Thisgreat one is at the center of my Being and provides the healing balm when outer experiences hurt.

This kindness that forever has made its home in my heart knows nothing except wholeness and so I live as Spirit’s perfection in this day and time.”

(© 2003-2009 Rev Angela Peregoff, www.angelaperegoff.com)

The daily blessings from Rev. Angela Peregoff are some of the treasures I look forward to at the start of each day. There is always something deep inside the words and between the lines that finds its way into my mind and soul.

As we’re off and running into a new year, I thought this part of the blessing from December 4th was a thoughtful reminder of how to keep ourselves balanced in mind, body and spirit.

For the soul, keep yourself grounded in the belief, the trust, and the hope that you are never alone. Hold fast to your knowing that you are one with the “great maker of All That Is.” No one and no thing can take you out of, tear you apart from, or separate you from that Oneness. There is tremendous comfort and power in understanding that.

For the body and the mind, focus on being aware of and feeling this great One at the center of your Being. With the Divine Healer in your very core, there is always with you “the healing balm when outer experiences hurt.”

No matter what comes at you, no matter who walks away from you, there is an ultimate, perfect, Divine Kindness that already has chosen to be your friend, your healer, and has made Its home in your heart.

For you, there is this hope and this promise, this Kindness “knows nothing except wholeness.” You, too, can now “live as Spirit’s perfection in this day and time.”

To sign up for Rev. Angela’s daily blessings, please go to her website at www.AngelaPeregoff.com.

Have you found some bit of wisdom and support in today’s information? Please drop a line in the response box below (or click on the comment link in Facebook) and share your thoughts with us.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Janice M. Puta
Author of Pathways: Tales for the Spiritual Seeker
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I love Chinese food, especially the fortune cookies and the delightful messages inside of them.

I recently received one that said, “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”

As I listen to those words over and over again, here is what I’m hearing:

• Give one less criticism and one more compliment;

• Share less judgment and intolerance; share more compassion and diversity;

• Cancel the whiner in your head, and commit to the wisdom in your heart;

• Stop punishing your body for what you’ve made of it, and start providing it with healthier food and more exercise;

• Put on one less selfish tantrum and thoughtfully do one more random act of kindness;

• Expect one less hour of grief and one more day of gratitude;

• Let go of being fabulously famous and allow yourself to receive more friends who love you as you are;

• Stop pushing your mind into square, rigid boxes and mindfully allow your intuition to be fluid and flexible;

• Support less inhumanities among nations and strive for more humanness in your own neighborhood;

• Ask not what’s in it for you but rather what’s in it for all of us.

Listen to the whispers of your own soul. No matter how long it takes you to hear them – the important part is that you’re still listening.

Many blessings on your journey!
Janice M. Puta
Author of Pathways: Tales for the Spiritual Seeker
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P.S. If you have some thoughts on what it means to you to “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still,” let us know what they are. Drop a line in the response box below (or click on the comment link in Facebook) and share your thoughts with us.

When I heard that, I realized that whether you’re talking about the devil, negativity, or ego, they all can affect your thoughts and feelings, and take you for a ride before you know what’s happening.

It doesn’t matter how innocent or well meaning the temptation may seem, if you look it in the face and see it for what it really is, you’ll know when you’re playing with fire.

So here’s a quick checklist of where to look for red flags in your mind, body, and spirit experiences.

• One more with the gang. Learn to say “no” to that last round of drinks, and tossing back the shots because someone else is competing with you. Alcohol is dangerous business – it’s a toxic influence for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Alcohol is serious business – it attracts in dark energy beings who feed off of your intoxication, and who may manipulate you into harming yourself or others. Literally, alcohol abuse puts the devil in the driver’s seat!

• Hanging with the wrong crowd. Learn to leave before the trouble starts. Get out of the clique or gang before you have to prove yourself to them or anyone else by doing something that is wrong, unfair, or unkind. Anyone who asks you to lie, steal, cheat or do anything to hurt someone else is up to no good. Bonds built on fear and deception, cruelty and pain are not friendships. That’s servitude to negativity and slavery to everything that walks the halls of darkness.

• Save them from themselves. Sorry, that job is already taken. Everyone is responsible for getting his or her own life straightened out. When they need help, that’s what they have God, Divine Love, Eternal Light for. Be careful that in trying to help you don’t enable others and perpetuate their struggles and challenges. Reaching out, evangelizing, educating are all well-meaning services. Empaths are the first to reach out, the last to let go, and take on everyone else’s suffering energy without realizing what they are doing. Once again, everyone you hoped to help has suddenly gotten behind the wheel and you don’t have control anymore. Learn to let go of the outcome, to move people on to others better able to help them, and to consciously keep yourself protected with Love and Light.

Take care of yourself. Enjoy all things in moderation. Stop and ask yourself if what you are about to do is “of the light” or “in the darkness.” Then choose the light.

If you’ve recently had some close calls with dark energy and want to get yourself cleaned up and cleared out, let’s talk about what a Spiritual Response Therapy session could do for you. Email me at Janice@OurSpiralJourney.com with the subject: Get Me Back Into the Light!

We’ll get together on the phone, we’ll talk, you’ll feel good, and your life will change.

If you have some special ways to help yourself stay in the light, and to get yourself back there when you’ve strayed, let us know what they are. Drop a line in the response box below (or click on the comment link in Facebook) and share your thoughts with us.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Janice M. Puta
Certified Teacher in Spiritual Response Therapy/Technique
Helping You Walk the Path to Healing and Wholeness
For classes and personal energy clearing sessions: Janice@OurSpiralJourney.com

When the bumps and bruises of life get us down, we want to be up and running as if nothing happened.

That’s where I was last Friday evening when my foot twisted and I was down on the floor. Spending the weekend on crutches with a sprained ankle was not in my “to do” list. Paying for crutches, ace bandages, and extra appointments was not in my budget. Having to ask neighbors to bring in my mail, fetch my phone, bring some things over to the table for me were not the way I intended to entertain my friends.

But here it was – time to heal with patience and persistence. The first pearl of wisdom came from one of my favorite resources, Louise Hay’s “Heal Your Body: The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them.”
For ankle problems, she suggests the mental causes are “inflexibility and guilt.” She goes on to say that “ankles represent the ability to receive pleasure.” Now let’s take that information and ask some questions like this:

• What am I feeling rigid and inflexible about? Where am I holding my ground and not wanting to compromise or negotiate?

• What’s going on in my life right now that’s a challenge for me? What is taking me out of my comfort zone? What is inviting me to take a risk?

• What am I feeling guilty about – moving away and leaving family or friends behind? Moving ahead and not being understood by my family and friends?

• What great opportunities, excitement, adventures, and pleasures are opening up for me, but I’m not sure I’m worthy of them?

• Is there something “too good to be true” showing up for me and I’m totally in denial, thinking the bubble is going to burst any moment?

This kind of questioning grows our pearl of wisdom into a whole necklace of priceless understanding. With awareness comes the healing of the hidden hurts and deeper woundedness. With awareness comes the letting go of the self-limiting beliefs and the subconscious perceptions that keep us small and dull, living in our tiny boxes where everything is exactly the way we expect it to be.

Louise Hay goes on to offer us the healing balm of positive affirmations: “I deserve to rejoice in life. I accept all the pleasure life has to offer.” Let’s take some cues from that affirmation. Consider:

• Stopping during the day just to repeat this affirmation and to remind ourselves to rejoice in life.

• Giving ourselves time to gaze out the window, stand outside, and do absolutely nothing except to breathe in life with gratitude.

• Blessing every reward or gift that comes our way with our own “yes… I accept all the blessings life has to offer.”

• Gifting ourselves with time to read a book, take a walk, have dinner out because we “deserve to rejoice in life.”

Yes, we may have to lean on the crutches and canes, move with the walkers and ace bandages when tough things happen. Even then, we can still move inside to the thoughts and feelings going on, because that’s where our healing begins.

If you don’t have Louise Hay’s book, “Heal Your Body,” you’ll want to get it right now. It’s the best spiritual first aid you’ll ever find to remember and to practice who you are as a master of your own well being.

If you have some special ways to heal yourself with awareness and affirmations, feel free to share them with us. Drop a line in the response box below (or click on the comment link in Facebook) and share your thoughts with us.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Janice M. Puta
Certified Teacher in Spiritual Response Therapy/Technique
Helping you get a life you love to live!
For classes and personal energy clearing sessions: Janice@OurSpiralJourney.com

It all began with the purple sand cherry shrub that was losing large branches to disease. What wasn’t dying was wind blown and bowing down under the weight of the heavy canopy of its leaves.

As I watched the branches being cut out, pruned back, and trimmed, I thought that this is the way it is with our mind, body, and soul. Every part of us, and every level and layer of our experience, needs some kind of regular maintenance.

Bodywork is easy to figure out. There’s everything from healthy eating to regular exercise, massage, and chiropractic care to consider.

Mind workouts aren’t that difficult to ease into your daily routine with 15 minutes or more of brain exercises, or listening to CDs that actually create right and left brain integration.

A spiritual workout might be challenging unless you have some practices you are already familiar with, and like to come back to. These could include:

• grounding yourself with a quiet walk in nature,

• walking your dog or riding your horse in a very mindful state of awareness,

• reading poetry or spirituality books, and then doing reflective journaling,

• having a Reiki or Spiritual Response Therapy session to balance your chakras and clear your energy field,

• working out in Tai Chi or another discipline that emphasizes focus and personal energy alignment.

Body, Mind, and Spirit all need more Light. There may be some habits to prune out. There may be some deeply rooted self-limiting beliefs and perceptions to dig out and get rid of. There may even need to be some trimming back of the things you are doing, places you are going, ways you are spending your time in order to get back to the priorities.

You will be the first to notice how good it feels to be more energized, more optimistic, and more at peace. These are some of the great side effects of having more Light in your life. And best of all, Light has a tendency to shine out from you and to touch others.

What do you like to do to workout with your body, mind, and spirit? What are some of your favorite ways to bring in more Light into your life experience? Please drop a line in the response box below (or click on the comment link in Facebook) and share your thoughts with us.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Janice M. Puta
Author of Pathways: Tales for the Spiritual Seeker
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There is mystery and wisdom in how water refreshes and restores the balance in your mind, body and spirit.

After a vigorous workout or several hours of yard work, you can’t wait to take a shower and feel clean and cooled off. A shower is relaxing and calming. And, a shower can be a mystical experience when you mindfully listen to the sound of the water and feel the sensations on your skin.

Then take it a step further and imagine the energy of the shower washing through your aura and energy field, flushing out the anxiety and any discordant emotions you’re aware of. Allow yourself to be totally present in body, mind and spirit to this experience. This is a very good grounding exercise and an excellent way to recoup your scattered energies.

There are times when you can’t hop into the shower if you need a quick way to come back into balance. So here are some suggestions for other ways to refresh and restore yourself with water:

• If you live or work near a body of water, river or stream you can easily see from inside or outside of where you live or work, plan on a few minutes to gaze out at that water and to allow it’s vibration to soothe you and support you.

• If you have photos or framed artwork of water falls, sunsets over water, anything with water in it, consider using those scenes for a short reflection. Imagine yourself there walking at the edge of the waves on the shore, or standing near the spray from the waterfall. Allow your consciousness to shift into a kinder and more gentle place. You will feel refreshed and more productive when you come back to the tasks at hand.

• If you can be by yourself for a few minutes and block out all distractions, close your eyes. Give yourself permission to let go of any tension or urgency in whatever you’ve been doing. Imagine a shower of white light coming from above you and flowing all over, around, and through you. Feel any burden you’ve been carrying begin to lift; allow any issue you’ve been concerned about begin to let go. Choose to be totally aware of yourself as a spiritual being living in the human experience. You will find yourself more positive and able to see things from a bigger perspective.

And yes, if you have the chance to watch a summer rainfall from a safe place, it’s a glorious experience to see and hear it coming down. It’s exhilarating to inhale the freshly ionized air. It’s a mystical experience to be part of nature refreshing and refurbishing from head to toe.

Have you found some bit of wisdom and support in these suggestions? Do you have your own simple and effective ways to stay refreshed, balanced, and grounded? Please drop a line in the response box below (or click on the comment link in Facebook) and share your thoughts with us.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Janice M. Puta
Author of Pathways: Tales for the Spiritual Seeker
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Right now I’m loving the mysteries of pollination! I’m planting my green peas and bush beans, cucumbers and bell peppers in pots out on my patio. I don’t have a garden plot yet, and I like to grow things organically. My green beans were rather few and far between last year. So this year I planted more of them and gathered around some blooming flowers.

This is where it gets interesting! The flowers are for the pollinators – those insects like butterflies, bees, wasps, flies and beetles that go digging for the pollen or the nectar in the flowers. By having the marigolds and nasturtiums, vinca and salvia near my veggies, I’m hoping those beneficial insects are going to hop on over to the vegetables and do some pollinating for me there too. The wind and the rain help, but more and better pollination means higher yields and more green beans, peas, peppers, and cucumbers on my dinner table.

Just like in nature, each one of us needs helpers and healers, supporters and advocates, friends and buddies to help us bloom. We can’t do this alone! So think about this for a moment: who are the “pollinators” in your life?

• Who checks in on you and sees how you’re doing?
• Who invites you out for a walk or lunch?
• Who shares good information, a hilarious joke, something inspirational with you?
• Who is concerned when something happens to you?
• Who says they are going to pray for you or send you some love and light?
• Who introduces you to their family and friends?
• Who takes time to call you, or time to listen to you when you call them?
• Who tells you they would miss you if anything ever happened to you?
• Who thanks you for being in their life?
• Who remembers your birthday?
• Who gives you a hug when you meet?

All of these are your pollinators – your beneficial beings who are bringing you into bloom so you can reap a good harvest in your life experience.

And, just like them, find ways to return the favor back to them or to others who need what only you have to offer. Enjoy the growing season inside and outside of your mind, body, and spirit. It is all connected within you. It is all connected with others.

Have you found some bit of wisdom and support in these suggestions? Do you have your own simple and effective way to help others bloom? Please drop a line in the response box below (or click on the comment link in Facebook) and share your thoughts with us.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Janice M. Puta
Author of Pathways: Tales for the Spiritual Seeker
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Others make plans that have to be changed because the weather didn’t cooperate or someone can’t take time off from work. There are those who made a poor choice and now there are consequences that affect a whole lot of other people.

That’s the time to remember this easy and quick remedy – RICE! I don’t mean the rice you throw at the bride and groom, or the rice you fix into a pudding or side dish.

This RICE is a perfect first aid formula for any distress in mind, body, or spirit:

REST the issue. It is what it is. See it, face it, and let it go. Don’t make it bigger than it is and don’t let it ruin the rest of the day, weekend, or vacation.

ICE the anger. Put a stop to the boiling inside. Let the pressure out in some constructive exercise like jogging, walking, or weeding the garden. If thoughts about the problem keep running through your mind, go back to the first step – REST the issue!

COMPASSION for everyone involved and for yourself. Give yourself and others some space. Think of alternatives, plan B, a way to salvage the event or circumstance. If you can’t get to that space – if the resentment or rage, hurt or tension are still hanging on, go back and ICE those feelings until they cool down and dissipate.

ELEVATE your thoughts and feelings. Find something good to focus on. From this moment on make it good. Give yourself and others another chance without counting how many times you or they are starting over again. If you’re not in this space within half an hour or less, go back to the previous three steps and take your time working it out.

No matter the time of year or season of your life, you as well as everyone else on the planet deserves good times and fun times. Be prepared for the mistakes and mishaps that happen. Keep your RICE formula handy and use it immediately upon the first signs of distress!

Have you found some bit of wisdom and support in these suggestions? Do you have your own simple and effective way to deal with these issues? Please drop a line in the response box below (or click on the comment link in Facebook) and share your thoughts with us.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Janice M. Puta
Author of Pathways: Tales for the Spiritual Seeker
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Whether we’re talking about your body, mind or spirit, you have an internal guidance system more powerful than any Global Positioning System on the market!

When was the last time you sat down and checked in with your body? I mean, have a serious talk with your body and find out what it’s feeling? Are you pushing it too hard? Are you letting it get flabby and out of shape? Are you giving it enough sleep and the right kind of food and beverages? Your body knows how to talk back to you. But it would be so much better to listen to it before it has to trip you up to get your attention.

And that beautiful mind of yours! How often do you give yourself permission to do something creative like journaling or drawing and crafts? How often do you let yourself really think? I mean, something deeper than grocery lists and the agenda for the next meeting? How about tip toeing into your own cave and conversing with your Inner Wisdom? What do you want to know about yourself? What do you want to ask for? Where do you need some help in your life right now?

When you’re deep inside your own gorgeous, spiritual self, you’re already close to the temple where you can sit in Light and Love and allow yourself to be still and nurtured from within.

You see what I mean? You’ve got the best internal guidance system right here to talk to, confer with, get answers back from your body, mind and spirit. All you’ve got to do is plug into it, turn it on, and use it.

Are you ready for that challenge? Are you willing to give it a try? Drop a line in the response box below (or click on the comment link in Facebook) and share your thoughts with us.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Janice M. Puta
Author of Pathways: Tales for the Spiritual Seeker
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At times like national Make A Difference Day, it’s inspiring to be caught up in the fiery enthusiasm and ideals that get things done in local communities! Then it’s easy to feel on purpose with your life.

But imagine what you would feel like if you put a day like that in your calendar once a month! There is no shortage of opportunity to serve. There is no limit to the ways to love. This helpfulness is the source of sweetness in your Inner Light. Helpfulness brings a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment. Both the giver and the receiver have something to savor from thoughtful service.

Where would you go? Whom would you serve? What are the most gracious things you could do for others with your time? What is it that you are really good at sharing from the depths of your own life experience? What cause are you so passionate about that it pumps you up and keeps you involved and dedicated?

From senior centers to youth centers, volunteer agencies have a list of needs to be met in many cities and towns. Civic and religious groups around the country organize trips to storm ravished areas to help individuals and neighborhoods put their lives back together again. Outreach services train helpers for hotlines, mentoring, and advocacy support.

If you’re looking for ways to grow your Inner Light, ask like Elizabeth Barrett Browning did in her famous poem, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” And then make space in your calendar and your life to make a difference in the lives of others.

And when you take that step out to give and to serve, be mindful of doing that from a place of humble helpfulness and Inner Light. Then come back and tell us what you chose to do and how you were touched by that experience. Drop a line in the response box below (or click on the comment link in Facebook) and share your thoughts with us.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Janice M. Puta
Author of Pathways: Tales for the Spiritual Seeker
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