Yesterday I shared on my Facebook page an oracle card reading I did for myself as I’ve been feeling challenged on how to support family members going through health challenges, plus just that morning learning of a dear friend’s cancer diagnoses.

When emotions run high, I can tend to get sucked into a foggy vortex, let fear take over, and want to disengage from life. There’s also this thing called control that likes to flood back in and try and take the reins and as we all know, that never works.

I woke this morning wishing I’d handled things differently as the day went on and anger of how I thought something should be handled and wasn’t.

But I also reminded myself I am human and this was a signal to take time once again in reflection and see my part in all of this that is unfolding.

Before I get to the poignant message from Deer Spirit, I begin my day with a set of cards by Mark Nepo called, The Book of Awakening. They sit on a shelf in my bathroom. Perhaps an odd place for a deck of cards, but I find it an uplifting thing to do and feed my mind with good and introspective thoughts while tinkling.  🙂

The card I pulled today: The Risk to Bloom which says, “It has always amazed and humbled me how the risk to bloom can seem so insurmountable beforehand and so inevitably freeing once the threshold of suffering is crossed.”

Big, big teaching for me this year, I thought, and smiled. And here it is again with another lesson.

Later, walking out to my writing cottage and sitting at the table where I take a few more moments in reflection, ask for guidance, pull oracle cards, and journal, before I get to the tasks at hand for the day, I asked Spirit what it was I most needed to know today? Still thinking about the events of yesterday, the card I drew was Deer Spirit – Bring a gentle touch.

I knew immediately what this was about as it was reflecting the very thing I’d been feeling all morning. While anger is part of being human, I know that I’m also a gentle person. I know that for the most part, I continue to strive to be the best I can be and approach life with grace and gentleness.

I’m reminded that each person is walking their own spiritual journey. While I was upset with how I felt someone wasn’t doing the “right” thing and causing concern with other family members (myself included) – I had a choice to not get trapped in that – but I did, and found myself spiraling into frustration.

After journaling what came up for me for a few moments, I turned to the guidebook for any other insight it might have for me. What really jumped out was, “Deer Spirit is bringing you a gentle warning that now is not the time to engage in an argument, no matter how volatile others are being. Do not match their intensity with your own. If you are dealing with an overly assertive person, step back and disengage, lest you agree to something out of alignment with your intentions.”

Whoa, there it was. While I wanted to engage yesterday with the person and how I felt something was being handled, I didn’t. Though I still had the thoughts running through my mind, which only made me feel miserable.

I thought back to The Risk to Bloom card along with Deer Spirit, and I see once again that I always have a choice to struggle or not. I also always have a choice as to how I will feel in each situation too.

This also makes me feel gratitude for the practices I have in place to bring the lessons to the forefront sooner, rather than later.

And so it is. I am humbled once again as I begin this new day to be who I believe and know I am.

XO,

Barb