Full Moon I Ching Wisdom {August}

Full moons are always an energetically potent time, ripe for bringing about great transformation. They're also known for stirring up emotions, to help shine a light on your blocks, so you can release them and create more flow and alignment in your life.

To assist us in utilizing this month's full moon energy to our advantage, I asked my favorite oracle and spiritual tool, the I Ching, what energies are most potent now, and how we can best use them to create growth and change in our lives. (fyi: the I Ching speaks in a language called hexagrams)

The answer it gives us is Hexagram #61, "CONFIDENCE WITHIN".

Over the past few years of writing on this blog and working with clients, I've started to notice a unifying thread among those of you attracted to my work. Most of you crave personal growth and deep soul alignment. And even if you don't realize it yet, you're just not content settling for mediocrity in any area of your life. Sure, you may get stuck there from time to time out of fear or the need to feel safe....but eventually you hear your soul's longings to grow and finally seek out change.

This month's message from the I Ching is for you change seekers and personal growth junkies. Especially those of you currently hiding out in the safety of mediocrity. Like a snake shedding a skin that no longer fits, it is time to transform!

And one of the most critical traits needed for the path of transformation and achieving personal greatness is CONFIDENCE.

Not just any confidence, but that deep soul, confidence that grows through experience, wisdom, courage, and trust. The I Ching calls this, "CONFIDENCE WITHIN".

If you're serious about creating a life of deep fulfillment and becoming the best you can be, you've got to unlock that powerful quality of "confidence within". 

“We can not do anything of significance until we believe in ourselves. You have to know what you can do, you have to be confident in your core values, and you have to be willing to act. Then there is Confidence Within. Accomplishments create more confidence, and more confidence creates greater success.”

— The Living I Ching, Deng Ming-Dao

But how do you create confidence when you feel you don't quite have any yet?

This was a question I had not too long ago. I did google searches and bought books on "confidence" hoping to absorb some of that magical quality through the words on the pages. When that didn't work, I eventually realized that confidence was actually already within me.

Confidence is something we're born with that can lay dormant if we allow it to, through fear and hiding out in safe and mediocre circumstances for too long.

The path to awakening that dormant inner confidence is through ACTION. As the I Ching says, "Confidence increases when there is progress." 

THE POWER OF BABY STEPS

As a sensitive person who's struggled a lot with fear and anxiety, I realize that the idea of pushing out of your comfort zone to take action can cause even more fear and anxiety and stop you dead in your tracks.

So the key for me in awakening my confidence within, has been taking consistent baby steps over time. 

You don't have to transform your life overnight. For some of you, leaping off a giant cliff to create change may feel invigorating and exciting. But for others (like me), hopping off that stone may be all you can manage right now, and it's enough!

Any step outside of your comfort zone (no matter how small it may feel) will awaken more of your confidence within. With consistent baby steps your confidence will grow. And pretty soon you'll be hopping off boulders, and then eventually that cliff won't feel as scary!

TAKE ACTION (some questions to incorporate into your full moon ritual): 

• Where in my life am I allowing fear to keep me stuck in mediocrity? 
• Now visualize what you want instead. Ask yourself "If I had a magic wand and all the confidence in the world, what would be possible for me?" (don't forget to tap into the feelings of that picture)
• Now visualize a baby step you can take. Something just out of your comfort zone to feel like a stretch, but not too far out that it causes panic, contraction, and shut down.
• Visualize yourself doing it successfully with ease, confidence, and any other feeling you crave.
• NOW GO DO IT!! You've got this!

If you need help doing a full moon ritual then this free FULL MOON RITUAL GUIDE is perfect for you!

And if you're still feeling stuck and can't quite stir up the clarity and courage to take that baby step, check out my personalized I CHING CLARITY SESSIONS. That's exactly what they're designed for, and full moons are a powerful time to gain clarity anywhere in your life.

Full Moon I Ching Wisdom {July}

Full moons are always an energetically potent time, ripe for bringing about great transformation. They're also known for stirring up emotions, to help shine a light on your blocks, so you can release them and create more flow and alignment in your life.

To assist us in utilizing this month's full moon energy to our advantage, I asked my favorite oracle and spiritual tool, the I Ching, what energies are most potent now, and how we can best use them to create growth and change in our lives. (fyi: the I Ching speaks in a language called hexagrams)

The answer it gave us is Hexagram #16, "Delight" or "Enthusiasm".

A big part of what I teach is that obstacles and struggles are your greatest opportunities to find your way back to your true-self, your purpose, and your deepest fulfillment. But I'll be the first to admit that, while extremely powerful, using your obstacles and shadow parts for growth isn't often easy. And sometimes it starts to feel so heavy that you get burnt out doing the work.

This hexagram reminds us that there are other, lighter ways to evolve and grow into your best self (when you need a break from the heavy stuff).

Following your "Delight" or enthusiasm is another path towards your purpose, truth, and happiness.

“Proper enthusiasm opens every door.”

— I Ching (translation by Brian Browne Walker)

Simply start noticing what what lights you up. What delights you? What brings you joy? And then follow that path!

There's a small caveat to this method. The I Ching points out that there is a difference between "proper enthusiasm" and "improper enthusiasm".

Proper enthusiasm is cultivated from your soul, while improper enthusiasm is cultivated from your ego.

So the key to using your "Delight" to guide you back to your true-self, is through learning how to differentiate between your ego's enthusiasm and desires, and those of your soul. Ego delights will provide temporary feel good, while soul delights will bring deep and long-lasting fulfillment and happiness.

Separating guidance from the ego and soul isn't always easy. The ego is tricky and likes to disguise its messages as soul messages. But there is a way to learn how to tell the difference.

The best way to easily begin to differentiate between the ego's and soul's delights is through a regular meditation practice. 

When I'm meditating regularly, I feel more directly connected to my inner wise-woman who isn't fooled by the ego. She sees right through that bs! And when I neglect my practice, ego guidance starts to slip through and lead me astray.

Take Action: Play with letting your delight guide you this month. Notice when ego delight leads you off path, and when soul delight guides you back. And notice what helps you differentiate the two easier, so you can do more of that.

And if you've been wanting to start or become more consistent with your meditation practice, I invite you to participate in the new 12 Day Meditation Challenge. It's Free and it's happening right here in my "Meditate with Ease" Facebook community, starting July 21st!

The Ultimate Guide to Starting and Maintaining a Successful Meditation Practice

So what exactly defines a “successful” meditation practice? Over the past 10 years of watching my own meditation ups and downs and speaking to others, I’ve come up with this. A successful practice is one that’s easy, enjoyable, enduring, effective, and makes you more you.

Let's quickly clarify those terms a bit: 

• "Easy" meaning it doesn’t feel like an uphill battle each and every time you meditate.
• "Enjoyable” meaning it doesn’t feel like an annoying chore on the to-do list every single time (although there will still be obstacles to deal with some days).
• "Enduring” meaning you’re consistent with your practice and not just meditating sporadically or only when sh*t hits the fan in your life.
• “Effective” is a bit more subjective. But to keep it simple for now, let’s just say you get the benefits you crave from your practice (whatever those personal meditation aspirations may be).
• And finally, a successful practice will help you feel more aligned with your true-self (which will ultimately lead to a deeper sense of happiness, purposefulness, and fulfillment in all areas of your life).

“The the thing about meditation is: you become more and more you.”

— David Lynch

A quick google search will show you there’s no shortage of free meditation instruction or guided practices out there.

But just because you have some guided practices or basic instruction, doesn't mean your practice will be successful.

If you truly want to cultivate a successful practice that’ll bring you consistent and lasting benefits throughout your life, here are 13 things I wish someone had told me at the beginning of my meditation journey 10 years ago.

1. Connect to your MEDITATION MOTIVATION

“When you lose your why, you lose your way.”

— Michael Hyatt

Let’s be honest. If you think you don’t have time to meditate, you’ll never find the time. You’ve got to make the time. So with kids, a demanding job, a side hustle, a new relationship, or [insert excuse], how do you do make the time to meditate?!

Making time for your practice takes both a mindset shift and strategy. Let's start with the mindset shift.

Rather than viewing your meditation practice as a nice luxury you wish you had time for, you've got to view it as a self-care necessity that's important enough to become a priority. 

And the best way to do this, is to reconnect with your meditation motivation. The more you remember why you're meditating, the easier it'll be to allow other time-sucking, non-priorities to take a back seat to your practice. And the easier it'll be to allow yourself permission, to take time to meditate.

“There’s always enough time to do what’s important to you. If you aren’t doing the right thing in life, it’s because it isn’t important enough to you [yet].”

— Larry Winget

TAKE ACTION: If you’re having trouble prioritizing your practice, ask yourself "Why do I meditate?" or "What will having a successful meditation practice make possible for me?"

And then continue to revisit this question any time you lose your why and your way, in your practice.

2. SCHEDULE TIME

“If it’s not scheduled, it’s not real.”

— Marie Forleo

Once you make the above mindset shift and your practice becomes a priority, there's one more piece to making sure you do it. You need a strategy- a plan. Make it real, by scheduling it. We'll get into more detail on specific aspects of your meditation strategy, but for now start by simply adding it to your schedule. 

TAKE ACTION: Decide when you want to meditate, and write it in your schedule (if you're like me and still use a handwritten planner). Or add it to your online scheduling system (if you're like most modern folk).

3. Create a SACRED SPACE 

If you think about it, we have dedicated spaces in our homes for everything. Cooking, bathing, sleeping, eating, working, etc.

So why don’t more of us have a dedicated space just for being, reflecting, and reconnecting with ourselves?

“The secret to a home meditation practice is to create a space where the busyness stops.”

— Thich Nhat Hanh

Having a space in your home devoted solely to meditation (and other spiritual practices) is a very powerful way to establish a regular practice. It helps by both,

1. Serving as a visual trigger to invite you to practice daily (we'll discuss this more in #9), and
2. Creating an energetic area that can quickly help quiet your mind, and induce feelings of peace and calm whenever you enter it.

Your meditation sacred space can be as simple or ornate as you'd like.

The only non-negotiables are:

• you can meditate comfortably (a cushion, chair, or some blankets can help with this), and
• you won’t be disturbed during your practice. Although some outside noise from others is fine (we’ll address this more in #10).

Objects can also help amp up the energy of your space and meditation rituals.

I love decorating my space with pretty objects. Adding things like candles, gemstones, essential oils, goddess pictures, spiritual and personal growth books, etc., help me feel more connected to my space and make me want to spend more time there. 

My meditation sacred space

Take Action: Take a moment to scout your home for a place you’d like to dedicate to meditation. And then decorate it as much, or as little, as you'd like.

4. Start with CONCENTRATION

“Once you develop even a little concentration, which happens over a relatively short period of time, all other spiritual practices become easier.”

— Ram Dass

One of the biggest obstacles I hear from beginning meditators is “I can’t calm and focus my mind", “I can’t concentrate”, “I can’t quiet my thoughts”, or something else along those lines. While getting rid of thoughts is impossible and not the purpose of meditation, you do need to cultivate the ability to focus your mind and allow distractions to pass you by (without getting swept away by them).

Anyone can can focus and concentrate with practice, no matter how noisy your mind may feel right now.

Believe me, if this anxiety prone over-analyzer can do it, so can you! All it takes is the desire, commitment, and the right tool. And that tool is "concentration meditation” (aka. one-pointedness meditation).

Concentration has been called "the root skill of all meditation practices". When I did my first ten day meditation retreat, they taught us a simple concentration practice that we did for the entire first three days (before ever introducing us to any other meditation technique). They did this because they knew that if we couldn't focus our minds in a simple practice, we would find all other meditation practices frustrating and likely give up. (yes there are many types of meditation and we’ll discuss these further in #5)

Here’s the simple concentration meditation practice I learned in that retreat, and the one I continue to practice to this day to keep my mind clear and focused. 

Take Action: Sign-up for the free guided concentration meditation below, and begin experiencing a calmer more focused mind.

5. CHOOSE the meditation(s) best suited to you 

“Does one really have to fret about enlightenment? No matter what road I travel, I’m going home.”

— Shinsho

In my 10+ year exploration of meditation, I've come to realize that there are many different types of meditative practices out there.

Not only are there different general categories of meditation like "Concentration" or "Mindfulness",  there are many different ways to practice each of these types of meditation.

I don't tell you this to confuse you, but rather to give you options so you can find a practice that feels best for you. 

If you've struggled with meditation in the past, or feel like you just can't meditate (Spoiler: anyone can meditate), you may not have chosen the practice best suited for you. 

If you're feeling overwhelmed and confused about where to start (or continue) on your meditation journey, here are 4 simple steps to determine which meditation type is best for you from moment to moment:

1. Start with CONCENTRATION

If you're a complete newbie or find it especially hard to calm and focus your mind during meditation, it's really important you start with a simple concentration practice (as we discussed above in #1). I've seen too many people (myself included) who skip this step, get frustrated, and give up when they can't focus during a more complex technique like "Mindfulness". 

Before all of my meditations (no matter which type I choose), I'll start off with a few moments of a concentration practice to calm my mind and firmly ground myself in the present moment.

2. Decide on your meditation INTENTION each time you practice

Are you meditating simply to feel more calm and relaxed? Are you trying to connect with your intuition to make a decision or understand why you’re feeling stuck? Are you trying to manifest or create something new in your life? Being clear on your intention will help you determine which type of meditation is best for you in that moment.

If you're just starting out and meditating to simply reduce stress and feel more peace and calm, that's absolutely fine. That was my sole intention for the first year or so after I found meditation. And the relaxation CD's and mindful breathing practice (yep people still bought CD's back then), did help me feel more momentary glimpses of peace. Back then, I had no idea meditation could be used for anything else and didn't realize there were so many different types of meditation.

But eventually I began craving more from my practice (and life), and found ways to take my practice beyond simple relaxation and begin using it to transform the stuck areas of my love life, career, health, etc.

I did this by expanding my practice to include four different types of meditation. Depending on my current intention, I'll pick from one of the four meditation types below. Note that each general type can be broken down further into many different practices. This gives you many options to choose from based on your personal preferences (which we'll discuss next). I've also created a chart below to help you better understand how they all fit together.

1. CONCENTRATION (also known as one-pointedness): best to start with to cultivate more acute mental focus and quickly ground your awareness on the present moment.
2. MINDFULNESS: builds on concentration and helps you cultivate a more expansive present moment awareness, equanimity (or non-judgement), and acceptance of what is.
3. REFLECTION: best for connecting to your intuition to gain insight, understanding, and solutions to obstacles or stuck areas of your life (or to make tough decisions).
4. VISUALIZATION: great for grounding and more actively creating transformation of stuck areas of your life (areas that don't naturally shift as you go through the first three types of meditation above).

*Incorporating these four meditation types into my regular practice has helped me create much more lasting peace and life transformation than focusing on just one. 

3. Honor your meditation PREFERENCES.

I’ve seen so many people beat themselves up over not being able to meditate “properly”. Does an injury prevent you from sitting comfortably? Do you sometimes get too sleepy when you’re sitting or lying down? Do you find it really tough to sit still at all? Don’t beat yourself up or assume you just can’t meditate. Did I mention, everyone can meditate!?

Meditation can be done in several different postures like sitting, lying, walking, or even standing. And there are ways to incorporate meditation into other activities like dancing, yoga, etc.

So you have options. And know that your preferences can and will change based on time of day, mood, energy level, etc. So check in with yourself before you meditate, and decide what feels best.

4. EXPERIMENT

Some people get so caught up trying to decide which meditation to start with, they never get started. It took me weeks to decide which meditation CD to order when I first started out! Just choose one based on the steps above, try it out for a few days or weeks, and see how it feels. Remember, you can always try something else later. 

6. Take your practice OFF THE CUSION

“You don’t need to forgive until you need to forgive. You don’t need nerves of steel until you need nerves of steel. You don’t need to call on your reserves of compassion, or fortitude, or faith until you’ve used up everything else. This is why we practice.”

— Danielle LaPorte

Meditation can be practiced “on the cushion", in a formal scheduled session. And it can also be practiced more informally “off the cushion”, throughout your day, by bringing more mindfulness into your daily activities and experiences.

We often forget a successful meditation practice isn’t just about showing up to the cushion for those 10+ minutes a day. It’s about using those formal practices to cultivate the ability to show up with more awareness, compassion, and equanimity in your everyday life. 

After some practice, it’s relatively easy to find moments of peace, awareness, compassion, and equanimity on the meditation cushion. But it can be much harder to conjure those feelings in the midst of a hectic day or crisis. But these are the moments when you need it the most.

For the greatest success, set the intention to also bring your practice off the cushion and begin incorporating mindfulness into your daily interactions and experiences, as much as possible. This can be as simple as taking some deep breaths as you wait in the check-out line at the grocery store or heat your food up at work. Or if you know you're heading into a potentially uncomfortable discussion with your boss or partner, do some grounding and visualization right before hand. 

Adding informal practices into your day doesn’t have to feel hard or like it takes up all your time. In fact, the opposite is true. The more you practice on the cushion, the more natural it'll become to also practice off the cushion during your everyday experiences and interactions.

7. Be CONSISTENT

When it comes to meditation, frequency is more important that duration.

While meditation has been practiced for thousands of years, scientific research behind it is relatively new, and only focuses on a select few styles of meditation like Transcendental Meditation (TM) and Mindfulness. I won't go into details of the research here because that's not the intention of this article (and there plenty of good articles out there on that).

From what I've read though, while meditation has been proven to have many outstanding benefits, research hasn’t discovered an exact amount of time that’s optimal for it. And even suggestions from experienced teachers vary. 

But what does seem to be the consensus, is that consistency is key. Shorter (10-40+ min) sessions, more frequently (1-2 times/day), is ideal. 

Again, experiment, and find what works best for you!

8. Keep it SIMPLE and just start where you're at

One of the quickest ways to fall off your practice before it even gets going, is by trying to do too much too quickly. 

If you’ve never meditated before and have trouble sitting quietly, trying to sit 10-40+ minutes a day will likely feel like way too much. Maybe you just start out with a few minutes a day. Or if that feels overwhelming, start out with a few minutes, a few times a week.

The key is to choose something that feels doable, and commit to doing it. Aim for little wins to train your mind and body that meditation can feel easy.

Then add in a few more minutes or a few more days. Work your way up slowly. Experiencing little successes, will allow you cultivate the meditation habit (we’ll discuss this in #9) much easier than feeling like you’re failing by setting too lofty of goals out the gate and not meeting them.

9. Create meditation CUES

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

— Jim Ryun

After reading the book “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg a couple years ago, I began noticing how much power habits truly have to make life feel easier and more joyful (or, if they're undesirable habits, to keep us feeling stuck).

It turns out our brains are very efficient and don't like to waste any energy. So they love to form habits out of anything you routinely do (or even think). This allows them to switch into auto-pilot the moment they recognize a habit beginning, thus saving valuable energy that can be used for other important functions.

One of the key concepts of the book is something called a “habit loop” which is a neurological loop that automatically runs through your brain each time a habit is recognized.

Understanding and leveraging this natural brain process will help you transform your sporadic meditation hobbies into consistent meditation habits. 

Each habit loop is broken into three distinct parts- a cue, a routine, and a reward). The part I'd like to discuss here is the cue. What makes the cue so important is that it's what tells your brain a habit is beginning and triggers it into auto-pilot. So by setting up cues for each our your meditation routines, your practice can begin to feel as easy and automatic as brushing your teeth each day. 

Cues typically fall into one of 5 categories. Here they are along with some examples you can use as your own triggers for your practice. 

• Location: a home sacred space (like we discussed in #4).
• Time: a specific time of day. You can even set your alarm as a daily reminder.
• Emotional State: stress, anger, grief, etc. Emotionally difficult states used to automatically cue undesirable habits like drinking, but now they cue me to pause....and meditate. 
• Other People: Surrounding yourself with a spiritual community (or just having a friend who's also serious about meditation) is powerful when it comes to maintaining long-term meditation habits. Doing daily or weekly accountability check-ins via text or email can really help you stay on track.
• An Immediate Preceding Action: Choose another daily habit you've already established, and do your practice right afterwards. My favorite is sitting to meditate right after I shower and brush my teeth in the morning!

Here's an example of the habit-loop of my morning meditation routine.

The reward is the pay-off for finishing the routine. And eventually, as the habit forms, you'll begin to notice that your meditation cues will automatically trigger you to crave the reward. Once that happens, your new meditation habit is born!

Take Action: Choose a cue for your daily meditation practice. 

10. PLAN for CHANGE

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

— Benjamin Franklin

Life isn’t static, so why should your practice be? 

If your weekend schedule is different than during the week, create different meditation habits on the weekends. If you go on vacation, take some time when you arrive to decide when and where you’ll meditate (even if you decide there's only time for a 5 minute shower meditation). Or if you stay at your boyfriend’s place a lot, create different cues and meditation routines there. Maybe when you have the "toothbrush talk" you can ask about keeping a meditation cushion in the corner of a room there too! A little bit of planning now, can save you a lot of stress or missed sittings, later.

Take Action: Take a look at your schedule. Do you need to create some other meditation cues and routines to account for regular changes to your schedule? 

11. EMBRACE OBSTACLES

Managing obstacles “on the cushion” will help you  better manage them “off the cushion” (in life).

Like life, your meditation practice will have obstacles. You'll have obstacles like busyness or lazyness that that keep you from showing up to your practice. And obstacles like boredom or distraction that get in the way of you staying focused and mindful during your practice.

The obstacles themselves are not the problem though. It's how you respond to them that causes you difficulty.

When you experience an obstacle during meditation like a busy or wandering mind, or a physical pain, or a difficult emotion, rather than resisting it or beating yourself up over it, lean into it.

“What you resist persists.”

— Carl Jung

By observing the difficult emotion that arises due to any obstacle, bringing compassion to it, and using it as part of your practice, you’ll ultimately be able to transform it.

We often see obstacles that arise around our practice as blocks or nuisances to the practice. But in fact, those obstacles ARE THE PRACTICE.

If you didn't have any obstacles you probably wouldn't need to meditate, would you?  And the more you can lean into and transform those obstacles on the cushion, the more you'll be able to do so off the cushion (in everyday life). Begin to think of your meditation practice as practice for life. 

Take Action: Anytime you're feeling frustrated by a busy mind or other obstacle during your practice, smile and remind yourself, “All obstacles are opportunities to practice”.

12. Maintain a BALANCED practice

“A successful meditation practice requires a constant dance between the masculine and feminine energies.”

We’re all made up of both feminine and masculine energies. While studying Chinese Medicine, l learned them as yin and yang. And also learned that states of dis-ease came when yin and yang energies got too far out of balance.

In the context of your meditation practice, yang (masculine) is the drive and commitment to show up, stay focused, and maintain dedicated consistency. While yin (feminine) is having compassion and forgiveness when you fall off track and the ability to be flexible and adapt your practice when you encounter obstacles or change in your life.

When the yang and yin of your practice are in balance, it will feel good and successful. When one starts to overpower the other, you’ll start to see the shadow aspects of one or the other show up. And you'll start to experience struggle in your practice. Here’s a simple graphic that'll help you diagnose when you're out of balance, and if you need to add more yin or more yang energy to your practice.

13. Find a meditation COMMUNITY

“For most people who overhaul their lives, there are no seminal moments or life-altering disasters. There are simply communities-sometimes of just one other person- who make change believable.”

— Charles Duhigg

In habit research, they found that those who interacted with communities interested in cultivating the same habit were able to develop and maintain those new habits more successfully. I’ve found that surrounding myself with others committed to their spiritual path helps me stay much more consistent in my meditation practices and personal growth. Here are a few ways I’ve done that over the years.

• Local meditation communities: Find a class at a local meditation or yoga center. Or start your own in your living room!
• Virtual meditation communities and live challenges: You can join my free "Meditate with Ease" Facebook community here where you can ask questions, get support, or join one of the free fun challenges I host throughout the year.
• Meditation retreats and workshops: There are many places that host different types of meditation workshops. Do a online search to find one near you.

So there you have it- thirteen ways to start and maintain a successful meditation practice. You don't have to do these all at once. Just start with the ones you feel most drawn to- the ones that are keeping you from getting the benefits you crave in your practice right now. I'd love to support you as you make these shifts in your practice, so let me know in the comments below which tweaks you plan to make first!

And if you'd like to join my VIP tribe and get the guided concentration practice + other valuable resources to help you along your meditation journey, just sign-up below!

5 Signs Your Meditation Practice is Successful

"How do I know if I'm meditating properly?" "Is my practice working, or am I just wasting my time?". These are questions I get asked quite a bit from newbie meditators or even those who've been meditating on and off for some time. I wondered this myself when I first started out.

Over time I realized it's much easier to first tap into how your practice FEELS in order to gauge success, rather than arbitrarily following any sort of specific meditation rules.

The following 5 signs are the barometer I use to measure if I'm meditating "properly" or if my practice is "working". And since awareness is the first step towards change, knowing which element(s) you're lacking will help you make the necessary tweaks to make your practice feel more successful.

One more thing before we dive in. I realize the term "success" is quite subjective. So I encourage you to take these 5 signs in with an open mind, and then use your own inner wisdom to take what resonates and put the rest aside. 

1. It's ENJOYABLE

Meditating shouldn't feel like an annoying chore every time you do it- another tedious thing to check off the to-do list. Sure, there will be obstacles. But if you don't enjoy your practice, it probably won't last very long. And then, what's the point? 

So, does your practice feel enjoyable? Or do you dread it most of the time?

2. It's EASY

Meditation shouldn't feel like an uphill battle each and every time you sit. It should feel relatively easy. Again, that doesn't mean there will never be obstacles in your practice. SPOILER ALERT: there will likely be lots of obstacles. But if you start seeing them simply as an opportunity to practice, and you learn how to manage them, obstacles don't have to make your practice feel so. damn. hard!

So, does your practice feel relatively easy? Or does it feel like an uphill battle most of the time?

3. It's EFFECTIVE

The benefits of meditation are broad. As are each of our personal reasons for meditating. When I polled my community on Facebook as to why they meditate, I got answers like, "to feel more peace", "to find love for myself again", "to connect with the divine", "to connect to my inner wisdom", "to evolve into the best version of myself", "to uncover my purpose", "to calm my mind", "to feel more confident", "to attract positivity into my life", "to set an example of self-care for my kids".

So whatever your own personal meditation aspirations may be, is your practice helping you achieve them? If so, awesome! If not, then you likely just need to make some simple tweaks in your practice.

4. It's ENDURING

For a long time my practice looked like this: A stressful event like a breakup would make me feel stressed and overwhelmed > I'd start meditating daily > I'd start feeling better > I'd start skipping sessions and my practice would slowly fade out (maybe for weeks or even months) > I'd slowly start feeling stressed and overwhelmed again (or another traumatic event would happen) > I'd start meditating daily again. And so the cycle would continue.

Eventually I realized that if I just kept my practice up consistently, as part of my daily self-care routine, I was better prepared (mentally and emotionally) to handle the inevitable little stressors or "sh*t hits the fan" moments in life. 

So, do you meditate consistently? Or is your practice sporadic or often only triggered when something stressful is happening in your life?

5. It makes you more YOU

“The thing about meditation is: you become more you.”

— David Lynch

I love this quote, and I couldn't agree more. Throughout our lives we pick up beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors that are meant to keep us safe, but can ultimately distance us from our true-selves and cause us stress and unhappiness. Meditation has the capability of shining a light on those false beliefs that are keeping you feeling disconnected from your true-self, and fully fulfilled and happy.

When I first started meditating, I had no idea meditation could be so powerful in transforming my life. So I meditated mostly just to calm my anxiety and feel more peaceful.

If you're meditating to just temporarily reduce stress, you're missing out on the greatest potential of meditation- it's ability to reconnect you to your truth and help you become your best self!

So, how do you measure the success of your practice and know when you need to make tweaks to it? Which of the above signs resonate as something you'd like to cultivate more of in your practice? Or is there something else that's not on the list? Let's get this discussion going below in the comments!

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And if you've realized that your practice isn't as successful as you'd like and want to know how you can make your practice feel more enjoyable, easy, effective, enduring, AND make connect you to your true-self, you're in luck! I'm working on a comprehensive guide to help you.

Sign up below to get "The Ultimate Guide to Starting and Maintaining a Successful Meditation Practice" delivered straight to your inbox as soon as it's ready to go out!

I Ching Full Moon Wisdom {April}

Full moons are always an energetically potent time, ripe for bringing about great transformation. They're also known for stirring up emotions, to help shine a light on your blocks, so you can release them. 

To assist us in utilizing this month's full moon energy to our advantage, I asked my favorite oracle and spiritual tool, the I Ching, what energies are most potent now, and how we can best use them to create growth and change in our lives. (fyi: the I Ching speaks in a language called hexagrams)

The answer it gave was Hexagram #63, "After Completion".

This hexagram indicates that a situation or pattern (thought or behavior) you were previously struggling with has finally been transformed. You made it through the chaos to the light on the other side! Yay! Take a moment to celebrate your success and this new found peace and clarity.

But the key take-away in this hexagram right now, lies in the friendly, but stern, reminder:

Celebrate your new found ease and success, but do not become complacent and fall back into the old bad habits you've so painstakingly transformed.

“If you revert to this sort of carelessness now, you will undo all that you have worked to build... One minute we dip our toe in incorrectness, the next minute we are swimming in it, and the next, we drown. Therefore it is wiser to simply keep our toes dry in the first place.”

— The I Ching

Changing a stuck situation in your life, is not something that magically happens over night.

Transformation is a process that happens over time as you release non-serving thoughts and behaviors that keep you stuck, and adopt new ones that instead create the circumstances you desire.

So getting this hexagram with this warning message now, indicates that you have successfully released a thought or behavior habit that was keeping you stuck. And because of this, you are now enjoying more peace, ease, and flow in that area of your life (ie. love, career, health, purpose, etc). But old habits are quick to return if you're not mindful, bringing with them those old stuck circumstances.

“When we have achieved success or are close to it, it is in our nature to want to relax and allow the ego to bask in glory.”

— The I Ching

TAKE ACTION >> During this week of the full moon, take a moment to check yourself. 

What are some of the new and beneficial thought and behavior patterns you've adopted recently? Are any of your old, non-serving thought or behavior habits creeping back in and threatening to ruin some positive change you've achieved in your life?

If so, don't panic or beat yourself up over it! Remember, transformation is a process that takes time, patience, and a continuous determination (and tweaking of habits). 

This resurfacing of old patterns is actually a very natural part of the transformation process. 

The more you practice acknowledging them as soon as they come up, and continually replace them with the new thoughts and behaviors you've adopted (or desire), the more you'll solidify the new positive habits and transformations you've begun to experience. 

You're in a critical part of the transformation process! Don't get lazy now. Keep doing the work and you'll find lasting success and happiness around the corner.

Having a firm understanding of how the transformation process works and what stage you're in at any given moment is crucial if you want to actively and gracefully create change in your relationships, career, health, and life in general. Because if you're not actively creating change in your life, you're either staying stuck or passively letting outside circumstances dictate your life circumstances.

If you want to learn how to actively navigate the transformation process with more ease and grace, so you feel like you're in the driver seat of your life, then you're in for a treat! 

Next week I'm starting a FREE 4-Part Training called "The Art of Transformation: 4 Steps to Using Meditation to Create More Peace and Lasting Change in Your Life".

It's time to take back control of your life and learn to co-create it with the universe, rather than sitting back idly, staying stuck or letting outside circumstances (and people) create it for you!

Just sign up below to get all 4 parts of the training sent right to your inbox. 

The Power of Connection and How to Cultivate it as an Introvert

In the last month I've begun to feel a natural shift from the hibernation and introverted energy that Winter brings, to the more expansive and extroverted energies of Spring. As I watch the flower buds around my yard begin to open, I feel my own cravings to come out of my shell and connect, begin to over-power my natural introvert tendencies.

I've begun to deeply desire community once again and have naturally been planting seeds and cultivating more of it. Modern society has created a sense of isolation amongst us, so it's easy to forget that, at our core, we humans are tribal creatures.

We thrive and grow through connection and relationships with others, not in isolation. 

So while alone time to reflect and recharge is important, connecting with others is equally important. And by "connecting" I don't mean the superficial chit chat that seems to pervade most social environments (although chit chat does have its place too), but real deep, raw connection. 

If you too have been feeling Spring's pull to connect more and on a deeper level, here are some ways to cultivate more community and connection in your life (especially if you're a natural introvert like me). And also some things you may want to watch out for as an introvert getting out there again, after a long winter of hibernation.

1) Schedule "friend dates"

As a natural introvert, winters always leave me with extreme anti-social and home-body tendencies. I think I'd stay in every day reading, drinking tea, and watching movies if I could! And even when the spring naturally awakens my desire for deeper connection, I still often struggle with the introvert's desire to just stay in, alone or with my boyfriend. 

So I've found that scheduling "friend' dates" just as you would schedule a Dr. appointment or work-out session is so helpful to cultivating that regular connection. My favorites are connecting over a weekly hike or walk, cup of tea, happy hour, or even just a phone call. If you're anything like me, if it's not scheduled, you're much more likely to get a little too cozy on the couch, ignore calls, and just hang out solo.

Alone time is important, but won't satisfy your human need for connection.

2) Learn How to Manage Your Energy

Introverts have a tendency to be very sensitive. So it's easy to feel drained when you begin connecting and socializing more. This can lead to feeling cranky and possibly even lead you to make poor decisions or react out of character.

Beginning to notice when your energy is low and replenishing yourself is key to connecting successfully as an introvert!

My favorite way to do this is to have a consistent meditation practice. 

this is how i get ready to go out friday nights. a 10-20 minute meditation to ground myself and prepare my energy for lots of people.

Beginning or maintaining a consistent meditation practice doesn't have to feel hard or take up a lot of time. Here's a free resource to help you get started > the "Meditate with Ease: Mini Course".

3) Be Mindful of Your Consumption of Mind-Altering Substances

This may or may not apply to you, but I feel that it's important to mention because I know it's a common struggle for introverts (particularly those who are sensitive).

Over-consumption of any mind-altering substance (caffeine, alcohol, etc.) can affect your energy and ability to connect mindfully and authentically.

I'm not saying to avoid these things, I'm just saying to be conscious of how you use these substances and how they make you feel.

For example while I enjoy social drinking, I can also have a tendency to use alcohol to help soothe anxiousness around connecting in groups or with new people. But often times it makes things worse. I'm also sensitive to caffeine and notice it can cause more anxiousness when connecting with others. So just be mindful of your usage habits and how they make you feel, so you can make more empowering choices.

4) Join a Women's Circle 

You can learn so much about yourself and grow, when you allow yourself to go deep, open up, and be vulnerable with others.

The best place I've experienced this is in women's circles. If you desire these types of deeper connections and don't really have relationships that satiate that craving (or are just looking for something more), women's circles are aaahmazing!

I discovered the power of women's circles when I moved across the country six years ago to finish up acupuncture school. I really didn't know anyone out there and found myself feeling pretty lonely and isolated, despite meeting people in classes. You see, as an introvert, I had a hard time taking the superficial friendships I made in class to a deeper, more fulfilling level.

So after trying out several meet-up and networking groups (which felt draining and still didn't help me cultivate the deeper connections I craved), I serendipitously discovered a women's circle. And it was transformational! 

Ever since then, I've participated in several in-person and online women's circles, and have even led my own. And each has been powerful and changed me in some way. Finding a group might take a little exploring. Here are some options:

• Search for local yoga studios, wellness centers, meditation centers, or new age/ spiritual shops. Check out some of their events or ask the owner if they have a women's circle or anything like it. 
• Join my private Facebook community here. It's an online community where you can connect with me and others who are on a spiritual path. We're a tribe of like-minded souls who strive to grow and create more joy and fulfillment in our lives (and support each other along the journey). Also by being a member of the group, you'll soon have the opportunity to attend a women's circle, hosted by moi, from the coziness of your own home!
• Start your own local women's circle. If you have some friends who you think you'd like to do this with, you can even start your own group. Check out this book for inspiration and guidance.
• And if you're a man, you could look for some local (or virtual) communities as well. Although I don't have as much experience with men's groups :)

I so look forward to seeing you in the Facebook community if it's something that resonates with you! And if you do join us, you'll also be the first to know when I start a virtual women's circle.

I Ching Full Moon Wisdom {March}

Full moons are always an energetically potent time, ripe for bringing about great transformation. And also known for stirring up emotions, to help shine a light on your blocks, so you can release them. This month, during the full moon, we also have an eclipse which adds to the deeply reflective power of the time. This means that if you're feeling stuck or confused in your life, it's an especially easy time to connect to your inner wisdom and gain the insight for solutions and forward movement. 

Making time monthly during the full moon to reflect, has consistently helped me stay on purpose and shift difficult and stagnant areas of my life. A few years ago, I began combining my favorite oracle and spiritual tool, the I Ching, with my full moon practice and KABAM, the "I Ching Moon Wisdom" was born. 

So to assist us in utilizing this month's full moon energy for transformation, I asked the I Ching, what energies are most potent now and how can we best use them. (fyi: the I Ching speaks in a language called hexagrams)

The answer it gave was Hexagram #62, "SMALL CROSSING".

"Small Crossing" has a couple meanings and lessons that you can benefit from right now. The first is "small crossing" as in "a slight excess". The second is "small crossing" as in  "a small step past a milestone" (aka. a baby-step). So what exactly does this mean for you right now? Let's break it down.

1) Small Crossing as "A SLIGHT EXCESS"

“Taking firm control over our lives will inevitably lead to small excesses as we struggle for control over ourselves.”

— I Ching

The lesson here is that as you journey in your life and grow, there will be times when you go too far. You go past your boundaries. You make mistakes. Maybe there's even a mistake you've made recently that's causing you guilt, regret, or shame. Or perhaps someone else has wronged you and it's causing you pain.

Take this as a gentle reminder to forgive yourself (or someone else) and move on.

2) Small Crossing as a "BABY STEP"

“People never fully comprehend the full power of the small. For the wise, it takes only a touch to set a wheel turning– and then that wheel amplifies the power of their touch.”

— I Ching

Grand actions or big life overhauls aren't needed right now. It's the correct little shift, the "baby steps", that will make all the difference in your life now. This is such a crucial lesson! The big dream is important and serves as a compass for all of your decisions. But sometimes your ideal relationship, job, or life in general seem so far out of reach that you get overwhelmed wondering how you'll get there. This can lead to anxiety, depression, and possibly giving up altogether.

So this hexagram is a reminder that once you see the big picture vision, just start by taking tiny baby-steps in that direction.

And if you don't know what the your ideal big picture looks like, or you're not sure what baby-step to take, now is a powerful time to go within and get some answers! 

::Try This>> (get quiet and meditate on these)

• Where do you feel most stuck right now? 
• Visualization Meditation: If you had a magic wand, what would that stuck situation look and feel like instead? Imagine it (in detail) using as many senses as possible. What are your main feelings in this ideal scenario? (ie. adventurous, free, connected, etc.)
• Reflection Meditation 1: Ask "What is one small "baby step" that will bring me closer to [ideal scenario]?
• Reflection Meditation 2: Ask "What is one small thing I need to release (think belief, thought, behavior, a person, etc.) that is blocking me from creating [ideal scenario]?
  • Visualize that small thing being released from your energy field and floating into a fire to be transformed.

Sometimes the best next baby-step is an action, but sometimes just a simple mindset shift can powerfully catalyze change.

For example a had a lovely client who came to me feeling depressed and stuck in her career (and other aspects of her life). After a 45 minute session (plus a few days to process the shifts), she had several aha moments and went from feeling exhausted and very stuck, to feeling hopeful again. We also discussed some meditations she could do to keep the energy flowing and the clarity coming. Nothing in her physical "stuck" big picture necessarily shifted immediately. But her mental and energetic state went from depressed (contracted) to hopeful (open).

She then received an email as if by magic (or coincidence, depending on your beliefs), from a friend recommending her for a great new job! Getting that email likely added to her hope and expansive feelings, which will likely attract more opportunity her way.

So when you're feeling stuck and overwhelmed, please do not underestimate the power of a little clarity and a baby-step!

If you're feeling stuck anywhere in your life right now, try the meditations above for clarity as to your next baby-step. If you're new to meditation or need help tapping into your inner wisdom to uncover your best next steps, you can learn more about my I Ching Clarity Sessions here.

The One Realization That Has Curbed My Anxiety and Brought Me Peace (even in the midst of chaos)

I had a really powerful sunset meditation last night where I just watched the sky change colors as the sun set (somewhere over my neighbors' houses since I'm on the east coast! lol). And it got me contemplating the idea of cycles and change.

I believe the root of a lot of our anxiety and lack of lasting peace, is due to our inability to accept (and flow with) the very natural occurrence of cycles and change in our lives.

Before I truly embraced cycles and change (on an experiential level not just a theoretical level), I never felt at peace for long. I'd have moments (during meditation, in nature, etc.), but the peace was always fleeting.

But then I began to learn about cycles and saw that they were happening all around (and within) me, all the time- no matter what I did or didn't do.

I began to realize that the beginnings and endings of cycles felt the hardest (which is why I tended to avoid them for as long as possible- even if it meant staying in mediocre or downright crappy situations).

I soon learned that the more I accepted and understood how to navigate these cycles, the more I could use them to my advantage. And the more peace (and less anxiety) I felt, even in the thickest of chaos. And then the more my life began to miraculously transform.

There are currently lots of cycles ending and beginning in the next couple of weeks. Which means energies are being stirred up, and there is great opportunity for some real insight and transformation (if you're willing to look within and do the work)!

We've got the Spring Equinox on Sunday (yay spring!!) and a lunar eclipse + full moon on Wednesday.

These shifting cycles can stir up some discomfort in us as well (to help us begin to see and release anything that's holding us back from growth and true peace and happiness). So if you're feeling really triggered or stuck anywhere in your life, these next couple of weeks are especially powerful to go within and gain insight to shift those blocks for good!

My greatest teacher on cycles and change has been something called the "I Ching" (aka. Book of Changes). It's an oracle and ancient Chinese wisdom book that has truly changed how I think and live my life. I've been working with the I Ching for years (studied it in acupuncture school), and it's been the most powerful tool I've found when it comes to connecting to my intuition, hearing guidance from the universe, getting unstuck quickly, and working with cycles and change like a pro! 

If you're feeling really stuck with some aspect of your life and are curious how the "I Ching" can help you gain clarity and forward movement (especially during this Equinox/ Full Moon/ Eclipse period), click here to learn more or to set up a free 15 min discovery session.

I Ching Full Moon Wisdom {February}

Full moons are always an energetically potent time, ripe for bringing about great transformation. Taking time monthly during the full moon to reflect, has consistently helped me stay on purpose and shift difficult and stagnant areas of my life. A few years ago, I began combining my favorite oracle and spiritual tool, the I Ching, with my full moon practice and KABAM, "I Ching Moon" readings were born. 

So to assist us in utilizing this month's full moon energy for transformation, I asked the I Ching, what energies are most potent, now and how we can best use them. (fyi: the I Ching speaks through something called hexagrams)

The answer it gave was Hexagram #35, "ADVANCING".

We are currently in a very fortuitous time! The I Ching describes this time as, outer fortune coinciding with inner power. And after practically a whole month of Mercury retrograde (which is more a time of holding for many), we now find ourselves in a time where flow and potential for progress is great. 

I am definitely feeling this energy right now. And in fact, there's this sense that the year is just getting started. January and early February felt a bit like trudging through mud. I had a lot of ideas for new projects but none felt quite ready to move forward. Then a couple weeks ago, one of my ideas (a meditation challenge) really started to take shape. I went deep into my "creative cave" and spent my energy creating and planning.

And when I emerged 6 days ago and put my creative endeavor out into the world, that feeling of trudging through mud was replaced by the sensation of flowing down a fast moving river.

And next thing I knew, there were over 100 people signed up!

This is what "ADVANCING" feels like.

“Advancing happens when our own goals agree with the times.”

— The I Ching

To make the most of this opportune time, here are some things to keep in mind:

1) Be careful not to overextend yourself.

You may be tempted to, given the current flow of energy, but this would be dangerous. Instead find a balance between taking advantage of this time of "advancing", and also accumulating your resources (time, energy, money, etc) for later. Focus on using this powerful energy to increase support systems and create connections that will be beneficial later. Because the time of "advancing" will not last forever.

2) If you don't feel this energy of flow and advancing in your own life, take some time to go within and reflect.

Are you blocking yourself from this energy in any way? Is fear or doubt holding you back?

To allow the outer "advancing" of this time to happen for you, it may be first necessary to allow inner "advancing" by uncovering and releasing whatever blocks you've subconsciously put up. And this is an opportune time to do that too, under the power of full moon.

Whether you feel the "advancing" energy and just need some insight on how to flow through with balance, OR you feel blocked from this energy, you can benefit from going within now. 

Meditation, especially reflection and releasing practices, are appropriate for all during the full moon. 

If you need help getting started or just creating more consistency with your meditation practice, I have a free challenge starting tomorrow! Click below to sign up.

I Ching Full Moon Wisdom {December}

Full moons are always an energetically potent time, ripe for bringing about great transformation. Taking time monthly during the full moon to reflect has consistently helped me stay on purpose and shift difficult and stagnant areas of my life. A few years ago, I began combining my favorite oracle and spiritual tool, the I Ching, with my full moon practice and BAM, "I Ching Moon Wisdom" readings were born. 

So to assist us in utilizing this month's full moon energy for transformation, I asked the I Ching, "How can we best use this year's final full moon energy to set us up for more happiness and greater alignment with our true selves as we shift into 2016?"  (hexagrams are the language of the I Ching)

And it answered with Hexagram #16, Delight (aka. Enthusiasm).

As I read through this hexagram, I uncovered 3 main themes that are important for us to take the time to explore over the next couple weeks. So grab a cup of tea, find a cozy nook, and dive into this month's wisdom to set yourself up for more happiness and success (however you define it) in 2016!

1. KNOW WHAT DELIGHTS YOU

In order to become more aligned with your true self and begin to cultivate more happiness in 2016, you must be tuned into what brings you joy. What is it that truly Lights You Up?!?

“Knowing how you actually want to feel is the most potent form of clarity you can have. Generating those feelings is the most powerfully creative thing you can do with your life.”

— Danielle LaPorte

Sometimes what we think will (or should) light us up actually doesn't. This could be because were basing what we want on others ideals, our own false ideals, or simply because our own tastes have changed. 

“The plain truth is, what delights us changes as we grow older. We have to manage that change.”

— The I Ching

The hexagram "Delight" is reminding you to take some time to re-clarify your ideas of what truly lights you up, before you start setting those tangible goals for 2016.

TAKE ACTION >> Take a moment to upgrade your ideas on what delights you, before you shift into 2016.

• You can do this by sitting quietly and contemplating the things that truly light you up. Grab a journal, and ask yourself "What lights me up? What makes me feel expansive and joyful?"
• You can also do this by being more mindful in your daily life. Start noticing what truly delights you over the next few weeks. What makes you giddy? What makes you feel expansive? Also start to notice what feels heavy or exhausting. What makes you contract? 

Personally, I've noticed some major changes in what delights me in my relationship. How I once loved to connect has greatly shifted over the year, and as I move into 2016 I'll have to account for these changes if I want to feel fulfilled and happy. I've also found that what delights me in my social life has drastically shifted over the year. And if I'm being honest, the shifts likely started years ago. But I never too the time to upgrade and came up against some major internal turbulence because of it.

Re-clarifying and following your delight is a wonderful way to align more deeply with your true self and set goals that will truly bring you more happiness in 2016. 

2. FOLLOW DELIGHT WITH PERSEVERENCE

“Delight is volatile. Unless our spark begins a reaction, and unless we channel and amplify that reaction through hard work and perseverance, we cannot find a lasting path.”

— The I Ching

This hexagram also reminds you that discipline and hard work are just as important as the spark of delight.

You're reminded to keep your initial excitement in mind while also maintaining your steady forward momentum (in any aspect of your life). Allow that spark of delight, your enthusiasm, to get your attention. That's what it's for! Enjoy it when it comes to you. But also be sure to keep persevering on that path, even as the initial excitement fades.

I've noticed a trend in myself (and others I talk to). I'll get a spark of inspiration that really lights me up. I'm giddy with excitement over it. I obsess over it, journal on it, talk about it, and then.......I stop. The excitement dies down or fear and doubt creep in and I Just Stop. Until another enthusiastic burst of delight pops up! And the cycle continues. 

This pattern of not following up bursts of delight with perseverance and consistent action can happen to anyone in any area of their life. And it's a surefire way to lose momentum and stagnate your growth.

Let delight be your compass, and hard work be your tools.

TAKE ACTION>> The next time you get a burst of delight or inspiration, make a plan to follow it up with consistent action.

Do you keep thinking about getting into better shape and then finally feel inspired to go out for a jog? Don't let that inspiration fade. Create a plan to take consistent action towards getting into shape. Join a gym; get a jogging buddy; hire a health coach; do whatever you need to do to insure consistent action.

3. ESTABLISH A DEEP CONNECTION WITH SPIRIT AND YOUR SOUL

So #3 may sound a bit random, but bear with me because it may very well be the most important aspect of this hexagram "Delight". The I Ching says,

“Only one delight, delight in the spiritual, is lasting and ultimately satisfying. All other delights are external- mere entertainment and playing. The spiritual transcends our isolation, joins us with others, and leads our souls to dance to a music that resonates through the universe in a song of delight”

— The I Ching

Many things will delight you and compete for your continued attention and energy in 2016 and beyond. It's only with the wisdom of the universe (spirit, source, god, etc.) and you're own inner wise woman (soul, intuition, etc.) that you'll know the difference between what will bring you farther on your path, and what will be a fun (but perhaps unfulfilling) distraction. Neither is wrong.

But if you're goal in 2016 is to more fully live your purpose and align with your true self, you'd benefit greatly from listening for whispers of the universe and your soul, as to which sparks of delight to follow.

TAKE ACTION>> If you'd like to strengthen your connection and gain more guidance from the universe and your inner wise woman, I highly suggest establishing a regular spiritual practice in your life. This has been key for transforming my own life. A "regular spiritual practice" may look different for each of you. And that's ok. As long as it helps you have a deeper connection with the universe and your inner wise woman, you're golden :)

If you're curious, my spiritual practice consists of regular and varying types of meditation, journaling, consulting the I Ching, and other regular rituals that help me feel that deeper connection with myself and the divine. 

If you'd like to learn how to make your own spiritual practice more consistent so you can more easily tap into your inner wise woman and guidance from spirit, sign up below for a free resource to help. It's a guide with 4 simple steps that will help you take your spiritual practice from inconsistent dabble to regular ritual in 2016.

Whether your spiritual practice is meditation or something else, this guide will help you make it more consistent.

I Ching Full Moon Wisdom {November}

Full moons are always an energetically potent time, ripe for bringing about great transformation. Taking time monthly during the full moon to reflect has consistently helped me stay on purpose and shift difficult and stagnant areas of my life. A few years ago, I began combining my favorite oracle and spiritual tool, the I Ching, with my full moon practice and KABAM, "I Ching Moon Wisdom" readings were born. 

So to assist us in utilizing this month's full moon energy for transformation, I asked the I Ching, "What do we need to know about this Gemini full moon to harness its power + powerfully and ease-fully move forward in our lives?"  (hexagrams are the language of the I Ching)

And it answered with Hexagram #3, Sprouting (aka. Difficult Beginnings).

Watching my dad try his hand at gardening this year taught me that growing fruits and veggies isn't as easy as I had assumed. I learned planting seeds doesn't guarantee a plant will grow, and if it does grow, there's no guarantee it'll be healthy and delicious. Our lives are a lot like this.

Throughout the year you've likely spent a lot of time planting seeds for what you want to create in your life in 2015 (through your thoughts and intentions). Like my dad's garden, every single seed you've planted will not go from energetic seed to physical plant. But the ones you've nurtured most, will eventually begin to sprout into tangible form.

Getting this hexagram "Sprouting" now, indicates some of your nurtured seeds are finally beginning to manifest from the energy realm of intention into the physical realm of form.

“We are at the dynamic moment in which an inner world change is beginning to precipitate into an outer world change.”

— The I Ching

And like my dad's garden, just because something sprouts, doesn't mean it'll survive to its fullest expression. So the time of sprouting, when you first begin to glimpse the fruits of your labor, is both magical and terrifying.

“Difficult beginnings arise where there are a perfusion of elements struggling to take form. Because your new environment has yet to fully materialize, much confusion surrounds any attempt to master it.”

— The I Ching

Despite this confusion, The I Ching wants you to know that this time of "Sprouting" or "Difficult Beginnings" is completely natural. For now, what will benefit you the most is to pause and surrender to all the chaotic energy swirling around you as these seedlings begin to sprout.

You see, seeds can be planted both consciously and unconsciously. 

Seeds consciously planted and nurtured will often sprout into situations or things you desire, while unconsciously planted and nurtured ones may sprout into something undesirable. 

So your job during this full moon is to sit back and take stock of ALL the seeds you've been nurturing and have allowed to sprout in your life this year. This is a great ritual to do as 2015 completes, so you can be sure to only bring what you truly want into 2016.

Take some time this week (while the full moon energy is still potent) to journal on these questions.

• Are the seeds taking form in my life now ones I want? If so, how can I continue to nurture them further to ensure their full fruition?
• If not, what can I do (or stop doing) to ensure they grow no further?

Meditation Beyond Relaxation: What's next?

I've always been a natural seeker, and I'm constantly working towards becoming the best (or truest) version of myself possible. And if I'm being honest, it's been a serious pain in the ass at times. But settling and mediocrity is just not in my DNA. 

Anytime I inadvertently settle (in love, work, health etc.), I get a gentle intuitive nudge to keep changing.

These gentle nudges first come in the form of internal struggle or general feelings of discontent. But the longer I ignore these feelings, the stronger (and less gentle) they become. Eventually nudge turns to shove and...you get the picture.

Growing up I didn't recognize these "nudges and shoves" as helpful guidance, but rather as emotional and mental crises that brought up a lot of anxiety and overwhelm. So while I may have appeared to be a normal teenager on the outside, internally much of those years were spent in a constant state of over-analysis and anxiousness. It wasn't until college that I realized living like that, while common, wasn't natural. So I looked for healing and found meditation.

As I dabbled in meditation for the first few years, I noticed the immediate benefit of relaxation.

My constant state of emotional and mental noise lessened, and I was content. But as I stopped having to constantly put out emotional fires (so to speak), I began to see areas of my life that felt lack luster or just plain crappy and stuck.

So I once again turned to meditation for answers.

I was ready to take my practice beyond relaxation and begin transforming all the areas of my life where I was settling or stuck in undesirable patterns (like my love life at the time).

And while I'd heard this sort of life transformation was possible through meditation, I wasn't quite sure how to achieve it. Well I'm happy to say that after years of study and trial and error, I've found some answers.

Here are some of the key things I've learned on my journey:

1. Transforming stuck life circumstances is a process that happens in distinct steps. Knowing these steps is extremely helpful as you work towards changing your life.
2. There are many different types of meditation, and each has its own specific benefits.
3. Each step of the transformation process has meditation types best suited to it. Knowing what practice is best for each step will help you flow through the process with much more ease.
4. There's a root skill necessary for all types of meditation. Constant distraction and frustration calming your mind during meditation (or anytime), may be a sign you need to cultivate this skill first.
5. And lastly, change doesn't happen overnight! In order to achieve long-lasting transformation, commitment (and constant re-commitment) to create change is essential. This means, you've got to make your practice part of your daily life and not just something you turn to when shit hits the fan.

If you're ready to take your meditation practice from relaxation to transformation (or at least curious how it's done), then I've got special gift for you! I've created a blueprint that outlines each stage of the transformation through meditation process + the best type of meditation for each stage.

So if you feel stuck getting lasting change in any aspect of your life and aren't ready to spend hundreds of dollars on psychics, therapists, or healers for answers, download your free guide "Meditation for Transformation Blueprint: 4 Steps to Gain Clarity, Get Unstuck, and Change Your Life for Good". 

I Ching Full Moon Wisdom {October}

Full moons are always a potent time. Energetically ripe for transformation. Taking time monthly during the full moon to reflect and reassess your life can be a powerful practice. Having a full moon practice has consistently helped me shift difficult and stagnant areas of my life. A couple years ago, I began combining my favorite oracle and spiritual tool, the I Ching, with my full moon practice and KABAM, "I Ching Full Moon Wisdom" readings were born. 

So to assist us in harnessing this month's full moon energy for transformation, I asked the I Ching, "What is this Taurus full moon all about, and How can we best utilize it now that's in our highest and best?" 

And it answered with Hexagram #64, Not Yet Across. (hexagrams are the language of the I Ching).

This is interesting because the hexagrams are cyclical starting at #1 and ending at #64 before they loop back to #1. So #1 represents a new beginning while #64 is the moment just before a new beginning.

This time of "Not Yet Across" represents the moment just before we complete a cycle in our life. 

“We are poised at the beginning of a new venture, and this moment when heaven and earth pause between inhalation and exhalation is sacred, terrible, peaceful, [fertile].”

— The I Ching*

Getting this hexagram now signifies that there's an aspect of your life that's really ripe for completion or letting go. And once you let it go you will complete this cycle (or lesson) and begin a new one. Take a moment now to reflect on what that aspect is. Close your eyes and ask yourself (you may want to grab your journal and write it down):

What in my life is ripe for releasing now?

Is it a relationship with a friend or lover that's done? A job? Or perhaps it's a thought or behavior pattern that's no longer serving you?

Whatever it is, holding onto it is holding you back from evolving in that aspect of your life. Blocking you from allowing something better to come along....a new beginning to start. It's holding you back from realizing fully that lesson that's ready to be learned. 

“Wisdom is to act in that measureless juncture between beginning and ending.”

— The I Ching*

When we continue to hold onto things that are ripe for releasing, they begin to rot and stagnate us.

Letting go of things that we're attached to (even when they're ripe for releasing) can feel scary and even dangerous. But it's a necessary and empowering part of our growth. And it will always make room for something better and more aligned with our soul to come in. 

“Crossing [between ending and new beginning] is dangerous. When we are not yet across, there is more risk than chance of accomplishment. We have to get to the other side before our plans can unfold.”

— The I Ching*

So how do we know what's starting to rot and needs to be released?

First, you must trust that you have this knowledge inside of you (because you do!). Second, give yourself some time and space this week to reflect and/or journal on it. 

And if you still feel stuck knowing what to release, taking a look at your values can be very helpful during this Taurus full moon.

“The Taurus Moon is shining a light on what you love and value. Your freedom and joy is in your ability to live authentically and in alignment with your core values. ”

— Kelley Rosano @ MysticMama

TRY THIS >> Grab your journal and reflect on these question.

• What are your non-negotiables in life? What feelings do you strive to embody each day? 
• Now reflect on one or two places where you feel the most struggle right now.
• Now ask yourself: Which struggles are due to a disconnect in my values?
• When you can start to see that a difficult circumstance in your life is caused by you not honoring your values (whether it's a relationship, an internal thought or behavior pattern, etc) >> THIS IS A SIGN OF SOMETHING ROTTING AND READY TO BE RELEASED FROM YOUR LIFE.

So on this full moon, I invite you to take advantage of this potent energy and feel for what's past its ripe date, ready to be digested into wisdom, and over due to be released from your life. And I ask you to give yourself permission to learn the lesson and LET IT GO.

Once you do, you'll shift from this hexagram of  "ALMOST ACROSS" to completing this cycle. And you'll allow the space and resources to nurture the seeds of something amazing and new to come along.