As we navigate our 2024 journey, it has become more important than ever to deepen our roots. Every moment is an opportunity to get thrown off balance with the amount of news, intense social media, and worry about our future. In addition to the strange times we are living in, many of us are also dealing with the “regular” stuff of life. We could all use a deeper connection to Spirit right now!

I love metaphors. I am a visual person, and often in healings with clients, I see clearly, with the help of my guides, the healing pathway a client can open for deeper healing and a stronger connection to Spirit. So, when I navigate the “stuff” of life, I visualize myself and my clients as a tree.

I recently was walking my dog like I always do and stopped in front of a huge tree. I put my arms around this tree and felt its life force and saw myself as this tree. I could feel my deep roots, grounded and taken care of by Mother Earth. I felt sturdy and strong. This is the root chakra. I saw these roots being energized by the vibration of the Earth and felt this rush of energy come up through my body. My trunk felt solid, no matter what the season or the weather.

The amazing lesson from the trees is that they actually get stronger when the wind comes and the rain threatens to tear it down. The trees deepen their roots into the earth as the snow comes, and as the leaves and flowers fall.

This is YOU. The Tree of Life within you is your essence, your connection to Spirit, and your strength. Yes, the winds of life threaten to knock you down. Yes, the storms come and blow your leaves off the tree, testing your faith. But your Tree of Life can deepen, get stronger, and grow more faithful as the winds of life blow above you.

Here are some suggestions to navigate these storms of life and deepen your roots:

✨Let go of the struggle.

✨What if life could be filled with less drama, less pushing, and more ease and grace? To release the struggle, we have to release what we have been taught about life. Many of us believe that the more we work, the more effort we make, the more worthy we are. The more hours we put into work and life, the more money and the more productive we are. The Greek term for this kind of measured time and work is chronos, from which we get the word chronological. We function largely in chronos time—making and keeping appointments, celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, and trying to fit as much as possible into the limited time we have. Type-A personalities are known for taking control of their time, not allowing one second to be wasted. “Time is money,” we are told, because “time and tide wait for no man.”

In the area of relationships, when we function primarily in chronos time, people either fit into our schedules or they don’t. Our relationships are controlled by a scarcity of minutes and hours. To give our attention, time, or energy to another person is to sacrifice a limited commodity.

So we must decide, with every interaction, if the person before us—the one vying for “a unit” of our day—is going to be a drain to an already limited asset or a worthy investment of our time.

We play a game of give-and-take based on what we can get from them in the time allotted. People become objects, defined by space and time, and their fundamental nature as people is devalued.

However, there is another way—one more ancient—to view time. The Greek term that defines this understanding of time is kairos. Though a complex word, kairos can be understood to mean “a specific and decisive point” in time.

The idea of kairos time carries with it an idea of divine appointment: that Spirit is in control of time itself, and each moment is, therefore, pregnant with purpose above and beyond our own understanding.

Kairos time is purposeful, yet outside of our control. Kairos time is surrendering to these divine appointments, instead of making them annoying interruptions. When we live in the freedom of kairos time, people are no longer seen as time-sucking drains. We are no longer forced to view others as assets or liabilities, worthy or unworthy investments. People are souls, and the connection between others is sacred.

Living in kairos time means seeing someone’s soul, seeing them as whole, and seeing our relationships as valued, worthy of our time, and necessary for our spiritual growth. Living in kairos time releases the grind of the fast-paced life, and introduces a slower, more meaningful life.

✨The Art of Slow Living

Staying with this theme of Kairos living, technology has taught us how to speed up in life. Everything, positive and negative, is at the tip of our fingertips. And we want it now. Part of slowing down, and letting Spirit in, is releasing the fast-paced life. The energy of 2024 is full of acceleration, and we are invited to slow down so we can move with Spirit, in a more steady and paced way. The ways of hustling and effort are releasing and now is the time to ground, deepen, and feel our blessings.

As the world gathers speed, slow living is making a comeback. Slow living is a decision to live a more balanced, meaningful life by slowing things down and appreciating both the world around us and what we have. It’s not always easy to slow down or push ‘pause’ on commitments, but sprinkling some Slow Living principles throughout your daily life can help you feel calmer, especially when the world feels chaotic.

✨Take time to breathe (deeply)

Simple? Yes – but all too easy to forget. Deep breathing is an excellent (and free!) way to invite more slowness into your everyday life. Consciously slowing down your breath will help you to feel more connected to your senses and grounded in the present moment.

✨Move your body regularly

Moving your body – especially in nature – helps to shift your attention from the buzz of daily responsibilities and to the current moment. By moving regularly – whether that’s doing an exercise session at home or taking a morning stroll – you can allow your brain more time to rest.

✨Take digital detoxes.

A recurring theme throughout all slow living principles is spending less time tethered to digital devices – be that your phone, television, or computer. Taking regular digital detoxes often forces you to slow down – to nap instead of scrolling the internet or watching the clouds instead of checking your emails.

If you take just one tip from the slow living movement, it’s to ‘disconnect to reconnect’ – to nature, yourself, and your surroundings – as often as you can. Your mind and body will likely thank you for it.

My prayer for all of us is to breathe, slow down, try kairos time living, and most of all deepen our roots and discover how beautiful your Tree of Life truly is.