Optimism And Healing

Overcoming Life’s Hurdles

How we look at the world around us is based on perspectives that we form through our experiences and how those experiences impact our life. But it is also formed by the type of people we surround ourselves with. From childhood we mimic the views and attitudes of our parents. In adulthood we learn to think for ourselves, value our own opinions and have more control over our views, emotions and responses. The choice is up to us.

Being optimistic doesn’t mean you live in a fantasy world where everything is wine and red roses. It means being able to look beyond the doom and gloom to find the positive element in all things and focus energy on that. All situations have some element of good, but we rarely see what that is until we’re well beyond the event. If we allow ourselves to heal and get beyond it, that is. Continue reading →

Today’s Tarot Meditation Drawing – Nine of Cups – Inverted

Feb22

Mystic Faery Tarot by Linda Ravenscroft

Wave your flag today and put your mark in the ground. Your hard work and accomplishments are being challenged by others who have not earned the right to be where you are. So make sure those who need to know, are aware of what you have done for them and what areas you preside over. Don’t allow others to push you around simply because you’re nice and respectful. There are times when you do need to show that same kindness and particularly the same respect to yourself too.

Additional Insight:

It’s ok to show respect toward others as long as you’re not doing at your own expense. You are equally important and valuable as anyone else. If you don’t remember that, and act accordingly, how will anyone else see you in the same light. You don’t have to fight back with anger or vengeance. But sometimes it’s helpful to remind others of the hard work you’ve done for them, how you’ve made them look good in their position and what area you have carved out or the domain you have been given management over. Stand up for what you have achieved and don’t let others try to undermine it. You’ve earned it!

Dealing With Grief, Trials and Challenges

Feb22

Jonathon Boots

Letting Go and Letting the Divine Carry The Burden

“You can’t change the past. You can only change the way you allow the past to affect your present and your future.” ~ Springwolf

What ever the situation, making change to deal with the trials of life, or letting go of the past is not easy. No matter what the situation or what the loss, be it the death of a loved one (animal or human), the loss of a friendship or love relationship, the loss of innocence, allowing drugs or alcohol to control your path or a hurt that has been felt and carried for a long time; our psyche goes through a period of mourning.

In today’s world the line between Psychology, Therapy and Spirituality is growing thinner. Working on the issues in one’s life doesn’t mean throwing out your beliefs, nor does it mean your personal views and spiritual practices will be under scrutiny. Rather there is a growing movement to understand how both the mainstream concepts of therapy can be supported, expanded and enhanced by the spiritual beliefs of an individual. . After all, when more than 80% of the world’s population holds some type of spiritual belief, why wouldn’t we try to understand the human condition from both a physical and spiritual perspective. No matter what that path of spirituality is.

Why we hold onto the past is just as important as why we should let it go and make way for a better future. But it’s hard sometimes to get there from here. We become so used to the pattern of struggle and grief, that it can eventually be all we know. Letting go of that can be scary. But it does no one any good at all, to live in such a place of despair.

Learning to let go doesn’t mean you’re forgetting about the past. It simply means you’re not going to live in those long gone days any longer. It allows you to open the door to the light of the future and welcome in the change, the opportunities and the excitement of the unknown.

Read more about Dealing With Trials & Grief – Trials, Trauma & Grief – A Dissertation

Today’s Tarot Meditation Drawing – The Star

Feb21

Mystic Faery Tarot by Linda Ravenscroft

Allow your own star to guide your way. Going with the flow may seem like the best method to get where you’re going, but sometimes it can lead you over the waterfall into danger. Take charge of your journey and guide your path with the flow away from danger, and down the safest route for your travels. Sometimes you have to work a little to keep things going in the right direction.

Additional Insight:

Don’t blindly follow the flow without question. Take control of your own destiny and question everything you read, hear, believe and experience. Holding a healthy dose of skepticism allows you to look beyond the words and visions. It forces you to look at knowledge from all points of view, to fully understand it and comprehend it’s meaning. It creates opportunities for you to question, expand your awareness and create a solid foundation of wisdom. It puts you in charge of what is true and valid for your own journey in life and in spirit.

Today’s Tarot Meditation Drawing – The Fool

Feb20

Mystic Faery Tarot by Linda Ravenscroft

Don’t act the part of the fool today. Double check the ‘facts’ and if you don’t understand something make sure you ask. Others are watching how you handle unexpected situations. Some may not be putting you to the test, as much as they are setting you up to fail. Be skeptical and cautious today.

Additional Insight:

A good dose of skepticism is always a good thing. Read between the lines today and ponder the intent behind the message. Are they trying to sell you something? Are they trying to make their claims seem more valid or legitimate by siting certain phrases, such as “study” or “research”? Make sure you double check the facts, look for the source of the information and determine if it’s truly unbiased. There are still games going on around you that may put you in the center of controversy. Be calm, patient and think through your response BEFORE you make it! Today is not the day to ‘wing it’.

What Is A Spiritual Expert – Part III

Feb19

Leadership, Guidance and Discernment

Whether you want it or not, setting yourself up as an expert puts you in the role of a leader. Not everyone is cut out to lead and many don’t want this responsibility. But the moment you hang up your shingle and take on clients you are accepting the responsibilities of that role. So be prepared for it.

It doesn’t matter if you’re offering a single service, such as a psychic reader or holistic healer, even these one on one roles have a form of leadership. But the responsibilities of leadership are especially essential if you are taking on the role as teacher, guide or spiritual Minister/Priest/Priestess.

Don’t be afraid to apply the lessons you learned in other areas of your life to your spiritual profession. Whether you’re a house wife or a corporate professional, you have acquired skills that can be translated or transferred to your spiritual profession. Continue reading →

Reflections A-to-Z

Feb18

The Springwolf Reflections Index

I’ve received a lot of great feedback about my new little blog here. I can’t thank you all enough for your input, encouragement and great ideas. I’ve implemented many of them already; such adding a picture of the card for the Daily Tarot Meditation drawing and posting links on Facebook.

Another great suggestion was to provide an index of the articles. Blogs are great for chronologically listing your posts, but sometimes you have to scroll through a ton of articles to find the one you’re looking for. Thanks to my friend Rayne for that perspective and the suggestion!

Of course I can’t do anything normally and have to put my own little flair on the idea. I create an index that appears on the top menu bar as “Reflections A-Z“. It’s the alphabetical listing of what’s here so far from A to Z.

Looking At Blessings And Struggles A Little Differently

Feb18

The Perspective of Spirit vs. Embodiment

Carole Bourdo - "Wolf Song"

I think it’s very important for those of us on a spiritual path to be careful about assumptions and generalizations in both our thoughts and communications. I think it’s even more important for those of us on a spiritual leadership/teacher role to be careful how we put our messages out to others based on those assumptions or generalizations. As with anything in life, generalizing an entire group of people because of the actions of a few can be dangerous. By placing fault, blame or accountability on any group as a whole only adds to the negative discourse and feeds the fray of hate and anger.

If you believe in reincarnation then the condition of an individual or a group of people should be viewed from the perspective of spirit and not from their physical condition in this single embodiment. This morning I read an article about the rich that made some generalizations and assumptions about all of them as group that can help me explain my perspective. I do believe the article was well intended and was trying to make a compassionate point, but it’s attempt to shine a light on one aspect of the human condition can be perceived in an opposite manner as well.

The article began:
“Why are some people blessed with over-abundance, while others have nothing? The answer to this common question is, a person is not showered with blessings so they can just indulge in pleasure. When we have more than we need, it does not really belong to us. From a spiritual point of view, it has been given to us to hold in escrow.” Continue reading →

You Can Only Change Yourself

Feb17

But That Will Change How Others Respond To You

Everyone knows the adage “You can’t change others” or “You can’t learn lessons for others” when dealing with negative situations. Those wise old sayings come from centuries of experience passed down from one generation to the next. But it seems in our desire to be helpful and show compassion we have to be reminded of their message constantly. If you continue the same patterns of response, you are allowing others to control your emotions and direct your path. They don’t have to change you, because they have the ability to manipulate you through their own actions and your consistent patterns of response. They already know how you’re going to react, because you’ve done it so many times before. In doing so, you become an enabler and through your own actions, you promote the negative behavior you want changed in the first place.

This can occur in any type of relationship. It’s more often associated with relationships that are impacted by addiction. But it can also occur in work situations with a boss, or co-worker. Continue reading →

Today’s Tarot Meditation Drawing: King of Swords

Feb17

Mystic Faery Tarot by Linda Ravenscroft

That thorn in your side will be poking at you all day. But don’t let them gain control over your emotions and push you into a fight. Keep control over your anger, as theirs rises and you will be the one to win the war, not only the battle. It’s for them to depart from your path, but you may not be the one controlling that option. So don’t fall into their trap and cause you to be the one who is escorted off the battlefield first!

Additional Insight:
The ‘umpire’ usually see the retaliation long after the initial attack. And the victim is often the one thrown off the field. Don’t let that happen to you. No matter how hard your adversary pushes you today, walk away and don’t allow them to control the situation. Turning your back on them is the best way to get under their skin and cause their anger to blow out of control where the umpires will take notice and escort them not only off the field, but out of the building as well. You can end the day with a well deserved and much needed victory of relief; if ONLY you keep your cool and maintain control over your emotions!

"Believe In Yourself, Even When No One Else Does."
~ Harvey McKay ~
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“Take a chance on faith. Not religion, but faith.
Not hope, but faith.
I don’t believe in hope. Hope is a beggar.
Hope walks through the fire and Faith leaps over it.”
~ Jim Carrey ☆ 2014
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“I describe myself as a simple Buddhist monk. No more, no less. And I am one of the seven billion human being. Basically we are the same… your emotion, my emotion, your mind, my mind.., same physical. So I always look [at it] that way. We are the same.”
~ Dalai Lama 2012 ~
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"Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
~ Bruce Lee 1971