If everything in life seems to work against you, or you are experiencing a difficult loss in your life and nothing is going right at the moment, taking a big breath and a big step back to regain your stability might be just what you need.

Throughout history, different religions, philosophers, and governments refined and rewrote a list of fundamental virtues to fit their constitutions and purpose at the time. Yet, in 1726, young Benjamin Franklin, at the age of 20, created a list of virtues for himself, to help him develop into the person he wanted to become.

Cutting off bad ties signifies that we are no longer willing to stay in relationships or situations that make us unhappy, no matter what challenges we may face in the future. It is a testament to the determination of wanting more for ourselves.

They each originated from a different culture, a different time, and a different mindset altogether. Yet, if you pause and think about the philosophy behind each, they all echo a similar sentiment, although are slightly different in approach.

Meditation isn’t meant to shield us from our thoughts nor be used as a weapon against our mind. It is a passive tool with fluid and compassionate energy. In meditation, we cultivate the space of allowing.

Perfection also instills fear in us—fear of failure and fear of our personal imperfections. This fear leads us down a dark path where we tend to avoid challenging situations or competitions because failure seems unbearable.

Oh, that sigh!
All air drawn in your breath!

In order to allow love to enter, our heart will have to be open to it. The wider it is open to receive, the greater the love will enter. The chance of heartbreak and disappointment will always be there… Our mind cannot separate us from love, it can only create fear.

Is seeing an energy practitioner really so different from seeing a doctor, psychologist, or chiropractor? We ask 3 energy healers who are not only experienced within their modalities but also well trained in Western healing mindsets.

The world we live in seldom encourages authenticity, at least not genuinely, I often feel. We may hear words of empowerment to be authentic, but when we do we are often reprimanded for being too real.

While everyone’s rock bottom may look differently, the feeling of being at rock bottom is probably very similar. It’s that feeling of utter incompetence and unworthiness, that you are as low and insignificant as a pile of rubble and you have no idea how to come back up.

I stretch out my hands, my arms,
the full length of my body
and plunge into the pools of gratitude.

As we expand our consciousness, it’s not unusual to ask why we do certain things and whether or not it supports the inner freedom we seek. Or, is it just another set of conditions we were subjected to live by?

As someone who grew up in Hong Kong during the 80’s and 90’s and has been living in Australia for nearly three decades, I often ponder questions regarding my identity: Who am I? Chinese, British overseas citizen, or Australian?

We live in a society that often typecasts us in a certain role based on our outward appearance and demeanor. Expectations start to form about who we are based on those impressions that reinforce and motivate us to be that person.

What we don’t realize is that radical change is possible. We don’t have to be the person we always have been. We can be different, not just the same person with different qualities and characteristics, but a different person.

For centuries and millennia,
Imprinted with your rippled gaze
A thousand lifetimes we meet,
No less potent than the first.

Finding another who truly understands the very essence of our being is what indeed makes life worthy. And having someone who supports our deepest callings helps our soul evolve.

Another year. Another Valentine’s Day. Everywhere I look reminds me of my always single status in my 40-plus years of life. And sometimes the thought of it hurts.

It is important to realize that our constant hunt for pleasure leaves us with a feeling of lack. Afterall, we wouldn’t be hunting for something else if there wasn’t something missing in the first place.