The Benefits of Detox

THE BENEFITS OF DETOXING THE BODY

By Sitaji Devi

Most people do not have a good understanding about health.  I include my former self in that statement and admit that it took me quite a long time and many bouts with sickness before I learned how to eat right.  It has not been emphasized enough in our education system to leave any lasting impression on young people as they embark on their own into self-sufficient living.  Even the parents that are raising them probably don’t know enough about good eating habits to make informed decisions when food shopping and preparing the meals for their family.  These days many people eat fast-food out or buy prepared/packaged meals that deprive them of whole foods and nutrition.  Larger portions and eating a great amount of unhealthy foods like cookies and ice cream is destroying our society’s well-being. It tastes so good I know, but it is basically empty calories that deprive your body of the nourishment it needs.  Sugar has a multitude of negative effects on the body.

Enough about our bad eating habits we’ve grown so accustomed to, I’ll get right into the health challenges we create when we let the fast food establishments and the standard american diet (S.A.D.) dictate our nourishment requirements.  Due to an imbalance in our daily meals of too much meat, dairy, wheat and sugar, we are now one of the unhealthiest countries in the world with the most obesity, diabetes and heart disease.  Our bodies don’t stand a chance if we continue to eat foods that aren’t good for us.  Therefore we need to find a solution.  The Essenes, a religious group from the time of Jesus, stated the importance of detoxing the body and adopting a healthy lifestyle in order to be whole in mind, body & spirit.  One way to do this is by not eating before bed and giving your organs a chance to rest.  Also decreasing the amount we eat, never satiate yourself, it is good to stop eating at 80% fullness.

Most people’s bodies are overrun with unfriendly bacteria called Candida due to taking antibiotics combined with a stressful, sedentary unhealthy lifestyle.  While lacking live foods due to overcooking.  Once the body is compromised by an overgrowth of this fungus the internal organs begin to clog up and lose there ability to function properly.  We have discovered a solution to this problem and are excited to teach others how to be free of this epidemic–which wreaks havoc on your health, by lowering your energy level and libido and can cause many other emotional and physical illnesses.  Some examples are depression, moodiness, hormonal imbalances, thyroid disease, skin problems like eczema and acne.

It is essential to have a body that is alkaline in order to be free of diseases like cancer.  Scientists have discovered that cancer cannot grow in an alkaline environment.  You can use test strips to determine your ph level–if it turns blue/green  you are alkaline/healthy or if it stays yellow you are acidic/unhealthy.   For years my strip stayed yellow, Type A blood types like myself have a high acid level in their digestive system which requires a lot of alkaline foods (green leafy vegetables) in their diet, they also need to keep their stress levels very low.  My spiritual practice of yoga and meditation relaxes me and is something we like to teach at our center.  Another way I keep my body alkaline is through diet, by eliminating sugar and drinking lemon in water and kefir (probiotic) which we teach people how to make without sugar and is part of the The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates.  We have many wonderful recipes to share.  It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to eat healthy.  It’s affordable, easy-to-do and you don’t have to feel deprived on this new way of eating, there are many alternative ingredients that make the food taste great.  Xylitol is a natural sugar substitute that comes from birch trees and it’s not only sweet it is anti fungal and good for your teeth.  There are many other types of flours to replace wheat (a gluten allergy which affects many, weakens the immune system, and can cause many health issues).

At The Center for Health & Spirit in Farmington, Maine we offer a stress-free, relaxing environment in nature to help set you on the right path to wholeness and a better way of life.  We offer retreats that train you in healthy cooking, relaxation methods and spiritual guidance.  Our meals are organic, vegetarian-based with some fish and always delicious!  You will learn how to menu plan, set up a healthy pantry, receive food shopping guidance and learn easy recipes.  We have a hands-on approach and would be happy to come to your home and help you organize your kitchen, take you food shopping and assist in meal preparation.  We understand that it takes time to change such deeply ingrained “bad” habits and that assistance may be needed.  We feel confident that after a weekend detox retreat you will leave with a good understanding of how to live better and eat for life.

One dollar spent on preventive care saves you $16 in medical expenses in the future.  It’s worth eating healthy to stay out of the hospital–good for your body and good for your wallet.

If you would like to look and feel younger and have more energy to enjoy your life, lose weight effortlessly and keep it off naturally–give us a call for more information about our upcoming retreats or to schedule a private in-home detox/healthy diet training.

Contact information, The Center for Health & Spirit, (207) 491-2313.  (Disclaimer) This isn’t meant to treat, cure, prevent or diagnose any illness, we know that the body and nature heals itself when it has a strong immune system and a healthy environment.

Simplicity

Simplicity.

Simplicity

I’ve heard a few people refer to the acronym K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple (they say) Stupid, (but I prefer to say) Sweetheart.  I also like the adage “Less is more”.   Life is simple, our minds make it complicated!  It seems that our society is addicted to drama and perpetuates it with intricate ideas and practices.

Everyday life can be so complex.  Technology was supposed to make our life easier and it seems like just the opposite.  Sure I like having modern appliances but keeping up with the latest gadgets and how to use them can be exasperating.  I enjoy the internet for a variety of reasons but now I have to remember all these passwords and usernames to each of my online activities like Facebook, Craigslist, PayPal, online shopping sites, my Blog and more.  Meanwhile, I no longer use my memory for basic things like phone numbers or addresses.  I just press the name on my contact list to make my calls.  So if I were to lose my phone I wouldn’t be able to call anyone.  The same with addresses, now emailing has taken away that as well, so I wouldn’t know how to reach people in an emergency without these technologies.  These handy devices are causing our memory to atrophy.  GPS in the cars can be very helpful, but not if we become so dependent on them that we forget to rely on basic compass direction.  If the GPS told us to turn right and drive off a cliff, would we listen?  I know it’s taken me miles out of my way to many abandoned dirt roads.  We must retain our common sense in these matters.

Supermarkets are making it almost impossible for us to keep our sanity and feed our families healthy meals. One of the most complicated things I have to do these days is to go food shopping.  Boxes and boxes of stuff!  I sometimes get so stressed out imagining myself walking in and shopping that I have to meditate to calm myself down before such a venture.  Aisle after aisle of colorful packaging creating stress and confusion due to a plethora of choices.  If you’re health conscious like me you spend a lot of time scrutinizing the ingredient list making sure it doesn’t contain an assortment of harmful chemicals like High Fructose Corn Syrup, Aspartame, Partially Hydrogenated Oils, Soy Lecithin and FrankenWheat.  Unfortunately it’s come to the point that companies don’t even have to list if they are using GMO’s, so we don’t even know if it’s bad or not.  I heard that some big superstore in the area is now selling GMO corn without disclosure.  Best advice I heard from a naturopathic doctor was to only eat whole foods and avoid anything that comes in a box.  I would add to that by saying grow a garden, then you’ll know exactly what you’re eating.

“Manifest plainness,

Embrace simplicity,

Reduce selfishness,

Have few desires.”

― Lao Tzu

 

Life doesn’t have to be complicated and hard, we can choose the simple way to do things.  It would help if we could all learn how to get along with each other.  We need each other, things can get done a lot quicker and easier if more people worked together.

 

I propose that we let go of separatist thinking and unite in our communities and with all of humanity.  We have been taught to hate from a very young age–being told that certain nations and religions are our enemy.  Jesus came to point the way to righteous living by emphasizing two commandments that I think are simple and paramount–love God with all your heart and love your neighbor.  What the powers that be (the 1% Elite who currently run this world) don’t want you to know is that we are connected and what you do to others, you do to yourself.  They teach us to be divided based on men and women, gay or straight, christian or jew or muslim, wealthy or poor, republican or democrat.  They know the principle of divide and conquer.  If they can keep us all at odds with each other, they will maintain their power and control over us.  So the simple solution is to love and accept everyone on this planet.  Become a world wide community, decide to help each other in any way we can.  Together we are so much stronger than apart.

 

It’s been said that in the end times, deception would be rampant.  We must be vigilant to discern the truth.  I always know when information is right for me, if it gets all complicated and confusing I lose interest and reject it.  Yet if it’s basic and simple and plainly states the message then I relax and take it in.  That’s one way I discern on my spiritual path as well as my regular life.  Albert Einstein said, If you can’t explain it simply, then you don’t understand it well enough.  I’d go even further to state that institutions like our Judicial System and the IRS go out of their way to make the information complicated– that way you are unable to defend yourself without having to hire lawyers and accountants to decipher all the rhetoric.  Many people don’t have the time, energy or money to play that game.  Thereby you lose your basic understanding of the law, become a slave to the system and possibly lose your unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Maybe it’s time to drop out of this insane society and adopt a more naturalist lifestyle like the Amish.

 

The Amish have been living simply for decades, they won’t have any problem if our electricity goes out and being able to survive if the food stores stop stocking food.  How many of us are ready to sustain ourselves on our land or community.  It’s imperative that people live in harmony and learn to share for the coming times.  Be prepared for possible inconveniences due to extreme weather, economic collapse or outbreak of war and revolution.

 

I think that’s why I love living in Maine so much.  It’s so simple here.  People are not pretentious, there’s no social climbing and pretending.  The people of Maine are real and down to earth.  Willing to lend a helping hand when necessary.  Plus, Farmington and the surrounding area is filled with farmers so our food is wholesome and good.  We get duck eggs from someone in New Sharon and our fruits and veggies from the Farmer’s Market.

 

The simple life is what I choose, like that old Green Acres television theme song,

Green acres is the place for me. 

Farm livin’ is the life for me. 

Land spreadin’ out so far and wide 

Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside. 

 

 

 

Sitaji Devi is a Professional Astrologer and Psychic Medium in Farmington, Maine offering “life coaching” Readings.  Her website is www.Sitaji.com.  Call (207) 491-2313 or email sitajidevi@yahoo.com to schedule an appointment.

 

Love

 

The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.  This was a  memorable line in the movie, Moulin Rouge.

I am sitting at this beautiful park in the middle of a National Forrest in Ocala, Florida.  The weather is warm and sunny.  My partner and I just enjoyed a swim in a hot spring near our campsite.  It’s been a relaxing and sensuous vacation–taking in the natural splendor of the green trees swaying in the gentle breeze and the many birds harmoniously chirping all around us–the perfect backdrop for love and romance.  All couples need time alone to cultivate intimacy and to share affection.  The longer you’ve been together the greater the necessity, because familiarity tends to breed contempt or at the very least inertia.

Romantic gestures are easy when you just start a new relationship.  When the thrill of discovering the intricacies of another person becomes your greatest concern and delight.  It’s called the honeymoon effect.  Your mind is filled with wonder and happiness fills your heart.  You feel energetic and think anything is possible.  The trick is to keep this feeling alive all the time.  We can love all aspects of our life, not just the pursuit of a new partner.

Dr. Bruce Lipton said that when he muscle tested people on the question, Do you love yourself, a surprising 80% tested negatively.  If we were brought up in a critical environment chances are good that we don’t love our self.  We were programmed from our family, church and schools to think we are unworthy of love due to some flaw or weakness.  We have to change our negative beliefs about ourselves and then we will be able to create more loving relationships.  Quiet the mind and live in our hearts.  The heart doesn’t judge and criticize, it just loves.

How many of us can look in the mirror each day and say “I love you”?  I don’t have an easy time at it.  Yet, all we really want in life is to be loved.  How do we expect to attract someone to love us, if we can’t give that love to ourself first?  If that’s the case for you, take a hand mirror and stare into your eyes for 20 minutes a day, until you get to the point that you can say those three words and truly mean it.  Compassion will fill your eyes when you finally get how truly lovable you are.  We are born in the image of God, what’s not to love?  We are magnificent beings and deserving of all the goodness life has to offer.

I was in a bathroom stall here at the campsite and I saw a graffiti drawing of a heart with an exclamation point.  This provoked me to inquire deeper into the idea of love as an action, not just a feeling.  Being committed to serving other people day after day with joyfulness, even in difficult circumstances.  Our loved ones know us so well and have a knack at pressing our buttons.  We may want to run and hide when that happens or to strike back, instead count to ten and see each offense as an opportunity to answer a call for love.  Usually when someone is treating you badly, it’s because they are unhappy about something.  We can patiently wait with a calm presence until they find their center again.  It’s called holding the space.  After all, there will be times when you may want to act out and wouldn’t it be nice if you set the precedent for loving kindness first?  Then when it’s your time, they will return the favor, that is, if they’re mature enough to know how.

I remember my ex mother-in-law saying that every couple hits a bump in the road at some point in their relationship, and that some people grow together from the experience and some grow apart.  She said that ultimately you don’t know the strength of your relationship until you pass that test.  When my marriage hit that bump we didn’t have what it took to stay together.  My current partner and I have hit a few bumps and we keep growing closer from each trial and tribulation we face together.

No matter what happens in life, be it divorce or some other rift in our close relationships…we always have a choice to continue to love others.  And just because you may not be speaking with loved ones doesn’t mean you stop loving them.  I keep everyone in my heart and pray unendingly for their health, happiness and peace.  That is the true definition of unconditional love, when it can be given freely regardless of the situation.  Wanting the best for everyone.  Sometimes the most loving act we can do for another is to set them free and wish them well.  Many relationships have expiration dates and if we’re honest with ourselves we know when it’s time to move on.

We are constantly getting the opportunity to test our ability to love.  A Course In Miracles says that there are only two emotions, love and fear, and that you cannot experience them at the same time.  If we are thinking any thoughts that are pulling us from the love energy, it means we are allowing ourselves to reside in fear energy.  God is never separate from us, we only think He is because we aren’t allowing ourselves to feel His presence.  The same with love, it waits patiently for us to return to our hearts instead of in our heads which tells us a zillion reasons not to love.

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”  ~Rumi

 

The other day I became disappointed with my beloved when he shaved off his beard.  We hold love back when we place conditions on it.  How many of us do this with our lists of what we want our partner to look and act like.  I have a few guy friends who are single and wish they were in a relationship.  However, when I ask them what they’re looking for they are very specific with physical traits, like she has to be thin and pretty.

 

We must love deeply like a poet and seek it like a thirsty person seeks water.  See each person through the eyes of God and recognize their inner beauty.  Love like a mother holding her newborn baby, seeing the miracle of life in all it’s splendor.

 

How can we be more loving?  We can start by saying I love you to our family and friends, never leave without giving a hug and wishing each person many blessings.  Choose to resolve our differences with acceptance, offer to lend a hand to those in need, say thank you, cuddle more, be courteous and respectful, forgive easily, say I’m sorry, be encouraging and supportive.  This can be a lifelong process.  Keep finding more ways to love.

 

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”  Like John Lennon promoted back in the 60’s, make love, not war.  If we all behaved like newlyweds, life would be beautiful and people would be happy.  Love heals all and is the answer to all our problems.  It really is that simple.  Just love.

 

 

Sitaji Devi is a Professional Astrologer and Psychic Medium in Farmington, Maine offering “life coaching” Readings.  Her website is www.Sitaji.com.  Call (207) 491-2313 or email sitajidevi@yahoo.com to schedule an appointment.

 

 

 

Adaptability

“Take the world as it is, not as it ought to be.”  ~ a German Proverb

Life doesn’t always turn out the way you planned.  I heard this joke once.  Do you want to make God laugh?  Tell Him your plans!

When I was a child I wanted to be a ballerina and a veterinarian.  As I grew older I decided I wanted to be an artist and own my own gallery and travel the world.  Instead I forgot all this and happily became a wife and mother in my twenties.  I fully bought into the American Dream scenario and felt very fulfilled having a house, husband, children and the occasional vacation.  However this fairy tale life was short lived and in my early thirties I became a young divorcee and began shuttling my kids back and forth to their two homes and faced the stress of being a single mother.

Dale Carnegie said, if life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  That’s exactly what I did.  Having free time on my hands every other weekend, I decided to enrich my soul and started taking art classes and joining a meditation group.  I began to rediscover myself independent of family life and interestingly returned to doing many of the things I enjoyed as a child like traveling, dancing and spiritual studies.

I also successfully learned how to share my children with people I didn’t know.  They would come home and talk all about their new adventures in New York City.  I had to let go of my fears that they would come into harm’s way because I wasn’t there to ensure their safety every minute of the day.  (They were under 5 when this started.)  The key phrase here is I had to let go.  I surrendered the situation to God and asked the angels to watch over them.  If I didn’t I would have suffered tremendously thinking about them running into traffic or getting kidnapped.  Next, I had to release the desire of being their only mommy–they got a step-mom shortly after the divorce.

Ultimately, I had to stop needing to be their mother all together due to differing religious and sociological viewpoints.  We have been estranged for over a year now.  Certainly not part of my original plan when I got married and decided to have children.  Fate can be cruel.  But we choose to have experiences in order to grow our soul.  Karma has to be repaid eventually.

Therefore it is essential to be adaptable.  Which is defined as the ability to adjust to new conditions and circumstances.  Change is constant in this world.  What are you holding onto?  If you’re suffering in any way, it would be due to some resistance to the inevitable flux of your surroundings.  The Universe will give us many opportunities to release our rigidity.  Like the trees in the forest, if they can’t bend when a strong wind comes, they will break.  I for one don’t want to be broken in half, so I learned to adjust.  What’s the alternative, to become jaded, bitter and cynical or lose your mind completely and go insane?  No thank you.  I’ll keep a positive attitude and hope for the best.

What happens to a person is characteristic of him.  He presents a pattern and all the pieces fit.  One by one, as his life proceeds, they fall into place according to some preordained design.  ~Carl Jung

When we can rise above our situation and look at it from a bird’s eye perspective then we are able to see the bigger picture.  Once we know that there is a divine reason for everything that happens here on earth, then we can relax and accept the outcome.

After I had my third child, I heard a voice say:  It is done.  I thought it meant my marriage which believe me was disconcerting enough at the time but I accepted it and was grateful for the heads up from my Higher Self.  It turned out to be more-my marital home and the children too.  The house went easily enough, but the kids were a harder pill to swallow.  It took me 5-10 years to accept that one fully.

More and more people are being asked by something greater than themselves to make the changes in life that are necessary for their highest good and along those lines hefty sacrifices are being made, like giving up our comfortable roles and identities that we have for so long grown accustomed to.  If we are to evolve to a higher consciousness in these remaining months then radical transformation may be necessary.

Just like if you’re about to submerge into the cold waters in Maine.  At first it feels impossible to even keep your feet in for any length of time.  Then you get really hot in the summer so you jump in, swim around and after a while you acclimatize to the coldness and really enjoy it.  If we’re open to all experiences in life then you won’t need it to be anything but what it is, and you’ll find a way to enjoy it.  It’s called going with the flow.

I guess the moral of this story is accept your destiny and find a way to keep on living a fulfilling and joyful existence.  Remain loving but detached and trust the process of your life.

Sitaji Devi is a Professional Astrologer and Psychic Medium in Farmington, Maine offering “life coaching” Readings.  Her website is www.Sitaji.com.  Call (207) 491-2313 or email sitajidevi@yahoo.com to schedule an appointment.

Patience

Many things in life are meant to teach us patience.  Especially these days as the pace quickens and we get out of breath trying to keep up with it all.

 

A great remedy for a hectic day is to intentionally slow it down by either taking a walk in nature or closing your eyes and focusing on your breath.  It’s amazing to see how fast relaxation comes when you take a moment to recoup and it doesn’t have to take much time.  The meditation on your breath could be a few seconds when you’re in the car stopped at a traffic light, feeling the air entering your nose as you inhale and exhale.  The walk in nature could be during your lunch break in a nearby park.  Combine the two and do what the Buddhists call a walking meditation.  You’ll find that when you stop and get fully present with yourself while doing these things, (something Eckhart Tolle calls being in the “Now”) it becomes easier to be patient.

 

I would consider myself a relatively patient person when it comes to ordinary things like standing in line at a check-out stand or getting stuck in traffic.  I usually can entertain myself quite well by either singing to a song on the radio or just spend the extra time daydreaming.  That is of course, if I don’t have anywhere I have to be at that moment, I don’t like to be late for my appointments.  So if that were the case, I’d have to do some deep breathing to accept the delay.

 

Our beliefs shape our thoughts and feelings about what happens in our day.  If we could cultivate a positive attitude about whatever shows up in life, we’d be more relaxed and probably a lot happier.  Trusting in the perfection of Divine timing.

 

Impatience means we are trying to get to the next moment.  It’s when we’re not happy with our current circumstance and we’re restlessly eager for something better.  It could be personal like an illness we want to be rid of, losing weight, a better job or it could be global like world peace, the end of poverty, freedom.  Acceptance of where we’re at right now is key.  The Buddha says, all desire leads to suffering.  So if we get caught up needing things to be different, we’re causing ourselves needless pain.  Therefore, it would be wise to cultivate a detached attitude when it comes to our wants and desires.  Prayer helps.  We can pray for change, but we better be willing to wait, it seems that God’s timing is unpredictable.  It doesn’t mean we have to sit back and be idle.  We can take steps towards our future by eating better and exercising for increased health; going back to school to get that better job; or heck work for ourselves, live off the grid and grow a garden to become more self sufficient.  It’s possible to make things better, we just have to believe in ourselves.  Be the change you want to see in the world, I think Gandhi said that.

 

As for world peace…..I think the world would become more peaceful if we could learn to get along with each other.  Families can’t even get along, how can we expect the nations to do any better?

 

Relationships can be challenging.  The quality of our lives depends on how we interact with those around us.  Some people are easier to get along with than others, and we can savor those experiences.  What do we do about the unpleasant ones?  Nothing seems to hurt as much as when we’re wishing to resolve an argument with another person.  Especially if we’re close to them or work with them and have to see them everyday.  Sometimes reconciliation can take awhile and we may feel rejected and abandoned if they withdraw from us.  As Tom Petty once sang, the waiting is the hardest part.  It’s hard to keep our hearts open in those moments.  It hurts, so we guard ourselves and pretend we don’t care or convince ourselves we’d be better off without them.

 

I’m in this kind of predicament right now with my partner.  We had an argument and I tend to be quicker to forgive than he is.  He likes to withdraw and take a lot of time to process and recover.  Sometimes it can takes days.  It causes me some stress because I’m the type of person who likes to talk it out.  That’s where patience comes in.  In the past I would have tried to engage him even if it was just to get him to argue more with me.  Strangely that used to make me feel better thinking that at least we were together and talking.  I have since realized that it made things worse and I would end up saying something mean just because I was hurt and wanted to hurt him too.  This is a form of aggression.  I’m sure many of us saw this type of destructive behavior in our families when we were growing up.  It’s not a pretty sight to vent your ego on someone.  Once you say something, you can’t take it back.  On the other hand, maybe you grew up in a family that neglected your emotions by withdrawing from you or hitting you and not allowing you to voice your feelings.

 

Our parents did the best they could and we don’t have to blame them for it, but we can learn from it and stop perpetuating unhealthy forms of communication.  We have to emotionally mature if we want our relationships to improve.  It’s time to relate to one another in a whole new way.  Speak our truth in a way that promotes love.  I have always felt the importance of speaking my truth, but sometimes the truth hurts.  I suppose it all depends on delivery and timing.  Some people are masters at linguistics and know how to say things even if it’s negative, in a way that makes people feel good.  Be patient with yourself if you don’t have this gift.  Keep trying to improve the way you say things.  If somebody writes you a nasty email you can respond by mirroring what they said and validating their feelings.  Overcome the urge to escalate the conflict with a cruel reply.  Realize they may be hurting inside and give them the love they truly need by responding with kindness.  I saw a bumper-sticker on a car that said, “Kindness is my Religion.”

 

That is how we can change the world….one benevolent act at a time.  That doesn’t mean that you have to make your enemy your best friend.  It just means that no matter what people do, we can rise above it and respond from a place of generosity and altruism.

 

The electricity went out while my partner and I were in discord.  An unexpectedly early snow storm hit the Northeast this October.  It’s been over a day and I’m waiting patiently for the lights to come back on.  Luckily, we have a wood stove, so the house is warm.  However, there are many things we take for granted in our modern lives, like running water and refrigeration.  When the power goes out, all of a sudden our minor everyday annoyances seem trivial and survival takes precedence.  That might be the ultimate reason we experience natural disasters.  It wakes people up and disrupts their reality to bring greater awareness.  Who cares who won the baseball game or about winning some petty argument when you’re freezing cold?  The concerns become more practical.

 

Did you ever notice how much more caring we all become when our normal lives get interrupted by some misfortune?  We reach out to neighbors and friends.  Our compassion and humanity returns because we’re forced to ban together.  Out of necessity we learn to get along.  My relationship problem resolved quicker because of the storm.  We had many chores which required us to work together.  Our hearts softened as we worked side-by-side and showed concern for each other.

 

Life has a funny way of working itself out.  It seems that the Universe was just waiting for us to surrender to love.  Right when I overcame my pride and asked him for a hug — mid-embrace — the electricity came back on!  Some may think it was just a coincidence, but was it?  Never underestimate the power of love.  Power outages are like spiritual tests, and once we learn the lesson, the problem goes away.

 

All life lessons come to teach us something and it’s best to be patient with the results.

Honesty

It has often been said that honesty is the best policy.  Most, if not all of us would like to be able to trust the information we receive from others.  But how often is that just not the case?

You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. ~Abraham Lincoln

What does honesty mean to you?  Do you think that white lies are okay?  How about half truths or omissions?  Denial is not a river in India.  Have you adopted a don’t ask, don’t tell type of attitude in your marriage?  How about turning a blind eye?  Is something on a strictly need to know basis in your life?  Or do you just lie through your teeth?  Mark Twain once said: “If you tell the truth, you don’t ever have to remember what you said.”  Lying can be very stressful.

Growing up I watched my parents tell lies and sometimes they would make me lie for them by having to tell certain phone callers that they weren’t home or lying about the reasons I was absent from school or hiding a dress my mother bought for me so my dad didn’t find out.  I never felt good doing those things.  So I decided at the age of 29 after becoming a mother for the first time that it was time to tell the truth and set a good example for my own children.  It required a learning curve because at first I would say everything exactly as I thought it and ended up hurting some people’s feelings, like Jim Carrey in the movie Liar, Liar, unfortunately not as funny.  I have since learned to say my truth more gently.

I’m not saying you should tell someone that they don’t look good in their dress, that’s just an opinion anyway.  I’m talking about telling the truth about things that really matter and accepting consequences that might come as a result of living our lives with integrity.  I remember having a rude awakening back in 1999 as I was driving home from a bible study group.  I was stopped at a light when I saw my friend’s mother, who was at the same study group as me, hit into the back of someone’s car.  I watched as the man pulled over to address the accident and she drove away.  I was very upset by what I saw and questioned her irresponsible behavior and accused her (in my mind) of being a hypocrite.  This left me conflicted because I really liked my friend and her mother but I was upset to see such a character flaw.  I convinced myself that she did it for reasons beyond her control.  You see she was married to a miserly man and I imagined it would be very scary for her to go home and tell him due to her meekness.  But should fear get us off the hook?  Who knows, I probably should have pulled over since I witnessed the event.  I know now not to judge anyone, we never can know the true meaning of things.  Compassion is key.  I trust that everyone is learning at their own pace.  Those who’ve never sinned cast the first stone kind of thing.

I lied many times as a teenager, saying I was at a friend’s house but really at a concert or a party.  I think it’s easy to fall into that trap of bending the truth or lying in order to have some fun or to avoid a punishment of some kind.  But how far will it go and when does it stop?  Eventually you have to be held accountable and the truth has a way of surfacing.  I got grounded a lot as a kid, but what about the more serious things that are happening in this world.  The kinds of lies that hurt other people like the child molestation cases that were being covered up by the Church and recently at Penn State.  The lies on Wall Street that are costing people billions of dollars.  People being put away in jails for crimes they didn’t commit due to a lie someone told under oath.  How about if the government lies to us?

In the movie, A Few Good Men, Jack Nicholson’s character said, “You can’t handle the truth” and this appears to be the mindset of our government, that we can’t handle knowing that they’ve been in contact with ET races.  Well, I think most of us are ready for this information.  In the alternative media it’s called Disclosure.  They tell us in subtle ways through Hollywood with all the alien movies.  Other countries are beginning to release their UFO documents.  British cosmologist Stephen Hawkings and a Vatican Astronomer have made recent statements about extraterrestrial’s in the cosmos.  Scientists have discovered that we are among 100’s of billions of stars and galaxies, so it would be naive to think we are the only life forms.  I think it’s becoming apparent that we’re not alone in the Universe and I for one will welcome the time when we finally are told the truth.  I don’t think it’s as scary as people think, sure there are some evil beings out there but overall I think the Universe is filled with benevolent races who want to be neighborly with us.  Like the Mister Rogers song, won’t you be my neighbor…

My quest for truth has drawn me to information on the internet that’s being called The Truth Movement and others may consider it to be conspiracy theory nonsense but for me it has been an advanced education in hidden knowledge.  Stuff you’re not going to see on the nightly news.  Yes, you do need to be able to discern when someone’s pulling your leg.  There appears to be a lot of disinformation out there, but some of it is very revealing about what’s really going on in the world.  Like 9/11 was an inside job and the Federal Reserve is a privately owned international banking company independent of the US Government and run by the elite’s of the world for profit.

We’re about to have another Presidential election in our country.  Lying and politics seem to go hand-in-hand or should I say hand in pocket?  I don’t even consider elections worthy of my time and attention — it seems as if the candidates just say whatever they think the public wants to hear in order to get elected and have no intentions of doing any of it.  The system is broken and we need to scrap it all and start over with some honest individuals who really want to serve the people (IMHO).

Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure there is one less rascal in the world.  ~Thomas Carlyle

Let us do our best to be like honest Abe, it has been said that Abraham Lincoln walked a very long way to return a few pennies he owed a customer when he was a younger man working in a store.  You decide how far you want to take it, that may be a bit extreme if you ask me.  Honesty is best determined on an individual basis.  I think we all know when we’re being dishonest about something.  If it feels bad, it probably is.  I like to say when we know better, we do better–and sometimes it can take a long time to get the awareness it takes to lead a completely honest life.  In the end, the most important person to be honest with is ourselves.  How often do we try to tell ourselves lies?  Like eating a whole bag of cookies isn’t going to make me sick.  My spouse isn’t cheating, he’s just very busy at work lately.  One time won’t hurt me or it’s no big deal.  I’ll do it later.  We need to take a reality check and find out if we’re happy with the life we’ve created for ourselves–take our head out of the sand if need be and rectify our ways.

2011 has been the biggest eye opener for me to date.  I have grown more in that year than in all my years combined and I can only imagine what lies ahead in 2012.  It seems like everyone is waking up and seeking answers, wanting to know the truth.  Like Jesus said, Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

 

Sitaji Devi is a Professional Astrologer and Psychic Medium in Farmington, Maine offering “life coaching” Readings.  Her website is www.Sitaji.com.  Call (207) 491-2313 or email sitajidevi@yahoo.com to schedule an appointment.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness & Rememberance (Photo credit: alex drennan)

The only way to get free of the past is by letting it go.  Completely!  Forgiveness can change your life.

 

How many of us walk around each day with a knitted brow, thinking how others have done us wrong?  Haunted by the past.  Angry or upset.  Unable to enjoy our life fully because we can’t let go of some injustice that was done to us.  Oh sure we have other more pleasant moments too, but underneath still resentful or worse vengeful towards someone who hurt us when we were younger or just the other day.  I heard a Unity Minister once say, true forgiveness is never telling your story again.  Stop complaining and move on.  A real example of forgive and forget, as they say.  A radical concept when taken seriously.  When you allow yourself to forget your “sad story” and stop recounting it to anyone who will listen, it automatically is forgiven because you can’t remember it anymore.  It’s over.  Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that you condone what happened to you.  You just choose to forget about it and go on with your life.

 

Sure easy to say, but harder to do.  This may be one of the hardest lessons to learn, but once you achieve success with forgiveness, then you will be truly free to enjoy your life.  I say this from experience.  The benefits of forgiveness are huge, good for the body as well as the Soul.  There have been studies done to show the negative effects the stress of prolonged unforgiveness has on the body.  Two in particular are increased risk of heart disease and mental illness.  Those who forgive were found to generally have lower blood pressure, less anxiety and depressive symptoms and better overall health as they got older.

 

A lot of our grievances are directed at others, but, the hardest one to forgive ultimately usually is our self.  We don’t even realize how angry we actually are at ourselves.  It could be for numerous reasons, like not becoming the person we were meant to be or something we said or did to another that we feel badly about.

 

I remember when I first got exposed to the idea that forgiveness has the potential of setting a person free.  It was a number of years ago and I was in a very bad place emotionally, remembering unpleasant details about my childhood and I was listening to a tape by Caroline Myss called, “Why People Don’t Heal and How They Can” and she said that the only way to get free of the past is to forgive the person who hurt you.  I started to cry uncontrollably because at that moment I thought that I would never be able to forgive this person.  I thought I’d be doomed to this depression I was in for the rest of my life.  As it turned out though, many months later I did end up forgiving this person and I felt this amazing relief and it was like a rebirth to finally be free of my past.  I felt happier and my body got healthier as a result.  My depression went away.  I don’t know how that person is dealing with his thoughts about it, I don’t know if he’s forgiven himself, but it’s not necessary to even think about that because the true change and healing is for yourself.  We cannot change another, only ourselves.  If we don’t forgive, we’re really only hurting ourselves.  That other person probably isn’t even thinking about it anymore.

 

Even when you think you have done all the forgiving you need to do, something will turn up that needs to be addressed.  This happened to me just recently, a new piece of information came flooding back to me about my childhood and I saw more people I needed to forgive.  Our mind has a way of remembering things when we’re ready.  It’s like a spiral climbing up to the heavens, as we go higher and higher in our purification and healing process, through modalities such as meditation and all forms of therapeutic healing, our degree of awareness becomes greater.  However, as we forgive each offense, it becomes easier and easier to do.

 

The clearer we get emotionally, the more we can see and sometimes what we see is quite horrendous, but it’s necessary to look at it all and process our feelings and thoughts and realize that it’s not even real now, it’s just an unfortunate memory from the past to be released back into the nothingness that it came from.  Or at least that’s how I like to look at it.  Plus, the person who hurt you was hurting too and chose to take it out on you for one reason or another.

 

A Course In Miracles says that Only Love is Real, Everything Else is Just a Call for Love.

 

Try to look at negative life experiences as karmic lessons in this place I like to call Earth School, we all have light and dark within us, it’s part of living in duality.  We’ve had numerous lifetimes sometimes heroic, sometimes destructive, sometimes somewhere in between.  That is all part of the reincarnational journey, if you’re a Christian you can see it as the Born Again aspect of this life, to descend into the darkness of this world and find our way back to the Light, back to God.  Integrating these experiences into a balanced state of oneness is a form of spiritual alchemy and from it comes great understanding and compassion.  So forgive your enemies.  After all, you’ve probably been their enemy in a past life or even in this life you’ve most likely done something to hurt them at one time or another.  Forgiveness sets us all free.

 

You don’t have to implement my philosophy regarding the reasons to forgive.  I like to use many schools of thought and some of it may be hard to digest.  Take what works and leave the rest.  It doesn’t matter how you get to this point of understanding, it’s just important to get there.  Forgiveness is a gift you give to yourself.  Making you a happier and healthier person and then the whole world gets to benefit because positive energy is life enhancing and makes the world a better place.

 

Sitaji Devi is a Professional Astrologer and Psychic Medium in Farmington, Maine offering “life coaching” Readings.  Her website is www.Sitaji.com.  Email or call sitajidevi@yahoo.com (207) 491-2313 to schedule appointments.

Gratitude

Dr. Wayne Dyer in the movie “The Shift,” starts his day by saying. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”  The idea of appreciating life and starting our day with gratitude for simply being alive.  What a great concept!  It sure beats the way I was raised, my parents had this anxious quality about them and a feeling of dread permeated the house in the mornings.  There’s a lot of good to be said for living a responsible life, but when duty turns into drudgery, that’s when you either have to reinvent your life or improve your attitude.  I wish my parents knew this.  However, Nietzsche said, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

Gratitude’s been a hard pill for me to swallow based on some of my bizarre and frightening life experiences since childhood.  It’s been like a Sci-Fi Thriller and involves abduction, aliens and DNA harvesting.  The catch is that it doesn’t happen in my normal everyday life, but in the middle of the night when I’m in bed asleep, so it feels like a nightmare instead of reality.  Thankfully, they screen my mind (erase memory) so I don’t remember too much of the scary details.  Thank goodness it doesn’t happen every night!  As you can imagine there have been some side effects, one being PTS (Post Traumatic Stress) and panic attacks which have lessened with maturity and learning to relax and trust that there is a bigger picture and if this is karma, I’m grateful to be clearing it.  Plus, these terrifying experiences have made me stronger, less fearful as I face each one, given me wisdom, compassion and understanding which enables me to help others facing similar circumstances — life can be stranger than fiction.  Don’t worry it’s not contagious (as far as I know), I was born into it.  I deal with it but it’s hard to be thankful for it while it’s happening.  That’s for sure.

Another gratitude obstacle to overcome would be that I was born in the month of January which makes me the Earth sign, Capricorn, as an astrologer I know that I’m here to learn how to be grateful.  All the earth signs are.  Taurus (May birthdays) and Virgo (September) also are learning the same lesson.  To be thankful even amidst chaos and any unfortunate happenings as well as to appreciate the good stuff more.  One way to develop this virtue can be as simple as writing a daily gratitude journal.  I remember Oprah having a show about gratitude back in the 90’s and suggested keeping a gratitude journal.  I did this and there were some days I couldn’t complete the daily requirements of listing ten things I was thankful for.  It was during a time of extreme challenges and struggles after a divorce and trying to raise three young children on my own.  (I’m not complaining I know we all face upsets in life, I’m just sharing mine in hopes to help and inspire others.  Humans have amazing ability to overcome vast adversity, and that’s what I strive for everyday of my life.)  Finding atleast 1 thing is a good way to start, it could be the sunshine or a hot shower, then expand to a delicious meal and the company of good friends, a warm embrace.  Once you start looking at life this way it becomes easy to find a multitude of things to be happy about throughout your day.  It even becomes possible to see the gift in everything and everyone.  Some have even said they’re thankful for cancer or some major illness because of how it changed them for the better.

For each new morning with its light,For rest and shelter of the night,For health and food, for love and friends,For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life is meant to be cherished.  What stops us from seeing the value in our everyday lives?  We were conditioned and programmed to worry and fret about the future.  Bombarded by commercials trying to convince you that you will get sick, in order to sell more prescription drugs and insurance companies trying to sell you protection from life’s mishaps.  It’s all fear based and I decided to turn away from this kind of lifestyle.  I have been living my life radically different for the past 5 years and it makes some people very nervous, like my conservative father, that I don’t have medical insurance or a retirement account anymore.  I’ve decided that it’s unnecessary to focus my attention on creating a false sense of security.  It’s better to trust that life will support me as I live from my heart.  This has given me a new found freedom.  An excitement about what’s possible.  I’ve broken out of the proverbial box and I’m exploring my options.  So far I’m doing just fine, I eat healthy organic food, take herbs and homeopathy for whatever ailes me therefore I don’t need to go to doctor’s.  I recently found out that a doctor discovered that water cures all sickness, he said people aren’t sick, they’re just thirsty…..dehydration.  Now that is cheap medicine.  Basically drink about 8-10 glasses of pure water per day and you’ll be healthy.  As far as my finances, I own my house and vehicle and have a small nest egg.  I decided right before the 2008 market crash that it was time to scale down, I sold my big house and got rid of all my debt.  It really is possible to make these kinds of changes, get rid of mortgages and live a simple, modest life with contentment.  I am proof of that.

It’s hard to feel thankful when you are stuck in a mindset that says I don’t have enough, or there’s not enough to go around.  This mentality is bound to get you caught up in fear and greed.  I heard a wise teacher once say that love and fear cannot be felt at the same time.  I think the same goes for gratitude and lack.  When we compare our situation to someone like a Donald Trump or some other super rich person, it’s hard to feel good about your own life.  So don’t compare!  After all, they may not even be happy.  I used to have a lot of money and it can be all consuming, buying unnecessary things and then taking care of them.  My mother used to say, a smaller house means less to clean and I agree. Be thankful for whatever you have because if you’re reading this article you must have something.  Eyes to see, a healthy brain and intellect to understand the words, a moment to kick back and read the paper, ect.  Focus on the basics, that’s what I do.

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.  ~Eric Hoffer

One way to show gratitude is to Mother Earth, we are physically made up of all her elements.  We probably rarely if ever attribute our life to her.  In reality we are breathing her air, drinking her water and eating her food — the planet sustains our bodies along with the Sun.  A big thank you is in order and we can extend it by saying a prayer of thanks before a meal as well as other times in our day.  I like to take a walk when the sun is setting and say goodnight and thanks to Father Sun.  We can also be thankful to our parents for having us and for all the people who have helped us in our life.  There really is so much to be thankful for.  We can be grateful the stress of the holidays is over and for the love shared with others.  Make a New Year’s resolution to be more grateful.

Oftentimes, I like to point out the health benefits of the qualities I speak about in my Life Lesson articles.  Gratitude has been found to make you a happier person.  Dr. Emmons who wrote the book, “Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier” found that practicing gratitude can increase happiness levels by around 25%.  His research based on ten years of studies, shows that those who practice gratitude are more creative, more resilient, have a stronger immune system, and better social relationships than those who don’t practice gratitude.  He’s not saying that their lives are easier, just their attitude is better.  I really value health and I find this information to be a great motivator for me.

 

Sitaji Devi is a Professional Astrologer and Psychic Medium in Farmington, Maine offering “life coaching” Readings.  Her website is www.Sitaji.com.  Call or email (207) 491-2313 sitajidevi@yahoo.com  to schedule an appointment.

Humor

Have you ever started to giggle and someone around you would laugh as well, not even knowing what was funny?  Laughter is contagious.  If you disagree, just try to keep a straight face while other people are hysterically laughing around you.  If you don’t end up laughing or at least smiling, you may be taking life a little too seriously.

 If you find it hard to laugh, it could be for many reasons.  You may feel embarrassed and self conscious about how you would look or sound if you burst out laughing.  I remember my first reaction when I was younger and saw my in-laws laughing at a funny movie we were watching — they were throwing their heads back and convulsing all over the place, cackling and snorting — I thought they looked very odd.  I hadn’t experienced that kind of behavior before.  My parents acted more conservative and refined.  Another explanation could be because of a punishment you received as a child.  I remember my father saying, wipe that smile off your face or I’ll do it for you.  A threat he made due to my finding humor in something he said while he was reprimanding me.  A further possibility could be that you suffer from inappropriate giggles, like when you’re in a somber situation, like a funeral, and you find something funny about it.  I remember I had this friend in high school who used to make me laugh at the most ill-advised times.  Usually when the principal was speaking in school or some other authority figure was trying to assert control.  We would be losing our composure due to the other’s facial expressions.  I think we lost recess priviledges a lot.  So it’s understandable if laughter doesn’t come easily for some. If however, you’re tired of being subdued and somber and you’d like to revive your funny bone, there are many ways to do this.  I heard a Unity Minister say, “Fake it ‘til you make it,” which can mean for these purposes that if you don’t have a sense of humor then pretend you do.  Teach yourself how to laugh.  There’s a new form of yoga that came over from India where all you do for 30 minutes is laugh.  It’s called Laughter Yoga, I have the dvd which consists of many exercises comprised of hand gestures and sounds that help you to laugh.  You may feel silly doing it, but the rewards are numerous, and you can do it in the privacy of your own home.  I believe some yoga studios in Portland have these types of classes, if you’d prefer to laugh with a group.  You could also go to see more movies that are comedies.  Whenever I’m feeling stressed out or sad I will go see a funny movie to raise my spirits and feel better.  It’s amazing how fast my attitude will improve when I let go of my problem and immerse myself in a comedy.  Other helpful suggestions could be to surround yourself with funny people, read the Sunday comics and frequent comedy clubs.  Cats and dogs can be very entertaining, especially when they’re little, it can be very funny to watch a kitten’s curious antics.  If you have access to a computer, there’s also some hilarious youtube videos.  One that we really enjoy is called “justforlaughstv”, where they do harmless gags and pranks.

Humor can transform any negative state of mind quickly by giving a more relaxed and balanced perspective from a place of levity.  Whenever I wanted to get my child out of a bad mood, I would tickle him.  Children love to be tickled.  He’d start laughing and forget all about why he was angry.  Worked every time.  Try it with a friend and see.  Usually adults can appreciate a good joke more than an actual tickle but, it could be fun trying.

It’s important to become more whimsical and playful — it’s good for the Soul.  Christ said become like little children to return to the kingdom of heaven.  I think that means bring back our sense of innocence.  Don’t take life so seriously.  Have more fun.  I read somewhere that children laugh on average about 300 times a day and adults only 5 times a day — no wonder that children have so much energy and can play and run around for hours.

Laughter is also good for your health.  Studies have shown that laughter strengthens your immune system, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress.  A good, hearty laugh can relieve physical tension by relaxing your muscles for up to 45 minutes.  It also triggers the release of endorphins which are the “feel-good” chemicals in the body and who wouldn’t want more of that?  A man named Norman Cousins believed he healed himself of terminal cancer with laughter.  He watched slapstick films like Laurel & Hardy and laughed himself well.  Laughter really is the best medicine.  I was driving home the other day and getting fatigued after about 3 hours and my stomach was hurting from something I ate.  I decided to put my theories to the test and it worked.  I began to make myself laugh, thinking about funny things and within a few minutes I was feeling better.  I had more energy and my pain went away.

Don’t just take my word for it, see for yourself how much better you feel when you laugh.  It may even surprise you that as you start to see life through a more lighthearted approach, the people around you will too.  Before you know it, all your relationships will improve and life will become a little sweeter.  It’s worth a try!

Sitaji Devi is a Professional Astrologer and Psychic Medium in Farmington, Maine offering “life coaching” Readings.  Her website is www.Sitaji.com.  Call (207) 491-2313 or email sitajidevi@yahoo.com to schedule an appointment.