The Modern Sage

  I've always been a little fascinated by the Japanese language. So much so, that I took some language classes. Part of my fascination was due to the fact that they have words for so many interesting concepts that simply don't exist in English or the Western World at large. In today's post we're diving headfirst into one of my favorites: Wabi-Sabi – a Japanese aesthetic and philosophical concept that celebrates imperfection, impermanence, and the art of finding joy in life's delightful little quirks.  Wabi-Sabi – a Japanese aesthetic and philosophical concept that celebrates imperfection, impermanence, and the art of finding joy in life's delightful little quirks.  Wabi-Sabi isn't your run-of-the-mill aesthetic theory. Rooted in Japanese culture, this concept holds tremendous significance and has influenced everything from art and design to architecture and tea ceremonies.  At its core, Wabi-Sabi is all about embracing the imperfect, finding beauty in the fl...

  Hello and welcome back to our exploration of chakras!  Check out our related posts:  Chakras 101: Everything You Need to Know If you're new to chakras here's a quick recap. Chakras are seven energy centers located throughout the body that play a vital role in balancing our mind, body, and spirit. Think of them as spinning wheels that help us maintain harmony within ourselves. Today, we're going to take a closer look at Svadhisthana, or the sacral chakra.  Located in the lower abdomen, this chakra is all about our creativity and emotions, making it one of the most fun and dynamic chakras to explore. Svadhisthana Svadhisthana literally translates to "one's own dwelling place" in Sanskrit, which makes sense considering it's all about our own unique emotions and creativity. Physically, Svadhisthana is located in the lower abdomen, right below the navel. It's associated with organs such as the reproductive system, bladder, and kidneys. So, if you ever fee...

Hey there everyone!  Today's post is kind of a continuation of our other post:  Brief Background Meditation is a mindfulness technique that involves training your mind to focus on the present moment, cultivate inner peace, and reduce mental and emotional stress.  It has been around for centuries and has been practiced by all different types of people from monks to tech CEOs. The benefits of meditation are plentiful and well-documented; it can help reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, enhance concentration and memory, and improve overall physical and mental health.  In short, meditation is like a mental workout for your brain that helps you stay zen and feel amazing. But here's the thing (and the focus of today's post): there are different types of meditation, each with its own unique techniques, benefits, and purposes.  It's a really good strategy to know the different types of meditation and choose the one that fits your goals and personality b...

Hey there, friend! This week, it was like everything I was listening to/reading/etc. all kept going back to a common theme: self-forgiveness. And it wasn't like I had ever consciously avoided self-forgiveness, it was just never on my radar until this week when I got hit over the head with it, which got me to thinking about self-forgiveness as the first step towards self-love (which is something I'm trying to cultivate more of). So today, we're going to talk about the art of self-forgiveness. And I write this as much to myself as to whoever is reading. Self-forgiveness is the act of forgiving yourself for any past mistakes or wrongdoings. Self-forgiveness is the act of forgiving yourself for any past mistakes. It's like giving yourself a big hug and saying, "It's okay, I forgive you!"  Self-forgiveness is crucial for our mental and emotional well-being. Holding onto guilt and shame (which are two of the lowest vibrations/frequencies) can lead to negative th...

Welcome back everyone!  In our last post, we talked all about the power of positive affirmations and I thought I would continue that thread with this list of 50 powerful affirmations for success to get you started. I love success affirmations because you can use them in every area of your life. We all want success in relationships, our careers, our health, etc. you name it. So here's a list of 50 great ones to get you pointed in the right direction to help you achieve your goals and reach your fullest potential.  Repeat them daily, and watch the magic unfold! Get ready to be inspired, motivated, and uplifted. 50 Powerful Affirmations for Success #1. I am capable of achieving anything I set my mind to. #2. Success comes easily and effortlessly to me. #3. I trust in my abilities to succeed. #4. I am worthy of success and abundance. #5. My goals and dreams are within my reach. #6. I am confident in my ability to make the right decisions. #7. I have everything I need to achie...

I have a confession to make. I love to meditate. But... I don't do it as much or as often as I want. And I think I'm safe in saying that a lot of us fall into that category. We know meditation is good, it's a great idea, we're totally on board, we want to do it - but actually buckling down and meditating consistently is hard. Recently, I've started really focusing on meditating more and more consistently so I'd thought I'd share some helpful tips on how to add more meditation into your life! A Brief Review If you're new to meditating, no worries, this is a great place to start! Let's start with the basics: what is meditation? Well, it's much more than just sitting cross-legged on a mountaintop chanting "om" (although you definitely can do that if it works for you.).  Meditation is a practice that involves training your mind to focus and calm down.  Its not just sitting quietly for the sake of sitting quietly, but is meant to help you be...