KAJAMA.COM NEWSLETTER

October 31 through November 6, 2022

With the Moon traveling through Aquarius the first three days of the week, we can count on some changes in direction and new ways of thinking. We'll have to guard against moving in rash ways or making steadfast decisions under this influence. However, we'll be presented with some unusual ideas and opportunities we can put into practice in the near future! Thursday and Friday unfold under a Pisces Moon, where our intuition and spiritual practices take center stage. Even without all the facts, we can move with our hearts and trust that Spirit is directing the traffic. It appears the weekend will be our most productive part of the week, as the Moon travels through action-oriented Aries and has us prepping for winter, attending to household repairs, or joining others in fun adventures. Whatever activities we decide to fill our weekend with, being a couch potato won't be one of them!

by Djuna Wojton

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

We've ushered in a New Year, and with it comes an opportunity to make a fresh start. You have probably made your list of resolutions for the coming year with renewed optimism, but creating positive changes can be challenging.

Even if you are determined to follow through this year, it is easy to get off track; making a change is a gradual process that takes time. You need support and a deep commitment to keep at it when the going gets rough. Perhaps you have made the same declaration in previous years and failed. If so, it is easy to slip into feeling dis-empowered and resigned. Or maybe you want to accomplish too many things at once, or have set your expectations too high, thereby setting yourself up for failure.

Once the holiday parties are over and life slips back into its ordinary routine, the tendency is to go back into old automatic patterns and forget you ever wanted to make any changes—that is, unless you make a conscious effort to keep your resolutions alive and present in your daily life. Here are three tips that can help you avoid the pitfalls and achieve your goals.

1. 1. Expressing gratitude for everything in your life opens the door to greater abundance. Metaphysical law states that "thought goes where energy flows." So, focusing on the fullness of your cup is more productive than dwelling on the emptiness. You have much to be thankful for, not only for your blessings but also for your challenges, because they bring opportunities to grow and move beyond your comfort zone. Shifting your state of mind by being happy with your life exactly the way it is, and exactly the way it isn't, sets the stage for new opportunities to enter. Make it a practice to express gratitude for three things in your life each day; writing them in a journal is most effective.

1. 1. Making a plan can guide your actions. Many people claim that they prefer to be spontaneous rather than following a schedule. But, just as driving with a GPS keeps you focused on your destination and saves time by keeping you on your route, a plan can keep you on track with what is most important to you.I've heard many women claim they want to meet someone special yet they make no attempt to socialize or join a dating service. They expect that Prince Charming will just magically show up on their doorstep. This type of wishful thinking does not produce results. You have probably heard the cliché, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome."Magic happens when we are actively engaged in fulfilling our goals. The following principles can help you formulate a plan and stick to it:
      • • First of all, know what you want, but keep it simple. Set your priority and be specific. For instance, you want to lose five pounds and be in tip-top shape. If this is your goal, that usually means exercising and changing your diet. Get clear if you will be jogging, walking, practicing yoga, lifting weights, or something else. Also see what kind of change in your diet will work for you. Perhaps it means adding more vegetables to your meals and cutting out desserts, or drinking herbal teas instead of soda, or simply cutting back on calories.
      • • Ground your goal in time. How long will it take you to lose the weight and be in better shape? Commit to a reasonable time frame. Maybe it will take you two and a half months to lose five pounds, one pound every two weeks. How often will you need to exercise? One hour a day? Five times a week? Once you have determined what will realistically fit into your schedule, place it on your calendar. Set that time in stone, as if it were an important work commitment. Schedule nothing else during that time, for you are busy and not available for anything else.
      • • Get help. Are you disciplined enough to keep your resolution or do you need a structure of support? Joining a fitness club or signing up for classes at a yoga studio can help you make a commitment, because when you have money on the line, you have something at stake. Or you may need to hire a lifestyle coach or enroll a friend to keep you accountable.
      • • Measure your progress. If you want to lose weight, you may have to buy a scale to actually know how many pounds are melting away. If your goal is to make more money, you need to be able to balance your checkbook and keep track of your budget. If you want to write a novel, you may need to write a certain amount of pages per week.
      • • Keep it alive. You will be tested. If your goal is important to you, you will have to make an effort to continue with it even when you are tired or don't feel like it. Many famous authors were rejected numerous times before they found the right publisher. It is important to be unstoppable and not give up. One of my teachers would always say, "You either have the results you want to have in your life, or the excuses why you don't." If you give up, you'll never get where you want to go.
      • Be kind to yourself. Circumstances often interfere with our best intentions. If you want to eat less, it is inevitable you will be invited to sumptuous dinners. You are bound to have setbacks. And when they occur, it is important not to beat yourself up by feeling guilty. Simply acknowledge the breakdown—you slept instead of going to yoga class. Or you binged on potato chips. It is okay. Just resolve to attend the next class or skip buying junk food.

1. Walking your talk. It is important that your actions are in alignment with your goals. I had one client who declared he wanted a partner, but he spent so much of his free time outside of work caring for his elderly mother that he had no time to invest in dating or getting to know someone. He was angry and exhausted, yet he refused to alter his schedule. If your commitment is to find a mate, are you spending too much time at work or wrapped up with other obligations that you are making yourself unavailable?If finding love is your New Year's resolution, you may need to check to see if you love yourself: all relationships extend from the relationship you have with you. Look in the mirror. Does your appearance reflect the best you can be? If not, you may need to upgrade your self-image with a new hairstyle or new wardrobe so you look and feel your best. Do you love your life because you spend time doing activities you enjoy, or are you waiting for someone to rescue you from your misery because you aren't being responsible for your fulfillment? Becoming your ideal person will help you attract your perfect mate.

But remember, the process is just as important as the end result. The magic lies in the journey of discovery and transformation on the path.

In my book, Karmic Choices: How Making the Right Decisions Can Create Enduring Joy, I offer a variety of exercises, meditations, and a three-step karmic formula to heal old issues, set new goals, and create a life you love.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide. All rights reserved.

I have been wondering what the reason is for persistent bad habits that become addictions. They seem to be bad choices for coping strategies. I am a little bit worried about what you will say regarding the repercussions of bad habits and addictions on future lives and whatnot. However, if you have suggestions on ways to overcome them such as beneficial stones or meditations, I would really appreciate it. I have been addicted to clutter and creating what I would now label filth. Any stones or meditations on that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your advice!

Melley

Susyn:

There has been an increase in addictions over the past few decades, as evidenced by the current popularity of 12-step programs and specialized treatment centers.

Metaphysically, all addictions stem from a lack of spiritual connection. When one aspect in our lives becomes more important than anything else, it dampens our spirits, controls our thoughts and limits our effectiveness in the world. Your addiction to clutter and filth keeps you isolated from the world, creates a cloud of depression around you, and cuts you off spiritually and emotionally.

I wouldn't worry about how this habit will affect you in future lives, for what's most important is how it is stealing your life now on a daily basis. While there are stones you can use and meditations you can perform to reconnect with Spirit for help, it is crucial that you ask for assistance from others as well. You may want to check in your area for support groups relevant to this issue. Talking with people who have lived with your problem will remind you that you are not alone and that the situation is not hopeless.

Quartz crystals are wonderful generators of light and clarity, so you'll definitely want to surround yourself with a few to begin the process of clearing out. You can meditate daily and ask for direction on how to restore your world to order, keeping in mind that a return to balance must begin within by rebuilding your relationship with Spirit.

Remember that when you make a request to Spirit for help, action will be required on your part as well. You will have to do your part by following the guidance you receive during your meditations. If you can set up some boundaries and commitments as you talk with Spirit, you'll find it easier to take action.

For example, if during your meditation, you are inspired to clean the kitchen or your bedroom, make a plan. First, decide how much time you will devote to cleaning that day. Even committing 30 minutes or an hour a day will result in tangible changes within the first week. Once you have completed a room, give yourself a reward for your efforts. If you buy something nice for the room, say a new lamp or bedspread, it will change the energy in the room and inspire you to keep it orderly.

Your biggest challenge may be maintaining your home once you have cleared it of clutter. You'll have to keep praying and working on your spiritual connection to remain free of this addiction.

*****

Mata Maya:

I usually see two main issues at work when helping people work through addictions. The first possibility is the least common; this is when an attached entity is driving the addiction.

When people who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, food, sex or any other physical pleasure die, there is a good chance that they will remain earthbound. This is because they aren't really free to move on in the afterlife any more than they were free to pursue a constructive path when they were living. These spirits may then attach to the living and attempt to feed their addiction by influencing the living to drink, use drugs, overeat, etc.

It's important to note that in order to be vulnerable to attachment by such an entity, one must have the same addiction or a predisposition to it. Thus people who drink to excess will attract the earthbound spirits of alcoholics, and people who use drugs may attract spirits addicted to the same substances. This is how addiction in this life can affect our future lives as you say; it can keep us from moving on when we leave this world.

As for why a person becomes addicted in the first place, in my view it is always to avoid emotional pain that is perceived to be greater or more threatening than the problems the addiction itself may cause. People engage in addictive behaviors to avoid dealing with deeper issues.

Past experiences and past lives do sometimes come into play, especially in addictions like the one you are struggling with. For example, if in the past, you got rid of something you desperately needed later or accidentally threw out some treasure, you could develop something of a phobia regarding letting go of unneeded items.

Since the issues a person is avoiding through addictive behaviors are unique to that individual, it's important to seek personal therapy. I don't recommend the use of stones or meditations here; instead, you need someone to guide you in becoming conscious of whatever is driving the addiction so you can work through it and replace any unwanted behaviors with more rewarding, constructive habits.

You are correct that addictive behaviors are poor choices for coping methods. They are attempts by your subconscious to get through the day without having to face painful feelings. A good hypnotherapist will be able to help you to heal and release those painful feelings and reprogram your subconscious mind to cope with uncomfortable feelings in a healthier way.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.