May you know you are are part of the solution every time you open your heart to blessed connection with another soul.
Even during quarantine, we embody the power to touch each other’s spirits…to remind each other that we are never alone…and to re-member (literally to put back together) hope and wholeness for our world.
May you allow space for ALL the feelings to move through your mind and body…without judgment or condemnation…granting yourself the same level of compassion you wish to bestow on others.
May you be kissed softly by the love I send in this message…knowing you are beautiful, worthy and resilient. No matter what.
I write through tears today, grieving the sudden loss of a loved one. Preparing to navigate this day, a healing by a wild thing earlier this year jumps forefront to my mind. Knowing you have much on your mind and heart as well, I offer this to buoy your spirits and encourage your journey.
At the end of two fulfilling but exhausting mid-summerweeks, I longed to curl up in a puddle for a brief lunch break. I headed for the sofa, but my breath caught as my daughter’s insistent voice sounded up the stairs.
“Mom, we have an issue.”
Sighing, I gathered the few remaining tendrils of strength to tend the “issue” before my world changed.
A hawk with golden eyes was staring directly at me, held in my daughter’s arms.
The hawk (likely a Cooper’s) had run into a window and stunned itself. To the best of my knowledge, no bird has EVER heretofore run into our basement windows. There are no feeders nearby and no other birds frequent this underdeck area.
We went outside to a safe space overlooking the river. Settling weary bones onto the wooden deck, I expected to wait quietly a few feet away while hawk recovered. Hawk had something entirely different in mind…and hopped right into my lap! Talons pierced deeply into my skin, drawing blood, but hawk clearly meant no harm – only desiring companionship. Hawk placed her head over my heart, angling under my left arm while I stroked her marvelous feathers.
Grateful but in pain, I gently detached her talons and set hawk down, returning with jeans on to protect tender flesh. My exhaustion eased as we took comfort in each other, this wild, magical creature and I.
Offering Gratitude
I transferred her to my daughter and gathered a bit of venison for hawk’s nourishment (for which she was most grateful!). Regaining strength, she lifted onto the railing, silently looking at me for a few minutes before flying away.
I thought that was the end of the story, but she landed on my van a few hours later before roosting on a branch outside our window overnight.
In the wake of recent tragedy, I lovingly offer this to help coax your beautiful heart out of despair and into a space of hope:
My heart is breaking for the innocent,
head straining to comprehend the incomprehensible,
heart beating as though it can outrun these feelings.
Tears anoint this space, falling from my fingertips.
The illusion that it is easier not to feel
shatters as I remember our humanity depends upon these emotions.
One thought remains:What shall we DO?
In this moment. Right now. In the face of anguish and tragedy.
The answer arrives upon a wisp of grace.
BREATHE – fan the bellow of your lungs with the breath of life.
LOVE – for even as your heart breaks, you may save another’s.
SHARE – speak your truth, ask for help when you need it, share the gifts that come easily to you. You matter more than you know!
CONNECT – you are in the soulful company of kindred spirits connected heart to heart around the world. Together, we can bring healing.
CHOOSE ONE SMALL STEP FORWARD – in a world where chaos seems to reign, we have the opportunity to walk with compassion, empathy and strength. Find the next right step in this moment, follow through, and the next one will take care of itself.
I offer this as a gift – the first in a series of true-life stories. May they bring the inspiring breath of life more deeply through your mind and body, helping to energize all that you wish to co-create in the world.
Please let me know how this resonates – I love hearing from you!
With Love, Christy
*******
The inspiration arrived like a thunderbolt.
Celebrating my husband’s birthday with a fishing expedition off Vancouver Island, British Columbia, I’d made the unusual request to be dropped off on a tiny, sparsely inhabited island. My husband and his friend were venturing into rough, open waters, and I’d had more than my share of this form of “character building” the previous day.
I surveyed the terrain and set off exploring the island’s interior. The trees welcomed me, so I lingered with them a bit, but the beautiful cove on the opposite shoreline spoke to my heart. Making my way to the sandy beach, I settled gratefully into its warm embrace.
Nourishing myself with a light lunch, I found the sun-dappled waters irresistibly drawing me forward.
Assuring myself of privacy with a quick look around, I stripped off my clothes to accept their invitation.
Communing with the water
Swimming into the cove, I could imagine no more perfect way to commune with the elements, allowing their wisdom to literally wash over me.
Schools of fish darted past, roiling just under the surface.
Alert to the presence of sea mammals hunting below, I marveled at my lack of fear. The ocean demands respect, and I was unaccustomed to diving in alone. I simply knew in my bones that I was most welcome, and at that moment, no harm would befall me.
Taking my fill of communion and giving thanks, I returned to shore, eagerly anticipating a sun-kissed nap.
Nestling into the sand, I gave myself over to the earth, relaxing my body completely.
I had hoped for sleep, but that was not to come. Receiving the incredible support of the energies surrounding me, I considered the question burning in my soul.
The tug to be of greater service had become unrelenting in recent months. Books I’d not yet authored appeared in completed form within my dreams, vanishing as I awoke. Potent allies I’d not yet met collaborated with me, round-table style, names eluding my waking consciousness. The time had arrived to expand beyond my comfortable local counseling and coaching practice. There was something I needed to do, but what?
“The call is strong. I know the time is now. What is the next right step to move forward and serve the larger purpose of my soul?”
A website flashed before my eyes.
Hesitating, a painful memory brushed my mind of an earlier website. I had poured love into it but it fell apart after my life had disintegrated and I’d barely found the courage to rise from the ashes.
Fortunately, I’ve never been one to shy away from messages of the spirit.
“All right, what form shall this take?”
Listening intently, I noted my steady heartbeat.
“I recognize you as a true friend. I’ve patched you with band-aids and bailing twine, and you keep showing up. In doing so, you allow me to be present for other people. I’ve been called a healer, but I’m not. People heal through their own connection with the Divine. I simply hold sacred space to help them tap into that connection to begin transforming their lives. At heart, I’m not a healer, I’m an alchemist.”
The shock of this truth coursed through my body. Breath catching, I sat bolt upright.
“That’s it! The heart of an alchemist. The Alchemist’s Heart.”
Ready to heal your heart by making love to the sun? (or….Why I sunbathed topless in 55 degree weather on Election Day )I have a confession to make today.
I voted by mail on November 3rd, and had a last minute client reschedule, so I was unexpectedly FREE during the afternoon of our U.S. Election Day.
I had an hour and a half before picking up the kids from the bus, and I felt the urge to DO SOMETHING with a chance of helping our country – and our world.
Watching the craziness mass media was showcasing was clearly not an option.
So I asked myself (as I’ve learned to do daily), “Honey, what do you want?”
You are a brave and magical creature.
I know this for sure.
Don’t believe me?
Check this out:
You train every day like an Olympic athlete, but your work is largely INVISIBLE – because nobody can possibly see the truth of what’s going on in your mind and heart.
They aren’t aware of the hundreds of decisions you’re making in the course of a normal day…much less an extra challenging one.
They witness the tangible external results, not the enormous effort required as you navigate the gauntlet.
Gratitude fills my heart and mind today. May this intimate peek into my life bring nourishment for your soul.
I want to remember this moment.
There are tubes everywhere – attached to his hands, leg, face…and more. Bringing life giving fluids and oxygen, helping to circulate blood, carrying toxins away. I have been strong.
I did not wring my hands while he was in surgery. I sat in the wide, sunlit windowsill. I breathed. In…and out…and in again. I prayed. I meditated. I felt the love of our invisible energetic allies. I talked to the fairies in the garden outside my window.
Today I celebrate the courage and beautiful heart light you have shown throughout this year.
We have come together to the darkest night our seasons have to offer, and we have done so with bravery and dedication to keep showing up in our lives no matter the challenges.
Maybe you think nobody notices, but I do. Thank you for bringing your own unique, soulful magic that brightens our world!
I was late. I ushered my last client out the door, hopped in my van and flew the mile and a half up our dirt road. I was driving more than a little too fast, weaving between resident “road cows” (compliments of free range cattle country).
My body said “slow down.”
I took my foot off the gas…a little….although not enough to honor my inner wisdom.
I did make it. I met the bus just in time, didn’t crash into any livestock and I picked up my kids, so it’s all good, right?
This all sounded logical inside my head…and didn’t reassure my heart one iota.
When we arrived home, my inner voice said “go to your sanctuary.”
Joy! Today my friend and bestselling publisher Linda Joy released Inspiration for a Woman’s Soul: Cultivating Joy featuring the soul-inspiring stories of 38 amazing women who share their intimate stories of transformation. Please join me in celebrating this beauty-filled book by sharing your experiences of joy on this blog and going to www.CultivatingJoyBook.com to get over 50 transformational gifts with your copy of Cultivating Joy!
Today I offer an open love letter to the Universe for the joyful synchronicities that occurred during my trip to Boulder, Colorado this weekend.
CONNECT – you are in the soulful company of kindred spirits connected heart to heart around the world. Together, we can bring healing.
Soul Adventurer,
Ready to heal your heart by making love to the sun? (or….Why I sunbathed topless in 55 degree weather on Election Day )I have a confession to make today.
It’s time to honor your heart!
I was late. I ushered my last client out the door, hopped in my van and flew the mile and a half up our dirt road. I was driving more than a little too fast, weaving between resident “road cows” (compliments of free range cattle country).
