Tossing Out the Old: Happy New Year 2016!

The celebration of the New Year each year on January 1st has always been such a special time for me, ever since I was a young child. The memories of having been shooed off to bed on New Year's Eve, especially on the years that it was our parent's turn to host the annual NYE party at their home, has imprinted delightful images on my Heart. On New Year's morning, my brothers, sisters and I would creep into the kitchen to feast on the leftovers of the adult NYE spread. That means that chips, dips, shrimp cocktail, onion soup, and other appetizing treats awaited our eager mouths and rumbling tummies. It was the perfect breakfast to start the New Year off right!

The New Year has always been a simple, symbolic time for cleansing and purging of all the negative energies that have accumulated throughout the preceding year. Over the years, I've developed a ritualistic burning of some of my old journals in honor of having transcended the negative, toxic memories of the past year. Sometimes, the old, dark, haunted memories of childhood steal their way into my brain, as well. Those memories are welcomed, accepted, and released during my ritualistic burning of 'old things'. Each year, the childhood memories get less and less, and the newer, less traumatic memories become light, airy ash that effortlessly float away on the breeze of Time. 

Reiki has remained a grounding force in this ritualistic process, and I simply introduced Reiki energy into my burning ritual one year by blessing the entire process, and introducing the symbol of my choice (Chokurei) into the mix via drawing it into the fire. Reiki energy is the healing energy of the Universe, and its powerful effects are far-reaching and sometimes subtle, sometimes conspicuous. No, the fire didn't spit and sputter and otherwise dance with glee when I drew the symbol into it. Reiki energy chose to be mindful of the seriousness of my process, and it simply and subtly infused my ritual with healing, loving energy. 

One of the most precious things anyone can do for oneself at the turn of a New Year is to reflect upon the past year and think about ways that certain situations could be remedied or rectified by changing his or her perspective about it. Our perceptions are what force us to look at any given situation and judge it as either 'negative' or 'positive'. In reality, nothing is good or bad. Everything simply IS. We are a race of beings (human beings) that harbors a need to compartmentalize and group things together, and our intrinsic fluidity is compromised when we begin to do so. If we simply allowed things to BE, we wouldn't have the urge to group everything and everyone together, and everyone would be happy with what they create on a daily basis. Or so I theorize. 

Our limiting thought patterns and our EGO can both be great obstacles in getting out of our own way at times. Our EGO wants to keep us stuck in social thinking patterns, no matter how unhealthy and limiting these patterns can be for us as Spiritual beings. We need to learn to discern what is good for us and what isn't so healthy for us. There are some, as the 12 Step literature and other spiritual books have pointed out who are simply constitutionally incapable of being aware of their own mind, and seeing their own part in situations. And that in and of itself is a type of affliction of Spirit. When we can not reconcile our thoughts and our actions, it's difficult to truly know who we are at the Core. 

We are all born with Love at our Core. Unconditional Love. Daily gratitude is key in the source of your Joy. Be grateful for everything you are, and everything you choose to be.

I want to wish ALL my readers a Happy, Healthy New Year in 2016! 
May your Love expand and your Energy heal ~

Reiki RN

Let Your Child-Light Shine!

Sometimes, the most precious and wonderful memories are made when we allow
ourselves to simply BE in any given moment. It really is a matter of allowing each moment to flow freely. It has taken me so long to realize that by not DOING ~ just by BEING ~ in a moment I can access every aspect of what I've labeled my 'child-light'. It's that moment, that special feeling that allows me to see everything around me as brand new, through the eyes of my Child Self. Everything appears new and wonderful, and the fascination and joy fills me with a sense of wonder and beauty that can not be described, nor can it be equalled!

Every one of us has that special Child-Light within, and many of the great spiritual teachers have spoken about it over the years. Jesus told us: "In order to seek the kingdom of God, you must become like a little child." When we allow ourselves to simply be in the moment, our child-Light shines forth brightly, and our joy expands exponentially!

Many of us catch glimpses of this child-light throughout our lives, but it seems elusive to us, and the moments may seem fleeting. We have the ability to harness that feeling, that BEING, and remain in the moment. It takes practice, but it can be done. Our EGO (Easing God Out) strives to keep us stuck in the muck and mire, making it difficult to see the trees through the forest.

Ego does not want us to simply BE, because when we catch a glimpse of being in a moment, ego has absolutely no power or place in our Life. "Ego teaches us that once we find our peace, everything will fall into place in our lives. Spirit tells us that once we find our peace, everything will fall into place" ~ Marianne Williamson teaches us this simple truth in her writings and teachings, as does Eckhart Tolle. It is our ego that complicates this simple truth.

We are driven by our egos, but we do not have to remain stuck in the egoic constructed realities we've created for ourselves. Ego holds tightly to most of us on this level of existence, because without our profound belief in some type of illusion, our ego tells us there is nothing. And we believe the big lies our egos force us to cling to.

At the basis of any belief that our ego has constructed, at the basis of any illusion regarding 'the way it should be' or 'the way we should act' is fear (Forget Everything And Run!). Fear requires our ego to cling to our illusory 'beliefs' and our illusory 'truths' as though there is nothing else. When we choose to step beyond our personal fears and into the Divine Truth and light, we can free ourselves from the limiting illusions that ego creates.

When we allow ourselves to shake ego off, and simply BE, we become one with the totality of Being, one with Spirit and Nature, one with each other. That is when we allow our Child-Light to shine forth, and we access that purest form of joy. Our Being is Light, our wholeness is Light, we are Light. Our egos want us to believe that we are matter. Our egos do not want us to know that we are the purest forms of Energy and Light. Our true essence is Light and Energy, NOT form (matter). When we allow our Child-Light to shine forth, we are allowing ourselves to BE.

And at that very moment, we are living in the now, in the present. We have accessed the purest form of joy, the purest form of peace, the purest form of LOVE. Our true essence ...

Peace, Love, and Joy, my friends ~

Reiki Nurse