Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) August/September 2015 Unleashing Your Magnificence | Page 33

I walk in beauty by standing in my authentic power and expressing my voice through my teachings, writing, mentoring, podcasting. My personal practice began after my daughter was born and was amplified during an intense Yoga teacher training experience. I’ve been practicing Yoga, Joy Spotting® and have read every issue of Shambhala Sun (cover to cover), since 2006. I continue to deepen my spiritual practice by circling up with wise women, exploring Shamanic teachings and practicing loving kindness. Today I will walk you through each of the nine sacred ways to walk in beauty. Each element comes with several questions for your consideration. AWARENESS Walking in beauty begins with awareness. Practice being mindful of your words, actions, personal energy and the energy of your surroundings. Are you paying attention? Are you noticing sweet miracles like a cat purring, wind chimes tinkling or baby birds poking their head’s out of a nest? Do you change course when you pick up negative vibes? Practicing awareness will help you raise your level of consciousness. Prayer To walk in beauty means to communicate with, and give thanks to great spirit, universe, angels, guides, God or Goddess (what ever works for you). I mix things up in my spiritual practice. I love listening to Deva Premal to lift my spirits. Sometimes I recite devotional mantras using my Mala beads. I enjoy reading The Tao de Ching and Bhagavad Gita. Occasionally I still pray the Hail Mary or Lord’s prayer which was part of my Catholic upbringing. You may prefer praying at church or with a rosary. You might enjoy reading the Bible, Torah or Quran. STEWARDSHIP OF THE EARTH Walking in beauty means caring for mother Earth. Chances are if you are reading this article, you are blessed with clean air to breathe and the availability of clean water to drink and bathe in. We can all make an impact by conserving water, recycling, picking up trash or planting trees and flowers. What will you leave behind for your children and the next seven generations? How are you doing your part to care for this great planet? 33 WISDOM & SELF-GROWTH In this fast-paced world, we can easily get lost in a sea of auto-pilot responsibilities and become blind to the crushing beauty all around us. We become out of balance with the natural rhythms of life when we try to push, control or go against the flow. Many women experience lives of quiet desperation because they believe they are trapped in the roles they play, and that these roles define their true feminine nature. They do not.