11 Must-Have Healing Remedies

November 27, 2014 By

By: Megan / Source: Care 2

Peeked inside your medicine cabinet lately? Chances are — even if you eat locally, compost food scraps, and clean with nothing but vinegar and baking soda — its contents are a medicinal flashback to your childhood.

“When it comes to our medicine cabinets, it’s habitual to reach for over-the-counter drugs,” says Madelon Hope, M.Ed., LMHC, a clinical herbalist and director of the Boston School of Herbal Studies.

“These medications are the ones our mothers gave us, and those memories condition our responses today.”

If this sounds like you, it’s time for a bathroom-cabinet makeover.

While there are times you may still want to use conventional meds, such as ibuprofen and antibiotic ointment, natural remedies can be just as fast and effective as over-the-counter fixes — sometimes more so.

Best of all, they often have far fewer (if any) pesky or potentially harmful side effects.

You don’t have to replace everything in your cabinet all at once, of course, and not every natural remedy is right for everyone.

But if you’re looking to transform your medicine cabinet from retro-conventional to at least partially au naturel, here are a few items you’ll want to consider keeping within reach.

Calendula CreamCalendula Cream

Good for: Insect bites, stings or skin irritation

Because: Calendula (made from marigolds) is a centuries-old remedy for any skin itch or ouch, from bee stings to sunburn to eczema. The plant’s skin-relieving properties come from its mixture of essential oils, which are both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory.

How to: Apply an ointment containing 2 to 5 percent calendula, as needed, up to four times daily.

Tip: If you have ragweed allergies, apply a dime-size test patch the first time and watch for an allergic reaction (red or itchy bumps).

Why? Because calendula (i.e., marigolds) and ragweed are both members of the Aster (Compositae) family and may cause an allergic reaction in those who are hypersensitive.

Lavender & Tea Tree OilLavender & Tea Tree Oil

Good for: Cuts, burns, athlete’s foot, minor infections or as a natural disinfectant

Because: Both are natural antiseptics, so they are great for killing germs, and each has its own medicinal prowess. Although best known for its relaxing aroma, which is proven to quell anxiety, lavender can also cool the pain of minor kitchen burns and sunburns, as well as prevent scarring.

Meanwhile, tea tree oil is an equally powerful disinfectant, so a drop or two of essential oil can be smoothed onto cuts to stave off infection. Plus, its antifungal properties make it a natural weapon against the common toe fungus that causes athlete’s foot.

In one randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, tea tree oil was more than twice as effective as a placebo in relieving the burning and itching of athlete’s foot.

How to: Both essential oils are natural antiseptics, and too much may dry the skin, so use sparingly.

Tip: Add a few drops of lavender and tea tree essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water to make a disinfecting spritz for countertops, doorknobs and even yoga mats.

Arnica TabletsArnica Tablets and Cream

Good for: Bruises, bumps, muscle aches and sprains

Because: Arnica is made from extracts of the mountain daisy, a flowering plant common at high elevations in Europe. Reportedly, the herb’s healing properties were discovered when people noticed that mountain goats nibbled on the plant after a bad fall.

Quaint as that sounds, arnica has some serious scientific backing. Studies show that an active component in arnica, called helenalin, impedes the body’s inflammatory response to injury by preventing the release of an immune system regulator called NF-kB.

One caveat: The plant itself can be toxic, so use only arnica gels and tablets, not the raw herb.

How to: For whole-body trauma, like after surgery, or widespread muscle aches, take five tablets of homeopathic arnica four times daily until you experience relief.

For a milder, more isolated injury, like a bruise or sore muscles, apply topical arnica cream or gel as soon as possible and repeat three to five times daily until pain, bruising and swelling are gone.

Tip: Hope recommends arnica tablets labeled 12X, which are available commercially. If you can find 6X tablets, even better — they pack a more powerful punch.

Aloe VeraAloe Vera

Good for: Mild to moderate sunburn and household burns

Because: Aloe vera gel soothes and cools the surface of the skin, calming the heat and irritation of a burn. The viscous juice of the aloe vera plant contains natural inflammation fighters, called salicylates.

As pain and swelling subside, other aloe ingredients (a.k.a. polysaccharides) goad the body into making antibodies, which speed healing.

Petri-dish studies show that regenerating skin cells, called fibroblasts, reproduce up to four times faster when treated with aloe vera. “When it comes to sunburn, aloe vera works beautifully,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of Pain Free 1-2-3 (McGraw-Hill, 2004).

How to: Slather aloe vera gel onto a sunburn or minor kitchen burn every couple of hours until heat dissipates and pain lessens. Look for ingredient lists with aloe vera near the top.

Aloe vera gels can be naturally drying, so you might want to apply a moisturizer once the aloe has done its job. (Particularly for burns, avoid aloe products with alcohol, which can further dry out the skin.)

And skip the day-glo green aloe vera gels, which are laced with artificial colors.

Tip: It won’t fit in your medicine cabinet, but if you’re willing to think outside the box, keep an aloe vera plant in the kitchen. For burns, clip segments from the oldest, bottom-most leaves (so you don’t stunt the plant’s growth) and slather the juice on your red, inflamed skin.

It should quickly relieve the pain. If the pain returns, simply clip another segment and apply more gel.

EucalyptusEucalyptus Essential Oil

Good for: Upper-respiratory infection

Because: Squeezed from the leaves and branch tips of eucalyptus trees, eucalyptus oil also has antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties, all of which may help fight off infection and speed recovery.

Eucalyptus oil is also an expectorant, meaning it helps expel mucous from the lungs.

How to: Put two or three drops of eucalyptus essential oil in a pot of boiling water and inhale the steam. For children with chest colds, add a few drops to a vaporizer and run it in their bedroom at night.

During the day, a couple of drops of essential oil placed under the nose can keep congestion at bay. Smell familiar? Eucalyptus owes its activity to menthol, a key ingredient in most vapor rubs.

Tip: A little eucalyptus oil goes a long way. Too much of any essential oil can be a skin irritant, so use sparingly as a topical treatment.

PeppermintPeppermint Tea, Tablets and Essential Oil

Good for: Stomach cramps and bloating (use tea or tablets), as well as aches and pains including headaches (use essential oil)

Because: Topically, in small doses, peppermint oil eases the pain of sore muscles and headaches by stimulating nerve receptors on the skin, which override pain signals, says Teitelbaum, who serves as medical director of the national Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Centers.

“There is only so much signal that can travel along any given nerve, and I’d rather have a minty-fresh signal than an ouch signal.”

Internally, peppermint can be inhaled, tossed back in a tablet or sipped as a tea. For a stuffy nose, a few drops of peppermint essential oil in a vaporizer can ease breathing.

For stomach troubles after a meal, a simple cup of peppermint tea aids digestion and supports the breakdown of food.

For intestinal problems, though, peppermint tablets are best. Peppermint is a muscle relaxant, so the herb can relax muscles that are prone to cramping during digestion.

In a 2007 study published in the journal Digestive and Liver Disease, patients with IBS who swallowed peppermint capsules one hour before eating felt a 75 percent reduction in symptoms, compared with only a 38 percent drop for those who popped placebos.

One caveat: If muscle-relaxing peppermint oils come into contact with the esophageal sphincter, they can cause it to loosen up, which can lead to heartburn.

The fix is to use enteric-coated peppermint capsules, which protect the esophagus on the way down and get the cramp-relieving oils where they need to be — in the colon, explains Jamey Wallace, ND, clinical medical director of Bastyr Center for Natural Health in Seattle, Wash.

How to: For tension headaches, massage two to four drops of peppermint oil into the skin of the forehead (more than that can be irritating when applied directly to the skin). To soothe a cough, squeeze three to four drops of peppermint oil into hot water or a vaporizer and inhale the steam. For digestion, drink a cup of peppermint tea after a meal. And, if you’ve been diagnosed with an irritated colon, try enteric-coated peppermint tablets and follow instructions on the label.

Tip: Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council, likes to keep peppermint spirits handy for a quick stomach soother. A blend of peppermint leaf extract and peppermint essential oil, peppermint spirits offer fast-acting relief from both stomach upset and gas. Place a dropper’s worth of spirits in a glass of water and drink up.

Oscillococcinum

Good for: Relieving flu symptoms

Because: This homeopathic flu remedy contains a highly diluted concentration of the virus (so diluted, in fact, that no clinically testable trace of the flu is in the final formula), which sparks the body’s immune system to fight off the bug.

Several studies have shown that oscillococcinum not only lessens the severity of flu symptoms but also shortens their duration.

The latest research, published in the British Homeopathic Journal, found that nearly 63 percent of people who took oscillococcinum within 24 hours of flu onset showed either “clear improvement” or “complete resolution” within 48 hours.

Homeopathy works on a different set of principles than conventional medicine — its basic approach is that “like treats like” — therefore, randomized-controlled trials (the gold standard of Western medicine) are difficult to design.

“Even though the remedy only contains an energetic imprint of the flu,” says Wallace, “the body summons the immune system to respond to the virus to fight it off.”

Farfetched though it may seem, some doctors are keeping a more open mind about homeopathic remedies these days. Mehmet Oz, MD, appeared on Oprah a few years ago and touted energy medicine (which includes homeopathy) as the next big frontier in modern medicine.

How to: Like any flu-preventative, oscillococcinum works best if taken early, preferably within 24 hours of experiencing bodywide aches, fever and runny nose. Again, follow instructions on the label.

Tip: Substances such as caffeine, chocolate, mint and menthol are thought to dampen the power of homeopathic remedies, so try to avoid them while using oscillococcinum.

Valerian Capsules or Tincture

Good for: Insomnia

Because: Used as a sleep aid since the times of the ancient Greeks, valerian is one of the best-studied herbs for insomnia.

A stack of studies show that valerian shortens the time it takes to fall asleep without leaving you with any of the “hangover” side effects common with prescription sleep aids.

Exactly how valerian works is unclear. Like most plant-based remedies, it’s probably a combination of factors. For instance, animal studies indicate valerian’s volatile oils have sedative properties.

Other studies show the herb tricks the brain into releasing more GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a calming neurotransmitter, before blocking it from being sucked up by nerve cells, so the GABA continues to circulate and encourage sleep.

How to: The herb’s potency varies depending on the product, so it’s best to follow dosage instructions on the label. A common therapeutic dose is 300 mg of standardized (0.5 percent essential oil) valerian extract.

Instead of taking it all at once, you might take three 100-mg capsules over the course of the evening to gradually ease your body into sleep mode.

Or, if using a tincture (a concentrated, liquid form of the herb), dilute a dropper’s worth of valerian in a cup of water and drink one dose after dinner and another before bed.

Madelon Hope advises keeping either a valerian capsule or diluted tincture by the bedside for middle-of-the-night wakeups.

Tip: In about 10 percent of people, valerian actually creates restlessness and anxiety, so take a fraction of a dose the first time to make sure you’re not one of the unlucky few.

Rescue Remedy

Good for: Anxiety, emotional upset or panic

Because: Rescue Remedy, the most popular of the many flower remedies, is a blend of five different flower essences, each countering a particular type of stress.

Flower remedies are made mostly from wildflowers infused in water, then filtered and preserved with equal parts brandy. Medical evidence detailing if and how flower essences work is sparse, but that doesn’t keep many integrative physicians from swearing by them.

“Flower remedies fall under the art of medicine and the heart of healing,” says Teitelbaum. “Who the heck knows how they work, but they do.”

How to: To manage everyday stress, place four drops on the tongue three or four times a day. Or dilute the drops in a glass of water and sip throughout the day. For acute stress or anxiety, take four drops every 20 minutes until feelings subside.

Tip: One of the biggest perks of flower essences is that they have absolutely no side effects. Alcohol-free versions of Rescue Remedy are available for children and pets.

Andrographis Paniculata Tincture

Good for: Fighting off colds

Because: An immune-enhancing herb common in traditional Chinese medicine, Andrographis paniculata is a potent infection-fighter. In a review of 11 double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, Andrographis paniculata repeatedly curtailed cold and flu symptoms.

In one of the best studies to date, the herb outperformed placebo by squelching cold symptoms, including headache, runny nose and sore throat.

How does it work? “Like every herb, Andrographis paniculata has many, many active constituents,” says Hope, “but a big part of its usefulness are powerful antimicrobial substances.”

How to: A dose of Andrographis paniculata is 400 mg three times a day.

Tip: If a cold feels imminent, choose a tincture over a capsule or tablet, says Hope. Tinctures are easily absorbed by the body; therefore, they get to work faster.

“When I’m on the threshold of a cold, three to four dropper’s worth of Andrographis in a glass of water a day is very effective.”

Dr. Schulze’s Intestinal Formula #1

Good for: Occasional constipation

Because: This product packs a virtual who’s who of the herbal laxative world, with two varieties of aloe leaf extracts as its top ingredients, followed closely by senna leaf and cascara sagrada, two lesser-known bowel-movement helpers.

Aloe, although best known as an external salve, has a long history as a laxative, too. Plant compounds in aloe stimulate the inner lining of the colon, upping what experts aptly call the gut’s “transit time.”

While supplements containing aloe, such as Dr. Schulze’s Intestinal Formula #1, definitely get the job done, it’s important to use them cautiously and to follow their directions to the letter.

Overdoing any laxative can lead to diarrhea and dehydration.

How to: Follow the directions on the label exactly, building dosage a capsule at a time until the desired effect is achieved. Not for daily use. See package for other contraindications.

Tip: Aloe works, in part, by slightly irritating the gut, thereby loosening stuck material and encouraging the lower bowel to move, so steer clear of aloe products if you have an inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s.

Also avoid taking this product if you will be far from a bathroom, since the need to eliminate can come on suddenly.

Stocking your medicine cabinet with natural cures is a safe, practical way to prepare for life’s little accidents, infections and intermittent health challenges.

It’s important to choose products you feel comfortable with, though, and it’s fine to steer clear of any products whose claims seem overblown, or whose ingredients give you pause.

While you’re experimenting, continue stocking those tried-and-true conventional remedies that give you both good results and peace of mind.

Over time, you’ll discover which new natural favorites complement your cache of conventional standards, and which of them might eventually take their place.

And if reaching for plant-based remedies feels a little strange at first, take comfort in the fact that many modern pharmaceuticals still depend on natural ingredients as a basis for their formulations.

“Plant-based remedies got our ancestors through centuries of coughs, colds and infections,” says Blumenthal. And they are still doing that same job today.

 

Filed Under: Mind Body Spirit

Spiritual Nourishment: How Eating Impacts Your Soul

November 27, 2014 By

fruits and veggiesBy: Victoria Moran / Source: Cleveland Clinic  Wellness  

There is an old Bavarian saying: Eating keeps body and soul together. Evidence now suggests that our spiritual lives impact our relationship with food and that the foods we eat can affect our spiritual sensibilities.

Dine Like a Yogi

The ancient seers who developed yoga may have been the world’s first nutritionists, looking for a diet that could contribute to both health of body and peace of mind.

They determined that aged, stale, overcooked foods led to lethargy and laziness, while caffeine, hot spices and even an excess of animal protein created a level of stimulation that was antagonistic to the spiritual life.

They suggested instead a diet comprised primarily of fresh vegetables, whole grains, fruits, beans, nuts and “milk from healthy cows.”

This is surprisingly close to today’s cutting-edge nutritional recommendations that call for eating five to 10 daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, consuming minimally refined grains (oatmeal, 100 percent whole-wheat bread and brown rice) and choosing plant protein options (e.g., garbanzos, lentils and soy products, such as edamame and tofu) several times a week.

Moderation and Mindfulness

Add a yogic exercise program to a yogic diet and you may find yourself eating more moderately. Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that “mindful eating” is one of yoga’s welcome side effects.

The study showed that students’ awareness of both why they were eating and when they’d had enough led to less weight gain over time, independent of calories burned doing yoga.

Head researcher Alan Kristal, DrPH, of the University of Washington School of Public Health says, “This ability to be calm and observant during physical discomfort [i.e., maintaining a difficult yoga posture] teaches how to maintain calm in other challenging situations, such as not eating more, even when the food tastes good and when you’re not hungry.”

For yogis and the rest of us, selecting fresh, colorful, whole foods may well improve both physical and spiritual health. “Choosing foods that are alive, full of energy and harvested in a peaceful way nurtures our entire being,” says theologian Norris Chumley, PhD, the author of The Joy of Weight Loss: A Spiritual Guide to Easy Fitness. “We feel fully alive, energetic and peaceful from eating in a healthy, conscious way.”

Invite Your Soul to Dinner

Even in our busy lives, there are some easy ways to make mealtime a nourishing experience on every level. Try these:

• Prepare food mindfully. The Sikh tradition suggests that the cook pause for a moment at the kitchen door to be sure she (or he) is in a calm frame of mind and “worthy” of the sacred task at hand.

If one’s spiritual state isn’t up to par, the recommendation is to spend a few minutes in prayer or taking a meditative walk before fixing the meal.

• Honor your body with the foods you select. To support and sustain the very best life, choose the very best food to support and sustain you. Try to eliminate snack foods and eating on the run.

Select seasonal produce and center meals around health-supporting, low-cost staples, such as brown rice, red beans, split peas, carrots, yams, greens, apples, citrus fruits and bananas.

• Base your diet on fresh, natural foods. “Eating is an agricultural act,” says social critic Wendell Barry. Get a visceral understanding of what this means — that food really is a gift from nature — by growing a garden, or even a tomato plant on the balcony, or sunflower sprouts on the kitchen counter.

Shop at farmers’ markets and talk to the people who work the land. Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), where you purchase a share in a small local farm for the season.

In these ways, you’ll develop an appreciation for whole, basic foods, making it easier to keep the packaged, processed foods in the occasional-treat category.

• Say grace at mealtimes. Grace doesn’t have to be a religious prayer. A word of appreciation, or a moment of silence before eating, calms the mind and gets you ready to enjoy a relaxed lunch or dinner. This leads to eating more slowly and feeling more satisfied.

Fit From Within

If food is often too much of a good thing in your life, drawing on your spiritual reserves can help you stay moderate and not feel deprived.

An article in Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly stated, “Those with smoking, alcohol and eating addictions who have been trained in meditation break their addictions with significantly lower relapse rates than those receiving standard therapies.”

It makes sense, then, that Overeaters Anonymous bases its program on the Twelve Steps, originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous.

These famous steps are simply a nondenominational, spiritual action plan that includes turning things “over to the care of God, as we understood Him,” helping others and practicing prayer and meditation.

Cravings can sometimes be stopped in their tracks with a few minutes of quiet contemplation, or by writing a gratitude list, e.g., “I’m grateful for (a) my dog, (b) easy traffic this morning, (c) the fabulous book I’m reading….”

We can also take the focus off ourselves (and the candy machine) by doing a good turn for another person.

When it is time to eat, enjoy without overdoing it. See every meal as a tiny celebration. Put your morning OJ in a wineglass. Take lunch to the park instead of staying at your desk.

And for dinner, why not pull out all the stops? Use the good dishes more often (what are you saving them for?), and put flowers on the table whenever your roses are in bloom or daisies are on sale at the store.

Keep the conversation light, and if you’re dining by yourself, take the opportunity to focus on the tastes and textures of the food — it’s a very different experience from inhaling a meal before you rush to your next commitment.

Alone or in company, put your fork down between bites. And say, “This is really good!” whenever the spirit moves you.

Filed Under: Mind Body Spirit

8 Clues That A Spiritual Awakening Is Happening

November 20, 2014 By

consciousness-300x213By: Michelle Walling, CHLC / Source: in5d

In essence, a spiritual awakening occurs each moment we make a choice. However, one day a grand opportunity for awakening occurs that will change the past, present, and the future.

When the choice is made to advance beyond the old beliefs and patterns, triggers and clues emerge that are telltale signs of a spiritual awakening.

1. We question who we are

One of the main things we begin to question in our spiritual awakening is who we really are. Through various teachings and information available in books and on the internet, we get clues to how to go within.

By going within we realize that we are an infinite being having a physical experience in a human body.

The biggest realization in a spiritual awakening involves remembering that we have always had a connection to our creator but it has been veiled from us by a group of beings that wanted to control us.

Then we realize that there is not only a connection to our creator Source, but we then gain an understanding of what it means to be a holographic spark of that Source.

The understanding that you are a fractal of an omnipotent Creator being changes everything because accepting who you are reflects the love of your Creator.

It mirrors back unconditional love and allows both you as an individual and the Creator as an infinite being the understanding of identity.

2. We question why we are here

Once we begin to realize who we are we are drawn to question why we are here. The life purpose is different for each individual however, we begin to search for soul groups that have similar likes as we do.

Some people are attracted to the ET/planetary groups while others are attracted to the meditative/spiritual theme. Ultimately these groups are the same thing packaged differently and are great tools to connect with like minded individuals.

We begin to remember that we made agreements to mirror our life purposes to one another.

Living out our life purpose is one of the most fulfilling things we can do. It is on the mind of most all spiritually awakened people. People often make finding their life purpose more complicated than it needs to be.

Many times the answer has been in your life all along but your energy was not directed toward it. Doing what makes you feel happy without harming another person is a big clue toward your life purpose.

3. Our lives turn upside down

Once we realize that we are spirits living in a physical body, we suddenly see that we live in a world where everything is backwards and upside down.

We begin to right things and withdraw our energy from the system that has been created to enslave and control us.

We begin to be able to read the secret code around us in symbols and language that is embedded with trickery and magic spells that do not have our best interests in mind.

We learn how to offset this black magic with white magic and begin to think for ourselves with clarity and purpose.

4. We begin to experience synchronicities beyond coincidence

Synchronicities are a clue that a person is on the highest path. They may come through a repeated catch phrase or word that you see several times a day or even throughout an extended period of time.

Often times a person will happen to glance at the clock at just the right moment where 11:11 appears or a derivative of it like 2:22, 3:33, etc.

Things begin to unfold in our life seamlessly and we may experience precognition and deju vu more often.

Eventually we learn that our reality is a malleable matrix comparable to a television program; if we do not like what we see we learn to it change it by changing the frequency or channel.

5. We lose a lot of people in our life and gain a few very important new relationships

As the spiritual awakening progresses, the creative energy we are made of vibrates at a faster rate. This particle acceleration changes how we affect others and may even make people uncomfortable that have yet to begin this process.

We find that some people are forced away from us because their defense mechanisms kick in and their ego creates an excuse for them to not want to be around us anymore.

As we look back, we vagely remember those who have fallen away. Awakening and advancement is a choice that not everyone will make, but those that do begin close knit relationships based on trust.

Due to the Universal Law of Vibrational Attainment, our vibrational level will naturally attract those of the same level to us like magnets.

Since the percentage of people on the planet who have awakened at this time is less that 51%, we may find ourselves suddenly moving for a new job or perhaps we follow a dream that we have always had to live in a certain location where our soul mates have the opportunity to appear in our lives.

6. We get rid of clutter and material possessions

Spring cleaning comes any time of the year when we understand the energy attached to excess clutter and material things that weigh us down.

The ancient practice of Feng Shui takes into consideration that positive energy flow in a room or a house can bring harmony to those who occupy it.

If a person has gone through the transition of moving, the feeling of lessening the load is liberating and palpable. We begin to realize that material possession brainwashing was created to weigh us down and keep us vibrating at a slower, dense speed.

7. We realize love is the basic building block

One of the biggest accomplishments in a spiritual awakening is peeling back the layers of protection around our heart.

For most people this lifetime has been full of heartbreaks, whether it is from a relationship gone bad, a best friend betrayal, or even a child leaving home for college.

Positive occurrences include the birth of a child or finding a healthy relationship that allows growth together as you share the spiritual awakening path.

The ability to attract the right partner or soul mate begins with doing the work of loving yourself for who you are. A chain reaction of events will occur that will bring up stuck energy that can be cleared in order to prepare yourself for a healthy, loving relationship.

This period of time has been called “The Dark Night Of The Soul”. If you had already found your soul mate before your spiritual awakening, than you find yourself in a really good position to have someone who will support you while you do your inner work.

Whether we realize it or not, we affect everyone around us in our proximity. We are all in a symbiotic relationship of loving each other at a soul level, and when it becomes a conscious awareness practice it is magnified beyond expression.

The affect you have on someone else’s vibration may not seem positive in the beginning because a person’s reality may begin to fizzle apart just like it did for you.

One day soon everyone who awakens will look back and realize that the domino effect of the vibration of love is what changed the world.

8. We become the calm during the storm

By realizing that we accomplished a spiritual awakening in this lifetime, we move from survival and fear to forgiveness and love.

When we release the fear of survival and dying, it creates a space within us to create our future while changing our past. This usually creates a longing to be of service to others.

Teaching, sharing, loving, and healing become our new goals and we long for everyone to wake up and smell the roses.

A shared goal of freedom

Following the clues and confirmations along the path will lead to the highest calling of love and happiness. Changing the world occurs one person at a time and starts with responsibility of awareness and intention on an individual level.

The ultimate realization of the big picture is that humanity has been enslaved by a small group of beings that have kept us locked in a low vibration. Those that become aware of this naturally gain the tools to free themselves of this prison.

Becoming spiritually awakened goes hand in hand with increasing your consciousness and bringing more of your soul essence into this lifetime. Love heals all and truly is the key to change.

When we love ourselves we create a space to love others. All war, competition, and domination falls away and the answers to all of questions become available on an individual level.

The increase in the number of spiritually awakened people has made an impact on the planet and will continue until we have freed ourselves and collectively choose a new reality.

Filed Under: Astrology

4 Mantras To Help When You’re In A Dark Place

November 20, 2014 By

shining_in_a_dark_place_by_byonder-d2xof1xBy: Shannon Kaiser / Source: Mind Body Green

Several years ago I hit rock bottom. I was in a job I hated, and in a romantic relationship that was superficial and fueled with fights and drug binges. I was stuck in every area of my life.

I would put happy faces on my calendar for days that I didn’t cry. After three months, there were only five happy faces in the entire 90-day period. My depression was overwhelming, and I realized I needed to do something about it.

When you’re in a depression or dark period of your life, it’s almost impossible to see a way out. But knowing that you are not alone can help.

I found out my deep, dark depression was part of a quarter-life crisis, which for many people in their late twenties, is known as Saturn Returns.

Saturn Returns is the astrological period of our life when the planet Saturn completes its orbit around the Sun. It happens every 29.5 years; so if you’ve skipped by this turbulent time in your late 20’s, you could be feeling the effects in your late 50’s.

What does this mean? Whether you dig astrology or not, this planet is orbiting around the sun, which means vibrational shifts will fall into your life.

More specifically, careers could take off — or they will completely flop. You could meet the love of our life — or run away from your current partner who you thought was your happily ever after.

For me, the pressure felt insurmountable. But once I realized my so-called “quarter-life crisis” was really just part of growing up, I was able to make decisions aligned with my true self.

And after surviving my own Saturn Returns, I can tell you about the light on the other side of the tunnel. I’m living my dream life today, and it came about because I dove deep into my depression.

Saturn Returns and depression (no matter what age of your life) can help you be a stronger person. Your future self is rooting for you! If you are currently in this gray period of your life, try one of these motivational mantras to help you through.

1. Trust your heart.

The turbulence in your life can be an opportunity to consider a new path. Don’t be afraid to let go of what no longer serves you. Do you feel suffocated by your current job?

Now is the time to hire a life coach, quit, or start dreaming about a job that brings you more joy. Are you feeling trapped in your relationship? Perhaps it’s time to say goodbye. Trust your heart it will never lead you astray.

It may feel like your world is turning upside down, but what is really happening is that all of the things you have outgrown, or no longer want, are coming loose so you can step into a revised version of yourself.

Motivational mantra to help you get through: Remember, things fall apart so better things can fall into place.

2. Explore your expectations.

Take a look at your expectations — both of how you thought your life was going to be at this point, and where you think you’re heading. Saturn Returns and depression are all about exploration, learning more about what you need in life, and deep inner reflection.

Be gentle to yourself during any dark period, give yourself permission to think about your expectations and if they really align with your heart’s true desire.

Motivational mantra to help you get through: My future self is rooting for me, I release expectations on what I thought my life would be like.

3. Go on a future trip.

Being in a depression or navigating Saturn Returns can help us learn about ourselves, if we’re willing. Give yourself permission to dive into self-reflection mode.

Turning inward will help you ride the waves of uncertainly more smoothly. Let your imagination and those inner voices guide you. Where our mind drifts to the most often is where our heart is.

I trusted my own day dreams and went from a conservative advertising corporate climber to a wanderlusting travel writer.

Motivational mantra to help you get through: I trust my inner voice. I let my imagination and inner voices guide me.

4. Trust the process.

It’s never too late, ever, to be the person who you are really supposed to be. The pain, depression and turbulence in our lives can come when we hold on to patterns, beliefs, jobs, relationships lifestyle choice, and environments that no longer serve us.

Letting go and releasing your resistance to the unknown will help you glide into the next phase of your life.

Motivational mantra to help you get through: In order to fly I will give up the crap that is weighting me down. I release my attachment to the outcome.

When we go through Saturn Returns, depression or any dark period of our life, remember there is beauty in breakdown, and the pain could be a life push to guide you to what is most important.

Filed Under: Mind Body Spirit
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