A Spark of Joy

Empower yourself! Yeah, I know, easier said than done, right? But it is easy enough to do if done one bit at a time.  Acknowledging we have the ability to make the choices we feel are best for ourselves is probably one of the first steps.  This particularly applies to how we might choose to react to something that has happened to us, or that we might create for ourselves. It doesn't matter if that reaction is positive or negative, as much as how we deal with those.  We can choose to dwell on the negative, rant about the issue and/or stay stuck in that frustration, anger and irritation. However, we also have the freedom to decide to move out of that negative and find something positive in that event. There might also be a lesson to learn from it, and even perhaps to share those lessons with another.  I do believe we can learn from those experiences exactly what works for us in bringing, and keeping, joy in our lives.  I am not saying you will be 'happy, happy, joy, joy' every day, all the time, but it is an encouraging idea to think we can tip the scale in that direction, if we only choose to.  We can make lemonade out of the lemons life hands to us, but we have to choose to add the sweet so we don't have just bitter lemon water.  I would love to hear your sparks of joy, especially when you have turned around that negative to a positive! Email me at phxgodess@gmail.com, or leave a voice message (link below), and I'll share it on the next podcast. I look forward to lots of Sparks of Joy! Namaste, Kari

Have you ever met a celebrity? Perhaps you have someone, in your personal day-to-day happenings, that you feel is of a small degree of celebrity status.  I believe that sometimes that is an evaluation that is just in our minds, that we designate that status to the people we admire, or feel joy, when we have the random occasion of seeing them.  Or maybe it is a Secret Admirer type of viewpoint!  I really couldn't pin it down, except to say I have assigned many people in my life's travels a status of being a celebrity, to me! When I find myself smiling simple because I notice them, or maybe they have noticed me, I am inclined to put them in that category of non-judgmental admiration. I know nothing of them, except what I might have noticed in passing.  That's ok, too, as it truly is a spark of joy to share that admiration toward an otherwise perfect stranger. Today, we have happy trees in our front yard! I'm happy, and I would bet the trees are happy, too, because now they have a forever home!  I can't wait for the months to pass, as they grow tall and blossom leaves and flowers! This is yet another wonderful spark of joy this week! Share your sparks of joy, who's your secret admired celebrity or what makes you smile and glow with happiness around your home, won't you? Email me at phxgodess@gmail.com or leave a voice message (link below), and I'll share it on my next podcast. (with your permission, of course) Thanks for listening, Namaste,  Kari 😊🤩

We spend our time going through every day routines, whether they are work-related, family-related or just a personal "to-do" list. We are basically creatures of habit, and don't care much to having those routines up-ended by circumstances that are out of our control.  But, at any given time, that is exactly what is going to happen. How we deal with those "interruptions" will certainly re-set our attitude and energy level for that time.  So, we have a choice to turn these interruptions into something positive, even if it's only to add it to the to-do list and then experience that feeling of accomplishment when we can check it off as a "Done".  I would much rather take on those little hiccups as a lesson to learn or maybe even an adventure to explore and grow from. In either case, there is that spark of joy happening when I can acknowledge that I went with the flow, and got it all done. Sometimes those unexpected moments, that break us out of our routines, turn out to be rewarding in so many surprising ways. The Tarot card I mentioned in the podcast should have been "The Ace of Wands", with reference to the quote "Forget the big bang - I can create a universe with this tiny spark." (reference: A Steampunk Tarot by Barbara Moore) And, I will say again, that tiny spark can be our sparks of joy, creating a universe of love and light, filled with adventures. Email me at phxgodess@gmail.com to share your sparks of joy, or leave a voice message at the link below.  With your permission, I'll share them, and we can fill the universe with lots of joy! Thanks for spending these few moments with me. Namaste, Kari ❤️

Life can be an adventure, especially if approached in the spirit of playfulness & joy. Making the decision to have an adventure can sometimes be daunting, of course, like those times when you're being bombarded with negative energy, doubts and even despair about things.  However, it is possible to work towards changing the attitude to one of playfulness and expectation of something good to result from your efforts when you go at it thinking positively and with the idea you can turn things around.  It only takes a moment to decide to expect that spark of joy to turn into something wonderful.   The very best way to neutralize the bully, negative and truly unhappy energies that surround us all, at one time or another, is to believe we are shining beacons of joy, and play the game to push back those bullies of negativity and unhappiness.  You can do it! You can be joy, light, love and that playful spirit!  You can win at this game of life, simply by embracing those sparks of joy and sharing the spirit of play. We don't have to be alone in this journey.  We truly are "connected", and as we share our sparks of joy, the connection gets stronger, and makes us stronger in this craziness we call life.  I know, for myself, it is so very important to put my joy "out into the Universe", and then watch it manifest and grow into something beautiful. Give it a try, OK? Won't you share your sparks of joy?  I'll gladly share them, if I have your ok, to help spread even more joy in the process.  Email me at phxgodess@gmail.com with your sparks of joy, or leave a voice message at the link below.   Thanks for spending these few minutes with me, sharing my joy, light and playfulness.  Until the next time... Namate,  Kari

If you have ever felt you were being bombarded by too much noise in your day-to-day life, maybe it's time to relax, & calm your mind and your energy.  You just need to try to enjoy some quiet in the moment.  In that quiet, it is easy to find the joy right in the middle of all that chaos and feel a peace that gives you the strength to press on and get through the turmoil.  Reiki is a prefect way to find that calm within and draw in the love and light from the Universe, and then let it go right back out.  It is not a hard thing to do, but sometimes we can find ourselves feeling we cannot quiet our minds.  When I find myself in that state of being, I know I need to really make an effort to ground my spirit and listen to my own heart. That's a good time for me to turn to my weaving, for that is my perfect quiet place. In no time at all, I usually do find myself smiling and feeling joyful. What is your process to find and get to your quiet, calm place? If you think you can't find it, do that one thing that brings you joy. A friend of mine told me she couldn't find the quiet, there was just so much going on that she couldn't "turn it off".  My answer to her was so simple, and yet so perfect, for her. I told her to do what she loved best, I told her to sing! Boy, did her space light up at the very mention of that, and I could see the joy start to fill her heart. It was beautiful to see the calm take over the chaos, even if just for that moment.  Share with me your 'Calming place', that special process that gives you the inner joy to give you the strength and light to take on the world, won't you? Email me at phxgodess@gmail.com or leave a voice message below, and with your "OK", I'll share those sparks of joy on the next podcast. Many blessings and sparks of joy to you,  Kari

We all have something to celebrate ... today, yesterday & even tomorrow!  It may not a special occasion, we have at least our own selves to be celebrating!  It's a way of saying "good job", "way to go", & "Well Done!" and to acknowledge a big event in our lives. It doesn't really matter what that moment is, it only matters to you as you make an occasion of your accomplishments.  The best reason to celebrate is right there in the joy that is created when we realize we have reached that milestone, and completely reached that goal.  It doesn't matter, either, how big or small that goal is because the Joy that is felt, and shared, can be so contagious when it touches the lives of all you share it with. That spark of joy just might end up being as mighty and bright as a lightning bolt!  Are you ready for that? I know I am! Share your story, your celebration, your spark of joy with us!  With your permission, I will gladly share it on the podcast and send out your joy to the Universe.  Email me at phxgodess@gmail.com, or leave a voice message on the link below.  Let's sparkle! Namaste, Kari ❤️👍🏽😁

I decided to start this episode as the premier episode of a second season of A Spark of Joy. Sounds kind of funny, and yet there was a natural break between episodes and it feels right to put a definite separation the between 6 months of podcasts I've already done.  I am looking forward to many more months of doing this podcast, and experiencing the transitions it might take in the coming episodes.  I hope you enjoy the journey with me. That all being said, it seems the topic and title of this season 2 premier episode is quite appropriate. I have been working on taking inventory of myself, and my own being, both on an emotional level and a spiritual level.  Amping up on my energy to be more creative, and learning more avenues to share my joy has really been "up front and personal", and feels like I am heading in the direction of more of the same, full speed ahead. I am looking forward to this adventure, and hope you, dear listener, will join me on this journey of love, light and sharing of that joy! Please feel free to email me at phxgodess@gmail.com to share your sparks of joy, and your creative channels to spread your light, and I will share them in an upcoming episode (with your permission, of course).  Thanks for listening!!  Keep that spark sparkling! Brightest blessings, Kari .

Peace and reflective quiet in our own space...It doesn't get much better than that when you're trying to capture a spark of Joy, a moment of a happy memory or creating the beginning of a new happy time.  We all have a plethora of sparks and moments of fleeting happy joy, that can ignite our spirits to new vistas to creating "today's joy". Perhaps it is just the idea of actively looking back at a few happy memories to call up the joy we felt back then, and then let that joy help to create yet another spark of joy to carry us through our busy, crazy, noisy day.  I find it interesting, too, that these memories of days gone by just seem to pop into my mind, at sometimes an odd moment, and then grab my attention in such a subtle manner. I find myself smiling at the memory, and then I wonder if I can rekindle that feeling in the creation of a new, yet somewhat similar, memory that will build upon those earlier sparks of joy. If you have one of those memory sparks of joy you would like to share with me (and my listeners 😊), please email me at phxgodess@gmail.com, or leave a voice message using the link at the end of the notes. Thanks for listening! May Love and many sparks of joy shower you always, Kari

Ok, I'm back after a couple of weeks of working on new weaving classes and projects, and taking my little Sissy to her Training classes, and I am eager to get into more creating of many sparks of Joy.  I've missed talking to you all and hope that you have been creating and spreading lots of joy and happiness each and every day. I was inspired this week by an article a friend shared with me about the very important efforts we need to make to create happiness and joy in our lives, and the wonderful benefits doing that has on our mental health.  I wanted to share that information, and links, with you, my dear listeners, so we can all bring up the levels of Happy, Joy and Hope in our own spaces and even reach out and touch others' lives with that positive, creative energy. NPR's article "Stuck in a Rut? Sometimes Joy Takes a Little Practice"  https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/06/29/1010319240/stuck-in-a-rut-sometimes-joy-takes-a-little-practice NPR's Joy Generator App. https://apps.npr.org/joy-generator/#story=intro&page=0 Please feel free to email me at phxgodess@gmail.com or leave a voice message and share your Sparks of Joy. Let's sparkle!

I love to be pampered! Don't you?  And I believe it is time to do lots of pampering to validate a job well done, whatever that job might be.  We are all so eager to try to influence our attitudes with motivation and purpose, and yet forget to give ourselves the acknowledgment of an achievement that has been in the making for some time. That's where pampering can come into the picture to give us a good shot of that 'atta boy' or 'atta gal' juice.  Why not treat yourself when you have conquered that task that has been hovering over you for the longest time? Doesn't it feel good to reach that goal, knowing you did something you set out to do?  Doesn't that accomplishment deserve some sort of celebration, perhaps in the form of pampering yourself, treating yourself, thus bolstering your confidence and joy that you did "It"? Of course if does! And the magic of that is you get to say what form that treat or pampering might take. Just remember, to make it something fun and something that will spark with joy! Share your sparks of joy with me by emailing me at phxgodess@gmail.com, or leaving a voice message.  I will joyfully share your sparks and let them light up someone else's universe, too!  Thanks for listening and being part of my Sparks of Joy.  Brightest of Blessings, Kari

Do you like surprises? At least the good, fun ones?  I like the kind of surprises that make me happy, make me giggle, or even get me to just laugh out loud. Sometimes I find myself getting a surprise from the most unlikely source, and that is one of the best surprises I can imagine.  When you really don't see them coming, yet they charge your day with a ton of joy and good feelings, that is a wonderful spark of joy! I love the kinds of surprises that inspire me & motivate me, and especially encourage the creative part of me to keep creating.  To recognize that joy is the end result of so many surprises in my life is a blessing, too. Share your surprising sparks of joy with me, and maybe you'll hear about them on the next episode of the podcast.  You can leave a voice message (link at the end of this synopsis), or email me at phxgodess@gmail.com.  I'd love to share your stories!  Thanks for listening!  May Blessings of joy surprise you every day, Kari

What a time we find ourselves in...a totally different type of stress, that really has pushed us all to our personal limits.  What the world needs now is a ton of kindness! Twenty years ago there was a trend of doing "random acts of kindness", and people did their best to spread that sentiment. A simple act of kindness does have such a profound effect on the receiver, and it has an immeasurable "pay back" for the giver.  That's just the way the Universe works. When we spot those random acts, or find we are about to partake in doing one ourselves, the feeling of joy that washes over us can be very gratifying.  I believe that very gratification causes us to want to continue more acts of kindness, to spread the joy to all we might meet. In this episode, I mentioned a weaver, in Australia, who had posted a lovely YouTube about Kindness.  I want to share the link, with her permission, to spread this kind, loving, & beautiful gift.  It is about 8 minutes long, & may very well pull on your heart strings a few times. Please enjoy. Kelly Casanova's "Kindness" video link:  https://youtu.be/W4PBxgQpeoI It would be wonderful to hear some of your sparks of Joy, random acts of kindness and share them here.   Email me at phxgodess@gmail.com and I will gladly add your stories (with your OK to share) in the next episode of "A Spark of Joy". I hope you experience many random acts of kindness, and spread the joy, far & wide.

There are so many ways we can create energy, positive or negative, that we cannot even fathom the effects we might be creating every day!  With every word we utter, every sentence we type on a social media post, or text we send, we are adding to a particular level of energy that is felt throughout the entire Universe.  I want my energy that gets thrown out into the vastness of the Universe to be joyful and full of good feelings.  Not the "airy fairy" type that really does have it's place in the universe, but more the powerful, "pull on the heartstrings and funny bones, Yeah I got that" wave of strength and happiness that will push back on the negative dark energy that might be lurking around us at any given time. If we share that special joy with others, and they share with even more people, the joy that permeates the Universe will exponentially chase the negative away.  We will be happier and stronger and more connected when joy is what we share, and that's a pretty cool thing to share. Right? Share your sparks of joy with me, and I will share them (with your permission) and let's Sparkle together!  Email me at phxgodess@gmail.com or leave a voice message (link below). I would love to hear from you!  

To say that being patient will bring about joy, as well as reduce stress energy, is a rather bold statement, on my part, but I have to say, I do know this to be true. From my own experience and experimenting with efforts to change my attitude and outlook at a moment of impatience, I have noticed I can reduce that level of stress I find myself in, and bring on a feeling of joy. In any given situation, it might be helpful to step outside of myself, or get out of my current attitude, and really observe what is going on at that exact moment I am feeling stress and impatience. Once that shift occurs in my universe, all things take on a different perspective and meaning that can be more enlightening and joyful.  Try looking, and feeling, the other side of that moment, and take a deep breath, and let the joy that is right there flow around you, and calm you.  It is quite the remarkable gift to share with those around you! Share your sparks of joy with me, email me at phxgodess@gmail.com or leave a voice message (link below), and I will joyfully share them, with your Ok to share, of course. Sparkle on! 

What a joy it is to recognize and enhance a moment of an intuitive insight, and realize you "knew that was going to happen", or you got a glimpse of a future event, that now makes sense and causes you to smile in delight! We can certainly strengthen those spurts of intuition simply by noticing when they happen, and maybe even sharing them, with another, at the time you get them.  Not a bit of effort involved, no forcing it to happen, and no idea that it needs to be ignored or pushed away as silly!  It is one of the greatest gifts the Universe has to give us, and it is one that is so easy to cultivate too.  We only need to spot it, acknowledge it, and be grateful for this wonderful gift.  A gift we all have, by the way, in some degree or another. It is time to watch for and see those happenings of intuition in our every day lives, and experience them to the fullest! Email me with your noticed intuitive moments, those sparks of joy you have experienced, and I will cheerfully share them on the podcast. Send those moments to me at Phxgodess@gmail.com, or leave a voice message, link at the end of this summary. Thanks!  Let's open our intuition to lots of sparks of joy!