Spiritual Sex Part III: SEX MAGIC(K)

Light Beams! Happy 2021! If you are reading this, you made it! WE made it to this exact moment and that’s hella celebration worthy! I would love to skip this awkward intro - me explaining cliche reasons why I haven’t finished part III of the Spiritual Sex blog trilogy but I can’ttttttt! (If you haven’t read Part I and Part II, or need a refresher, read them first for context linked here.)  I apologize that it’s taken me eons to share this. Honestly no reason other than I fell off! Whew *ownership*. I am always surprised that this is my most frequented blog to date out of all the things I have shared and I am honored that ya’ll have been still shooting your shot requesting part III 2 years later. So boom, we are here: Sex Magic(k)!

Before I get too deep, let me just sit this right here. Sex Magic can be both a partnered experience and a powerful self-loving practice (so keep reading happily self-loving and singles). Sex Magic is a practice using the power of sexual (life force) energy to manifest your desires and wield change in your world. In Cosmo’s language, “it is a manifestation practice that amplifies our intentions with the energetic power of an ORGASM”. Say what?!

If you are currently in your head thinking *is this even a thing?* Why yes! It’s definitely a thing and you don’t have to be a bruja to take full advantage of your sacred powers. In fact, after reading this, you just might high key add Sex Magic to your Things-to-do 2021 list! If you read the title and landed here for kicks and giggles because click bait, you still might want to grab some note taking tools. Preparing screen shot fingers counts too ya’ll!

As a brief recap, in Part I, The Spirituality in Sexuality, we understood that Sexuality is as much a part of our divinity as any other part of us and further, that it’s undeniable power can be a spectacular influence in personal healing and spiritual growth. We learned that our body’s energy centers, both Root and Sacral Chakras play a great role in healthy - balanced sexual expression. SN: Chakras are the energy centers within the body that govern our energy (life force) that makes us feel ALIVE.  

We also learned that our Sacral chakra, located just below our navel, manages sexual energy in whole. In addition, the Sacral chakra is our joy center, where our creative energy is birthed. Why is this important? The powerful sexual energy that resides in the sacral chakra is the SAME energy we use to CREATE dope shxt making orgasmic energy the absolute TRILLEST for manifesting what we want. Word!

So what now? What does that even look like?

Firstly, fall back on feeling like you’ll have to spin 3 times and do back flips because NOT AT ALL. Don’t sweat, it’s fairly easy! Here are a few steps to get you started using Sex Magic as a super power to manifest shxt:

• Step 1: Intention! Set your sights on ONE clear intention or what you would like to bring to life in tangible form. Clear meaning be specific. If you are engaging in partnered sex, it’s helpful to discuss and decide together which can be a really honest and fun thing to do. Agree ahead of time on your intention and desired outcome. It is important to be on the same page, as conflict diminishes manifesting power causing the outcome to be neutral.

• Step 2: Write it down! Cliche? Maybe but if you know anything about manifesting your goals and desires, you know writing it down energizes our desire thoughts and allows them to take form in a tangible way. Get it on paper, in an old fashion, actual pen to paper way. Journal or bullet point. Make it plain for the eyes to see. Be mindful, one objective is worked on at a time - even if you’ve recorded several things you would like to manifest (more orgasms will be required for that, I do not object). If you don’t have time to jot it down, you can still Sex Magic, just skip to step 3.

• Step 3 & 4: Feel it Real! Meditate on it! Generate positive feelings toward your desired outcome and mentally visualize it. It may even be helpful to have a picture or drawing. See it, taste and smell it if you can too! The more energy directed to your intention, the better. 

Step 5: Release! Infuse all of this powerful manifesting energy you’ve created into sex.

Don’t rush. Direct your erotic energy toward your clear intention while you self-pleasure or engage with your partner. Build your sexual energy gradually and when you are ready to release at climax, see your intention clearly as your body releases life force energy through orgasm to amplify it! BOOM, so be it!

Any variation to the the suggested steps is perfection too! There’s no set formula, do what resonates with you. Hopefully you will be feeling like magic after your big energy orgasm or orgasms cause multiples be fire! But now you can relax and observe the universe conspire to make your intention happen. Sex Magic can be a very powerful support tool to manifesting your desires, not to mention a fun and feel good one too! Orgasms?! Like really, say no more! You had me at orgasm, Hello Somebody! You better manifest the shxt out of whatever you want, already!

If reading any of this made or makes you slightly uncomfortable, that’s okay, your sexual expression may be a little jammed up. It sounds like your Root and Sacral Chakra may need a little tender, love and care which is totally no fault of your own. I discuss supportive steps to take to balance and heal sexual expression in Part I. It is my desire that you embrace your sexual expression fully and freely as a part of the divine being that you are. That you are opened to the idea, sex is powerful and can be healing, so long as we are engaging guilt free and making healthy sexual choices that support our bodies and well-being. Repeat this affirmation: your (my) sexuality is powerful and inhabits the same marvelous vessel God created you (me) in!

That’s that! Thank you for sharing this space with me and reading Spiritual Sex Part III. If you gathered any insightful gems from this, please don’t be shy, leave a comment below. Lovingly, if your sexual boldness is still a work in progress, send me a message or email! I’d love to chat, because man I understand programming and trauma are a beast. Whew chile!

I love you light beams immensely! You’re so dope, you know! Also, should I blog more? Asking for myself!

Light,

Shina Sanabria

Full Moon in Libra April 19, 2019 - When SHIPs Hits the Fan!

Greetings light beams! WOAH - I am so excited to be back to share insights about one of my favorite things in the whole wide world, Full Moons! This week, the Pink Moon in Libra will light up the morning sky this Friday, April 19th. Now, before you go getting in my tail for not blogging in two months, if you follow me on SM, you may be aware that February and March were hella busy (and successful, YAY) for Be Light! Be Light Holistic Healing worked every weekend, doing expo’s, collabs with Whole Foods and events for the entire Month of March. So I apologize for being away far too long, but I definitely can’t apologize for making waves in real time. It’s been an amazing year so far and there’s no signs of letting up, AT ALL! And that’s that! lol

So let’s get into this month’s fiery MOON, shall we? April’s Full Moon, as did March 20th’s FM, occurs in the scales and fair is fair sign of Libra, however the energetic pull this moon will have, may not seem so fair after all, creating all the waves of the ocean, rocking all of our relation-SHIPS. Infact, this month’s glowing moon will likely cause stress and uncertainty to surface in our once solid relationships. Talking emotional upheaval!

According to astrology king, the full moon in Libra falls opposite Uranus causing upset and disruption strong enough to create anxiety, tension and confusion amongst relationships. The key to riding the delightful waves created by this energy is flexibility and self-control. Try to analyze before making any impulsive - emotionally driven movements that could create long term negative implications.

This moon may also impact the most important relationship you will ever have, the one with yourself! You may find yourself feeling a lack of love and support, directly impacting how you see and feel about your self-worth. If you are feeling a bit emotionally imbalanced like you are pouring into others and somehow your cup is left empty, you may find yourself seeking temporary satisfaction in fleeting - comfort choices. I.E. food, sweet treats or unhealthy relationships. The only way to quash emotional imbalance is to address the source of the relational deficit. It may be that you aren’t taking great care of yourself or it could be you aren’t creating healthy boundaries with people who steal goodness from you. Before you get bent out of shape and in your emotional bag, see what the root is so it can be quickly and lovingly addressed!

Overall, this month’s full moon may start off feeling a bit tumultuous, however with a little bearings, intuitive listening and taking the time to honor what difficulties come forward to be acknowledged, you will move through it and emerge brighter and shinier! Half the battle, is being aware and now that you are aware, you are prepared for battle! Awareness is the only tool you need to give yourself permission to honor and let go. Plus, you do the moon, don’t let the moon do you! Get IT?!

Are you ready to ride the wave?! LOL! Relax, maybe prepare with a few bottles of vino on deck just in case! But just know “WE GONE BE ALRIGHT!”

Wishing you all the light beams and love!

Xo,
Shina

Matching Energy: Phenomenon or Common Sense?

"Matching Energy" What does it mean? Why it makes absolutely no sense!

The goal isn’t to match negative energy, the goal is to always “choose higher”!

INTENTIONAL in 2019!

Let’s talk about how we can manifest all of our goals and live life as our best most fulfilled selves possible - in the New Year! Here, I discuss my top 3 tools that I use to manifest my goals and five powerful P words that I am taking with me to NY19 to stay focused, motivated and on track to be all that I can be!

I hope this video inspires you to be intentional about creating your reality in 2019! READY, SET, CREATE!

Light & well-being,

Shina

Round II, Full Moon in Gemini December 22, 2018

And we are back for round II, Full Moon in Gemini December! What a mood, I mean a moon to close out 2018 with. If you were here around this time last month, you already know this is the second of back to back full moons occurring in the two faced sign of wonderful Gemini. Not only will December’s full moon blaze our skies on the 22nd, it comes just hours after we winter solstice (the first official day of winter season) our way into the last week and half of 2018. Keep in mind the last time winter solstice aligned with a full moon was in 2010 and it will not occur again until 2094. What a time, to be aligned! Ha!

An interesting thing about this month’s full moon is that it commences in Gemini on Friday but by weekend, we will forge right into cozy Cancer to Netflix and chill + veg out in true Cancerian fashion. This month’s “Long Nights Moon” lends self-care, restoration and self-assessment, but not before speaking our fiery Gemini truths. This mixture yields reflection of 2018 achievements and eyes ahead for planning new goals for the new year. What a perfect moment to level out before leveling up for 2019! Whew, universal events know exactly how to pamper, prepare and support us.

If you are sensitive to Full Moon energy, you may be feeling its effects beginning tonight into tomorrow, as the moon is illuminated at about 95%. I know for me, today was booked, busy but also inconvenient. However, even in its inconveniences, the Gemini energy in me urged me to speak up, be forward, yet compassionate and flexible at the same time. Trust me it was tough and I felt a bit out of sorts, but perhaps the Gemini lesson is to set your standard of value so others know exactly where you stand. I am curious, did anyone else run into some inconveniences or difficulties without explanation today?

Happy full mooning, my loves. I wish you peace in your reflections as we conclude 2018’s energy. Know that what you have manifested this past year, has placed you exactly where you need to be in this moment and furthermore has prepared you for what is to come. If there are any take aways, you should find comfort in knowing that the blank canvas of 2019 awaits you. It wishes to deliver all of the heart felt intentions that you set for it and plans to align with your dreams to manifest the magic you’ve deserved all along!

Light & well being,

Shina

Spiritual Sex Part II: Energy Exchange, STE's + Sex Magic Loading...

Yessss! Indeed spiritual sex is a thing! In my previous blog post, “The Spirituality in Sexuality,”, we connected the dots between two parts of our journey that most our lives, we have been taught are completely separate. We dispelled this myth, as we blew it wide open with insight! We discussed trauma and healing to our body’s sexual energy centers. We also talked about the throws of choking our sexuality and how to be more authentic in our expression. If you haven’t read it, you may consider going back to my November 30th post to recap before reading any further.

That being said, I definitely wanted to deliver a part “dos” after all of the feedback and interest I received, so here we are to add some enlightening and perhaps fascinating details to our Spiritual-Sexual conversation! Oo la la!

Sex is normal (DUH!), the desire for intimacy is normal and happens to be a GINORMOUS part of how we function in our human existence. However, contrary to human expression, casualty of sex just doesn’t exist. I know we think cut buddies, one night stands and selecting casual partners without hesitation are a means to get a fix, literally…but on an energetic level, it doesn’t exist, it is unrealistic + quite frankly, impossible. Any time we are intimate with a new partner, unbeknownst to human perception, we are recipients of what I call, their double J. We absorb their joy and their junk, their positivity and their negativity. There is a subtle, sometimes not so subtle - energy exchange that occurs from intercourse that mingles both person’s energy and each subsequent time we are intimate, we take on more of their energy as our own, also leaving part of our own in theirs. With every sexual encounter, we have to ask ourselves, is this exchange of love, sexual healing, energizing and positivity? or is it draining, do I feel dumped on, do I feel my life force has been sucked out of me?

You see, our individual auric/etheric or energy fields extend and surround, in most cases, at least 3 feet from our physical bodies, sometimes larger depending on how expanded we are. Every partner we have, even the ones we deem as meaningless, we are merging our auric fields with theirs, forming individual energy cords with each partner every time we have sex. WOAH! This means that their distresses, thoughts, fractured or unhealthy thought patterns become impressions in our aura, until they are cleansed and/or energy ties are cut with the partner or partners. Women often experience evidence of this through imbalances in feelings of attachment after sex and both men and women experience evidence of this after ending relationships with lovers we have had continual sexual relations with. It often manifest as heart break and likelihood that we double back, only to regret it!

Many of us walk around with these sexual encounter debris in our auric fields without knowing. If you don’t know, now you know - as Biggie says. And now that you know, what can be done about it? There are many ways we can balance and cleanse our auras so we aren’t walking around with these energetic body STE’s - Sexually Transmitted Energies! Let’s discuss ways to cut energy cords and cleanse your aura below:

• Meditation, which is a practice that strengthens the auric field and fills in any fractures or breaks that exist in one’s auric field.

• Aura cleansing and balancing with a knowledgable energy healer. This is one of the best ways in my opinion, as energy healers often have spiritual sight and intuitively see + feel things we may not feel or see from a natural perspective.

• H2O! Yep, water offers emotional and energetic clearing so taking a bath with dead sea salt can help with the release of stuck lower energy from the body, as sea salt neutralizes positive and negative ions.

• Forgiveness is an awesome way to cut energy cords with past partners, especially ones we’ve had multiple sexual encounters with and/or have hurt us. Forgiveness releases stagnant energy from our bodies and naturally cuts the cord existing between two people.

• Prayer and intention. Focusing on the release of all negative sexual attachments and cleansing from one’s sexual past can be beneficial along with any of the other ways mentioned.

Are you thinking what happens when you have formed a sexual energy exchange in a healthy, meaningful relationship? The dope news is if two partners are happy, healthy and well balanced emotionally and spiritually, what I call an “even energy exchange'“ occurs where both partner’s auric field can be strengthened with divine love and enlightenment. Thats what you call sexual healing! And if you wish to be a sexual healer, make sure you are well and whole on all levels before intertwining your energetic field with your partner’s! Be aware of the partners that you choose, and the energy you willingly mingle through sexual encounters, with your own.

And about SEX MAGIC, ya’ll coming back for Part III or nah? Cause the way these topics are set up, wheeew, sex magic is a whole JAWN by itself and I want to ensure my readers get all the juicy deets, but just not in an overwhelming way! I know ya’ll want this work, I promise sex magic is coming up next and you will be READY to manifest some magical shxt with sex!

In the meantime, if you haven’t already cleansed your auric field of STE’s and this article resonated with you, I encourage you to try one or some clearing methods. Remember, to be kind and gentle with yourself. This is never a place for judgement. We all have a past, but most importantly is “the now” and when you know better, you make changes with the intention to be the healthiest, most-healed and aware version of you, that you can be.

I love you immensely for caring for yourself and thank you for taking the time to share this space with me! Leave a comment, like this post or if you are feeling shy, send me an email or personal message!

Light & well-being,

Shina

The Spirituality in Sexuality

Say what? Yes, the Spirituality in Sexuality.

I wanted to talk about something different, also relevant, as it is something every being on this earth has in common. So “Let’s talk abooout sex, let’s talk about sex!”

Haha, that song just popped into my head and if you are my age, you know exactly what song that is. Truthfully, sexuality is way more than sex and that is why I have dedicated this post to just scratching the surface regarding this topic. If you assumed I’d write something hella freaky and inappropriate, keep reading for sure! *super side eye*

So what does spirituality have to do with sexuality? How about ER’THANG! Sexual energy is undeniably powerful. When it is honed consciously, it can be an awesome influence on personal healing and spiritual growth. And Believe it so, that your spiritual and energetic bodies govern pretty much all things sexual energy. Sexual energy is governed by your lower energy centers. What does that mean? Your sexual expression is controlled by your base (root) chakra. The root chakra channels earth energy upward into the rest of the bodies energy centers, providing the ultimate support, which is vital for our existence. When the root chakra is balanced and healthy, we are instinctive, we feel supported, and safe. We feel sensual and affectionate, openly expressing affection to our loved ones. We feel divinity in life form as pleasure and passion. If for some reason, the root chakra energy is blocked or inactive, our sex lives can be unfulfilling and dull, resulting in imbalances in sexual expression. 

The second chakra known as the Sacral Chakra manages sexual energy as a whole, including arousal and sexual impulse control. In tantric teachings, it is taught that the powerful sexual energy that lives in the sacral chakra is one in the same with creative energy, making orgasmic energy the best energy for creation and manifestation (I will discuss sex magic/how to create and manifest with sex at a later date). The Sacral Chakra also concerns itself with how much joy we bring to our connections and relationships to others. Stress to this Chakra results in us placing defensive boundaries up, blocking the energetic feelings of bliss that contribute to satisfaction and orgasm. In addition, an imbalanced Sacral Chakra can make us controlling, jealous and incapable of receiving love.

When our energy centers that rule sexual energy are healthy, we can experience sexuality in its true erotic and pleasure-filled, uninhibited full form. We can use our positive energies to create healthy conditions for our spiritual and physical bodies to not only unite with another person, but to take us on a bliss filled journey of soul expansion. At which point, we aren’t just experiencing sexual energy in our lower bodies, this intense erotic and powerful energy is experienced by our whole physical and spiritual being! Balanced chakras allow sexual energy to flow freely into the higher chakras, making available unprecedented feelings of pleasure, in addition to spiritual enlightenment! And for all the women reading this, an orgasm from the ether realms! *GASPS* 

YASSSSS! Sex is super healthy for the spirit and so necessary! While sexual expression may feel intimidating, it is freeing the more we allow ourselves to move away from societal limited consciousness and into energetic expansion. As so long as we are doing it guilt-free and making healthy sexual choices that support our bodies and well being, sex is one of the highest forms of devotion to our divinity and humanness.

So how do we remove blockages in our lower chakras caused from old “stuff” that is keeping us inhibited from experiencing our sexuality in its true, authentic nature? And how do we balance our lower Chakras so that we aren’t choking our sexual energy and allowing it to flow freely and passionately? 

• Releasing blocked and stagnant energy from our sexual energy centers.

  • Acknowledge and release old traumas that make us feel insecure, unsafe, unloved, and unwanted. Acknowledge and release sexual stigmas that make us feel dirty for having desires. Acts of release can be done with a healer (energy, reiki, & other natural healing modalities). They can also be done with prayer and intention setting (effectiveness depends on depth of the trauma stored).

• Reminding ourselves that we are deserving and worthy of love in all forms. Staying centered in our thought process about sexual interactions, that they are a high vibrational form of devotion to our divine selves when the act is rightly motivated and our intentions are well.

• Selecting partners that respect our physical and spiritual being; selecting partners that have good intentions and healthy emotions. This ensures that we have healthy expressions of our sexuality and in going forward after merging energetic fields with said partner.

• Allowing ourselves to be present and in the moment, allowing our lover to be of service to us and allowing ourselves to be of service to them also.

• Follow healthy - uninhibited self-expression, as a doorway to authentic sexual expression; delete the preconceived pictures in your head of “what it should look like”.

• Heart to heart, eye contact and touching and are all sensory inputs that heighten our sexual and spiritual experience.

• Lastly, LET GO! Take a deep breath and allow yourself to let go and be in that sexual energetic space being shared with your partner. Soak up the experience in every cell of your body, as this powerful energy flows through every piece of your being.

So, this is just a small introduction, as this topic has so much depth to it, I literally didn’t even flip the first page. Contrary to what so many believe, especially in the world of organized religion, healing isn’t just about peace, hope, harmony and joy. Healing includes our whole true - divine and human self. This includes pleasure and love in its highest form! You know its no coincidence Marvin Gaye was singing about Sexual Healing!

My hopes for you, the reader, is that you have learned a bit about how your spiritual-self isn’t separate from your sexual-self. That being sexual isn’t lesser than being spiritual. That they are one in the same, they inhabit and share the same marvelous space God created you in. My prayer is that you are healthy and whole energetically and emotionally, that your chakras are aligned and that you are enjoying the most pleasure you were created to partake in. And ladies, that you are receiving the orgasms that you deserve! HA!

Love & Light Beams,
Shina

PS.

Listen, if you are interested in a part II to this topic, like this post and or leave a comment. I really want to get into selecting partners and merging energetic fields with them, and the release of hormones that heals the body during climax. I also would love to discuss what some people call sex magic. I like to call it the art of creating and and manifesting with the release of orgasmic energy. Bruhhhh!

The World Needs Me Open so I Authored an Inspirational Journal

“You will bless the thing that broke you down and cracked you open because the world needs you open. You are going somewhere sacred. It will be worth it. And you’re closer than you think.” - Rebecca Campbell

I remember being younger and feeling irrelevant.  I remember being in unhealthy relationships and feeling irrelevant. I remember being in bad friendships and feeling irrelevant. I remember feeling unloved and unwanted. As the wheels of my life spun, I was met with rejection it seemed, in every direction until I realized the trajectory of my path was a direct reflection of my inability to see myself. 

My inability to see myself as deserving and worthy, for I had no idea what love of self meant. My inability to see myself as a whole and complete extension of God. My inability to accept myself as unique, different and one of a kind. I couldn’t find the joy in being in Rashina. I wanted to blend in, yet I never belonged. I never found peace or love of self trying to be anyone else. Therefore I attracted people, relationships and situations from that deficit. I attracted things that mirrored the inadequacy I felt about “self”. For those things didn’t “love me” just like I didn’t “love me”. 

Many years and experiences later, I accept my divinity and I know my worth. I also know that I am but a piece of a puzzle of so many that have experienced a lack of self-love too. I encounter people young and old, men and women, who all still struggle with seeing themselves...still struggle with loving themselves from a pure, nonjudgmental place. I see a need, to be a vessel for the very thing that broke me down and cracked me open. My self-love inspirational journal is complete. 

Songs of Love for the Soul: A Self-love Creative Expression Space, will be available, here real soon!

Light and well being,

Shina

Full Beaver Moon in the Duality of Gemini 11.23.18

The full moon is upon us and its the first of two back to back full moons, which happen to occur in the Duality of great Gemini. My question for you is, how are feeling thus far? The moon is currently at 98% and you may have been feeling its fiery pull since yesterday, perhaps even earlier if you are sensitive to moon cycles like me. The Beaver Moon is set to take full blaze at almost 1 am on Black Friday.

So what’s the tea on this month’s Blazing Frost Moon? For starters, we can definitely anticipate an intense rise of expired and out dated feelings, thought patterns and “stuff” in general. But not only expect things to rise to the surface, expect these things to rise and float as we are pretty much handcuffed to figuring “shxt” out. November’s Moon is the last action moon of the year. The duality of Gemini encourages us to take inventory of both sides, the things that once served a great purpose but since have become outdated as well as the things that are worth salvaging and keeping around even in our time of growth.

With November’s full moon, we may find that we are easily agitated, defensive and even angry. Astrology King explains that the placement of influential planet Jupiter, amplifies confrontational energy. To word it precisely, the moon is supportive of us being pulled in several directions and pretty much losing our shxt *coughs*, I mean losing our cool.

Yet, there is still awesomeness to be found in this energetic astrological event. This full moon is all about the season change and as the seasons fade into one another, so do we. While its emotional stir seems untimely occurring in sync with Thanksgiving, it actually couldn’t be better timed than to be paired with the gratuitous Give Thanks holiday, serving to remind and support us in expressing our gratitude for change. Expressing our gratitude for the opportunity to turn inward and sift through all of the feels that have outgrown our beings is key to staying centered, calm and cool as the Full Beaver Moon lights up our night sky and our butts too.

Oh and P.S. Mercury is still in Retrograde, good luck! haha! Just kidding, I mean about the good luck part, but unfortunately, not about Retrograde! hehe. I wish you all transformative energy and the will to be reflective so that you may experience this moon with growth and grace. May the full moon energy be ever in your favor!

Happy Full Mooning Light Bugs

Light & well being,

Shina

Supportive information

www.bustle.com

www.astrologyking.com

www.refinery29.com

This Establishment has been Closed for Grieving

As an intentional healer (we are all healers), I am challenged to heal with my entire existence. Healing with my hands comes naturally for me and although I was often speaking words of light from the time I was a child, offering healing with my words is one of the toughest assignments to date. I am frequently encouraged to address difficult and burdensome life transitions, including loss and the unbearable grief that accompanies it. I feel an overwhelming responsibility to express what so many cannot put words to, even if my voice trembles and I shudder with every verse.

"Grief, a simple word with a loaded meaning...

We cannot find the words to accurately express the complexity of the weight grief brings but what we do know is that it steals our breath away, without an ounce of permission

In the thick of it, it is paralyzing

We stand in its unrelenting quick sand, as grief swallows any and everything resting on it

It is dense, tightly knit with emotions we can’t seem to get a grip on, as it violently casts the chambers of our hearts into a darkened pit remote from light

If only grief didn’t fill our lungs with unbearable heaviness, we would remember to breathe through it

We would remember to take deep breaths with tears flowing down our face instead of exhaling murderous screams of pain, gagging on lumps of heartache

If only grief understood that somehow our loss was our loved ones gain, as they gleefully accepted the will of their journey, trading a courageous end for a new beginning

If only grief understood that our loved ones obliged when the light of heaven opened its bosom to carry them to the love that is infinite and eternal, for how could they refuse admission to paradise

If only grief understood that our loved ones glanced back in compassion with immense concern to ensure their beloved tribe on earth would heal absent of their physical existence, knowingly that spiritual ascension could offer a comfort far more effective, yet inconceivable by the human heart

If only grief understood our loved ones epiphanic moment as they were shown their life’s highlight reel, identifying all the great things they acquired and triumphed during their short visit with us here…

Grief would understand that no amount of earthly pain is worth the wait…

That no amount of earthly pain is worth another moment in perceivable time for our loved one to wait for their well-deserved crown, understanding that transition to the afterlife is the intangible zenith of victory

Grief would understand that the good die young because only the bravest, most gifted bad-ass souls graduate ahead of their class, completing earth school far too soon in our eyes to give our blessing, yet in true bad ass fashion, handcuffing us hand and foot to pay ultimate respect because respect is due

Grief would understand that legacy has absolutely nothing to do with the days that we number to calculate the time our loved ones didn’t have here on earth, yet has everything to do with the power in which they intricately executed the time they did have here on earth…

Because, grief would understand, that the best fighters will never need all 12 rounds to be victorious

But I tell you, grief - you see, grief doesn't understand

Grief doesn’t understand because grief is not lucid

For grief does not take the time to have eloquent conversations with our intellectual minds, in hopes to offer solace and understanding

Grief does not provide advice for our sorrow filled questions, or answer our heartaches with comforting honesty

Grief could care less (it feels) if our minds understood the deepest mourning of our hearts because grief is grief…

For it is not fluent in intellect, as it is a language only understood by the epicenter of our existence from which love and life flows

Our hearts…"

When we have questions why and we can’t find peace, comfort or understanding in the wake of loss, let us be reminded that this very human emotion is not intellectual. We are all here, a reflection of God within, to live our spirit journey in human form. Grief may not be intellectual, but it is a very real matter of our hearts. It is my prayer that we would walk together, bound by love, with love, supporting one another in all of life’s moments; the wins, the losses and especially the ones that feel tragic. I extend love and light to all who took the time to read this expression and I am sending a special *abounding* healing to all of us who have experienced the pain of losing someone we love.

My deepest love shared by many, in memory of Dr. Andrakeia Shipman, Annika Edgerson's sister, Alicia Webb and my sister, Rashana Sjogren.

Love & light,

Shina

Social Media is Making us Suck!

Lovely people! I miss you, I miss us! Let me first blow the dust and cob webs off my blog!! It’s been such a while since I’ve blogged formally. I guess I’m playing semantics because I consider my captions on social media microblogging, however those that know me know I love to write elaborate, sub-surface material.

So I gather you here today to bear my soul on the keys of this MacBook. Social Media is a super awesome and fun way of sharing information, news, products,  services, comic relief, of course a source of inspiration and a dope avenue to building connections, ones we wouldn’t be so fortunate to forge if it weren’t for the small World Wide Web of social networking. I cannot even begin to pretend like I haven’t connected the dots, forming some truthfully meaningful relationships; however, at times Social Media is responsible for royally wasting our time for the 99 and 2000, all while leaching vital life force energy from each of us. We may not be aware of the daily influences we subconsciously subscribe to by just habitually opening and scrolling our social media feeds. Besides being a time vampire, social media can cause imbalances in our energetic bodies like you wouldn’t believe.

I know what you are thinking. “Not me, I use social media powers for good.” Skurrrtttt, stop right there! Ask yourself the following questions. Do you post on your social feeds? Do you go back to the post you’ve posted to review your follower engagement? Have you ever posted something you thought was oh so dope, only to review your likes and comments to be disappointed at the number of folks who didn’t notice how dope or how deep & inspiring that thoughtful unicorns and glitter caption was you spent all morning editing? If you answered nope, never, or no to ALL of the questions above, you my friend are self-esteem goals. 

If we aren’t actively seeking some form of validation, so what because we are still passively receiving it and no one is exempt. Girllllll, shut up! And then, we got the nerve to compare ourselves & our lit lives to somebody else’s so so lit life, wondering how their highlight reels can be perfectly popping, when on our worst days, all we can think of to post is foodie pics. This is real life people, I mean not me real life because I just love food and I love to eat. Haha. But the reality is these validations or lack thereof which result in feeding or draining our egos  (we’ll discuss |ego| another day) are also feeding and draining our energetic bodies causing massive imbalance and deficits in our self-awareness, self-esteem, self-worth, the list goes on. 

To add butter to the pound cake, we can have our heads so deep in that sunken place called social media that we miss out on real world engagement. We get so use to communing in SM environments that we aren’t as aggressively interactive as we could be in real time interaction and we inherently become less responsive to real world stimuli. This saddens me like the sound of nails on a chalk board (eek), especially observing our millennials + generations down attempt to fellowship at dinner while everyone has a fork in one hand, and their head down in their phone, fingers scrolling in the other hand. Hello somebody, I’m guilty too!

Social media is draining us of our sweet goey centers. The goodness that we could be contributing to ourselves and to the world around us is literally being sucked out through the narrow walls of "the internet". Yes, I know it’s not all bad. I too enjoy the positive aspects of social networking, however I also recognize its ability to negativity impact how I feel I am measuring up. Measuring up to what though? “Who made up these schools I say? Who made up these rules I say?”

On that note, I’m getting out! I hope to inspire you to be mindful of how social media can either affect you or be effective and I wish you the latter of the two. Please don't allow life on "the web" to dilute the real life experience of your existence. Be present. Be reminded that your journey is yours, there is no rush. Take your time because it’s the greatest story you’ll ever write! Stop comparing; just keep thriving. 

Thank you so much for sharing this space and my thoughts with me!

Love & light

Xo, Shina

The Greatest Gift to Self

Happy Monday World!

I have been meaning to write this blog post for a few days now and how is it by the Universe's design, two of my Reiki appointments were cancelled today. At first I could not get my mood right so I went shopping. Classic retail therapy, but I did get some great gold sandals to wear to this event I have coming up.

Lo and behold, I have some extra time to share these love tools about life's major key! So what is it? It's called self-esteem! Is yours golden or could you use a little maintenance to help increase it?

No matter who you are and how great you feel about yourself, we can all use a refresher course on valuing ourselves from time to time. Of course to combat the self-doubt that creeps in ever so often or perhaps even daily! Keep reading for some solid tips on increasing self-esteem. Change those I can'ts to I CAN starting now.

12 Simple Things to Do to Reinforce Self-Esteem Credibility

Eat well and exercise! Garbage in, garbage out. Healthy eating habits will make you feel good about what you allow yourself to eat and make you feel good about yourself period! Everyone knows that when you feel good, you look great and exercising will make you look great and feel good! 

Squash negative thoughts. Be aware of your self-talk. Self-talk is what 'you are saying to you'. Be mindful of the thoughts you have about yourself and the things you do. Be kind to yourself. Identify negative thoughts and replace it with thinking positively and practicing positive self-talk. 

Think positively and practice positive self-talk! Erase those negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. Instead of saying "I screwed up this time", try something like "I missed the mark but I will do this, I can do this!" 

MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE: Saying positive affirmations. Affirm the great things about yourself and the things you desire to manifest in your life by making powerful "I am" statements everyday. "I am worthy", "I am confident", "I am love", "I am a best-selling author" or whatever it is you want to affirm about yourself! Did you catch that there? haha!

Get to know "You".  Get to know yourself. Listen to the murmurs of your heart, and the thoughts that run around in your head. Keep a journal, then focus on what makes you feel good about who you are. Your gifts, talents, anything you do well or even a hobby that you enjoy, which brings me to the next love tool....

Thou shalt honor thyself! Honor yourself. Do things that make you feel good about you daily! Dance, laugh, write, play, sing, get your nails done, your hair done, dress nicely....the list goes on and on. I love to dance, write, work out and take long hot baths. Yes BATHS! What do you do to honor yourself?

DO NOT, I REPEAT, Do not compare yourself to others! Man down! Measuring your worth against others is a sure fire way to feel inadequate. We will always find a way, to find in others what we feel we lack in ourselves. Instead focus on your own strengths, find joy in them and work on making them even stronger! Remember, you are enough just the way you are!

Surround yourself with supportive people! Stop hanging with people that make you feel bad. Those people are not your friends! Plus, didn't you know negative energy was contagious!?

Be generous! Self-explanatory but if you really need an explanation, give give give! Give of your time, your talents and gifts. It will make you view yourself through the lenses of the goodness you give and in turn it will come back to you.

"Know your principles and live by them." I'd like to say I authored this great line but I actually found it somewhere and it truly resonated with me. It is my ultimate goal to walk in love and treat others how I desire to be treated. Even when someone isn't nice to me, I remind myself what keeps my heart space happy and choose my principle love over cussing people out! Well, most of the time, I'm human too! lol What are your principles? Write them down!

Practice gratitude! Be grateful for all that you have, all that you are and all that will be in your journey.

Simply smile!

Always know it is never to late to start believing in yourself and your personal value. Do yourself a huge favor and begin infusing some of these things in your daily self-care regimen. Trust me, you will feel encouraged, and ultimately watch your self-worth grow!

"She believed she could, so she did!"

Love & light to all!

Shina

P.S. If you try any of these love tools, don't forget to comment below and share! I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses Cause the World Makes Us Accountable

Greetings! Wishing you much peace and motivation as you read this, to finally do that thing you have been putting off for one reason or another. I am one to talk, right? I mean, I can honestly say I have sucked at posting on a regular basis in 2016. What I can say is, I have been working, manifesting and of course remembering to enjoy life every step of the way! However, I wouldn’t deem my explanation as an excusable reason why I haven’t been openly sharing my writing, thus the inspiration for this blog post.  I guess I could say I had an experience yesterday that help place some fire under my coolo.

What is accountability anyways? Accountability is defined as the quality or state of being accountable; an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility. So what does that make an accountability partner?….a person or group of persons that encourages, motivates or gives you the boost you need to keep a commitment. So what am I saying?

First and foremost, our highest amount of responsibility for accountability should come from ourselves. I mean who better than ourselves to want our dreams, and endeavors to come to fruition! To keep at our own goals, to keep pounding the pavement until the very things we bind ourselves to be committed to become such a huge staple, that working on them becomes second nature. One of the biggest self disappointments can be when you say you are committed to something or to doing something but fall short in some way. Who ends up with chief impact of failure to stay committed? YOU! I don’t know how you feel about it but to me, that feeling stinks! It doesn't feel good at all when I've let myself down.

Besides yourself, if you pay enough attention to detail, accountability is dang near everywhere! There is no good reason for lack of dedication! Like seriously, it’s amazing how the universe will literally send you things, circumstances, and people that will remind you of the commitments you made and have you straight motivated and reminded why you were so dedicated in the first place.

So this tripped me out, like super trippy. Yesterday, I went to the Rihanna Concert, which was so awesome by the way (shoutout to Rihanna, if you are out there someone and this gets back to you, I luhhh you girl)! Had these great plans in place to meet up with some dope folks I haven’t seen in like forever. We meet up, and are having a great time. Random, at least in my mind cause I am having such a good time in the moment, the last thing on my mind is blogging! Hey just keeping it real for 500 please! So one of the people I was with was like “Yo, you still been writing?” I almost blurted out excuse me! Not because I am rude, and not because I wasn’t excited that someone was checking for my work, cause it’s definitely a great feeling when someone ask you how one of your passions is going. Yet, I was so shell shocked in that moment, I felt naked, without a good excuse to give, especially because I know I am suppose to be blogging every other week and have not been. I felt sooo dumb. You know how it feels when somebody is calling you out, but not because he was calling me out for real, but because I’m weak in my own guilty conscience, basking in the, oh shoot, I fell all the way off, ego tripping emotion! Yea, that feeling.

So here I am writing about what may be a seemingly pointless post, but there is an Ah ha here! Man listen! When I tell you, the world around you is your accountability partner! I was reminded yesterday and now I am reminding you! The universe and God subscribe to every goal, every commitment, and dream you have for yourself! You are encouraged and supported in your commitments, if you would just pay attention! That one comment made me accountable to my commitment to keep blogging, and here am I writing! So shoutout to those dope spirits I was with the day of the Rihanna concert. Its always fun and games spending time with amazing people, but whats even more amazing is the encouragement, and the motivation that lies in reading between the lines. 

I allow everyone I encounter to serve as some sort of inspiration to me. If you are reading this, I am wishing you the same inspiration and I am holding you accountable to get started or get back on track with any commitments, goals or dreams you have! Stay dedicated, as there is no greater reward than the fruits of your dedication. It can happen, just trust it!  Believe you deserve it and the universe will serve it!  Life’s too dope, the ocean is so big, keep swimming, you got it!

So much love & light to you all!

Xo,

Shina

To Thine Own Self, Be True. Celebrate *You*

Often times in life we set out on paths created for us because it's easiest. We settle for what's not authentic simply because we've been told we are good at something, but in pursuing it, we realize it's not our passion, that it's someone else's passion for us. 

We aren't encouraged enough to break the mold or to be our own standard. Rarely are we told that the road least traveled brings out the greatest amount of joy. It's like the journey to self fulfillment is a sacred secret no one wants us to tap into because they fear if we do, we will be unstoppable. 

We have to stop diluting ourselves to fit in someone else's mold of who they believe we should be. I am guilty of it, but now I quit. I resign from being the person other's expect me to be and finally have employed my truest self on a full-time basis. Not when its conceivable or only when who I am is understood, but completely. I owe myself that much, to keep it 100 with the reflection staring back at me and anyone I cross paths with for that matter. It's a good feeling, its invigorating. Liberating in a way I didn't even know I could be freed. I've been breaking the chains for the past year or more, but there are truly levels to this and man oh man. Beam me up scotty cause I'm leveled up!

The truth is, we all owe ourselves nothing more than to be authentically who we were wired to be. Who the universe knew we were all along, even before we explored ourselves enough to recognize our own identity.  I've always been this person I am becoming, I am just finally giving myself permission to be "she" fully, outright, out loud, unapologetically.

I use to be concerned about my spiritual freedom. I was concerned about how weird people would think I am, because ya know there are levels to being weird! There's like "Ok she's a little weird but she's cool" and then there is "Man, she's weird!" Levels I tell ya. haha But I am ok with that now. I love me, in all my "perceived" weirdness or whatevs. I am happy I've set out on this path to personal freedom and fulfillment. I am even more happy that I am free falling and in love with life. It feels amazing to say I am a Certified Reiki II Practitioner!

Yea, you heard me. I'm some sort of dope Energy Healer! I always knew I was a conduit for healing. We all are.

Moral:  We are always spitting cliches and word play that's appealing, however this comes from my deepest find in searching of self. 

The greatest joy lies in finding yourself and being just that; yourself and celebrating you. "To thine own self, be true."No truer words have ever been spoken! 

 Let's do some Reiki!

Celebrating with Love & light always,

Shina

Goodbye Carcass!

Aloha beautiful people!

Yea, um, its been a minute since I have blogged. I feel kinda whack for not keeping up, but on a good note, I have been writing pretty regularly. I am still working on this book, actually two now. Its been such a long winter and I have been feeling behind the power curve here but starting to be optimistic and have more faith in divine timing people! Lets say it together…. DIVINE TIMING!

So if you haven’t taken notice, I’ve recently become an….. (wait for it) an ALIEN! DUH! Hah. Just kidding. I’ve become a vegan-vegetarian. Yay. Cats out the bag baby! I have been wanting to write about how my journey has been going and answer some common questions I have been receiving about this drastic food lifestyle change.

It’s been 8 weeks since I made the transition. “How has it been?” Actually, it’s been pretty darn AMAZING! Moreover, I’m thinking this has got to be one of my proudest accomplishments thus far.

Age old question, tried and true! “Why did you do it?” 

I was diagnosed with Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis at 17 years old and have been on medication since my diagnosis in 2001. The only time I was able to discontinue any medicinal therapy was during my pregnancies with my sons.

Wanting a purer state of health, the plant based diet idea has been intriguing me for at least 2 years. I’d mention it from time to time, but never whole heartedly tried pursuing it. I pretty much convinced myself I’d fail by not being able to stick with it.  I definitely am all for animal rights ( I love my fellow furry beings) but to be honest, I did not see myself giving up my chicken, fish and occasional medium steak.  Oxymoron much?

Considering that my autoimmune disease symptoms center heavily around inflammation, the idea of eating a natural, plant based, and organically thriving diet always appealed as a great idea.  Most of the time when the idea would surface though, I would quickly hush it by enjoying one more juicy medium steak. Be quiet, you mind you! So foul! 

I have also been on a self journey for a year and half and as an empath, heightened spiritual, angel intuitive and developing being, I have had this strong urge to become vegan for months now. The urge had become some clear and distinct that I began asking God was I hearing correctly. Often negating these thoughts with sure affirmations that there was no way in hell I’d be able to stick with it. It would just be entirely toooooo difficult. Yes that many o’s.

Yo! When I say ask God for a sign, and he’ll come through like a trumpet sounding in the night, literally so loud you won’t be able to ignore it! They say signs come in 3’s right?? I got all 3 confirmations in 4 hours! It was crazy. I won’t waste my time explaining what the signs were, but honey chile! If you need an answer from God or the universe regarding a certain thang, simply ask! YOU GOT IT!

So get to the point! Why are you Vegan-Vegetarian? Well its quite simple. I just want to be my highest and healthiest self.  Between having RA, a few GI issues and being spiritually aware, being vegan keeps me from consuming a lot of the foods that aren’t pure and that encourage inflammation and helps me replace them with foods that promote optimal health and self-healing (please check out my previous post, if you haven't already, Love Cured my Autoimmune Disease). I have been fully off of any immuno suppressants for 6 months (PRAISE THE MOST HIGH) and consuming a 90% plant based diet for just 2 months. This is the healthiest I have felt in all of my adult life! You cannot convince me this is a coincidence. Universal synchronicity? Maybe!

“Is being Vegan Boring?”

Absolutely NOT! There are so many options and to my surprise, vegan food is ridiculously tasty. Down right, sinfully delicious! Pinterest, Instagram and google are my best friends. I love the website www.cookieandkate.com . Cookbook recommendations: Oh, She Glows and THUG KITCHEN: Eat Like you Give a F*ck

“Was it hard to transition?” Surprisingly it was not. I am not sure if it is because of my personal determination or because I was just that over meat, but the transition was much easier than I imagined it would be, Thank the lordt! hehe. PS, if you are thinking about giving a plant based diet a try, watch the Documentary: Forks over Knives, correlating cancer occurrences with meat consumption.

“Do you eat soy meat substitutes?” I have tried some. I like tofu and I have had chick’n and meatless meatballs, both by the brand Gardein. They weren’t bad but being that soy isn’t the easiest thing on your digestive system, I try to eat them as least as possible and stick more to the plant based items.

“Will you ever eat meat again?” I‘m not sure I can answer this question yet. I am enjoying a mostly plant based diet and still have at least one vegetarian day a week where I’ll have eggs or cheese, or both.  I’ve had a can of tuna on a day I felt extremely weak and just last weekend I had shrimp & grits at a cafe in Brooklyn that had no vegan options…… So yea! But no sweat, I am just out here being myself. The good thing is I am not trying to impress anyone, so that alleviates a lot of the pressure ;)

By no means was me sharing my journey to discourage or judge meat eaters, however I definitely hope it serves to encourage meat eaters to insert more plant based options into their current food menu. And of course, by all means, if this encouraged you to try being vegetarian or vegan, please do! You will not regret it! 

If you have any questions for me, feel free to leave them below in the comments section. Love and light to you all!

(Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, nor do I have any nutrition or dietary training. This post is perspective based on personal experience. Always consult a physician when making serious changes that can impact your health. Please do proper research so that you can determine how to consume a healthy amount of protein on plant based eating habits!)

Ciao!

Xo,

Shina

Love Cured my Auto-Immune Diseases!

What if I told you self-love put my Rheumatoid Arthritis of 14 years into remission and squashed my Irritable Bowel Disease, would you believe me?

During the course of my young adult and adult life, my health has been an Auto-Immune disease war zone.  For those that don’t know, I was diagnosed at 17 years old with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis and soon after, fell so ill from the autoimmune disease, my doctor recommended getting a wheel chair to get around. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic progressive disease that has no cure.  It causes inflammation in the joints, resulting in ungodly pain, ugly deformities and immobility.

There were times in my 20’s that my Sed rate (the rate at which specific blood cells settle, indicating inflammation) was 120 where the normal range is below 20.  I pretty much functioned in a state of painful stuper. I lived in enough pain, I could barely stand to hear myself breath. Oh and if you were wondering what the pain feels like, imagine your body burning in flames and while burning, someone thinks it’s a great idea to stab you repeatedly with knives. “Shina, are you serious?” No, of course not. I am dead serious.  Fire and knives my friends. The pain was so crippling, I couldn’t accomplish simple task like brushing my teeth, combing my hair or buttoning my pants without having some assistance. Everything hurt so bad, I wouldn’t even eat. Severely anemic, an unhealthy 116 pounds at 5’9. 

There were many dark days where all I saw was “No there is no cure.”  The doctors would say "your body doesn’t seem to be responding to any of the medications but we can’t figure out why.”  My medication list looked liked a thesaurus of words the average bear couldn’t pronounce. The trial and errors, I felt like a science project.  This won’t work , lets start over and add this to the list, right back to this isn’t working again went on and on and on. And of course on again. Infusions at the Cancer institute, at home injections, pills and needles, more pills and even more needles. I have so many sharps containers, my house looks like a biohazard collection center.  I couldn’t see any light, like none at all. I was depressed and living under an extremely dark cloud.

To add insult to injury, at some point along the way, I acquired Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which is another form of an auto-immune disease manifestation.  It is common to suffer from IBD in conjunction with RA, as Auto-Immune diseases seem to like to hold hands and often come in pairs.

That too was painful. Not sure if it was worse in pain or just more of an embarrassment and inconvenience to be spending 70% of my life over or on a toilet.   Everything that I consumed, seemed to get rejected immediately, causing my body to be missing the vitamins to function as a normal human being. Imagine going through the motions of life in a constant fog everyday, where your brain seems to be on vacation and your body can’t muster up the energy to get off your keister and live life.  The symptoms of dehydration were too real, as nothing stayed in my body long enough to be broken down into anything nutritious.

I’ve been dancing with Rheumatoid Arthritis for 14 plus years, some of which were decent, but I’ve always been on immuno supressants (except pre pregnancy and during pregnancy). For the longest, I’ve taken 2 needles a week and a concoction of other pills. However, for the past 3 months or so, I haven’t been taking anything. Not because I consciously decided that I was breaking up with my meds, but basically I’m a rebel and I do what I want cause I’m poppin! LOL Just kidding. 

My body usually shouts, “Hey girl, time to take your meds, we are starting to struggle here.” Pretty much the only reason I ever take the darn things. But honestly, I have been forgetting, because there haven’t been any painful reminders. So I have just been going about my business… Deet te dee. And then bam it hit me. “Hey girl, its been a while and you're still fine.” And just like that, it’s been 3 months of inconsistent meds but I am feeling lively and full of LOVE, almost pain free.

Wait, what?!? How did I get here? I'm not sure I can even map my quest to good health. What I do know is, that through my spiritual journey this year, my self-love has grown tremendously. I am more mindful of the energies I am sensitive too and in knowing that, I do my best to balance them and keep the good ones flowing. I honor myself. I express my gratitude to God through many modalities and in my open expression, my love for myself and humanity has grown in ways I cannot capture in words. I do my best to replace judgment with love and pretty much sprinkle it everywhere, on everything. Like for real, I aint' een' trying to be deep right now, but seriously, I am full of love. But why love you ask? Love is the secret ingredient to healing.

“Love is energy and energy is everything”. When we love ourselves, without condition, without boundaries, without judgement, we are sending our earthly body a message of positive energy. We are energetically charging ourselves with divine goodness. Healing, love and light. We are also equipping our bodies to keep toxins at bay.

As I grow on my spiritual journey, my self- love continues to mound and I am so excited for the day love completely conquers my RA. As I come in awareness of how powerful energy is, I’ll continue to self-heal, sending my body lots of love and light.  Thank you self-love for putting my Autoimmune diseases in remission. You are the real MVP!

To everyone reading this, I wish you the same kind of inexplicable self-love that has inspired this love tool!

Love and light to you all! 

Besos,

Shina

Illuminate Our Shadows

Hey lovely people of the universe! Are you ready to get stuffed on desserts and mac n cheese ?!? I mean who cares about turkey when you have baked mac n cheese and candied sweet potatoes!

Before you take a break from social media to enjoy your families, the things you are thankful for, and yummy scrumptious food, please take a moment to view “Illuminate Our Shadows”, an original spoken word piece written and performed by yours truly in reference to suicide awareness!! 

My first public video in years! I must say, I am a little nervous to release this on Youtube, for all the world to see. I have been doing spoken word on and off for years, but I am pretty sure my nerves come from this being my first live performance associated with Be Light with Shina! The great thing is my courage to impact someone who may need to hear the content of this message slightly exceeds my nerves! And that by far is all the courage I need. As a suicide attempt survivor, amplifying this topic is extremely important to me and with all sincerity, It is my hope that someone is enlightened after hearing this piece!

Oh, and please feel free to like, comment and subscribe to my youtube channel BeLightwithShina! Much more to come!

Enjoy!

Xo,

Shina

“Be the purpose!” - Carman & Cleo

What's Your Story?

Football Sunday lovely people of the Universe! If football is playing on every TV in every room of your house, raise your hand now! And if you know like I know, you better not touch that tv or that remote on any Sunday from August to February of every single year, for the rest of your life! I love sports, live ones that is. Mostly the ones where I am wearing my team mom jersey and cheering obnoxiously for 8 and 9 year olds. NFL football isn't really my thing until playoffs.

So today was a pretty freaking amazing day. While the boys were at home watching football, eating baked beans and franks, (because I guess without me there to cook, it was the struggle lunch) I was at a one day Emerge Spiritual Retreat, hosted by the angelic Colleen from Angelwisdom. Can I sayyyyyy AMAZEBALLS. The location was Camp Ockanickon in the breathtaking South Jersey woods. The weather was a chilly fall day, nonetheless extremely beautiful. The colorful leaves all over the ground. We did letters to God, releasing those things we want God to take control of by burning them in a fire. Then we spent half of our day juggling bonfire side and lakeside meditation, while the other part of the day was spent making intention candles, doing archery and appreciating the rustling of the leaves beneath our boots during the nature walks. Being in nature with 50 plus like minded individuals, God, and all that is was completely blissful.

It's interesting how the universe aligns you with the people assigned to your path, yea pretty much effortlessly. During the 30 minutes of registration, I was already cozy with my selected seat toward the front of the room, near the fire place. I sat at this table partly  because I wanted to be near the blazing fire, as it was still 50-ish degrees and chilly, but also I had been attracted to the fresh flowers in a mason jar center piece which was coined with the label "Live". As the registrants came in, they sat at various tables, in various places throughout the room. Thus far, no one had bothered to sit with me, and honestly I was ok with that, as I was waiting on my mom anyhow. One less awkward moment to have sitting next to a complete stranger.

I was sipping my warm tea when I made eye contact with a woman who then spoke with a soft but friendly voice, "Hey, do you mind if I sit here?" or with you. Not quite remembering which word play she used but you get the drift! Why certainly she could! I invited her to join me with my smile. After all, I was excited that someone wanted to be near me. At least at that point, I knew I didn't stink and that my breath was fresh enough not to ward off any complete strangers. lol

I could go on and on about how this woman's spirit was familiar. She was genuine and kind. Honestly, I have no idea how we ended up being so transparent, spending most of the day swapping stories, herself, my mom and I. We talked about things that normal people (not that we aren't normal or anything) wouldn't usually divulge in their first meeting. At one point, we even learned that some of her co-workers are friends of my moms and that her husband went to high school with my sister.

I enjoyed myself and I am so thankful to the universe for sending inspiration daily. At times, the content of our conversation was a bit heavy, as we shared a glimpse of the most difficult times of life we'd experienced.  And Out of all of the things I could've said (at times I am sure I talked her ear full), walking away from today, I realize there was one thing that I left unsaid. First I'd apologize if ever detailing our exchange touched the heaviest parts of our hearts, yet I'd also say, "The context of our exchange has inspired me and offered healing in ways I can't explain. Thank you for being who you are."

We are all spirit having a human experience. Strangers and acquaintances, connected and disconnected, we are all one in the same. We each are traveling a journey, we each have a story, and collectively, our stories intertwine in some synchronism or odd way. When we are brave enough to share these stories, we consciously send love, awareness, and healing out into the world. Our courage to share our intimate pains of life open up doorways, sending a message of infinite hope and endless compassion. 

If meeting a new a person was always as healing and inspiring as meeting who I met today, I would wish to meet a new soul every single day! And I almost feel confident enough to start off the conversation with, "Hi, my name is Shina. What's your story?"

Love & light,

Shina

PS, I will be adding a few photos once I receive them. :)

Ruh Roh!

"Be quiet and listen, will ya?"

It's been a long week and a half since I shared my last love tool.  I have been in a super quiet space, almost too quiet.  I found myself lying awake at night, all alone, in my cold bed thinking about why a square won't fit into a circle, why most people like cheddar cheese in their baked macaroni (personally I think it taste better mixed with mozzarella), wondering who thought ketchup, mustard, & relish would taste good as condiments on a hotdog?.... Actually, I wasn't alone or cold. My heat works just find and my husband was laying on my left side, somewhere off in sleep land snoring away. haha. Just kidding about the whole square, circle and macaroni thing! But seriously, I always seem to wonder about the hot dog condiments. I can't be the only one?

Now that I've got your attention due to my lame attempt to make up a fictitious story to poetically describe the space I'm in, let me get into it! I would like to think of this blog post as a journal entry, a great listening ear for whats been plaguing me in the past few days. Hear goes! Hi my name is Rashina and I have a confession to make. Beautiful people of the universe, I'm feeling a little stuck. Well not stuck, but "on pause" like Colleen St. Michaels likes to call it. Yep. Pause as in still frame, as in slowed down to almost a trance like stop, as if I am literally on pause watching the world move around me.

I am usually pretty good at honing in on things that try to challenge my positive self space. I acknowledge the not so positive things, but try not to waste too much of my precious time focusing on them. Usually those negative feelings are fleeting and I am right back on my planet of spiritual bliss. The past 8 or 9 days have been different though. I have been feeling a little vibrationally challenged. 

I've done a few practices that typically bring me back in, such as reading, positive self-talk, and recharging & trying to balance my NRG, but it felt like nothing was working. I was feeling like my zest was missing, my seasoning that makes me a little spicy was suddenly gone. It kind of felt like someone had sucked the enthusiasm right out of my chest and I say chest because my usual movements are ruled by my heart, as I try to do everything out of love and compassion. I mean, man, I was feeling like I hit a brick walll! Everything was as quiet as a lake on a windless day. Which is kind of a good thing because hitting a brick wall was an immensely needed abrupt wake up call.

"Shina, what in the hell are you talking about?" Listen loves, I mean continue reading to get this gem! Often times, as human beings, we allow quiet spaces to discourage us. It's like if we have a moment of  un-busyness (nope not a word), our mind starts on this path of "Ruh roh! What if I'm failing?" (although busy doesn't always mean productive, funny we equate it that way) We start occupying our minds with menial worry, consumed with 'what if things don't play out the way I planned them in my head' thoughts. We start talking ourselves into these dark holes surrounded by a bunch of negations that ultimately try to talk us out of our passions! If we would instead, appreciate the stillness, we might realize that just maybe God is sending us divine messages, just maybe God is speaking if we would be willing to listen! We would understand that he uses these moments to tell us the next move we should make because he knows that when there is no noise, that's the only time we can hear him clearly enough to follow his lead.

Gem right here: Learn to "Trust the silence". There is a special wisdom to be found in being still. A wise person once said, "Make time for the quiet moments because God whispers and the world is loud." Stillness isn't negative, it's neutral so don't get discouraged during the quiet moments of stillness. Sweetheart, stillness does not mean you are failing, it means God is trying to tell you something important!

Oh and if you were wondering, I hear God loud and clear! He has me exactly where I needed to be to hear this message!

Love and light to all!

Xo,

Shina

I am the One in Four Women

But wait! I am not done just yet...
In the spirit of transparency, it is only right that I continue candidly sharing bits and pieces of my story.

It is also, yes also, pregnancy & infant loss awareness month...I must say of all the clubs to belong to, this is one I wish no one was a member of. 
I would like to take this moment to bring awareness to the world about women who grieve loss of pregnancy, infants or experience still birth.

The interesting thing about many miscarriages is that they too break our hearts in silence, most often unbeknown to our communities, our friends, or even our family members. On the contrary, still birth & loss of an infant are worn loudly, on our shoulders, for the world to observe our sorrow. Yet the world remains spectators to our overwhelming pain, for no words offered can correct the jagged pieces of our hearts. There is a clear point of demarcation in our lives where they are forever changed. 
When I refer to my children as miracle babies, I mean it with all that is within me. For I have endured enough miscarriages to know that every successful pregnancy yields an inexplicably, super natural miracle! 

In sweet memory of all the babies born sleeping, those whom we carried but never kissed or held in our arms and those who fell asleep after they were born. Heaven needed them more so we could have extra special Angels! 💗💙