The breath of life
Breath is part of many ancient spiritual practices. Yoga and meditation help us access our inner wisdom and strengthen our connection to the divine, for example, leading to inner peace.Breath helps us lessen anxiety and work through pain. It is also one of the most effective tools in our spiritual toolbox for moving and releasing energy.Here are some suggestions for working with the breath:· Breathe deeply and set your intention for the day before getting out of bed in the morning. If there’s...
Nature as a balm for the ego
Over the weekend while researching hiking trails on the web, I noticed a place near Sioux Falls called the Beaver Creek Nature Area. It sounded intriguing, but the online trail guide rated it as “very difficult” and “extremely hilly.” I was more interested in enjoying nature and stretching my legs than in getting a strenuous aerobic workout.The trail ranking also brought out some old fears about hiking. What if I slipped and twisted an ankle or wrenched a knee? What if I got myself down a steep incline and...
The healing energy of water
Sunday morning I woke up feeling depleted and needing to recharge my energy. In the past, when I’ve been tired or out of balance in my life, water has soothed my frazzled senses, filling me up again and helping me find my way back to my self.Once more, water called. So I drove to the Big Sioux Recreation Area and went for a walk on the Valley of the Giants Trail, named for the grandmother and grandfather cottonwood trees growing along the river.The beginning of the trail wound along the ridge overlooking the river, then cut down to the...
Being grounded and working through fear
My mother tells a story from my childhood. I was about 3 years old. She packed a picnic basket, and we met my dad where he was working out in the field and ate lunch together. She spread a blanket on the ground for me to play on. I was content with a toy until a grasshopper landed next to me. I screamed until she put me in the car, safe from flying insects.This story came to mind Saturday as I walked at Arrowhead Park just outside of Sioux Falls. The trails meander through a restored prairie built around an old quarry. It was a sunny autumn...
Formal and informal queries
Signs and messages sometimes come in response to a query we’ve posed to the Universe. These queries may have been formally or informally made.A formal query is a request placed to Spirit for some kind of assistance. Formal queries may take the form of praying for an intercession or a blessing, holding an intention for manifestation, or asking spirit guides to share their wisdom. All of these examples include an official, direct invitation to Spirit to take action.Informal queries are requests addressed to others but overheard by Spirit....
Getting immediate feedback from the Universe
Spiritual awareness arrives faster than ever these days. Part of this acceleration is getting feedback from Spirit immediately – particularly if we do or say something out of alignment with our spiritual path.Last week I commented to a friend that I was pleasantly surprised at how grounded I had stayed throughout my mother’s treatments for lung cancer. Less than an hour later, I found myself becoming more and more ungrounded from an unexpected set of circumstances. The Universe heard my statement and quickly gave me reason to...