“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” ~ Morrie Schwartz
With that said, there is a spiritual meaning around the number 12 as well as for the date 12-21-12 (which I will write about in a future blog). For now, let’s focus on today…12-12-12.
All numbers have a meaning. If you watch the television show “Numb3rs”, you know that numbers are powerful tools that can balance a bad bank account or solve a crime. The number 12 exemplifies the power of your thoughts. If you follow my blog and have read my book, you have heard before how much your thoughts, positive or negative, influence your reality.
We are in a time where the amnesia that has kept us thinking we are small is lifting. We are beginning to remember our own divine birthright of co-creating our life. We are realizing our ability to re-spond, or according to Reverend Angela Peregoff, “ponder the consequences of our actions and choices and thoughts.” We are beginning to clearly see what kind of life we have created…choice by choice.
12-12-12 begins an activation cycle of abundance. Abundance of vitality, energy and realization of old patterns and ways of being that are currently limiting your every action. This is done via a vortex. A vortex is a site of intense energy that usually makes you feel positive, rejuvenated, introspective and spiritually connected. From December 12th-December 21st, grand vortexes are activated and portals that have been closed for centuries will be opened. What does this mean? This means that we will be given the energetic backing we need to change our lives. But don’t jump for joy too soon. This will only be the case if you are one of the ones who have been working on your spiritual development consciously; moving forward on the path of increasing your own personal vibration to bring you closer to being one with all that is around you. Sounds too woo-woo?
Consider this…have you noticed lately that certain situations or types of people keep popping up in your life lately? This is happening for one of three reasons:
All of these situations have been giving you chances to “make things right” before these portals open. If you are one of the ones that has been doing your work, you will experience the rest of this month as energetic, positive, you will have breakthroughs, major changes may occur in your life and you may even have spiritual gifts rise to the surface. If you have not been doing your work, these times may manifest as chaotic, full of anxiety and fear, confusing and you may feel as if you want to jump out of your skin because you are at the end of your rope.
However you experience the rest of this month, know that it is never too late. No soul is ever forgotten. Know that whatever your situation looks like at this moment, it is all for the ultimate good. You will be protected and watched over. We are not alone in this…trust me.
Spend today meditating, deep breathing and focusing on what you want to create in your life. Ask yourself what needs to change and why you are afraid to change it? Take an inventory of the people in your life. Who uplifts you and gets to stay in your life and who drags you down, telling you it’s time for them to leave?
Stay positive, watch your thoughts and keep moving forward. Don’t’ worry…you’ve got this! 😉
Waking up,
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 Google+.
“Choosing the Life You Were Born to Live: How Changing Your Thoughts Will Change Your Life” by Chris Sopa published by Balboa Press.
When there is light in the soul
there is beauty in the person.
When there is beauty in the person
there is harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home
there is honor in the nation.
When there is honor in the nation
there is peace in the world.
~Elements and Energy, Rosanne Rusnock
Feng Shui has 3 main principles and each principle has a connection, like everything, to life itself.
Principle #1: Everything is alive with chi
Everything has energy. Even the chair you are sitting in right now. How do the things in your home make you feel? Everything around you has memories associated with it. Look around and only keep the things that make you feel good, uplifted and joyful. Discard or give away everything that does not.
Principle #2: Everything is connected by chi
If you have read my blog in the past you have heard me say before that everything is connected on this earth; everything and everybody. Everything we do affects everyone around us. Look around at your life. Are the people in your life pulling you up or pulling you down? How about you? Do your actions make people feel good or do you leave negative marks and hurt feelings wherever you go? Cleaning house sometimes includes people in your life, regardless of who they are and what role they play for you.
Principle #3: Everything is constantly changing
Whatever you see and think about you attract into your life. What you think about you bring about. Your attention is everything! Look around your living space and see what it is telling you. How does it feel? What changes need to be made? If you want to attract into your life a mate, put things around your house in pairs (2 candles together, statues and pictures of couples, etc.). We think in pictures, not words. You need to see it the way you want it in order for your subconscious mind to attract it into your life for you.
If you feel the need to de-clutter or clean, do it! If you feel down, depressed or fatigued look around in the space in which you live and see if it matches how you feel. I have noticed that how I feel about my outside space (my environment) is a reflection of how I feel about my inside space (my mental and emotional state). If your desk is a cluttered mess, I will bet money on the fact that you feel like a cluttered mess. You have to start somewhere…so start with your space.
“The things surrounding you in your home serve as subliminal reminders of who you are. They will continue to direct you towards old patterns of behavior. Subconscious beliefs are generally so deep-seated that one is not aware of them.“
~ Denise Linn, Feng Shui for the Soul
Get out the broom!
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 Google+.
Announcing the release of “Choosing the Life You Were Born to Live: How Changing Your Thoughts Will Change Your Life” by Christine Sopa published by Balboa Press.
Please enjoy today’s article from Elaina Love, author of three recipe books and founder of Pure Joy Planet and Pure Joy Academy as the guest columnist every Friday in the Journey Back to Self Blog. ~ Chris
What you eat and when you eat has a big influence on your energy levels throughout the day. Morning is when it can either start with a bang or a thud, but it doesn’t just end there. The choices you make throughout the day can have a huge influence on your physical, emotional and mental wellness in life.
If you begin your day with a heavy meal, such as pancakes or even milk and cereal, you may find yourself wanting to go straight back to bed. The other side effect you might get is a mild depression such as a feeling of doom or dread about your day. The reason this happens is that your body is working so hard to digest the food you just ate, that you have no energy left for normal functioning, and even your hormones get imbalanced by the sugar. And when it gets to be too much, your body just puts you to sleep so it can deal with the bombardment.
Another reason you may experience low energy after eating something is when our food choices create an insulin spike. When we eat foods such as white sugar, agave nectar, milk, white bread, pastries, or anything that creates an insulin overload for our pancreas (I had it happen from just eating cantaloupe recently), our hormones kick in to action to balance things in the body. Once your insulin level spikes too high from eating a sugary food, a roller coaster effect begins. As the body secretes hormones, our moods and energy levels move all over the place. This can also be the case if we go without food in the case of hypoglycemic, but usually that is still a case of imbalance. Isn’t food supposed to give us energy and help us function in life? The answer is Yes! We just need to make smart choices, cleanse our bodies of all the excess waste, and feed it the right food to help us stay feeling good.
Here is an example of some items you can exchange to make your energy soar instead of sink. Below are 2 lists. One is foods that make us sleepy, groggy or low energy, as well as moody and even depressed.The second is an alternative that will make you feel energized and good. Some people may at first experience withdrawal or even detox symptoms from some of your unhealthy habits being replaced, but very soon, maybe within a day, you will feel supercharged!
Instead of this:
1. Bananas, protein power and cow’s milk
2. Cereal and Milk
3. Toast with butter or jam
4. Pancakes
5. Sandwich
6. Ice Cream
Eat this:
This will give you something to get started with, and as time goes on, keep trying new recipes that are organic and 
healthy. You never know how great you can feel until you start putting nutrients in and getting the toxins out.
Bringing pure joy and gourmet bliss to the planet,
Elaina Love
Elaina Love is a plant-based chef, instructor, author and speaker.
Find out more about her recipes and classes at purejoyplanet.com.
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 Google+.
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.
Do I Look Fat in This Energy?“What you see is a direct result of what you believe“
Recently when I was in Peru, I had the honor of working with the world-renowned Jorge Luis Delgado, author of “Andean Awakenings.” We were blessed to have many discussions with him as a group and one-on-one about life, love, service and wisdom. As we toured several sacred sites throughout the Sacred Valley of Peru, Jorge Luis, Edgar and I would take turns teaching and sharing our wisdom. Every time Jorge Luis spoke I felt as if I was speaking and he said the same thing about me. We ended up calling each other “twin” because this happened so often.
One similarity we all had in our teaching was around the topic of “heavy energies.” Put simply, a heavy energy is something you hold either in your mind or in your emotions that causes you to feel bad and not have harmony/balance in your life. From my own experience, I have seen that heavy energies come from the thoughts that we hold in our minds. We run “soap operas” constantly about possible future scenarios or re-play past scenarios over and over again. Our subconscious minds do not know the difference between what is real and what is not real. It responds solely based on where our “attention” is, so if our attention is on something “heavy” or what we don’t want, it assumes that is our truth and what we want to see in our life; so BAM it creates that in our reality.
To quote from the movie “Eat, Pray, Love,”…”You have to learn to choose your thoughts like you choose your clothes everyday!” Choose the ones that make you feel good when you “try them on!” This is easier said than done for most people. Most of the time we let our thoughts and our lives run US instead of the other way around. This usually is due to focusing on self more than others; a false belief of “I am what other people think;” and/or living from the head more than the heart. The way I look at it, if we do something from the head, it is usually ordinary and ego-based. If we do something from the heart, it is EXTRA-ordinary and service-based. It comes from love.
How do you learn to control your mind and eliminate heavy energies from your life? Start with working on yourself. To quote Jorge Luis, “the most important contribution we can make to the evolution of life is our own personal development.” You love life as much as you love yourself. You treat others the same way you treat yourself. Your relationship with others reflects the relationship you have with yourself. It always comes back to self.
So, just for today…lose some weight in the area of energy instead of fat. ? Take some time to do something you love, spend time with those who bring you joy, be in nature, breathe, spend time with an animal, forgive someone who you have been angry with for a long time, go someplace you love, have a cup of coffee…DO WHATEVER BRINGS YOU JOY! 
You do not take care of what you do not value so start to value yourself again. TAKE CARE OF YOU!
I’ll check in tomorrow to see how many pant sizes you dropped… 😉
Floating like the feather in “Forrest Gump”,
Chris