A Spiritually Enlightening Online Magazine. March's Theme: "Reflection"
Volume 5 Issue 3 ISSN# 1708-3265

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Illuminations Aleesha Stephenson About the Cover Agnes Bataclan The Bookshop Chapter Seven Jennifer Kusz After a Snow Storm: A Reflection Alegria Imperial We All Need Nature David Suzuki PhD Chasing Life Dj Brown Trataka and Brahmari Aisah 5 Strategies to Escape Overwhelm and Transform your Life Vicky White Reflecting on Transitions Within Transitions Rev. Cheryl Jewett Swimming a Witch Marlene Buffa Reflections in a Pair of Shoes Michael Levy The Envelope Please… An Interview with Melissa Gilbert Aleesha Stephenson Page of Tarot Ginny Hunt Wyrd Lynx John Sacelli Lifetalks Dawn Baumann Brunke Being Mindful Janet Alston Jackson Pet-sense Jean Hofve DVM Walk Your Talk Aleesha Stephenson Life in the Raw Melissa Gilbert Meditate a Moment Featuring: Aleesha Stephenson Dragonology Ernest Drake ECOlogical Calendar Chris Hardman Meditation for Beginners Stephanie Clement, Ph.D. How To Uncover Your Past Lives Ted Andrews Courageous Souls Robert Schwartz

Reflections of what was. Reflections of the past. In the Voyageur Tarot the card of reflections shows an image of a snow-covered mountain scene… as our past is frozen in time. It doesn't change. It's constant.

There is nothing we can do to change our past… or can we? Can we change the past? Can we alter what has taken place, the harms we have felt, caused, witnessed?

Obviously without a time machine we can't literally alter the past but we can choose to heal it, forgive it and move forward with our lives. This is what I've done in my life. I don't look to the past for excuses. I don't look to the past to blame or condemn… instead I respect and honour my past as it is what brought me to who I am today. Good and bad experiences, joy-filled and painful, they all play a role in who we are.

When I feel guilt over something from my past, I try to remember that I did my best with what I had. Yes I may do it differently today, if posed with the same choices or situations… but that point is moot… I wasn't the person I am today back then.

Recently my eldest daughter came to me, regretting some of her past. Wishing, I suppose, she could make it different; adding feelings of blame and resentment into the mix, she was in pain. I explained to her that life is about living. No need to dwell on what has transpired, instead take this moment, right now, today and transform your life into what you want it to become! If you want to take a class, do it now! Make new friends, eat differently, work at a new career… an abundance of choices sit before us within every moment of every day. If you want to change your life then change it. Take the proverbial bull by the horns and create your reality! After all, we don't stop learning when we turn 17 and leave school, LIFE is our school! Learning (for this lifetime) begins at birth and ends at our death. There are no breaks, no time-outs as even in our seeming stagnation there is learning happening.

Isn't that how most of us are? We feel stuck within our lives, stuck within situations which feel beyond our control… and instead of viewing our life with acceptance and joy; looking for a new path from a place of bliss, we get caught up in our misery. We need to do what we can with what we have in the moment and make the most out of a possibly bad or difficult situation. Same holds true for joy-filled happy situations… we do our utmost to make them the best memories, the best decisions we can.

Life isn't about regretting, blaming or judging the past - rather it's about embracing it, cherishing it - taking the lessons and making a tall cold pitcher of lemonade and happily sharing it with those we love. Because, in my experience sharing our joys, triumphs and lessons with our loved-ones is what it's all about.

I want to take this moment to thank my Mom for all she has done for me. All she has taught me, every moment she has shared with me and all the choices she has made. I may not understand them all… but I honour them and I honour her.

I also want to take a moment to remind my beautiful daughter that her Mummie loves her and is here for her always, in all ways. Regardless of her choices, regardless of her decisions… and that will never change!

Oh and one more thing… none of us get to "have it all". There's always something more we could have (or something we'd like to get rid of). So please remember that and instead of focusing on having it all, focus on enjoying what is as it's really so much better than "it all" in the long run!

Aleesha Stephenson is the Publisher, Editor, Graphic and Web Designer as well as a Regular Columnist for Timeless Spirit Magazine.

A Raw-Vegan, Reiki Master Teacher, who lives her Buddhist, Shamanic, with many eclectic Pagan beliefs, she home-schools two of her three spiritually enlightened children as her eldest has graduated and moved on to the school of life. Friend (and mother) to them all, she is also a life-partner to her husband David. Her life truly is filled with light.

Author of the "Pathways Series," a series of workbooks created for 28 consecutive nights of spellwork for Magi's Magick Spells. Aleesha teaches classes in Tarot, Meditation and Reiki. For more information, please contact Aleesha via email, visit her personal web page or her blog - Aleesha's Raw Life - the journey of her new Raw Vegan experience and continued weight release and health increase!

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