Are you ready For Focus & Boundaries in August 2014?

How to FocusAre you ready For Focus & Boundaries in August 2014?

This is a fiery and active month, demanding that you put your mojo out there to be seen and heard, to be focused and disciplined, and to get things done. It is not a month to be ambivalent, wishy washy, submissive, powerless and lethargic. There is an aggressive quality that comes with the territory of all this masculine energy that will need to be tempered through your own focus and disciplined work with boundaries.

If you are not clear about what you want and always take a submissive position to others, someone else’s strong focus will take over and you may find yourself swept up in something that is not yours. If you find this happening, don’t fight it, judge it or resist it. Simply cut yourself off from it and let it go. The aggressive quality of the month can result in fights, especially around being “right”, and we could even see a rise in domestic violence, as some of the aggression will surely manifest physically.

Because the month has a strong masculine and physical component, it’s a great month to actually manifest something physically from your own creativity and focus. If you truly work with FOCUS and BOUNDARIES, you will see results. It is also a good month to clear out any old patterning you may carry in your third chakra around masculine energy, aggression, safety, being seen, being powerful, being clear in your intentions and confident in your ability to manifest.

A lot of the work this month will be around the third chakra and using the energy of the sun to project your creativity in ways that are seen more powerfully in the world. This will be tricky for those of you used to always hiding behind others, giving your power away, allowing others to make your decisions for you, or always doubting yourself. There is tremendous growth potential in this area but it may be rough on relationships, sleep patterns, digestion and balancing your physical energy. Regular exercise where you push yourself a bit will be useful this month as a way to handle the charge.

(There is help with the third chakra on our monthly support Mp3)

How do you work with focus?

For those of you who have trouble with focus (which is probably most of you) practice every day for just a few minutes tuning out everything but one idea, one object, one sound. This is harder than it seems and you will get to observe how much distraction you actually deal with all the time. We are a multitasking culture that gets rewarded for being able to manage many balls in the air at the same time. There is a time and a place for such talent, but this month the work is about strengthening the opposite skill, FOCUS. Focus is like a muscle that needs to be toned and strengthened so that when you need it, you know it will deliver for you.

If you have clarity about something you wish to create or manifest, focus every day on that intention and observe the distractions that threaten to take you from that one focus. This is where the BOUNDARIES come in. Focus and boundaries go hand in hand because your boundaries around your time and space will protect your focus. Your boundaries will keep the distractions out while building a strong container for your own focus. The more you work with this the less you have the possibility of some one else’s focus absorbing you into their drama.

FOCUS is like putting a spotlight on something. BOUNDARIES are there to insure that what is not under the spotlight does not interfere. Some of you have better boundaries in general than others. We would even say that some of you have boundaries that are too strong and are there out of a fear of being seen or being intimate with others. Boundaries that are too rigid will not be useful, as they tend to strengthen the hiding or withdrawing part of you rather than the protection of how you shine in the world.

So it is important to examine your boundaries and observe them to see if they are non-existent, too weak, just right, too strong etc. It is also a good idea to revisit the origin of certain boundaries to make sure the motivation behind them is still appropriate. For example if you have a mistrust of others based on an old fear of being ripped off, you may have a boundary that keeps you from ever collaborating with others and asking for support when you need it.

Having good boundaries will teach you when to say no and when to say yes. It is also important to honor other people’s boundaries and not to take their “no’s” personally.

(There is help with boundaries on our monthly support Mp3)

How the month shows up

YOU PERSONALLY

August has the potential be a fabulous month for you to breakthrough and heal your doubts, inhibitions, self-deprecation and general inability to take action. It could be an uncomfortable month physically and energetically for some of you that are not used to running great amounts of energy. It is really important to be disciplined around the work especially regarding the third chakra. Your relationship with the masculine will also come up this month for review.

What is your relationship to and with the masculine? With the males in your life? With your own masculine energy? Do you fear it? Do you disregard it as unimportant? Do you mistrust it? Do you judge it?

The masculine as its greater archetype is generous, protective, focused, productive, clear, sincere, loyal and steadfast. The masculine takes the creativity of the feminine and turns it into something solid. There is much work to do with embracing the masculine and allowing it to function fully. This is the month where we have that kind of support. Solar energy from the sun embodies the masculine, as the sun is an archetype of the patriarchal force. So work with the sun and make friends with the masculine.

RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships will be challenged this month as they find new balance with boundaries and focus, and work with tempering the aggressive quality of the influences. In learning about the appropriate use of “no” and “yes”, your boundaries will be tested. How far are you willing to compromise and when is it enough?

Rather than trying to force current relationships to fit a new picture of what you want, focus instead on bringing that new relationship picture into your personal experience. Then allow the relationships in your life to either adjust to that new picture or not. Focus on how you want to feel in your relationships and work with the energy of how you wish to be seen.

It will be important not to take things personally as well as to give ample space for relationships to “work things out” in their own time. Be careful not to judge too quickly or make assumptions. It is not always what it seems to be.

ENVIRONMENT

Because of the fiery aspect of the month we could see some volcanic activity as well as increased fires in some areas of the world. This is also a symbolism of your own internal environment where you could experience your own volcanic activity and energy of heat. There is an explosive quality to the month that could end up in more violent storms, and other weather phenomena. Remember that the external environment always reflects what is happening on the inside.

There is a lot of discussion these days about big changes in the environment and how difficult it is to make accurate predictions. Embrace the change and accept quirky weather patterns as a permanent positive expression of change on the planet instead of as something temporary.

HEALTH/PHYSICAL BODY

We mentioned already that some of you might have issues around digestion, the third chakra and sleep. We also suggest moving the body and increasing your physical activity level to train the body to handle more energy. This is not a month to sit around and do nothing. If you insist on being a couch potato you will become a very irritated and anxious couch potato. Say “no” to the resistance to physical activity and get off your ______ and move.

You may have to work with some boundaries around protecting a time schedule around a new routine of self-care. This may also take more focus and discipline than you are used to, but the rewards will be high.

August is also a month where physical movement may be expressed through the actual moving of location or job. This could be sudden. If it happens, trust that it is right and go for it.

BUSINESS/PARTNERSHIPS/PROJECTS

Change, expansion, productivity, restructuring with ease, clarity of new intentions, and great movement are all possible this month in business and around partnerships and projects. This is a month to be a bit ruthless around your boundaries. If something is not working out, cut it off. If you have a problem employee that you have bent over backwards trying to help, this would be the month to help them to move on. If you have been looking and searching for right work, this would be the month to refine your intentions of what you truly want and then to use a bit of aggression to move towards what you want through FOCUS and setting BOUNDARIES against your distractions.

If you have been procrastinating something like your taxes or resume or filing, or any physical organization of your environment that is supposed to support your business, work or finances, take some time this month to organize, clear, throw away old stuff, connect and communicate with partners. Put some good new energy into your projects.

This is a really great month for manifesting as long as you know what you want, focus on it with clarity, and set some good boundaries around your own discipline to do what it takes.

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The author of this commentary, Lena Stevens, is the co-founder of an international school and consulting firm dedicated to the study and application of shamanism and wisdom. Lena Stevens has co-authored books with Jose Stevens, Ph.D., such as Secrets of Shamanism:Tapping the Spirit Power Within You. Their website is http://www.thepowerpath.com

Click here to read her FULL commentary and about power days of the month + more about how to focus!