For those of you digging Anodea Judith’s framework, here are the basics on the crown chakra:
Color: purple (or clear/white)
Element: thought
Orientation: self knowledge (of the divinity of self)
Purpose: to understand (higher consciousness)
Identity: universal
Rights: to know, to learn
Demon: attachment
Sometimes it seems like we are randomly gifted by peak experiences, when we feel indubitably connected to something bigger than us all, something that gives us a glimpse beyond the veil, something that enables us to transcend the hustle and bustle of the everyday. These moments can feel truly life-changing, but when we come back down from that experience and re-enter the familiar rhythm of daily life, it’s easy to feel disconnected from that magic. One way we can integrate those peak experiences into our present reality is to recall—bodily—what it felt like in that moment. You can start with memory, but the point is to bring it down from the mind into a highly sensual experience. The more you can transport yourself back to that moment and relive it through all your senses and emotions, the easier it will be to anchor it into your body. What you are doing is anchoring the vibration of the experience so you can recall it and reexperience it ever more easily going forward. (more…)
Broke my two and a half weeks of almost complete solitude and quiet (save for fly class) with #dreamersschemers. We learned about the #crownchakra and on different ways to bring in and anchor the feeling of spiritual connection in our bodies. Sending extra love to @soulhandles at this time. #meditation
I had this great list of things we could do in our intuition “playshop,” but all anyone wanted to do was draw cards. So here I will simply list all the other ideas I had, and then move on to my tips for working with oracle/tarot cards in the easiest, Read more…
3D Magic Eye images are computer-generated pictures that contain hidden three-dimensional images beneath a surface of really busy patterns. To successfully see the image, you have to be able to shift your focus to a more relaxed gaze and see “beyond” the surface into its depths. I used to do this with physical posters in high school, but you can also buy Magic Eye books or, most easily, google images on your phone. Whatever format you choose, know that you will probably be physically moving your eyes and the images away and toward each other until you find the sweet spot where the image suddenly emerges. As I wrote in the minutes, “To successfully see the hidden images in these sorts of [pictures], you really need to shift how you look at the [picture] by softening your gaze and looking past the surface details and finding the hidden depths.”
Interestingly enough, barring any eye or brain conditions, what gets in the way of us seeing the hidden images are many of the same things that get in the way of us connecting with our own internal sense of vision: inflexibility, impatience, and doubt, for starters. (more…)
This is a restorative meditation that is great to use when you’re running ragged and feel you need to slough off other people’s energies and all your worries and concerns so you can come back to center and fill yourself back up again. It is similar to the Personal Sun Read more…
Getting to know you
This month we checked in on our intuition journals (or just what we noticed about our intuitive connection) over the past month. One thing of great note was the one of our participants noticed that she had gotten an intuitive hit about something, but then proceeded to downplay it or ignore it, and then when things panned out as her intuition had warned her, she had that awareness of having gotten that message. She said that in the past she might not have even noticed that she had gotten that warning, but because we had trained our attention to our intuition over the last couple of months, she was able to notice the connection working for her.
I think lessons like this are really important, and just as valuable as all those times when we follow our intuition. It’s all a part of noticing and understanding how are intuitive connection works for us, and how we still operate under free will to weigh the risks or effort of taking the advice of our own intuition.
My own observation about my intuitive connection this past month was how illness affects it. Even though I “only” came down with a slight cold, it was much more difficult for me even just to sit in meditation, let alone work in the Akashic Records. I had to drum up self compassion to stave off the self judgment that can come up in these kinds of situations. It was a wonderful experience being held by the circle as I recounted this process.
As human beings, we have a lot of ways of knowing, and it can make life a whole lot easier when we can figure out how we know what we know, and tap into the most appropriate channels of knowing for every context we find ourselves in. Earlier this summer we talked a lot about discerning the difference between being in our head vs. heart because I am convinced that we tend to overuse our heads in situations where our hearts should be leading. This leads to a lot of overthinking, second-guessing, doubt, and confusion. Our heart knows what it knows, but our head constantly gets in the way. This month I revisited that idea, but with more complexity.
HEAD
First, I want to emphasize the fact that our intellectual faculty is not the enemy. There are times when the head should very definitely lead the way. Deciding between health insurance plans, for example, is a choice we want to be very rational about, because it is a decision that requires us to assess very tangible needs and constraints from financial and medical points of view. Reading through lists, crunching numbers, planning, and making sense of data is all stuff that our brains are equipped to do. The intellect is also great in a supporting role. Once you make a decision from a deeper place in your being (e.g., where you want to take your next vacation), you can task your head with budgeting, planning, and filling out the details.
I still maintain, however, that we tend to rely on our head too much. For some people, it’s when try try to make career decisions. For others, it might be in their romantic relationships. At first it can be challenging to catch ourselves overthinking, because we are so accustomed to being in our heads, and it gives us a (false) sense of being in control. But the more you drop into your body (in meditation, in any mindfulness practice), the more you will recognize the feeling of being in your head. Also, here’s another clue: If you are asking the question “Should I…?” a lot, you are probably too much in your head about something. When you find yourself in this position, I recommend you drop down “lower” or “deeper” into your being. Where, exactly, depends on the context (more on that below). (more…)
The third eye is the sixth chakra, and it is located in the spot right above the middle of the eyebrows, though many also associate it with the pineal gland in the center of the head. Its color is indigo, its element is light, and it is the energy Read more…
Agreements and getting to know you It was such a thrill to welcome back a couple Dreamers & Schemers who had been away for various reasons (maternity leave, summer schedules). I took my time this month going over the three agreements holding up our sacred space. I also tossed out Read more…