St. Francis of Assisi. The Favorite Spot in My Garden.

“We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.”
― St. Francis of Assisi

I’m always struck by the beauty of my gardens this time of year. Especially the section I love the most where a statue of St. Francis resides. I was looking out my window this morning and his energy pulled me outside to just be with him for a few moments. He is under my limelight hydrangea tree that is now heavy with blooms and looks as if they are bending in grace toward him. I was honored to join in what felt like a divine moment I was invited to.

St. Francis overlooks Gidget’s memorial marker that is just a few feet away. It is truly such a sacred spot. It always fills me with so much hope and love.

Perusing quotes from St. Francis when I read the one above it pulled at my heart. It feels so appropriate for the times we are in.

There are many of us, including myself, doing our best to hold the light in these dark times. I was reminded recently that the darker it gets just means the more light that is being shed on the darkness. The light can only shine brilliantly through when we face the darkness.

This is how we heal. How we come together and how we move forward together. I felt this so strongly being with St. Francis and this quote for a few moments this morning and why I wanted to pass this on to you. Much peace and love to each of you.

XO

Barb

                  

Gidget. The Gift that Keeps on Giving. Reminding Me I’m Fine Just the Way I Am.

I woke up this morning to a message from Gidget, Remember, you are fine just the way you are.

Just the other day I saw her in my mind’s eye on one side of me, while my spirit animal, a white wolf, named Laiola was on the other side. I couldn’t have felt more protected and cared for.

I love that about these two. They just show up when I need them most offering support and reassurance.

I couldn’t help but think of Gidget this morning as the gift that just keeps on giving.

Little did I know when I wrote my last memoir, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am which was a gift and message from Gidget that she was fine just as she was of which she’d communicate to me through an animal communicator — and came at a time I thought I wasn’t doing enough for her — but would also be a gift to me to realize I was fine just the way I was despite childhood trauma.

It is also a gift now as we go through this time of great change and chaos in our world. From the beginning of this, I’ve said to friends and family how I believe Gidget was preparing for me these times. Her teachings have carried me often when I’ve felt confused, angry, or sad.

I am fine just the way I am on the choices I make that I feel are right for me. Never did I know the impact of Gidget’s sharing this one profound thought that it would be the gift I continue to lean into.

She has helped me to trust my intuition and continue to deepen in it. At times when I doubt, she has this canny way of just popping into my consciousness to remind me to follow my heart.

At times when I miss her physical presence, I picture her in my mind’s eye and how she loved to lay on her back and have her belly rubbed. I love this shirt in the photo she is wearing, “Simply Dog.” That she was, and may I add, she was Simply Buddha Dog too…and I continue to be grateful for all the magic and teachings she brought into my life that continue to be my guide.

Love you always my sweet girl.

XO

Barb

                  

New Moon in Leo. What Do We Individually and Collectively Most Need to Know Right Now?

I just received a new deck in the mail yesterday called Inner Light Moon Oracle by Elizabeth Lee. Elizabeth and I are in a class together and the card above is the one she just shared in our recent class. It’s also one of the cards I personally pulled when I did a New Moon reading for myself this morning.

Then it showed up yet again when I pulled a card to share with all of you today. It is definitely calling us to pay attention.

Elizabeth’s cards combine the Chinese 5 Element Theory, the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac, and Asian Archetypes and Symbols. This is unlike any deck I have in my collection, so I’m looking forward to the wisdom I’ll glean from it.

Ojizosama is a Japanese diety we can all call upon during trying times. We are definitely in that right now more than ever. Elizabeth’s guidebook shares that “He is a protector of children and travelers, babies hide in his robes as he shuttles them to paradise. Offerings are made to Jizo for safe childbirth and to aid in souls in their passing.”

There is so much to be said in regards to what Jizo is about. I encourage you to simmer and reflect on your own meaning.

For me, it speaks powerfully to how we are each being called to protect the children that are here now and the ones coming into this world. But it also speaks to me as protecting our inner child.

In a world that is in turmoil, now more than ever, I believe we are being called to heal those traumas we’ve carried for far too long. How important it is to look at those traumas, understand their patterns, and then heal them in order to move forward into a space of less fear in order to experience more joy despite the outside world chaos.

Ojizosama is reminding us that we are our own protectors. We are the ones that must take that inner child by the hand, the one that was wounded, assure him/her that we are here to deeply listen and acknowledge the pain of the past, assure him/her that this need not define us and that together we can experience happiness by our choosing. 

I chose the rose quartz and black tourmaline stone, plus a dried Queen Anne’s Lace flower to accompany this message and for extra support.

Rose quartz to be gentle and compassionate with yourself as you heal what needs healing and to also deeply lean into and listen with the utmost of tenderness what your heart is sharing with you.

Black tourmaline is a stone of protection from the negative energies of the world. I wear a bracelet that is all black tourmaline when I go out in public. Being a sensitive person and an empath helps protect me from the energies that are quite potent right now. But I do wish to share also that while crystals are a great tool, it’s even more important to continue to do our own inner work of healing and also set intentions for what we wish to see in the world, and then be that as much as we can.

Lastly, I’ve been foraging for Queen Anne’s Lace the last few weeks and drying them for future art projects. I learned that it is a symbol of purity of intentions. It’s also about safety and refuge. Also when the head of the flower curls under it often looks like a bird’s nest – this is a great reminder of what it takes for each of us to build a happy home – physically and within ourselves.

I believe this is really a time of healing shame that we’ve all faced in one form or another – and often stems from something in our childhood. We can rise above that! Ojizonsama and his wisdom are what we can lean into when we are scared and remember that we are protected and that we can do the protecting of what is right for ourselves and our hearts. We can do this.

Keep shining your light!

XO,

Barb