Grief, Gratitude and Daily Practice.

Happy Marvellous, Merry, Musical, Mystical, Magnificent, Manifesting Monday!

How are you – really?

I ask as I truly want to know.  Our patterns of processing anger, fear, change, anxiety and grief are not linear.  We don’t work through them daily from point A to point B and then tada – happy, happy, happy.

An example.  On Wednesday, as I opened the fridge to peruse what to make for dinner, hiding behind the pickles was a huge dark weight of everything going on in our world and it bolted out of the fridge and hit me full on in the chest.  Holy Hannah!  All of a sudden such a deep grief came roaring up to the surface, cracking open my strong defenses that had been holding my own grief, pertaining to my sister at bay, and I hit the floor.  Literally! 

I sobbed, and sobbed and sobbed for a good 4 hours.  After I gave up the battle of trying to stuff it all down and just allowed it to flow, images of this time last year when I was in the UK walking the path with my sister as she said goodbye to life, this world and to me came pouring out.  Yet even in the midst of the anger, grief and rage was gratitude.  

Gratitude that she wasn’t having to go through her cancer journey during Covid and this massive paradigm shift. Gratitude that I was feeling the grief.  Gratitude that I had the privacy to sob like a snot filled maniac for hours and not have to worry about “managing others reactions”.  Gratitude that when the last exhausted tear finally seeped away I could make a nice, hot cuppa tea and snuggle into bed and sleep safely.  Now you may be thinking – Jenn, those aren’t things to be grateful for.  But they are!  

In 4 months, our world has become unrecognisable.  So many of our routines have been completely thrown out the window or off balance and there is so much that is still unknown.  

I hear people asking “When do we get back to normal (there is no normal).  How long will we work from home?  What if I’m scared to go back to my job? When will I be able to reconnect with my loved ones? Will schools be open in September?”  And the list goes on.

So how do you stay sane, positive and resilient in this environment?  As we are only part way through this glorious paradigm shift (hate to be the one to break that to you), and things are going to get even more peculiar and at times weighty.

A Daily Practice and Gratitude!  (Seriously!!)

Why do these things? Firstly, a daily practice helps you ground, reconnect to the earth, to your highest self and to the energy of love.

So for example every day I get up in the morning, meditate, pray, work with my cards, set my energy for the day before I do anything!  I don’t look at my phone, I don’t check my emails, I don’t even answer the phone if it rings!  Next, I grab Danu and we go for a 10km yomp in nature where I chant, watch the birds, pick up rocks and allow Gaia to fill me up from the tips of my toes to the tops of my hair.  

Then every evening I sit outside in the cosiness of the night sky and forgive.  Forgive myself for anything that may have happened during the day.  Forgive others for anything they have directed at me that wasn’t delightful.  Then I cut the cords, release them and move into a state of Gratitude.

Secondly, Gratitiude is not passive! Gratitude is an attitude and it is action based. It’s consciously looking for things to be grateful for. Maybe a parking spot opened up just where you needed it. You received a cool card in the post. Someone took the time to listen to you. Whatever it is, be grateful. Recognise it, see it and let it fill a wee corner of your heart.

Gratitude doesn’t have to be big and flashy – it’s not about the bling.  It’s about the awareness to appreciate and notice the lovely pieces, experiences and people in your life that make you smile and which nourish you.  (Often I am grateful for my warm, cosy bed that I am going to curl up in, or a cuppa tea, and most certainly my doggo!)  And then with this awareness of all the lovely little things that I’m grateful for I thank the Lord and Lady for the day and invite guidance and support as I sleep.

These are non negotiable practices for me!  As a highly sensitive, intuitive empath, without them I would get swept up in the craziness, fear, anxiety, anger and bitterness and would totally lose my touchstone, my sense of connection and being part of something bigger.  

So let me ask – what’s your daily practice?  

How do you bring yourself back to centre and reconnect to something bigger than yourself that loves you to pieces?

So with all that being said – let’s crack on with the reading.  When I went to the cards to ask who wanted to share their wisdom and insight with you this week, the glorious “Love Your Inner Goddess” guides came out big and bold.  Now if these are new to you, please let me introduce them (as it would be rude not to).  

“These guides have come to help you awaken and express your divine feminine spirit, to live from your heart, to empower your true self – and to discover your sacred rebel within, to say no to the voices of fear and hate and become a voice for love, truth and spirit on the earth.  Living as a soul, with truth, takes real courage in this world.  We are often taught to follow the rules and be a good boy or girl – and that if we do this, everything will be OK.  Your inner goddess thinks that is a bunch of nonsense.  She wants so much more for you.  She wants you to live a beautiful divine destiny.  She will show you how to be a loving rebel, breaking the rules that go against your heart and soul, changing the game and playing from the heart.  She’ll show you how to live the life that is meant only for you.  You are meant to stir up healing change and be a voice for what is wise, loving and true.  There are issues in our own lives and the world that need to change, that need to be healed.  Your inner goddess knows how to bring about healing change with love, playfulness, courage and dignity.  She is a fearless minx who will help you dance, love, storm and laugh your way into a more beautiful world, created from the heart. “ 

Seriously, the perfect guides for this time.  Woosah!

So gorgeous one, breathe.  Just breathe, BE and allow yourself to relax, your mind to calm, your breath to slow and ask your wise inner self – what do I need to know this week.  Then when you are ready, pick the card or cards that tug at your heartstrings – don’t let your mind pick!

Did you remember to pick?

Let’s go have a gander shall we?

ANGEL OF TRUTH

The truth wants to be told, needs to be heard.  It may seem like the whole world wants to believe in a lie, and so you wonder if you are crazy, if you are the only one who is thinking differently and desiring the real story to emerge.  Yet those that fight against the truth are even more in need of it!  There can be no healing, no freedom, no moving one without it.  

You are going to be blessed with a truth revealed, a realisation about yourself, the world or others that will bring you relief.  It will happen at the right time.  It will set your soul free.  

Sometimes, the lies we are repeatedly told become so familiar that we forget that they are lies and begin to believe that they are real.  Maybe it’s someone judging us that is the lie.  Maybe it’s advertising and the media, which are often more about deceptive manipulation that a source of correct information.  Whatever the source, all untruth teaches us the same thing – that we must be afraid and hate each other.  

When we are fed so  many false truths, it can become hard to remember what real truth feels like.  It can even start to seem like the truth doesn’t matter as much as being able to convince another person to accept your point of view.  This is like poison for the soul.

The soul needs truth like your body needs air.  It keeps it alive.  Deep in your soul, you know what is true, and you know when you, or anyone else, is not being truthful.  You are sensitive enough to know that only truth feels good for you.  You must give yourself permission to be truthful with your own soul and live honestly, authentically and bravely in this world.  It is the only way for you to be really you.  

QUEEN OF HEARTS

Your heart has been chosen by the Divine to be a temple for spiritual light, an inner place where grace and healing can dwell.  This is very special.  A temple is kept clean and pure, scented with sacred perfumes of incense, made beautiful with our feelings uncluttered and spacious so that as much spiritual presence as possible can enter.

When spirit enters and fills the temple of the heart, things of extraordinary beauty take place.  Even the apparently impossible becomes possible.  Clear your heart temple with forgiveness, gratitude and love for the spirit, so it can fulfil its divine destiny of being a sacred channel for beautiful divine grace.

The mind may believe it has got the power to rule, but, in truth, the heart is queen.  You are a true goddess of love, one who consults the heart for answers.  You will courageously follow the guidance of the heart.  Even when the mind doesn’t want to surrender to the call of the heart, and fearfully lists numerous reasons why it is crazy and stupid and will end badly, you know that the doubt of the mind is no match for the power of the heart.  

Things don’t need to make sense to your mind or to anyone else, they just need to make sense to your heart.  You are already a divine queen, your heart aflame with passionate purpose.  Stay true to your heart’s wisdom and you will change the world!

EARTH GODDESS

To live the dream, we have to surrender the fantasy.  This can be painful.  It feels like the end – when, in fact, it is the beginning.  Once the pain passes, there is the joy of what we have yearned for coming to life.  It may not be as perfect as the fantasy, but it will be real, and it can nourish us.  We can build our appetite for life with dreams, but we cannot be fed by them.  

The soul requires real life experience to become fully alive, to have experiences and grow.  There’s a fantasy that wants to become reality for you.  Don’t let a few gritty moments or human imperfections prevent you from experiencing the joy of heaven on Earth.

You have beautiful dreams and wonderful visions of what life could be.  It is not enough to imagine them.  You want to live them!  This is exactly how you are meant to feel.  For that to happen, you must practice feeling grounded, taking practical earthly steps, one at a time, to bring your dreams to life.

The Universe will send so much help your way, but you are the one who must take the steps.  Spirit cannot do that for you.  Even if you are not sure how your biggest, boldest dreams can come together, you can still ask  yourself, “What is it that I can do now?”

Remember you are an Earth Goddess.  You have the power to manifest your visions, to bring your beautiful ideas to life in the world.  This is what you are here to do.  Remember to love yourself enough to recognise your creative power and use it joyfully each day.  

Woosah!  Wonderful guides for this week as we navigate the twists and turns that we are being offered as a collective.  Wishing you a glorious week filled with ease, authenticity, kindness and laughter.  Allow any “sticky” emotion out, create a daily practice that nourishes you and remember to be grateful for even the smallest thing.  I personally am exceptionally grateful for you and your presence on this earth.  Big hugs and squeezes!