Creating a Meaningful Life | Michelle Cromer

Patience and Love

Michelle Cromer February 11, 2024 Leave a Comment

In my Feng shui practice, love is the number one reason a person calls me. If I arrive at the appointment and my client tells me that they have tried everything, then I share a story that my father used to tell me.

Patience and Love agreed to meet at a set time and place, beneath the 55th tree in the olive orchard. Patience arrived promptly and waited. He checked his watch, but still, there was no sign of love.

Was it the 88th tree or the 55th tree? He wondered and decided to check, just in case. As he made his way over to the 88th tree Love arrived at the 55th tree where Patience was noticeably absent.

Love waited and waited before deciding she must have the wrong tree and perhaps it was somewhere else they were supposed to meet.

Meanwhile, Patience had arrived at the 88th tree where Love was nowhere to be seen. Both began to drift aimlessly around the olive orchard, almost meeting, but they never do.

Finally, Patience who was lost and feeling quite resigned found himself beneath the same tree where he began. He stood there for barely a minute when there was a tap on his shoulder. It was Love.

“Where have you been?” he asked. “I have been searching for you for such a long time.” Love replied, “Stop looking for me. I will always find you.”

Have any Feng Shui questions? Feel free to contact me at michelle@michellecromer.com and sign up for your Power Color or visit me on Facebook at Michelle Cromer–Creating a Meaningful Life.

Valentine’s Day

Michelle Cromer February 5, 2024 Leave a Comment

Valentine’s Day originated as a Western Christian feast day honoring one or more early saints named Saint Valentine. The most popular theory is that the holiday was created to celebrate Saint Valentine of Rome, a priest who was martyred in the early days of Christianity. According to legend, Saint Valentine was imprisoned for performing marriages for Christian couples in secret, defying the orders of the Roman Emperor Claudius II, who had banned marriages because he believed that single men made better soldiers.

The holiday was first associated with romantic love in the High Middle Ages when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 15th century, Valentine’s Day had become a celebration of love in Europe, and by the 17th and 18th centuries, it had evolved into a day for exchanging love letters and gifts.

Valentine’s Day was introduced to the United States in the early 1700s by British settlers, and by the late 1800s, it had become a holiday celebrated with cards, flowers, and candy. Today, Valentine’s Day is a major holiday in many countries around the world, celebrated by people of all ages and cultures. It remains a day for expressing love and affection, whether between romantic partners, friends, or family

Using the energy modality of Feng Shui and your home let’s bring in some love by activating that power section of your home which is the farthest right corner of your space. Perhaps bring a bouquet of pink or red flowers, bring in some pairs like chairs or pillows or candles, and remove all photos of single people in this section. I feng shui’d a woman’s house once and in this section, she had one angel and one Lady of Guadalupe, and one butterfly. So, we grouped two angels, and two butterflies and we put Diego with the Lady of Guadalupe.

Let’s drop down a level into another energy modality – the elements by using mantras or affirmations. Here is what I say: By the power of Earth, Air, Fire, and Sea I call forth love and abundance to me. With every breath and every sound, I attract love and blessings that are profound.

All of y’all that aren’t in a relationship with a partner, you still are in a relationship with yourself. So, here’s to celebrating you and all that you are. And one piece of advice to this group – wait for someone who loves you differently. One who can see the fire in your soul, the child in your laugh, and the ocean in your heart.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Have any Feng Shui questions? Feel free to contact me at michelle@michellecromer.com and sign up for your Power Color or visit me on Facebook at Michelle Cromer–Creating a Meaningful Life.

Boss It Up with Balance!

Michelle Cromer February 3, 2024 Leave a Comment

She is the boss from hell. In the book and later the film, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, Miranda Priestly, is the editor-in-chief of Runway magazine. She spends most of her time terrorizing and insulting the majority of her employees, who take it because she is offering a career-starter job with many perks in a glamorous industry. “Details of your incompetence do not interest me,” she calmly says as she asks her assistant to book her a flight out during a hurricane. But, while her portrayal of this nightmare boss may be a caricature, her dismissive attitude, complete lack of communication skills, and unrealistic expectations are all too common in today’s workplace. A recent Gallup poll of more than 1 million employed U.S. workers concluded that the number one reason people quit their jobs is a bad boss. Most people will work for a difficult boss at some point in their career.

So what do you do if you have a boss who unreasonably does things like Miranda such as: yells and screams, forces you to work extended overtime, insults and humiliates you personally or in front of others, and blames you when things go wrong? If you can’t leave because you desperately need the job or see it as the next step up in the career ladder, then your best option is to do the best you can in what seems like an impossible situation.

You can’t change your boss, but you can change you.

Having a bad boss doesn’t excuse you from being a good person or a good employee. And good employees manage up. Accomplish this by controlling your response to the boss’s craziness. Maintain your sense of poise, productivity, and balance. Practice relaxation or meditation techniques before you allow yourself to respond with anger. Find a quiet place, close your eyes, and say to yourself, “I am calm and relaxed, nothing bothers me. I feel healthy, happy, and fantastic. Streams of power flow through my veins, all is well.” Put the words you say to yourself in the present. Or close your eyes and take three, long deep breaths before you start screaming like an alien who landed in Roswell.

Bring your “A” game to work every single day. Perform like you have never performed before. My father used to tell me, “If you are a street sweeper, then be the happiest and the best street sweeper in the company.” It is hard for a boss to complain if you’re doing everything right and smiling about it. You will feel better after trying your best instead of complaining. Sometimes the workplace is dirty, unethical, and downright nasty, but don’t ever be a part of that. By complaining you’re contributing to the negative environment instead of showing your real value and true work ethic.

Realize that the opportunity in most jobs is not to learn a specific or creative skill, but to learn people skills. This is what will differentiate you and help you succeed over anything else. That’s why you’re actually lucky to have a bad boss! There will never be a deficiency of difficult people at your job or in your life. Use this prime opportunity to your advantage, and remember nothing lasts forever.

Not all of us are suited to be presidents of companies or inspirational leaders. Most of us don’t realize how difficult it really is to be a good manager. Your participation, empathy, attitude, and respect towards your boss will be reflected in how your boss treats you. It is truly the responsibility of the employee to bring out the best in the manager. That is what it really means to, “Boss It Up With Balance!”

Egyptian Judgement of Life

Michelle Cromer January 22, 2024 Leave a Comment

Egyptian Judgement of Life

Michelle and friends in Egypt I’m fascinated with the death stories of various cultures and have researched them extensively. So much so my first book Exit Strategy: Thinking Outside the Box, was about creative burial options in America. However, the Egyptian mythology surrounding their afterlife captivates me the most. I am grateful to have had the privilege of going to Egypt and studying it in March of 2023.

The ancient Egyptians believed in the continuity of life and consequences. One of the ancient Egyptian’s main ideologies was the afterlife as they believed that the soul is immortal, and the earth was only part of a larger plan and journey.

Ma’at, the goddess of truth and justice

In this ancient Egyptian mythology, the judgment of life after death was a crucial aspect. According to their beliefs, after a person died, their soul, known as “ka’ would undergo a judgment process in the Hall of Ma’at.

The heart of the deceased was weighed against the feather of Ma’at, the goddess of truth and justice. If the heart was lighter than a feather, it symbolized a life of harmony with the principles of Ma’at, and the person could enter the blissful afterlife. However, if the heart was heavy with wrongdoing, it could be devoured by Ammit, a creature with the head of a crocodile, the front legs of a lion, and the hind legs of a hippopotamus, condemning the soul to nonexistence. Unlike the Christian story where there is a heaven and hell and the soul continues to one place or the other, if devoured Ammit, the person’s soul would cease to exist forever.

The judgment was part of the intricate Egyptian belief system surrounding the afterlife and the pursuit of eternal life in the Field of Reeds, the place of purification and eternal bliss.

So, let me ask you, if you had to go to the Hall of Ma’at, would your heart be as light as a feather?

Have any Feng Shui questions? Feel free to contact me at michelle@michellecromer.com and sign up for your Power Color or visit me on Facebook at Michelle Cromer–Creating a Meaningful Life.

There’s Something About Mary

Michelle Cromer January 15, 2024 Leave a Comment

Mary Magdalene is one of the most influential symbols in the history of Christianity. Yet, if you look in the bible, you’ll only find a handful of verses that speak of her. Mary Magdalene, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to the crucifixion and resurrection. At least that is the narrative that has been propitiated by the church for thousands of years. I studied theology in college and when I learned about Mary, she always felt to be a whole lot more than just that.

After I graduated, I learned of a gospel, as ancient and authentic as any found in the Christian Bible. It was concealed deep in the Egyptian desert during the 4th century, following an edict to destroy all existing copies. Fortunately, some rebel monks were brave enough and wise enough to refuse- and thanks to their faith, disobedience, and spiritual bravery, we have several manuscripts of the only gospel that was written in the name of a woman: The Gospel of Mary Magdalene.

Mary’s gospel unveils a profound love that lies at the core of the Christian narrative. It asserts that our nature is not inherently sinful, and we need not harbor shame or a sense of unworthiness for our humanity. Instead, our purpose is to embrace our full humanity to embody a true human being – one who recognizes the coexistence of a messy, limited ego and an infinite soul.

In an attempt of the Catholic Church to dismantle the Divine Feminine, the misconception of Mary Magdalene as a prostitute primarily originated during a 6th-century sermon delivered by Pope Gregory. This fiction accomplished two things – diminishing Mary’s teachings and women having leadership roles. The characterization evolved over centuries through various interpretations and cultural influences. There has been a magnetic reluctance to shift our perspective about her ever since. It’s almost like the effort it would take a river to change directions.

A theologian is someone who studies God. I’m interested in what has been left out about our ideas about God. And this driving force led me to travel to Southern France to see for myself if the mythology about Mary was true. Surviving their miraculous escape after the crucifixion, three women named Mary, including Mother Mary and Mary Magdalene, along with Martha, Lazarus, and an Egyptian servant named Sarah are said to have landed at Saintes Maries-de-la-Mer, now named for the arrival of the holy Mary’s from the sea. The story goes that each settled into a different area of France. Mary Magdalene traveled inland to what is now Saint-maximin-la-Sainte-Baume. She started a church and retired to live out her days in a grotto on the high hill of Saint Baume.

There is always a moment on any journey that I take that seems to define it. I was in the small, peaceful village of Couiza, hiking up to Cathar castles in Southern France. My internet was spotty allowing me to anchor in the soulful consciousness that surrounded me there. I felt protected from the storms of life in that peaceful place and each morning when I got up, I felt the fresh air clearing my throat, as well as my heart.

One afternoon I hiked up to a church that was carved out of a mountain over 2000 years ago- Gorges de Galamus. This was the place that was believed to have been where Mary Magdalene came after the death of Jesus.

I walked into the quiet air of the cave that was a chapel, which was tinctured with the scent of burning candles and a musty smell that reminded me of old prayer books. I took my seat on a rickety wooden bench. There wasn’t anyone sitting around me, and yet I instantly felt a warm, and gentle hug. I heard a soft voice that originated deep within my heart whisper, “Sister, welcome home.”

I’m not sure why but I immediately burst into a tsunami of uncontrollable tears, as if my soul could bleed an ocean through my eyes. That was the enormity of my sobbing. This was not an awakening. It felt like this was a memory. It was as if I was transported back in time. A photo was taken of me in this exact moment and a green translucent light was right beside me.

I’ve often wondered if Mary Magdalene survived the Christian persecution after the crucifixion. I believe that she did. I don’t know much, hardly anything at all really, but I do know that the heart is the portal into the impossible.

Have any Feng Shui questions? Feel free to contact me at michelle@michellecromer.com and sign up for your Power Color or visit me on Facebook at Michelle Cromer–Creating a Meaningful Life.

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