Oh My!!!

As we must plant a seed before we reap a harvest, so we must believe before our prayers can be answered.”  ~Ernest Holmes, “The Science of Mind

Do you ever feel as if the line “Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY!” from the Wizard of Oz is your life this month?  There are many things happening all around us; people who are acting out of sorts, places that just do not feel the same and situations that seem to no longer fit in our lives.  This is all part of the process…the process of ascension.  What is ascension?  Ascension is simply the process of moving your soul, your inner self, to a new level of awareness.  It is happening to all of us as we speak.  2012 is not about the end of the world; 2012 if about a new way – a new consciousness.  One of which we work together, we honor ourselves and our brothers and sisters, one where there is no judgment, no deceit, no lies; one where we all finally realize the true meaning of unconditional love.

August finds us all facing many realities in our lives.  With two full moons, the last one being tomorrow, August 31st, we are asked to look once and for all at our lives and “clean house.”  Have you noticed the turmoil this month?  Have you noticed the constant bombardment of chaos, drama and upset?  Although you may perceive these things as “bad” because they do not feel so great, they are blessings for you.  They are coming up to show you, as they have time and time again, what you need to balance, release and work on in your life.  Are there people in your life that just cause constant drama, that do not make you feel your best?  Are you in situations or a job that causes you undue stress?  Are you tired of not having enough money and wonder why no matter what you do money slips through your fingers and you just never have enough?

As we move through these times, we need to remember two things to cope:

1.  Your feelings are the physical manifestation of guidance – Your feelings are the language of the universe.  You have them for a reason – and that reason is not to make you feel miserable.  If you have been feeling down this month and ready to throw in the towel (trust me, I have been there all month as well!), try to look at what is happening from a different perspective.  The situations that are causing you stress and bringing up these “not so good” feelings are there to show you what needs to change in your life.  The feelings are the answers to your prayers.  They are the things showing you what you need to do to change for the better.  The challenge is having the courage to do what you already know needs to be done.  Is it pulling away from certain people in your life?  Is it ending a relationship?  Is it changing jobs?  Is it finally kicking an addictive habit?  And my all time favorite; is it changing how you think about who you are so you can finally live into the Divinity which is your birthright?

Try unconditionally loving yourself for once-it’s not so easy.  You are your worst critic.  If you spoke to and treated your friends the way your treat yourself, how many friends would you have?  That’s what I thought…

 2.  Know what you need to do to keep your center – Do you know what things you like to do that make you feel good?  When you are stressed beyond belief, what are some things that relieve your stress (good, healthy things – wine does not count!)?  We all need to know how to cope when things just don’t seem to be going our way.  I spent 4 years on the Board of Education and one of the areas I saw in our youth and that I see in adults in my Coaching practice that is the cause of most illnesses is the lack of coping skills.  How do you cope?  Crawling in bed and throwing the covers over your head is not coping.

Honest moment – for the last two days I have been depressed beyond belief.  My trip out east to visit my “old life” was disappointing to say the least.  Nothing out east had really changed…but I have changed…for the better.  Any endings bring sadness and when we allow sadness in for too long its best friend is usually fear.  I had every fear in history come up for me the last two days; fear of not having enough money, fear of my future, fear of success, fear for my children who are both starting new chapters in their lives, fear of being alone for the rest of my life, fear of not making it to where I want to go in my business, fear of what others were thinking of me…blah, blah, blah.  I had to re-group and cope.  How did I do that?  I pulled back, took a walk, listened to music, read passages in books that inspire me, re-read my bucket list and surrounded myself with friends who inspire me and lift me up and I shut everything else out.  I took care of me.  Did I snap out of it?  For the most part…but remember that your life is about the journey, not the end point.  We signed up for it all; sadness and joy because that is the beauty of being human.

Why not make your “Oh my” feel good for once!  😉

This is a kind Universe and everyone and everything in it is working in your favor.  There are no tests, blocks or obstacles in your way, except your own projections of fear into your future.”  ~Doreen Virtue

I like my ruby red slippers!  Click, click!

Chris

Chris Sopa is founder and owner of Chris Sopa International, Inc. You can learn more about her at www.ChrisSopa.com. Find her at Facebook.com/ChrisSopaInternational, Twitter @ChrisSopa, LinkedIn, and .

Do You Know Where You Are?

You cannot get to where you want to go until you know where you are starting from.

If I got in my car and wanted to drive to “Destination B” I would need to know two things; where do I want to end up and where am I starting from.  I cannot get in my car and say, “Hey, let’s drive to Boston” and get there if I do not know where I am starting my journey.  How would I know whether I need to drive, fly or take a boat?  How would I know if there were going to be any detours along the way?  How would I know how long it would take to get there?

Many people can tell you at least vaguely at least one goal they would like to achieve in their lives.  Many set these goals and never achieve them.  Why?  They have failed to do two things:  clearly define exactly what it is they want and clearly define where they are starting from.  If I have a goal to be a New York Times bestselling author (which I do!), the first thing you might say I need to do to start on that goal would be to write a book (duh!), but you need to start even more basic than that.  I would need to look at my writing skills first and where I may need to brush up to make them better.  I need to do my research and study other authors who have made it to the New York Times list and see what they have done.  And most importantly, I would need to take a look deep within myself and define why do I want this goal?  If it is so important to me, why haven’t I achieved it yet?  (And you are not allowed to blame others for the answer to that one – leave the victim mentality at the door!)  The only reason you have not achieved what you want in life is because of one person…YOU!  Yes, there are outside circumstances that need to be in alignment for a dream to manifest, but have you been present to notice the opportunities when they arrive?  Have you “given up” in your head by procrastinating and making excuses not to do what you need to do?  Is F.E.A.R. stopping you?  Is low self-esteem getting in your way – do you feel “unworthy” of that level of success?

Sit down with a pen and paper and answer the following questions twice.  In the first round, answer the question after thinking about it for a minute…using your conscious part of your brain.  In the second round, answer each question with the very first thing that comes to your mind…use your intuition.  (This exercise works best if you answer the first set of questions, take a small break, then come back and answer the second set of questions.)

  1. What do you most need right now?
  2. What do you most want right now?
  3. What is your deepest fear?
  4. What is your biggest dream?
  5. What do you need to be happy?
  6. What is your greatest strength?
  7. What is your biggest obstacle?
  8. In what area are you your own worst enemy?
  9. What is the most satisfying part of your life?
  10. What is missing in your life?
  11. Where would you like to see the most change in the next year?
  12. What is your life purpose?

Do you see any patterns in the answers?  If so, there is your first clue as to where you may need to do some work on yourself.  When my coaching clients do this exercise, it always points to those places that are blocking them from living the life they want to live…these things are blocking them from achieving their goals.

Take one of the patterns you see, let’s say it is a fear of failure, and question your thinking?  Write down the answers to these questions.  What are you afraid of exactly?  Can you be absolutely certain that thought is true?  How do you feel when you think that thought?  Who would you be, how would you feel and what would you do without that thought?  Now create a different thought that makes you feel good (a thought in alignment with what you want) and whenever you catch yourself thinking the old thought, clear, cancel, delete and say the new thought to yourself.  Re-frame your thinking!

Thoughts are a choice my friends.  If a thought isn’t making you feel good, change it.  Every thought leads to a feeling and every feeling leads to an action/behavior.  If you want to change your behaviors you have to change your thoughts…that simple.

Don’t separate life from living.  Your life lies underneath your life situation at the moment.  You ARE living it!  This IS your life!  It is perfect just the way it is.  If you don’t have something in your life right now that you want, all that means is you probably don’t really need it right now.  If you needed it, it would be here.  The Universe is a kind place and there is a Divine order in everything that occurs.  Trust it!  Make life the best one you can…this is not a dress rehearsal.  😉

God is the lead dancer and the soul is the partner
completely attuned to the rhythm and patterns set by the partner. She does not lead, but neither does she hang limp like a sack of potatoes.
~Thomas Merton quoted in Listening to the Music of the Spirit by David Lonsdale

Hang in there,

Chris

Chris Sopa is founder and owner of Chris Sopa International, Inc. You can learn more about her at www.ChrisSopa.com. Find her at Facebook.com/ChrisSopaInternational, Twitter @ChrisSopa, LinkedIn, and .

“Woo-Woo” Alert!

There is a time to do what you want to do and a time to do what you were meant to do.

Those of you who know me well know that I possess the gift of insight.  I can see, hear, intuit and feel things about people, places and situations.  I personally believe we all have these gifts and the more we use them, the more we trust them and when we trust them, they simply show up more.

Every morning I have a routine of meditating and spending at least 30 minutes of quiet time reflecting on my day ahead.  It is my way of “screwing my head on straight” before I embark on my day.  This morning I was hit with an intense sense of needing to share with all of you the insight I received for the rest of the week.  I received four different messages so I will relay them to you in four parts.  As you read, please remember to interpret the messages as they pertain to you and your situation.  Only you know what is best for you…no one else.

Coming to a Close

Something of extreme significance is coming to a close.  Whether it is a project you have been working on, a relationship you have been in for awhile or a decision you have been battling with to make…something is ending.  With every ending is a new beginning and you should feel wonderful about what you have accomplished thus far.  Because of all of the hard work you have put in and how far you have come, rewards and recognition are imminent and a golden opportunity awaits you as you begin your new journey.

What is Real?

You are witnessing a tremendous amount of change happening in your life and these changes are happening very, very rapidly.  Something is making you feel as if you are trapped and a very strong message comes through in letting you know that the entrapment feelings are not based in reality – it is an illusion.  There is a truth that needs to be faced in order to release the illusion and see the truth and it has to do with YOU.  Take off the “mask” you are wearing due to fear and take responsibility for what you need to take responsibility for.  Fess up!  The energies will bring it up on their own if you do not and it is always more painful when it has to happen not by our own choice.  The focuses you have currently around material things (such as money) are only to fill a deep craving you have for inner peace and to fill an emotional void.

You are Ready!

Whatever it is that is changing around you or coming to a close is frightening to you because you feel you are not ready for what is to come next…but you are!  You are moving onto something new (a new house, a new relationship, a new job, realizing a dream, etc.) and have grown spiritually throughout the process which will serve you going forward.  Feelings of gratitude, optimism and joy are of paramount importance right now in order for you to welcome the clarity that will be entering regarding why this is all occurring as it is.  Allow yourself to sit in gratitude for all that has occurred and what you have learned and allow the peace and contentment swirling around you to come in (and know you are worthy of feeling that way!).

Make a Decision

You are going to need to make a pretty big decision regarding something of extreme importance to you and please be aware of “hidden agendas.”  In order to see the decision clearly, you will need to make sure you “clean house.”  Remove anybody or anything from your life that you feel does not serve your highest good, release all judgments about people and why things happen as they do and use humor to lighten up the situation (it is always a good practice to not take yourself too seriously).  You may notice things “stall” around you temporarily to give you time to make this decision.  Slow down, listen to your heart and choose wisely.

Go for it! 😉

Chris

Chris Sopa is founder and owner of Chris Sopa International, Inc. You can learn more about her at www.ChrisSopa.com. Find her at Facebook.com/ChrisSopaInternational, Twitter @ChrisSopa, LinkedIn, and .

What is Karma Anyway?

Karma is the eternal assertion of human freedom…Our thoughts, our words, and deeds are the threads of the net which we throw around ourselves.” ~Swami Vivekananda

Saturday I turned 42 years old.  In 42 years I have had a lot of different experiences.  I grew up in Cleveland in your typical dysfunctional family (I mean that very lovingly for family members who are reading this!), went to college like I was “supposed to,” got married at 20, had both of my daughters by the time I was 23, experienced being a stay at home Mom for a few years, moved to Baltimore, went back to work, ended up with a chronic illness at 32 and almost died, started my own business at 33, got divorced at 38, and just recently moved again to Arizona.  Of course, there are many things I have left out but overall my life has been amazing!

As we look back on our lives, remembering the happy times is easy but when the memories of painful times arise, times where maybe we were not “our best,” it is not easy to look in the mirror.  Did you ever wonder why certain things in your life happened?  I mean, really wondered?  Not wondered from a victim place of “why is this happening to me?” but from a place of “what the heck is going on here?”

As I write this, I am sitting in the kitchen of my old house which is now my ex-husband’s house.  No, that is not weird.  It is possible to get divorced and still get along with your ex.  Last night after flying all day, my daughter picked me up at the airport late; I got back to this house and plopped into the bed in the spare room.  As I laid there trying to fall asleep I remembered the last time I had slept in that bed.  It was my last night in this house before I left my husband.  It made me stop and think about karma and choices I have made in my life up until this point.

I define karma as action and consequence.  I don’t believe karma is a tablet with all of our deeds kept in the hands of the Gods for them to decide how we should be punished for what we did wrong.  I believe karma is just the word to describe the consequences for the actions we choose.  We all have heard the expression, “what you sow is what you reap.”  Karma, in essence, is simply the Universe’s way of making you responsible and accountable for the choices you have made thus far.

Here is the rub; some of the choices we make are unconscious.  Over 90% of our behaviors come from our subconscious minds and in that part of the mind sits all of our past conditioning which we received from parents, teachers, experiences and even past lives (if you believe in that).  The question becomes, if we want to make the best and highest choices going forward so we no longer accumulate “KARMA,” what can we do?

K = Keep heart centered
Many of us make our choices only after we have run the scenario through our minds countless times, done a pie chart and asked 80,000 different people their opinions.  Learn to make your choices using your heart, not your head.  When you have to make a choice, listen to your body and your feelings.  How does the choice feel?  Where does the feeling show up in your body?  Does the choice feel comfortable or does it make you uncomfortable?

A = Always learn from your past experiences
Unfortunately, there is such a thing as “karmic debt.”  With every action, there is a reaction and yes, you do have to balance (not “pay for”) any misdeeds you have done.  Going forward, when something unfortunate happens or you make a poor choice ask yourself, “What can I learn from this experience?”  “What is the message the Universe is trying to tell me?” and “How can I use this experience to help others?”

R = Remember to be present
Being present means being aware of what is going on at this moment.  Be an observer of your life and witness what is going on around you.  Be here, now.  Your future is created in the present moment and the choices you are making right now.  Be present so you can make the best choices possible.

M = Make peace with yourself and others
Every choice you make not only affects you but it affects those around you and sometimes in ways in which you may not even be aware.  No debt in the Universe ever goes unpaid – that is just law.  If you have done harm to someone in the past you don’t necessarily have to hunt them down and beg for forgiveness.  Do your own work.  Bring that person up in your mind, send them light and love, apologize and let them go.  Use that experience as a lesson to make higher choices in the future.

A = Ask yourself questions constantly
Every time you are about to make a choice ask yourself, “What are the consequences of this choice I am making and will it benefit me and others involved?”  Answer from your heart.  Always, always question your thoughts.  When you find yourself judging yourself or someone else ask yourself, “Is that true?”  “Can I be certain it is true?”  “Who would I be if that thought didn’t exist?”  Always do your best in choosing the higher road.

A year older,

Chris

Chris Sopa is founder and owner of Chris Sopa International, Inc. You can learn more about her at www.ChrisSopa.com. Find her at Facebook.com/ChrisSopaInternational, Twitter @ChrisSopa, LinkedIn, and .

MOVE!!!

 

“To create the new, first you must imagine it, then you embrace it, and finally love it until the invisible becomes true for you.”
~Rev. Angela Peregoff

I thought the title for my blog today was fitting because it bears two meanings; one, I will be starting the 40 hour trek to my new home in Scottsdale, AZ on Wednesday of this week, moving my whole life as I know it 3000 miles away, and two, this whole weeks focus is on moving…moving your dreams into action, moving and taking care of your body and aligning your soul vision with movement.

We all have a secret dream or vision of what we would like our lives to look like.  Whether it is to live in a certain place, to have a certain career or to be a certain type of person, it is a vision nonetheless.  Many times our vision remains just that…a vision.  We get caught up in the fears and the “what if’s” and never take the steps to allow our vision to manifest.  Our ability to be able to make our vision a reality is part of our self-responsibility.  The whole purpose of our life on Earth is to learn our lessons through life experiences.  If we limit those experiences based on what others think or what our ego considers “safe,” we do ourselves a major injustice.  We allow our vision to die at the hands of the illusion of fear.

Two helpful tools to get you started on turning your vision into a reality is one, to focus 2-3 times a day on the middle of your forehead.  Smack dab in the center of your forehead sits your third eye chakra.  A chakra is an energy center (we have several of them throughout our body but 7 main ones) that allows or blocks energies from entering your psyche and soul body.  Each chakra has a theme and this theme is allowed to manifest in your life if you keep that energy center free and clear of clutter – i.e., negative thoughts and fears.  The third eye chakra has a theme of “seek only truth.”  It is your chakra of “sight “and allows you to see the deeper and spiritual truths about yourself and the world around you.  Visualize a stream of white light from the heavens surrounding your forehead 2-3 times per day.  White light is very powerful and cleanses any area where it is sent.

Secondly, the crystal Iolite is very powerful in helping you move into action toward your vision.  Iolite is the vision stone and has the power to bring joy into your life and clear away any obstacles that are getting in the way of you achieving your ultimate vision.  You can buy crystals at any new age shops where they sell incense and other spiritual items as well as on line.  Sleep with this crystal under your pillow this week and allow your sleeping dreams to assist you with action steps on how to turn your vision into a reality.

There is nothing blocking you from realizing your greatest vision other than yourself.  Once you start to take action, you soon realize that what you feared is not even a reality…it only exists in your mind.


“We can either bargain, hold back and hang onto comfort and security, or we can take a deep breath, and say TAKE ME, and leap into the fire.” ~Charlotte Kasl, “If the Buddha Dated

Sore from packing my moving truck but carrying a huge smile on my face,

Chris

For more information on Chris Sopa International, Inc. go to www.ChrisSopa.com.

And The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round


So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future.  The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure.  The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new a different sun.”
~Aron Ralston, “Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Have you ever had that annoying experience of a fly buzzing around your head and no matter how many times you swat it, it is still there?  That fly has a goal and your head is it!  It will keep buzzing until the mission is accomplished…or it gets splat!

The Universe acts in a very similar way.  We tend to see the same types of people, the same set of circumstances and the same habits over and over again in our lives…the same, the same, the same.  Do you ever wonder why you attract the same kind of person time and time again to date?  Why you end up with money issues month after month no matter what you do differently?

Life is a school.  We are here to learn specific lessons about ourselves, our relationship with God and life itself.  Unfortunately, sometimes it takes us a few times to learn the lesson.  It comes back around for us time and time again in the form of the same type of relationships and situations with the pain of not learning the lesson increasing each time as it comes around (to get our attention) until we finally have that wonderful “ah-ha!” moment and get it.

Everything in life is in cycles and rhythms.  The moon has cycles, your body has cycles, your breathing is a cycle, and time is a constant cycle…what goes around comes back around eventually.  Some call this karma…I call it creating your reality.  The cycles in your life are your rhythm.  Just like every song has a certain rhythm, so do you.  When you fight and fight to keep your cycles from happening due to fear of change and uncertainty, you lose your rhythm and no one can hear your true and unique song.

You know when you listen to a song when the tune is about to change by the sound of the previous note and the flow of the song.  Your life is no different.  You can tell when something needs to change and what part of the cycle you are in at the moment by your feelings.  Feelings are the language of the Universe and when something in your life needs to change, or move through a cycle, your feelings about that person or situation change.  The wheel is turning to try and show you a new view but we often are holding onto our wheel so tightly we don’t allow it to turn.

Look at your life this weekend and take an inventory of how you feel about each area of your life; relationships, friends, career, finances and even spirituality.  Ask yourself, “How do I feel about this area of my life?  Does anything need to change?  What part of the cycle am I in?”  Endings are a part of life.  Many individuals lately are experiencing many endings.  An ending heralds a new beginning on the horizon.  Embrace the ending for what it is and allow the cycle of life to lead you to your next road.  You cannot turn a corner if you do not allow the wheels of your life to turn and take you to the next adventure.
Let life guide you.  All you need to do is take one step at a time, one moment at a time and you will get there.  You only need to see the first step and just trust the whole staircase is there. And who knows…there may be a rainbow at the end of the road or a prince/princess?  You’ll never know unless you let those wheels turn!

Turing the corner soon from MD to AZ,

Chris

For more information on Chris Sopa International, Inc. go to www.ChrisSopa.com.

Which Way Do I Go?

“What God chose for you to do is at the intersection where your greatest joy and the worlds greatest need meet.”
~Frederick Buechner (paraphrased)

Have you ever asked yourself the question, “why was I born?”  Not in the “I’m worthless so why I am here,” moments, but in the true “what is it I am supposed to do while I am here” moments?  We have all at least wondered that once in our lives.

I had a time in my life where I used to feel as if there was something I was supposed to do but I wasn’t’ doing it.  Almost as if I missed my calling.  It showed up and I somehow just let it pass by.

I used to hate that feeling.  I cried at night over it.  I used to pray for God to give me an answer as to what he wanted me to do with my life.  A friend told me once that God’s gift to us was life and our gift back to God was what we did with that life.  I felt as if I was failing God miserably.

He answered my prayer one day in the form of chronic ulcerative colitis.  For eight months I felt like I was in the military.  What God did to me in those eight miserable months where I almost lost my life was break me down and then build me back up…kind of like what they do at boot camp.  I soon realized I wasn’t missing my calling…it was calling me alright; I just didn’t have the self-worth and self-esteem to hear it.  We do not take care of what we do not value and I did not value myself at all…so not only was I a mess, but my life was a mess!

I realized as I reflected during those eight months (and I had a LOT of time to reflect) that every job I had over my life time lead me to my “path.”  From working at an ice cream shop at age 13 learning customer service and entrepreneurial skills to being a restaurant manager where I learned how to masterfully watch and manage people of many personalities.  Each one served a purpose.  When I was sick I realized that I could not go back to the job I had at the time as a corporate trainer and I also realized I had to change my beliefs, my thinking and my self-esteem level if I was going to do anything and continue living.  I did not feel I was good enough to deserve a good “job.”  How would I ever be good enough?  What I soon realized was how I was going to be good enough was to help others believe that THEY were good enough…helping others raise their self-esteem and feel worthy of a good life so they did not have to get sick like I did to realize THEY are God’s precious gift and deserve the best life ever!

Your path is undefined.  You create it by embracing every waking moment.  You have to decide what you want your life to look like and then take one step at a time to getting it.  If you want to lose weight, order a side salad instead of fries…that is one small step.  You cannot start your journey if you have one foot in the boat and one foot still on the shore… you will go nowhere.  Stop playing it safe and put both feet in the boat and let the ocean of life guide you.  Cherish every moment, every conversation, every breath you take and every feeling you feel.  Let those individual moments be your map to linking your joy to the needs of the world.

Be present.  It is called the “present” because it is truly a gift.  Put the fear aside and open your gift…you’ll never know what wonderful blessings are waiting for you until you do!

“There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there’s only a scarcity of resolve to make it happen.” ~Wayne Dyer

Walking my path one step at a time,

Chris

For more information on Chris Sopa International, Inc. go to www.ChrisSopa.com.

Duck…Duck…Goose!!!

Taking action is sometimes not so easy.  Do you notice that with some things you move right through it and with other things someone needs to put a fire under your butt?  Usually it’s with those things that we either don’t like doing or those things that scare us to death where we hesitate.  We like life to be easy and predictable.  That way it is “safe.”

The Universe is always working in our favor which is why sometimes she is the one who puts the fire under our butts.  You remember playing the game “duck, duck, goose” as a child?  You sat on the floor, waiting patiently for someone to tap you on the head and then when they did you had no choice but to MOVE!  You got up and ran around in circles being chased by “the duck,” hoping not to get tagged until you found your seat again.  When it is time for us to “move” in our lives, the Universe finds a very creative way to “tap us on the head;” letting us know it is our turn to be “goose.”  And yes, sometimes it DOES feel like you are being chased!  For instance, has your life ever been going along ever so smoothly and then all of a sudden, BAM, you lose your job, someone you love leaves you, a loved one passes away or you find out you or someone you love has a chronic illness?  You see, when our life is moving along oh so smoothly we tend to get very comfortable.  My motto is to be “comfortable with the uncomfortable.”  If you are not uncomfortable in some area of your life you are not growing.  When we are uncomfortable that usually means something is changing…and usually changing for the better even if the road we have to travel to get there may be painful.

The energies this week (or in other words, the theme of this week) we will be playing with are that of “fearless movement” and the cycles of life.  We will dive into defining your path, being ok if it is undefined at the moment, acceptance of where you are instead of always wishing you were somewhere else, how to navigate your life in uncharted waters and allowing spirit to work through you and with you to allow you to realize your dreams.  For those of you who work with crystals, Chrysoprase is our crystal this week.  She is the stone of “fearless movement” and her energies help you become energized to make your dreams come true.  Keep her in your pocket, on your desk or under your pillow as you sleep.

For today, allow the Universe to “play” with you.  Notice what signs she is trying to send to you, through people, conversations you overhear, small “coincidences,” and even billboards you pass.  She speaks to us in very creative ways!  Look at your life and take an inventory of where you are really comfortable and where you may be uncomfortable.  If you find you are more comfortable than not, define what area in your life you would like to grow the most and make one small change (beat the Universe to it!).  Don’t be afraid.  You don’t have time for fear and worry is beneath you.

Remember where your attention flows, energy goes and you want your energy working for you, not against you.  You cannot eat the whole elephant in one sitting…you have to take one bite at a time.

Running around in circles but loving every minute of it,

Chris

For more information about Chris Sopa International, Inc. go to www.ChrisSopa.com.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep….

Most of the time, when I talk about “dreams,” people think I am referring to their night time, sleeping dreams.  And although I am not, your sleeping dreams play a very big role in helping you navigate what steps to take on your journey to manifest those waking dreams that you hold in your heart.

We all dream every night whether you remember your dreams or not.  Dreaming is one of the ways the conscious mind clears itself from all of the millions of things it takes in during any given day.  Each one of us has our own “dream language,” so to speak.  Our dreams use symbolism to get messages to us from our guides and angels.  Even deceased loved ones use our dreams to visit us and send us messages.  The key to being able to interpret your dreams is to take the time to learn your dream language.  You can do this by keeping a dream journal every night and jotting down images and basic notes of what you can remember from each dream.  You do not need to write a story, just what you remember:  colors, people, places, how you felt, odd things such as you weren’t wearing shoes, animals, weather, etc.  Look for patterns in your dreams and record the time you had the dream and the date.  My daughter did this for a while when she was having very vivid dreams and noticed that she always had the same type of dream every Monday night for several weeks in a row!

The more abstract your dream, the more powerful the message so it is important to be able to understand what your dream is trying to tell you.  Especially try to remember your dreams if it is repetitive, extremely vivid or wakes you up…those are “red flags” that the dream has a very important meaning.  There are some things that have general meanings in dreams for everyone, such as colors but there are other things that are meaning-specific just for you.  For instance, I know when I dream about a tornado that something major is about to come into my life and how I am going to handle it depends on where I am in relation to the storm in my dream:  am I outside facing it or am I in the basement of a house hiding from it, etc.

Some basic general meanings for you just for fun:

Colors:    

Red = intense emotion
Yellow = change/creativity
Blue = peace/harmony
Green = healing
Purple, White or Gold = spirituality
Pink = love
Orange = action/actualization
Gray = uncertainty/indecision

Most popular things dreamt about and what they represent:

House = indicates yourself (inside of the house is how you see yourself and outside is how others view you.)
Water = inner emotions or your feelings toward life
Falling = fear of losing control
Flying = psychic abilities coming to the surface
Being chased = a problem not being faced
Loose teeth = changes coming around the corner
Snakes = your energy drive and the ego
Death = a new beginning is coming

So, start a dream journal tonight and see what comes up for you while you are sleeping.  Sleep is our healing time and it is also a time where all of our ego patterns and conscious mind get a break and we are closest to our true selves.  Learn who you are through your dreams and let them help you on your “journey back to self!”

Yawning yet as awake as ever,

Chris

For more information about Chris Sopa International, Inc. go to www.ChrisSopa.com.