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Narrated by Marie T. Russell
Welcome... Our InnerSelf welcomes your inner self.
As we all know, there is no day without night. There is no butterfly without a caterpillar spinning a cocoon and later escaping its shell. There is no growth of a plant without the seed breaking-down and becoming something completely new. Leaves must fall from trees in autumn and decompose, and thus provide fertile ground for new life.
In the same way, our own self and our society go through these periods of moving from light to dark and back to light again. The yin-yang symbol is a great example of that. Within the darkness there is light, and within the light, there is darkness. Within us as well, we have light and dark, otherwise known as the shadow. Unfortunately, light and dark have been given two other names, good and evil, which makes us think darkness or the shadow is "bad".
This week we explore different facets of life... the dark, the transition from one to the other, and the healing presence of light (and of darkness).
We start off with Jude Bijou who discusses "Stressful Things and How To Deal with Them". There is no judgment in situations. They simply are what they are. The judgment comes when we interpret them as bad, or evil, or irritating, or a pain in the ... whatever. It helps when we remember that every experience in our life, even stress, brings a gift. These challenges can assist us in finding balance through the messages and challenges they bring.
We then continue our "discovery process" with Bill Plotkin who introduces us to "The Lost Journey of Soul Initiation". Ancient cultures had rituals for transitions from youth into manhood, from young girl into womanhood, etc. These rituals often included a descent into darkness whether through a vision quest or some other challenging experience. The participant journeyed within the darkness of their own self, discovering and facing their fears and their limiting beliefs.
We, as a modern society, mostly no longer have formal initiation rites. Thus we have, as a planet, drawn to us situations which allow us to plunge into our darkness. Those "initiations" or vision quests show up as mass murders or tsunamis or pandemics or other planetary challenges. The soul knows it needs to face its darkness as well as its light in order to progress on the path. If we don't do so willingly, the Universe assists us by putting these situations in front of us so we have to see them through.
Our next visitation into darkness (and light) is with Will T. Wilkinson in "Life Is A Journey Through Heaven and Hell". Will invites us into a meditation on "heaven and hell" to discover what they really mean for us and so we can discover their essence.
But of course, darkness is paired with light, illness with healing... everything is a yin and yang process of day and night, sun and moon, etc. And just as the moon is a reflection of the sun, so is our human "night" a reflection of our "light". They are both part of our learning process, of our journey. When half of the planet is experiencing light, the other half is in darkness, and vice versa. Everyone gets to experience light and dark, day and night, joy and sadness, etc.
And the journey of healing may require a "descent" into our own body and our cells. Patricia Kay introduces us to "Letting Go Into the Healing Journey with Cell Level Meditation". She shares her own discovery of the power of healing through letting go of the need to control, and letting the body heal itself, in what some would call miraculous fashion.
We round off our sojourn into darkness and light with "The Number Zero (0) In Your Life with Some Help from Healing Stones". The book from which this article is excerpted, combines the insights of numerology with the healing power of crystals to present another path to healing that is accessible for us. Crystals bring light into our body and our life, and activate energies within us that help us attain balance, harmony, and well-being.
Our journey through the ups and downs of light and dark can be challenging, but it is also rewarding when we dare to look within and find the insights, and the gifts that they present. Just as in a physical "healing crisis", sometimes we have to get to the bottom of the spectrum to be able to ascend again to health and wellbeing.
And, just as Spring and Summer always return after the Darkness of Winter, the darkness in our lives is simply a stage where we get to reflect, to ponder, to choose to make changes, and to heal the wounds that have been hidden in the dark recesses of our being. And then we can emerge as a "butterfly", or as I like to call them, a "flutter-by", spreading our wings to fly and flutter by in joy and harmony with life.
If we fear to look into the darkness of our shadow, we do not discover the power that resides there. When we face our "inner demons" and discover that they are there to assist us in our journey of self-discovery, and of creating "heaven on earth", we can benefit from both sides of our being... from the light and dark, from the inner and outer, and from the oneness of the "inner me" and unity with the "outer you".
Please scroll down for the featured articles in this new issue of InnerSelf, and also the recap of all the articles that were added to the website during the week.
Wishing you enjoyable insightful reading, and of course a wonder-full, joy-full, health-full, and loving week.
Marie T. Russell, editor/publisher,
InnerSelf.com -- "New Attitudes...New Possibilities"
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NEW ARTICLES THIS WEEK
***** articles and videos added daily *****
The featured articles are available in audio as well as video format.
Go to each article for the links.
Written by Jude Bijou. Read Time: 12 mins
Stressful Things and How To Deal with Them
This month I'm going to discuss three topics that have at their roots our unexpressed fear: stress, taxes, and sleep, or lack thereof!
Written by Bill Plotkin, Ph.D. Read Time: 10 mins
The Lost Journey of Soul Initiation: How and Why the Journey Was Lost
Although I believe we now stand on an evolutionary threshold, that we must envision maps and methods for an unprecedented planetary voyage, we might still wonder why earlier variants of the journey of soul initiation — where they existed — disappeared from most cultures.
Written by Will T. Wilkinson. Read Time: 8 mins
Life Is A Journey Through Heaven and Hell
The terms “heaven” and “hell” have come to mean the place you want to be and the place you don’t want to be. But every good story, including our human journey, includes both. The hero is typically forced to leave his familiar life and plunge into the underworld where he is...
Barry Grundland, M.D. and Patricia Kay, M.A. Read Time: 10 mins
Letting Go Into the Healing Journey with Cell Level Meditation
Cell Level Meditation is a vehicle for finding our way “home.” We take the breath to our cells, offering them our deepest desire to be happy and healthy and strong. In some way, they hear us and respond. This meditative form is a gift that helps the mind and the body come into healing, which in turn, helps us be ourselves in fullness.
Written by Editha Wuest and Sabine Schieferle. Read Time: 11 mins
The Number Zero (0) In Your Life with Some Help from Healing Stones
The American mathematician Robert Kaplan once said: “If you look at zero you see nothing; but look through it and you will see the world.”
What Can Go In The Compost Bin? Some Tips To Help Your Garden and Keep Away The Pests
by Cheryl Desha, Griffith University et al
Composting is fairly simple, but it’s important to get it right. Otherwise, your compost mix may be too slimy or…
Covid-19 Spread Is Rare When Schools Use Safe Practices
by Kristina Sauerwein, Washington University
New research finds that, when schools practice mandatory masking, social distancing, and frequent hand-washing…
Twin Study Shows Spanking Can Lead To Antisocial Behavior
by Esther Robards, UT Austin
We found no evidence to support a genetic explanation," says Alexandra Burt. "The differences in the harsh parenting…
Does Narcissism Come from Insecurity, and Not From Inflated Sense of Self?
by James Devitt, NYU
Narcissism is driven by insecurity, and not an inflated sense of self, finds a new study by a team of psychology…
Holding It Together: Here's How You Can Cultivate Mental Toughness
by Dara Mojtahedi, University of Huddersfield
For some people, having certain personality traits seems to have offered some level of protection during these…
Why Companies' Net-Zero Emissions Pledges Should Trigger A Healthy Dose Of Skepticism
by Oliver Miltenberger, University of Melbourne and Matthew D. Potts, University of California
Hundreds of companies, including major emitters like United Airlines, BP and Shell, have pledged to reduce their impact…
Inequalities and Anxieties About Returning To Workplaces Are Becoming Clearer
by Jane Parry and Michalis Veliziotis, University of Southampton
Due to unanticipated productivity gains, many organizations have publicly declared their intention to make working from…
Dementia: Is Processed Meat Another Risk Factor?
by Richard Hoffman, University of Hertfordshire
The evidence of a link between processed meat and cancer is now strong enough for some organisations to recommend not…
Regrowing A Tropical Forest – Is It Better To Plant Trees Or Leave It To Nature?
by David Burslem, University of Aberdeen, et al.
The destruction of tropical forest is a major contributor to biodiversity loss and the climate crisis. In response…
5 Picture Books To Help Parents Talk To Children Under Seven About Death
by Maggie Jackson, Teesside University
As adults we may hope that our children won’t be aware of death and that we can protect them from it. However, it is…
Is It Adult ADHD? COVID-19 Has People Feeling Restless, Lacking Focus and Seeking Diagnosis
by Allyson G. Harrison, Queen's University, Ontario
Over the past year, many people have found it difficult to focus, pay attention and get tasks done. They notice, too…
Why We Need A Mental Health 'Vaccine'
by Renée El-Gabalawy and Jordana Sommer, Univ. of Manitoba
Younger people are at lower risk of severe health outcomes if they develop COVID-19, and are therefore not a priority…
To Help Children Learn How To Read, Encourage Writing Messages As Part Of Play
by Shelley Stagg Peterson, University of Toronto
Canadian media have reported on concerns that due to pandemic school closures students are falling behind in learning…
Why Some Songbirds Make Migratory Pit-Stops To Replace Worn And Ragged Feathers
by Matthew Reudink, Thompson Rivers University
As we pass the spring equinox, lengthening days promise the return of warmth and with it, the return of migratory…
Do The Atlanta Attacks Painfully Reflect The Society We Live In?
by Jamie Chai Yun Liew
The targeted killing of eight women in Atlanta, six of them Asian, is a brutal result of decades-long exclusion and…
To Help Insects, Here's How To Make Them Welcome In Your Garden
by Brian Lovett, West Virginia University
As winter phases into spring across the U.S., gardeners are laying in supplies and making plans. Meanwhile, as the…
People With Greater Emotional Intelligence Are Better At Spotting Fake News
by Tony Anderson and David James Robertson
The spread of misinformation – in the form of unsubstantiated rumour and intentionally deceitful propaganda – is…
Chivalry Is Not About Opening Doors, But Protecting Society's Most Vulnerable From Attack
by Jennifer Wollock, Texas A&M University
Modern society is in dispute over the value of chivalry. Chivalry originally referred to the medieval knight’s code of…
How Context Influences The Decisions You Make
by Jennifer Trueblood
When my husband and I purchased a new home last year, the house we ultimately bought was one we had at first ruled out.…
Why People Try To Drive Through Floodwater or Leave Too Late To Flee
by Garry Stevens et al
Despite the warning of dangerous road conditions, some people have driven their cars through floodwaters. Others have…
Asians Are Good At Math? Why Dressing Up Racism As A Compliment Just Doesn't Add Up
by Niral Shah
On the surface, the “Asians are good at math” narrative sounds like a compliment. After all, what’s wrong with saying…
Astrological Journal for the Week
Written by Pam Younghans
This weekly column (updated every Sunday afternoon) is based on planetary influences, and offers perspectives and insights to assist you in making the best use of current energies... Read this week's journal here
It is also highly beneficial to reread the past week's astrological journal as it gives a hindsight view of the events that took place and may provide many "ah-ha" insights.
OLDIES & GOODIES:
Pluto: Our Inner Darkness Before the Dawn
by Isabel Hickey
Creating Your Life by Living a Path with Heart
by Kenneth Smith
Children... Seeing the World As They Desire It To Be
by Sherjuana A. Davis
Your Mental Eraser Can Change Limiting Core Beliefs
by Victoria Loveland-Coen, RScP
The First Rule for Meditation Success: Don't Be Ruled by What Others Do
by J. Donald Walters (with audio and video versions)
Courage for Our Times: Discovering Numerous Types of Courage
by Caroline Kennedy
Breath Is The Link Between Mind and Body: How Do You Breathe?
by Lillian Too
Difficult Decisions to Make? Making Choices through Heart-Based Decisions
by Debbie Milam
Simple Processes to Attune to the Energy of Love and Compassion
by Sharron Rose
How To Become More Energetic, Happier and Successful: Be An Energy Addict!
by Jon Gordon, M.A.
Spirited Walking: A Step in the Right Direction
by Carolyn Scott Kortge
All The World’s A Stage... Which Role Would You Like To Play?
by Marie T. Russell (with audio and video versions)
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