courage
Finding Hope In A Scary World
The recent events worldwide are terrifying and daunting for most of us. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic our world is not well, and we are all in need of courage, hope and healing.
We cannot control the entire world, or every aspect of our future, but we surely can choose how we react to what is happening to us, and to the world.
Although the world is scary right now, know that there are opportunities for personal and spiritual growth for all of us during this time. Consider the following to make the most of the current circumstances.
Mindfulness
Take a deep breath. Hold it. The release, and repeat. Cultivating a calm, hopeful approach to the challenges we will encounter over the next several months, will bring you peace as you navigate through this time.
Take some time every day to find your calm place within, where you can focus on hope and inner peace. Meditate and calm your fears. Spend some time in your ‘happy place.’
Coping With Anxiety In Times Of Uncertainty
There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world at the moment. The year 2020 is fast becoming a year of rapid and dramatic changes, like the world has not seen in a very long time. And we are only three months into it!
Some anxiety is a normal part of everyone’s life. Currently, the world news is full of reports producing fear and anxiety for many people. The key is how each individual will be handling the news.
Especially highly sensitive and empathic people, like myself, are having to deal with the intense daily energy of our current reality. As I’m writing this blog, I can feel my own anxious feelings surging about the current coronavirus pandemic.
There are many ways to relieve anxious feelings. Whatever produces the anxious feelings is either real, or imagined. Either way, it is each person’s reality that matters. If it is real to you, then that is your reality.
It is my belief we are all in this together, and we will get through it together. My own mind feels like it is on a roller coaster ride. My rational mind says we are doing all we can to control what’s going on, only to hear something an hour later that brings some new fear and anxiety.
Riding the wave of emotion, not denying our feelings, but also not wallowing in fear, helps us to have hope and find our inner strength. Having hope, and doing the best each of us possibly can to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe, is all we can do. Continue reading
The True Meaning Of Surrender
When life becomes too challenging, and things begin to fall apart for us, we usually seek spiritual guidance and comfort. And in these circumstances we often tend to hear terms like surrender, release and acceptance. We are told to just let it go and simply be in the moment.
But what does it really mean to surrender? It’s a term often used in spiritual and metaphysical circles. Is there even such a thing? And if so, what does it entail? According to the dictionary, surrender means to stop fighting and admit defeat. It also conjures up the vision of waving a white flag. But is spiritual surrender truly nothing more than throwing in the towel, and graciously accepting our defeat?
I prefer to explore the meaning of spiritual ‘surrender’ through the metaphor of a painting I made, which is my way of meditating and reflecting on life. The painting is of an angel and I even named it Surrender. I chose this name, because it is the energy this angel emanates. His pose and posture also symbolizes the act of surrender.
At the time of working with the energy of this piece, I was in the process of leaving the security of a mainstream finance career, to establish myself as a full-time artist, energy healer and spiritual reader. Meanwhile, I was also very busy navigating a family separation and divorce. There were so many major changes in my life, and so much about my future and my life path that remained uncertain and unknown.
During my painting time, I felt connected to an energy that provide me with wise counsel. It was during a time in my life when I wasn’t feeling grounded in my own wisdom, and I needed a way to feel into it. This painting for me became the bridge in my understanding, as I navigated my new life changes.
How To Overcome Negative Thought Patterns
There are times when one may be feeling very serene, and completely at peace with ourselves and the world. One may even be feeling highly satisfied with the spiritual growth and personal healing you have accomplished thus far. Then, quite unexpectedly, you lose your sense of alignment. You suddenly feel ‘disconnected’ from the source of our being.
This feeling is especially triggered when one feels overwhelmed by life’s responsibilities, or the constant demands of others. And once we slip into this negative state of mind, many deeply buried, unpleasant memories tend to emerge in our consciousness in the form of haunting ‘flashbacks.’
I recently heard a friend referring to this experience as cognitive distortion. We can so easily begin to catastrophize, and expect the ‘other shoe to drop,’ once our anxiety level becomes this amplified. The mind is powerful and under these circumstances we tend to indulge in a lot of ‘what if’ thinking. The mind races, imagining all the worst case scenarios as potential outcomes.
This kind of catastrophic thinking typically takes our mind into two directions. Firstly, it puts a truly negative spin on the current situation. And secondly, it causes us to anticipate all the many, many things that could possibly go wrong in the future.
Polarized thinking is another problem for some of us. This thought pattern is when we only see things in terms of right or wrong, and this can lead to setting unachievable standards for ourselves and others, as well as send our stress levels through the roof! Polarized thinking crops up when we find ourselves basing our hopes and expectations on, for example, getting that dream job, impressing other people, finding our soulmate, becoming famous, and so on.
My Catalyst Moment
Over thirty years ago, I faced a major crossroads in my life, and it became a monumental turning point. It was the catalyst moment that ultimately led me into full-time service as a psychic oracle and healer. I did not choose this path – it chose me. And today, I am beyond grateful for this calling.
In those days I had just about everything you can imagine to make me ‘happy.’ I was a highly successful, special risk broker for a prominent insurance company in London. I was one of only two women at the time to hold that distinction. I also attracted and owned all of the opulent trappings of success that came with such a distinguished position – the material things and luxuries our culture teaches us is supposed to make us happy and fulfilled.
I was proud of my work and had plenty of interesting things to do every day, both socially and professionally. But there remained persistent doubts and questions. Is there something more? Why wasn’t I satisfied? Why did I feel so restless and discontent?
You see, I knew, deep in my heart, I was not living the life that was calling me. And, boy, was it calling! It woke me up in the middle of the night. It created a lot of agitation and self-doubt. Why was I feeling this way? Is there something wrong with me? I even started questioning my sanity. I had everything I thought would make me happy. So, what was lacking? Why did I keep feeling that there was something missing? And, where would I find it?