How do you stay true to yourself?  Right now, with the political and social climate that we live in, it's tough to dissect feelings and emotions to know what is true and what is a reflection of others.  If you spend any time on social media these days, no doubt the amount of one-sided posts you read  make your brain go crazy.  Our world is full of unrest and uncertainty, but it is also full of love.  The thing that we are missing the most is balance.  You have to approach social and political issues knowing where you stand on them and what your gut is telling you.  Be informed, do your research, but don't follow one particular person or voice just because they are the loudest or most well-known for their opinions.  Also, don't pick someone just because they are completely in alignment with your thoughts and opinions.  Wait...what?  You might be questioning that last statement.  Think about it.  If you only listen to people who have the exact same opinions that you do, how do you expand or open your mind to other perspectives?  That old saying that there are certain things to avoid in conversations with friends-politics, religion and finances...wrong.  If you have friends that are truly good friends you should be able to talk about these things to help expand your mind.  If we only surround ourselves with 'like-minded' people we really limit our sphere of thought expansion and acceptance.

     It's so easy to be persuaded to take one side in a situation when that's all that is in front of you.  If you don't ever consider the other side, or perspective, you can't make an informed decision or opinion for yourself.  This takes us back to 'staying true to you.'  How do you know when you are being true to you?  What does it feel like?  Can your opinion change?  The answers to those questions are pretty simple.  You will know that you are being true to your own beliefs and feelings when it feels good deep in your gut, in your heart and in your mind.  You will feel settled.  Yes, your opinion can change-it should.  The more that you know, the more you investigate, the more research you do, the more you learn-the more often you will find that your opinion changes.  A belief and an opinion are really not that different.  Some say that a belief is based on personal faith and an opinion is based on feelings and assumptions.  When you add in knowledge and understanding to feelings and assumptions, that seems a better definition of 'opinion.' 

     It is a good practice to try to not be defensive over your opinions and feelings.  When we become defensive over something we think we completely understand, we lose the possibility of learning more and having a more comprehensive understanding.  Simply put, keep an open mind, don't become defensive over your own opinions and be respectful and open to others opinions.  Yes, these things may seem like simple human behaviors, but when we're faced with difficult conversations or experiences-we tend to forget them all together.  

      If I were to think of all of the things I wanted to write about this month, this wasn't actually at the top of my list.  However, we are already embroiled in the Holiday season and this is often when difficult conversations can arise with family, friends or acquaintances.  From my own experiences this year, there have been plenty of conversations I have had myself that I find these reminders to be helpful.  This year, I started back at work full-time, sent one kid off to college, had the other kid enter high school and I myself have started back to college to finish my degree.  There has been so much change this year and many experiences that have forced me to reconsider my opinions in many different areas.  Like I mentioned earlier, we often base our opinions off of what is right in front of us-with a bit of tunnel vision.  As we have new experiences and shift our worldview, we can open our mind and understanding exponentially. 

     The full-time work that I do brings out the 'type-A' in my personality, and not always the beneficial parts of that.  It has been a great experience for me to re-examine some aspects of my own short-sightedness.  I'll write more on my experiences this year in another post.  When I am able to focus on my part-time work (reiki, life-guidance, yoga, etc.) I am able to soften and round out the corners of the type-A.  Under the layers of it all, I hope that the work(s) I do help spread love and understanding.  

     If there's one thing I can leave you with tonight-it's to remember to keep love at the forefront, all of the time.  Lead with love.  Lead with understanding, empathy and openness.  Remember these things as we head out to Holiday parties and gatherings.  Help spread love, not opinions and judgement.

Happy Holidays to you all!

With love and light~
Mandi

                   

​We have just a short amount of time before 2018 wraps up! This year has been interesting, challenging, transitional and full of deep realizations and understandings. We had a year full of very interesting astrological planetary movements and cycles that were affecting us in ways seen and unseen.  These cycles often presented obstacles or difficult situations to sift through, with good intentions.  We often hear or see people talking about ‘lightwork’ and staying positive through these times. The very honest and raw truth is that the real transformation happens during the difficult times, when we are sometimes at our lowest and have been given the most challenging obstacles. Is it good to find the positive in hard situations? Absolutely. Are you expected to run around with a smile on your face blowing rainbow kisses and throwing sparkly confetti wherever you go?  Nope.  Pasting a big glittery sticker over top of a difficult situation does not make it go away.  'Handing it over' to someone or something else and expecting it to just disappear will not make it go away.  Even praying for the pain to be taken away will not fully heal you without knowing why the pain is there.  If you do not dig deep into that pile of emotions and fully understand it, there is no meditation/prayer that will just *poof* it away.  That is simply a way of bypassing a situation.  Dig deep, understand it, you may not know the reasons for it, but you can understand your emotions and reactions around it.  Knowing that you will come out of whatever you are going through with a better understanding of life and humanity may not feel warm and fuzzy while you are experiencing something difficult, but when you look back on it, you will find the value in it.  

How do we prepare for 2019 if we still are holding on to 'stuff' from this year?  Great question.  We're going to talk about some things you can do on your own to help you release what is no longer needed, what is no longer serving you and possibly what could be keeping you from moving forward next year.    

First, do a scan over the last year and see what sticks out that feels 'unfinished' or still weighs heavy on you.  This is not about the things that were light and happy.  Those events and happenings aren't meant to be released right now.  We're talking about the difficult and challenging issues that you maybe didn't get a chance to process, or possibly just stuffed down or glanced over so that you could move forward this past year.  However, these are the things that will come back up over and over again if they aren't released or dealt with.  Write these down.  Write it down on a piece of paper you can get rid of.  

The next step in the process is to identify what emotions are attached to those events or happenings.  This is where it gets a little more down and dirty.  Associate emotions with each thing that is coming up.  Write down the emotions next to the event/person/situation/thought-get as specific as you can.  Where are you feeling each emotion in your body?  If you don't know how to answer that question, that's okay.  This step won't keep you from doing this exercise.  If you want to try to tune-in to your body a little deeper to identify whether you can answer that question, try to meditate, take a bath, do yoga or tai-chi, walk in nature or do some breathwork before attempting that step.  Then, go back and ask yourself the question of where you are feeling the emotion-chances are there is going to be a specific area of the body that will tense up and give you the answer.  Ask yourself what you need to know about these emotions.  Let the words flow out onto the paper.  Do not block anything that is coming up, write it down.  These are the writings where those 'ah-ha' moments will begin to present themselves.  You'll start to make the connections between the events, the emotions and the underlying information about the emotions that needs to be released.    

Once you have finished your scan over the last year, written down what is still sticking around that needs addressed, figured out what emotions you associate with these events and tried to tune-in to the areas of the body  you are feeling the emotions-you are going to get rid of the piece of paper you have written the info on.  If you have a safe place to burn the paper in, please do that.  Other options would be to shred, cut, rip up, throw away or dispose of it in another safe way.  The most important part of this whole exercise is for you to be able to completely open up honestly with yourself about what you are holding on to from this past year, and then get rid of it.  It may take a little while for you to get down to the nitty gritty.  Oftentimes we find that when we glance over or stuff down our feelings and reactions to situations as we go through them, it takes a little time to bring it to the surface when it's time to address it.  While you are disposing of the paper, breathe deeply in and out and see yourself releasing the energy contained on the paper completely on your out-breath.  Each out-breath is a release of energy.  Each in-breath is bringing in clear, fresh energy to fill the space that the stagnant energy previously took root in. 

Here are some other suggestions for preparing for 2019 with a clearer mindset and lighter energy:

1. Sage your entire body and household.  Yes, sage your body.  If you cannot actually burn sage/cedar/incense/resin or any of the like, you can buy or make a spray that will effectively do the same thing.  There will be additional info on this in the newsletter coming out soon!  If you haven't already subscribed, now would be a good time to do so.    
2. Get rid of clutter.  Throw things out, donate, purge or give away.  Whatever you have lying around your house and spaces that is no longer needed or serving you-get rid of it.  Clear out that heavy energy by clearing out your space.  
3. Forgive.  Ahhh.  Just say the words "I forgive you."  You may be talking to yourself, or you may be directing this at someone else.  Start 2019 by clearing the slate by forgiving.  Forgiveness is a beautiful gift that comes from the heart and heals.  You can send forgiveness to someone energetically, but speaking it to them directly is even more healing.
4. Dance.  Yes-dance.  Turn some rocking music on and move your body!  Let all of the energy that has become stagnant over this year flow out through the creative movement of dance.  Allow the Sacral Chakra to activate and allow the energy to flow through.
5. Paint/Draw/Doodle.  Even if you aren't a creative sort, doodling is very therapeutic.  Anyone can pick up a paint brush and stick it in a paint and put the paint to paper or canvas.  It doesn't matter what it looks like.  The flow of energy that comes from activating that side of your brain is priceless.  Try it!
6. Journal.  You'll hear me say it again and again.  Writing things down is one of the best ways to clear things out-energetically.  Once you acknowledge and identify through the act of writing, sometimes that is all you need to do to release the energy of a situation or event.  
7. Gather.  Find a time to gather with your Sacred Circle of friends.  Spend that time helping one another talk through whatever issues you need help with.  Literally form a circle and allow each person to talk and share whatever it is they need to share and get advice on.  It is such a supportive and nurturing thing to do for one another. 
8. Get a massage, schedule a myofascial release session, deep tissue work, etc.  Have someone else work on your body to help release the energy that could be stuck deep down in the tissues.  Even after releasing trapped or hidden energy, sometimes the body needs a session of physical work to get it all moved out.

As I said earlier in the post, it's in the times that are difficult that real transformation happens.  It's not always easy or pretty, but it is necessary and needed.  If you have worked through some exercises and are still struggling with some things that came up for you this year, please contact me.  Emotion Release, Reiki and Energy Coaching sessions all work whether you are in a room next to me, or thousands of miles away-that's the beauty of this work.  If I am not the practitioner for you, I can certainly direct you to someone that can help.  My goal is to get you to where you need to be, whether that is working with me or with someone else.  This work is about healing the world, and that starts with each individual person.  We are all in this together.  My wish for you is that 2019 brings much abundance, prosperity, love and enlightenment to you!    

Love and Light~
Mandi 

     Who doesn't love to read an entire blog post about someone else's thoughts and ideas??  I'm pretty sure that's the definition of a blog.  Well, I didn't have a clever title for this one, so there it is.  We're heading into the holiday season, once again, and I just wanted to share some suggestions to maybe help you cope with all of the craziness that the season brings.  At the bottom of the post-there are some announcements about scheduling and about some new offerings through my store. 

     First, remember why you celebrate the holidays.  Keyword there being you.  Remember why you celebrate the holidays, not what popular opinion dictates.  What makes it special to you?  Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Winter Solstice, Festivus, Christmas or Kwanza-what about your holiday makes it important and what can you do to make it individually memorable for you and/or your family?  If the overload of dealing with holiday parties, family gatherings, gift buying and the chaos of traffic gets to you-keep reminding yourself of your 'why.'  There is no right or wrong way to enjoy and survive the holidays.  The key is to try and enjoy these coming weeks and try to make them as memorable as possible-in a positive light.  If you have too many parties and gatherings on the schedule-try and lighten the load a little.  Say 'no' to some so that you don't overtax yourself or your family.  Your presence is not required at every event-I promise.  

     If you're alone for the holidays, find ways that you can connect.  That is, if you want to connect!  Some of us prefer to have our privacy and hibernate during this time.  Some ways that you can make the holidays special when you are by yourself include:

• Taking a small trip if your finances allow.  Find a local inn to stay at.  Go skiing, hiking, walking or just relax.
• Make an apt at a spa to treat yourself.
• Reach out to loved ones.  Remember that there are two ends to communication-don't expect others to reach out to you, be the one to pick up the phone.  
• Volunteer.  Simple.  Find a place to volunteer where you can help others.  It's the best gift that you can give.
• Stay home.  If finances are tight, plan on staying home and creating a festive environment around you.  Light some candles, cook a good meal, take a long bath, put some warm pjs on and hang out on the couch binge-watching Netflix all day.  
• Plan a get-together with friends.  Friends are just as important as family members and sometimes spending the holidays with them is even more memorable and beneficial.
• Go for a walk.  Get outside and enjoy Mother Nature.  There's nothing more therapeutic than that.
• Journal or write about your experiences leading up to and during the holidays.  As odd as it sounds, allowing your feelings to express onto paper is very beneficial and can relieve some of the difficult emotions you may be experiencing.     

     I realize that there are restrictions on every single one of the things listed above for some people and that's okay.  Find something that you resonate with that makes the coming weeks enjoyable.  If you can anticipate and plan, the better the outcome will be!  If you have very deep-rooted emotions attached to the holidays that make this time completely miserable for you, please contact me for an Emotion Release Session.  It's truly amazing how helpful it is to let go of the energy of emotions that have been stuck inside of you.  That alone can completely change your outlook on the holidays.  Here's an interesting article about where some people experience emotions in their bodies-'Scientists Have Mapped Where People Feel Emotions in Their Bodies.'  Click here to read the article. Everyone is different and everyone traps emotional energy in different areas, but the article is worth reading because it shows that science is really taking note of how emotions can affect us physically.

     If you are planning on spending the holidays with family, and you have a lot of events coming up-make sure you make time in your schedule to have time to yourself.  Whether that is time to go to a Yoga class, meditate, walk, sit in silence, read a book, journal, watch TV, run, lift weights-whatever!  Just make sure that you have time for you, and if you have a family, time for your family built in to your schedule.  We can get so lost in planning for parties and events that we lose sight of the value of our own time.  Create lasting memories at home before you focus on everyone else.  

     If you are giving gifts for the holidays, try and make those gifts mean something.  If money is tight, suggest a gift exchange for your family instead of buying everyone a gift.  If money is really tight, make your holiday event simply a time to get together and share in the experience of family.  Play games, do trivia, have a big meal, make homemade cocoa, etc.  There are so many other things you can do to make the holidays special that won't make you go broke.  Consider donating to organizations in the name of people on your gift list-especially if you have people on your list that are interested in social activism and volunteering.  Figure out your budget ahead of time so that you aren't stressing over finances.  Do a google search for 'gifts under $XX' and I guarantee you'll come up with some decent gift ideas.  If you have kids, there's never a bad time to help them understand the true meaning of whatever holiday you are celebrating.  Create a tradition around the holiday that has nothing to do with spending money.  Make it about spending time with one another and  possibly helping out others.  We need more of that in our world right now.  

​      Hopefully this has given you a little bit of insight into some things you can do this holiday season to make it more memorable and enjoyable.  Make time to meditate, hit your mat for some yin yoga, do breathing exercises, sit in your car an extra five minutes at the end of the day to recalibrate before walking in the door, enjoy the sights and sounds around you and relax when you can.  I am burning some sage as I am writing this blog post and just the scent of it has me breathing deep and my whole body is relaxing as I sit here.  What a gift time is.  What a gift presence is.  Be present for yourself, for your family and for your loved ones.  Enjoy this holiday season as it comes upon us.  Remember why you celebrate your holiday(s).  You may just help others remember their reason as you do so.

Love and Light~
​Mandi  

​
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
​
New offering through the Etsy store!  Intention Bags <3  These bags are custom created for each individual ordering and created especially with their specific intention in mind.  They fit in a pocket, purse or bag.  I carry mine around wherever I go.  Each item has been hand-gathered by me, save for the crystals which are hand-picked by me.  Intention Bags will be shipping out the first week of December and make beautiful gifts.  You can find out more about them  here.  

Custom Mala orders!  Custom orders are coming in for holiday gifts and that is amazing-these are my favorite things to make for people to give as gifts.  It's truly energetic healing work that just keeps giving.  Please make sure you leave plenty of time to get your order in if you are interested in this for a gift.  I leave 1-2 weeks open for each custom order, plus shipping time.  We have very few weeks left before Christmas is upon us.  

COUPON CODE for the Etsy store!  Please use code 15OFF for $15 off every order over $100.  

Session scheduling!  If you are wanting to get in for a session before the end of the year, please contact me ASAP to get on the schedule.  There are spots left in December, but they are filling up as I had to take some time off this Fall for our hectic farm/football/volleyball schedules at home.  I'm also offering a discount for session bundles purchased for my newsletter subscribers and the details will be going out tonight!  Sign up here if you'd like to get info on that.  

THANK YOU!  I am so grateful for each and every one who takes the time to read this blog and I have faith that every one leaves my site with some insight and love.                           
     
​         

As I'm laying here tonight, ready to go to sleep-I wanted to share a situation from today.  I know that most everyone has experienced this.  The dreaded customer service phone call to the cell phone company that lasts for hours.  I was fuming tonight as I ended phone call #1 to customer service.  Here, in front of me, was a situation that was absolutely not my fault.  The fault was on the cell phone company.  A $200 charge showed up on our credit card for something that had been returned almost two months ago.  The item that was returned was something that had been sent to us to try and remedy a situation that the cell phone company was responsible for.  I didn't have a good feeling about it, and now I know why.  Without proof of the tracking number for said item, they would not be able to cancel the line or credit our account.  What?!  Wait a minute, I received a box to return the item in, from the cell phone company directly.  It had a prepaid label, with tracking number already on it...but they have no record of it.  What?!  I was getting frustrated.  In fact, I'm pretty sure a new zit was forming on my chin due to the frustration.  On top of that, the customer service assistant was just plain rude and didn't want to try and help figure things out.  I ended the phone call and ate two Chips Ahoy! chocolate chip cookies.       

​Cue phone call #2 to customer service as I remembered that I had taken a photo of the return label because I had that 'bad' feeling about it at the time.  Phone call #2 went much better than phone call #1 because the customer service assistant that answered was so much kinder than the first one.  All it took was a little kindness on both of our parts to figure out a remedy to the situation, and, oh-she informed me that they could indeed track down the return without the tracking number.  After another 30 minutes on the phone with her, we had things back on track and she promised to call me in 3 days to ensure that the credit had gone through on our end.  That was good customer service.  I recognize that the first customer service assistant could have been having a bad day, I do.  However, I gave him every chance to try and help me with the problem that the company had created for me.  He had no desire to help.  His response was simply, "I can't do anything for you without the tracking number."  Over and over again.  No budging or solutions on his end.  

Yesterday, I had to contact a business that I purchase supplies for my malas from because I received an incomplete order.  When I contacted them the first time with compliments on how nice the beads were, but followed with the fact that there was a problem with my order-I got a 'sorry for the inconvenience, but look in the package closer because sometimes people throw away things on accident' response.  No apology or promise to check things on their end.  Hmmm.  It wasn't outright rude, but there was certainly a tone that alluded to the fact that this was my problem, not theirs.  So, I did as asked and looked through the entire package for the missing things.  Nope, not there.  Definitely not there.  I took pictures of the items and the inside of the package to ensure that they were seeing what I was seeing.  I sent the pictures in a response email with the suggestion to check around their work space to make sure the items hadn't been forgotten.  Today, I received a reply from a different contact person with a much kinder response.  He said they would get the missing items shipped out to me immediately and that he was sorry for the inconvenience.  That was good customer service.    

Why is it that we automatically assume the worst of people, or that there is nefarious intent in every situation?  A gesture of kindness goes a long way.  A simple check-in with ourselves to make sure that we aren't reacting to a situation out of influence from other things we've dealt with during the day.  Instead of automatically reacting to a situation, an email, a text message, etc-stop and take a breath.  Try not to take offense to every little thing.  Everything could be considered 'offensive' in one way or another.  Let's just take a break from being so offended all of the time. 

Mercury is in retrograde right now and communication breakdowns can happen.  That's why it is even more important to try and take a minute to assess before reacting.  I wanted to reach through the phone and flick customer service assistant #1 on the nose to wake him up to his behavior.  I had to check myself before calling back so that my frustration with him wasn't taken out on the next person.  I was all prepared for confrontation when I called back.  Instead, I was confronted with genuine kindness and understanding.  What a breath of fresh air!  Same with the second situation, I was prepared for having a similar response email after sending the photos, instead I was met with genuine kindness and understanding.  What I was prepared for, and what I was expecting to confront were two different things.  I was preparing for the need to be defensive, but expecting solutions to the problems.  What I expected is what actually happened.  It just took a bit of patience and awareness to flow in. 

Now that I have explained all of that, I have completely missed the point of this post.  The most important thing that happened during the very long phone calls to the cell phone company was that I cleaned out the inboxes to two different email accounts while on the phone!  A situation that was frustrating the daylights out of me, led to cleaning out a lot of crap from my email that had been sitting for a long time.  Some of the emails I had been saving from long ago brought up other not-so-fun feelings.  Deleting and cleaning those out of my life is exactly what I needed.  All of those old wounds that needed cleaned out and released happened due to the fact that I had to deal with a situation that kept me rooted to my phone and computer for several hours.  Imagine that...a situation that was deeply irritating and frustrating just helped me release situations from my past that I hadn't been ready to deal with before.  That is part of what the Full Moon and full Lunar Eclipse is trying to get us to do.  Open up those old wounds, release the energy associated with it and let the light in to heal it. 

Where is this happening in your life right now?  What old wounds have reopened so that you can let the light in to heal them?  What situations have arisen that are trying to send you a message to make the time to see those wounds?  Look for the magic in frustrating situations.  How are they trying to help you?  

If you're unsure of how this could be manifesting for you, please consider scheduling a session with me.  This is what we do-identify energies that need released and look at where things need to shift so that you're able to move forward in life with confidence and peace.  We want to heal old wounds, not cover them up so that they can fester. 

Love and Light~
Mandi    

       

This Summer is full of interesting planetary and cosmic body movements.  You may be feeling the effects of it and not even be aware of why you are feeling the way you do!  

We have 6 total retrograde planets happening this Summer!  Some people refer to this as a 'retrograde storm.'  This has only happened twice over the last century-once in the 1940's and again in the 1980's.  Retrograde storms happen when there are a group of planets that go retrograde all around the same time.  What does 'retrograde' mean?  A 'retrograde' planet is actually an optical illusion.  A planet will appear to be moving backward during retrograde.  Astrologist Kathy Biehl describes it best, in my opinion.  Here is what she says about explaining a retrograde planet: 

     "A retrograde is an optical illusion. It’s the same optical illusion that occurs when cars are whizzing around a racetrack in different lanes. When a car on an inside lane passes a slower one in an outer lane, the cars will appear to “retrograde” to one another. Same with planets. When a faster-moving planet on an inside lane (aka orbit), catches up to and passes a slower-moving planet on an outside lane, observers on both planets would see the other planet as retrograde." 

No doubt, you've heard people talk about Mercury retrograde and making a big deal about it.  Every planet goes retrograde at some point-except the Moon, which is not actually a planet, but is referred to one in Astrology for the sake of discussion.  During a retrograde, the Earth will be the closest to that planet that it can get.  The Earth being on the 'inside lane' of the orbits, with the outer planets on the outside lane-they are the closest in orbit as they will get during their retrograde time.  One to three retrogrades at a time is pretty normal, this Summer we have SIX planets going retrograde around the same time. 

So, if a retrograde Planet appears to be moving backward, why does that affect us?  Energetically, it means we may be backtracking as well.  Often, we see situations arise, or people appear from our past-or to help us heal situations.  This also means that we are trying to 'pull out' shadow stuff that needs work.  All of those pieces and parts of yourself that you don't really love-they may make an appearance this Summer to help you accept and embody them.  It's time to reevaluate and revisit some things that you may have been stuffing down or trying to avoid.  Understand that it all happens to help you move forward and to help you heal wounds that are still raw.  It can be challenging at times, but it you shouldn't be fearful of retrogrades. 

There's a lot of information out there that has a very negative voice when it comes to the cosmos this Summer.  The retrogrades started earlier this year, when Jupiter went retrograde in March, followed closely by Saturn and Pluto.  In June, we added Mars to the retrogrades.  This month we add Mercury and Neptune, while Jupiter comes out of it's retrograde.  In August, we will have Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto in retrograde.  Later in the month-Mercury and Mars will come out of their retrogrades.  Adding to that, Chiron-which is a comet we examine in Astrology, also went retrograde in July.  Saturn comes out of retrograde in September, and Pluto does in October-right before Venus goes into retrograde.

What does all of this mean for us?  It can feel very chaotic right now.  Emotions may be high-especially agitation and annoyance.  Mars is the planet of initiation and drive, but also high-tempers.  Give yourself time to respond to situations instead of reacting.  Deep breaths, some sips of water and a little break from the action can all help you reset.  Turn your high temper into productivity with exercise or finishing a task.  This is a good time to get your life in order.  Saturn is trying to create order and organization right now.  Try not to push situations or make things happen that you feel you are hitting up against a wall on.  There's usually a reason it's not supposed to move forward.  With Mercury in retrograde from July 26th-August 19th, try not to solidify any agreements, contracts or create new businesses.  This is a great time to complete 'old' work or to finish a project that has been hanging around.  With Jupiter retrograde, it's a wonderful time to focus on personal growth and development.  As I type this, Jupiter has already gone direct and out of retrograde, but that doesn't mean you aren't still feeling the effects.  With the outer planets (Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Pluto, Neptune) the affects that they have on us may not be felt quite as strongly as the planets closer to our orbit of Earth.  They typically work to create change inwardly for us during retrogrades.  Venus, Mars and Mercury tend to have a more dynamic affect on us individually, and as a collective.  Venus retrograde may challenge what you think you want out of life.  It may also bring up old relationships, or people from those relationships into your life.  It challenges us to define what we want out of life and what we value in relationships.

On top of the retrogrades happening, we are also in Eclipse season.  We had a partial solar eclipse, a full lunar eclipse (this Friday, July 27th-with the full moon), and another partial solar eclipse to follow.  The first partial solar eclipse happened on July 13th in the sign of Cancer.  If you remember things being very emotional, confusing and irritating around that time-it fits.  The full lunar eclipse coming is in Aquarius.  Aquarius loves to do work for the greater good, the collective, so if you feel yourself being emotionally charged for the sake of others, it fits.  The next partial solar eclipse happens on August 11th, and what you may experience around that time is the culmination of events coming to an end, or even a very new venture that you've been tossing around in your head for awhile with no clear decision on.  Aquarius likes to create the energy to make concise and actionable decisions. 

None of what we are experiencing this Summer/Fall is happening to us, it is happening for us.  Cue the eye roll!  It's a true statement.  Another thing to consider is how these retrogrades, eclipses, etc are impacting you truly can't be discovered until you look at your natal chart and understand what influences are held there.  Every time I look at a natal chart, or check progression or transits for a client-even if what I see might be considered challenging, I still see it as positive in one way or another.  It usually signifies that shifts are needed in order to project someone out of a state of stillness, or to improve an area in their life that they just haven't put attention on, or haven't wanted to put attention on.  When we learn to work with the energies of the planets, signs and astrological bodies, everything gets a little clearer and less chaotic. 

If you've been feeling a little cuckoo...know that it won't last forever.  It will end!  But, what I would encourage you to ask yourself is, "what am I supposed to be learning right now?"  Each situation that you encounter that feels very 'out-of control,' chaotic, frustrating, uncertain or hopeless, just take a moment to breathe and reset.  Walk away from situations that feel unfavorably charged or tumultuous, keep your opinions to yourself in certain situations and speak your truth in other situations.  Only you can determine when your voice needs to be heard or silenced.  Being in tune with your inner self will help with that. We won't just be experiencing this in our individual lives, there's a lot of transitioning and transformation going on in the collective.  World wide we are seeing the effects of these retrogrades.  Lots of political unrest and arguing, disagreements on boundaries (borders) and human interest stories that are sparking lots of support and want for change.  Remember to lead from the heart, to always try to see the other side of the story, understand that the media is only reporting small parts of a bigger story and give grace where it is needed.  You can be a warrior, but do it with the intention of love. 

If you are interested in learning about how the retrogrades could be impacting you personally and on a deeper level, contact me to set up a Natal chart reading.  We look at the planets at your time of birth, as well as where they are now and how they are influencing you on a spiritual, emotional and physical level.  Initial Astrology sessions are still on special through the end of the Summer!  I wanted to keep the cost down during these challenging times to make it more accessible to my clients. 

If you are interested in learning more about Astrology, I recommend two phone apps that are helpful.  One is Sky View Lite, you can hold your phone up to the night sky and it will tell you what you are looking at.  Another is Co-Star, this app will tell you about the transits you are currently experiencing from the information from your birth information.  A website that is full of information for the beginner is www.astro.com.  You can even generate your own birth chart to start understanding it better.  Happy Learning!   

Love and Light~
​Mandi              

Why Yoga?  This is a question asked of me, quite often.  What made me decide this was my path?  Why...Yoga?? 

Yoga embodies your entire being-body, mind, spirit, and soul.  So often we are so stuck up in our head space that we need something that connects our head to our body-literally & figuratively.  Yoga can do that.  Not only can it strengthen the body physically, it strengthens the mind as well.  There are so many different types of yoga-there's always something for everyone.  Sometimes it takes trying different ones to find the one that fits you best.  You can explore Yoga for a really intense workout, one to help you relax the entire body, Yoga to make you sweat (a lot!), one specifically for intense meditation, one for just adding flexibility, aerial Yoga and many, many more.  It gives you time to really understand how your body moves and what feels good-deep down. 

In an hour of Yoga, you will learn so much about yourself.  I find that it is during my time on the mat that I have the best conversations with God/Spirit, and with myself.  It's some of the most profound 'spiritual' time that I have experienced outside of deep meditation and nature.  When my doctor told me that I shouldn't do Yoga anymore due to an issue that I have in my joints, I was determined to become a Yoga Teacher because I need that there would be profound healing through it.  It took me a year and a half to get my RYT-240 Teaching certificate in Hatha Yoga.  I experienced so many obstacles along the way, many different situations that tried to make me believe that I couldn't do it-but I did it! And, it has been so incredibly healing for me.  I know that it can do the same for you.

Many people stay away from Yoga because of the appearance of what Yoga looks like via social media sites.  You see Yogis standing on their heads, twisted up like pretzels, looking perfect in the newest trendy Yoga clothing or holding handstands for an abnormally long time.  This is not the reality of what Yoga is.  This is a perception of reality that many Yogis try to present that is not entirely true.  What you don't see in those difficult poses is what it took for them to get there, the straining that is taking place in the body during it or even a truth of the number of years and practice that it took them to get there.  You see a quick snapshot in time of a perception.  Yoga is about your relationship with your body and a practice to create a deeper connection to Self and Spirit.  It doesn't always look clean and crisp.  Sometimes it's awkward and uncomfortable as you are trying to learn new poses, or even just to teach your body to move into the 'easy' poses the correct way.  

Don't let your perception of what Yoga is 'supposed' to look like, keep you from attempting it.  It takes persistence and daily practice to really learn what Yoga is, but it's so worth it.  Everyday, when I come to my mat, I learn something new about myself.  I often make up my routine as I go.  I'm not a by-the-book kind of Yoga teacher or student.  Using your creativity to come up with a flow that feels amazing in your body is part of the inspirational process of learning Yoga. 

I urge you to try out a Yoga class in your neighborhood or city!  It may take going to several different places before you find a Yoga teacher that you like and connect with.  If you don't feel comfortable going to class, find a YouTube video or online class that you can do.  If you need a little extra assistance, I offer one-on-one private instruction, as well as Yoga Class by Skype.  Each session is a case-by-case decision, so there is no set pricing structure, as of yet.  Please email me if you are interested so that we can set up a time to chat and come up with a plan that works for you.  I love teaching Yoga and helping others to find the joy, peace, strength and inspiration that it can bring them.  If you follow my Instagram account (@raiseyourlight) you will see many videos of my Yoga practice.  Soon, I will be uploading class videos that you can follow along with at home.   Give it a try-see if Yoga is right for you!  

Namaste~
Mandi          

    Do you ever feel like all of the 'stuff' you hold on to is actually preventing you from moving forward?  It very well could be.  We so often hold on to 'things' in our life because we feel a sense of duty to keep things that have been passed down to us, or that remind us of specific times in our life.  Have you ever stopped to ask yourself if the object you are holding on to is bringing good feeling and emotions, or whether it is taking you back into a period of time that may have been sad, depressing, frustrating or simply not good?  Try a simple tact-pick an item up that you are holding on to 'just because.'  How does that object make you feel?  Do you get any joy out of it?  Does it feel like it is pulling you back and down?  Does it feel heavy, dark or repressing?  If any of those feelings surface-get rid of the item.  We often hold on to things in an almost punishing way.  Maybe it takes you back to a period where you weren't making good (perceived) decisions, or a big shift in your life was taking place.  It's almost masochistic.  We keep these things because we feel as if we must be reminded of how we behaved, thinking that if we forget about it, we will revert to a certain unbecoming behavior.  What actually happens is that we repeat these behaviors just by being reminded of them.  

​     When big shifts in our lives take place, one of the very best steps we can take is to get rid of clutter.  This refers to physical, energetic and mental clutter.  The easiest step to take is to get rid of the physical clutter.  There are items that can keep you from moving forward, just by being in your space.  It could be a letter from an ex, a piece of clothing that reminds you of an event, a photo, a piece of artwork, a book, etc.  The value of an object is subjective-if it brings you pain and takes you to a dark or repressed place in your mind, it's not worth any amount of money.  As soon as you begin releasing yourself of the physical objects that cause pain, you can then move forward with releasing the mental and energetic clutter associated with them.  Even having items around that simply take up physical space and have no meaning to you for daily living or happiness, should be released.  This doesn't mean that you go around with a trash can, scooping up everything around your house to throw away.  Always consider donation if the item is in good shape, but know that energy travels with items as well.  Do you want to pass on the energy that you've attached to an item-to someone else?  You have to make that decision. 

​     Paper items are best released by burning them.  If you have no safe way of burning paper items, find a way to release them.  Flushing small pieces down the toilet or shredding are other ways to release the energy from paper items.  Please, be safe and do not burn paper if you do not have access to a proper burning method.  Clothing should be thrown away if attached to a very strong, negative event.  Again, the value is subjective.  It's much more important to get rid of it than it is to recoup a dollar amount.  

​     Give yourself permission to get rid of any items that do not bring you happiness.  This doesn't mean for you to get rid of the practical items that you need for everyday use.  It's just intended to help you understand and feel okay not to hold on to items that you associate with negative events or associations.  Free yourself from the constraints and shackles that those items bring and release them from your space!  Also, this isn't a suggestion to go around your house picking up every single item and asking if it makes you happy or sad, it's just about the obvious items that you know in the back of your head, are no longer serving you in your highest good.  Remember that everything holds energy and when you hold on to items that are associated with a 'negative' energy, you are allowing that energy to occupy your energetic field.  The more you can release these items, the lighter you will allow your energy to become.  The lighter your energy is, the easier it is to move forward and accomplish the things you want to accomplish. 

     Try it and let me know what transpires for you!  Leave a comment, send me an email, DM me on Instagram-just let me know if releasing these items helps you in any way.

Love and Light~
​Mandi         

"Let your feelings out! Don't hold them in!" How often do you see this or hear this being said or chanted? It's something that we encourage in this field, frequently. Something that isn't talked about, or explained, or even warned about is where all of that emotion and feeling goes. When we talk about not holding your feelings in, sharing how you feel or expressing your emotions, it's all about releasing the emotions and the energy that the emotions create inside of you. It's healthy to release and let go.

​When does it become unhealthy to release your emotions? Well, this is a tough one. You should always release your emotions, but you have to be careful who you're releasing them on and how you are doing it. We all have the right to feel and to emote, what we shouldn't be doing is projecting on to others. What you can't control is how you feel about something, what you can control is trying to make someone else feel the same way you feel. Often we think that by expressing ourselves (or unleashing) to someone else we are using a healthy form of releasing our emotions. This is not always true. Yes, sharing our feelings when they involve someone else is sometimes necessary for the strength of a relationship, but unleashing onto someone how you are feeling simply to let it out-is not.

​There are ways of releasing emotions that are healthy and cannot harm others. Journaling, meditating, yelling (in private), punching (a pillow), dancing, exercising, Reiki, bodywork and even having an Emotion Release session are all safe ways to release your emotions. It is very easy to project those emotions onto others when we 'let it out' in front of them. Be very cautious. Just because you are feeling a certain way, or having strong emotions about something doesn't mean that whoever else is involved needs to understand or take on those emotions as well.

Our emotions don't always need validation or understanding. Simply stating how we are feeling to someone else is a way of releasing the energy that has formed from an emotional event. It's when we expect that another person should share the same feelings or emotions-this is when we can project our 'stuff' on to them and can actually cause harm.

​Let me explain this in terms of an example. Have you ever been around someone who is really angry or frustrated about a situation? Maybe that person decides to unleash their frustrations on you and share with you how they are feeling about that situation in vivid detail. You start out not understanding why they are so upset over the situation. As the conversation goes on, you do begin to feel frustrated for them. You feel anger and frustration begin to swirl around inside of you where there was none before. The conversation ends and you walk away. As you go on with your day, your mood has decidedly gone from relaxed and happy to obviously cranky and short-tempered, and you're wondering-'why?' You wouldn't automatically think that you absorbed the emotional energy of the person you had the conversation with, but in fact, that is exactly what happened. Often we want someone else to understand how we are feeling about something, so we will explain in such detail until they begin to truly 'get' why we are feeling the way we do. This is when projecting emotions and emotional energy can happen and suddenly-the other person is feeling emotions that they previously had no part of.

​This is all not to say that we shouldn't share how we are feeling or even let someone know when they have hurt us-we just have to be very careful about how that sharing happens. Everyone has feelings and emotions, but those feelings and emotions belong to each individual person and should stay in the energy field of that person and not get forced on other people.

​The exceptions to this are, of course, feelings and emotions that are helpful to the collective. It never hurts to share love, happiness, joy and peace with others! There are many emotions we can share that are beneficial to others, we just have to be very careful about the emotions that we can share that cause harm. It's very rarely intentional. What we can be intentional about is spreading emotions that are helpful and healing.

​Love and Light~
​Mandi

  Can we talk for a minute?  I feel like we haven't been communicating very well lately.  It seems like we aren't really hearing one another, like we aren't listening to each other anymore.    

​     Can you feel that?  Is there anyone in your life that you could have that conversation with?  It seems as if communication should be so much easier these days with all of the technology we have at our fingertips, but it seems to only be making things worse.  We've stopped listening, really listening to one another.  We're so quick to have a reply at the ready instead of just sitting back and...listening.  Giving full attention to the person in front of us and acknowledging their words.  I stepped away from Facebook several months back, in fact it was around election time.  Every day when I would get on to see what my friends and family were up to, I was seeing awful words being slung at people-left and right.  Friends were unfriending one another over different political views and reasoning.  It was vicious and repulsive at times.  People weren't even stopping to listen to what others had to say because they were 'listening' with their eyes and fingers.  Click, click, click went their keypads with their instant replies as they skimmed through a comment they didn't like or that didn't resonate with them. 

     How much could have been solved if, instead of that quick reply, they stopped to acknowledge the fact that their friend had different views because they had a different life experience, with different emotions, feelings, knowledge and thoughts about a specific event?  Maybe just by acknowledging that, a confrontation could have been prevented.  A nugget of wisdom could have grown into a golden opportunity to understand someone a little better and opened up their world view a little more.

​     Let me just say this-you can't have a good conversation if the only words that you are hearing are your own.  

​     We can be so quick to confront anyone who doesn't hold the same beliefs, feelings, and agenda that we do.  How is that going to solve anything?  It's having all of those different beliefs, feelings and agendas that lead to the ability to fix situations, to expand insight and gain forward progress.  Ingenuity, invention, creativity, problem-solving-they all didn't come out of everyone thinking the same thing.

​      Consider this-what if those beliefs that you are holding so tightly to, aren't even your own?  We often absorb our beliefs from those around us, or from what matter we are subjecting our senses to on a regular basis.  What do you need to release to become a better listener?  Are you staying true to yourself in your beliefs, or are you placating someone or something else?  

​     Politics are tricky.  It's not something that I like to talk about or even, honestly, learn too much about.  I'm thankful that there are those who have deep insight in that arena.  I can learn from them-whether I hold the same beliefs as them or not.  These days, the political arena is extremely dicey-there are a lot of decisions being made that affect mass numbers of people.  These people could very well be your next door neighbors.  I urge you to listen to them, I mean truly listen to them-ears, mind, heart.  Listen to their stories and their struggles.  Maybe some nugget of wisdom that you can offer them, if you really listen, can help turn that struggle into a challenge that they can overcome.

​     We're all in this together.  We all live on the same planet and breathe the same air.  We all have to choose how we are going to live with one another and choosing to beat one another down for opinions and beliefs will not solve any of the issues that are at hand in this world today.  Open up your ears, your hearts and your minds...and listen.  There's so much more to words than just what is being said.  Words carry the emotions, thoughts, feelings, vibrations and life experience of the person that is saying them.  Take it all in, patiently and respectfully listen to all of it.  I guarantee you'll learn something new about someone that you thought you knew very well.  It's all in the listening.

Love and Light~
Mandi

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