How often do you actually notice your breath?  It flows in and out, in and out, and gives us life.  But so often we don’t even notice it! 

​The most ancient spiritual text of India, the Rig Veda, describes Brahman as the “giver of breath.”  Brahman, remember, isn’t to be confused with Brahma, the Hindu deity. 
 
Brahman is without beginning and without end.  Brahman is cosmic spirit and eternal truth, the universal principle.  The divine source of all that exists and does not exist. 
 
And the giver of breath, in the Hindu tradition. 
 
We can work with our breath to increase our life force. As we calm our breathing, our mind will calm. Thought and breath are connected. 
 
We can exhale and release our breath, letting go of our troubles and worries in our mind from the day. 
 
When we turn inward and focus on calming our breath and mind, we can connect with our inner self that often remains hidden.  That which is one with Brahman, the Divine Source.
 
There we find the wisdom that runs deep within us, the origin of our higher self from which we birth new ideas and find solutions to what is needed in the world.

ing​One technique that is used in Hinduism to calm the breathing and the mind is mantra. 
Mantras can be a way of focusing a sound within ourselves.
 
We know that sound is a form of vibration and everything within the universe vibrates. 
By continuously repeating a mantra, we can introduce the vibrational frequency of that mantra into ourselves and sustain it for a period of time.  Since mantras have sacred and deeper meanings, you resonate at the vibrational frequency with the Divine, with healing power, with your Higher Self. 
 
As you come to resonate at the same frequency as the mantra, over time, the mantra gains its own strength and momentum.  At this point, you shift from chanting the mantra to the mantra having an effect upon you.  This is the space in which a mantra can be deeply transformative. 
 
Nowadays we rely so much on our visual sense that we don’t often attend to sound.  We spend most of our time attending to the visual aspects of our lives. 
 
Yet, sound healers know that we can use toning and chanting to bring about transformation and healing to the body and mind.  The sound we create is powerful. 
It creates harmony and balance in ourselves and the world. 
 
Shamans have known this for years.  Sound was a vehicle for shamans to channel healing energy and intentions into the sick or distressed individual. 

​Want to try sounding a mantra? 
 
One of the best ones to try is the sacred syllable of OM. 
 
OM is sometimes written as AUM to facilitate the sounding of it. It contains three sounds, A (“aaah”), U (“oooh”) and M (“mmm”).  Give them a try now. 
 
Each of the three sounds corresponds to a different aspect of the Divine – as creator, sustainer, and destroyer -- without which nothing exists, everything is sustained, and all things dissolve back into the void.
 
In Hinduism, these are the gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

​Try now-   A-U-M and repeat for 5 minutes and see how you feel afterwards.  More harmonious?  More balanced? 
 
Ready to bring this transformative work into your spiritual practice?  Check out my guidebook and audio recordings: How to Bring Life to Your Chakras: 7 Healing Mantras

It was when I was in my doctoral program years ago, that I first discovered that the foundation of the Celtic traditions that appeared to seep into St. Hildegard’s work might have actually been in Ancient Hinduism. This connection and relationship fascinated me

​Our roots run deep don't they?

​In the ancient Celtic tradition, this image of the Tree of Life has always struck me as one of incredible strength and power.  In the language of the Celts, the mighty oak is called duir, related to the words endurance, duration, and doorway in English.
 
This magnificent tree is like a doorway into the past and into the future.  Its roots reach deep into the nourishment of the soil of Mother Earth. Its trunk stands upright and strong with branches spreading in a magnificent crown over its surroundings.  Sharing its endurance, might, and maturity to the world.                           

​In the song O VIRGA AC DIADEMA, St. Hildegard shares how deep our roots reach to the Divine.  

​When I picture these roots in her song, I imagine how I’ve gained strength and endurance through the inspiration of St. Hildegard, who in turn was inspired by those who came before. Mighty roots reaching deep into the past. 
 
Here are some of the words (in English) from her song. 
 
O branch and diadem…
 
Unfolding your leaves, you blossomed
in another way…
 
O flower, you did not spring from the dew,
nor from drops of rain,
nor did an airy wind fly over you,
but the divine radiance
brought you forth on the noblest bough.
 
O branch, God foresaw
your blossoming
on the first day of creation.
 
And he made you as a golden matrix
for his Word…
 
So the instruments of heaven chime
and the whole earth marvels…
for God has greatly loved you…
 
you who bore the new light
for humankind…
into celestial harmony.
 
Now bring your attention to your own roots and feel the connection to your ancestors and lineage of the past that have helped you become who you are today.  

Explore - where are your ancient roots? 
 
Now gather the strength from those ancient roots and bring them into the present to inspire and support you today. Imagine how you can stretch and grow into your magnificent branches supported by your strong trunk and mighty roots. 
 
Contemplate - how do you need to stretch and grow in this new year? 
 
Listen to a meditation and chant I have created inspired by St. Hildegard’s song, O Virga Ac Diadema with these images and questions in mind. It is most powerful when you chant with me.  Click here to access the recording .

​What will the new year of 2020 be for you?
 
What are you being called to birth into the world this year that’s part of your higher purpose?  The reason why you’re here. 
 
Envision it now. Imagine it bringing warmth and healing into the world.
 
Now expand that vision.  Make it even better. 10 times better. Beyond your wildest dreams!
 
What if there was no limit? No fear and anxiety?  No obstacle? 
 
What would your vision be then?  Imagine that. 
 
This could be the best year of your life yet!  Maybe even the best decade! 
 
So, what’ll it take to make that happen for you? To have your vision begin to sprout and grow in the new year?  

​I find much inspiration to reach toward my vision in the courage that St. Hildegard found to bring forth her visions into the world at a time when there were many obstacles in her way. She always gives me strength to keep on my path to manifest my own vision, even if obstacles may arise. 
 
One of her greatest visions that inspires me was when she was called to leave her home of 40 years and build her own abbey. St. Hildegard’s commitment to bring this project to fruition was fueled by the inspiring work she saw from St. Rupert in the 7th century.
 
Her song, O Jerusalem, is a celebration of this new creation, her abbey, and the respect and even kinship she felt toward St. Rupert.  

​The world is calling us to become creators who bring healthy change into our communities in the new year!
 
New and courageous ideas are needed! 
 
Through birthing our creations, we become a shining and powerful healing force in the world.What in your life are you being called to create in 2020? 
 
What’s your Rupertsberg to bring into the world?  Meaning, what is your current creative endeavor that you are being called to birth into this world so that it can be of service? 
 
Fill this vision with beauty, light, and love as you picture it in your mind. Imagine it bringing warmth and healing into the world. Step into what it would be like to manifest in the world. How would you feel?  

Picture yourself having already brought this vision into reality.  How do you feel now? 
 
How can you realize and manifest this vision in 2020?
 
“When you have a vision that is strong enough and powerful enough, nothing can stand in your way.” Lewis Howes
 
 
 I invite you to check out my special offer only available until the end of January 2020. Purchase 10 Healing Songs and Practices that Will Give Voice to Your Creativity which includes the song O Jerusalem HERE now, and I will give you the gift of a private session to support you in manifesting your vision for 2020. That’s a $100 value for free!  I want to help you get started on your path to bringing your creative vision into the world this year 2020!  The world is waiting! 
 
 

​Wouldn’t it be wonderful to find peace and inner fulfillment instead of overwhelm and exhaustion this holiday season?

Instead of all of the crowds, the noise, the over-eating and drinking, I invite you to go inward and pay attention to the wisdom of your dreams and the language of your heart.
Join me in my upcoming Facebook challenge: “Bring Spirit to the Holidays: 13 Sacred Nights Challenge.”  Discover more here. 
The 13-day challenge will absolutely change the way you experience the holiday season! 

​Starting on the 24th of December through the 6th of January, I invite you to work with one meditation inspired by St. Hildegard of Bingen per day. As you do this work, you’ll also pay special attention to your dreams and write down what you remember each day. You’ll notice if there are any connections between your dreams and the questions asked in the meditations.
Through this journey of meditation and journaling during this sacred time, you’ll come away with a sense of peace and fulfillment as you digest the year that has passed. You’ll be ready to go forward into the new year with sacred guidance and momentum. 

Don’t miss this challenge. It’s only offered this time of year!
Find out more here about “Bring Spirit to the Holidays: 13 Sacred Night Challenge.” Click here for more information.

The holiday season is here! I want to invite you to take some time to go inward and pay attention to the wisdom of your dreams and the language of your heart this season.  Instead of spending all of your time going outward into shopping malls and holiday parties, take some time to nurture yourself. ​

​The upcoming Sacred Nights of Dec. 24th – January 6th offer us an opportunity to find a moment of stillness, of inner quiet, where we can turn inward. We can enter into this space that can exist outside of our usual days and weeks in the year. 
Moving inward, we can reflect upon our past year and gain deeper wisdom from our experiences. We can begin to see our own potential in new light. We can celebrate our growth and accomplishments and also let go of what won’t serve us in the new year. 

In the stillness of listening to the divine messages we receive during this time, we can more clearly envision the upcoming year, setting our intentions for what we’d like to unfold on our journey. We can also have a deeper understanding of how we can bring more peace and love into the world in the coming year.
At this time of year, I’m inspired by one of the most powerful and spiritual women who has ever lived: Saint Hildegard of Bingen. Through an exploration of her visions, she can help us to turn inward to contemplate the deeper questions of our own lives. We can discover the important messages that are waiting for us during this very holy time of the year.

​Don’t let yourself get lost in the hustle and bustle of the holidays this year! Take time to turn inward during this sacred time. You’ll come away with a sense of peace and fulfillment as you digest the year that has passed, and you’ll be ready to go forward into the new year with sacred guidance and momentum! 
I will share more next week about how you can join me and St. Hildegard in bringing Spirit back to the holidays this year! 

​The recent snow here in Colorado has brought a blanket of stillness to the earth for several days just as we are entering this time of darkness during the year. The light of the sun during the day is less, and darkness of the night lengthens. I can feel Mother Earth breathe in for a peaceful rest, even as I hope to do the same.  

As we enter into the darkness of winter, we naturally experience a longing for inner peace. It’s time to turn inward in reflection and contemplation. This will help us to prepare for the return of the sun and the lengthening of days with insights that we can gain during this time.
 
But, as the holidays approach, we can easily be pulled from this quiet, peaceful time into the busyness of this time of year that is filled with shopping for gifts, visits with friends and family, cooking special foods, and joyous celebrations. 
 
It can also be filled with stress for many. The overwhelm of the season can leave us feeling defeated and irritable before we even start the day. Events from the past can come into our minds and steal our joy and gratitude from the present moment. Challenges in relationships may surface and the upset or anger can leave you exhausted. The memories of the loss of a loved may leave you feeling sad or depressed.  Even worrying about the cost of gifts can bring stress as we try to bring joy to others. 
 
What stress seems to be pulling you away from experiencing peace and love in this season? 

​With all of the hustle and bustle, it can be easy to get caught up in this stress and lose focus on the essence of this season –  a feeling of peace, joy, and love for yourself and others.
 
St. Hildegard shares her thoughts in Scivias that we can call upon to give us the strength to return to the essence of the season,  “You see a burning light which is of a great size, just as any mountain is high and great. The light is divided into many tongues at its top. In front of this light, there is a great crowd of people standing. The people are covered in light, and there is a brightly shining covering in front of all this crowd. This covering shines like crystal and it covers the people...”
 
Imagine that you’re being filled with this bright radiant light that shines with the strength of a great mountain that’s blessed with the unconditional love of the Divine. Take a quiet moment and slowly breathe in the warmth, light, and power. Feel how this dissolves anything that may be interfering with you experiencing peace and love this season. Breathe out and release those things that are obstacles. Return to the present moment and choose to feel calm, peace, and love.  

This is your True Self.  One that is loving, peaceful, and joyous.  Return to this place again and again this season. 
 
Check out the many resources available to support you on your spiritual journey in my Free Healing Library here.  

​It’s a wonderful feeling when we have hope for the future.  When we have a positive outlook on what arises in our lives. 
 
A sense of hope brings light into our lives. It brightens our day. Makes us feel lighter, happier, and peaceful. 
 
St. Hildegard, in Scivias, shares a vision that reminds me of how hope can brighten our lives, “…a flame of inestimable brightness suddenly descends from the opened heaven…completely with its brightness, … (making) things light with its rays. And while the flame radiates, … (it) bears the offering upwards invisible to the secrets of heaven... just as a person draws a breath inwards and then sends it outwards again.”
 

​This bright light of hope can help you to move through difficult times, bringing you strength in moments of darkness.  It’s such a powerful antidote to the feeling of despair.

​When you can cultivate a sense of hope, you begin to realize how you’re a part of a greater universe and divine plan. You come to find meaning in the pain and difficulties in your life, as you realize they may help you learn what you need to on your path in life. 
You experience that you can grow and learn from your painful experiences.  It’s not that they’re not painful while they’re happening.  They are!  But you gain wisdom and strength having lived through them. 
When you have a sense of this meaning and purpose in your life, deep within you know you cannot give up, but must find your strength to stay on your path in life.
But how do you cultivate a sense of hope, so that in moments of darkness, you can call upon this for support? 
 
When those moments arise where you feel like giving up, how can you dig deep and find the hope you need?
 
Here are 3 ways to cultivate a sense of hope that can support you in darker moments.

1. Be Grateful - By focusing on what’s good in your life and being grateful for it every day, you send your energy there.  You cultivate a sense of abundance and happiness and open a doorway to the Divine Source. 

​2. Practice Positivity – Negativity is everywhere and can negatively affect you more than you may realize.  Distance yourself from negativity.  Take responsibility for your own thoughts and strive to see the good in a situation. When you have a positive outlook on life, you see obstacles as opportunities for growth and are able to experience joy for others’ good fortune.   

3. Celebrate – Take time to celebrate a moment of accomplishment and meaning in your life.  I believe it is important to celebrate something daily! Maybe you finished that project that you have been working on for many weeks.  Maybe a loved one was accepted into a desired course of study. Or a friend started that new business venture. Take a moment to honor and celebrate this moment of excitement and joy, bringing light into your life.  

Take time to cultivate a sense of hope in your life today.  Then in those inevitable times of darkness, you’ll be able to tap into this wellspring of strength.
 
You’ll be better prepared for those moments that arise with a feeling of despair and be able to dig deep within to find the sense of hope you need for the future. 
 
“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”
Thich Nhat Hanh

Check out the many resources available to support you on your spiritual journey in my Free Healing Library here. 

​As Mother Earth continues to breathe in with winter drawing near, we can gather in our own healing powers of Viriditas from the summer’s greening life energy. It’s a time for us to slow down and become more peaceful.
It’s a perfect time for us to find some space to care for ourselves. How do you do this at this time of year?  

​In Scivias, St. Hildegard shares a vision of what I imagine as the Divine Mother with great wisdom who comforts us with her loving arms during times when we need rest and support. 
 
“Imagine a woman of great size. Then imagine a bright light which is as white as snow and as transparent as crystal. The light makes the woman bright...she reflects that light upwards to the mysteries of heaven…there is a most beautiful maiden whose head is uncovered, showing her black hair. This maiden is clothed with a red tunic which flows down to her feet.
 
And you hear a heavenly voice speak, ‘This flower… is the mother and flower of roses and the lily of the valleys. O flower, …you will be comforted at the proper time.’ ”
I invite you to close your eyes and imagine that this great woman is embracing you in the comfort of her arms as Divine Mother. Feel her filling you with her compassion and peace.  Relax and rest within her arms allowing the bright warm light to flow through you.  

As you’re held by this imagination and return to your daily life, consider how you may continue to care for yourself.  Bring this same feeling of comfort and warmth into your life regularly, using all of your senses, as we move into the season of winter. 

Here are some of my favorite ways to do this:
 
 1. Savor the smells and tastes of the season – Some of the favorite scents of the season - cinnamon, vanilla, and orange - can be enjoyed through essential oils that are diffused in a room, steeped in warm water as herbal teas, or baked in a favorite holiday food.  Take time to savor the delicious scents and flavors.  

2. Gaze at the dancing light of a flame – Sitting in front of a crackling fireplace with a cozy blanket wrapped around you and a cup of tea can rejuvenate your soul.  Aren’t able to make a fire right now?  Then, light a beeswax candle and let the aroma of honey fill the room as you pull that blanket tighter.  

3. Experience the joy of song – It’s a wonderful time to lift your voice in song or play your favorite instrument and let the beauty of music comfort your soul. 

​4. Feel the refreshing, cool breeze -  Bundle up and take a walk outside, letting the cool autumn air caress your face and fill your lungs.  Return to the warmth of your own home, feeling invigorated and alive.   
 
Take the time to care for yourself in your favorite ways throughout the upcoming holiday season, allowing yourself to be comforted and at peace whenever you need it. You’ll then be rejuvenated and able to more easily share your gifts with the world. 
 
Check out the many additional resources available to support you on your spiritual journey in my Free Healing Library here. 

​As the splendor of autumn begins to pass and winter draws near, Mother Earth breathes in. She draws back everything that has streamed out during the summer. Her energy moves inward, and she grows quieter. 

​The air no longer feels ripe with the greening life energy of the natural world and the sweet-smelling fruits of late summer. It’s a time that we need to increase our inner strength and light to carry us through this journey into the darker time of the year.

​How do you gather your inner strength for whatever comes into your life? 
 
How do you strengthen your life forces and immune system to sustain a healthy balance throughout the winter? 
 
St. Hildegard honored a sacred connection to the greening power, or viriditas, of nature that created balance, harmony, and vitality in life. She shared that if this connection was out of balance, then one could experience a drying up of vitality and illness could arise. 
St. Hildegard offered a variety of healing remedies and practices to strengthen one’s own healing power. One was the use of the healing gemstone of the emerald. She felt it possessed the healing power of viriditas, the greening power of the earth, and supported a return to health and balance from illness. 
The emerald, with its luscious green color, is a gemstone of the heart connected with compassion, love, and life force.  It’s a stone that will promote balance in all areas in your life – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. It can increase the energy levels in your body and enhance a balanced flow of energy between your upper and lower chakras, bringing a more peaceful and loving way of being in your life. It promotes removing any blockages that may exist and opening a pathway to living a life that is more harmonious, generous, and compassionate.  

In Scivias, St. Hildegard shares a vision of a tower that gives us an image of bringing strength into our lives with the greening power of viriditas in the gemstone of the emerald. 
 
“Imagine a large round tower which …has three windows near its top, and from these …such a bright light pours out…The three windows are decorated around their outside with beautiful emeralds. The tower is located straight behind you…You cannot be destroyed in any way because of its strength.”
 
You can imagine holding a large emerald from one of these windows in your hand. The light pours into this gemstone where all of the greening power of nature, viriditas, is concentrated. It’s the potent, divine life force that lives and breathes within all living beings, full of vitality, moisture, and fecundity.  It’s able to bring creativity and healthy abundance into the world, making all things grow, expand, and thrive.  
​

Take a moment to breathe in this strength, letting it flow into your body and soul. You can know that whenever you need it, you can pause and reconnect to the strength of the tower with emeralds. You’re filled with light and vital life force energy. Ready to bring your gifts to the world! 
 
Check out the many resources available to support you on your spiritual journey in my Free Healing Library here. 

​We had our first days of snow come quite early here in Colorado this year – many days before Halloween.  As I watched the snowflakes fall peacefully outside in the bitter cold air, I warmed myself in front of the fireplace with a cup of tea and contemplated how through the seasons the Divine Mother calls us to awaken.  I hear her calling us to awaken to the imbalance in the world that has caused suffering. It’s time, time to bring it into balance.  The Divine Mother, with her healing and nurturing ways, shows us that we can find peace and an end to suffering. 

The Divine Feminine as Mother is accessible to all.  She’s nurturing, forgiving, sensitive, powerful, and intuitive.  She creates, giving birth to the new in the world.  She’s all-encompassing and all-embracing, reaching her loving arms out with compassion and strength, without judgment. 
 
I remembered the wise words of St. Hildegard from Scivias on The Queen of Peace, an image of the Divine Mother that came to her long ago. As I listened to these words once again, they warmed my heart and embraced the suffering I feel in the world. 
 
So, I invite you to do the same to access the nurturing and embracing compassion of the Divine Mother in St. Hildegard’s Queen of Peace.  You can access the audio recording here.  

Sit comfortably in a quiet location and take a few deep, slow breaths. Light a candle and breathe in the peace of the candlelight. Begin the audio and close your eyes, letting the following words from St. Hildegard of Bingen speak to your heart and mind:
 
“Imagine you are a woman of great size – just like a great city. You have your head crowned wondrously, and your arms are covered with the long sleeves of a tunic which glistens from heaven right down to the earth.
 
Your womb is full of holes, much like a net, and a great crowd of people are moving about in it. You do not have any legs or feet which can be seen because you are standing in front of an altar which is before the eyes of God. You have your hands stretched out around the altar, and you are looking most keenly throughout the heavens with your eyes.
 
You cannot look at your garment closely, except that you notice that it shines with a very bright peacefulness. Your breasts are surrounded with such splendor that they shine as a reddish dawn full of reddish lightning. And you hear various kinds of music being sung ‘as intensely as the reddish dawn.’
 
You spread out your splendor as if it is a garment, and you say: ‘It behooves me to take in and to provide for.’ 

And then as if in a flash of lightning, a multitude of angels run to you. The angels perfect you by making various seats and steps on you for people to sit on.
 
Next you see some suffering infants near the earth, but in the air. They are like fish swimming in the water. These infants enter your womb through the many holes that are in it. You then sigh, drawing the infants up to your head where you breathe them forth through your mouth, remaining pure in the process.
 
Then a peaceful light appears to you. This peaceful light takes the suffering skin from each of the infants and throws that skin beyond life. You then uncover the peaceful light for these infants and cover them with a beautiful garment.”
​

At the end of the meditation, sit quietly for a few moments. Then consider the following:
 
Where are you suffering in your life right now? 

• Name each area of suffering out loud.
• Write these on little pieces of paper and put the papers in a little bowl on your altar.
• Circle the bowl with your candle and then cover the bowl with a beautiful cloth, with the intention of transforming the suffering into peace. 
• Sit in silence for a few moments, letting the light of peace flow through you.

May the Queen of Peace embrace you and dissolve the suffering you’re experiencing!
 
If you have enjoyed this meditation, I invite you to purchase my Sacred Night's Journal so you can access more meditations like this one and use them as you transition from 2019 into 2020! Shop Now!