10 Weeks of Word Oracles – Storage

End of the Series and Other End-Beginnings

© 2010 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved

What do we put in storage? Usually, things we value but don’t need or aren’t using at this time. Holiday decorations are a perfect example. We may treasure ornaments we’ve collected for decades, but they’re only appropriate to display during a certain season. We may have a house full of belongings that no longer fit in a downsized life that await in the storage facility, wondering if our circumstances will shift and make them practical to use once more. Sometimes we keep hanging onto things we’ll never really need again for sentimental reasons.

Do you have things in your life that you need to put in storage? Literally or figuratively?

To read more about the word oracle series, see
10 weeks of Word Oracles #1

The Culmination of the Word Oracle Series—and a Surprising Synchronicity

Mining words for insights and their metaphorical meanings has been an eye-opening experience for me for ten posts. This is our last word in the series.

We have explored: upper, fall, slice, drawing, yesterday, coloring, bother, backlog, belief, and now storage. (The easiest way to find any one of the articles on these previously covered words is to pop the word into the Search box on the sidebar.)

Ironically, the last several words we’ve explored have had personal meaning and added clarity to my difficult decision to put Hot Flashbacks, Cool Insights into a form of “storage” as of the first of the year. As I write this post and wish you a Happy New Year, I’m also saying good-bye for now—at least for the most part.

Since the inception of my astrology blog, The Radical Virgo, in March 2009, my inner guidance has made it clear that more of my time and attention needs to be spent in the direction of astrology, my reopened Inner Growth Work practice, and my book writing projects. Finally, I’m surrendering to what’s good for me for now. Used to be I wouldn’t give up till I was almost completely burned out trying to “do it all.” I’m improving!

At present there are five times more visits and participation on The Radical Virgo than Hot Flashbacks. While we have maintained a loyal audience on this blog, it is relatively small. As my first blog, Hot/Cool has a special place in my heart. It’s like my first-born child—truly special. I love it here. I still plan to keep Hot Flashbacks, Cool Insights somewhat active—occasional posts as the spirit moves and monthly astrological updates. Now that I’ll be blogging much less, it’s your chance to dig into any posts you missed or to dig deeper in ones you’re ready to revisit. See Most Popular Posts near the top of the sidebar as a great starting point.

I freely admit; I’ve become addicted to blogging. But it takes up most of my time every week.  My projects on hold are the ones that will help support my family and me. More importantly, they are works of the heart that I need to share to fulfill my vocational passion.

I will monitor Comments to previous posts and the occasional new one! Feel free to get talking about anything on Hot/Cool … and to keep in touch. Visit The Radical Virgo, too. Even of you’re a newbie to astrology, you’ll find many beginner-friendly articles. Like any language, immersing yourself in astrology ultimately will make you fluent. You’ll be talking squares, oppositions, quincunxes and retrogrades before you know it!

As my other projects come to fruition and my energy shifts, there’s a good chance I’ll be back here with cool insights in some new way. This blog has always been about following Spirit … and that’s often a wild wide with many twists and turns! I hope I have set an example for following your inner voice.

Meditation and Journaling on Storage

Sit quietly in a meditative posture, whatever one works for you. Have pen and paper nearby.

1.      Take three deep breaths. Say “storage” to yourself. Let the word rest on your mind, and then let your mind speak. Now ask yourself, “What do I need to put away for now?” Take plenty of time to let the thoughts form or memories come back to you. Let your memories or thoughts finish speaking. When they’re done saying what they have to say, write down their message.

2.      Return to meditation. Read this thought, and then sit with it in the silence for as long as it feels right:  I scan my life for what no longer serves me and my vision now, knowing I can put it in storage or place it on hold to review it another day. I sense some things are still part of my life, just not now.

3.      When you come out of meditation, look at what you wrote about “storage.” Take some time to contemplate it. Carry these thoughts and intentions into your week. Learn as much as possible about potential “storage projects” this week. Write a few wrap-up notes as we put away 2010 for 2011.

After you put away what needs to go into storage, you can fully embrace what the New Year has “in store” for you!

Happy New Year, and I’ll be back in January with tips on how to mine the archive of posts on this blog for continued cool insights.

Every blessing to each and every one of you,

Joyce

~~~

Photo credit: Storage Box © Bradcalkins | Dreamstime.com

10 Weeks of Word Oracles - Belief

© 2010 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved

 

Whether you’re a Christian, Jew, Muslim, agnostic or atheist—whatever the flavor or your spirituality or worldview—December is a Season of Love and Light. People are, for the most part, kinder. Anticipation fills the air. Even those who don’t believe in Santa, Jesus, good karma—or that people are still good at heart—even they may find it difficult to avoid the contagion of a world that’s on an upper.

There are some people who don’t have good holiday memories and fall into crabby or Scrooge-like behavior because of their unhealed personal pain. There’s enough goodwill around to absorb their hurt and bitterness. Yes, there’s commercial madness and a lot of falling off-center about the true spirit of the season. This is the perfect time of year for reviewing our beliefs and asking ourselves, what are they? Have they changed? How do I act from them as an individual in integrity?

To read more about the word oracle series, see 10 weeks of Word Oracles #1

The Sun entered Sagittarius on Nov. 22, the sign associated with philosophy, religion, beliefs, and higher education. To read more about how the astrology of the month between Nov. 22 and the Winter Solstice on Dec. 21 influences us, take a Moonwalk: Sagittarius with me on The Radical Virgo.

How Do We Teach Kids Values?

I had a conversation with a friend about this recently, about how to “teach our children well,” as the old Fifth Dimension song goes (one of my faves). Greed and other Golden Rule breakers tip our world in the wrong direction. Greed, for one, seems directly responsible for our current economic chaos. We need to be against it, vote against it, and act against it if we find it creeping into our thoughts and actions. We’ve managed to make smoking socially taboo and economically expensive and have done the same thing with drinking and driving. We take away licenses and throw butts in jail! Now, let’s go for greed! We are not helpless. We can just say no to things that are not good for society as a whole.

We live in an increasingly secular world. In my own case, I grew up in parochial schools with strong ethics. I may not have always agreed with the reasoning of the nuns who taught me. I often say, they taught me the right things, often for the wrong reasons. For example, there’s nothing inherently wrong with sexuality; it’s beautiful. However, having sex before one is old enough to handle the emotional and possible physical consequences is a nightmare waiting to happen. I often muse that guilt and control were just one way to teach. I’m very mental. They could have also reached me with reason!

In other words, there are many ways to share beliefs. If we want sound children and grandchildren, we need to start telling them our stories—why we do things the way we do, why we don’t do them in a way that harms others. But before we can pass along a good code for living, it’s important to make a periodic review of where we stand with these issues. You might be surprised to uncover dilemmas, changes, and a need to regroup your thinking.

Spiritual Diversity

I celebrate spiritual diversity. There are many ways to look at life and live it, but at heart, we are all human. Any way of life that enhances our freedom and respect for one another is life-affirming and a good thing. Early in my explorations of metaphysics, I was tolerant of everyone except the spiritually conservative. Fortunately, I have grown to embrace people who take a religious fundamentalist approach as much as those who chant om on hilltops. People have different ways of helping themselves stay on the straight and narrow, which is nothing more than the path we have in common where we support each other without harm and hopefully, with help--and emphasis on the “support.”

I’ve got an idea for you this holiday season, because I drew this word as an oracle. Ask a friend of a different faith if you can attend a service with him or her. Or visit a church, synagogue or mosque on your own—with a phone call ahead, if it helps you to have an entrée. Go to an atheists’ meeting.  If nothing else, rent a movie to learn more about some viewpoint or faith other than your own. Tolerance comes from knowing people with different ideas, from putting different beliefs in the context of our shared humanity. This outreach may help you solidify or amend your own beliefs in some way. At best, it’s an exciting adventure to learn how the other half lives.  When you consider how many wars are fought over religion, this exercise can truly be your part in creating peace on earth, as in that wonderful song, “Let There Be Peace on Earth—and Let It Begin with Me.”

What better time of year! And now for an inner journey on the same subject …

Meditation and Journaling on Belief

Sit quietly in a meditative posture, whatever one works for you. Have pen and paper nearby.

1.      Take three deep breaths. Say “belief” to yourself. Let the word rest on your mind, and then let your mind speak. Now ask yourself, “What are my basic beliefs?” Take plenty of time to let the thoughts form or memories come back to you. Let your memories or thoughts finish speaking. When they’re done saying what they have to say, write down their message.

2.      Return to meditation. Read this thought, and then sit with it in the silence for as long as it feels right:  I review my beliefs and note how I have changed. I work on clarifying my beliefs to myself so I can share them coherently with others. Sharing beliefs in a non-threatening way leads to peace on earth, one person at a time.

3.      When you come out of meditation, look at what you wrote about “belief.” Take some time to contemplate it. Carry these thoughts and intentions into your week. Learn as much as possible about your beliefs this week. Write a few wrap-up notes before the end of the week and our next word.

Above all, believe in yourself!

~~~

Next and final word in the series:  Storage 

Photo Credit: © Mkoudis | Dreamstime.com