I hope everyone is doing well! I've been feeling the energies lately, mainly in the form of feeling unusually exhausted lately. Most of the people I've talked to recently have been experiencing the same thing. Has anyone else been experiencing something similar? I hope you were able to enjoy the conjunct; I witnessed the conjunct/"Christmas star" in the night sky with my family, and it was pretty sweet. If anyone got a cool picture of the conjunct, I'd love to see it!
Here's a guided meditation for the conjunct/winter solstice:
Amanda Ellis explores the energies surrounding the holiday season:
I spent a lot of time with fluffy cat this week. She was super cuddly, like usual. She enjoy checking out the holiday decorations. Some days were rather cold, but we had a few warm days, as well--those warm days put some pep into fluffy cat's step, leading her to investigate intensely outside. She enjoyed her new chair. She's so cute! She was snuggling up in a blanket and purring on Christmas, too.
It was definitely an interesting week. For starters my parents tried to be nice and get me some mint Pocky from the global food market (there have been no returns since the start of all the fear and whatnot); my mom, like she has been doing a lot lately, grabbed and assumed rather than checking what she actually picked up (green obviously means mint lol). They brought it over to me, and I asked her why she brought me matcha Pocky. She lamented that she thought it was mint. Life has an interesting sense of humor. I had been wondering when my new pyramid from Spiritual Supermall would arrive (it seemed like it should have arrived by now), but I decided not to worry about it. Literally later that day it arrived in the mail. Letting go of importance and releasing really do work. My brother decided to bring his "children" home for the holiday and fondly gushed about his feathered children. He showed off pictures to our grandpa after our grandpa wondered aloud when he would become a great grandpa. I poked fun at my mom, asking her how she felt being a grandma. Later my grandma looked horrified when we told her she was a great grandma (but seemed to relax when she found out we were talking about my brother's birds lol). My sister wanted to light a candle for the holiday, and I found it interesting that she picked a green candle named "A Grateful Heart" (green being the heart chakra and the importance of focusing gratitude now more than ever). It smelled rather pleasant. My mom asked what cookies she should make for the holiday, and I told her press cookies (because press cookies = best cookies). She told me that she didn't have a cookie press or grandma's recipe (my grandma used to make them every year for the holidays before she passed away years ago). I told her that we could get both; my aunt passed on the recipe, and when my mom went to the store the next day, she found one easily (and it was only $5). She made it seem like getting the press cookies would be difficult if not impossible, but look how easily the universe worked in my favor (lol thanks for the support, universe!). I even got the Go Pro that Corliss, April, and I have been talking about getting for awhile now. The universe has our backs; all we have to do is allow it to help and get out of the way.
This week I created more Perler bead gifts; I made a set of green butterflies for my dad's side of the family in honor of my uncle that passed away this year. I created a shark for my cousin and created some gnomes and blue candy canes for another cousin (waaaaayyyy back when, back when my cousin was only a couple of years old, he disappeared and reappeared from underneath a bed with a blue mouth. He had took a box of blue candy canes, which resembled hooks, and explained that he had eaten what he dubbed "hookers"). I also made some holiday themed pieces, as requested by one of the kids I've been helping with online school (he wanted his dog, Hamtaro, and an Among Us crewmate wearing Santa hats). I worked on creating some new 3D pieces, like an organizer, a treasure chest, and some bracelets. If you have any suggestions for future projects, I'd love to hear your recommendations!
I wrapped up the week by spending quality time with April and Iris. Iris was super excited to see me; she's so cute! We ended up going to the park, where she thrived with her creativity. She ended up cooking us dinner (she got a stash of leaves to use for food lol). She also made a two-year-old friend, named TJ. It was adorable seeing them play together. I'm grateful that his parents were cool with them playing together. Iris and TJ mimicked each other, chasing each other around the playground, going down the slide, and swinging on the swingset. We stayed at the park for a good while thanks to the warmer weather; the sunset was beautiful, and the moon even came out fairly early on. It was a fun day, and I'm grateful to be able to spend time with loved ones.
The most recent episode of YashaHime left me with questions (i.e. like what happened to characters like Kin'u), but it was great to see Miroku and Sango again! I hope this means that we'll see more of the original cast. The latest of the perils haven't been pushovers, either, which is nice (the other opponents kind of are one-shot). I can't wait to see how the story continues to unfold. I read some more fanfic this week; this week's collection included: Chain of Love, Reunion, Ooku, Re-take, Tables Turned, Spring Rain, Summer Storm, and Completely Innocent Encounters.
I also got the impulse to rewatch Snow White with the Red Hair this week (no regrets). It's been awhile since I watched this anime, and I adore the characters. It felt like it was a message from the universe that everything works in our favor. This concept had been floating around in my awareness for awhile now, but the anime drove the message home. It starts off with a rather intense and unpleasant incident (most people would insist that the incident is downright awful), but if it hadn't occurred, none of the other events would have been able to happen. That incident sets the entire series of events into motion, and by doing so it led to character growth and healing that never would have occurred from the meeting and developing friendships. Shirayuki would have most likely remained in her home in Tanbarun. She never would have touched the lives of all the people she made connections with in Clarines nor would they have left their impact on her. Heck, Raj's dramatic character growth wouldn't have likely happened (and that's one of my favorite parts from the series). As much as we might dislike certain events and wish for them never to have occurred in the first place (2020 overall comes to mind for many people), removing a single event, a single thread can profoundly alter the story and life of a person. Sure, events might not be what we prefer, but maybe they play out in the way that we need. Shirayuki remarks, "I think I need to focus on what I can accomplish here... This may seem nuisance now, but you never know if it'll lead to something good." We don't know how our lives will play out; a sole event can have life-changing implications. Rather than focusing on elsewhere (the past or future), making the most of the now is key, especially because we don't know where exactly the event will take us. Even if an individual appears to be harmful at first, life can be unpredictable. They might be just the person we need in our life at the time. As Shirayuki emphasizes, "Whenever I meet people, I try to form a connection with them in whatever way I can, and I always learn so much, whether here [Tanbarun] or in Clarines. I don't want to allow our connection to go to waste, Prince Raj. No, we may not have met under the best circumstances, but I believe we can change all that." Our mindset makes a world of a difference. It all comes down to us; it's our choice. The past is the past; it's useful to help guide us, but it does not need to dictate our present or future. We get to make the decision. The people around us are here to help us, even if it might not seem like it at first (Prince Raj's actions initiated the whole series of events that led to everyone's growth in Snow White with the Red Hair, after all). We don't have to do everything alone; there will be those around us that will genuinely support us--we just need to find them, treasure them, and allow them to help us. Zen notes, "At some point in all of our lives we long for a genuine connection, but we cannot stray from the paths we travel, so when we discover a soul, who inspires and moves us, who speaks to our heart. We hold on to that person.... Time marches on, and days turn into months. Although this world is ever-changing, there are few things I can count on to never waver. There are people that I trust, who will stay faithfully by my side, and I stay by theirs as we continue travelling together on this path we've chosen." Find those that you can rely on. There are those who will see the best in you, those that wish to see you thrive and become your best self, those that will inspire you within the depths of your soul. It may take some time to find these people, but they are out there: your soul tribe. You can find them, and you'll be able to weather the storms that come your way together. Shirayuki attests, "We all chose to travel the same path, and while this moment is truly wonderful, there might be difficult times ahead. I'm not too worried, though, because I know there will be happiness. As long as we continue forward, joy is guaranteed. We'll walk this path together." There will be light and dark along your path. There will be challenges. Keep moving forward; you and your loved ones will grow so much by doing so. Things will change, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. Be the star of your story; write your story as you see fit. Find what makes you happy and savor it with the ones you love. Be like Shirayuki--"This is my own path. My own story, and I'm loving it... If I could, I would like to be able to draw my own path in whatever shape I want, and then I would wish for that path to be painted with the color of fate. And that would be my story." You can do anything you set your mind to; it's your story. Make sure your story is one that you don't regret.
2020 is almost at a close. It's been a rather hectic, roller-coaster of a year, but this year is key in all that is to come. I believe that it is much akin to the starting incident of Snow White with the Red Hair; it will set into motion all that is to come. Sure, people would have preferred for this year to have played out differently, but would the same growth come from a gentler, calmer year? It may not be all that enjoyable in the thick of it, but, looking back, I believe we'll be able to appreciate what 2020 has given us. The upcoming days may be difficult, but that does not mean joy will be forfeit. We're in this together. We all walk this path together; we'll be able to reach the light. Stay well, everyone, and remember to take care of yourselves. Remember to breathe, rest, and relax when necessary. Life is full of ebb and flow; if we work together to ride the wave rather than fight it, we'll be just fine. The universe loves and supports us. Stay blessed; love and light~
Food for thought from Spirit Science:
Here's food for thought from Ralph Smart:
Food for thought for the week:
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