Ah, November into December—when every passing hour feels like a gentle nudge toward resplendent festivities, gobs of food, and plenty of good cheer.
The Great November-December Crossover
November serves as the opening act to December’s headliner. Think of it as the time to stock up on all things cozy: warm drinks, fuzzy socks, fluffy blankets, and the occasional emotional support pie. Thanksgiving leftovers are still in the fridge when holiday music sneaks its way into our playlists, unapologetically drowning out whatever chill vibes we thought we would stick to.
By the time December arrives, in the Northern hemisphere we have gone from sweater weather to “where is my coat?” The shift happens faster than you can say “holiday spirit.”
November serves as a warm-up for December’s culinary Olympics. After Thanksgiving, we think, “I couldn’t possibly eat another big meal.” Enter December, laughing in the form of cookie platters, eggnog, and a buffet of things you didn’t know could be dipped in chocolate.
For Your Consideration:
December knows how to pile it on—but here is the secret to success: remember that balance you have been working on (yeah, you!) Say yes to the cookie exchange but no to the third Secret Santa. Prioritize what brings you joy, whether that is a full holiday movie binge or a quiet evening with tea and twinkly lights.
So, cheers to a delightful glide from November into and throughout December—may it be a splendid holiday season filled with laughter, snuggly warmth, and just enough time to take a really good nap.
Okay, your turn:
What’s the transition from November into December look like for you? Any traditions you enjoy?
I invite you to share your observations, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!
https://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.png00Lori A. Noonanhttps://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.pngLori A. Noonan2024-11-29 19:16:012024-11-29 19:29:02From November to December: A cozy glide into the holiday season
In today’s fast-paced world, we often find ourselves juggling multiple responsibilities, leaving little room for rest and reflection. Let’s explore how you can stay grounded, conserve your energy, and reduce unnecessary labor, all while having a bit of fun along the way.
1. The Art of Prioritization: Focus on What Truly Matters
Your energy can wane, so choose wisely what you focus on.
Practical Tip: Make a list of your daily tasks and categorize them into three buckets: Must-Do, Should-Do, and Could-Do. Focus on the Must-Do items first, and if you have time and energy left, tackle the Should-Do’s. The Could-Do’s? Save them for a rainy day—or better yet, delegate or delete them!
Fun Twist: Turn prioritizing into a game! Challenge yourself to finish your Must-Do list by noon, so you can spend the afternoon indulging in something fun, like a hobby or a mini-adventure.
2. Delegate Like a Pro: Share the Load
Ever tried to carry all the groceries in one trip? Sure, it feels like an Olympic feat, but it is not the smartest way to conserve energy. The same goes for tasks—carrying the weight of every responsibility is a surefire way to burn out.
Practical Tip: Identify tasks that others can do just as well (or even better) than you. Whether it is at work or home, do not hesitate to delegate. Trust in others’ abilities and let them take some of the load off your shoulders.
Fun Twist: Make delegation a family affair. Turn chores into a family competition with rewards for the best-completed task. Who said doing the dishes couldn’t be fun?
3. The Power of No: Protect Your Energy
Saying “yes” to every request is like hitting the snooze button on your energy reserves—it feels good in the moment, but it drains you over time. Learning to say “no” is one of the most powerful tools in conserving your energy.
Practical Tip: The next time someone asks you to take on an extra task, pause and consider if it aligns with your priorities. If it doesn’t, politely decline or suggest an alternative. Remember, every “yes” to something is a “no” to something else, often your well-being.
Fun Twist: Practice saying “no” with style! Create a list of creative, yet polite, ways to say no. For example, “I’d love to help, but my superhero cape is at the dry cleaners,” or “I’m currently booked with some self-care.”
4. Embrace the Power of Rest: Recharge Regularly
Just like your phone needs to be recharged, so do you. Skimping on rest leads to diminished productivity, and that is the opposite of conserving energy.
Practical Tip: Schedule regular breaks throughout your day, and do not skimp on sleep. Even a 10-minute walk or a 5-minute breathing exercise can work wonders in recharging your mental and physical energy.
Fun Twist: Treat your breaks like mini-vacations. Grab a fancy drink, put on some music, and escape to a “vacation spot” in your mind. It could be a sunny beach or a cozy cabin in the mountains—your imagination takes you there in an instant!
5. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify: Streamline Your Life
Ever notice how clutter can drain your energy? The more things you must manage, the more mental load you carry. Simplifying your life can dramatically reduce undue labor.
Practical Tip: Start by decluttering one area of your life—whether it is your workspace, your closet, or your calendar. Keep only what adds value and joy to your life. Everything else is just noise.
Fun Twist: Make it a challenge! Pick one area to declutter and set a timer. See how much you can simplify in 15 minutes. Reward yourself with something fun afterward—you choose what delights you in that moment.
6. The Magic of Routine: Automate Your Success
Routines might sound boring, but they are your secret weapon for conserving energy. When you create a routine, you reduce the mental energy spent on decision-making.
Practical Tip: Establish a morning and evening routine that sets you up for success. In the morning, focus on activities that energize you. In the evening, wind down with rituals that help you relax and prepare for restful sleep.
Fun Twist: Personalize your routines with elements that make you smile—a favorite song, a comforting cup of tea, or even a few minutes of dance. Routines do not have to be rigid—they can be fun and flexible!
For Your Consideration:
Balancing your life and conserving energy does not mean doing nothing per se—it means doing what matters more efficiently and with more joy. By prioritizing, delegating, saying no, resting, simplifying, and establishing routines, you can create a life that is not only balanced but also fulfilling and fun.
Remember, the key to a happier, more balanced life is to preserve your energy for the things that truly matter—and to enjoy the moments along the way.
Okay, your turn:
When have you noticed yourself overly “efforting” recently, leaving yourself feeling drained and unfulfilled? What did you do to change it up?
I invite you to share your observations, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!
https://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.png00Lori A. Noonanhttps://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.pngLori A. Noonan2024-09-02 14:03:532024-09-02 14:03:55Finding Balance: A Practical Guide to Conserving Energy and Reducing Undue Labor (with a Fun Twist!)
What is it about Autumn (also known as Fall) that you welcome into your experience with heart and arms wide open? What is it about this season (besides an overabundance of pumpkin spice, ha!), that you could do without? What does it mean to allow truly the leaves to change their color without resistance? Is there something you’re trying to ‘hold on to’ beyond its natural time?
I invite you to share your observations, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!
https://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.png00Lori A. Noonanhttps://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.pngLori A. Noonan2022-09-25 23:21:212022-09-25 23:21:23Falling into Fall
Whether it be social norms, institutional ones, or political ones — where do you draw the line? For yourself? Your community? Your country? Does it depend? And if so, in what way(s)?
I invite you to share your observations, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!
https://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.png00Lori A. Noonanhttps://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.pngLori A. Noonan2022-08-27 00:19:042022-08-27 00:19:06Against the grain
When we say someone has passed on, have they really left us, truly?
This time of year, with the observance of Samhain, All Hallows’ Eve, All Souls Day, Day of the Dead, all converging upon early November, the connection with the spirit world is stronger than ever. I feel it. I lean into it. I blend with it. With each subsequent year, I emerge more and more connected, more and more at peace, with all that was – and all that – is.
Okay, your turn:
Have you lost loved ones, and if so, did the love leave with them?
I invite you to share your observations, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!
https://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.png00Lori A. Noonanhttps://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.pngLori A. Noonan2021-11-06 19:43:062021-11-06 19:43:08Across the veils
Why do the dog and the cat and the hamster and the guinea pig and the goldfish
not seem to notice?
Is it because they don’t wear watches
or look at the clock
Ever?
For your consideration:
What if the entire world took a collective, heartfelt, time out during these time changes? For one hour, twice a year? Let’s take time changes into our own control, and allow ourselves 6o minutes to hear the messages of our soul. I mean this as a deliberate practice, and not as an esoteric concept.
For me, the past several years, it’s been a reset so to speak for my nervous system – my physical body system, and my inner knowing – my spiritual body.
Back before my more recent devotional and deep dives into the spiritual realm, I hosted in my home “clock parties,” where a large group of my friends and I would toast to the time change, eat clock-shaped frosted sugar cookies, and dance the night away the Saturday before the time change. So, there’s that option, too. Pick your poison, erm, tradition.
Okay, your turn:
Making the switch to and from Daylight Saving Time (by the way, it’s Saving, without an “s” at the end, in case you’re wondering…as was I…the things I ponder!) – Does making the switch by one hour twice a year impact you? If so, in what ways do you notice it? Sleeping patterns disrupted? Stomach growling at seemingly weird hours? Are you happy about it? Frustrated? Maybe for you it’s not a big deal either way?
I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!
https://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.png00Lori A. Noonanhttps://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.pngLori A. Noonan2021-03-13 11:27:572021-03-13 20:29:43Time change awaits
We the people in order to form a more perfect union
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
– Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, Proposed by Convention September 17, 1787 | Effective March 4, 1789
Notice that within the Preamble words appear such as:
we; more perfect union; domestic tranquility; common; general welfare; ourselves.
The Constitution itself came about through and by way of a Convention – the political leaders convened to discuss, debate, engage in robust discourse, and ultimately agreed to a specific type of government: a democratic republic.
By design, our government and its Constitution emerged as a deliberate departure from the idea and reality of “rule-by-one”…be that one person (dictator), one family (monarchy), or worse yet – without adherence to any governmental structure – else, as a nation, we would run the risk of descending into complete anarchy and widespread danger for all.
The three separate branches of government (legislative, judicial, and executive) were established as a set of checks and balances. Or, put another way: a set of counterbalances. Like an equilateral triangle, this system of government makes for a stable structure. The more counterbalanced (or counterweighted) the structure, the more sturdy the structure. When one of the governmental branches “breaks away from the pack” and with wild abandon exceeds its Constitutional powers, it needs to be brought back into balance. Otherwise, the structure weakens and is made vulnerable to attack and destruction.
This has real-world, physical consequences. It is not only in principle, but in form and function. Recent events at the United States capitol building made manifest this scenario. Unlike opportunity, dictatorship as well as anarchy doesn’t kindly knock. It swells. It bludgeons. It dismantles. It destroys.
For your consideration:
Note that the Preamble doesn’t state that the founders were establishing a perfect union, only striving to form a more perfect one. It was something to which they aspired. The Constitution is a living document; the Amendment process allows for the Constitution to evolve with the times.
The early colonization and its legacy are fraught with imperfections – some of them stark and deeply disturbing. The original union was far from perfect. That does not diminish, however, the principles themselves: of the pursuit of life, liberty, and justice for all. We have a long way to go to ensure that all are protected. While I do not particularly like the visual this phrase conjures up, the sentiment applies: Be careful not to toss out the baby with the bathwater. Our nation’s dark history and stark present may be gritty and soiled, but principles of great value are contained within our representative democracy. Implicit in the Constitution is also the principle that with rights, also come responsibilities. We must beware that dismantling the government by a violent overthrow neither serves nor preserves the pursuit of life, liberty, and justice for all.
Okay, your turn:
What is the role of citizens and elected leaders in a representative democracy? How does it, if at all, impact how you live your life?
I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!
https://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.png00Lori A. Noonanhttps://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.pngLori A. Noonan2021-01-12 05:33:112024-01-12 10:55:33We the people in order to form a more perfect union
In this new moon’s edition of Soul Notes, as we approach the thinning of the veils and autumn turns more and more toward winter, it’s a good time to go into our inner world, reflect upon the year so far, and survey what is ready to bring in from our fields, both physically and spiritually.
An ongoing cycle
Taking care of the insides tends to take care of the outsides. Conversely, of course, neglecting the insides can mean adversely affecting what materializes on the outside.
It’s an ongoing cycle of bringing in, nourishing, replenishing, renewing, and out and back again.
This is true in nature and even with person-made machines like bicycles, automobiles, and lawnmowers, for example. The list could go on; you get the picture.
It’s about taking care, having an awareness, and taking stock so to speak, so as to ensure everything is running smoothly. I was thinking about this when I took my car in for an oil change. The mechanic and I discussed synthetic oils, nonsynthetic oils, and synthetic blends. We discussed the longevity of the vehicle (mine is 24 years young, and still going!), and what we put in it helps the engine run at peak performance and what’s best for the short term versus the longterm.
I like to take care of things. I like things to last. In case you’re wondering, I know, too, when it’s time to let go. This is true of people, and animals, too. I don’t keep things just to keep them, and prolong the suffering, so to speak, just so I can live with it a little longer.
That is, as long as I remember to pay attention. And, I do. Mostly (smile). Meditation helps. It’s in those quiet moments that I hear what I need to hear. It’s in those quiet moments that I hear what my chatterbox mind has been drowning out. Sometimes it’s what my inner knowing is intending to tell me. Sometimes I hear what the ancestors, and loved ones who have passed on from this lifetime, have to say.
The end of October into early November is an ideal time to access that clear channel with those who have passed onto the other side. It’s a great time of year to watch (or for me, re-watch as I’ve seen it several times), the movie City of Angels. For you film purists out there, yes, it’s a Hollywood stylized and more mainstream remake of the 1980s black and white film Wings of Desire. I like both versions of the movie, and Wings of Desire is a hauntingly beautiful film. The Meg Ryan/Nicolas Cage version is more relatable to me personally because it takes place in California and the Meg Ryan over-achiever character is relatable to me as well. I hope you enjoy either version of the film you decide to watch, and be on the look-out for the spiritual themes.
For your consideration:
The next few days, like nature, go inward. Take careful stock of what you’re “putting into” things you care about: like your relationships, your body, your creativity, your work, your schedule. What you put in the inside makes a difference on the outside.
Okay, your turn:
Where in your life have you been taking care of what you’ve been putting into it? Where could you make improvements? What are you committed to doing differently, and why?
I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!
https://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.png00Lori A. Noonanhttps://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.pngLori A. Noonan2019-10-27 16:25:342019-10-28 00:42:37Inner, outer, and back again
As we are about to observe Independence Day here in the United States, I got to thinking about what independence truly means. For the early colonialists, it meant freedom from tyranny and winning a fight for independence from an aristocracy. It meant that the 13 newly formed colonies would be sovereign in and among themselves and independent from England.
Sovereignty as a person and as a nation state has its own value, indeed. I’ll explore that further in this blog article.
Does that independence also mean, however, total independence from one another and the planet, in a manner that absolves each of us and all of us from a shared responsibility for our present and our future?
Untethered from royal rule, as our founders acknowledged, need not mean untethered from a moral compass. Hence, along with the Declaration of Independence soon thereafter came the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Not unlike a piece of cloth, the tighter the societal weave, the stronger the fabric. Conversely, the more threadbare, the weaker the cloth. Single threads, while separate, 100% independent, if you will, as strong as they may be individually, become that much stronger as they are woven together.
Don’t get me wrong. I love my independence. I’ve built a life fueled in large part by a no one is the boss of me attitude. I came into my own as a young adult during the heyday of Ronald Reagan’s rugged individualism of the 1980s. With bravado, I would stand up to anyone or any institution that tried to fence me in. I started my first ‘real job’ as a W2 employee at age 14. By age 18, I had moved out and away to an entirely new environment to attend college at U.C. Berkeley. I resented having to rely on anyone. I enjoyed great success and many adventures along the way as I graduated from Berkeley with a double major with honors, gave the student commencement address, traveled the country and the world on my own, and went on to law school and into a career practicing law as a litigator. My family didn’t really ‘get it,’ and they would have been happier if I went to a school that had a top-ranked football team.
All that pulling myself up by my own boot straps, however, did take its toll. It took me years of life living and deep spiritual growth to excavate and repair the broken threads of mistrust and to allow others to support me in healthy ways. It took me awhile to get out of survival mode and into thriving mode in a way that invited others in to help shoulder the load. Even now, sometimes the heaviness of ‘decision fatigue’ threatens to pull me down into the depths of metaphoric quick sand.
While I enjoy the freedom to chart my own course, I also realize how much more effective and enjoyable it can be to have a crew with me on deck. Sometimes, it truly is easier and more rejuvenating to share the load. For more on this, see previous editions of Soul Notes: A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats article here, and In Support of Support, here.
For your consideration
So, as you sit down with your friends and family to watch the fireworks this year, consider this:
While we honor and revere our freedoms, what can we do in this moment, to honor and revere the fact that we don’t need to do it all alone? Not unlike the early colonists, we can decide to band together to hold each other up — not from a place of fighting against outside forces of domination, but from a place of shared sovereignty and collaboration.
I know for me, the fireworks this year will be taking on the shape of a renewed vision of a shared responsibility and contributions toward a better future for all.
Okay, your turn:
What does independence mean to you? We’ve come to learn that being ‘codependent,’ in the psychological sense, is unhealthy. What about interdependence? Does it take a village? Where in your life are you instead a steadfast fan of rugged individualism?
I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!
https://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.png00Lori A. Noonanhttps://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.pngLori A. Noonan2019-07-02 07:20:412019-07-02 19:01:32What does independence really mean?
Mantra is a form of sound current meditation, and as such serves to clear the mind, and balance the brain hemispheres. For millennia, yogis have chanted mantras for a variety of purposes. All of them provide an effective way of controlling and directing the mind’s thoughts and a beneficial set of focus points.
One of the most powerful mantras in kundalini yoga (and one that is often chanted right after an initial tuning in with a chanting of ong namo), is the aad guray nameh mantra.
The mantra of protection
Aad guray nameh (I bow to the primal wisdom) is known as the “mantra of protection.”
By chanting this mantra, you bring about a field of white light of protection surrounding you. It also stimulates your mind and sharpens your alertness to avoid crashes, collisions, and other physical mishaps. It has been said that by chanting this mantra three times before embarking on a mode of transportation, it brings nine seconds of time, and nine feet of protection around you and your vehicle.
Gurmukhi:
Aad Guray Nameh Jugaad Guray Nameh Sat Guray Nameh Siri Gurdayvay Nameh
Translation:
I bow to the primal wisdom
I bow to the wisdom that has existed throughout the ages. I bow to the true wisdom. I bow to the great, divine wisdom
What do we mean by protection? It’s energetic in nature, and can have direct positive effects in the material world. Some think of a protective field as a “shield.” I like to think of it more as a screen rather than a shield. While a full-on shield tends to be hard and impenetrable, a screen has permeability. By design, a screen lets in some things, while keeping out other things. Envision a screen on a door or a window, or a screened-in porch. These house screens allow in light, while at the same time keep the bugs out. They are a filter.
By design, we too, have the ability to invoke a screen that protects us from what may harm us, while allowing in what helps us. We may exercise our right to choose at any time. We may open the door, or close the door, as well as put up or remove a screen, at any time. Mantra simply helps us get centered and into a place of focus and access to our deeper wisdom and to a place of precise decision-making.
Affords access to the deeper wisdom
In the specific case of aad guray nameh, we are ensuring the screen of white light is in place. Once protected, we are able to feel into and hear the deeper messages we are meant to hear.
May we each draw from the divine wisdom held deeply within each of us, so that we may bring our best selves and our greatest gifts out into the world, from a place of higher consciousness and with humility and grace. And, may it be in service to our planet and to all of humanity. The times such as these require it. The time is now.
For your consideration:
Before engaging in any meditation (and again, mantra itself is a form of meditation) – decide for yourself: what type of ‘screen’ am I invoking and putting on the door to my heart, mind and soul? Is it one of protection? If so, then honor and appreciate that, and act upon it accordingly. It’s a matter of intention, and awareness.
And, as we turn the corner and head toward the September equinox in the next two weeks, it’s an ideal time to “check your screens.” Just as you would with home maintenance and repairs – take a look at your energetic screens and see which if any need adjusting. Equinox is the time, twice each year, when the hours of light and dark are nearly equal, and it’s a time of balance.
As you take a look at your life and your current state of affairs, ask yourself: What’s in balance? What’s out of balance? Are your protective screens strong and steadfast? Or, are they flimsy and weak, tattered, or threadbare? What’s getting into your energetic field that you’d rather keep out? Conversely, what’s currently missing from your energetic field that you’d consciously like to invite in?
For me, I’m inviting in more love and support, while screening out distractions and feelings of heaviness and doubt.
Okay, your turn
What in your life right now is calling for your attention and intention? What is it that would most benefit from a white light of protection?
I invite you to SHARE your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!
https://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.png00Lori A. Noonanhttps://lanoonan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logo-transparent-300x72.pngLori A. Noonan2018-09-10 12:09:142019-08-22 23:49:33Protection from untoward forces affords access to the deeper wisdom: aad guray nameh
Inner, outer, and back again
All that pulling myself up by my own boot straps, however, did take its toll. It took me years of life living and deep spiritual growth to excavate and repair the broken threads of mistrust and to allow others to support me in healthy ways. It took me awhile to get out of survival mode and into thriving mode in a way that invited others in to help shoulder the load. Even now, sometimes the heaviness of ‘decision fatigue’ threatens to pull me down into the depths of metaphoric quick sand.
