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A Spiritually Enlightening Online Magazine. May's Theme: "Being Present"
Volume 7 Issue 4 ISSN# 1708-3265

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 		Walk Your Talk
with Aleesha Stephenson

I was lying in bed last night and I had the best idea for this column. Of course now, in the light of day it is long forgotten. So I'll have to start with a new idea. A fresh one. One which will hopefully inspire us both and assist us to move ourselves forward - all the while keeping us present in this moment. Yup… this one. No, not that one 'cause it's passed now… but this one.

This is one of the things I had a problem with when I first began my journey into the principles of Reiki over twenty years ago. The precepts ask us to stay in the moment. To not worry about the future or anger over the past - to instead stay connected to the now. My difficulty was in knowing just when now is. Is it this exact second or micro-second? Does this hour count as now? Is it all day today? Does this week count? When does past, present and future separate?

Over the years of working my way through the different degrees of Reiki and eventually holding the Teacher (fourth degree) energy I learned that different situations give their own interpretation to the term now.

I find that if I can attach the emotion of anger to the situation with a sense that I've heard this story run through my head already… then chances are it is no longer 'now'. Most likely I'm pondering over the something that's already taken place and it's running over and over again through my mind. I may be trying to work it out, or I may be grumbling over the situation… complaining about it and how I wish it were different… but it certainly isn't now.

Of course worry is easier. If it hasn't happened yet, we worry. If it hasn't happened yet… it most certainly is not now! Most energy we spend on worry is wasted energy because how much in this life have you worried over and it hasn't even come to fruition? Wow, that's a whole lot of wasted energy!

I find the best way for me to deal with things is to get some equanimity. Rise above the situation and look at it from a distance. The only way to do this is to separate yourself from the emotions. For me, the best way to achieve distance is to assist my mind to unfocus and relax.

My mom used to joke with me - saying it was time for me to have some retail therapy. She noticed that when I was upset about things, if I went shopping I'd come home with a new outlook. I find that walking to the market really helps as well. Exercise is a great way to achieve equanimity.

Another favourite way of mine is to have a nice warm bath with some salts and aromatherapy. After relaxing my muscles in the water, I get into my infra-red sauna and meditate for an hour. Even 30 minutes can bring about some release but I seldom go into the sauna for less time than that and honestly, when I don't give an abundance of time to this, I don't get to the same place emotionally. You can't rush this… kinda like a marathon, you can't skip a few kilometres. You have to run the whole race!

We have to prepare for the future and learn from the past but in most cases - we don't need to live there. A little time given to reflection and planning is different than worry and anger! May you find your peace in this moment (or was it this one? Nooooooo it was this one… )

namaste' Aleesha


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

A Raw Foodist, 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. She is also a Raw Food and Fasting Coach. For more information, please contact Aleesha via email or visit her personal web page.

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