“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” — Plato
On a freezing July day, several years ago, in the high Tibetan plateau, I stood in front of the Namtso Lake. At almost 16,000 feet, it is the highest saltwater lake in the world and one of the most sacred and holiest sights in all of Tibet. It was as flat as a mirror. It lay without a ripple as if time itself had been frozen. The vast expanse of the clear sapphire water reflected the crystal sapphire sky and I couldn’t tell where the lake stopped and the sky started. The only sound I could hear was Aretha Franklin belting out, “Pink Cadillac” on my iPod. In the distance, I saw a nomad family with two small children, both sitting in the lotus position. I took out my earplugs and listened as the children soulfully chanted a Buddhist mantra. I slowly moved closer, bowed to the parents, and bent down in front of the children and gestured to see if they wanted to listen to my music. They immediately held out their cherry-red hands, and their little round faces sparkled in wonder.
As soon as the children heard my music, they began to giggle in a chaotic way; fits and bursts, loud to soft, nothing and then back to loud. I knew their heartwarming laughs revealed that they had never heard music coming out of such a small device, just as I had never heard such chanting reverberating out of small children. Was their experience of chanting more spiritual than hearing Aretha Franklin? From the light radiating from their eyes, I didn’t think so.
Music is one of our most powerful gateways to connect to our spiritual nature, our divine source, as well as to the universe around us and those other divine beings that inhabit it with us. I know of no other medium that can transport us as immediately, on all levels of our existence, beyond the limits of our intellect and physical body to a higher, often blissful and inexplicable state. Music has the unique ability to transform us independently of our thinking mind, to a place uninhibited by the judgments, doubts or fears.
Humans and our music have existed for ages. The oldest discovered musical instruments in the world (flutes made of bones and mammoth ivory) are over 40,000 years old. But instruments and songs may be far, far older. In his book The Descent Of Man, Charles Darwin wondered whether our language abilities had started with singing and if that was the reason for our pleasure in music. By studying fossils, we can establish that once our ancestors had the horseshoe-shaped hyoid bone in the throat in a similar position to modern humans, they would have had the physical ability to sing as we can. That date is over 530,000 years ago!
I won’t claim that all music is spiritual, or rather, created and intended for the benefit of the human spirit. It would be great if it were. As Eric Clapton said when asked if music is essentially spiritual, “For me, the most trustworthy vehicle for spirituality has always proven to be music.” When music delivers spirituality, the effect on us, our thoughts, our emotions, our subconscious, and even our physical well-being can be quite profound.
Just as music has helped rescue me from some of the lowest points of my life, it has been the blissful soundtrack for many of my most loving memories and the rhythm that continues to propel me forward. For me, spirituality and music will never be separated. The more music continues to awaken my higher aspirations and light the path of my inner journey, the more I am inspired to dive deeply into the realms of the magical unknown. If words are the limited language of my mind, music is the limitless calling of my soul.
I love the fall – chilly weather, cashmere sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes, my birthday, bugs have returned to hell where they belong and we have the fall equinox! The fall equinox September 22, 2018, has been celebrated since the time of the Egyptians who built the great Sphinx to point towards the sun on this special day. While many of us have moved away from celebrating this time like our ancestors, it is an important time of balance. During this time of equal parts of sun and moon, we are being asked to find the balance happening in our exterior world, and also what is occurring within ourselves. Knowing that the duality of light and dark exists in us, the equinox calls us to discover a balance between the two. After the great light of summer, we must learn to welcome the depth and the mystery of fall.
The autumnal equinox is the time when the sun makes its golden path across the equator from North to South, and it is this occurrence that causes our day and our night to be equal. The word equinox comes from the Latin, aequi, meaning “equal,” and nox meaning “night.”
At the spring equinox, we were asked to plant seeds, both literally and figuratively, for what we want to reap in the autumn. Now is the time to contemplate and see if we have tended those seeds. Are we able to reap what we have sown with bounty and fruitfulness? Or have we neglected those seeds and are we now looking at how we can make amends?
Although it can be disappointing if we realize the latter is true, equinox makes it easy for us to once again plant the seeds of desire so that they may flourish in the coming months. Because the equinox isn’t only about balance, but also about endings that have to occur to make way for new beginnings. This is actually a wonderful time to start something new, whether it’s a job, educational pursuit, creative endeavor, project or even a relationship. During the coming months we will have long nights and quiet moments with which to nurture these new beginnings so that, come spring, they can bloom radiantly.
While many often see spring as a time of new beginnings, there is something even more extraordinary about starting something new in the fall. It is during this season and the coming winter that we have more time to concentrate and give our hearts to whatever we want to see grow and strengthen over the coming months. I find that there is beauty in new beginnings that start quietly under the darkness of colder months.
So while we are all searching for that balance in our own lives, know that it is never too late to plant new seeds. Because life is a circle, and nothing can truly grow unless it first dies. This doesn’t mean complete and utter endings, but embracing the evolution of change within our hearts, our lives and us. It’s letting go of old ways of thinking and living. It’s reassessing the way in which we look at life so that we can feel free to take on new approaches that would better serve our highest self and the life that we want. Nothing stays the same forever, what comes next is often times better than we can possibly imagine.
Celebrate the equinox by heading out to the desert or out into the woods for a warming bonfire. I am traveling to Mount Shasta, California with my friends Laurel and Tim. We are using this equinox as the opening of a portal to the next stage of our lives. Join us as we raise a glass, build a fire, write a list of all that we have been blessed with, burn words we would like to let go of, and finally, cleanse with hot Epsom salt baths, a grounding earth element which has a strong quality of cohesion. At this sacred celestial time connect the dark and light; the yin and the yang; the masculine and feminine, because if we allow it, life can truly begin all over again in the fall.
It’s that time again – back to school! My son August is starting his masters in A.I. at New York University and my son Sam is starting his junior year in high school. I am giving both of them crystals to assist them with the challenges they will face this school year and to help them make their education more understandable and less stressful.
I have had a relationship with rocks, gemstones, and crystals most of my life and I have learned that different rocks and crystals have different vibrational frequencies and work to assist us in various aspects of our life’s. Below is my list of best crystals for students.
Black Tourmaline – helps strengthen the immune system. It repels negative energy and defends against disease.
Onyx – focus and discipline. This stone can bring balance to the body and mind, perfect to put in a pocket for any class.
Rose quartz – known as the universal stone of love, which could be self-love, friendship or romantic love.
Amethyst – a powerful protection stone that channels loving energy in order to guard against stress irritability and anger.
Howlite – calming and helps with a good nights sleep; this helps to flood the body with a good feeling and improve emotional attitude. Great to assist those who procrastinate.
Blue Lace Agate – comfort and relaxation and dispels past feelings of doubt and encourages growth within those who use it.
Carnelian – Confidence; in ancient times Carnelian was believed to give the wearer courage in battle.
Tiger’s eye –strengthens the will, inspires creativity and enhances good luck. Brings grounding energy and aids with happiness. Roman soldiers use to wear this stone into battle.
Snowflake Obsidian – overcoming difficulties and balances the mind, body, and spirit. It enhances clear and logical thinking.
Malachite – leadership and confidence and absorbs negative energy and pollutants. Aids in one’s spiritual journey and helps to stimulate dreams.
Amazonite– truth, harmony, and peace; helps to analyze and sort out information and combine the process with intuitive wisdom.
Have any Feng Shui questions? Feel free to contact me at michelle@michellecromer.com and sign up for your Power Color.
Summer is the perfect time for an office feng shui overhaul!
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese system, dating back approximately four thousand years, that helps organize your life to promote the balance flow of energy that moves through your home and your office. It’s not just Chinese wisdom; it’s universal common sense. It’s not a belief system, a religion, superstition or magic. You don’t need to believe in it in order for it to work. It’s not about changing your luck but it is about creating a space that promotes a feeling of balance, well-being, and happiness. Feng shui works through the interconnections between matter and energy. Everything is connected. When you live and work in a space that feels good to you, your attitude becomes more positive and the quality of your life and your work improves. In order to have an optimal life, you must have optimal surroundings.
Here are some feng shui tips that will help in creating a vibrant energy of abundance in your office space. No matter if your office is a small cubicle, corner office or office in the home, feng shui can help achieve balance, harmony, and success. Apply a few of these tips and watch your productivity increase, your abundance expand, and your well-being soar!
18 Do’s and Don’ts for the Office Feng Shui
DO sit in the corner farthest from the entrance to the room to have a “command” position.
DON’T sit in line with the door, as you will be in the path of negative energy.
DO keep your back toward a corner or a wall for support. If a post protrudes from the corner or wall, correct it by covering it with a hanging plant’s draping foliage.
DON’T face away from the door. Business will symbolically come to you through the door; so don’t turn your back on it.
DON’T arrange your workspace so that you look straight out into a corridor or see the stairs, storage rooms, closets, elevators, escalators, or toilets.
DO put your computer in the North or West area of your office to enhance your creativity. Place the computer in the Southeast if you use it to generate income.
DO place an aquarium or tabletop fountain in the East, North, or Southeast. A small aquarium with black or blue fish in the North area of your desk or office will activate your business and career success. Guppies or a single fish are ideal for an aquarium made of glass and metal.
DO have a good balance of yin and yang when decorating your workspace. Balance light and dark colors, soft and hard surfaces, and smooth and rough textures in your choice of window treatments, furniture, and flooring.
DON’T have any mirrors in your office, as they can reflect negative energy from clients to other people in the room. You should always maintain control over the energy in your office.
DO treat the files in your office with respect. They represent your past, present, and future business.
DO keep the cords to your office equipment well hidden. This eliminates clutter and allows for the free flow of chi.
DO consistently go through old emails and delete the clutter of any emails you no longer need.
DON’T sit underneath a painting of water. This symbolizes being under water.
DO bring in a live plant representing growth.
DO select artwork for the office that represents growth, strength or wealth to you.
DO keep your desk clutter free at all times and make a habit of cleaning your whole desk meticulously once a week.
DO prevent stagnant air and keep the vibrant flow going with a small fan.
DO promote a clear mind and lighten the office with an aromatherapy diffuser.
Have any Feng Shui questions? Feel free to contact me at michelle@michellecromer.com and sign up for your Power Color by filling out the form to the left.
“Every time you are willing to say, “yes” to everything on your path, you express the hero inside of you.” Joseph Campbell
Most of my childhood was spent listening to my Irish uncles telling powerful myths of ancient gods and ageless heroes; of men of magic and women of bravery. I was terrified of some gods, in love with courageous warriors, fearful of monstrous Cyclops, and I always dreamed of being a heroine of great beauty and mystery.
Myths and Stories are the oldest schools for humankind. Genuine stories offer a living school where the only entry requirements are an active imagination, some capacity to feel one’s own feelings and the willingness to approach the world as a place of mystery and revelation.
Myths are not a part of the past, but a way to see universal truths playing out in the present. Myths are the inside story that makes meaning of the outside world. People feel more whole when listening to a story and feel most lost when out of touch with their own story.
When I think back to the myths told to me of the hero’s journey, I realize now that the accomplishments of the heroes took place in the outer world. But as the story of our world becomes less clear, as we all find ourselves living in a cosmic turn, it is the unfolding of the inner life of the soul that provides the best way to proceed. In order to move forward in a deep and meaningful way, we must find the hero within each of us. Somewhere deep inside each of us lives the soul of a hero. It’s not something we bring to the world, rather something that brings us to the world. We must discover the hero within because we are all heroes of our own myths.
We discover the hero within by doing the inner work of determining what meaning and purpose this world holds for us, and for the future that awaits us. We can learn to see with more clarity how we each have a unique role to play; how we each have our own way to make a difference in the lives of others. It is up to us to give our own life the meaning and vitality we need to make it through and to be of service to others.
We need a path that allows us to bear the trials of living, the ordeals of our present time and circumstance, and the suffering inherent to life’s harsh realities. Discovering the hero within means waking up to the realization that the necessary conditions are being created for us to recognize our unique place in the universe, the particular gifts that we have to bring forth, and to serve a purpose greater than ourselves. Now is the time to help sustain and revitalize the world around us.
We need to learn how to tolerate dynamic tension if we are to embark on a worthwhile inner adventure. As we develop and grow, we cross points of no return. Once we cross over to new experiences of conscious awakening, and once we’ve committed ourselves to a path of awareness, we will no longer be the same. Our old identity begins to shed its skin. We come across threshold guardians – daemons that block the way, attempting to ward us off. They are like the gargoyles entrenched above archways and entrances to shrines and cathedrals. These guardians are manifestations of our deepest fears. They also guard the way to our deepest longings. We cannot go on a genuine, soulful adventure without bringing along your authentic doubts and fears, as well as our strongest desires and longings – for, without them, it would not be a hero’s journey.
But the one simple truth of discovering the hero within is just to be ourselves – that’s the real job of a hero.
Summer is the perfect time for an office feng shui overhaul!
DO sit in the corner farthest from the entrance to the room to have a “command” position.
