Today’s Focus Friday card was pulled from The Akashic Tarot deck by Sharon Anne Klinger and Sandra Anne Taylor.  Please take some time today and over the weekend to look at this picture, read the card and do an exercise that resonates with you. 

The Card: 2 of Forces – The Willow

Message: A big beautiful willow tree stands in the summer sun. This stately tree is strong and flexible, and this card is telling you that you are too. The willow spreads its roots deep and wide, creating a strong foundation that is capable of standing up to anything. Now is the time for you to stand tall and feel the support of the earth beneath your feet.

This card indicates a time of calm, so enjoy the peaceful energy now. It also signifies a time of power, perfect for reinforcing your foundation in your work, in your family, in your Spirit, and in the depth of your belief in yourself. Just like the willow, you have a peaceful strength, drawn from the waters of your soul and extending through all eternity. Stand confidently in your truth, take the actions that support the growth of all things wonderful in your life, and know that you are powerful!

Exercise: Take a deep breath and feel yourself plant energetic roots through the bottom of your feet, moving down to the very depths of the earth and tapping the resources you need. Notice the strength you feel rising up from this profound source of energy.

Jenny’s Message and Exercise:  The willow has always been one of my favorite trees and this card feels so appropriate for this time. The world can feel swirly – but when we have our foundation firm – we can move like a tree in the breeze – gently, but still firmly planted. Energy expands when we focus on it. Our attention as humans, is usually focused on what is wrong, or what is swirling… only we can affirm we are safe, we have roots, we have tools, and we know we will get through this.

When we allow ourselves to focus on all we DO have and all that IS going right in our lives – it truly allows for that stronger foundation. Gratitude is truly the fertilizer for our body to grow even stronger and in ways we might never even have thought possible. We have all made it through so much. We all have had traumas, we all have had to overcome challenges, we all have experienced loss, we all have had negative messages playing in our heads from the past, or with worry about the future.  And we’re all still here today. THAT in itself deserves a ton of gratitude.

In many guided meditations they will have you begin by imagining yourself as a tree with roots spread and it makes sense as it is in truly feeling that connection with the earth that we are telling ourselves we are safe. If you know about the chakras – the Root, First Chakra at the base of the spine, is all about our security here. It encompasses the messages we received when we were young from family, community and the world.  So many times we are living from these messages even if we don’t truly believe them to be true. When we switch to gratitude and the ways we ARE safe, HAVE succeeded, DO love living on this planet – we give ourselves permission to allow even more goodness in.

Exercises: 

1. Anything to strengthen the root chakra and your connection to this earth helps. A walk in nature. Dancing – whether that be in your living room or outside. Placing your hands outside on the ground or in the dirt doing some gardening. All of these things help bring that 1st chakra into balance and also affirm, “YES, I DO feel safe here.”2) Get quiet, close your eyes and take some slow breaths. When you feel centered, bring in one positive belief you have about yourself – maybe you know you love animals, you know you are a good cook, you know you love to smile or reach out to people, you know you love to (insert whatever hobby you have). As you bring that to mind, sink into picturing yourself actively involved in that activity. If it is your love of animals – picture you snuggling an animal.. a hobby – see yourself actively involved and enjoying it… bring in every sense – what emotions do you feel? What does it look like? Are there smells or sounds?  Take a deep breath into your heart and give yourself gratitude for this quality. Now say to yourself or out loud, “Thank you”. Say this a few times slowly – and feel that gratitude in your heart as you feel that sense of happiness for that quality you brought to mind. Bring a smile to your face and truly accept this praise. Place your hands on your heart and feel that gratitude going deep within. Now see that energy of that love traveling down from your heart, to your abdomen, through your hips and legs, down your feet and into Mother Earth. Give thanks for your connection to this amazing planet and feel the love you gathered sinking into the planet. Sit with this feeling a few moments, then feel that love returning from the earth – thanking you and returning that energy tenfold. Feel it up through your feet, up through your legs, through your hips and stomach and back up to your heart. Sit a few seconds feeling that love magnified and feeling your connection to the earth. Thank yourself for taking this time. Thank the earth for supporting you. When you are ready you can open your eyes and you might want to write down what you are grateful for in yourself and a little about your experience.

I am wishing you all a wonderful weekend. Please take some time to connect with the earth and connect to the gratitude you feel for yourself, your life and the world as a whole right now. We are going to a family wedding and I am excited to be dancing, be celebrating with loved ones and affirming just how wonderful this world and connection truly is. It truly begins with us feeling that love and when we feel it… it IS contagious. Sending you much love and am grateful for you being on this journey with me!!