Tag Archives: mental health

How to Focus

Singular focus, i.e. focusing on doing one thing at a time, is essential for creativity, productivity and mental health. It’s been proven over and over again that multi tasking DOES NOT WORK. It’s not good for our brains or emotional health. I struggle with this a lot, especially being 58 years old. I feel like I’m running out of time on this planet and there’s so much I want to do! For younger people nowadays it’s even harder with keeping a house together, working sometimes two or more jobs and raising kids.

I came across the podcast on focus yesterday and found it very interesting. I thought I would share it here in case someone else can benefit from it! Try doing one thing at a time for a couple of days! You don’t have to be perfect, just TRY it. You might feel more peaceful and get more done 🙂

Week of December 20th: Winter Solstice

CURRENTLY:
Sun at 0 Capricorn
Mercury at 11 Capricorn
Venus RETROGRADE at 26 Capricorn
Mars at 5 Sagittarius
Jupiter at 28 Aquarius
Saturn at 10 Aquarius (rulership)
Neptune at 20 Pisces (rulership)
Pluto at 25 Capricorn
North Node at 1 Gemini

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There will be continued developments this week from the dramatic Full Moon in Gemini on Saturday night. This Moon inspires us to start a new story in our lives; a new narrative. The Sun enters Capricorn on Tuesday, ushering in the Winter Solstice. We leave the optimistic fires of Sagittarius for the stern, cold hillsides of Capricorn. This turns our focus to the foundations of our lives, and creating new stability. With Capricorn season, the mood withers, and we are faced with reality, the bottom line, our career, finances and survival.

Monday, December 20th:  Moon in Cancer makes some lovely aspects but brings heightened sensitivity, so step carefully around peoples’ feelings. Go with the flow of your life, and put your energies towards things you have control over. The Moon in Cancer (the Moon’s natural home), on a MONDAY (day of the Moon), means you can do big Moon Magick. Anything involving security, the home, plants, cooking, nurturing, children, fertility or creativity is highlighted.

Tuesday, December 21st: Winter Solstice. Sun enters Capricorn at 8:00am, and the Moon is void-of-course in Cancer, entering Leo at 1:54pm Pacific. The Moon opposes Venus and Pluto too, which brings intensity to the day. Relationship issues could arise in order to be healed and released. Slow down and take your time with projects – there’s no rush.

Wednesday, December 22nd: Moon in Leo gives us a refreshed, lighter attitude today. Lead with your heart and focus on self expression. There’s some tricky aspects in the afternoon though: Moon opposes Saturn and squares Uranus in the late morning. This could bring up difficulties, and you’ll need to work to solve them. Patience is the only way through these energies. Take a break if you need to.

Thursday, December 23rd: Moon in Leo sextiles Neptune, Pluto and Venus today. This can bring small, positive developments with relationships. Peace can be achieved, and people will seek to connect through natural affinity. Today is good for seeking acknowledgement and cooperation from those in leadership positions. Also, entertainment will bring relaxation and happiness.

Friday, December 24th: Christmas Eve. Moon in Virgo makes us budget conscious, so last-minute shopping could become practically oriented. Also, the third and final Saturn square Uranus is exact today, igniting the friction between the old way of doing things and the new world approaching us. This has been the ongoing influence of this entire year – the battle between the old, traditional world and the new, progressive future. Choose your battles.

Saturday, December 25th: Christmas Day. Moon in Virgo trines Uranus and Mercury, which can bring sudden surprises. It will be a busy day. The best use of Virgo energy today is to follow a plan, put out healthy snacks, be of service and keep the house tidy. Avoid criticism and over-analysis. There could be a dark undercurrent – with retrograde Venus conjuncting Pluto for the second time. Release old, toxic energies and focus on healing.

Sunday, December 26th: Moon in Libra enters her 4th quarter. Kwanzaa begins, and in England it’s Boxing Day. The Moon trines Venus and Pluto today, bringing positive developments to the themes of this week. Mercury also sextiles Neptune which allows our minds to wander and be inspired. Spend quality time with the ones you love.

Week of November 22nd

CURRENTLY:
Sun at 0 Sagittarius
Mercury DIRECT at 25 Scorpio
Venus at 14 Capricorn
Mars at 15 Scorpio (rulership, do Mars Magick!)
Jupiter at 24 Aquarius
Saturn at 8 Aquarius (rulership)
Neptune RETROGRADE at 20 Pisces (rulership)
Pluto at 24 Capricorn
North Node at 1 Gemini

NOTE: If you’d like these posts delivered straight to your inbox every Sunday evening, feel free to join my Patreon page here, it’s only $1 per post ($4 a month) and supports my writing! https://www.patreon.com/LizRose93

There will be continued developments this week from the dramatic Full Moon Eclipse last Thursday. The energies around an eclipse are tricky. The best way to handle it, is to do chores, grunt work, meetings, or phone calls that you’ve been avoiding for awhile. An eclipse often helps us see things inside us and around us that have been hidden, but the best way to deal with it is to limit sudden surprises in your life. That means dealing with your life in a deep way.

In ancient times, an eclipse was thought to be a portent of doom – corresponding to the head (North Node) and tail (South Node) of a great dragon. The dragon’s head is forever hungry and consuming, so the idea is, if you’re handling things you’ve been procrastinating on, you’re feeding the dragon’s head true sustenance, and the neverending hunger might be abated. In two weeks we’ll have to deal with another eclipse involving the tail of the dragon. More on that later…

The Sun entered Sagittarius today! We leave the watery, ocean depths of Scorpio for the sunny hillsides of the Centaur. This week starts in the third quarter of the Moon, turning into a fallow Moon on Saturday. With Sagittarius season, the mood lightens and we become more adventurous, philosophical, and goal-oriented. Be on the look out for false optimism and arrogance though.

Monday, November 22nd:  Moon in Cancer. Everyone will be hyper-sensitive, so careful not to offend anyone today. Avoid social complications or “rocking the boat”. Instead, go with the current of your life, and put your energies towards things you have control over. The Moon in Cancer (the Moon’s natural home), on a MONDAY (day of the Moon), means you can do big Moon Magick. Anything involving security, the home, plants, cooking, nurturing, children, fertility or creativity is highlighted.

Tuesday, November 23rd: Moon in Cancer continues; she opposes Venus, then trines Mars and Neptune. Still avoid confronting anyone today – indulge yourself instead. Creativity is accessible, so develop ideas. Good for love, tending plants and animals, opening up and clearing the house. Moon opposing Pluto in the evening can put us in a dark mood, so focus on healing.

Wednesday, November 24th: Moon into Leo at 8am Pacific gives us a refreshed, lighter attitude today. This is further enhanced by the Moon conjuncting the Sun and Mercury, newly in Sagittarius. Have some fun! Mercury in Sagittarius sets our minds free and allows us to explore our personal life perspectives for the next few weeks.

Thursday, November 25th: Moon in Leo is the PERFECT placement for Thanksgiving. People will lead from the heart and seek to connect through natural affinity. Today is also good for seeking acknowledgement and cooperation from those in leadership positions; although you shouldn’t be working. Performances will be first rate.

Friday, November 26th: Moon void-of-course All Day in Leo makes this a bad day to spend money. We are more likely to buy things on a whim and regret it later. Can you do Black Friday shopping tomorrow? Moon goes into Virgo at 6:12pm Pacific, which makes us much more discerning and budget conscious.

Saturday, November 27th: Moon in Virgo enters her 4th quarter. Today we balance the books, manage our health, and tackle anything requiring attention to detail. We are busy busy busy. The Moon makes a couple of squares with Mercury and the Sun, and trines Uranus around 4:15pm. It could be an evening of pleasant surprises.

Sunday, November 28th: Moon in Virgo, going void-of-course at 4pm Pacific. Today we do weekly shopping and get organized. The Moon makes five positive aspects today, culminating with a lovely Sun conjunct Mercury in Sagittarius. This means that Mercury is “via combusta”, or lost in the fires of the Sun, and we must operate on instinct. Hanukkah begins at sundown.

Handling stress

“Wednesday, April 22
Coping With Stress – from the “Language of Letting Go

Inevitably, there are times of stress in our lives. Sometimes, the stress is outside or around us. We’re feeling balanced, but our circumstances are stressful. Sometimes, the stress is within; we feel out of balance.

When the stress is external and internal, we experience our most difficult times.

During stressful times, we can rely more heavily on our support systems. Our friends and groups can help us feel more balanced and peaceful in spite of our stressful conditions.

Affirming that the events taking place are a temporarily uncomfortable part of a good, solid plan can help. We can assure ourselves that we will get through. We won’t be destroyed. We won’t crumple or go under.

It helps to go back to the basics to focus on detachment, dealing with feelings, and taking life one day at a time.

Our most important focus during times of stress is taking care of ourselves. We are better able to cope with the most irregular circumstances; we are better able to be there for others, if we’re caring for ourselves. We can ask ourselves regularly: What do we need to do to take care of ourselves? What might help us feel better or more comfortable?

Self-care may not come as easily during times of stress. Self-neglect may feel more comfortable. But taking care of us always works.

Today, I will remember that there is no situation that can’t be benefited by taking care of myself.”

Loneliness during the Holidays

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Gertrude Abercrombie’s “The Stroll” (1943). Credit Credit Oil on fiberboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Gertrude Abercrombie Trust

Loneliness is a worthy foe, and with the rise of social media, most of us are suffering from it in some form – especially this time of year. It’s easy to feel isolated in tense family situations or even parties.

Striving for connection along with a healthy dose of self-care will get you through the season.”

So how do we cope? I’m glad I ran across this article today. It has some fantastic actions we can take to combat loneliness, especially this time of year. Along with the list from the article, I would add these things:

Encourage Friendships

Having a social life and human connection is important for us to thrive in our lives. A lot of people are shy about reaching out, or inviting people to do things. Do It!! Same sex friendships are particularly important in my opinion. If you have trouble meeting people then volunteer for something you care about…. and/or get a pet.

Having Pets

Animals are awesome. If you don’t, or can’t,  have one, volunteering at the local shelter is a great way to interact cats and dogs, and to be of service at the same time!

Go to a Gym

It took me awhile to build up to it, but now I go three times a week. Working out keeps my blood moving and my endorphins running. I think more clearly, and I’m able to make better decisions. And I have more energy. Exercise is the best thing for everyone.

Limit Alcohol

I’m personally sober since 2005, but if I wasn’t I would severely limit alcohol and stay away from drugs. In my experience these things end up making loneliness much worse.

Limit Sugar

This time of year is next-to-impossible to eat right, but I SO stay away from eating sugar. It keeps my blood sugar steady throughout that day so there’s less moodiness.

Good Night’s Sleep

I strive to get a good night’s sleep every night – which means eight solid hours in a dark, cool room.

Practice Gratitude

List ten things you’re grateful for when you feel low and it will completely change your thinking and mood.

Walk in Nature

I take a walk in nature everyday with my dog. Looking at trees, grass, and feeling the warmth of the sun brings me lots of joy.

Be Creative

It doesn’t matter if you’re good at it. You’ll probably improve as you go along anyway. I’ve taken multiple creative paths and it feels so good to create something. Write something or pick up and instrument… or a pen!

Be of Service

Get out and be of service to people. Being of service in some way is crucial.

Get a New Job

I know from experience, if you’re unhappy with your job, you HAVE to make a change. Life is too short and we spend too much time there. Anyone can do it. Make a plan, get some training or education, and DO WHAT YOU LOVE.

Proof of Psychic ability

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Here is a true story proving psychic ability exists and is a real quality that humans possess. Not all psychics are authentic or honorable, but the ABILITY is real 🙂 This has been proven to me over and over again in my practice. I’ve seen and heard things that have no other explanation.

“Psychologist Imants Barušs once tested a medium by asking her to contact the spirit of physicist Richard Feynman and provide answers to specialist questions beyond the medium’s knowledge. Once contact was established, Barušs asked the spirit for the “fine-structure constant,” which is approximately 1/137. The medium answered, “Zero. Eight.” Barušs cut her off, saying that was incorrect. The spirit protested and mentioned something about a capital M. Barušs responded, “There is no capital M.”

A week later, Barušs’ colleague, Julia Mossbridge (capital M), heard of the encounter and shared this quote from Feynman:

“There is a most profound and beautiful question associated with the observed coupling constant, e–the amplitude for a real electron to emit or absorb a real photon. It is a simple number that has been experimentally determined to be close to 0.08542455. (My physicist friends won’t recognize this number, because they like to remember it as the inverse of its square: about 137.03597..)”
Any other physicist might have said 1/137, or 0.00729; but Feynman would have given √0.00729 or .08542455. BOOM.

[Paraphrased from I. Barušs and J. Mossbridge (2017), “Transcendent Mind: Rethinking the Science of Consciousness” (Washington, DC: APA), 193-4.]

Week of July 1st

moonNew Moon in Cancer on Tuesday.
Mercury at 2 Leo.
Mars into Leo Monday, 7/1.
Venus at 26 Gemini.
Jupiter at 17 Sagittarius, retrograde.
Saturn, Pluto at 20ish Capricorn, retrograde

Monday 7/1: Moon in Gemini, into Cancer early evening. Careful not to offend anyone today; avoid social complications. Mars into Leo at 1:20pm. We are in the orb of the New Moon, a solar eclipse in Cancer, and emotions are near the surface. People are hyper-sensitive and unwilling to face conflicts. Go with the current of your life, and put your energies towards things you have control over.

Tuesday 7/2: New Moon, Solar Eclipse at 10 Cancer at 12:16pm Pacific. Avoid confronting anyone today – but allow yourself to be indulgent. Aries, Cancerians, Libras and Capricorns, be on your best behavior this week; keep yourselves well rested. Good day for creativity, love, tending plants and animals, opening up and clearing the house. We begin a new monthly cycle today.

Wednesday 7/3: Moon in Cancer all day. Simmering tensions can erupt, so keep your cool until you can approach a dispute in a calm and neutral way. Try not to take things personally.

Thursday 7/4: Moon in Leo. Today is a better day to seek acknowledgement and cooperation from those in leadership positions. It’s a good night to go out and socialize.

Friday 7/5: Moon in Leo. Definitely go and see a show.

Saturday 6/22: Moon into Virgo. Today we balance the books, do weekly shopping and get organized. Tackle anything requiring attention to detail.

Cancer:

The Sun is in Cancer until July 21st; cruising along with the North Node and opposing Saturn and Pluto at various points. This is a month of extremes, and balancing the need to nurture others with the more important task of taking care of ourselves. Learn to be your own Mother, and don’t depend on others to fill that role.

Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which rules the tides of our emotions, maternal instincts, fruitfulness, creativity, the womb, and other concepts around nurturing. It’s the most nostalgic of the signs, which means Cancerians are deeply connected to their families and ancestors. They are in spiritual communication with ancestral places and people. This quality also lends itself to psychic ability. They feel what’s going on with their surrounding people and environment.

Traditionally, the sign of Cancer is seen as the personality closely connected to the Home. Wherever Cancer falls in your chart, that is the place where you experience great sensitivity and fertility. Also, Cancer rules the 4th House, which symbolizes our Home and Family roots.  This makes Cancer uniquely gifted at communicating with house spirits and earth deities.

Because Cancerians “feel” things so tangibly, it’s difficult to have deep, real, constructive communication with them. They are like the crab on the seashore that moves side to side to avoid conflict – and often resort to passive-aggressive behavior. They hide in a thick, hard shell and are obsessed with security. They can be extremely moody as well. But on the whole, they are fantastic people to associate with, due to their vulnerability. They teach us all that emotions are real, important, and need to be valued and expressed to live a full life.

 

If You’re Unhappy With Your Life, It’s Your Responsibility To Change It

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By Dian Tinio
Updated June 16, 2019

“Oftentimes, we settle for what we think is right, acceptable and safe. We are so dominated by the idea of staying because it feels scary to move. Because it feels frightening to face a whole new environment without the people, the things, or the places we’ve been so used to.
We are so terrified by the idea of moving on, because we feel like we just can’t move on and leave things behind. We sacrifice our own being, our own happiness. We choose to compromise all these because we choose to stay, when we should really be moving on, moving forward.

If you’re unhappy, MOVE. Because if you’re meant to stay in one place, you should have roots, instead of feet.

If you’re unhappy with your job, quit. If you feel like, you’re no longer growing, no longer learning, if you’re no longer productive, if you’re only clocking in and out every single day – then move. If you’re constantly stressing over the fact that it drains you mentally, physically and emotionally, then move. If you’re thinking of just sticking with that job that never fails to suck your joy because it pays the bills and you might be “promoted” there and can call yourself “successful” and “happier” – NO. Your happiness does not depend on your success. Your success actually depends on your happiness. If you think there are new opportunities, new places, new things you can explore and will contribute to your soul and to your individual growth, then go there. If it’s worth your time thinking, then it’s worth trying. No one’s too old to try. Whether it ends good or bad, it’s still an experience. Let’s not forget that every experience teaches us a valuable lesson that we might never learn if we choose otherwise.

If you’re unhappy with the people you surround yourself with, leave. If you feel like they no longer influence you positively and you no longer prosper with them then leave. By leaving, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re cutting them off of your life or you’re forgetting them forever, it just simply means that you are finally moving forward. The time you had with them was spectacular. There were learnings and encouragements but when they are no longer a vessel of such and all they do is drag you into settling for mediocrity, then maybe it’s time to say your “thank you” and “see you again”. You are just recognizing that you need to go on with your life, perhaps without them.

If you’re unhappy with your love life, end it. They aren’t the last people on earth. Romantic relationships are more than forehead kisses, dinner dates, tight hugs and sweet letters – romantic relationships just like any other vital connection you have, is supposed to mature with you. Romantic relationships are supposed to let you flourish and develop in every aspect of who you are. It is supposed to hearten you every morning and not weigh you down with doubts and resentments. If your partner becomes a constant instrument of heartache and toxicity, then cut them off. You are not obliged to burden yourself with such. They are supposed to be one of the top people who will propel you to be at your best, to motivate you and allow you to discover the extent of your grandeur. Remember that, always. Who knows, maybe in the near future you’ll meet someone who’ll contribute to your soul even more.

If you’re unhappy with your city, move. Don’t get stranded with comfort zones and safety nets. Familiarity is good but too much familiarity is not that good. A little risk and uncertainty can go a long long way. If you’re only staying because you feel it’s secured and because you’re already living there for a long while now that it is “home” or that it is “convenient” – well, you might want to re-think your decisions. Being comfortable can be a whole lot scarier than taking risks. You stopped conquering magnificent things when you start getting comfortable. Remember, great things come outside of our comfort zone. So pack your things, leave your city and move to another one if you must. Go out on this adventure to nowhere. Start anew. Search for a place you might like to visit, a place you might like to stay. Now is the time. Home is where your happiness is, not where it’s guarded.

If you’re unhappy with your life path, take any turn possible. Whether it is your college course or your career path, or your business direction – whatever path it is that you’re taking right now, if it reeks strong discontentment, then it’s the perfect time to take a pause and redirect yourself. If you’re taking a course you don’t like, shift. Trust me when I say, you don’t want to waste years, effort and money on something you never even love in the first place. It will only teach you to settle. At the end of the day, if it doesn’t embolden you, you’ll still feel devoid, exhausted. So it doesn’t really matter if you’re graduating next year, you better decide before you find yourself trapped in an office chair with loads of shitty work you don’t even understand and doesn’t enrich your passion. If you’re investing years of your precious time and expertise in a career path you’re not even appeased with, shift. If you don’t see yourself on the same path in the years to come, what’s the point? There is no right time to shift and leave, you do it when you feel like it. You do it when you’re unhappy. You do it now. Take on a new path, embrace diversity and development. Whatever path it is you’re in right now, if you’re unhappy, take a turn. Whether it is left or right, as long as you’re happy, you will not lose yourself.

If you’re unhappy with how you see life, move your sight. See life from a different view, a different perspective. Re-acquaint yourself with life. Worrying or over-thinking things don’t change how life is. Like they say, don’t stress over the things you can’t change. The only thing you can do is fix your eyes on a different light, see life in all its splendor. Stop viewing it for all its troubles. Life is beautiful.
If you’re unhappy where you are right now, move. It’s as simple as that, I don’t know why we make everything so complicated. Why we spend so much of our time and energy scrutinizing everything, when the only thing we should really be thinking about is our own happiness.

Thus, instead of dreading and over-examining every decision you need to make in your life, trust your guts. Sometimes, taking risks and clinging to perplexity is a good thing. You don’t always have to weigh the pros and cons of things, sometimes there is only one thing that really, truly matters and that is; your happiness, your passion for this life and your hunger for a contented heart. You don’t have to be sure of where you’re going or what the next step is; sometimes all you have to do is take the first step and that is to MOVE.”

Here’s 12 Intense Pictures From Carl Jung’s Red Book

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Page 22, Reprinted from The Red Book by C. G. Jung (c) Foundation of the Works of C. G. Jung. With permission of the publisher, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Carl Jung was quite the artist. We’ve picked out a few of his most beautiful illustrations from the mysterious Red Book, his shamanic record.

Source: Here’s 12 Intense Pictures From Carl Jung’s Red Book

Women of Age and Wisdom

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“Women get more beautiful as they grow older. Not less.
Female youth is only prized in modern culture because it doesn’t represent as much of a threat spiritually to anyone who is frightened of divine feminine power.
As women grow and mature, they call in stronger forces of sacred feminine wisdom. They vibrate with the creative power of their stories.
They are more of a force to be reckoned with.
They see more, know more, feel more. They put up with a lot less bullshit.
When women are trained into thinking there is something fundamentally wrong with getting older, and are coerced into spending money, energy and power investing in ‘slowing the signs of ageing’, an enormous vault of divine love is lost.
Just think what would happen if all the women in the world started loving themselves even more with every year that passed.
Perhaps a total revolution would occur.~”
~Yogesh Kumar