Lifestyle Enchantments

When someone is suffering in the pits of addiction or mental illness, it is somewhat impossible to catch even the slightest glimmer of hope or second of a dream.           Anything to grasp hold of a future worth having and striving for. It's difficult to think of ourselves living our best life while dark, tormenting thoughts and emotions are attacking from every angle.   It is important to reach out if you are hurting so badly you cannot trust yourself or your actions. Asking for help may be necessary at times to protect yourself and your family. Magic and shadow work can't always provide the healing you may need from mental health professionals. Know your limit. Shadow works : What troubles you most? What are you afraid of? Are you able to take care of yourself? If not, why? Who can help you? Where can you go if you need help? What is your current plan for when life becomes unmanageable for you? Does it work? Free Darkness ...

          An affliction that does not discriminate, addiction can take many forms, and can even be disguised as what we often think of as our “healthier” habits. Based on my personal experiences, I don’t believe there is any room in one’s wellness plan for something that has control over them or holds power in their life.  That coffee may help you get going in the morning, but downing your 5th cup by noon, loading each one with sugar and sweet creamers, isn’t helping your body achieve anything beneficial. How about a good exercise routine, running a few times a week to get your heart rate up and stay toned. Sure, as long as you are not killing yourself on extreme regimens and surviving on protein bars; ignoring the fact your body is malnourished, not sexy. Even that seemingly blissful relationship can turn toxic, if you find yourself obsessing over that person more than the amount of time you actually spend together. Any habit or routine,...

  Wherever you seek your answer, this is the wrong question to ask yourself. We are not individually selected to endure specific trials and tribulations set forth on a concrete path one must directly follow to their fated destiny. I do believe every being on this planet is a unique individual, capable of skill sets, gifts, or talents pertaining to their personality that may or may not be bestowed to others, but we are all one life energy. Religions and spiritual practices around the world often agree on this “oneness” of the individual soul and the spirit of a divine source. I also happen to believe that we all have a journey to take, but whether or not it is successful for your desires, is based on the choices you exercise with free will, and what you hold to be true of yourself and your future. The progressive question you should be asking is, " who am I"? The answer being found in the spiritual connection you have with your existence. Regardless of individual ...

        We all have heard routines are healthy, but they can also become tedious if not balanced properly. I am a stay-at-home mom, and often experience boredom and dissatisfaction toward my daily routine. Feelings of dread and anxiety for the mundane tasks of the day can cast a gray cloud over me quicker than the day began.           A stagnant lifestyle or lack of direction can flood your mind’s eye with visions of hopelessness. I often feel like I don't contribute any means of support for my family. Even when wearing my super mom cape, I can shut down and become lost behind a fog of self-pity and defeat. This often leaves me feeling useless to my children; that I may be bringing more strife to their adult selves than I am nurturing the delicate beings they are now. In this state one cannot see the future moments waiting and the opportunities that will lead there.          F or me, every day is a...

          Holistic health care can be extremely powerful… if you believe it is. The mind's ability to heal the human body has been tested and proven highly effective in many studies. The “Placebo effect”, has been proven in many studies over the years to show the human mind can manifest healing through sincere belief and “knowing” they are being healed.            The disconnect that comes with not being “normal” in some way or accepted as a social normalcy, are the triggers that lead us looking for answers in more unconventional places. Coming to believe that my soul is certainly from a different plane of existence than the one I am currently in, I think the nature of who we are individually is cosmically determined. I believe this to be so figuratively and literally. Mindful Minute: If you are currently on medication and it is working for you, are you interested in other natural approaches to physical and men...

               For me, every day is a struggle to be a kind, wise, nurturing mother, and keep my emotional instability under control. I am always fighting off an outburst and trying to prevent myself from inflicting any emotional hurt to my children, while maintaining a healthy and safe environment for them. I do not currently see any practitioners for my mental health or take any medications. I have found my own spiritual practices and self-care routines that reflect my values and embody my beliefs. This has empowered me to use what society has deemed mental illness and disease, to learn I am on a journey of self-discovery, universal studies, and holistic wellness. I am certainly not a doctor or specialist of any kind, nor do I claim to be. Although, I have participated in my fair share of experiences and “treatments” with different therapists, counselors, and psychiatrists in all of whom I concluded to be ill-prepared for someon...

My recovery has been an ongoing process since I was 16 years old. I have been on and off again in my sobriety for 12 years. I was in denial about a lot of things in my life and couldn’t see what I was doing to my body, my family, and my mental well-being. In the later stages of my use, I walked around at an average weight of 83lbs. and my muscular structure was pretty much deteriorating off my bones. Regardless of blatantly knowing I was steadily killing myself; I was still getting up every day and walking a mile to the liquor store, drinking all day, eating nothing, and believing I was okay. I was also objectifying myself to multiple, undeserving sexual partners. Most of the time I had been too intoxicated to remember the encounters, or whether or not I had protected myself from these previously mentioned undesirables. I put not only myself at risk, but also my significant other with my infidelity and promiscuity. I was naïve to the danger I lived in and had lost all respe...