A New Moon In Capricorn & The Chinese Lunar New Year Of The Rabbit

Photo by Steffi Wacker on Pexels.com

On December 23, 2022, A New Moon in Capricorn adds to

the new energies of the forthcoming New Year of 2023

Keep in mind that the Moon based Chinese calendar new year will happen on January 22, 2023.

The energy of Capricorn might trigger a strong need for being useful to society.

Sometimes, it may lead us down a path of looking for justification in the outside world.

It can be enticing to underestimate what we want from ourselves and for ourselves.

Resentment can follow shyness when feeling ignored by others.

Rather than seeking approval from the outside, turn yin-ward and trust your inner values.

A gentle and kind inside-out approach will relax harmful self-doubts.

Working Capricorn in the positive awakens self-control.

Try not to get seduced by its shadow side by trying to control everything.

It will be the year of the Rabbit, according to Chinese Astrology.

Energetically, Rabbit is symbolic of good fortune and reflects the powers of the moon.

It will be a good year to develop your sensitivity and artistic expressions,

as well as ambition, fitness & virtue.

Rabbits are associated with sexuality and fertility.

There are many ways other than physically having sex or childbirth

to play with these experiences in our lives.

For example, you can wear different colors, play music and sing

as forms to explore your sensuality,

as well as give birth to a new creative endeavor as a way to flirt with the fertility of life.

Also, these are all healthy ways to reclaim

and nurture a healthy relationship with your inner child.

Truly, reality is multidimensional or quantum in nature.

Meditation helps access these realms as well as soften our attachments to them.

This writer has heard stories about the writer Lewis Carrol’s clinging to

alternate realities that he could no longer access after writing his classic,

Alice in Wonderland,

which was akin to a shamanic journey.

Similarly, Pink Floyd’s Sid Barrett reportedly heard celestial music in the dreamtime.

Sadly, it drove him mad because he couldn’t capture that sound in this realm.

It can take a long time to learn cause and effect, which is not without its consequences.

At the same time, we can imagine the possibilities beyond cause and effect and predictability.

As a spirit guide, we can leap and hop with Rabbit into the Faerie realm and

magical adventures into rabbit holes of the underworld, middle or upper world.

Let us remember a callback to keep our feet on the ground and safely return to our hutch.

Alternate realities are adventurous places for our minds and souls to travel.

Staying grounded in this reality is just as important,

like the old spiritual mantra of walking with one foot in spirit, one foot in ground.

Soul travel is akin to dimensional bleeding.

(See you on the dark side of the moon)

Dawn & dusk reflect the in between times where the veil

between the spirit and physical realms are thinner.

Shadow building is when we call in our fears from our subconscious

into our conscious experiences.

Remember what we resist persists.

Are you contemplating starting a new project?

Could this be envisioning your new self?

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

A Full Cold Moon, Winter Solstice and Looking Forward To A New Moon In Capricorn & Year Ahead After A Long December . . .

Photo by Joonas ku00e4u00e4riu00e4inen on Pexels.com

A Full Cold Moon arrives on December 7, 2022.

Like all full moons, this one goes by many names.

This name traces its roots to the Mohawk Indigenous Peoples.

Here in Maine, the Western Abenaki name is Winter Maker Moon.

Our ancestors recognized this Full Moon and Winter Solstice signpost as

the coldest and darkest timeframe of the year.

The Winter Solstice, arrives on December 21st,

and signals the darkest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

And then after that we begin to coax back the light.

It is a good time to venture yin-ward,

go into deeper meditation, introspection, contemplation, rest, sleep

and travel into your cave for inner exploration and self discovery.

Yin symbolizes the darker, more feminine energies, like the moon does.

The Blues doesn’t sing about sunshine and rainbows.

Darker emotions are a natural experiences- especially right now on the planet.

The old world, with its wars, dirty energy

and general shadowy conduct disorderly ways is a recipe for disaster.

Might as well surrender to what is and tend

to your inner garden in the seedlings of the present moment.

Rituals focusing on gratitude and letting go are good energy medicine.

In the Southern Hemisphere, it is the opposite.

It will be their Summer Solstice, where the light reaches its zenith,

and the amount of light in a day starts slowly waning thereafter.

Conversely, this is a time to be more of a social butterfly, festive

and outwardly expansive, as yang is more masculine, like the sun energetically.

On December 23, 2022, A New Moon in Capricorn adds to

the new energies of the forthcoming New Year of 2023

The energy of Capricorn might trigger a strong need for being useful to society.

Sometimes, it may lead us down a path of looking for justification in the outside world.

It can be enticing to underestimate what we want from ourselves and for ourselves.

Resentment can follow shyness when feeling ignored by others.

Rather than seeking approval from the outside, turn yin-ward and trust your inner values.

A gentle and kind inside-out approach will relax harmful self-doubts.

Working Capricorn in the positive awakens self-control.

Try not to get seduced by its shadow side by trying to control everything.

Between the Winter Solstice, New Moon and New Year’s Day,

there are lots of new energies in the air.

Keep in mind that the Moon based Chinese calendar new year will happen on January 22, 2023.

It will be the year of the Rabbit, according to Chinese Astrology.

More on that next time.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

Overcoming Old Ghosts, Mindful Moments & Awakening To The Spirit Of Inner Peace

Check out my latest published writing in Edge of Humanity Magazine at the link below.

Also, underneath the link to the article, you will find contextual references to the allusions that are included in the article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adverse_childhood_experiences

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resident_Alien_(TV_series)

https://theapeiron.co.uk/the-dark-night-of-the-soul-understanding-amidst-the-absence-of-meaning-3494cb193bc2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Scott_Peck

Hawk Gives Us A Bird’s Eye View Into The Mystical Shorelines Ahead

Photo by Kristen Bouse

Mercury in Retrograde, which has spiritual connections to Hawk, begins on September 9th and ends on October 1, 2022. Meditation on the energies of Hawk reveal spirit vision and guardianship.

Pay patient purposeful attention to the signs that will clearly reveal opportunities for you to see. Remember that we live in an energetic and sacred Universe. Hawk is a good reminder of the magic in it if our hearts and minds are open to it.

In a way, Mercury in Retrograde is like receiving messages from the gods of yesteryear. Relax and let go of left brain attachments and soar into the realm of right brain, intuitive faculties. Logic and rationalism are important forms of cognition.

But they are not the only way of thinking. Sometimes, it is best to let them rest and surrender to the irrational and creative forms of non-linear and non-localized thinking at this time.

It is a good time to get in touch with extraordinary states of consciousness.

For example, during meditation, our brain waves change form. Like with humor, changes in brainwaves gets us to look at things in a different light.

As always, be kind to your mind- machines too because they don’t always operate as seamlessly as they’re supposed to, especially when Mercury’s in retrograde. The Twilight Zone experience does not appear to discriminate.

Ever noticed how when your internal wires are crossed, machines also seems to short circuit and appear disassembled? Sometimes, I give Reiki to a machine that isn’t working properly and sometimes it will work. Other times, it doesn’t and I remember that it’s OK to walk away.

Distractions are everywhere, inside and out, in this world of 10,000 things. Mercury in retrograde is somewhat akin to AD/HD experiences, where we are can’t tell if we are going nuts or just forgot where we buried our acorns, like the squirrels in Nature.

Stay focused and keep your eye out for the signs to point you in the right direction. If anything, it’s a good time to sit with what is and not make any big decisions if you can help it.

Our old selves have very different lenses than our future selves. If hindsight vision is 20/20, then we can stand to allow this rewind time to inform us about the changes that we need to make.

Take flight, pause and reflect on this old episode retrograde rewind time period by reexamining what you see in the rearview mirror. It is likely that you will be revisited by past relationships in the form of dreams, visions and even in person encounters.

September’s Full Harvest Moon will peak on September 10. This Full Moon always happens closest to the Autumn Equinox on Thursday, September 22nd.

As we discussed in the last blog entry, in Ojibwe, the Full Moon during this time of year is called the Falling Leaves Moon. Watch the leaves falling and observe their process of changing colors. Seasons change no matter what we are doing or not doing. Might as well go with the flow of changes and embrace them as gracefully as possible.

Just after the official transition into Fall, a Libra New Moon awakens on September 25, 2022. New Moons are always symbolic of new beginnings and also a cycle of power for the energies of Hawk.

May the energies of the Libra New Moon ignite your soul’s expansion beyond the securities of your comfort zone and be open to exploration for all of life’s offerings. Spiritual wisdom reminds us to have an open heart and align with the Universe. 

If only we can calm down and harmonize with our environment. This requires balancing tension of opposites, like the intersections between joy and pain, sunshine and rain. How do we make friends with that?

Libra symbolizes peacemaking. It wouldn’t be a stretch for a Libra working their soul energy in the positive to be an effective social worker, educator and civil rights advisor with children. This is an example of the love they embody.

Awakening to your soul purpose is in alignment with Hawk.

Till We Tweet Again,

Ari

A Bell Of Mindfulness, New Moon In Virgo, Full Harvest Moon And An Autumn Equinox In The September Of Our Years

Photo by Kristen Bouse

Have you ever heard the expression Bell of Mindfulness? Although this writer didn’t invent the expression, he recognizes it in his common language with regularity.

Many moons ago, my first inspiration of this meditative expression arrived when reading, At Hell’s Gate: A Soldier’s Journey From War to Peace, by an American Zen Buddhist Monk and Vietnam veteran named Claude Anshin Thomas.

Whatever your trauma, if you are a survivor and have put in the work, you know the journey from suffering to inner peace.

But when you work with that, it isn’t without its moments of struggling.

And if you are doing the work, you already know these journeys are not always linear and sometimes intersect and coexist with each other seemingly simultaneously.

Of course there is a tension of opposites, like when we were kids playing on the teeter totter.

Heaven and hell are inner states of consciousness that reflect back to us in the outer world.

Shamans called the current state of affairs a collective nightmare that we see playing out on the fiery Planet today.

Prophesies of a Golden Age are a co-creative New Dream. Remember that out of the ashes, the Phoenix Rises!

Truly, we all have what Taoists call the Chattering Monkey Mind, and this anxious mind can dominate our lives if we let it.

For example, chasing, clinging or indulging in darker thoughts (or any thoughts) are part of being human. It’s how we approach them that really matters.

Do we respond with mindful consultation with our Higher Self or do we react to the provocations of our lower self?

Do we resist and fight our shadowy thoughts or do we gently let them pass till an awakening of clearer thoughts emerge? We all have emotions and feelings that tend to accompany our thoughts. It is wise to take personal inventory of them through the light of loving compassion.

A New Moon in Virgo will happen on August 27, 2022. Feeling safe is connected to order, clarity and emotions right now. Perhaps there is a need to organize everything chaotic and disorganized.

Working Virgo energies in the positive tempers the self-critic with self-acceptance and finds self-expression of its soul purpose through service. In this way, you are more likely to take care of others if you are taking care of yourself. The inner critic is leveled by an internal state of acceptance. The situations are what they are. We might as well say yes to them on the inside, instead of meeting them with resistance (what we resists, persists!). From there, we can take corrective action if necessary.

Inner peace is a practical replacement for going to war with yourself (or others). It’s easier to replace with inner peace than it is to extinguish going to war. More inner peace replaces the likelihood of going to war.

Virgo stands on mutable ground to teach us that it is healthy to give consideration to being more tolerant and accepting about life’s imperfections. It is better to trust life and let it run its own way. Not everything must be according to our expectations or controlled. The Japanese spiritual tradition of Wabi Sabi reflects this way of being. Beauty exists in taking risks and making mistakes. It’s very Growth Mindset.

In many ways, we live in a Virgo world. It’s easy to get caught up in the do’s and don’t and should and should nots and consumed by fixing problems and perfectionism in the material realm. Chaos is especially hard on Virgo. But there is order in chaos and disorder is part of balance. Movement into the New Aquarian Age awakens possibilities that might be hidden or unseen to the predictable mindset or preoccupation with the headlines.

Energetically, Autumn is a good time of year to practice letting go. Tis a good mantra to Fall back on, if you’ll pardon the pun.

September’s Full Harvest Moon will peak on September 10, 2022. This Full Moon always happens closest to the Autumn Equinox on Thursday, September 22nd.

In Ojibwe, the Full Moon during this time of year is called the Falling Leaves Moon. Watch the leaves falling and observe their process of changing colors. Seasons change no matter what we are doing or not doing.

Furthermore, feminine and masculine energies are equal around the Fall Equinox. Meditation on balance of the yin and yang is in perfect equitable alignment with Nature at this time. Give this special consideration when you see people struggling with their identity issues, like sexuality and gender identifications. Appreciate the confusing times we are living in with open hearts and minds. In much the same way as race, disabilities, religion and ancestry, these are key Civil Rights issues to be mindful of in the here and now.

Reflections on the Harvest Moon, invites looking back at when our ancestors farmed the land before artificial light existed.

Back then, their work day depended on the natural cycles of the sun and the moon. They were more active and slept less during warmer weather and brighter days. Conversely, they were less active and slept more during shorter days, colder temperatures and darker nights.

This is the only Full Moon that rises at nearly the same time for multiple days, giving farmers several evenings of extra moonlight to finish their harvests before the arrival of fall frosts. Abundance is in the sky and on the ground. The harvest is in and yields its bounty.

Today, it is wise to pay attention and return to these natural rhythms and cycles. There is a time to do and a time to rest. Meaningful work is good for the soul. So is play.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

Mirror Of The Mind Meditation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silva_Method

Welcome to my demonstration of The Mirror Of The Mind meditation. I really love this meditation and enjoy teaching this form to others, many of whom say that it really resonates- both kids, adolescents and adults alike.

Remember that the three key ingredients to the efficacy of this meditation are:

Desire: You have to want to do it.

Belief: You have to believe in the meditation.

Expectation: You have to expect that it will work.

The more you do this meditation, as in everyday, the more you will see yourself becoming the change you want to see in the world- in the mirror of the mind.

Remember to focus on the second part of the meditation during your practice, as in see yourself in the way you want your new self to be. Focus on who you are becoming.

Picture looking at yourself in your mirror of your mind with a luminous golden/white light around the mirror with you representing the change in yourself you want to see. This is what some people call the new human or homo luminous.

Don’t get hung up on how visual you are. Just use your imagination and get in touch with the feeling of it. Not everyone is good at creative visualization. But we can all get better at it.

When you are done with this meditation, send the image in the mirror of the mind into the Universe and let go of it. I like to imagine blowing a bunch of pink bubbles with the image enveloped in them, like when I was a kid blowing bubbles. It’s always good to say thank you and have gratitude.

The first part of the meditation (old self/dark edge/black hole envelope), you can revisit periodically- if you feel the need to release any aspects of your old self that you want to let go of or are struggling with. The Autumn Equinox, Winter Solstice or Imbolc (Groundhog Day) might be good times for your consideration to do this form of the Mirror of the Mind because they represent death of the old self times energetically. Some of our ancestors taught to do this form only once. But some of us find it helpful to revisit occasionally.

A Lion’s Truth, New Moon In Leo & Full Sturgeon Moon Down The Pike

Photo by Kristen Bouse

A New Moon in Leo awakens new beginnings on July 28, 2022.

Lion’s spirit symbolizes:

Trusting our intuitive faculties, strength of will, patience and creative imagination.

Meditation on the Solar Plexus Chakra can be a helpful strategy here.

Picture the Sun living within the center point of your sternum.

Lion energy reminds us that real power cannot be forced.

Instead of striving to make things happen,

we are allowing for the arriving of what is in an organic unfolding.

Leo prefers the limelight and focusing on sunshine and rainbows.

But they have a tendency to be spitfires and bring their heat while playing with form.

When examining the Mirror of The Mind in meditation, it is wise to give contemplation to

what we want to bring down from the dreamtime into our material realm.

Doing this requires differentiating fantasy from reality.

Saying yes to life and making amigos with our egos,

are key dynamics to personality development.

An inside out approach recognizes that Life is a matrix of

performing art where the actor and spectator

intersect with one another within an immediate feedback loop.

Be mindful of Pride being Lion’s shadow side:

We all know pride can be seductive!

Wisdom reminds us to face our shadows head on,

otherwise we fall prey to their dark edges

and become shrouded by them.

Mantra: Self Love & Self Expression . . .

I know a Leo who rolls around in dew covered grass underneath a summery Full Moonshine,

as an energetic cleansing strategy to ground & connect with Mother Earth.

Practicing T’ai Chi or another form of moving meditation allows for

exploration of experiencing the power of water gradually.

We are mostly water . . .

The tide of a Full Sturgeon Supermoon rolls in on August 11, 2022.

Like turtles, sturgeons have been around so long they are often referred to as living fossils.

They have an ancient wisdom and survival instinct about them that should be mediated on.

Sturgeon awakens resiliency when facing adversity and overcoming traumatic soul wounds.

Humanity’s evolution needs to develop resiliency in our quest

for reimagining our human story so that we can change our collective narrative.

We can learn to co-regulate and co-exist with one another

so that we can mutually harmonize with our environment.

In the meantime, do whatever you can to

stay in alignment with the Universal Pillars of Love and Truth!

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

When In A Rut, It’s About Time To Buck Up To A Full Moon & Then Tell It To A Tree On A New Moon In Leo

Photo by Kristen Bouse

A Full Buck Moon on July 13th is a gently alluring time for

new adventures along Nature’s trail way.

A New Moon in Leo on July 28 entices your soul to come out to

dance in the light and shine like the sun.

Are you hearing the Universe’s signs and synchronicities

telling you to chase fantastic opportunities?

Remember the Tao does nothing and yet leaves nothing undone.

No worries, mate.

Slow and low, that is the tempo.

Remember that Turtle can turn its head up on a log and be loved by Grandfather Sun for hours.

That isn’t narcissism.

Rather, ancient wisdom at play down by the river’s edge.

If you need to express yourself naturally, get outside and be with the trees!

They want to hear what you have to say and they can help spread your messages,

along echoes of whispering wind kissed leaves . . .

Consider giving a tree a hug or sitting underneath one to yield to their power,

and get in touch with the strength of your roots.

Breathe in Mother Earth supporting your breath.

Are you struggling with the Empire’s duality and paradox right now?

Is it the new politics of of Roe V Wade overturned or the legal right to carry a concealed weapon?

Exhale any dirty energy . . .

Can you see the cyclical death and rebirth without clinging and grasping?

(Equanimity)

And then there’s Mark Twain’s wit about Congress being America’s only criminal class

ringing through the cracked Liberty Bell.

Oh My God, Lord have mercy!

Right about now. Right about now. Right about now.

What?!

Now that’s gangsta.

When Blue Lives (really) Matter,

Constitution is promoting the General Welfare for everyone.

There are no good guys or bad guys or demonized Evil Doers!

(Mantra: Peace Officers)

The only defunding Taoists are talking about is Investing In Loss.

When we invest in loss, we transform our pain & suffering into a gain.

To understand this spiritual concept experientially and energetically

consider this practical strategy:

Touch a tree and perceive it’s energy flowing into your hands, through your arms,

down your body, and then

sink through the balls of your feet into the roots of the tree, down into the ground.

Imagine inner mulching and composting circulating heavenly chi through your body,

whilst being mindful of your spirited, recycled breaths.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

Life’s A Beach And Then You Crab

Photo by Kristen Bouse

Summer is here and its Solstice signals peak light in the Northern Hemisphere.

Communal spirit and festive vibes are in the air!

Crab shuffles in with a New Moon In Cancer on June 29th . . .

Swimming into mystical waters, deep within creative experiences.

Cardinal flies into a dimension of manifesting self love & honoring nesting O’er insecurities.

Archetypal forces of Mother, Healer, Invisible Male & Female are awakening.

May we nurture through nature:

Subjective experiences are mindful of the interplay

between how we are feeling and communicate that through our throat chakras;

in the form of how we articulate the language of emotion.

Balance of permeability is key because we all need a protective shell for safety.

Yet we also need to feed our souls with interaction.

Imagination tracks into the mirror of the mind.

Walking into a hug reflects a womblike setting . . .

Crab energy draws out sensitivity and suffering of others in our encounters.

How do we do this without becoming sponges?

A Full Buck Moon on July 13th reveals peak antler growth,

and alluring new adventures in consciousness!

Tis good medicine for getting out of our ruts.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

A New Moon In Taurus, Spring Eclipse Season, Full Flower Moon & The Energies of Swan

A New Moon in Taurus gazes o’er the fields on April 30th. The sentiments are amplified by a Solar Eclipse. Eclipses are invitations for spirited change agents in our soul lives. A passionate passing pyre of fiery Aries lit the torch of Spring Eclipse season. Taurus is like dipping your feet in the cold mountain water after a rigorous hike. Inner peace is found with our feet on the ground. But now the Bull is a grounding energetic reprieve, as is the graceful energy of Swan, above the water at least. And yet underneath, Swan’s legs are paddling away rather intensely. This captures the reflection of the powerful energies of the Eclipses. Use the Bull’s energies to keep your wits about you. Analysis paralysis is a foreign land to Taurus. Practicality is important but not without growth. In order to grow, we must leave our comfort zones. The time is ripe now to receive the bounty of water into your soul.

In mid-May, a Full Flower Moon, also a Lunar Eclipse, will occur on Monday, May 16, 2022. This Full Moon has many names, but this name is used by Algonquin and Ojibwe peoples. Like the abundance of flowers springing forth in the flora, the ephemeral energies of cross-pollination reflect in the fauna as well. Flower Power rises again in humanity. The 60s might be dust in the wind, but the winds of change are ringing loud and clear throughout the land of hope and dreams.

Can we be graceful with our apparent imperfections? Life is fleeting and transient, bitter and sweet for certain. Everything is sacred, and yet every moment can be looked upon as a lifetime of death and rebirth. The spirit of breath enters into the body and springs forth life and then exits outward in the dirge. This alchemy of mulching is the compost of life.

Artwork by Barbara Merlotti

May the grace of Swan gently guide you downstream toward a Full Flower Moon,

through the uncharted waters of Climate Change.

Might as well go with the flow as much as possible rather than fight against the current.

Transience reminds us that the only constant is change.

When the grand rapids of life come on like the flooding

emotional waters of overwhelm . . .

Picture a Swan to remember to paddle with the current,

rather than getting sucked into the undertow.

Are you fighting against your stressful situations?

Can you find a way to make friends with your stress by

floating on the water instead of hissing at yourself and others?

May we swim with the grace of Swan as we navigate flow of energies 

streaming into these into uncharted New Age streams of consciousness.

Climate Change is upon us . . .

Might as well go with the flow rather than trying to push against the current.

A Full Flower Moon awakens our senses to the fragrant floral abundance!

Cross pollinating across an awakening New World.

Paddling along with the grace of a Swan . . .

Might we become inspired?

Let us appreciate the beauty of everyday living;

Both indoors and outdoors.

Do you see the beauty within your own Being and

the world around you?

Paradoxically, try to see opportunities for transformation within your transgressions.

Might we dig deep enough to rise up to both the challenge and opportunity . . .

To become friends with whatever we do not like about ourselves.

Trying to lead a perfect life . . .

Is a receipt for unhappiness

What could you adjust inside yourself when perceiving something

outside of yourself as undesirable?

In this space, we open up to the

sacred realm of inner peace.

Transient distractions to sitting with what is –

Are conveniently inconvenient pathways away from the Now.

Otherwise, cosmetic changes only temporarily placate the little ego!

Commentary:

Many times, we do not have control over what happens to us in life. But what we do have control over the way we respond to what life throws at us. We always have the choice to resist the events that unfold in front of our eyes. Or we can choose to accept and even embrace what comes our way and roll with it in as gracefully as possible. Some folks really don’t learn to live until they realize that they are dying. Still others have lived on this planet for many years, and merely exist hardly more than robotic walking corpses, like zombies. Energy is energy – it’s what you do with it that counts.

I remember being at a funeral of a past student I worked closely with, many moons ago. At this tragic event, we were given the opportunity to stand up and say something about his life, and the connection we had with him. One of his family members was a fire and brimstone kind of Christian, and as he stood up on the pulpit, thumping away on the copy of his bible, he talked about Jesus living the perfect life. Is that so? I have heard stories that Jesus was a bit naughty as boy, and often used his powers to manipulate and control other children, and adults alike. I don’t know if that’s true, but what is clear is that he elevated his soul on the map of consciousness into a god-realized human being, and was a powerful role model that led by example. Like the rest of us, he incarnated as a child of God into a mortal. When he died, his soul left his body, and continued to evolve and be of service to a deeper and higher spiritual light team.

Happiness is a way of life, not without it’s negative experiences with emotions. But the kingdom is on the inside like the Christ understood internally and taught externally by living that example. But accessing the vibrational shift of inner peace is really about leaning in, accepting and even embracing our own imperfections, and the imperfections we notice around us. Our Japanese ancestors have called this inner perspective Wabi Sabi. Moreover, the legendary American professional football coach Vince Lombardi once asserted that practice doesn’t make perfect, but that perfect practice makes perfect. In the spirit of that, we might as well take the imperfect pieces of this process, and weave them into a greater perfect whole that transcends the sum of our imperfect parts. Even an ornery swan is still perfect within the context of an imperfect threatening hiss to the eye of a targeted human beholder.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari