​Chakras are energy centers within our bodies. We can’t see them, but we can  picture them as swirling vortices of energy where matter and consciousness meet. This invisible energy is our vital life force that keeps us vibrant, healthy, and alive.

​The word chakra means wheel or disk in Sanskrit.  There are 7 main chakras, or swirling wheels of energy, that align with the spine, starting at the base of the spine and moving up to the crown of the head.  They contain bundles of nerves and major organs. They work to regulate the flow of energy in our body so that we can have a variety of experiences  – mental, creative, sexual, emotional, and more.  
 
In total, you have more than 80,000 chakras in your body, but the 7 main ones are the information hubs. They gather information on certain aspects of your body, soul, spirit, health, and life.
 
Everything in your body (and also in life!) is composed of energy and information. Everything moves or vibrates with this energy.
 

Since everything in our bodies is moving, it’s important that the chakras stay open and fluid.  If there are blockages, then health-giving energy can’t flow. 
Keeping a chakra open and flowing takes some effort and attention.  But, it’s not very difficult if you simply have awareness. Since your mind, body, soul, and spirit are connected, your awareness of an imbalance in one area will help you bring others back into balance.

When energy flows to these chakras, it fills the area with the information each chakra needs to perform its unique work. For your body to work at its optimal level, energy and information must be able to travel through open channels easily and quickly.  If they’re blocked, you won’t receive the information you need when you need it. 

Your body is constantly moving, changing, and growing, as it is influenced by the world. Although you may want to keep the energy and information flowing throughout your body all of the time, sometimes your choices and experiences may hinder the flow. That happens to all of us!  So, it’s essential that you have regular practices to help keep these channels open and information flowing easily.
You can learn more about chanting mantras to balance your chakras in my new guidebook and accompanying audio recordings released recently, How To Bring Life To Your Chakras: 7 Healing Mantras

​Your life has a purpose, even many purposes.  Even if you cannot yet identify all of them.  
 
It’s often in those moments of discomfort or surprise that we wake up to a purpose or deeper meaning in our journey through life. But, we aren’t always excited about going beyond our comfort zone into the unknown, the new, the unfamiliar.  I know I’m not!  
 
This new step we’re being prompted to take in our lives may be an outward one such as a move to a new place or a new relationship that helps to unfold our path.  Or it could be more inward within our soul, prompting us to grow and change.  
 
Should you move forward or not?  What are the next steps?  These are questions we ask ourselves during these times.  
 

Here are a few tips to help you at such a moment on your life’s path. 
 
 
1. Imagine yourself moving forward in this new direction.  Picture and feel what it’d be like to do this in as much detail as you can.  Try to experience it in the emotion and sensation in your body.  Not in thinking in your head.   
How will you be different in life after these changes?  How will you experience life?  How will you feel?  
 
Does it resonate with you?  Does this inspire you?  
 
Don’t dwell on the discomfort of the unknown or the resistance to change.  Your mind may try to convince you to stay in the comfort of where you are, as this is the known.  Focus on what this step may mean in your life.  This will help you determine intuitively if this is the right next step on your path.  
 
2. Finding a guide or mentor. Now, if you truly know that this is the right next step, how do you begin?  Finding a guide or mentor who has more expertise on this next step than you do is often very helpful and supportive.   
Sometimes this guide might be in person – a life or spiritual coach, a therapist. Or sometimes this guide comes in the form of an author of a book or an inspirational leader. Sometimes one may even come in the form of a challenging encounter that pushes you in the right direction.  
 
​But, now the plan becomes clearer and you know what action you need to take.  

​It’s often through these relationships in life where we find the guidance we need to stay on our path toward our life’s purpose. This guidance can motivate and inspire us and maybe even offer some additional learning for our own development.  These guiding relationships can even help you courageously take a step beyond the safety and familiarity of your current situation. They support us in reaching our highest aspirations and reaching our potential of being our best self in the world.  

​You’ll know you have found the next step on your path in your life’s purpose when each step supports and encourages your inner intention.

3. Find your support network beyond your guide.  Maybe a friend or relative?  Or a group you belong to?  Or maybe you need to seek a group of like-minded individuals who are endeavoring to take similar next steps.  But, this tribe will help you as you take those next steps to your new destination. They’ll be emotional and spiritual support and possibly even practical support.  They’ll empathize with your joys and with your struggles along the way. They’ll offer words of wisdom that seem divinely inspired and will help you avoid missteps and failure.  They’ll celebrate your successes – small and big! 

​Then you’re on your way to reaching your highest potential in this life’s journey for your own health and well being, while also contributing to the world’s.  
 
Looking for a mentor or guide on your life’s path?  Check out my work at doctorofthesoul.com. I offer private and individualized sessions as well as materials to support you being your best self in this world.   

​How do you start something new in your life? Whether it’s a new habit or creative endeavor? Or it’s a practice you want to do on a regular basis? 
How do you take that first step?  What gets you going?  
This is often the most challenging part – getting started.  Procrastination can feel more comfortable and easier to accept than starting something new. 
So how can we get over procrastinating, so we begin?  

Think of something you’d like to start that you have been putting off.  Just one.

1. 1. Do it for a short time- Decide that you’ll just do 5 minutes of it. If that’s too much, then 1 minute. You can stop after that time. That’s not too hard! 

The key is to just get started.  So, if you commit to a small amount of time that seems easy, you have started!  
You can stop at the end of your allotted time – and feel good that you started. But, often, you might just want to continue for a little while longer, as you just got going.  Why not continue?
You got started, but not sure how you will maintain that momentum to continue?  

​2. Make it simple -  If you want to add something new as a regular practice, make it simple.  Maybe you want to do a specific meditation each day, ideally it would be 20 minutes, you think.  Start with 5 minutes to begin.   Why? Because which will be easier to maintain and do each day 5 minutes or 20 minutes?  Of course, the 5 minutes.  
Later, once your practice is a habit, you can add to it if you’d like. 
But, to begin, start simple.  

3. Remember it’s a process- Keep in mind that everyone starts as a beginner at some point.  And everyone moves through these 4 stages when beginning something new:  

• unconscious incompetence– you don’t yet know what you don’t know
• conscious incompetence– you become aware of what you don’t know
• conscious competence– you are getting better, but need to exert extra energy to be sure you are doing it correctly
• unconscious competence– now it is natural, something that you automatically do

 
Just remembering these stages is helpful.  You realize that soon it will get easier.  
 
Be open to surprises.  Sometimes the time in one phase may surprisingly be longer or shorter than what you thought.  Maybe there is detour or shift as you get started.  Accept your own journey and keep on the path moving forward .  

 

1. 4. Commit to keep going– Many times we give up after a short time. Often at that conscious incompetence or conscious competence phase as it seems too hard.  But, that is the moment to gather your strength and keep moving! It’ll be much easier soon, and you will reap the benefits!

 
Current research says that it takes an average of 66 days to create a new habit.  It’s essential during this time to stick with it.  No excuses or rationalizations or it may take much longer than 66 days!  
 
 
4 easy steps to help you get going.  Too much?  Just do the first one, right now for 5 minutes or maybe just 1 minute.  See how easy that is!  
 
Interested in adding healing mantras to your spiritual practice?  Start with just a few minutes each day.  Check out my easy-to-use guidebook, How to Bring Life to Your Chakras: 7 Healing Mantras.  
 

​Sanskrit is considered a divine language – a language of the gods. It’s possibly the oldest language on earth. Its spiritual light shines through its sound and form.
​ 
It’s said that Sanskrit was given to the ancient Rishis (sages) and spoken by the enlightened beings of that time who passed the language to their students.  

​The word, Sanskrit, actually means “well or completely formed, purified, refined, polished.” The meaning of each letter in the Sanskrit alphabet is created by its sound and is considered a bija, or seed mantra.

The language of Sanskrit itself has transformed or evolved over time. Many say that it has become illuminated. Because it has been used by many enlightened beings in spiritual practice, their joy and light penetrated the very essence of the language. 
 
Sanskrit became luminous, a poetic and musical language where the sounds and words are flowing and dynamic. They allow for many meanings and possibilities. They express many nuances and have a multidimensional quality.
 
For example, the root RAM has many meanings including (but not limited to) to be calm OR to delight in OR to rest OR to join OR to play.

Today, we can still use Sanskrit to connect with the Divine. The sound vibration of Sanskrit can bring balance, remove negativities from the mind, and bring healing to the physical body. 

​While chanting a Sanskrit mantra, your body relaxes and your mind becomes calm. Your head and your heart connect to your body. Energy flows to the process of restoring of your body, mind, and health back to wholeness. Back to balance which is our natural state.  

When we select Sanskrit words to repeat in a mantra, we are invoking its meaning within us to help shift patterns from negative to positive. The effect of the mantra depends on proper pronunciation of the sound. Some linguists consider Sanskrit to be the perfect language as when its sounds are pronounced properly it evokes a unique vibration in the Universe that puts into motion whatever is trying to manifest through the mantra.

OM is a wonderful mantra in Sanskrit to include in a spiritual practice on a regular basis. 
​
OM (ohm) is the representation of the totality of being, the sound of the universe. It’s the first, original vibration, representing birth, death, and rebirth.  It is everything.  It’s saying yes to Divine presence in the now.
​
Another favorite of mine is OM GAM GANESHAYA NAMAHA (ohm gung gah-nay-shah-yah nah-mah-hah). I like to use this one whenever I am facing a challenge or obstacle of some kind in my life. 
 
Ganesha is the name of the Hindu deity and represents the power that is present in everything, as the power behind all power, and all the masses of energy that it controls. 

This mantra is saying, “Lord, God of hosts, I invoke you.” Or “Ganesha, through whose power everything is possible, no obstacle can stand in Your way.”
 
You can listen to an audio of this mantra here in my Free Healing Library to support you in learning the correct pronunciation.  Interested in learning more Sanskrit mantras to support your growth and healing in your life? Check out my guidebook, How to Bring Life to Your Chakras: 7 Healing Mantras.