Beyond Commercialism: Bringing Holiness Back into the Holidays

Beyond Commercialism: Bringing Holiness Back into the Holidays

by | Dec 3, 2022 | Mindfulness & Meditation, Self Empowerment, Spiritual Awakening

 

The Holidays can be a wonderful as well as stressful time. As a society, we tend to put so much pressure, expense, and unrealistic expectations on ourselves for the mad dash to celebrate a few days of the year.

For many years, the holiday season was a major source of stress for me. The commercialism, cost, and unyielding expectations I had of myself for everything to be just right smothered my feelings of good tidings with each approaching year.

My stomach would churn as soon as I saw the first Christmas decorations displayed in stores long before Thanksgiving. Why I wondered, did it have to be this way? What happened to my Christmas spirit?

I found myself becoming a scrooge and recoiling at anything Christmas. I started to despise the five most common words that seem to prevail right after Thanksgiving ended, “Are you ready for Christmas?”

And then, something happened.

I flipped the switch.

I can’t give an exact time or place it happened. I think I just decided to open my heart and surrender.

I didn’t want to become one of those grumpy old women who, after years of people pleasing and self-denial, forgot what it is like to feel the joy of the Holidays.

Flipping the switch meant bringing the holiness back into the Holidays without putting pressure on myself to follow the programs or subscribe to the commercialism.

I never understood why we had a designated “season of giving” or why we must put special meaning on one period of time over another. I decided to take my holidays back and not allow the commercialism or expectations of the holidays to affect my heartfelt love and devotion to Divinity.

I chose to live my life as if Christmas were every day. For real.

I proclaimed that the Spirit of Christmas for me meant that I have permission to celebrate life, love, giving, and service every day, not just a few days that seem to come in a flurry of unrealistic expectations and exits with a sigh of relief.

To me, Christmas means being present with the sacred connection between my heart and the Divine Universe every day. I honor the Spirit of Christmas within me. I rejoice in the gifts that unfold in my life as it showers me with joy, gratitude, clarity, peace, purpose, abundance, and reverence for the Divine Creator.

The Spirit of Christmas is alive and well in me as my daily life becomes a living prayer. Do I still celebrate the holidays? Yes!

Do I still get triggered when I see the Christmas decorations put out before Halloween? You bet I do. I just know how to flip that switch within me, and so can you.

I changed the channel of my awareness away from how things appear without subscribing to the commercialism or following the programs of conditioning.

I left the unrealistic expectations and stress about timelines, perfection, and presents in the past because Christmas is every day for me.

I now celebrate the Holidays on my terms. What I look forward to the most is the quality time I spend with my loved ones. The laughter, the love, the food, the hugs. The presents are just a nice bonus and surprise if they occur.

I love giving gifts, but I enjoy doing this at meaningful and purposeful times throughout the year, including Christmas, if I choose to.

During the Holiday season, I have complete freedom from the pressure of programs from years of conditioning and holiday commercialism. I now look forward to random people asking me if I am ready for Christmas. I look them in the eyes with a big smile and love in my heart and proclaim, “YES, I am ALWAYS ready for Christmas!”

May the Spirit of Christmas enlighten you with the holiness of the Holidays every day. May your daily life be filled with all the joy, gratitude, clarity, peace, purpose, and abundance that the Divine Universe has to offer.

If you need to flip your switch and take your holidays back, may you do so knowing that the Universe loves and supports you. You, too, can unplug from the programs and unsubscribe from the commercialism if you so choose.

What you focus on and how you imagine and feel will flourish in your life. Allow the Spirit of Christmas to be your guiding light as the holiness of the Holidays becomes your daily life.

I hope this article helps you remember that your life is a living prayer and that the Spirit of Christmas can be alive and well within you every day.

With Love,

💗 Shannon MacDonald

The Great Reset from a Spiritual Perspective

The Great Reset from a Spiritual Perspective

by | Jul 28, 2021 | Divine Inspiration, Holistic Healing, Mindfulness & Meditation

The Great Reset from a Spiritual View

Life is a river of possibilities and potentials that emerges from the darkness of unseen creation. Much like a hidden spring, each being bubbles up from the murky waters of the unknown. We unabatedly curl our way through the currents of perception and life experience—all the while holding the song of our triumphs and trials within the heart of the Universe.

Divide or Unite?

As lessons are received through toil or teaching, we each have the opportunity to unite in love and truth or divide in fear and illusion.

Each soul knows what is most needed for the experience of life to become fulfilled. Every experience provides an opportunity to learn lessons from the infinite scale between heartbreak and happiness.

Each life has a mission to fulfill and a message to remember. As physical life eventually makes its final journey to the ocean of unity consciousness, the soul is met with unconditional love and the illuminating remembrance of truth.

Opening Our Spiritual Eyes

As we are born into this form of physical perception, our spiritual eyes are wide open. We still see the Light. We still perceive all things seen and unseen—consciousness flowing within the realm of knowingness. Our minds and hearts radiate truth, unity, harmony, and love.

All children see through the unfiltered eyes of love and the hearts of remembrance. This is their birthright. This is their gift to the world as it they radiate hope for the future. All who look into the eyes of a child know this to be true.

Remembering Truth

All children are divine gifts from the ever-loving Universe to help us remember the truth of who we are and help us be better. They hold only inclusion and love for all beings within their all-knowing memories of unity consciousness. They remind us of the importance of our individual and collective choices, which can build or break the story of life and the outcomes of our human experience.

A soul has no race, no culture, or belief. It knows only truth as it radiates love. Each soul is an infinite expression within the masterpiece of Divine Light. Dancing to the harmonious melody of the one great song of the Universe, all souls are ever united and complete.

We are all born into the realm of darkness and, in doing so, forget our illuminating nature of Light. We forget our origins of unity and our namesake of truth. Maybe this is by design so our souls may have a fair advantage to experience the fullness of physical life as we learn and evolve. As we grow, we are taught and told the conditions and limitations of life. This is when the light of knowingness begins to fade. The darkness of forgetfulness, limitation, and separation becomes the prison in which beliefs are born.

Each of us has a choice and a chance right now. Here! Today! We each have the opportunity to reclaim the long-lost truth that lights the way to our remembrance. We each have the chance to put aside fighting over our perceived differences and remember the truth of one humankind—united, not divided. The loving order of natural inclusion means opening our hearts and resetting our beliefs, no matter how difficult it may be.

The Great Reset May Not Be What You Think

The resetting of humanity means listening to our inner knowing versus following the lures of limitation, fear, mindless chatter, greed, and control. It means revisioning our future for the ultimate survival of the human race as the Great Remembrance of Light and Love leads the way.

Each person is a vessel for unified hearts to sing in memory of truth. Peace prevails as we open the curtains for the light of Divine Love to shine upon us. We are all diverse and beautiful vessels, all adding unique and wonderful flavors to the experience of life. Let’s rejoice in this. Let’s honor this. Let’s remember together, as we say, “THIS IS SO!”.

We can remember the truth of who we are and the eternal, unified connection within all things. We exist as this. We are this. We are all-knowing and divinely powered by the Light Within.

All we need to do is remember.

 

Explore My Heart-Opening Services, Transformational Books,
and Mind-Expanding Videos

I’m here to help support your awakening so you can live your best life!
💗 Shannon
Make the Shift & Feel Hopeful Again: Your Life is a Living Prayer

Make the Shift & Feel Hopeful Again: Your Life is a Living Prayer

by | Oct 13, 2020 | Mindfulness & Meditation, Self Empowerment, Spiritual Awakening

Making the Shift to a Happier, More Hopeful You

If you have been feeling like the stress of what is going on around you and in the world has you feeling hopeless, helpless, lost, angry, and confused, you are not alone.

The weight of world events and all the changes we are going through individually and collectively may feel as though nothing will ever be good or the same again.

You may find yourself mourning for a life that you never fully appreciated until it changed.

I would like to assure you that there is a way to make the shift and feel hopeful again.

Signs of Spiritual Awakening

You have the ability to feel hopeful even when things around you do not appear to give you a reason to do so. You can return to peace and reunite with a life that is filled with hope, joy, inspiration, and meaning.

It’s no accident you found me here. This video is just the beginning of a transformation that has been calling for you to awaken.

The signs of spiritual awakening are all around you. Maybe you have been seeing the signs but have been ignoring them. Maybe you don’t think it is possible to feel happy and hopeful when the world seems to be otherwise.

Now is the time for you to start paying attention to the subtle signs that are calling you to awaken. The signs of spiritual awakening help guide you to what you can do to feel better today, and stop putting it off till tomorrow.

There is no time like the present to make your shift! I will be right here with you, holding your energetic hand as we breathe and feel peace.

Yes, You Can!

You can do this! If you need more than a video to help you reset to a more hopeful, happier place, please reach out and take a look at some of my services. I am here to help you deepen your peace and reconnect with your hope, happiness, and healing.

Check out my Spiritual Healing Sessions. My services are offered in-person in my office in Ormond Beach, Florida, the Daytona Beach Area, and online via video call from anywhere.

Schedule your appointment and make your shift today!

How to Meditate: Heartful Meditation and the Higher Self

How to Meditate: Heartful Meditation and the Higher Self

by | Oct 12, 2020 | Divine Inspiration, Mindfulness & Meditation, Spiritual Awakening

How to Meditate With Heartful Meditation

As a spiritual healer and meditation coach, my process of teaching clients how to meditate varies according to the individual needs and experiences of my client. The one thing that remains constant in teaching someone how to meditate or deepen their current meditation practice is to begin each meditation by establishing an open, two-way connection between the mind and heart. This is what I frequently refer to as Heartful Meditation.

There are perhaps thousands of different ways to learn how to meditate. Whether you’re a beginner or have been meditating for years, finding a meditation practice that works best for you is the key to your ultimate success.

Heartful Meditation and the Higher Self

Communicating with your Higher Self occurs when you become present with your heart (the sanctuary of your True Nature). As you begin to learn and practice Heartful Meditation, you start to sense and feel information from your Higher Self in a way that is much different than how you typically communicate through spoken or written language. I have more details about the practice of Heartful Meditation in my book, Mastering Manifestation. 

Heartful Meditation is a Higher Awareness within us
that everyone has the potential to tune into.

The more you become present with the moment, and bring a sense of joy and wonder to your meditation practice, your mind and heart unite in the bliss of recognizing the presence of your Higher Self and the Divine Within.

Heartful Meditation can easily be incorporated into your everyday life. It is something that everyone has time for, no matter how busy your schedule; and can be done in minutes if that is all you have time for.

How to Practice Heartful Meditation and Connect to Your Higher Self

  • Consciously give your mind permission to take a mini-vacation from all of the stress and worries you hold within. This may include your to-do lists, judgment of self or others, anger, anxiety, depression, frustration, physical illness, financial or career problems, guilt, regret, and even expectations.
  • Make sure you are in a place that makes you feel peaceful so you can take your attention away from what is going on around you and escape for a few minutes.
  • You can sit or lie down.
  • Close your eyes and place your hands over your heart. Take a few deep breaths and release any tension you may be carrying in your body. Focus on relaxing your forehead, face, jaw, shoulders, and back.
  • Keeping your hands on your heart, become present with each inhalation and exhalation as you continue to slow and deepen your breathing.
  • Now, imagine and feel the peaceful presence and energy of your heart. Tap into that feeling of pure, unconditional love your heart holds for you as it nourishes and supports you every moment of every day.
  • Continue to focus on the feeling of love within you. Imagine that love rising and radiating throughout you. It’s just you, your heart, and the love in-between. Stay here as long as you want or have time for.
  • Feel grateful for every breath and every heartbeat as your body becomes more peaceful and relaxed. Allow any thoughts that come to be OK as you refocus on your gratitude.
  • Imagine the love and energy of your heart opening and expanding to the infinite love and wisdom of your Higher Self. Imagine and feel your Higher Self accepting the gift of your presence.
  • Continue to breathe, relax, feel, and follow your breath as you feel your heart opening to your Higher Self. Stay here for as long as you want or have time for.
  • End the meditation in gratitude for the gifts of love your heart, and Higher Self have shared. If you have time, journal your experience or epiphanies.

Remember that your connection to your Higher Self is always there; it’s just a matter of shifting your awareness to the Divine Within.

The practice of heartful meditation can take a few minutes to complete or go longer, depending on the amount of time you wish to spend. Play with it and make it your own!

As you begin to feel more loving, accepting, and peaceful within, the pathway of communication to your Higher Self becomes easier each time. Problems or challenges transform as you are reminded that you are always divinely supported and guided.

When you are in this state of awareness, the Higher Self can be felt (or sensed) in the body through the emotional language of higher vibrations such as unconditional love, peace, gratitude, compassion, forgiveness, reverence, and awe.

If you would like to learn more about the practice of Heartful Meditation and connecting with your Higher Self, check out my heart-led healing services and transformational books

May Peace be with you on your journey Within!

Shannon
Learning How to Communicate With Your Higher Self

Learning How to Communicate With Your Higher Self

by | Oct 11, 2020 | Mindfulness & Meditation, Self Empowerment, Spiritual Awakening

How to Communicate With Your Higher Self

I recently held a class called Learning to Communicate with Your Higher Self. The participants who attended all came for various reasons, but the common theme was to have more clarity in life and feel a greater sense of peace, purpose, and connection to their own higher awareness.

We live in a world that continually bombards us with unwelcome or unsolicited outside influences. This comes in many forms from other people’s opinions, TV, social media, newspapers, books, magazines, and the list goes on.

My clients and students often come to help re-discover their inner peace and reconnect with their highest potentials and divine purpose. Within this sacred space of unconditional love, the Higher Self is patiently and silently calling them from the unseen and often forgotten world of Inner Peace and answers within.

The Higher Self and Finding Answers Within

Would you like to learn how to find the answers to your innermost questions about your purpose in life and how to achieve your deepest desires?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know that you have an unlimited resource of divinely inspired guidance and information to help you navigate happily, successfully, and abundantly through this life?

How exciting would it be to learn how to interact with your wise and trustworthy Advisor, who loves you unconditionally, and only wants the best for you in all situations?

This may sound like a fantasy, but in reality, you have the ability to discover all the answers that your heart yearns for you to remember by connecting and communicating with a long-lost friend called your Higher Self.

What is the Higher Self?

The Higher Self transcends the physical body with ageless, timeless wisdom, yet it is inseparable from your physical body and The Divine Universe.

The Higher Self is not necessarily contained “within” the physical body, but it is also not outside of the physical body. This may seem contradictory, but it follows the esoteric principle that we are all One with The Divine, and we are all expressions of The Divine.

It is the identification with our human mind and limitations of our perceptions that keep us from looking at the world as One within The Mind of the Universe.

When you begin to recognize and communicate with your Higher Self from a loving presence and a heartful knowingness, it will change your life and open your perceptions to a brand-new awareness of potentials and possibilities that are beyond your conscious, thinking mind.

Learning to Communicate With Your Higher Self

Learning how to communicate with my Higher Self has been a process of inner discovery since this was not something that was taught to me.

All of us have the ability to tune into our Highest Wisdom for our most intimate and essential questions. For many reasons, we are programmed and conditioned on what and how to believe, on all levels.

A normal upbringing in our society does little to nurture and develop our various natural-born abilities of extrasensory perceptions such as intuition, psychic awareness, and energetic sensitivities.

This, in turn, inhibits the development of our various natural abilities, which cause us to potentially become stunted or blocked from our full capabilities and connection with the unseen world of energy and consciousness.

In reality, we all have the ability to realize all lessons and know all truth. We just need to know how to listen within.

An Invaluable Tool to Help You Discover your Purpose in Life

If you are on a journey of inner self-discovery, learning how to communicate with your Higher Self can be an invaluable tool to add to your spiritual practice.

As you learn how to go within and open yourself to the wisdom, guidance, and unconditional love your Higher Self has to offer, a new level of divine understanding becomes awakened.

This understanding is not of the mind, but of the heart as new perceptions of yourself become integrated within the oneness of The Divine Universe
.
As you become awakened to the calling of your purpose, your life takes on new meaning. You begin to see how all the pieces of your life have come together to help you realize the lessons to move forward to rise above problems, challenges, limitations, and beliefs.

Learn How to Communicate with Your Higher Self

If you are interested in learning more about communicating with your Higher Self, I periodically teach in-person and online classes on this topic and other spiritually related subjects.

One of the best ways to communicate with your Higher Self to receive your wisdom and guidance within is through meditation. You may enjoy this article about Heartful Meditation and The Higher Self.

You followed your intuition to find this article among thousands of others on the internet. Maybe it’s time for you to follow your own guidance to connect with your Higher Self. Whether you attend one of my classes, schedule a session with me, or start meditating on your own, you now have a reminder from the unseen forces of your own Divine Guidance to listen within.

May peace be with you as your Higher Self guides the way to the destiny of your dreams!
Blessings,

Shannon

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