With the times we are in, in the world and eclipse season upon us, I felt drawn to draw a Focus Friday card. Today’s card was of course, as always, perfect for this time. This card was drawn from The Priestess of Light Oracle Deck by Sandra Ann Taylor and Kimberly Webber.

Card #32: Power over Difficulty – Reclaiming Your Power

This card brings you a warning that there are situations, people, or patterns in your life threatening to take over. The snake can be venomous, tempting, or even strangling. This card is an important reminder to be honest with yourself and investigate your relationships and your daily activities to determine what might be harmful or dishonoring to you – or even be consuming you.

If someone is bringing a toxic energy to you life, it may be necessary to let that person go or at least reduce your exposure dramatically. If a situation seems to be suffocating you, or sapping your sense of freedom and enthusiasm, it’s time to rethink your motivation for remaining engaged. And if you’re feeling a building resentment for a job, or personal task, this card is telling you to learn how to bring more conscious joy to the experience – or even to exit it altogether.

Also, be mindful of all your own personal patterns. Consider the causes of your making and the results they are creating. You don’t want to become the snake that eats its own tail, consuming your own life force and sabotaging your own desire to move forward.

Yet always remember the indomitable strength of your inner spirit and true life force, represented here by the swans, who in spite of their gentle beauty, are very powerful creatures, capable of striking anything that attacks. You have the power as well, and this card is telling you to strike out at your own self sabotaging patterns – and to break free from any other limiting influences holding you down. Become conscious and courageous in your ongoing choices. You have the power now!

Affirmation: I release toxic people and patterns from my life. I empower myself in my choices and in my relationships.

Comments and Exercises: I often say we are but a microcosm of the world at large. For me this card also feels it is about how what we are witnessing and the messages we are receiving about the world during this time can truly feel like it is taking over.  We can definitely feel powerless as we watch or hear about atrocities at this time. Self sabotaging behaviors can take over during this time as a way to “numb out”. What do we do with all these emotions and how can we stay stable when it feels like the world has truly gone frigging crazy?  I know for me, the last few years I’ve had many clients say,  “Okay, this HAS to be AS CRAZY as it gets, right?” I kept saying, “Wellllllll…..hang on – there’s still more coming.. but all we can do is control ourselves,” and I still feel that way. Believe me, I have done my fair share of crying, being in bed sometimes and feeling so absolutely thrown off by the fear, energy and unnecessary violence that has occurred and is occurring. And I do feel we need to process some grief as we need to hold people in our hearts and feel that connection. We are all suffering now but most of us get to choose right in this moment how much we allow that suffering to take over.

Nurturing yourself has never been more important and that means making healthy choices and truly getting RID of what does not serve you or setting healthier boundaries. You might be around people now seething in anger and not able to let even a happy moment in…. And that is their process. But you can also choose to limit that time and choose to be around people who want to hold a higher vision. Who want to see the world healed and will send prayers, love and try and come up with ways to help. I have friends truly in danger for their lives now, I know it is not easy to “stay in love”, but it does not serve ANYONE to stay in fear and anger. Yes, notice it, process it and please move on. I can say a Highly sensitive person (HSP) I have NEVER felt energy quite like this. But it means my self-care has amped up like never before.. more time meditating, booking times with like minded friends, taking time in nature…. Playing music and sometimes frequencies that bring me back to center. THAT allows me to have the energy to check on people, spend more time praying for peace, and feel like I have ANY power.

Please do not think I am taking ANY of this lightly but know if you do not get a hold of your emotions you are not empowering anyone and cannot do anything to help.

Eclipse time is time of RAPID change.. it is helpful if the collective finds a way to root into some love… remember we are outraged BECAUSE we DO feel so much love and DO care about humanity.

Exercise: Before you begin this exercise I want you to think of one thing you have been doing to self sabotage or spending your energy on that does not serve you.  Next bring think of one thing that brings you peace and/or joy… a simple thing – a walk in nature, a song, etc.

Get centered, take some slow breaths or intend your breath to slow. Close your eyes. Count your breaths in and out at least 3-5 times.

Put your hand on your heart.

Bring to mind the habit/person/self sabotage or some way you have been expending your energy that does NOT serve you…and please tell yourself “it is okay, you were doing this from a place of either unconsciousness, fear, sadness, etc.” Breathe in and feel that comfort you are giving yourself as you tell yourself “you are okay – nothing you have done is wrong”. You can repeat this a few times.

Now, once you take a few breaths feeling that comfort, bring in that simple thing you can do to bring yourself joy/peace. Imagine yourself engaged in that activity. Bring a smile to your face and truly see and feel yourself there. Breathe that in and as you exhale, exhale out any negative emotion still lingering.

Do that a few times and stay here as long as you are comfy – picturing yourself in that joy and peace. With your hand still on your heart, affirm to yourself “in my joy and peace – I reclaim my power”. Say that a few times out loud or to yourself.

Breathe that statement in and release anything wanting to say “yeah, but….” Thank yourself for taking this time and tell yourself you will be gentle with yourself as you process and try to adapt this change.

As you start to feel calmer and more relaxed.. ask yourself to feel the love of the thing you love that brings you peace in your heart. Feel that love and peace spreading through your body – just holding the intention makes it so…. You can see it like a light in your heart expanding t cover your torso, your head and legs and finally there is a circle around your body. See that love going out your head and into Mother Earth as you also intend peace and love for the planet. Take some breaths here.. feeling your love bubble go out to space and envelope the planet from your head and from your feet.. spreading more and more…. You can picture the planet glowing with love and peace and take some breaths here. You may even want to say *Hand on heart), “I picture the world in love and peace or I send love and peace to the planet”. Say this a few times nd breathe that in. Stay in this space as long as you are comfy.

Smile, and slowly bring yourself back and give yourself an inner hug.

Poem

I wrote the following poem a couple days ago and was hesitant to share but then I got a strong “SHARE” in meditation – so I’ve learned to listen.. even if it helps one person it is soo worth it. Know I am sending everyone so much love through this time. We’ve all made it through trauma and past hurts before – please picture us all making it to the other side and that other side being one filled with love.

Sisters and Brothers  by Jenny – 10/11/23

Hearing about the atrocities

Creates a visceral pain within

It seems so obvious with this violence

No one can truly “win”.

Violence begets more violence

It is anger, trauma and power misplaced

Who did what to whom throughout history

Makes people want to save face.

But no one looks good

With blood on their hands

How can loss of life and suffering

Ever be a good plan?

We grieve for those lost

And shake our heads at the ignorance

It is such an obvious case

Of cognitive dissonance.

People will say they want peace in their land

But abuse and separate

They flex their muscles, causing pain

bullies, throwing their weight.

No race is better than another

We are all humans doing the best that we can

No one knows the pain and trauma of another

The struggles, of our fellow man.

We could have easily been born in another country

With another color to our skin or different belief

Being born and raised where we were

Does not give anyone permission to cause others grief.

Just as Rottweilers and pit-bulls

Can be trained to be very aggressive or kind

Where we are born and what energy has informed us

Contributes to how we show up for mankind.

We can try and try and wrap our heads around this

But it simply doesn’t make sense

Violence and anger separates

Makes us all fearful, angry and tense.

Have we not learned anything through history?

Don’t we know YET, love and peace is the way?

How many people need to suffer and die

before we can truly live freely every day?

It feels excruciating to watch the horrors unfold

But also impossible to turn a blind eye

We can take in enough knowledge to be aware

Also taking time to grieve and cry.

Staying in that place of anger and angst

Helps no one and empowers none

It will let the horrors and fear take over

That means the ugliness has won.

We can send love and prayers daily, envisioning peace

And encourage others to do the same

We can feel empowered, gaining strength

Stop pointing fingers of blame.

Empowered we can come up with solutions

gathering with like minded people grants some peace

Leaning on one another, sharing hugs and tears

Can cause SOME of the pain to temporarily cease.

This of course won’t end in a split second

But it turns our attention to loving one another

After all we wouldn’t be this incensed

If at some level we didn’t see each other as sisters and brothers.

Message from Jenny: PLEASE don’t isolate during this time… we are all in it and we can all use some love as we navigate. Reach out to others in pain when you can and please take care of yourself.