Insights – Melannie Thomas

Archive for the ‘Coaching Tips’ Category

We all know someone who exudes gentleness in their words, actions and demeanor.  I admire them.

Today I share some quotations about gentleness that reflects the energy of this part of human being.

“Of course, when I say that human nature is gentleness, is not 100 percent so.  Every human being has that nature, but there are many people acting against their nature, being false.”  Dalai Lama

“Only the weak are cruel.  Gentleness can only be expected from the strong.”  Leo Buscaglia

“That inner voice has both gentleness and clarity.  So to get to authenticity, you really keep going down to the bone, to the honesty, and the inevitability of something.”  Meredith Monk

“Nothing is so strong as gentleness.  Nothing is so gentle as real strength.”  Ralph W. Sockman

Wishing you all a blessed week!

May was named for the Greek Goddess of fertility, Maia.  The last of the months of Spring, May blossoms full of beauty.  The promise of the Maiden blushes full of fecundity.

Wholly wakened from Winter’s sleep, Gaia buzzes and hums with activity.  Beltane, Cinco de Mayo, National Teacher’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day top a large list of May celebrations.  Add the Indy 500 and the Kentucky Derby and there is something for everyone.

In the Northern Hemisphere the Sun strides toward the Summer Solstice.  And after a record setting winter of much needed rain, the Sun feels wonderful!

May is time for putting plans into action; planting in the garden of life; a time of hope and renewal.

Time to plant a beautiful, lush garden.

Attitude is everything!  A positive outlook on life makes living it easier.

A recently published Finnish study on the effects of a pessimistic attitude on heart health and mortality puts punch in the argument for maintaining a positive mindset.  (BMC Public Health). Researchers noted that participants with high levels of pessimism were more than twice as likely to die of heart disease than those with a more positive attitude.

A long term study on the association between a positive outlook and longevity (American Journal of Epidemiology) was conducted with a 70,000 women with an average age of 70.  Following them over a period of 6 years, researchers noted that those with high levels of optimism were 29% more likely to outlive those with pessimistic attitudes.

Our minds can make us sick.  Conversely, learning how to control the ‘monkey mind’ can give us a greater quality of life and better overall health.

Research is proving what most of us know…it is all about attitude.

There is a difference between being an Empath and an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person, see Blog Post June 2015).   The difference between being Clairsentient and being an Empath is a much finer line.

Empaths attract people who are comfortable sharing their life’s drama and trauma with them.  Often stating that they ‘feel much better’ after sharing their story.  However, the Empath often feels drained, depressed and exhausted.

Empaths can literally take on the physical and emotional distress of others without being aware of what is happening.  They are often overwhelmed in crowded places.  Empaths, like Clairsentients, can instantly detect others’ feelings.

Many people with strong intuition are giant psychic sponges; soaking up emotional energy that is not theirs.  For the Empath this experience is greatly heightened. This accumulation of energy often leads to exhaustion, depression, and physical illness.

An Empath cannot change who they are, so their work is to create skills and behaviors that mitigate negative effects.

Setting boundaries with oneself and others is critical to Empathic health.  Don’t allow yourself to be a captive audience to sagas of misfortune and suffering.  This does not mean turning a deaf ear; it does mean setting limits.

Learning techniques for grounding that are appropriate for you.  Meditation, prayer, getting into Nature, an Epsom bath, with the prayerful intention of drawing out accumulated energy.  Earthing. Learn to discern what feelings are yours, and what feelings are not yours.  Taking care of your etheric body.  Finding methods of protection that work for you.  For example, wearing protective crystals.

Once these skills and practices are firmly in place, Empaths and Clairsentients can contribute much to the health and well-being of others and the planet at large.

Sunday April 22 is Earth Day.  Among events, local and national, there will be a ‘March for Science’ in Washington. A non-partisan support for science from astronomy to zoology.

Earth Day began in 1970 in San Francisco and continues to grow around the world.

Check your local news for celebrations occurring in your neighborhood and/or go to www.earthday.org to view their listing of events.

Whatever you choose to do, I invite you to spend some time honoring Mother Earth for the bounties and blessings that flow from her womb; adding prayers for her safety and healthy preservation.

Around the world, in the earth and the heavens, the spring Holy Season is in its full blush.

This week I chose to share a few inspirational quotes in honor of this time of renewal.  Pick one or two and allow it to be a meditation this coming week.

“Of all things visible, the highest is the heaven of the fixed stars.” ~Nicolaus Copernicus

“Learning to be still, to really be still and let life happen – that stillness becomes radiance.” ~Morgan Freeman

“Your ordinary acts of love and hope point to the extraordinary promise that every human life is of inestimable value.” ~Desmond Tutu

“Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself.” ~Desiderius Erasmus

“I thank God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of tress, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.” ~e.e. cummings

“From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.” ~Arthur Ashe

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.” ~Og Mandino

Happy Easter!

‘…emotional support or encouragement.’  I really like the synonym, ‘Proclamation.’  It has power!  ‘The King or Queen has made a ‘proclamation’ to be heard and heeded throughout the land!’

Positive affirmations are proclamations repeated to the self to support and affect change in beingness; a behavioral and attitudinal shift for the betterment of ourselves.

It is thought that the mind will believe anything if it is heard often enough.  For example, as children we may have heard repeatedly that we are not smart, we are dummies.  This message becomes hard-wired into part of who we believe we are.  As adults, we struggle to overcome this self-image.

There are many books, cards, and Cd’s available to assist us with this process.  One I like, Create the Best Life Ever Cards, by Taylor Wells, author of the book, Create the BEST LIFE EVER, are big flashcards with affirmations on both sides of each card.  “I know the power of my being.” Flip side is, “I am strong.”   Another proclaims, “I am sure of myself.”, the other side states, “I am peaceful.”

Whatever method you may choose to use positive affirmations as a tool for personal growth, I invite you this week to explore the possibilities.

I Spring clean; the normal things many of us do at this time of year.  However, every three years or so, I purge.  This is one of those years.

I am astounded at the amount of ‘stuff’ I have.  As I go through drawers, cabinets, closets, the garage and storage shed, my emotions swing from ‘Oh, I love this’ to ‘Why am I hanging on to this?’.  It is especially hard to part with gifts from family and friends, and with mementos collected over several years.

I set aside boxes to contain the ‘stuff’ I want to give to family and friends (if they want it), and the ‘stuff’ that gets donated to local thrift non-profits. Sometimes I shut my eyes and just throw something away.

As I become engrossed in the rhythm of purging the task becomes compelling, urging me on to the next project.  I figure this year’s purge will take me about a month.  Washing windows, stripping and waxing floors and cleaning carpets will come later.

I have a great sense of accomplishment at the end of the purge.  And I literally feel lighter.

We are a consumer culture.  It is our consumption that drives the economy.  I know this about myself…I am never likely to live a spartan life or become a hoarder.  And I recognize that the older I get the more ‘stuff’ accumulates.  Until I find a better solution, I will continue to purge.

Welcome to Spring.

The heavens declare it is spring!  Earth awakens.  The Green Goddess displays the breath-taking splendor of her beauty.

It is a time of awakening; opportunity to renew our spirit selves.  The light grows stronger each day, gently tending to the blossoming earth.

Full of passion and renewal, the spring Holy Days beckon us into sacred rituals which have been celebrated by humankind for centuries.

This week I invite you into the sacred circle, to honor the season and to celebrate the rebirth of the soul.

Fire is the element of the suit of Wands.  Fire can spark creativity or destruction.  Finding the path between the extremes of isolation, despair and fear, and commitment to the creative expression of the soul,  is the task of the Page of Wands.

Key to this journey is patience, a quality essential to spiritual growth and the emergence of the fully developed authentic self.  Always depicted as standing alone, the Page of Wands is a loner; face partially or completely hidden, not wanting to see the world or for the world to see him.

The Page of Wands presents the opportunity to release fears and nourish fruitful creativity in all aspects of life.

All Pages represent youthful potential for inner growth.  This Page requires sustained focus on the restless, unformed stirrings within.  Nurturing them with patience and  honoring their presence, will lead to new beginnings, new endeavors, and the emergence of the Knight.

I invite you this week to examine the fire within.