Akhila E K’s Post

Good afternoon. Today’s post features a phrase by our Prof. Natalie DeSorbo: Phrase of the Week: “in bloom” During spring, many beautiful flowers are in bloom. What flowers are currently in bloom around you? Comment below!

The Water listens, the Fire speaks... the wind carries our words and the Earth heart-beat booms under our feet.. Welcome to a place where you Transform Your Life with the re-membering of a world of non-separation, a place where we are all connected. Learn to engage with life and rituals in a sacred manner, and make sense of your experiences. Become part of a community that values ancient wisdom in a contemporary context.. Discover the #MetsaSeries: a journey into the depths of #psychedelicrituals, #plantmedicines, and #ancientpractices. Let's explore these sacred spaces together.

Your mind is beautiful. Beautiful like a flower. Flowers are made to grow. They go down before they go up. They make sure they have a solid foundation before trying to build. If they fall, they have a strong base to return to. Then, they can try again. Sometimes, the weather changes… Flowers can move with the Sun. They can adapt to slight variations in conditions. They have to keep changing to survive. Our minds are very similar. They have to keep acknowledging change. They have to keep analysing conditions. They have to keep adapting approaches. If a flower stood still, it would not grow so well. But it can alter its course and so grow to amazing heights. Novelty nourishes us like light does the flower. New perspectives. New information. New ideas. We have to pivot. In light of novelty, we have to choose to grow. In full bloom, we achieve full beauty. Full bloom requires constant growth. Seek novelty today. Grow tomorrow. As long as you are growing, you are beautiful.

✨🧐❓✨ Did you know that the red poppy symbolizes both remembrance and hope for a peaceful future? For many, the poppy's significance as a symbol of remembrance stems from its prevalence in the landscapes of the First World War, where the flowers would often emerge on battlefields in the wake of conflict, spurred by the disturbed soil. Poppies hold deep cultural significance as symbols of remembrance across various cultures and contexts. Throughout history, poppies have symbolized a myriad of concepts, including sleep, death, peace, and rebirth. In Greek mythology, they were revered as sacred symbols associated with goddesses and characters such as Demeter, Hypnos, Nix, and Thanatos. Their association with sleep is famously depicted in "The Wizard of Oz," where Dorothy and her companions succumb to slumber in a field of poppies. In Egyptian culture, poppies are linked to Osiris, the god of death and agriculture. Poppies are also seen as representing "loyalty and faith between lovers" in Chinese folklore. This is part of my "Flowers around the World" series, where I illustrate flowers and delve into their stories and cultural significance. Which flower would you like to explore next? 🌸💐🌺🌷🌻🌼 #art #culture #meaning #flower #creation #illustration #design #illustrator #creativity #nature #digital #symbol #symbols #poppy #plant #symbolism

In today’s intense and busy world, it is very important to have special places where we can recharge, come back into balance, and even heal. While we may find this in nature, we can also create sacred space with a shamanic altar or shrine. Check out my blog post to learn how to create a shamanic altar or mesa: https://wix.to/q1uqMnS

The Elephant in the Dark Room In a distant village, people had heard that a strange creature called an elephant had been brought into town. None of the villagers had ever seen an elephant, and their curiosity led them to the home where it was being kept. But because it was nighttime, and there was no light in the room where the elephant was, they had to rely on their sense of touch to learn what it was like. Each villager entered the dark room and touched the elephant from different angles. One man touched the trunk and confidently declared, "The elephant is like a thick snake!" Another, feeling its leg, disagreed, saying, "No, it's like a solid pillar or tree." A third, having touched the elephant’s ear, thought it was like a large fan. And yet another, who grasped the elephant's tail, described it as a rope. Each man believed he had the correct understanding of the elephant, but they argued endlessly, unable to agree on what it truly was. They all clung to their limited perceptions. Rumi explains that this is how people approach the truth in life. Each person perceives a part of the whole, but their understanding is partial and subjective. They only grasp a fragment of reality and often mistake it for the entirety. The light of truth is hidden from them, much like the dark room hid the elephant. Rumi says that without divine light or a higher level of perception, we cannot fully understand the nature of truth. Only when the "lamp" is brought into the room will people see the elephant in its entirety and realize they were all both right and wrong at the same time The Meaning I found: In this story, the elephant represents truth, and the dark room symbolizes our limited human understanding. Each of us can only grasp a small piece of reality based on our own experiences, but Rumi believes that true understanding can only be achieved through spiritual illumination or divine wisdom. Until we transcend our narrow perceptions, we are like the villagers, unable to comprehend the whole truth. #_Rumi #_knowledge #deep_insights

Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and in thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world. —Lao Tsu “How can we return to what is essential? How can we remember what really matters, what gives meaning and substance to our daily lives? How can we return to a simplicity of life that honors the simplicity of our essential nature, that gives space for the sacred? We have to regain an essential simplicity, return to what we need rather than what we think we want. Only then can we begin to hear the music of life, be attentive to the inner and outer need of the Earth. Only then can we become alive with what is sacred and true.” —Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee and Hilary Hart on simplicity. Adapted from Spiritual Ecology: 10 Practices to Reawaken the Sacred in Everyday Life.

In a recent conversation with Mitch Gray, I talked about my hiking as being a “sacred” space for me. Link in the comments. Mitch and I will continue to delve into the conversation on developing sacred spaces as part of your life’s journey. For now, I want to clarify the idea of a sacred space. A quick google response tells me that sacred is . . . connected with God (or the gods) or dedicated to a religious purpose and so deserving veneration. Veneration is having . . . great respect; reverence. When talking about having a sacred space to be you in your fullness, these definitions do not help. Sacred, in the context of exploring the best version of yourself, or your “higher self”, really embraces a few things: 1.     Safety – a place where you know you can be yourself without judgment. 2.     Creativity – a place where you can express your gifts & talents. 3.     Exploration – a place to try new things. 4.     Separation – a place that is removed from distractions. This is a start. What is your definition of a sacred space – a place for you to be, meditate, and become who you want to become? 

In the profound tapestry of existence, woven with the myriad threads of experiences, actions, and encounters, there lies a simple yet profound truth: all we are is the result of all we have thought. This notion, echoing the timeless wisdom of sages and philosophers across ages, invites us to recognize the immense power residing in our thoughts. Like sculptors chiseling away at blocks of marble, our thoughts shape us, meticulously crafting the contours of our beings, molding our realities from the raw materials of our dreams, fears, aspirations, and beliefs. Imagine your mind as a garden, and your thoughts as the seeds sown within its fertile soil. Just as the gardener chooses which seeds to plant, tending to them with care, so too must we nurture our thoughts, cultivating those that uplift and empower, while weeding out those that diminish and constrain. For it is in this inner sanctum, this private nursery of the soul, that the flowers of peace, strength, and joy are grown. Our thoughts are not fleeting, inconsequential wisps of consciousness but the arkchitects of our destiny. They are the creators of our joy and the harbingers of our sorrow. To realize this is to unlock the potential for transformation, for by changing our thoughts, we change our selves, and in changing ourselves, we change our world. It is a journey of a thousand steps, beginning with a single thought. Therefore, let us be mindful gardeners of our mental landscapes, choosing thoughts that build rather than destroy, that heal rather than wound. Let us sow seeds of love, hope, and gratitude, and watch as our lives blossom into expressions of our highest potential. For in the end, we are but mirrors reflecting the light of our own thoughts into the universe. Let that light be bright, clear, and beautiful.

The timeless image of a spirited baby deer under the watchful eye of her mother encapsulates the essence of life's beauty with unparalleled grace. Across cultures and disciplines, from fairytales to philosophical treatises to cinematic masterpieces, attempts have been made to capture this profound beauty. Yet, amidst the complexities and challenges of the modern world, it often feels as though we stray far from this essence. In our pursuit of peace and prosperity, it is imperative that we draw ourselves closer to the boundless love and purity exemplified in moments like these. Before the advent of modern communication technologies, our ancestors relied on nature's signs and rhythms to navigate life's decisions. Perhaps in our rush towards progress, we have lost touch with the wisdom inherent in these ancient practices. Reconnecting with nature's guidance and embracing the simplicity and harmony it offers can serve as a beacon of hope and wisdom in our increasingly chaotic world. Let us strive to honor the timeless lessons of the natural world and rediscover the profound beauty and wisdom that surrounds us. #BeautyOfNature #WisdomOfNature #Harmony #Simplicity #AncientWisdom Hopefully you enjoy my posts and will follow me on LinkedIn. Ajay Singhal