:: Aham Prema ::

Goodbye summer.  Thanks for the wonderful times!   Friday, September 23rd marks the beginning of the fall season, with the autumnal equinox. The equinox  has been celebrated since ancient times as having great significance.   On this day, the length of day and night are exactly equal.    Nights will become longer as autumn passes.   The essence of each season is a reflection of what is going on with us.  Read these keywords and see if you can see similarities to the cycles you are personally going through. As summer transitions into fall, p lants are supple with life. The fruits of our labor are now ripe for the picking.  Family gathers, giving thanks for the season's harvest.  Refreshing cool breezes return.  Leaves fall as mother nature clears off her branches.   This season involves a lot of activity and visible transitions. Autumn is the season of culmination, celebration, and space. If you've been dilige...

Summer: Season for Birthing Ideas &  Nurturing Them. Summer is the season of light. Plants blossom all around. It’s warm, vivid, and bright.  The days are long. We feel more alive than ever. Play comes naturally. We find ourselves outside more.   The beauty of the summer season provokes fun, exploration, and vacation. Walks, bike rides, milkshakes, and ice cream come to mind.   What does summer feel like for you? In the yearly cycle , the potential that we dug up during winter and planted in spring is now coming into fruition and growing. During summer we tend to the nourishment of our projects.  Some of the seeds you planted are already showing in recognizable form while others are just about to sprout through the soil. Nurture and develop them for the harvest in fall when you will see the supple fruits of your labor ripening. There are several ways to make the most of summer and thrive off the enjoyment of it’s most beautiful ch...

Beginning. Planting Seeds. This Sunday spring officially begins!  It's my personal favorite change of the year in which the flowers bloom and the weather warms up. Spring marks the beginning of the annual cycle of life. Many ancient systems such as the astrological, Egyptian, and Persian calendars celebrate their new year on the vernal equinox⎯the first day of spring. Held in the cold Earth during winter, seeds and bulbs have undergone changes invisible to our eyes. Bulbs that contain flowers such as daffodils are now blossoming. Nature reflects what is happening within us.  As spring time blossoms, many great achievements are born from a small, dark space. All of the information that you collected during winter is now ready to be utilized and grow. As spring begins, Earth wakes up from hibernation, anew. The land covers with green vegetation and fresh life is everywhere. On the equinox, day and night are closest to being equal in length. Over the season, th...

Welcome to spring!  It kicks off Sunday with the official equinox. And Spring arose on the garden fair,  Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere; And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast  rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.  ~ Percy Bysshe Shelley Right now is the best time to connect with the clarity you have learned from the dark winter while it's fresh.  The long cold season has left Earth bare and the rain has washed it clean. The changes of the seasons are reflected in ourselves as well.  By making the most of this opportune time, we gain a clearer perspective before planting, fertilizing, and nurturing our seeds for this new  yearly cycle .  Using this process consciously can make significant shifts in what you harvest in fall for this year. Exercises for Exploration and Growth Sunday : Be aware of what instincts and desires you have all day. Take note of what arises.  Just simply note feelings and as ...

The winter season officially begins with the solstice - which falls on Monday, December 21st 2009 at 3:38PM Pacific time this year.   The sun is up for the shortest time of the year on this day , making it our longest night of the year.  It marks a shift of seasons - from autumn to winter. The actual date changes each year, always falling between December 20 th and 23 rd in the Northern Hemisphere.  THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE The winter solstice has been widely celebrated since ancient times.  Actually considered Midwinter in many older calendar systems, or the middle of winter rather than the beginning,  this is the day that the sun is the farthest away from us that it will be all year.  It marks a key turning point - when the days begin to get longer again.  Its the midpoint of darkness in the annual cycle .  On this day we begin our journey out of the midst of the shadow and on to the other side.  Many of the anci...

Ready for a Fresh Start for the New Year? I am! I feel very excited. It feels like the right time to let go of things that I no longer need or prefer to have in my life anymore and to stand up to new levels of growth and experience. This week, I felt tuned inward, like I've been tending to some inner work and resting, in preparation for a great start in the New Year. As it gets closer, I am more enthusiastic about it. I feel very ready for moving forward. Exercises to Renew Your Experience and Start Your Year Off Brand New Ring in the New Year by celebrating your experience, growth, and love. Do something that is very fun for *you*. Spruce up your desk area with creative objects such as a new set of colorful pens, an array of sticky notes, a rubber band ball, new pictures, etc. Organizing and cleaning always helps to tidy us up on a deeper level too. Change your internet home page (the website screen you always start on) to something that inspires you. Find one that...

Summertime reminds me of beach days, timelessness, family, friends, and fun. It’s always been my favorite time of year. What I treasure most about it is the essence of it. Beyond the details of plans, to do’s, and work, remains the grand feeling of this season. What stands out most are the long days, afternoon walks, and family gatherings. Now that I’m older it’s easy to get caught up in “shoulds”. I could busy myself with them for a lifetime or more. I can think of plenty of tasks that will help me farther my goals, bring in some dough, or get things off my plate. And it feels wonderful to accomplish them. However, looking in the eyes of my beautiful children, I’m reminded of what truly matters most. A simple family game or a walk under the stars – the time shared together is what these young hearts hold dearest. And thank God for their welcome reminders. Tuning into their natural state, I can feel so much wisdom: Slow down from time to time Enjoy those aro...