Welcome to The Inside Monarch blog!
Yesterday I helped a homeless young man; his name was Brian and he had very kind eyes. He told me that all shelters in the city were full, so he had nowhere to get some rest and felt very tired. I got a bit emotional so I gave Brian some money, and what do you think he did? He reached into one of the few plastic bags which he was carrying around and pulled out a pair of children’s sun glasses. He really wanted me to have them, despite the fact that they were obviously too small for me and I did mention that I don’t have any children either. He insisted, so I took them.
Because such gestures might seem silly, unreasonable or inappropriate, I would like to explain the energetic dynamics of relationships. At any given moment, every relationship is an exchange of energy representing the balance between Yin (the feminine or the receiver) and Yang (the masculine or the giver). Even if at first glance this doesn’t seem to be the case, you are always either giving or receiving, even if you are only having a conversation – you are either speaking or listening. When you express masculine energy by giving, the natural outcome is that the feminine will want to compensate. There is always a bit of Yang in the Yin (the white dot in the black half of the Yin-Yang diagram, and vice-versa) and like attracts like, so of course the receiver will also give something back. Now the masculine becomes the receiver by expressing the small feminine ‘dot’, and that is a wonderful dance to be a part of.
When you reject someone’s offering, you prevent them from compensating for the energy they received, which means they will become indebted energetically and that is a heavy burden to carry. It is always good to be mindful of this and allow yourself to receive, even if you believe you don’t need it or that it is unnecessary. The giver already deemed it necessary and this is not a decision for you make, so be kind to them by accepting.
So now I have a pair of Mickey Mouse sunglasses which I am never going to wear, however I found a spot for them in my office and they are comforting to look at. Brian doesn’t know that someone wrote an article about him, but I hope he gets some rest today, wherever he is.
The month of February being so traditionally focused on romance, with Valentine’s Day stealing the show, let’s take a few minutes to discuss this topic from an energetic perspective. Shedding some light on the energetics of partnerships is very important because overestimating them, and overinvesting in connections and people, doesn’t only happen during the relationship, but also after it’s ended, and even well before it’s began! And once it happens, disappointment will inevitably become part of the picture.
Before a relationship of this kind has even started, the thought of romance is already lurking in the background of the human mind, because humans believe that romantic love can fill in a gap which most experience, which is that of being disconnected from the source of all that is, or God if you prefer this term, as well as from their higher self. When we are disconnected from the source, we are no longer able to find true fulfillment and therefore expect to get this from a partnership that is never able to deliver on a long term, because what we are actually craving is going back to the state of divine Love. So when we look for a partner, and finally find it, the expectation we place on them is much too high for any human to rise up to.
During the lifespan of an interpersonal relationship, the energetic component is again severely overlooked, although personal development tools in this sector have undoubtedly become more popular in recent years. Beyond the psychological and physiological aspects, the truth is that there is always a subtle exchange of energy between two partners, more so between romantic ones, partially due to infatuation and also intimacy – both making this connection even stronger. Energetic bonds are actually the main reason why in spite of time having gone by, and of lessons learned, it is sometimes difficult to emotionally let go of a partner or a relationship that has ended (or should end), especially if one was once very invested in it. Much of overestimation, the drama and sorrow that come with some type of romantic partnerships stem from this energetic dynamic, and this is why we often see otherwise balanced and rational individuals being completely thrown off-balance by their relationship. It is not necessarily that they cannot let go mentally, but that the energetic component enhances everything, the good and the bad. So after a brake-up, it is always advisable to cut those energetic ties, and here we are fortunate in that we do have some tools at our disposal to help us accomplish this (for more information on this, you can check out our course ‘Personal Development for Spiritual Purposes’).
So while reaching that state of divine Love is not an easy thing, being mindful that romance will never replace what it is that you are truly looking for, will definitely ease the mental and emotional burden, and will help you look at relationships in a more realistic and light-hearted way. Also, doing the inner work and focusing on your spiritual growth, and on doing what makes you happy, will have a considerably positive impact on the quality of your partnerships.
With winter still being on our minds this month, at least in the Northern hemisphere, I would like to share some energetic insight on how this season affects us, why, and what we can do in order to make the most of it.
Winter is, above all, a time to rest for nature and all ecosystems, and let’s remember that the human body itself is also an ecosystem. From the energetic perspective, we are part of nature, therefore we must flow with it if we want to thrive and be at peace with ourselves and our environment (which is a very important primary characteristic of all living creatures). Imagine a creature of the forest raising up in the morning and complaining because of the cold or the scarcity of food! If this doesn’t happen, it is not because of their limited brain capacity, but rather because animals tend to not only accept, but also make the most of the conditions they live in. Evolution itself on a biological scale is proof of this holistic behavior.
Energetically, winter is a yin season, and the yin stands for cold, dark, slow, humid, quiet, but also turning to our inner universe, just as other species turn to hibernation. So it is the best season to reflect and be mindful about our thoughts and intentions, as well as to make plans for the rest of the year. This is a sort of energetic incubation time for ideas and dreams to manifest whenever the right moment comes, like seeds buried in the ground and waiting for the best time to burst and start growing. So let’s take the opportunity for some introspection and meditation, without giving into binge-watching Netflix which is so tempting these days!
In addition, the type of physical activity you engage in during winter time can have a considerable impact on your overall wellbeing and energy levels. The body will benefit more from yin types of movement, such as low (or slow) impact exercise, dancing, yin yoga or Qi-Gong, rather than from yang movement (for instance cardio, jogging and other forms of intense exercise). This is because the purpose of movement in the cold season is naturally to focus on keeping blood and energy flowing, and not give away too much energy that your body is actually trying to save. When the physical body is deprived of sun and outdoor living, it will not yield the same amount of energy, so support it by adapting your life style.
Last but not least, be mindful of what you eat! Sticking to a winter diet will support your health better than the overconsumption of off-season products, such as excessive intake of tropical fruits. There is a good reason why nature provides citrus fruits during dry and sunny months in areas with warm climate, which is that they help bring down the body temperature and they support the digestion of fats (a very welcome aid during hot summer days). So choose more warming foods, such as root vegetables, pickles, squash and pumpkin, and small amounts of meat, in case you are not a vegetarian.
Have a cozy and relaxing winter time, and may your manifestation incubator grow all kinds of good and uplifting new endeavors for the coming spring!
I recently visited the Fabergé Museum in Baden-Baden (Germany) and was not only astonished by the artistry of the objects on display, but also pleasantly surprised by how easily money can become art, and art can become money. Since one of my missions is to change the way my students look at money, I found it a good omen to include an article on this topic in my blog.
For those of you who are not familiar with Fabergé’s work, the House of Fabergé was a jewelry firm founded in 1842 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, by Gustav Fabergé. Although the company produced a variety of outstanding pieces of jewelry, mostly intended for royalty and aristocrats at the time, perhaps the most notorious of its work is the series of imperial Easter eggs. Everything on display in the museum screams I am rich in your face, and the entry tickets themselves look, feel, and even smell like real money. Quite original, if you ask me. Although few can afford such luxuries in life, the museum undoubtedly fills all its visitors up with the energy and beauty of gold and diamonds. Which brings me to the main subject of this article.
Money, as well as gold and gems, have two components to them: a physical and an energetic one. Physically, we may all have in our pockets bills and credit cards that look more or less the same, but energetically, the money in my wallet can be very different from the money in your wallet. What makes it different is the way we treat, think of, and use this important resource. In other words, it all comes down to attitude, which is in fact just about the only thing that can really make you rich or poor, with the exception of already being born as such from social origins perspective.
The energy of money itself is neutral, it’s neither good nor bad, and for this reason it is extremely versatile. Even in the physical world, currency can be exchanged for just about anything, whether you are buying chocolates for your grandmother, or a tank to invade a neighboring country. What determines the energy of your money is the meaning and purpose that you give it. For instance, to me personally, it has a joyful, generous, light-hearted and caring energy, which is what I refer to as good money. So being able to connect to it in a constructive way, of course I make money easily. Jewelry is art that someone has poured their mastery and passion in, over hours and hours of work, so it is surely good money, and also sells very well. I am not going to lie, I love jewelry. I like wearing it, I like seeing it on other people and looking at it in a shop window. It raises my vibration and cheers me up. Everyone has access to this type of energy, provided they are willing to have a conscious relationship with their money and connect to it positively. Limiting beliefs such as money is the root of all evil, money is bad, rich people are this and that, are just urban legends and will not serve you well.
So how do you connect positively with your money? First of all, start treating it like a real being who deserves respect and be grateful for it, for as much or as little as it can get you today. I am not suggesting you open your wallet and start talking to its contents, but just have a mindful and respectful attitude towards your resources. Think of all the good things that were accomplished with the help of money in this world, and what you could do with it, instead of complaining about the horrible things rich people do with theirs. That is none of your business and even if it was, you cannot change it (if you don’t believe me, just try to change people and let me know if you have succeeded!). The only thing you can change is yourself, by turning your currency into a symbol of joy and kindness. Then go into a jewelry store or a museum that has gold or some jewels on display and have a good, close look at them. How does it make you feel? How do the objects reflect light? Think about how much work must have gone into them and how happy people felt when receiving or wearing them.
Yes, wars have been fought and lost over gold, and still are to this day, but it is your choice whether you choose to focus on the good or the bad. If you want to improve your finances in any way, or make a difference on the energetic imprint of the planet, I suggest you set aside any self-limiting beliefs and start making, and spending, ‘good money’. You won’t regret it.
