Hi there. I hope everyone is staying safe during these trying times. For those of us who live in the Northeast US, it has been a challenging week. We have been pummeled with not one but two major snowstorms, each time leaving us buried under mountains of snow and ice. For many of us, storms like these give us the perfect excuse to nestle into our inner spaces and explore any new and magical spiritual mysteries not yet discovered. No matter who we are or what level of spiritual development we find ourselves in, spirit continues to call us to come home to ourselves. Though we may not understand the sense of restlessness and lack of fulfillment, we still feel the pull of unseen forces continuously urging us to rediscover or remember our soul’s light.

So, the topic of this blog is Staying Grounded. What does it mean for us as we pursue a spiritual and soulful path in our lives? Does it mean staying nestled and safe in our own little sanctuary, away from the harshness in the world and simply spend our days meditating and sending out thoughts of love and light? I think we can all agree that would not be wise or sustainable, though for some souls that is the path they chose for a particular lifetime. Staying grounded means living our lives as physical beings who perceive our world and our experiences through spiritual eyes.

We always seem to come back around to what it means to be a human being. Humans are social creatures. We thrive when we are experiencing genuine, loving relationships with others. As we know all too well during these COVID times, isolation and separation are not healthy for us. We need each other for an infinite number of reasons, the most important of which is so that we can share our love and kindness and feel the love and kindness of others. Nothing feels better than seeking out ways to bestow acts of kindness on our family, friends, and even complete strangers. True acts of kindness are those given with no expectation of reciprocation. We are kind because, when we are, our heart sings the most enchanting melody, and our soul shines brighter than the brightest star in the night sky.

Both the soul and the human we are paired with experience great pleasure by spending time in nature and enjoying earth’s great treasures. Many of us love spending a day at the ocean, feeling its powerful energy, breathing in the salty invigorating air, and frolicking in its watery arms. Some are never more content than in a mountain setting and, the feeling of awe as we contemplate the massiveness and majesty of such a gift of nature. It can inspire new expansive ideas or dreams prompting us to begin climbing the mountain of those dreams and reaching the glorious summit of our success and awakening. There are so many things to enjoy on our precious planet and doing so is a huge reason our souls come here, besides the big one which, of course, is the soul’s evolution through spiritual awakening and consciousness.

So, the bottom line is we don’t evolve as souls in a vacuum. We evolve by experiencing relationships and seeking to learn everything we can, through our time together here on earth. Even the painful relationships or I should say especially the painful ones can teach us incredible lessons about the importance of self-love and love of others, so that we can move forward in our soul’s journey. We also grow and awaken by listening and hearing the lessons that nature can teach us. For example, a volcano at rest can teach us about untapped potential. That can possibly help us believe in our power and thus, assist us in reaching our own personal potential. A harvest moon might suggest that it is time to rest and enjoy the rewards of our hard work. A steadily moving river could inspire us to jump more fully into the flow of life, start the project we were thinking about or take the next step in our romantic relationship. Nothing in our world is random and everything has wisdom and knowledge if we take the time to listen to the whispers of the wind, the singing of the birds or the roaring of the ocean. Ask the questions like, “What is it I need to know or learn today, or what is the solution to my problem?” Then be still and listen with your heart. The answers may not come at that moment, but they will come if we enter the silence and are open to receive.

The thing is, there are lessons everywhere and in every relationship no matter how short or long term they are. Yet if we don’t stay grounded and really live every moment, in the precious now we may miss the signs and lessons along the way. Of course, it is important to spend time within and connect with the world that is unseen and filled with wisdom and truth. However, it is equally important to learn the lessons by being mindful of everything that is happening all around us and seek to see the deeper meaning in it all. That creates balance in our lives and that helps us stay grounded as well.

I’ll leave you with one last thought. When I met my husband many years ago, I was healing from a difficult divorce. My coping mechanism, in between caring for my three beautiful children, was to spend my time on an intense spiritual journey. That journey included much time meditating, reading spiritual books, and seeking anything that would help me understand the reason for that painful experience. I also had an intense desire to learn everything about the world of spirit and what it could teach me. My head was always floating around in the heavens, which was good for me, but I was missing a lot of the things this world can offer. Steve, my husband now, found his spiritual food from fully appreciating and experiencing nature, people, and not giving too much thought to the whys of the world, but just enough. I learned so much from him and I do believe he has and does learn much from me as well. I am so blessed to share my life with such a special soul. I have said from the start, I am the balloon, and he is the string. I still love my spiritual pursuits and floating around up in the heavens. He holds gently to the string and consistently pulls me down, so I can share my inner world with him and others. Yet, we always make time to create wonderful memories. We walk together through this earthly sojourn having lots of fun, sharing time with family and friends, relaxing at the beach, laughing at each other’s silly jokes (at least when I get the punchline), sipping wine at the vineyards and simply enjoying being alive right here, right now.