Forging & Enriching Your Spirit

Ever wondered why you’re here? Why are we all? There are numerous theories and beliefs surrounding that, but many of them seem to agree that we have a soul. More precisely, some would argue, that we ARE a soul and we have a body. Our body is merely the vehicle for it while we’re on Earth.

And if that’s the case, what are we supposed to be doing? Why come here? Is this a playground, a school, or a prison? Or some kind of mix? Whatever it is and whatever you’d call it, one thing is for sure: we learn, the easy or the hard way, but we learn. Or at least, some of us do.

If learning is at the core of our purpose, and drawing and incorporating lessons from what we get to be and do while we’re here is the whole point, is life here only a means to forge and enrich our spirit? Adopting this outlook puts plenty into perspective, including the cycles that repeat over and over again until we finally break them.

Certainly, however, we don’t all leave with the same. There’s this idea that, before incarnating, we know exactly what we’re coming here for and it can be very specific. Therefore, the circumstances surrounding our birth, upbringing, and all that follows, are chosen and arranged to deliver the established outcome. It’s our ‘fate’ or ‘destiny’, and every tiny little thing, led to it.

Some detest this concept, as it implies that freedom is an illusion and that we’re forever subjected to what is already in store for us. Others find it comforting, figuring that then there is something to take away even from the worst events endured. However, the truth might not be so set in stone. Perhaps a shift is possible.

Nevertheless, looking back and looking forward, what seems to be shaping you or trying to shape you? Into what, exclusively? What are recurring scenarios that you’re stuck in or that level you further within them? After everything that you’ve been through, what do you carry inside, and what does it crave you move towards?

If you’ve merely been given the opportunities but the rest is up to you, are you failing or succeeding at tending to this constellation of ordainings? Would you have to come back and try again because it went so poorly or because you still have a long way to go and this is only a part of it? What would your next life look like then?

Are you being rewarded or are you being punished? Or neither, and yet, you’re still studious?

13th Sagittarius

If you were born on the 13th, under the sign of Sagittarius, congratulations!
It is a peculiar juxtaposition, astonishing to pause and look at more closely, with Sagittarius being the emblem of Fortune and 13th the emblem of Misfortune.

The Sagittarius sign is often viewed as the ‘luckiest’ sign of the zodiac. However, you could argue that this is merely an illusion. Somebody who embodies the character attributed to it could seem ‘lucky’ because of how optimistic, opportunistic, and, overall, appreciative they can be. And how these qualities, in return, bring more for them to be even more so. They carry the attitude and, without much, if any complaining, put in the work of continuing forward. And that usually gets them through and out of the stickiest situations, which, perhaps more than anybody else, they’d rather not remain in. Then, speaking of sticky situations. Let’s say the number 13th is cursed, as superstitions would say, and is indeed ‘unlucky’ to have (or even see). Let’s say somebody born this day seems to be constantly showered with “bad luck”. And yet, they somehow handle it - or attempt to. Would that suggest that they are fated with tricky challenges? If that is so, is the luckiest sign, Sagittarius, meeting the unluckiest number, 13th, someone tasked with, and particularly endowed for, facing, overcoming, and mastering even the most absurd and ridiculous scenarios going against them? For better or for worse, they may even seek them out!

Prominent themes include:

- Disarming and turning around unfavorable circumstances.

- Sympathizing with and assisting those who do not have the odds in their favor.

- “The hardest battle for the strongest warrior.”

Are you a 13th Sagittarius? And have you met any other 13th Sagittarius? Maybe, even if quite different on the surface, you share a few things in common, besides your birthday!

For context and more of relevance, please read about The Zodiac.

Temporarily a Stray

If you feel like you’ve been left alone, out in the cold dark, despite repeatedly calling and reaching out, this is for you.

Focus on yourself for a while. Whether that’s by doing work or by getting rest. Make the most of this “solitary” period. Because chances are that you will soon have more people around you than you can even count. And you will belong there with them.

It won’t matter how much is sitting in your bank account, how many follow you on social media, or the amount of awards you have been recognized with. Although, granted, these can point to characteristics that have merit too and/or make you valuable in some way. But I digress. It won’t even matter much if you’re somebody’s favorite or not.

As long as you’re a genuine person, sincere with others, and devoted to being and doing your best, you will fit marvelously with those who are the same and believe that “the more, the merrier”. Sometimes you just oughta give the universe time to move things around and make space. (And maybe yell and wave a little louder and clearer, just in case.)

You Might Not Change The World But...

You could be particularly ambitious, and whether your ambitions are realistic or unrealistic is another matter. The issue is that, if you are, you are pulled to dream big. So big you might yearn to cause a massive and long-lasting impression on the entire globe. Perhaps even beyond.

For better or for worse, and against the odds, some make it. You could say that they were born for it, as countless factors had to come into play for it to happen, many out of their own control, aligning perfectly to push them forward and up. As if it were fate.

You might not be one of them, but merely be in the pool of those with a comparatively higher chance to wind up with them, and maybe you’ll get quite close but not quite there, and that’s how it goes. Yet, if so, did you miss out or are you comfortably right where you belong?

Regardless of how far you manage to get, if you’re that ambitious, you’d prefer to at least aim for something grander than the usual. Seeing yourself in circular or dead-end roles simply doesn’t go with you. And the mere idea of it can be demoralizing. Not everyone will be understanding of this, possibly not even yourself, but if it is the case, you must go for it.

Convincing yourself and others that you’re both worthy and capable can be tricky (not to mention insulting). If life gives you tests, this would be one. It doesn’t necessarily measure character, but it measures your ability to navigate obstacles, in and out, visible and invisible, right in front of your face or further ahead, coming at you from all around, and deploying unbelievable antics to thwart and sabotage you. People aren’t simply going to hand you the world, or a huge chunk of it, on a silver platter. Not unless you have the privilege of that unfair advantage.  

Yet, if you crave to keep pushing yourself, checking just how much you can get away with, few things can stop you. You would be your best friend or your worst enemy, choosing whether or not you are deterred by what can be overcome.

Ultimately, “luck” or “divine order” might not be in your favor for what you assume, believe, or wish was your place. However, don’t take for granted everything else that you can nonetheless accomplish that also significantly impacts the world. 

Christmas Month

December is here!
It’s Christmas (/holidays) time.
You can expect an emphasis on altruism-related content.

Winter Once More

Winter arrives once more...
Do you know what that means?
It means, at last, we can sit back.
Let out a long sigh.
Spend time with our close ones (and oneself).

Actually, Just Live While You Can

What does living while you can mean? Usually, we interpret this as being fully in the moment at all times, yielding to every whim, recklessly taking every opportunity or risk. However, it doesn’t have to be this reductive (and dangerously regrettable).

It can be more about tending to what’s important. And that differs from person to person. What brings you peace and what brings you joy? Are you caring for your needs and for your wants, in such a way that you can accomplish fulfillment? Do you give enough attention to what you value most and to what deserves it?

There’s a popular saying that can be applied to this. Essentially, they say something along the lines that the only two people that you should try to impress and make proud are the 8-year-old you, who looks forward, and the 80-year-old you, who looks backward. How well are you doing at that? Are you pleasing the version who’s filled with wonder and the version who’s overflowing with revelations?

Your life is more than just your present; it is also your past and your future, and all that interconnects. This means that being thoughtful and considerate is part of what constitutes living without regrets. This can be paralyzing sometimes, trapping in needless fears and worries, and that’s something to watch out for, but shouldn’t be entirely dismissed.

There is peace, joy, and fulfillment in bothering to take into account what must be. The problem arises when you neglect your present for it.

Furthermore, others may get a say in how it goes, but you do as well. If you’re completely handing over the script of your life to somebody else, or to traditions, trends, or predictions, are you really living your life? Certainly, you can learn from them and implement what sits right with you (or what is imperative), but you lose the plot when it wholly dictates what you do and don’t do.

And what about your growth? Isn’t it amazing that you get to come to this place to explore, experience, experiment, express, and expand? You literally start with a set of talents and capabilities and can, from there, decide what sort of knowledge you will be collecting and what sort of skills you will be developing, reaching higher and higher levels throughout your entire lifetime. Overlooking this and getting stuck, stagnating at the bottom, does seem like a waste.

Ultimately, you could live so fully that it makes a positive and constructive difference, not only on you, but on those around you - or even coming after. And that’s something that, at least to some, makes life worth striving for.

Reclaim your life. Live it responsibly, but live it.

Billie Eilish's Birds of A Feather

Uff, I'm really not yet sure what was behind it. Yet, undeniably, there was a ring to the song, making it now a favorite to go back to over and over again. However, what most caught my attention, initially, was the location. It looks like such a liminal space!

I am personally fond of how it is as if from another time. With the construction, the furniture, the colors, and even the camera. It sort of transports me to when I was growing up and somehow ending up in such places while the grownups were doing their grownup things. Yet, interestingly, in this case, it is empty of other humans (at least in flesh), which is also particularly satisfying, given my innate aversion to crowds and noise. It is difficult to explain, but that’s indeed a dimension that I can sincerely appreciate. Oddly so. Not to be forever stuck within it, but to have at some point experienced.

And of course, it got me with the themes of death, too. As much as I welcome such topics with the ambiance that exacerbates them, it was refreshing to have them in a more casual manner - making it less of a taboo to bring up.

I don’t know what it is intending to portray, exactly, but it is definitely an intriguing and fascinating concept. While words essentially speak of willingly joining in, imagery speaks of an invisible force that can pull and carry someone around and across the room(s).

You could catch me humming and singing along to Birds of a Feather as it trended without realizing the depth of it, though! (Do love it even more now, however...)

Sticking Together, It’s Complicated…

When creating, the systematic processing side is compelled to make everything neatly organized, but the storytelling processing side is like, “No, actually…” And throws that stiffling made-up order out the window for LORE.

It is tempting to have all the parts fit together perfectly, following the same approach, sharing similar traits, and so on, but that doesn’t say a lot. That ends up being… lifeless.

So, although it can be irritating, frustrating, or just boggling when things don’t follow a script, break and/or fall out of their spot, become something other than they could have been, it is what makes it wonderfully organic rather than merely mechanical. And it is what tells a tale.

Yes, I’m mad about the possibility that the deity who nurtured the outlaws at the verge of extinction out of the danger of it will lose her magical powers and turn into cement.

Yes, it was unexpected that one of the catalysts was chosen and promoted by his pupils rather than by the ‘officials’ as it usually goes.

Yes, it is incredible that some of the most impactful factors have a low profile or are even anonymous while the rest rose to fame and stardom.

And don’t get me started about entities that are but aren’t there…

However, if you ponder it, all of this unravels more about the nature of all. It’s gonna be tricky and challenging to narrate, not gonna lie, and you may not be happy about each and every step and turn this takes, but ohhh… the intrigue, the fascination, the slap in the face that this is more grand, more profound, and waaay more complex than you could initially comprehend.

You are not in control. You are only the creative writer. And ironically, that makes you a reader too.

(May not even have to go out of your way and ‘do it for the plot’. It gets crazy on its own.)

Shakira's Anniversary

Oh. My. God. It’s been DECADES. And this song has aged like fine wine! Shakira, questioning social and societal norms since forever. And for that and more, love her!

You know what else I’m grateful for these days? Being able to remember stuff. This is taking me back to when I was a kid, singing my lungs out, jumping around to this song, while attempting to keep up with the lyrics and checking how much I managed to do so. (If I recall correctly, I couldn't get a hold of the CD, so it was a cassette I had to patiently rewind or fast-forward to get to the parts I was into and/or play the whole thing without skipping. If anything, I'll take that as a testament to being a true fan!)

It is taking me back to my grandmother’s house - specifically to the living room she had, where she kept antiques and artworks she cherished (we play-pretended it was haunted), and the big family dinners, with relatives and their +1s coming from different countries for it, were held. I’d indulge in music and more there any day of the year, enjoying the space and the atmosphere. And I’m so thankful to be able to relive this, even if only in little bits.

It’s no news that many Latin Americans fell in love with and remember Shakira for her earlier work. I mean, damn, talk about artsy. But fret not, we love her later stuff, too! That woman is a genius, whenever and wherever she goes… 🤭