May the light of Diwali be with all of you! In actual fact, the main Diwali (also known as Deepavali or Dipavali) festival day was yesterday, November 4th, but the celebration extends for several days every year around this time. For those readers not familiar with Diwali, you’ll find a brief synopsis of this delightful and deeply meaningful holiday in this article:

Diwali 2021: When is the festival of lights and how is it celebrated around the world?

It seems to me that the essence of an event celebrating the triumph of light over darkness should be acknowledged by all of us.

In honor of Diwali, please take a moment today to celebrate the light. It’s not that hard (or monetarily costly) to actively contribute to the light in the world. For example, you could take a moment today to bestow a random act of kindness, be it opening a door for a stranger, giving a sincere compliment from the heart,…you get the idea.

We must each aspire to behave like the light and become the light, every single day of our lives. This is how we personally vanquish darkness, candle by candle.

Inspirational Quotes:

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ~ Rumi

“More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.” ~ Roy T. Bennett

Triumph of Light © Susan L Hart 2021 | Friendly comments welcome

The brokenness of the root value systems in our societies is undeniable. We don’t need a fact checker to tell us this is true. The only proof we need is to simply look around and see the dysfunctional and chaotic nature of our world at the moment.

What is the solution? Some people wait for the more honorable politician or the more credible institution to fix it. In the long run some solutions might be found there, but for we individuals this entails a lot of waiting, hoping, and feelings of disempowerment in the process.

In this time of extreme and fast change, we do not have the luxury of just sitting back and waiting. It behooves us to dig in and make changes within ourselves, and to also actively participate in creating the changes we desire for the world.

In the Right Direction © Susan L Hart 2021 | Friendly comments welcome

If a seer told you with all certainty that today would be your last day to live, how would that change the way you lived this day?

The next question is, why would someone saying this to you make any difference in how you spend today? If you are not living fully each day anyway, perhaps it is time to ask yourself “Why am I not?”

The difference between the two is that one is living consciously and intentionally, the other is called coasting.

Your life is precious. Treat it with reverence. Strive to give yourself the life, every day, that you desire and deserve.

Live As If © Susan LHart | Friendly comments welcome

Henry David Thoreau lived in the 1800’s, born in 1817 and passing away two months short of his 45th birthday. I am astounded sometimes at the questions and observations he raised several centuries ago that we would do well to re-visit today.

I’m wondering if Thoreau time-traveled to the present day, what would he think of the overwhelm and complexity of present day life?

Thoreau retreated from society for a period of two years, and then later published the book “Walden, or, Life in the Woods” to share his process of contemplation and introspection. Most people would likely argue when they read the below quote that they don’t have this time of luxury to contemplate life or their direction in it.

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…” ~ Henry David Thoreau

But there are many ways to carve out space for periods of contemplation, even small ones. If we do not, we become swallowed up by society and the narrative that surrounds us. In this unprecedented era of mass media and technology, it is very easy for us to stop living consciously and deliberately. We are too busy “listening to” other people’s voices on our devices.

Do you have a quiet space to which you can retreat to contemplate and hear your own voice? When you claim that time, you can then live deliberately based on your own inner wisdom, rather than everyone else’s noise and point of view.

Living Deliberately © Susan L Hart 2021

The events of the (almost) two past years have given me much cause to think about how we define “wellness”. What is disturbing is how much humans worldwide are living in poor health, either by circumstance or by choice. We live in societies that overall do not promote true wellness.

Yes, there are countries and cultures where poverty dictates the level of health possible. However, in richer countries we see how people are overfed, sedentary, and stuck too much in front of their computers, leading to physical states that leave them vulnerable to many diseases. Humanity as a collective is not living in a state of wellness. We live in a system that reacts to illness, rather than proactively promoting good health. These two positions are light years apart!

Good health is not merely the absence of disease. There Is a vibrancy to wellness that cannot be derived from anything but taking good care of ourselves. All of the good things that we’ve known keep us well still apply. Fresh air, nature, nourishing food, physical exercise, adequate rest, playfulness, companionship, friendship, doing what we love. Oh yes, and the big one, simply LOVE in all of its forms and connections.

How often do you see any of that being talked about in mainstream news? “Not much” would be an understatement. Rather we are fed a constant “thought diet” of dire predictions. When you consider the connection between mind, body, and spirit, these messages are making us ill. They create worry and fear, which are very low vibration states. Negative thoughts and a low vibration make us vulnerable to physical illness.

In my opinion, wellness is just one of the ways in which the system needs a complete overhaul. All change begins with new thought. We need to change how we think about wellness, and develop a new vision for what is possible. A completely new philosophy is in order to move to a new paradigm.

You don’t need to wait for the system to change. You can make the change(s) yourself, and your thoughts, actions, and vibration will ripple outward to influence those around you. It is a “bottom to top” approach of change.

If you are not doing so already, embark on a path of personal holistic wellness, beginning today. Disconnect from the negativity. Embrace what feels good to you and resonates with your very soul. Tap into your inner being, and listen to your body, mind, and spirit. Above and beyond wellness, seek joyfulness in your experience here on Earth. We are all born with the intrinsic right to JOY.

Inspirational Quotes:

“Ignore those that make you fearful and sad, that degrade you back towards disease and death.” ~ Rumi

“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“There are many aspects to success; material wealth is only one component. …But success also includes good health, energy and enthusiasm for life, fulfilling relationships, creative freedom, emotional and psychological stability, a sense of well-being, and peace of mind.” ~ Deepak Chopra

Holistic Wellness © Susan L Hart 2021 | Friendly comments welcome