
In face of great adversity,
Back to life and breathing free,
It is known as the Survivor Tree.

Buried under twisted steel,
Determined branches hands could feel
Its blackened trunk, leaves no more,
And yet some life inside its core.

Where once its blossoms did embrace,
A Callery Pear showcased this place,
Where towers stood and life was loud,
A city and a country proud.

October day, the tree was found,
Amidst confusion, sadness sounds,
Came hopeful plans to nurse the tree,
Back to vibrant life, healthy.

And so it was that Callery Pear,
Moved to the Bronx, now home was there,
Cleaned of ash, cushioned in soil,
Human hands would gently toil.

To bring the tree back its life,
Overcoming hurts and strife,
Just as our country proving strong,
The tree grew tall, with branches long.

And next to it, a flag did fly,
Reminding all that dreams don’t die,
Our roots of freedom running deep,
Our nation’s strong, and memories keep.

Of loved ones lost, forever gone,
Yet, in our hearts, love carries on.
A Callery Pear, Survivor Tree,
Came back to where it used to be.

It reaches high into the sky,
And to the heavens leads our eyes,
Grow strong, our dear Survivor Tree,
For our America, Land of the Free.

Oftentimes, stories like this hit a heart string. We all have a survivor story. What have you overcome? Are you currently in the midst of a struggle or a change? Choose persistence, choose peace, choose strength, choose faith, hope, and love. You are a survivor and will come out thriving! Cultivate the seed that was placed in you until the last small twig has grown.

Bamboo lives underground for five years before it is seen by anyone. It spends five years cultivating a complicated weave of roots in the dirt, until it knows, without a doubt, it is strong enough to sustain the elements of the world. It knows it’s bamboo from the moment the seed plants in the earthly womb, yet is patient as it develops slowly and steadily. One day, when the preparation is complete, the bamboo sprouts — and swiftly shoots up in the air 82 feet! We are like bamboo — strong and resilient — rising beautifully in time.

Be inspired by a piece of my survivor story, The Door Knocker. ❤️

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” ~ Kahil Gibran

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Cutting Cords ✄

On By Heather Wiest

In every relationship, people are constantly exchanging energy that can become a cord connecting two people. This energetic cord forms just below the breastbone and can remain long after a relationship has ended. This unbroken cord may leave an open channel between you and another person, through which emotions and energy can continue to flow. If you are unaware that the cord exists, it is easy to feel the other person’s emotions and mistakenly think that they are yours. Besides the fact that this can limit the amount of closure you can experience in a relationship, letting this cord remain intact can leave you with a continued sense of sadness while creating feelings of lethargy as your own energy is sapped from you. Cutting the cord can help you separate yourself from old baggage, unnecessary attachments, and release you from connections that are no longer serving you.

Finding and cutting unwanted cords is a simple, gentle process that is best done alone and when you are relaxed. It is important that you are strong in your intention to release the cord between you and someone else. To begin, breathe deeply and perform a simple centering meditation. When you are ready, visualize or sense the cords that are connecting you to other people. Run your fingers through the cords to separate them until you find the cord you wish to sever. There is no need to worry, because the cord you need to sever will feel just right. [Or, there may be no cord to sever at this time.] [If and] When you have found it, determine where the cut should be made and then visualize the cord being cleanly cut. Afterwards, if you feel that cutting the cord has left spaces in your energy field, visualize those spaces being filled with healing light.

There may be times where cutting a cord can help free a relative or loved one to reach new stages of growth. You’re not severing a relationship, but you are severing the cords that are no longer serving you both. At other times, a cord may simply refuse to be cut because it is still serving a higher purpose. It is also important to remember that cutting a cord with someone is not a replacement for doing your emotional work with people. It can, however, be an enactment of that work upon its completion. In any case, cutting a relationship cord should always be viewed as a positive and nurturing act. By cutting the cords that no longer need to be there, you are setting yourself and others free from the ties that bind. ~ Madisyn Taylor

INTIMACY = In To Me See
How we look at others and treat them is often a reflection of how we see and treat ourselves.

I let go of the cords keeping me attached to ______________ (a person or situation). 

I release all that no longer serves me to embrace positive change in my life. 

I breathe love into myself. I can do what is required with love. 

Cord Cutting Exercise for Solar Plexus Chakra

This exercise is perfect for times when you are feeling energetically drained by someone or a situation. 

Think of a person you wish to let go of, or cut off from, or forgive. It might be someone who is presently in your life regularly, or not so frequent. They might be near to you or far away. Or it might be someone from your past. Visualize the person standing in front of you. Think of your reasons for letting this person or issue leave your life. It may be because the person or situation harms your well-being or causes you to feel negative emotions, or simply because it is time to let go of the situation once and for all. Let yourself feel all the emotions attached to the situation and the person.

Now bring your attention to your Solar Plexus, your stomach area. Visualize a fine silvery energy cord that reaches from your solar plexus to their solar plexus, this silver cord that creates the link, the attachment to each other. See it radiate and pulsate as it feeds the energy connection. Every time you even think about this person or be in contact with this person, the link between you is being strengthened.

Now imagine that you have a big pair of golden scissors in your hands–visualize yourself cutting through this energy cord with the scissors. If it does not cut through the first time, do it again with emotional strength behind it. Detaching yourself from this person [or situation]. Dissolving the connection. 

You are now completely detached. I invite you to surround the person [or situation] with healing light, wish them well, bless them with love and forgiveness for their journey, and watch them turn around and move off on their path.

Feel the release around your solar plexus. I encourage you to pull any remaining energy back into your solar plexus–by simply telling yourself “I bring all my energy back to me.” Now cover and seal your solar plexus chakra with thick yellow light. You are safe and protected. You hold your own energy with love.

I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. ~ Philippians 3:13 TPT