janet conner

Autumn Reflections

Posted by Barbara Techel

Autumn Reflections

Today I did a search on Google on the meaning of Fall.

It was, in part, prompted by a radio show I listen to often called, the Soul-Directed Life with Janet Conner. All this year she has been studying the Native American Medicine Wheel, hosting guests on her show who share this wisdom. I’ve been learning so much.

I’m very drawn to Fall out of all the seasons as I’ve mentioned a few times here on my blog.

So in my search today from a site called Spirituality and Practices I was drawn to this particular paragraph:

As we watch leaves fluttering to the ground in the fall, we are reminded that nature’s cycles are mirrored in our lives. Autumn is a time for letting go and releasing things that have been a burden. All the religious traditions pay tribute to such acts of relinquishment. Fall is the right time to practice getting out of the way and letting Spirit take charge of our lives.

There was some more wonderful insight too if you are a Fall lover like I am that you may wish to check out here.

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30-Day Soul Work: Intriguing, Challenging and Rewarding.

Posted by Barbara Techel

220002In reality, I’ve been consciously listening to my soul since I was 38-years old. After having been let go from a job (which I now see as a huge blessing!), I was lost for a time being.

And the reality of being lost is I’ve experienced that feeling on and off over the years. The lesson in it? This is part of life. This is when growth happens. This is the evolving of my soul.

Yup, it’s a fact. I get into this deep stuff. So it’s not surprising that the book, the lotus and the lily, A 30-Day Soul Program, by Janet Conner, caught my eye. But I ignored it for a few months.

Guess who wouldn’t let me ignore it? You got it! My soul. The book cover, Janet’s name, or the title kept showing up in some fashion or form. I understand more and more now that when something has crossed my path at least three times, I know my soul is screaming, “Pay attention!”

January 5th I took the leap and dived into the book.  I’m relieved to be on Day 10 today. The past few days were to review the last year, write about it on the page, and get down to the nitty-gritty of the lessons I needed to learn.

Ugh. I balked at this! I didn’t want to do it – 2014 challenged me in so many ways. I madly wrote on the page, “I don’t want to talk about painful things! I want to be happy! I want my life back as I knew it!”

But then I took a sneak peek ahead into the upcoming chapters. I know – I shouldn’t have. But I needed something to motivate me through the tough stuff. It worked.

And guess what happened? I felt another uplifting shift in my healing. From writing about all the painful stuff, digging out the blessings, I began to feel a new sense of purpose.

I then sat down yesterday afternoon and made a SoulCollage card. I wasn’t sure I was going to share it. But I decided to because it really was so healing—in many unexpected ways.

It’s the first, of what I call, a painful SoulCollage card I’ve made. At first I didn’t like it. I didn’t want it in my deck. But as I put the images onto the card, I felt myself trying to hold the tears back. But then I let them come and it was a release. Another letting go. Another healing step in my journey. Another piece of my soul’s work done.

That morning, after doing my writing on the page which wasn’t easy, having then begun my day, I also had a wonderful “Spirit Wink” as Janet calls them in her book, which happened to me a few hours later. But that I’m saving and will share in my newsletter tomorrow (if you don’t get my newsletter, you can subscribe on the right hand side of the page).

At the end of the 30-Day Soul program we then get to make a mandala, which along with the last 30 days of soul writing, is to “help your connection with the vibrant presence of the divine within.” Looking forward to the continuing journey.