We sometimes think that being “spiritual” means we have to say “yes” to everyone.

​That it’s our job as lightworkers to continually move our own needs aside so that we can help and heal everyone.

Except, that’s not what we’re here for.
Empathic burnout is a very real thing.
Sensitive people—intuitives, seekers, healers, introverts—are often taken advantage of by those who are less sensitive.

The thing is, this isn’t just the fault of the abuser or bully or crazymaker.
The problem is shared by the person allowing the behavior.

We’re all meant to have boundaries: physical, verbal, emotional, spiritual.
As a spiritual person, as a helper and healer and lightworker, having boundaries is a part of your soul growth.

You don’t have to say “yes” to everyone.
In fact, saying “no” may be exactly the next step you need to take.

Everything is conscious

Recall: humans are not the only ones awakening. 
Humans are not the only containers of consciousness.
 
It is important to cognize this. 
All of the species on the planet are in the process of awakening. 
They are conscious now, and moving to a new level of consciousness. 
 
All of the living beings on the planet are souls, part of One soul. 
Just like you and me. 
 
All of the non-living beings on the planet also are souls, even if they are not living creatures. 
 
This can be hard to recognize; we have been taught that only humans matter. 
But even beings that we may not recognize are beings, are also conscious. 
 
The human. 
The animal. 
The insect.
The tree. 
The plant. 
The crystal.
The rock.
The table. 
The cup.
The air.
The particulate.
 
And these are just the beings of the mundane world! 
 
Everything is consciousness. 
There are no exceptions. 
All means all. 
 
So… everything that is awakening is lifting everything else. We are all moving to the highest level of awareness that we are proximate to: in our region, on our planet, in the Universe. 
 
It can be interesting to connect to beings that you may have connected to before, a few years ago, and to connect again now, and notice the shift. 
 
Everything is more aware now.
You have shifted into greater awareness. 
The being you are connecting to has also shifted. 
 
Remember also: humans are not the most conscious beings on the planet. 
 
As you connect to other beings, especially those you may not have recognized as sentient before, be open to learning from and being lifted up.

If you feel like you are always in a swirl of your own repetitive thoughts, it may be time to schedule a spiritual breather.

A spiritual breather—a pause, a reset—does not have to be time-consuming or expensive.

It can be as simple as scheduling some time for yourself, where you can experience the freedom of having no thoughts.

The two keys are:
• You must be alone
• You must be in Nature

Anywhere natural works: the woods, the beach, the desert—or if you live in the city, a park, an arboretum, a conservatory.

The key is to wander alone, without a goal or destination.
​In a state of noticing.
In a state of awe.

And to allow Nature to get you out of your head, shift your vibration and allow you to enter into a state of Now. 
​
So much of what we think is important, isn’t important at all.
There’s only Now, meant for your enjoyment.

Each of us has already transited many passages in our lives:
​
• Infancy
• Childhood
• Adolescence
• 20s, 30s
• 40s, 50s
• 60s, 70s
• 80s and beyond.

Each of these passages, not measured in decades but in levels of progression—emotional and spiritual levels that we master and repeat, master and repeat—is a new beginning.

As we crosss the threshold of one age to the next, we are invited to enter into the next stage of our life. This can be scary or thrilling, joyous or sad.

But most of all it is unknown.

We don’t know what will happen when we leave behind who we were, and embark upon the next passage.

Yet, we have to go anyway. 

As you consider where you are in your own passage of life today, remember that we don’t just evolve individually—we also evolve collectively. 
We’re all growing through these passages. We’re all completing our cycles of mastery and repeat, mastery and begin again. 

It never stops. 
We can't stop it. 
We are destined to grow. 

We sometimes get confused about who we have karma with.

We tend to think we only have karma with people we know well, such as our family, partners, friends, colleagues.

But in fact, we have karma with every single person we meet.
Every single person you run across or connect with in this lifetime.
Every. Single. Person. 

The Universe is not random. Our earth experience is not random.

The person you cross paths with in your hometown is part of your soul circle.
So is the person you meet while traveling the world.
So is the person who seems incredibly unimportant—yes, them too. 

These souls are your teachers, and you are theirs.
You are working out your karma together.

As you consider this idea, pay attention to who's showing up in your life.
That person will have a lesson for you, or vice versa.

If you discover yourself in a karmic crossing with someone, anyone—pay attention.
​
This person is your teacher.
They offer a soul lesson.
You are invited to learn it now.

Jai Uttal, the kirtan magician, has a song “Bus has Come.” Whenever I listen to it, I am reminded of how it is when we are waiting for a bus.

Depending on where we are, we might wait for hours for that bus—if we are in the countryside, we might even have to wait for days.

The bus isn’t here, it isn’t here and then suddenly it is!

We all know that sensation of expectation, of waiting, of anticipation—and then the bus is pulling up to the bus stop, and then it’s time to get on.

Waiting is over!
Bus has come!
It’s time to start the next leg of our journey.

We can’t dither around, because the bus will only be here for a moment.
It’s not going to wait for us. 
We have just one choice: get on, or not. 

This is also what happens when we are in the process of rapid change—where change is moving so quickly that we really don’t have time to understand what's happening.
All we can do is look up, and see that the bus has come. 
And then get on it. 

Of course, we can decide not to get on the bus.

But, if we make that choice—to not go with change—we remain in limbo, still stuck at the bus stop. 
If you are facing rapid change right now, consider surrendering.
You don’t need to figure it all out.
You don’t need to control it.
You can see that change has arrived.
And you can trust the Universe has arrived to take you to your next destination.