26.
06.
2010
One thing I have learned is that life is much easier and more pleasant when we can truly allow ourselves to go with the flow. People often say, “don’t worry, everything happens for a reason,” but we don’t always fully accept that when things don’t seem to go our way. I know I didn’t. For many years I struggled and did everything I could to fight the flow only to get nowhere and arrive there stressed, agitated and dissapointed.
At a certain point something changed within me however, and I now live from a sense of inner knowing that I am always exactly where the universe needs me to be at any given moment. Regardless of what happens in life, I know that it is just a moment in the flow of things that is bringing me to where I am supposed to go. If I get stuck in traffic, I am stuck there because I am supposed to be there. If things aren’t going as planned, I let go and trust that they are unfolding exactly as they should. Through synchronicity everything always works out in the highest and greatest good of all involved, including me. Life is much more peaceful this way.
This doesn’t mean that I don’t work hard or sometimes get caught up in trying to achieve something. I am just much less attached to the results and much more open to allowing the work to flow through me rather than trying to control it. I receive much more guidance from the universe now and am more receptive to it when it comes. The best part is that the more I have learned to let go, the more perfectly things unfold on their own.
We can either work from our limited human minds and struggle against the current, or we can open ourselves up to infinite wisdom and go with the flow. The choice is yours.
Melissa Marcy
Virtuality Studio Reiki and Meditation
Disclaimer: this article is intended for inspirational purposes only and the techniques and ideas described herein are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological treatment or without prior consultation with, approval of, and under the supervision of your physician or therapist. Application of the information, techniques and ideas in this article is at the sole risk and discretion of the reader.
20.
04.
2010
Sometimes in life we can find ourselves surrounded by negative people and the negativity they produce can often cause us stress, take our energy and even sometimes wreak havoc in our lives. Here is a meditation to help you protect yourself from the negativity of others.Sit or lie down and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths and exhale out any tension, stress or negativity that you feel within you. Notice a bright light begin to form around you until it envelops your entire body and see this light increase in brightness until it is almost blinding. Feel the heat from the light penetrate through your body and dissolve any negativity from your being. Stay with this feeling for as long as you feel necessary.Once you feel you have been completely purified, allow this light to fill you with light and love. Feel your body filling with light and love until you are so full that the area around you begins to fill as well. As the area around you fills, notice the energies begin to take the shape of a sphere around your body. See this entire sphere fill with love and light and as it becomes full notice the exterior of the sphere begin to crystallize into a mirrored surface. Know that this crystalline mirror is designed to protect you from negativity while still allowing loving energy in and allowing you to send loving energy out. It filters out only the lower frequency negative energies, bouncing them back to their source just as a mirror does with light. Leave it up to the universe to deal with the energy as it sees fit once it is on its way back to its source.
This is a meditation that you can do not only for yourself, but for others in your family as well and you can even create spheres large enough to encompass your entire home should you feel the need to do so. You can do this meditation as often as you feel necessary – from every morning, to once a week or even just on occasion.
Melissa Marcy
Virtuality Studio Reiki and Meditation
Disclaimer: this article is intended for inspirational purposes only and the techniques and ideas described herein are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological treatment or without prior consultation with, approval of, and under the supervision of your physician or therapist. Application of the information, techniques and ideas in this article is at the sole risk and discretion of the reader.
9.
04.
2010
Sit or lie down comfortably and take a few deep breaths. Breathe in peace and exhale out any stress or tension. Feel your body completely relax from head to toe. Pick a word or sound that means something special to you. Say the word or sound to yourself and focus your attention on it. Do this gently and repeat the mantra as often as needed to keep any thoughts from entering your mind. If any thoughts should enter, just repeat the mantra to yourself again and redirect your attention to it. With practice you should notice that you will be able to spend more time in silence and less time on the mantra itself.
Melissa Marcy
Virtuality Studio Reiki and Meditation
Disclaimer: this article is intended for inspirational purposes only and the techniques and ideas described herein are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological treatment or without prior consultation with, approval of, and under the supervision of your physician or therapist. Application of the information, techniques and ideas in this article is at the sole risk and discretion of the reader.
2.
04.
2010
Know that the sunshine always returns after the rain, a bright new dawn always follows the dark of night and a beautiful warm spring will always follow winter. So too shall brighter days follow times of hardship. It is the rain from the storms that allows for new flowers to bloom and the nourishment provided by death that allows for new life. Learn to use your hardships and your sorrows as fertilizer and rain to cultivate beauty for your future.
Melissa Marcy
Virtuality Studio Reiki and Meditation
Disclaimer: this article is intended for inspirational purposes only and the techniques and ideas described herein are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological treatment or without prior consultation with, approval of, and under the supervision of your physician or therapist. Application of the information, techniques and ideas in this article is at the sole risk and discretion of the reader.
21.
03.
2010
The people in our lives who truly love us will be there for us regardless of what happens in our lives. Our true friends and loved ones are the people who love and support us in whatever we choose to do. They are the special people who love us unconditionally no matter how we behave, regardless of the mistakes we make, regardless of how we choose to live, and regardless of how much we have at any given time. They are the people who help to lift us up when we are down and show us we are loved when we forget how to love ourselves. They accept us and appreciate us wholly for who we are. These are the people in our lives that we can truly be ourselves around and the ones who will be there with us until the very end. Sometimes we can find them in our family and sometimes they are our friends, but wherever you find them realize that having them in your life is one of the greatest gifts that the universe has to offer.
Melissa Marcy
Virtuality Studio Reiki and Meditation
Disclaimer: this article is intended for inspirational purposes only and the techniques and ideas described herein are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological treatment or without prior consultation with, approval of, and under the supervision of your physician or therapist. Application of the information, techniques and ideas in this article is at the sole risk and discretion of the reader.
18.
03.
2010
Everyone has at least a few things in their past they wish could be rewritten. Living life means that things will not always go as planned, things will not always seem fair, you might get hurt, you will make mistakes along the way and eventually we all will die. Fortunately there are also plenty of wonderful things that life has to offer us and by letting go of the negative influences of our past we can begin to not only enjoy them more fully, but manifest more of the things we desire into our lives.Begin by realizing that you cannot change the past. If there is something that can be corrected then by all means do that, but learn to accept the things that cannot. When we dwell on things of the past that we cannot change, we miss out on the opportunities for love, happiness and success that the present moment offers.The question then becomes, are you going to allow yourself to continue to be hurt by past events? If someone hurt you, are you going to allow them to continue to hurt you by wasting your precious time and energy, or will you take back your life by releasing them? If you made a poor choice, will you continue to let that choice be a disadvantage to you by living in regret, or are you willing to let it go and move on with your future? If there is something you are still holding onto from your past that no longer serves you, would you rather be weighed down by it or are you ready to let it go and be free? I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Releasing your past is something that you choose to do.Here is a little game you can play to help yourself make the decision to release something from your past. Get out a sheet of paper and fold it vertically in three sections. On the top of the piece of paper, write down what you want to release. In the left section, write down why you think you may be holding onto this issue. Perhaps you feel you are protecting yourself in some way or punishing someone who has hurt you by hating them? Perhaps you feel as if releasing the pain of grief would mean forgetting someone you love? Whatever it is, just write it down.
In the middle column, write down the things you have already missed out on or are missing out on now by holding onto this issue. Have you missed out on new opportunities? Does this have a negative effect on the people you love? Does feeling this way drain you? Are you blocking manifestation by feeling this way?
In the third column, write down what you can do and achieve once you choose to release this issue. What will you put this energy towards? How will you and your loved ones benefit from your newfound energy and happiness? How will it feel to be able to enjoy yourself more fully? What will you be able to manifest with that negativity removed?
While you cannot change the past, you do have absolute control over how much influence you allow it to have in your life now. That choice is completely up to you. Learn to let that go so it is no longer a block to manifestation and open the door to the universe’s bounty.
Melissa Marcy
Virtuality Studio Reiki and Meditation
Disclaimer: this article is intended for inspirational purposes only and the techniques and ideas described herein are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological treatment or without prior consultation with, approval of, and under the supervision of your physician or therapist. Application of the information, techniques and ideas in this article is at the sole risk and discretion of the reader.
17.
03.
2010
The good old question of what you want to be when you grow up is just as important at the age of 80 or 90 as it is when you are 10 or 20. You don’t have to get it right the first time and you don’t have to actually grow up either… really. The fact is, when you truly enjoy what you do, it can often feel more like playing than work anyway. We all incarnated into this world for a reason. We came here to do something, experience something or learn something. This isn’t a mission you were commanded to achieve, but something you chose to come here for.Have you ever woke up one morning and thought to yourself, “this is it? There has to be something more to life than this.” I certainly felt that way. After doing everything in life that I thought I was supposed to do, I realized I wasn’t fulfilled. I had a beautiful home, the education, the career, the marriage, a great car and all of the material things that made for an outwardly perfect life, but I knew that something was still missing. I knew that this nagging sense of unfulfillment was my dharma’s way of calling me back to my higher purpose and I needed to find out what that was.The wonderful thing about the universe is that once you recognize that inner call from your soul to embark on that journey you receive the guidance you need to get you there. Things fall into place and opportunities open up for you that you could have never conceived of before. Even if you don’t know what it is that you are looking for, just the act of recognition alone can often work wonders. Surrender to your higher self and to the universe and the path will be shown to you.Many people fear that if they don’t do what they came here for that they will be punished in some way… this isn’t true. There is no authority in the sky judging you and handing out punishments for taking a different path. Remember that you came here of your own free will to do or experience something of your own choosing. If you aren’t walking down that path, you will simply feel unfulfilled and perhaps receive some guidance when you are ready. Guidance can come in a variety of forms – people you meet, things you see, coincidences, aha moments, feelings and even obstacles. The more open to and aware of the guidance we are, the smoother of a path we are usually able to lead.
If you come upon an obstacle or two, don’t let that worry you. I have come upon many myself and can say in hindsight that as frustrating and painful as those obstacles sometimes were, I can now honestly look at them as blessings in disguise. I happen to be one of those people who is more spiritually “dense” for lack of a better word and it took quite a lot of effort on the part of the universe to guide me. I am starting to get better, but it does take effort, especially on the part of those of us with very “busy” minds.
Once I made the decision to find my purpose, changes in my life started to fall into place rather quickly. I divorced my husband in the summer of 2007 and everything went very smoothly, our home even sold within a week. I spent a great deal of my time in the remainder of that year healing from my marriage, from the death of my father several years earlier and from my childhood. I went to therapy once a week and between therapy I immersed myself in the writings of Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra and Rhonda Byrne.
I was working as an architect at the time and was not totally thrilled about my career. While I enjoyed the artistic aspects of architecture, there was not much room in it for helping other people and that left me feeling very unfulfilled. I knew I wanted to help people in some way, but I wasn’t sure how to do that exactly. I dreamed about one day figuring out how to do that for a living because I was so exhausted after work each day that I knew it wasn’t something I would ever accomplish in my spare time.
My analytical mind had trouble accepting that drastic of a career change, especially after the amount of schooling and effort that went into obtaining my license in the first place. My entire identity had been built up around my career as an architect and I felt it would be irresponsible to give that up. I decided to look for a job doing architectural visualization as it was my specialization back in college. I figured that since it was more artistic I would be happier and much more fulfilled doing that. I had a phone interview with a firm out in Los Angeles who was looking for someone with my skills and it went really well… the only problem was that the visualization portion of the job would be only a small part of what I would actually be doing there. I finished the interview well, but thought to myself that it would be the same situation, just in a new location and I came to the conclusion that if I couldn’t find a job doing what I loved that I should just create one for myself. The thought of taking such a huge risk scared me though.
In early 2008, the company that I worked for was advertising at a home and garden trade show and I was scheduled to represent us there. On my drive there I was immersed in thought as usual when the realization came to mind again, “I would really just like to help people.” As usual the thought was quickly dismissed by a long line of excuses and logical reasoning. I arrived early and was sitting in our booth waiting for the show to start when a stranger came up to me and said, “I don’t normally do this, but God asked me to tell you something, is it ok with you?” “Sure,” I said. She continued, “He wanted me to let you know that there is an idea in your head that you have been thinking about recently and that idea did not come from you, it came from somewhere else, it came from him. You need to go home and be still, be silent, so he can talk to you.” I left the show that day feeling somewhat stunned, but comforted that I was at least moving in the right direction.
The question was however, which “idea” was it… the idea of starting my own business, or fulfilling the desire of helping others? I quickly reasoned my way out of the idea of a life of service… partly out of practicality and partly out of the fear of making such a huge leap.
Shortly thereafter I started my firm Virtuality as an architectural visualization business. After a year of working tirelessly to gain clients the recession hit full force with business trickling in at a snail’s pace. I had enough business to just barely survive, and more than enough time to think. That inner voice started call out even louder and I began to wonder if I had once again veered off course. I realized that something was still missing.
I still wanted to help others, but was unsure of how to do that. I began to write in my spare time as a way to help me find my purpose. I thought that if I could figure it all out, then perhaps what I experienced would be helpful to others as well. I felt lost again, but eventually learned to accept that feeling and embraced the endless possibilities I had before me. I hadn’t had that sense of freedom since childhood and it was a welcome, although scary, feeling. Every day for about a month I would drag my notepad out into the garden and write. By the end of that month I had amassed enough material to fill a book. The fact that I didn’t have much business coming in was scary, but who would’ve ever thought I would write a book. I was both giddy and petrified at the same time, but assured that I was on the right path.
In August of 2009 my mother and I decided to take a spiritual trip though the western United States. We had about 17 days to embark on our journey. Both of us knew that we needed to go, but neither of us really knew why. I knew that I needed to take inspirational photography, both for my book and to sell, but I could sense that there was a greater purpose. Living in and around the big city of Chicago for all of my life, I had never really ventured out that far… mostly because I never had to. As a result I didn’t get to see the magnitude of God’s beauty. In Chicago I could see things that man had built, but never experience the wonder of God’s creations. I had never experienced the mountains. I had never been to a place where I could see the sky touch the earth. I had never been to a place so pure that you could actually feel the presence of God. I went out in search of photography, but came back with my soul.
While at Glacier National Park I realized when trying to photograph a waterfall that the sound and movement of it was so beautiful that I needed to share it. I thought for those people like me, who live in big cities away from nature, that watching a video of a waterfall or stream would be a great way to meditate. I started on a new quest to capture as much beauty as I possibly could – both for myself and for others. After the trip I spent a great deal of time and energy putting together the meditations and finishing my book.
It seemed that every time I was ready to take the next step, the next teacher would appear. While on our travels we came across a spiritual practice called Reiki. We thought it was interesting, so we signed up for classes to learn more about it and how to do it when we got home. I was skeptical, but figured at the very worst it would be a great meditation retreat. Our experience there was unlike anything we could have ever expected. After the attunement and over the course of the Reiki sessions the following month, I went from a person who worried constantly about almost everything to a much more balanced individual. I stopped clenching my jaw and my headaches went away. I actually look younger now as well because my face is much more relaxed than it was before and I am much more happy.
The only downside to the attunement was the 21 day clearing process that followed. In truth, the 21 day clearing process following the attunement was not fun at all. I was both physically ill and an emotional wreck for that entire period of time. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Reiki, during the 21 day process, the Reiki energy flows through your different chakra centers and helps to release any spiritual blocks that impede the flow of energy. I must have had a lot of negativity that needed to be released, but I figured I was better off releasing it than trying to hold it in. It was amazing to me to see just how much old “stuff” came up that I thought I had dealt with years earlier. It was at that point that I realized just how much of a difference there is between burying an issue and releasing it. That discovery alone was priceless.
The Reiki also seemed to be massively accelerating everything I was doing on my spiritual path and I wanted to learn more. Over the next few months I received a series of several other Reiki attunements from different teachers to learn other forms of Reiki. After experiencing what it had done for me, I felt that I had finally found my way to help others. I decided to incorporate it into everything that I was doing and made the choice to transform my company from the architectural visualization firm it once was into a Reiki and meditation studio. That is the benefit of working for yourself I guess – your career can evolve along with you much more readily.
Had the recession never hit or had I received tons of architectural business right after opening my firm, I probably would have continued on doing what I knew. I would have been comfortable, but unfulfilled.
The path my life has taken has proven to me that the things in our life we often see as obstacles are really just the universe’s way of guiding us toward our highest fulfillment. Looking back on all of the frustrating, scary and seemingly horrible things that have happened in my life, I wouldn’t trade an ounce of it because I know that it all brought me to where I am today. I can now stand in awe of how intelligent the whole process was, knowing that if things had always gone the way that I planned or hoped for I would be nowhere near as happy or fulfilled as I am right now.
Your path isn’t something that you need to only find once, it is an ever evolving journey that unfolds one step at a time before you. Keep your eyes open, trust your intuition and have faith in the universe to guide you in the right direction. With the universe’s help we can all achieve the things we came into our lives to do. May you have the best of luck, happiness and peace on your journey.
Melissa Marcy
Virtuality Studio Reiki and Meditation
Disclaimer: this article is intended for inspirational purposes only and the techniques and ideas described herein are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological treatment or without prior consultation with, approval of, and under the supervision of your physician or therapist. Application of the information, techniques and ideas in this article is at the sole risk and discretion of the reader.
10.
03.
2010
We’ve all heard the sayings, “you reap what you sow,” or “you get back what you give,” but how many of us actually take that advice to heart? The idea of karma wasn’t created merely to teach people how they should treat one another, it is a description of the way we create our own realities. What we give out we do indeed get back in one form or another. This holds true whether it be in thought or in action and it is the principle behind the law of attraction.
So how do you get your karma to work for you? The answer is simple: control your thoughts and actions. Make every effort you can to think positively, and act from your heart. Who you are on the INSIDE is more important in terms of karma than how you appear outwardly. If you are unsure of this, just ask yourself the following questions:
Am I judgmental of myself or others? If yes – don’t just change the words you speak. Even if you notice yourself thinking negative judgments about someone, STOP and look for something nice to think about them. Remember that what you think is just as powerful as what you say or do. Learn to control it.
Am I selfish, mean or inconsiderate? Learn to be more thoughtful of other people’s needs and feelings. Think about how you would feel if the tables were reversed before acting at all times. Don’t be a user, liar, or cheat. Don’t abuse or take advantage of other people. Treat all other people as you would want to be treated – ALWAYS. This does not mean that you need to be a doormat or do things that are not in your best interest… remember to keep the balance.
Am I kind, compassionate and generous? Learn to be kind and compassionate on all levels of your being. When you do something for someone, or give a gift, does it come from your heart? Are you there for your friends and family when they need you? Do you know how to love others fully? Are you compassionate toward ALL people and all of the animals we share this world with? True kindness and compassion does not see color, sex, age, status, beauty or even species. True kindness, compassion and generosity are a few of the most important things we can ever master in our lifetime, and the rewards can be tremendous.
Am I an optimist or pessimist? It is always better to have a positive outlook than a negative one. What we give out (our thoughts and expectations as well as our actions) is what we get back. Would you rather receive the results of positive thinking or negative thinking? The choice is yours.
Am I grateful? Learn to practice gratitude for everything in your life – even the little things. Graciously accept gifts or help as they are given to you, and remember to always be grateful for the people we have in our lives… they are truly the universe’s greatest gifts.
Do I have faith? Learn to be at peace with where you are right now, even if it isn’t as you had planned. Learn to trust the universe to guide you toward your highest fulfillment, even if it has to drag you through the mud to get you there. Always trust and know that you are exactly where you need to be for your own greatest good.
What we experience in life is the result of everything we have ever thought, said or done. Learn to focus on the positive, be compassionate, gentle, loving and kind. When you can learn to truly live this way, from the inside out, karma will be on your side.
Melissa Marcy
Virtuality Studio Reiki and Meditation
Disclaimer: this article is intended for inspirational purposes only and the techniques and ideas described herein are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological treatment or without prior consultation with, approval of, and under the supervision of your physician or therapist. Application of the information, techniques and ideas in this article is at the sole risk and discretion of the reader.
20.
02.
2010
The pursuit of spiritual growth has been steadily increasing in popularity and importance in western society and for those on this path it is an integral part of both their daily routines and long term goals. Meditation, prayer and yoga are a few of the most commonly recognized spiritual practices, but there is another option that can work wonders for you.Reiki is a Japanese spiritual healing technique commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction. While Reiki is great for relaxation, those of you on a spiritual path can also use Reiki to accelerate your spiritual growth and strengthen your connection to Spirit.A Reiki session in many ways is like having your spiritual batteries charged. When we go through our day and come across negative people or events, they tend to drain us of our spiritual energy. It is hard to remain positive and on course with your spiritual development, much less manifest anything wonderful into your life when you are spiritually drained. Reiki is a great way for you to replenish your spiritual energy so you can get back on the path toward your highest fulfillment and happiness.During a Reiki session, the practitioner acts as a channel for the Reiki energy, directing it down through their crown chakra and out of their hands into the recipient. The energy that they are channeling is the divine, all knowing spiritual energy that exists around us everywhere. People refer to this energy by different names in various cultures (prana, chi, ki, life force), but it is essentially the energy of love.“With love all things are possible,” said Melissa Marie Marcy, a Reiki master and owner of the Chicagoland Reiki studio, Virtuality. “Love is the essence of everything, the source of our spirit and the energy that powers our physical existence. When we are filled with love we are in harmony with our creator and can do extraordinary things for the benefit of not only ourselves, but for everyone we share our world with.”Melissa Marcy
Melissa Marcy
Virtuality Studio Reiki and Meditation
Disclaimer: this article is intended for inspirational purposes only and the techniques and ideas described herein are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological treatment or without prior consultation with, approval of, and under the supervision of your physician or therapist. Application of the information, techniques and ideas in this article is at the sole risk and discretion of the reader.
17.
02.
2010
I have created a new spiritual forum at http://spiritualpeople.ning.com/ where spiritual people can get together to discuss spiritual things, share information, inspire one another and grow together! Stop by for a visit and become a part of this new community!
Melissa Marcy
Virtuality Studio Reiki and Meditation
