My tree of life

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I am entitled to the tree of Life!  The power of self-affirmative thoughts and beliefs will begin to shape our lives’ destiny beyond recognition.  If done daily no matter how you may feel physically or emotionally will push your psyche into an optimistic mood.  Productivity will increase and you will see a different outlook on situations.

 

Spring represents new birth as it does in its physical form of trees and flowers.  Have you ever noticed how no matter how bad of a winter we’ve experienced, they still bloom?  They don’t resist the evolution of their creation, they simply start over and do it beautifully.  We never think, wow I wonder if that tree is having a hard time producing?  Our lives when given nurturing soil can take on the characteristics of these courageous specimens.  I won’t give up despite what I’m going through; I will persevere forward and make today better than yesterday which will never be repeated.

 

Entitlement is defined as having the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment. Yes, we have the phenomenal right to be happy and healthy; achieving greatness in every area of our lives.  Our biggest enemy is our mind.  We internalize our circumstances and it begins to define us, crippling our growth.  Now I’m not saying not to try to figure things out to create resolutions.  That is given right of free will.  What we don’t allow our minds to do is to fact check the situation and only dwell on the issues that are within our ability to change.  Remember, our minds may be conditioned to believe that we are limited.  Imagine that your outdoors 30th Birthday Extravaganza Bash is tomorrow and the forecast is calling for rain.  We can’t change that our long time planned event now needs to change no matter how disappointed we are.  We can however begin to think of alternative plans to achieve the same outcome.  Later on, you’ll only think of the wonderful day you had with your friends and loved ones.  We can do this in our daily living and allow ourselves to live in these grateful moments.  Worrying about the next ones makes you miss out on what you can be learning and enjoying right now.

 

Our fast paced lives require us to plan everything, which is definitely proactive.  Now once you have your blue print, break it down into how to achieve these long term and short term goals.  Then break it down even further and figure out your daily routine to get you where you want to be.  It’s at this time that you implement your daily affirmations.  You can’t achieve greatness if it’s not felt within.  Even if you fall off course, discern a lesson, don’t get discouraged.  What can I do differently next time that is within my ability and will support my goal?  Before you know it, you’ll begin to attract positive people, be given better opportunities, people will see and feel the positivity in your interactions.  What a blessing it is to be recognized.   Take it one moment at a time, with deep breaths, exhaling your desire for, and experiencing a sense of success and peace.  Today is another opportunity to stand on your roots and sprout new growth in your tree of life.  I believe and therefore I will achieve.  Happy Spring.

 

RUNNING THROUGH DARKNESS
MEMOIR OF A SPIRITUAL WARRIOR

BY SANTA MOLINA-MARSHALL ‧ RELEASE DATE: MAY 3, 2022

This debut memoir chronicles a woman’s spiritual exploration and growth as she overcame a disturbing childhood and helped others heal.

Brought to America from the Dominican Republic as a youngster, Molina-Marshall should have led a happy life. Her father was a diligent worker, and his large family wanted for nothing. But the author recounts that her dad had a drinking problem and was a serial philanderer. Molina-Marshall’s long-suffering mother left him for a woman. Then it was all downhill for the bright, 12-year-old girl, who was shuttled between foster care and relatives. According to the author, she was sexually abused by the husband of one of her siblings. This resulted in Molina-Marshall becoming alienated and moody. By 15, she simply tried to survive. In her favor were grit and a restless intelligence. She quit school, rented a room, and found a factory job. Time went by, and for a while she was happily married. Yet when her husband left her, her life truly began. She turned to religion for answers but decided that blaming God for her woes was a cop-out. 

In this absorbing and moving memoir, Molina-Marshall’s vivid storytelling is fearless. She frankly discusses the truths she discovered and the indignities she suffered. These admissions are disclosed with a touch of resignation and plenty of bite. However painful, everything she experienced was a lesson, and she bravely realized that she was part of the problem: “The fear of being hurt, rejected, or abused often led to me feeling lonely and misunderstood. No one knew the agonizing pain I felt being trapped in my thoughts and anger. I was becoming my biggest threat.” 

The author skillfully recounts her intricate spiritual journey. To deal with her psychic wounds, she searched for an inspirational system. Her open-mindedness led her to the interfaith concept—cherry-picking from various religions and spiritual movements, yoga, and Indigenous beliefs as a way of finding peace. Along with her female partner, she built a therapy practice, making use of every spiritual element that aided her and others. The road was bumpy, and she found that women of color in same-sex relationships were not welcomed everywhere. To do good works—and finally live on her own terms—she effectively overcame bigotry.

An engrossing, cathartic account of empathy and success through determination and confidence.

Pub Date: May 3, 2022   |    ISBN: 978-0-578-38315-6  |   Page Count: 264    | Publisher: From Trauma to Triumph  |   Review Posted Online: June 13, 2022