Hands and Life Connection

Hands and Life Connection

by | Energetics, Life Reflections

While cleaning up the Spring gardens, I became acutely aware of the look, feel and strength of my hands.  I suppose when one is crawling under and over things to get those last few weeds, then dumping and spreading 18 bags of manure, compost and soil to bump up the gardens, it becomes crystal clear that none of this could be done without working hands.  And as is my habit, once I get a revealing thought, I take it an extra mile!

Hands.  In Chakra energy theory, the hands are an extension of the Heart Chakra.  They will either push away or pull towards using the energy of the Heart.  The hands have their own chakras – the palms of our hands are powerful transmitters of Heart Chakra loving energy. Think of hugs, caresses and any activity that brings you joy. Those same hand chakras in an unbalanced state may shut down and refuse to send out loving energy.  Think of slaps, fists and anything that brings you grief, anger or hate.

In her book, A Gift for Healing, Deborah Cowens writes:

“The hands are themselves great works of art.  They possess beauty, power and utility.  In the hands, raw strength, miraculous precision and musical dexterity become one.  The hands can build bridges, sculpt stone, type, tie flies and perform surgery.  All the power of our minds, hearts and souls are concentrated in our hands, which is why they are capable of reshaping the world.  Who can deny that they possess a unique and even awesome power?  That power flows from your hands and you can use it to heal.”

Hands help us learn about our world, participate in our world, connect with that which offers us pleasure, joy, pain, sorrow and more.  Create, destroy, nurture, ignore, discover or retreat – hands help us do all this and much more.  Young hands in search of new adventures. Older hands understanding how it all comes together.  A place for everyone and every hand.

It is quite common to hear of people having issues with arthritis in their hands. Arthritis is an inflammatory process with stiffness of the joints which can, over time, create permanent damage.  It can also be a result of the wear and tear of everyday life on specific joints in the body that eventually wear out. There are many types of arthritis – some are easier to manage than others.  In mind-body connection theory, arthritis is connected with our innermost feelings about the movement we are taking, what we are doing within that movement or the direction we are going in.  According to Debbie Shapiro in her book, The Bodymind Workbook, she describes arthritis in more detail:

“There may be a sensation of the energy pulling back from moving forward, maybe out of fear of the movement or because we would really rather be doing something or going somewhere different.  This state also indicates self-criticism (stiffness), lack of self-worth, fear, anger (inflammation) and bitterness (pain).  There can be a sense of being tied down, restricted, restrained and confined.  There can be also a developing inability to bend, to be mentally flexible or to be able to surrender. This can reflect a lack of self-trust as well as a hardening attitude toward life.  These feelings are usually about ourselves but rather than being acknowledged inwardly, they are usually projected outwardly towards others.”

If our hands are expressions of Heart Chakra energy and connections to our world, then the arthritic condition may be indicating our true inner wish for a different direction or different situation to help us feel more joyful in this world.  The longer we deny our true feelings and wishes, the more prevalent the arthritis can become.  What would it take to decide that our own feelings and dreams deserve to be heard and respected?  What would it take to surrender into our own inner sanctum – our inner heart – for self love and acceptance?  Or surrender into the arms of the Divine to just be and know that we are Enough?  Answer these questions and you open up opportunities for growth, love and joy.  Always your choice and under your control.

In the book, Earth Prayers from Around the World, Dianne Neu wrote a poem/prayer entitled, “Blessed Be the Work of Your Hands”. It is a fitting ending.

Blessed be the work of your hands, O Holy One
Blessed be the hands that have touched life
Blessed be the hands that have nurtured and created
Blessed be the hands that have held pain
Blessed be the hands that have embraced with passion
Blessed be the hands that have tended gardens
Blessed be the hands that have closed in anger
Blessed be the hands that have planted new seeds
Blessed be the hands that have harvested ripe fields
Blessed be the hands that have cleaned, washed, mopped and scrubbed
Blessed be the hands that have become knotty with age
Blessed be the hands that have wrinkled and scarred from doing justice
Blessed be the hands that have reached out and been received
Blessed be the hands that have held the promise of the future
Blessed be the work of your hands, O Holy One.

Embracing the Promise of Spring

Embracing the Promise of Spring

by | Life Reflections, Psycho-Spiritual

From our earliest days, Springtime has meant renewal, rebirth and new beginnings.  Look to Nature for proof of the ever-present cycle of birth, death and rebirth in our world. It’s in our gardens, forests and fields.  It’s in the flora, fauna and fish.  And it has been in the human psyche from times “long ago and far away”.  Shaking off the weight and weariness of winter isolation and hibernation, we “spring” into a more open way of being and doing in Springtime.

All rituals connected to clearing out the old and unneeded in order to make room for something new and exciting, come from this core knowing.  We do our Spring Cleaning as a way to say good-bye to the old and hello to the new.  Houses, yards, vehicles, offices and any other space that we have can get a lift from this. Reorganize, redecorate, renovate, revise – just move and transform that old energy out and about! And when we are finished, the new space feels fantastic! New potential gets infused into the final product. New ideas, dreams and actions can spring forth from this new place. And within us, a sense of satisfaction feels good.  If our outer world can be energized and expanded by Springtime energy and actions, what could our inner world do with all this?

Winter is seen as a time of the inner journey – a time to reflect and review our truths, our failings and our dreams for ourselves. Inner reflection takes time and energy;  we need to be still in order to hear our inner voice. Winter offers us the gift of stillness, should we wish it.  But with the stirrings of Springtime, we have an opportunity to use the information gleaned from our quiet time to help us shape our life path, present and future.  If something needs changing or fixing, fix it!  If something needs a new approach or attitude, embrace it!  If we don’t know something, get the info needed!  If a relationship needs to change, then change it!  Bring what was learned or dreamed out from the inner journey and into the real world. Springtime brings forth a burst of new energy, potential and life – maybe this is something you need in your life, too.

Perhaps you know someone who describes all sorts of wonderful things that they plan to do, or wonderful changes they plan to make for themselves yet these never come to fruition.  Many folks believe that all you have to do is think about these wonderful things and they will somehow appear. (Please note: this is not the same as using the Law of Attraction where thoughts can truly manifest; there is much more to the LOA process).  And when nothing manifests for them, these folks have many reasons for the “no-show”. Perhaps on some level these folks believe that they do not deserve such improvement in their lives. Perhaps there is a deep sabotaging pattern that blocks anything positive from entering their world. Maybe being a victim is more comfortable to them. Or maybe being a dreamer is safer and less trouble to them than being responsible for actually taking action and creating the reality. The point is that having the idea is not the same as putting the idea into action. There is a saying, “Walk your Talk.”  In a nutshell, that is what Springtime can do for us.

The energy of Springtime is one of creativity, expansion and blossoming.  The potential to create something beautiful is everywhere.  Using Springtime as a metaphor for personal development helps us to remember how magnificent we really are. With the proper conditions – food, water, sunshine, soil and a knowing that there is more to living – a seed bursts through the ground and transforms from a seed, to a seedling, to a growing plant and finally to its full magnificence. We, too, can create a newer way of being for ourselves and our world. Just start with a seed (the thought/idea/dream) and nurture it to fruition.  Nurturing can take many forms, but essentially anything or anyone that helps us to shine our True Essence in the world and encourages us to be Happy, is nurturing.

As is true with most things, we must nurture ourselves first before we can expect others to nurture us. If we can’t (or won’t) give ourselves what we need to show the world our true nature and be happy with ourselves and others, then why should anyone else bother?  It is a case of positive self-worth and self-esteem that helps us to give and receive in a balanced way. When we are in balance with the rhythm of life, there is no limit to the way we can manifest. Follow Springtime’s lead and you will see yourself blossom and grow..

DID YOU KNOW …..

  • The month of March is named after Mars, the god of war.
  • In the Julian calendar, March 25th was considered New Year’s Day, as it was the date when annual leases for homes and farms were signed. When the Gregorian calendar was instituted, New Year’s Day was moved to January 1st.
  • Spring Equinox occurs in March – it is when day and night are of equal hours, hence the name Equinox.
  • March’s messages:  To grow, To prosper, To explore
  • Traditional spells for this month include those for money and personal growth