TERSUS ANIMUS | CLEAN SPIRIT

Everyday Life Purpose

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:19:00 +0000

The idea of discovering purpose in life is a big one and has been the subject of deep thought and discussion throughout the ages of time. But knowing your life purpose is not out of reach. In fact, it is so much in reach that we gloss over it all the time. Your life purpose is hidden in the teeny tiny everyday-life purposes that you live each moment of each day.

Purpose is linked to intention, and intention is linked to reaching goals and achieving success. All successful people will concur that having a clear intention (or mission) and setting goals are integral parts of manifesting their dreams. That's all fine and good when it comes to business plans and organizing events and those very concrete things in life, but what does it mean to have purpose in everyday life? Where is the purpose in the mundane?

The truth of the matter is there is purpose in everything we do. Whether or not we recognize it is a different story.

What is the purpose you get up every morning and go to work? Well, to earn a living, eat, and have shelter, clothing, etc, right? Perhaps that is the sole reason, and that's fine, or perhaps there is more to it. Maybe you go to work everyday because you really like what you do, or because you are working toward something, or you are thinking of your family.

That can be broken down even further: What is your purpose behind going to the gym? Or behind shopping at a particular store? Or updating your Facebook status? What is your purpose behind eating that piece of cake? Or wearing that sweater?

For instance: My purpose for choosing to go to the gym because I love the feeling of a healthy, strong physical body. I feel more productive when I do exercise, and it also helps clear my mind. The purpose for choosing to update my Facebook status because I want to share certain things in my life with friends whom I know will appreciate it. But I also choose not to share certain things because I don't think it's always appropriate and I would only be satisfying my negative ego. Why did I eat that piece of cake? Because it made me feel good temporarily. That purpose may have not been in my best long term interest, but that's ok! I am aware of that and I am living in the moment… and going to the gym tomorrow!

These are pretty mundane things, and there is nothing wrong with them. The reasons you choose to do things are yours and yours alone. Though pausing for just a moment and asking yourself why you are making the decision that you are, can help you to lead a more conscious life, fully in the moment, embracing all things, big and small!

So what was my purpose for writing this post?

To hopefully inspire you to explore who you are more deeply, increase your awareness of yourself, engage your mind and heart with your actions and live a life that is full of everything you dream and desire!

Sticking to it

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 02:52:00 +0000

One of my new year's resolutions was to create more routine in my life and re-introduce a consistent schedule of working out and having more "me time."

So far, so good! In the last week I attended a boxing-class fundraiser at Fuel Fitness, had my weekly core-strengthening session at Ulimate Sports Therapy (continued maintenance after a back injury from the summer), and a private session of sport-specifc kickboxing today with one of my good friends at Kombat Arts. One of my favourite pass times and martial art of choice is Savate Boxe Francaise. An injury and congested schedule slowed my training down in the last six months. After six years of training on a regular basis, six months off from weekly kickboxing was a disappointment.

One thing I learned during this time was patience and acceptance for my physical self. Working in the field of energy healing and spirituality, a healthy holistic lifestyle is encouraged. The break I took from intense martial arts training gave me a perspective on my fitness I didn't have before. As well, I had the chance to focus more on another physical activity which was a source of great joy and a different way to move physical energy: belly dancing. Taking private lessons with an amazing teacher, Habeeba Hobeika, gave me a great sense of confidence, and a softer view of my physical body. Dance and martial arts and dance is a perfect yin and yang balance. A balance I didn't have before this time.

Incorporating my new routine of balanced physical activity into my schedule has been a challenge, but so far it's working and rewarding too!

Getting in shape is a fairly common New Year's resolution... was it yours? If so, how are things going for you?

Below, on left me preparing for dance in Egyptian Temple, and on the right is me with my Savate Professeur Salem Assli.

Holiday Break

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:27:00 +0000

This year, I am proud to say I actually did take a mental break from work for the holidays. Though the days leading up to Yule and Christmas were full of appointments, meetings and things to do, from the 24th till today I didn't open my laptop. (Even though I still checked emails coming through on my BlackBerry and still taught an Empower Thyself Workshop on December 26th & 27th — does that still count as work?)

This season is special on many levels. The holy days of various traditions that mark this time of year are a reminder to me of unity, that we are all one. Despite what we see as differences, the themes of a pagan Yule and a Christian Christmas are ultimately the same — I won't get into the history of how Christians adopted this time of year as Christ's birthday ... in the end, it doesn't matter because the message is the same: A time of anticipation of the return of the Sun and birth of the Son. A time when the world awaits with humble hearts the glory that the Sun/Son brings us. The promise of everlasting life, that after every winter there is spring, that death doesn't really exist, that like the cycles of the sun, moon and earth we are reborn. For this we have faith, we have hope and we have peace in hearts. In this we find joy and from this joy we wish everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Just as this time marks a new cycle, a new year (albeit calendar new year) and a new beginning, I step into this coming year with much excitment for all that is to come! Time to get back to work now, over the next few days I will be updating the calendar with some amazing events for January and February 2010. Keep posted!

Meditation: A bath of noble thoughts

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:12:00 +0000

"Meditation is a bath to your personality of noble thoughts."

I saw this quote this morning on Twitter and was really struck by its truth. (The person who posted this quote did not attribute it so I'm sorry I cannot accurately reference the original author or scripture from which it might have derived.)

Meditation is something I practice as well as something I teach, and only through years of experience have I started to truly integrate its value. I have always understood its benefits, but the deeper I go, the more clearly I see those benefits and how meditation can truly change lives.

In the Mystery School we teach that the personality is the mask the negative ego wears, and we must connect to our true, higher self beyond the personality. We also teach meditation and recommend students meditate for 2 hours a day... that is a long a bath! But well worth it.

So if meditation is noble and good thoughts, then yes, please let my personality be awash in them, let me bathe in them! In meditation my mind is free from masks and I am connected to my truest self.

FYI: Last Max Meditation session of 2009 at the Modern Mystery School Canadian Headquarters Tuesday night!

Kitchen Magick for Christmas

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:33:00 +0000

I had the rare pleasure of spending the afternoon with my mother to do some baking for Christmas. Every year she makes an abundance of holiday treats... traditional Italian biscotti, pizzelle, sugar cookies, and these chewy chocolate-espresso numbers that are my favourite!

As I was rolling dough in icing sugar this afternoon, I got to thinking about kitchen magick and the alchemy of food, (such vast topic in and of itself, and to which there are better experts than I). I have spent the last few years spending most of my time and energy invested in studying the Hermetic arts, spiritual alchemy, high and low magick, and everything in between. So much of my time invested in this that I admittedly have not spent much time in the kitchen with my mother and her mother, learning the recipes that have nourished our family for generations. Having the opportunity today to apprentice my mother, I was humbled and honoured to aid and serve her, to wash dishes, chop marichino cherries and roll dough... whatever she needed done, I did. She is the master and the expert, as I am a mere novice in the alchemy lab of baking!

My experience apprenticing as a shaman, priestess and student in the esoteric arts, has given me a greater appreciation for the methods behind the apprenticeship process. This has also shown me how cooking is some of the most powerful magick in the world! Just like any magick, the recipes you learn from books can be good, but the recipes that yield the best results are the ones that you have work to learn and are handed down to you through tradition.

I was taught by my Master Teacher in the Mystery School that "Magick is tied to tradition" and today I was reminded that so is good cooking!

Update to January Schedule

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:59:00 +0000

Please note: The Awaken Thyself date has been changed to Friday, January 22!

Check Awaken - Empower - Know Thyself for more details about Awaken Thyself too.

Some very exciting free-talks will be preluding the Awaken Thyself. Details coming soon!

Reiki & the holidays

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:38:00 +0000

Just like food and sports, energy work changes with the seasons. This time of year, as things quiet down in some departments, others get really loud. Most people seem to be focusing on the holidays, shopping, social events, et al. Time becomes scarce and the way people spend their time shifts greatly.

With high levels of obligation to family and friends around the holidays, high levels of stress tend to kick in, too. Suddenly people who normally don'tthink in terms of "energy" will become highly aware of it. They become aware of the tension in the air between estranged relatives who end upat the same dinner table; or they become aware of the crawling feeling on their skin at the over-crowded mall full of last minute shoppers. It's not all bad though, on the flip side people become acutely aware of that toasty warm feeling sitting around the tree gives you; or the look on a child's face when they see a house dressed in lights and presents with their name under the tree.

With this heightened awareness and extremes of emotion fueling the Yulefire, around this time of year I seem to have an increase of interest in Reiki sessions. One session of this classic and powerful modality is a great and simple way to take some time for yourself and get the most of out of it. During this season of go-go-go, people tend not to stop and breath, but by stopping for an hour to receive reiki can re-charge you much more so than an hour of vegging on the couch.

When your downtime is so scarce, making the choice of what will serve you best is vital to your mental, emotional and spiritual health. By receiving Reiki you are re-fueling your own personal energy source, which often is easily depleted during busier times like the holidays. Reiki is good all year round, but just like Christmas cookies, sometimes a little extra around the holidays doesn't hurt!