Blog | Michelle Cromer

The Precious Stone: A Thanksgiving Reflection on Gratitude and Letting Go

Michelle Cromer November 3, 2025 Leave a Comment

A wise woman was traveling in the mountains. As she crossed a stream, she looked down and found a precious stone. She picked it up and tucked it away in her bag. The following day, the wise woman met another hungry traveler. When she opened her bag to share her food, the hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later, he returned to give the stone back to the wise woman.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said, “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious.”

“What could that possibly be?” asked the wise woman.

“Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone,” the hungry man replied.

***

I have heard many versions of this beautiful Zen story, and there are so many lessons to learn from this one simple tale. I interpret the river to be symbolic of the journey of life, and the precious stones to be the people in my life. We find many precious stones during this journey. They may not look precious. They may seem to be plain old pebbles. But if we look closely – if we pay attention and take the time to pick up the stones and shine them, and look after them – we can see that they are precious beyond all measure. But they do not belong to us. We just look after them for a while. They come and go as life takes all kinds of twists and turns. All we can do is enjoy the beauty when it is in our hands and in our lives, and let it go when the time comes to do so. These are moments of grace. Moments of gratitude. As we focus on them, we manifest more of the same.

In this month of thanksgiving, I want to give thanks for the precious stones that I have been honored to hold in my arms and in my life: my steadfast family, my incredible friends, my astonishing colleagues, and my amazing clients. Oftentimes, these precious stones stay with me for months or years, but always, the time spent seems fleeting. They are the greatest and most humble teachers, the most inspiring and heart-warming support.

My wish for you this season is that you hold the precious stones in your life close. You never know when the time will come when you must let them go.

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times; during those times, you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.
GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings. ~ Author Unknown

Are you wearing the best colors for you? Each of us has a power color based on the five elements and the day we were born. Sign up for my email list and provide me with the day, month, and year of your birth, and I will send you your birth element and power color!
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Mercury Retrograde: A Cosmic Reset for Reflection and Renewal

Michelle Cromer October 27, 2025 Leave a Comment

Mercury Retrograde. Just hearing those words is enough to make some people panic. Suddenly, the Wi-Fi cuts out, a flight is delayed, or that text you meant for one person ends up with someone else. But what is Mercury Retrograde really—and how can we work with it instead of against it?

A Quick History of Mercury

Mercury is the smallest planet and the closest to the sun, racing through its orbit in just 88 days. In Roman mythology, Mercury was the messenger of the gods, ruling over communication, travel, and commerce.

Several times a year, Mercury appears to move backward in the sky. It’s just an optical illusion, but to ancient astrologers it meant disruption in the very things Mercury governs—communication, travel, and technology. That’s why today, during Mercury Retrograde, we often see mix-ups, delays, and breakdowns in these areas.

What to Expect

When Mercury goes retrograde—about three to four times each year—expect some bumps:

Misunderstandings in texts, emails, or conversations
Computer crashes or phone glitches
Travel delays and last-minute changes
General confusion, like the universe’s wires are crossed

It’s easy to feel frustrated, but Mercury Retrograde doesn’t have to spell disaster.

How to Prepare

A little awareness goes a long way. Here are some simple ways to keep your chi steady:

Back up your computer and phone.
Double-check travel arrangements.
Take a moment to slow down and reread texts or emails before sending.
If possible, avoid signing major contracts until Mercury moves forward again.

The Gift of Retrograde

Here’s the part people often miss: Mercury Retrograde is also a gift. It’s an invitation to pause. To reflect, renew, and reset before leaping into the next season.

This is the perfect time to:

Revisit unfinished projects
Reconnect with old friends
Rewrite or refine your goals
Rest and recharge

Instead of resisting, lean in. Mercury Retrograde is less about chaos and more about clarity.

The next time Mercury Retrograde rolls around, don’t panic—prepare. Back up your data, breathe through the delays, and use the time to reflect and realign. Because sometimes, moving forward begins with a backward step.

Curious about the deeper history of Mercury and more soulful ways to navigate retrograde? Listen to our latest podcast episode of Creating a Meaningful Life.

Feng Shui Your Halloween: 5 Simple Tips to Keep Your Chi in Balance

Michelle Cromer October 20, 2025 Leave a Comment

Several of y’all have asked me whether the changes you make when you decorate for Halloween affect the Feng Shui or Chi adjustments that you have already made to your homes.

This is a time of year when everything is decked out in orange and black or covered with witches and ghosts. However, there is no need to be concerned about ruining the chi of a home if you follow a few simple decorating guidelines for balancing the five elements. The five elements in Feng Shui are used to describe the colors, shapes, and materials attributes around you. The five elements are fire, earth, metal, water, and wood.

Here are five simple Halloween decorating tips that will help you keep the five elements in balance and the chi flowing:

4. Ghosts: Halloween is one time when ghosts are considered positive feng shui

Black: Black is the water element color which represents the flow of energy. For example, I hang a big witch from a tree, and she is dressed in black. The wind moves her, and she looks as if she is flying so she really moves the chi around my front yard.
Ghosts: Halloween is one time when ghosts are considered positive feng shui because they add so much fun to the night. Mine are white, representing the metal element, and they sit proudly in my front yard like little soldiers greeting all my little trick-or-treaters.
Orange: It’s natural to use lots of orange color for Halloween decorations, but it’s also good feng shui. Orange is the fire element color in feng shui so use lots of orange decorations to promote conversation and communication. I like to put a huge orange pumpkin by my front door.
Lighting: Lighting is a major tool in feng shui and for Halloween, this could be as simple as hanging up lights or keeping your porch light on. Jack-o-lanterns with candles in them are a good source of lighting. You can always use lanterns or luminarias to light the way for all the trick-or-treaters. I hang bit orange witch hats by my front door lighting the way to me and the candy. I put the witches’ hats over three witches holding their wooden broomsticks representing the wood element.
Animal Symbols: Animal symbols like owls, bats, and ravens are good feng shui symbols for Halloween. Display these animals by your front door or place them in windows as a token of welcome. Ravens are mysterious and powerful symbols because their deep black color and macabre presence represent mystery and power. I put a black raven in a candy cane wreath on my front door which represents the earth element.

Wishing y’all a night of fright, the pale moonlight! I hope your Halloween is a scream!

Discovering the True Meaning of Spirit Animals

Michelle Cromer October 13, 2025 Leave a Comment

Spirit animals are more than symbols—they’re sacred guides offering wisdom, intuition, and healing. Discover how to connect with your spiritual allies.

Years ago, when I was living and studying in New York, I stumbled into an unexpected role: the perfect fit for designers in the garment district who needed models to showcase their fur creations. I spent many afternoons being poked, measured, and pinned, just to earn the chance to buy sample coats at the end of the season.

That’s how I began a career as a human mannequin. Back then, I jokingly called those coats my “spirit animals.” But years later, after a profoundly personal journey with a Shaman in Santa Fe, I realized how shallow my understanding truly was.

The deeper meaning of a spirit animal goes far beyond generic symbolism. Spirit animals connect us to our physical, mental, and spiritual worlds. They act as mirrors of the subconscious, offering guidance, insight, and even healing when we’re willing to listen.

The Ancient Roots of Spirit Animals
Spiritual seekers throughout history have recorded their encounters with animal energies. Shamans, mystics, and storytellers built relationships with animal archetypes as a way to expand the human experience and to understand the natural world.

At its core, the belief in spirit animals is rooted in animism—the idea that everything in the universe, from trees and rivers to stones and animals, has a soul. Spirit animals are not just metaphors; they are seen as supernatural allies, lending us their instincts, wisdom, and traits in moments of need.

Finding Your Spirit Animal
It is said that each of us has at least one spirit animal in our lifetime—a guide, a protector, a companion for our soul’s journey. But this isn’t something you can discover by taking a lighthearted online quiz.
A spirit animal chooses you. It may reveal itself through dreams, synchronicities, meditation, or repeated encounters in nature. The process is less about seeking and more about opening: observing, listening, and being willing to receive.

Here are a few ways to begin the journey:

Pay attention to animals that appear frequently in your life.
Keep a journal of your dreams and look for recurring animal symbols.
Meditate with the intention of meeting your guide.
Spend time in nature and notice who shows up.

Most importantly, embrace the process. The journey itself shapes you as much as the discovery.

Evolving with Your Spirit Animal
As we grow, change, and move through life’s thresholds, our connection to spirit animals also shifts. Just as we are not the same people we were a decade ago, our guides evolve with us. They reflect our inner selves—the courage we need, the clarity we seek, the compassion waiting to be awakened.

For me, my spirit animal has become an inner teacher, reminding me to live with passion, purpose, and presence. It brings awareness to the parts of myself I might overlook, and helps me glimpse a deeper vision of who I am becoming.

A Sacred Invitation
We live in uncertain times. Systems feel fragile, and the world often seems chaotic. Yet spirit animals offer us a timeless reminder: there is wisdom already written within the soul. By following the patterns and archetypes that reveal themselves, we remember our place in the larger web of life.

As I left Santa Fe, I reflected on this mystery—how life unfolds in ways we never expect, and how the connections we make, especially those on a soul level, enrich and transform us. Spirit-animal relationships, once considered mystical or fringe, may one day feel as natural as breathing.

Ultimately, they are simply reflections of our own sacred capacity to live a meaningful, connected, and deeply spiritual life.

The Sacred Power of Birthdays

Michelle Cromer October 6, 2025 Leave a Comment

Birthdays often bring to mind balloons, cake, and parties—but beneath the wrapping paper lies something much deeper. Birthdays are more than milestones; they are sacred thresholds, opportunities to reset your chi, your life force, for the year ahead.

The Ancient Roots of Birthdays
The origins of birthdays are far older than we imagine. We can thank the Egyptians for inventing the calendar, which allowed people to mark the return of the sun to the exact position it held on the day of their birth.

As early as 3000 BCE, Egyptians celebrated the birthdays of Pharaohs—not simply as personal milestones, but as acknowledgments of divine life itself.

The Greeks infused birthdays with mythology, honoring Artemis, goddess of the moon, with round cakes to mirror the moon’s glow. Candles were added as symbols of divine light, and the tradition of making a wish when blowing them out was born.

The Romans layered in their own traditions, marking 50th birthdays with gatherings and offerings. Over centuries, these practices wove together into what we now recognize as the modern birthday celebration.
So, while the surface may be cake and candles, birthdays are in truth an ancient ritual of renewal—reminding us of cycles, rebirth, and the sacred spark of life.

Birthdays as Energy Portals
In Feng Shui and other spiritual traditions, your birthday isn’t just another day—it’s your personal New Year. It marks the reset of your chi, offering you the chance to align your energy and intentions for the cycle ahead.

Think of it as receiving a blank journal from the universe, waiting for you to fill its pages with purpose.

Rituals to Set Your Chi on Your Birthday
Here are seven ways to infuse your birthday with meaning and sacred energy:

Wake up in gratitude. Before stepping out of bed, thank life for another year. Gratitude opens the flow of energy.
Call your parents if you can. Your birthday is also the anniversary of the day they brought you into the world. Acknowledge the lineage you carry.
Take a purification bath. Water is cleansing. Add salt, oils, or flowers, and imagine releasing the old year.
Pray or meditate. Set intentions for your next cycle—big or small, whatever feels natural.
Get an astrology reading. Your chart can serve as a map of the year ahead.
Send yourself flowers. Celebrate yourself as you would someone you love.
Blow out candles and savor your favorite food. Joy itself is one of the most powerful rituals.

The next time your birthday arrives, pause before rushing to celebrate. Remember: you’re not simply adding another candle—you’re stepping into a sacred reset. Your birthday is an invitation to pause, reflect, and align your life with meaning, gratitude, and intention.

Because in truth, birthdays aren’t just about growing older. They are about stepping more fully into who you are meant to be.

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