Each year on my birthday – and what you can do for yours – is that I pick an oracle card as my guide until when my birthday rolls around again the next year. More often than not, I’ve chosen an animal themed card since I’ve learned (and continue to) so much from the Animal Kingdom.
Snake has been my guide this past birthday cycle.I’ll be saying goodbye to Snake on July 18th when I pick a new card for my next trip around the sun. I’m looking forward to seeing who it will be!
While Snake can be potent medicine, she was a bit more subtle this year helping me shed some aspects of myself that no longer fit for me. Not to say there were some challenging moments, but I find the more I continue to work with my inner self care, I don’t stay stuck in a negative space and the quicker I can move through what is calling to be healed.
So for your birthday why not pick an oracle card from any deck that speaks to you.
Place it where you will see it everyday (or a copy of it if you don’t want it out of the deck for the whole year). Then just be in awareness of how it nudges you to make changes, to see things differently, to let go of what no longer works for you.
At the end of your birthday cycle spend some time in contemplation with how that card and message served you. Perhaps do a meditation and journal as a way to reflect and honor the lessons and teachings. And lastly, express gratitude for this oracle that served as your loving guide.
Once that feels complete, pick a new card for your next year of evolution! Have fun!
And I’d love to know if you decide to do this practice and how it goes!
If you don’t have a deck, but would like to give this a try, check out the free-pick-a-card on my website.
Listening to a gathering of wise women a few days ago, the theme of the event hosted by Martha Hines, astrologer, was about how we can each be a lighthouse in the world.
I was struck and moved by one woman in particular, galactic astrologer, Julia Balaz, and what she shared.
Speaking in large part to those who are introverts and doing their inner work to help shift the planet into one with more love, compassion, and peace can seem at times like it’s not helping. I can certainly identify with this feeling sometimes.
But I was inspired all over again to keep following the path that is in alignment for me, as that is how I indeed do shine my light, and to remember that it is making a difference. Though, at times it may not be visible or tangible to others in a conscious way or even to myself at times. But just knowing that by being ourselves we plant seeds of inspiration along the way.
Julia shared a practice she does to help others, especially those she loves where she has witnessed this simple but profound affect it can have. Her daughter, now 12-years old, shared that especially when a young child of four or five, when words wouldn’t help, Julia would shift her awareness inward to support her daughter who was going through an emotional time. There she would imagine pink sparkly light flowing through her and extended to her sweet little girl. This would often help shift the energy for her daughter to bring her back into a more peaceful state.
Hearing this, tears came to my eyes and emotions stirred within me. How it is that we can sometimes get bogged down by wishing we could have been seen or heard by a parent when we were troubled as a young child. While it’s important to acknowledge those feelings, how can we then shift out of this space when need be?
As thoughts tumbled through my mind from what Julia had just shared and I related to my own feelings, I looked out my window to see a female cardinal landing on my deck. Immediately my body relaxed, and I let go of thoughts that were spiraling downward.
I thought about how I’m more drawn to the female cardinal than the male. As I sat with this, I realized it is her quiet presence, along with a gentleness and softness she exudes that I was reminded again of the importance of acknowledging and loving our inner child. And as an adult, I am responsible for my needs and doing my inner work which helps the little one within me to be seen and heard…and in turn guides me to be my best self.
One of the symbolic messages of a female cardinal is that of brighter days ahead. That certainly feels fitting given that when we continue to work on the emotional aspects of ourselves that need most healing we indeed find ourselves in a happier place…and shining that lighthouse beam out into the world.
