Sometimes, it’s hard to move forward when traumatic events happen in our life. Many people right now are thinking about their losses of a job, childcare, freedom to go out with friends, the ability to go shopping, and so forth. In this loss, our response can reveal a lot about what has been dwelling inside of us.
Take a look at the feelings wheel. What are you feeling right now? If I told you that this lockdown may go on until June, what would you feel? What is the message in all of this for you? Feelings wheel link
Last week, I put my beloved horse, Speckles, to sleep. She was by far the most amazing animal. She was a healer who taught me so very much that is so relevant to where we are at right now. The most important lessons that she taught me were as follows:
- Slow down. She could run fast and we had galloped once or twice, but Speckles didn’t really like to go fast. I’ve since learned that nothing good comes out of rushed decisions.
- Be safe. Speckles kept me and every other person that rode her incredibly safe. She was rock solid and rarely ever spooked. There were times on the trail that no horse would do what Speckles was brave enough to do. She kept me safe until I learned how to keep her safe and that was a huge lesson. See the next bullet point.
- Take charge. When I first got Speckles I loved on her and she did not listen to me. This was quite symbolic of my life at that time. I gave a lot and got little in return and was too scared to ask for what I needed. Speckles was only going to give me the bare minimum of what I asked for. She made me work! Now, this may not sound like the perfect horse, but what she taught me was that I was letting other people push me around. I needed to step up to the plate and be clear, concise, consistent, and confident (that’s a big one for me) in order to give her confidence in me that I would keep her safe through my guidance as her rider. Ironic that the Native American’s symbolism of the horse is regaining your power.
- Listen to your intuition. Horses go off of instincts. Through my 13 years with Speckles, we became a team. We were one. I learned to listen and respect her cues and know when to push her forward (remember that she liked to do as little as possible so using my intuition was very important). I could sense when she was well and when she wasn’t. We spoke to each other through our hearts. That’s how I knew when she had had enough and was ready to leave.
- Dreams do come true. Speckles was my childhood dream come true. Everything I ever would have wanted in a horse, I found in Speckles. She is evidence that dreams do come true.
- Speckles taught me how to let go and live in gratitude. I know that sometimes one door has to close in order for the next one to open. A dear friend recently mentioned that she always worried about finances and how she would ever be able to retire. Due to an unfortunate door closing, she was able to retire without any financial concerns and she is very well taken care of. A door had to close in order for that to happen.
Just like what many of us are going through now during this huge shift, note I did not call it a crisis for it is not a crisis, it is a shift, there are things we will be forced to let go of. Live in gratitude for the opposite is despair. Cry, be mad, eat a ton of chocolate, and then say thank you. Thank you for the time where I was before and thank you for opening another door.
May all your dreams come true
and may you know when God is sending you in another direction for an even greater dream to manifest.
Voyage to HEAL Weekly Tasks
Stretches: Child’s pose. This week, I need to pull in and be at peace. If sitting on your feet is uncomfortable, place a pillow under your feet or let them dangle off of the bed. You can also place a pillow under your stomach or between your calves and thighs. Hold this for at least 5 minutes.
Exercise: I’ll admit that I really don’t feel like exercising. I’ve been drowning my sorrows in cleaning the house which equates to scrubbing the floors, cleaning the carpets, ironing curtains, and cleaning up the yard while still keeping up on the laundry and dishes (boy are there a lot more dishes now that we are stuck at home!) So, use your core and your legs as you do a little bit of deep cleaning.
Habitual Change: Use your legs when lifting or bending down to scrub the floors. Check out this video my daughter helped me film.
Perspective enlightenment: I give myself permission to be still, to honor my feelings, and have faith that something good is about to happen.
I know these times are trying and your pain levels may be increasing. Since I can’t see people in my wellness center, I am opening up video consultations and will explore having our weekly or monthly class via video. If you need me, please let me know. Use this time to reflect and voyage through your Voyage to HEAL lifetime membership. May all your dreams come true and may you know when God is sending you in another direction for an even greater dream to manifest.
‘Tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson
Godspeed on your Voyage to HEAL
Love,
Jocelyn
