A Spiritually Enlightening Online Magazine. May's Theme: "Balance"
Volume 4 Issue 4 ISSN# 1708-3265

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Illuminations Aleesha Stephenson About the Cover Jennifer Danner Striking a Balance Local Actions Have Global Consequences David Suzuki PhD Financial Alchemy: Changing Your Relationship with Money Morgana Rae, CPCC, MRC, MPNLP A Balance between the Material and Spiritual Worlds Douglas De Long Awake, Aware, and Weddy Rev. Cheryl Jewett Four-fold Balance Toria Betson Magic Hour Dj Brown Overcoming Our Blockages to Healing Aleesha Stephenson Tarot Visualization Emma Sunerton-Burl Being Mindful Janet Alston Jackson Technically Tarot Jeannette Roth Pet-sense Jean Hofve DVM Walk Your Talk Aleesha Stephenson Wyrd Lynx John Sacelli Lifetalks Dawn Baumann Brunke Meditate a Moment Featuring: Aleesha Stephenson Beyond the Indigo Children The New Children and the Coming of the Fifth World P.M.H. ATAWATER, L.H.D The Myths and Gods of India Allain Danielou Chi Self-Massage The Taoist Way of Rejuvenation Mantak Chia The Egyptian Oracle Maya Heath

Finding our balance during times of stress and frustration can be very difficult. It is during these times that we find we need our spiritual centre, our balance the most; and yet it is often the most difficult time to actually find it.

Recently I've gone through some stressful times. Events which seemed beyond my control were coming at me from all angles. Every time I thought I was standing up again, my feet got knocked out from under me again. How can I find my centre when I'm laying flat on my back on the floor - dazed and confused as to how I came to be on the floor in the first place?

First… take a deep breath, light a candle to assist your focus and then take another breath. Often we forget to breathe when we are dealing with stressful situations. So… focusing on your breath will assist you to breathe and (the added bonus) focusing on your breath assists you to calm and relax yourself. So, this really is a good starting point! Personally I find lighting a candle very grounding and centreing.

Next, it's important to remember you have a role in all of this drama. You may be playing centre stage or even just a small supporting role but regardless, you do have a role. If you are the main character, remembering you are creating this situation and looking at the reasons why you are doing so is very helpful to learn the 'lesson' in it all. Once you figure out the lesson, you can lessen the stress by taking responsibility and focusing on learning it!

If however, this isn't your 'play' and you are merely an addition to the cast of characters then this is a good time to look at your part. Are you essential to this drama or can you quietly step out and leave this in the capable hands of the director? Sometimes when we are simply a supporting character in a situation we get too wrapped up in the entire situation as if we are the lead role, taking the lesson from the lead character and making it our own. This is really unfair to the person whose lesson it is to learn, as they are now missing out on the experience and will, undoubtedly have to do this all over again in the future until they finally learn it for themselves. So do them (and yourself) a favour and stay out of the way. Sometimes the best support you can give someone is to step aside.

So, now you're breathing, have a candle lit and you've identified your role in the drama. The next step is to let go of the martyrdom, pick yourself up and dust yourself off. Laying on the floor moaning about how it isn't fair and you didn't deserve all of this (insert drama here) won't get you very far although this part of the experience is important. We have to spend some time moaning and complaining after all. It's human nature. Let it out, let it go and get ready to get on with it. The martyr part of your experience can be short or looooong-and-drawn-out it's up to you but, in my experience, the shorter this part is, the faster the outcome is sitting on your doorstep ready to come in.

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

A 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 or visit her personal web page.

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Any advice given is for informational purposes only.