Monday, June 28, 2010

Choosing a Passionate Life

The Benefits of an Arousing City
This past weekend I did my 3rd weekend of the ILP in New York City. I never felt so aroused just from going to a different location in my life. Being in the energy of the city awoke my energy to the vibration of who I really am and what I really want to feel. My passionate self is vibrant, expressive, open, playful and creative and being in New York I was re-awoken to this state of being. My shakti and kundalini energy got aroused to its natural state and who I became in the brief time while I was there, was truly excited about life. Not that I was not excited before, but being in New York brought my zest for life alive and it reminded me that it is definitely where I want to be.

The Costs of a Suppressed City
When coming home to Philadelphia again, I was reminded of the differences of the city, and there are many differences from NY to Philadelphia. The food in Philadelphia is fabulous, the music is unbelievable, the orchestra and parks are wonderful. However, the energy of the city itself is quite different. When I think of Philadelphia, I think of suppression, a heaviness, a weight of dissatisfaction, frustration and a large amount of people who appear to be miserable or for the most part uncomfortable being in their own bodies. People in Philadelphia can be cool, but it takes really getting past their armoring before they will let themselves open up. And, even that doesn't always do it. Being reminded to breathe and let go in every moment isn't easy when you are pressured to go to work, drive in traffic and then come home to your family. It's no wonder people in Philadelphia are suppressed. There is a distinct energy that surrounds the entire city, and everyone who lives in or near it are affected. People can become bitter, angry, sad, depressed, hostile, disinterested in life, running to outlets to make themselves feel better and living a passion-less life.


Who You Are Is Where You Be
I am in Philadelphia, and my family is here and I am not in a position to relocate at the present moment. However, being in Philadelphia, in many aspects I become like what the energy it is we are surrounded by. You become who you hang around, and that even includes the vibration of the environment you are surrounded by. The vibration of Philadelphia is heavy, and I am an empath and intuitive. It would make my light body turn heavy, and my zest for life get dull. And, I am committed to living a powerful, juicy, and sexy life, and who I really am is someone who loves to be fully expressed.

It only reminds me of the openness in NY city and how much it feels like home to me.

After this past weekend, I making a committed effort to make myself available to do sessions regularly in NY city, having a *blast* at night, doing everything I can to make sure I get there every month, and keeping my energy as clear as possible while I am in Philly! And, then sharing who I am, and bringing it to NY, and coming home to Philly regularly, will allow that sexy New York energy to be flourished here. It could create a whole new world in our "City of Love"!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

The Patience of a Flower


When a flower is in its beginning stages, it first must take root before it can grow. It first takes the idea/the intention to plant it, then it takes time to develop under the soil and realize the potential it has before it even begins to develop, it takes on a form of its own/an identity and begins to birth an energy within it. Then it slowly has life and starts to sprout from under ground moving its way to the surface, and over time the flower builds a vine, that of which it can stand tall upon, and then it develops its bud, which slowly blooms into a petal and lays out its wings it utter beauty!

When planting a bulb, it takes patience before it turns into a flower. When transforming yourself from your history, trauma and turmoil, it takes the patience of a lion. When transforming yourself in your intimate relationship, it takes the patience of a bull. May we all become lions and bulls with ourselves, each other and our lives!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Awakening Passion With Art


Sometimes when inspiration calls, and there is no time for being alone or with a loved one, one way of expressing yourself is through the arts. And, in my experience, being with my little one, alone in our home, I took to my paint markers. And, in the process I found myself feeling excited for having completed a piece of art, even better that it was starting to look beautiful, and even more so that I did it myself and completed the task at hand.

Art is an excellent tool used for healing and there is a unique therapy specialized in Psychotherapy where some become trained as Art Therapists. I find myself drawn so deeply to Art Therapy and when I am in need of expressing my own passion, and I have a toddler running around to take care of and absolutely no privacy of my own, I like to fall to writing and in today's case, my beautiful paint markers.

I love painting and have not done so in a long time, but it brings up the reminder of how much I love this and brings me in touch with the feelings of excitement and fulfillment just for having done a piece of art. Art in itself is therapeutic to the mind, soothing to the emotions and meditative to the spirit. As much as I can, I'm going to take the rest of today immersed back in my vibrant colors and put my creative passions to use. And, in the process I feel my own passion and excitement for life come back alive, and be filled with expression to another level again!

Friday, June 11, 2010

The Courage To Heal


It takes a lot of courage to look at oneself; to be vulnerable, willing to express your fears, sadness, pain or struggles. Most people would rather keep their fears to themselves, and put on the image of looking good, doing great, and feeling fine, when inside the truth is they are not fine and their desire to look good and be doing great to others is only what's covering up how they are really feeling.

When issues come up in the moment, the most powerful way to get past them is to go through them, not over them, under them or pulling away from them. The best way to overcome something is to dive straight through it.

When anger arises, be with it. Experience your full self as the anger and live into the anger, nurture the anger, caress the anger and allow it to come out of you. Many people who have a lot of anger inside them try to control it and then all of a sudden it bursts out like a canon ball and explodes all over the place. Some people drink or exercise to get rid of the emotion, but it is still there underneath and always will be until it is dealt with, and faced head on.

The best way to be with the anger, is to let it out - - punching pillows, screaming into pillows, doing breathwork that lets the rage/anger/whatever emotion it is come out. Looking at yourself in the mirror and screaming to get it out, punching with fists to express your emotion and stand your ground that this is how you feel and you know it is true for you, no matter what anyone else thinks, and you honor that feeling, be with it, express it, without putting it on anyone else. Then you can be free of it, and it won't affect any of your relationships.

When sadness arises, the best way to heal the sadness is to let the sadness know it is just as important as any other emotion. It has a purpose and reason for being there and it will teach you and help you grow. When healing sadness, love the sadness, nurture it, spend time with it, journaling, doing breathwork, talking about it, sitting in front of the mirror and practicing eye gazing with yourself and breathing into your heart, going for walks in nature, getting a massage/ energy healing/ acupressure or acupuncture session, taking flower essences, and breathing into the sadness, being with it and loving it. It will eventually move through you and you will come back to your integrated full self. And, in the process be able to help others who are going through similar pains.

Sometimes when healing yourself, it is important to take time to be alone. And, sometimes it is also important to have people you can talk to.

Healing in healthy ways, no matter what the issue or feeling you are dealing with, is the most effective and productive way to grow!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Back On Track


I have been immersed in a serious family emergency the past two weeks. My brother has been diagnosed with something very serious and I took on taking action to help him and to get the support he really needs. It took all of my focus and energy; while having very little time to myself, being in an intensive program and having a young child to care for.

My brother has left this morning back to CA and now has all the connections to help take care of him while he is there. While he was here I spent the majority of my time on the phone interviewing and consulting with professionals for his situation. I got myself so pro-active in the situation that I had lost myself in it. I became fearful for his health and well being so much that I forgot to take care of myself.

Now I am coming back to myself, but am still grieving and feeling sadness over his diagnosis, receiving support to come to acceptance in this and in the process am now taking on sessions again!

Thank you and Namaste,

Asttarte
(this is a photo of us 4 years ago)

Monday, June 07, 2010

Communication To Create The Intimacy You Really Want!!!


Many people don't realize how powerful communication affects your intimate life. Many take their relationships for granted and expect them to always be the same, doing what they have always been doing. Many don't understand the significance that your words create your reality. Every single word that comes out of your mouth, or that stays quiet, has an impact on the people in your life and the reality you live in. People expect to go walking around life doing what they have always been doing, and expecting to get different results.

All that is necessary in creating the love life of your dreams, is instead of making yourself and your needs a priority, is in making your partner know that they truly matter.

It takes authenticity, integrity, honesty, and being real with your partner, where in the past you have been lying, keeping secrets, putting you first, blaming and making wrong, having expectations, withholding, criticizing, and being defensive. In other words, taking responsibility where you have been irresponsible is all that is necessary in cleaning up your communication and creating the intimacy you truly long for.

If you have been coming home late from work everyday, putting your personal life first, your needs first all the time, not listening to what is important to your partner, and getting mad and defensive at them for being upset about it, you can't expect them to feel loved by you and want to be intimate with you later after all is done and the end of the night is near. Can you? Think about it. You are in a one person relationship when you are doing this, and then expecting your partner to want to have sex with you at the end of the day. It's actually ridiculous if you think about it. All people need validation for how they feel, they want to know that their feelings matter, they want to feel accepted, loved and supported in every way and they want to be made important by you, a priority. However, if sex or any of your other needs is all that matters to you, what your left with is a one hand show.

Learning how to touch your partner, having the most wonderful tantra techniques to give her (or him) the pleasure they want is only beneficial when you have the closeness in their heart, and they are truly open to being with you this way. It is easy to have great sex and beautiful intimacy in the beginning of your relationship, but try taking on being responsible for your actions and your words, and you might just fall in love again. Tantra practices are nothing without the closeness, respect, safety and honesty of your heart. Your relationship is only half of what it can be without true integrity!