Since I was a child, I heard my dad talking about having "la valija itinerante" meaning "a traveling bag". He always talked to me about not getting attached to things and to only have the things that I could fit in a traveling bag. When I moved to the USA, I did come with JUST a traveling bag and I left all my other possessions behind. That was the first time I had to decide what I would bring with me and what would be left behind. Giving most of my possessions away was a great experience and knowing that I was following my heart made leaving everything behind so much easier.
Now, I look back, and I see I have accumulated so many possessions and once again I feel tied down and just heavy. I feel that if I wanted to go back home, I would have to leave everything behind once again and shows me how I moved from heart to possessions. Many times, we buy things to make us happy or to replace the love or passion we don't feel in our lives. We numb ourselves with things and buy into materialism and who has the bigger stick or the newest piece of technology. Don't get me wrong, I love my iPhone and my laptop, but at the same time, I notice that many times I have replaced real feelings with things. The same happens to people who eat to fill the void or emptiness in their lives. When I moved to this country, I was lonely and I filled my loneliness with things but now that I am stronger and have settled in, I remember the words my dad told me since I was little "la valija itinerante" or the traveling bag. Is it possible to live detached from material things and with only things you can fit in one traveling bag? I believe it is. I did it before and I can do it again.
Blessings )0(
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Four Days Left ... Bye Bye 2010
It's hard to believe that another year is coming to an end! What word would define 2010 for you? Do you have one word that can sum up the experiences for the whole year? For me, the word is Harmony. The reason why I chose that word is because 2010 was filled with extremely happy moments as well as extremely challenging ones. It seemed like a pendulum swinging from happy to sad to angry to content. When I look back, I can see every experience moved me forward in my path of growth and evolution. The positive highlights for this year are running a 5K, graduating from school, creating Circulo de Isis, starting translating the FOI liturgy, meeting Lady Olivia in person and becoming a Priestess Hierophant. My accomplishments for this year were quite balanced since they include body, mind and spirit. For the body, I lost 20 pounds and I am healthy and whole. In the mind realm, I graduated from college. Spirit is my passion and life and most of my work is dedicated to the Goddess and developing my Priestess path.
As I said before, this year's word is harmony, and there have been some ugly things happening ranking from getting my car broken into and my credit card stolen virtually. Some friendships that turned sour and shook my trust. It's hard to realize that some people are not meant to be part of our lives and let them go but if we don't, those relationships become unhealthy and stagnate.
Besides the word harmony, the other word that comes to mind is Roots. Yes, roots. You may be wondering why this word comes to my blog and the reason behind this situation is the fact that this year I realized for 7 years I shifted all my focus to becoming American - traditions, culture, language, everything; and in doing so, I forgot where I come from. I do look American so it is easy to blend in and since I decided to take my husband's last name - Boggs - nobody can tell where I come from, but this year has taught me that I am proud to be Latin. I am proud of my country and I am missing my language, my traditions, my blood is calling my roots. That's one of the reasons why I decided to dedicate my Priestess work to the Spanish speaking community instead of the English speaking community. When I look back, I wonder who many times I may have sacrificed who I was to blend in, to fit, to not stand out. 2011 is the year where I am proud to be who I am and if people don't like it, too bad... they may not be meant to be around or part of my life. One thing I do have clear is that I am not going to change myself to fit anybody else's expectations but myself, I want to honor myself and be true to my soul. I am done playing the game of satisfying other people's needs or structure just so I don't rock the boat. I am done with trying to fit in. I am who I am and it's time to let go of the structures other people have created and create my own. I have the power to decide, to change, to transform, to create. It's time to live my life the way I want to live it. Not based on fear or expectations but based on my heart and my passion. Can you say the same? Can you commit yourself to be true to yourself and just yourself during 2011? Can you let go of the expectations of society, family, relatives, you name it? It is time that people take charge of their lives. It is time to write a new story, one based on heart, fire and passion. Most of the rules we live by are outdated and don't fit the world we live in today. Just take time and think what you want to accomplish during 2011. This new year is just the beginning of a new road, a new path. You have the power to choose your destination but remember, be careful what you ask for because you may get it.
Blessings )0(
As I said before, this year's word is harmony, and there have been some ugly things happening ranking from getting my car broken into and my credit card stolen virtually. Some friendships that turned sour and shook my trust. It's hard to realize that some people are not meant to be part of our lives and let them go but if we don't, those relationships become unhealthy and stagnate.
Besides the word harmony, the other word that comes to mind is Roots. Yes, roots. You may be wondering why this word comes to my blog and the reason behind this situation is the fact that this year I realized for 7 years I shifted all my focus to becoming American - traditions, culture, language, everything; and in doing so, I forgot where I come from. I do look American so it is easy to blend in and since I decided to take my husband's last name - Boggs - nobody can tell where I come from, but this year has taught me that I am proud to be Latin. I am proud of my country and I am missing my language, my traditions, my blood is calling my roots. That's one of the reasons why I decided to dedicate my Priestess work to the Spanish speaking community instead of the English speaking community. When I look back, I wonder who many times I may have sacrificed who I was to blend in, to fit, to not stand out. 2011 is the year where I am proud to be who I am and if people don't like it, too bad... they may not be meant to be around or part of my life. One thing I do have clear is that I am not going to change myself to fit anybody else's expectations but myself, I want to honor myself and be true to my soul. I am done playing the game of satisfying other people's needs or structure just so I don't rock the boat. I am done with trying to fit in. I am who I am and it's time to let go of the structures other people have created and create my own. I have the power to decide, to change, to transform, to create. It's time to live my life the way I want to live it. Not based on fear or expectations but based on my heart and my passion. Can you say the same? Can you commit yourself to be true to yourself and just yourself during 2011? Can you let go of the expectations of society, family, relatives, you name it? It is time that people take charge of their lives. It is time to write a new story, one based on heart, fire and passion. Most of the rules we live by are outdated and don't fit the world we live in today. Just take time and think what you want to accomplish during 2011. This new year is just the beginning of a new road, a new path. You have the power to choose your destination but remember, be careful what you ask for because you may get it.
Blessings )0(
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Holidays, Spirit and a Full Lunar Eclipse
When I lived in Argentina, December was the month that marked the end of the year, the beginning of the summer and vacation time. Here in the States, December is about holidays, winter, and shopping. The thing that both places have in common is that during December, I spend some time looking back at what happened during the year and setting some objectives for the following year. 2010 has been a different year. It started with preparing for my first 5K and finishing school. My Priestess Work started blossoming when I discover I wanted to work with the Spanish speaking community and started translating the FOI Liturgy. I initiated a Priestess and traveled quite a lot. It was the first year I spent my birthday alone away from home on a business trip and although it felt foreign, it was ok. Looking back, I can't complain about 2010 since it was a year filled with accomplishments and challenges but everything took place in perfect harmony.
Now that we are reaching the end of 2010, we are given a unique opportunity to finish the year with a Full Lunar Eclipse in Gemini on December 21, 2010. Eclipses provide us with the energies needed to cut with the past and start again. This is the time to let go of all those things that are tying you down and decide to live the life you want to live in 2011. Krishnamurti said "There is no path to truth, it must come to you. Truth can come to you only when your mind and heart are simple, clear, and there is love in your heart, not if your heart is filled with the things of the mind." It is time to evaluate if you have been living your life for others, doing things that society wants you to do or if your life is filled with things you love and they come from the heart. Time is priceless and you don't want to waste it doing things that you don't love. Live each day like it is the last day. Do like the Egyptians who thought people thought with their hearts, not with their brains. Start listening to what your heart wants and follow what it says so you can live your life fully and more happily.
Now is the time to let go of the past, make space, and create your future. Make 2011 the year you want it to be. Manifest your destiny and don't give your power away. You always have a choice whether you are aware of it or not.
Many blessings )0(
Now that we are reaching the end of 2010, we are given a unique opportunity to finish the year with a Full Lunar Eclipse in Gemini on December 21, 2010. Eclipses provide us with the energies needed to cut with the past and start again. This is the time to let go of all those things that are tying you down and decide to live the life you want to live in 2011. Krishnamurti said "There is no path to truth, it must come to you. Truth can come to you only when your mind and heart are simple, clear, and there is love in your heart, not if your heart is filled with the things of the mind." It is time to evaluate if you have been living your life for others, doing things that society wants you to do or if your life is filled with things you love and they come from the heart. Time is priceless and you don't want to waste it doing things that you don't love. Live each day like it is the last day. Do like the Egyptians who thought people thought with their hearts, not with their brains. Start listening to what your heart wants and follow what it says so you can live your life fully and more happily.
Now is the time to let go of the past, make space, and create your future. Make 2011 the year you want it to be. Manifest your destiny and don't give your power away. You always have a choice whether you are aware of it or not.
Many blessings )0(
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Happiness in Every Bottle
As we were going to Oregon for Thanksgiving, we stopped at Raleys to get something to drink and there it was, a funky looking bottle called Neuro Bliss with the tagline "Happiness in Every Bottle" (check it out http://drinkneuro.com/). Needless is to say that after seeing this, I had to try it! Yes, a type of lemonade that promises happiness and joy... As I was drinking a bottle of Neuro Bliss, I couldn't help but think how much of our happiness depends on external factors. This was another way to placing the focus of our happiness outside ourselves. Many time, people say that they will be happy when they have a house, or a car, or a child, or the perfect job. It's like we are always waiting for some external force to bring us happiness instead of realizing that happiness comes from within and that we can choose to be happy now.
In her book, Happiness for No Reason, Marci Shimoff explains how we should avoid placing the source of our happiness in things that are outside ourselves and just focus on being happy for no reason, just choosing to be happy. Sometimes people are unhappy because they believe that they need to be a certain way or have the mandate from society or their parents to be a certain way. Not being able to achieve these standards usually leads to frustration and unhappiness and that's when we shift and start believing that we will be happier when... you can name it, always an external force that will bring us happiness.
First, we need to realize that we can choose to be happy as we can choose to be sad and it is within our power to choose how we want to feel. Second, we need to realize that some of our dreams are not actually our dreams but placed there by society, family values and traditions but we choose to be different. We are not numbers and we have a choice so don't give your power to choose away just to follow the mandates from others. Question whether what you are pursuing is really your dream or whether it is somebody else's dream. If you find out it is indeed your dream, keep going. But if you happen to see that this dream does not belong to you, you can choose to let that go and start living your dreams. Don't wait for external forces to make you happy because in doing so you may waste your life waiting for this or that to happen. Instead, choose to be happy for no reason, let your happiness come from within and enjoy following your dreams.
Blessings )0(
In her book, Happiness for No Reason, Marci Shimoff explains how we should avoid placing the source of our happiness in things that are outside ourselves and just focus on being happy for no reason, just choosing to be happy. Sometimes people are unhappy because they believe that they need to be a certain way or have the mandate from society or their parents to be a certain way. Not being able to achieve these standards usually leads to frustration and unhappiness and that's when we shift and start believing that we will be happier when... you can name it, always an external force that will bring us happiness.
First, we need to realize that we can choose to be happy as we can choose to be sad and it is within our power to choose how we want to feel. Second, we need to realize that some of our dreams are not actually our dreams but placed there by society, family values and traditions but we choose to be different. We are not numbers and we have a choice so don't give your power to choose away just to follow the mandates from others. Question whether what you are pursuing is really your dream or whether it is somebody else's dream. If you find out it is indeed your dream, keep going. But if you happen to see that this dream does not belong to you, you can choose to let that go and start living your dreams. Don't wait for external forces to make you happy because in doing so you may waste your life waiting for this or that to happen. Instead, choose to be happy for no reason, let your happiness come from within and enjoy following your dreams.
Blessings )0(
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)