Staying Centered in the Midst of a Life “Storm”
During the last month, I’ve faced several big-to-me life storms, also known as fears. The energy recently has been ripe to relinquish any worn-out, obsolete energetic and emotional patterns. At a soul level, this shake-up is needed to reveal more of our truest selves and hold more light than ever before. We are aligning to exponentially evolve. Sometimes it’s easy and natural, and sometimes we must feel it move out through our bodies. The key is learning to embrace and surrender into everything that arises. But back to my fears…
Fear #1: Over two years ago, I was invited to be interviewed by Regina Meredith on the Gaia TV show, Open Minds. It wasn’t meant to happen then and some of that was due to my fears, but fast forward to a few months ago and one of my books literally fell off the producer’s desk. She immediately called to get me on the schedule. This time, it came together easily despite my shadow fears of being seen and heard on this larger stage of exposure. (I’ll share the episode air date soon.)
Fear #2: Two days after arriving home from the trip to film the show and feeling fabulous, I came down with Covid for the first time. In the past, I greatly feared catching Covid because of my sensitive system. I took many precautions to avoid catching the unwanted virus. That first week of being ill was something I hope I will soon forget. However, weeks later I am beginning to feel the enhanced version of myself emerging.
Fear #3: For nearly a decade, the beautiful five wooded acres behind my home have served as a quiet refuge, despite not owning the land. It has offered safety, connection, and calm—especially given that I work from home and conduct virtual healing sessions. I was aware a developer had purchased the property, and I greatly feared the day that they might clear the land and along with it, all its furry, winged, and rooted inhabitants. At 7am on the first day of my Covid symptoms, constructions crews and heavy machinery began clearing the land about 15 yards from my bedroom. The sound was deafening. Each time a tree fell the house vibrated, and hundreds fell over the course of a week. On many levels, it felt like endless deaths, all while my fever spiked to almost 103° each day.
During the second week of illness, the beautiful crabapple tree in my front yard broke apart and fell to the ground. There wasn’t any bad weather… Just the death of a magnificent tree that I greatly loved and appreciated.
Now that I’m thankfully on the other side of living through these big fears, I’ve been able to reflect on the symbolism and gifts that birthed from having the experiences. I can’t help but notice how much lighter I feel since they are no longer taking up any real estate in my thoughts. As it turned out, I survived them all.
Our fears, bless their hearts, do try so hard to protect us. But make no mistake, they have their sights set on hijacking our ease of being in the world and seeing it through loving eyes.
My new favorite acronym for FEAR is Face Everything and Recover. My deeply rooted fears of feeling exposed and being seen crumbled to the ground through the symbolic death of so many trees around me. I released bucketsful of grief and anger. But you see, I was also grieving the parts of myself that had outlived their purpose. The parts that believed fear was keeping me safe.
Suddenly, there is more light in the house than ever before. I feel gratitude in my heart for yet another cosmic crash course of learning how to surrender into what is and love myself through it all. All the critters have resumed their playtime in the gardens. Their inner-Siri easily navigated them safely through the changes that presented themselves and they are wiser because of it.
It is not easy to be in the middle of the storm. The key is to surrender into what is, and embrace what is trying to release… even if that is resistance to change. We will each be reborn a gazillion times over again into a newer, better version of ourselves, so we might as well fill up our self-healing tool bags and give ourselves permission to dig through them as needed. You will get through it all!
Steps to Find Peace in the Center of a Difficult Experience:
Keep returning to center through reparenting yourself with soothing words and phrases like: You will get through this time. Things will get better. You are so courageous. I’m sorry there is suffering now, but better things are coming. I am here for you.
Resist over-analyzing why the experience has shown up. Your body will tell you what it needs. (Rest? Alignment? Meditation? Nutrition or supplements?) Ignoring or judging yourself as bad for having the negative experience will not serve up the results you desire.
Love and embrace whatever emotions arise to give them their wings. Lean into them with intention to release them from your body so you can be free to allow in more positive feelings.
Surrender - surrender - surrender into what is. The unwanted experience that has landed on your doorstep has a higher purpose and gifts. Imagine yourself being held by Spirit and those who love you unconditionally as this will help you to recognize the gifts with greater ease.
Talk to any perceived (emotional) blocks that might be preventing positive forward momentum to embrace a higher awareness and new way of being in the world. Seek to look directly at any resistance and blocks and then begin a respectful dialogue. It’s there for a reason and is certain it is needed for your protection. It’ll loosen up much more quickly when you speak to it with loving kindness, respect, and gratitude.
As often as possible, witness your situation from a higher place (your observer self) as this will keep you from getting lost in thought loops that are self-condemning or lean towards hopelessness. Ask for the higher purpose of the experience to reveal itself with peace and grace.
Look for the gifts. They are always there!
Cleanse, purify, and release negative energy as much as possible through movement like walks, qigong, yoga, exercise, and/or enlist the aid of an energy practitioner. Sage your home and clean up any clutter.
Call in heavenly helpers and allow the support of your animals, friends, and family.
Fill, love, and nurture yourself as often as possible.