by Josslyn Streett, Reiki Master/Teacher for Rain Shadow Reiki
For those of you who KNOW you have chaos in your life and simply want help and ways to deal with it, scroll down to the HOW section. Otherwise, please read and enjoy the full blog.
Crisis All Around, How to Deal
“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”
― Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
2013 a Year of Light and Chaos?
This year was predicted by many psychics to be a very challenging year as the Light comes in to over turn the dark after the opening of December 2012. This has, throughout history, not been a quick and easy task. In fact, other than love, it has been the biggest theme throughout history of all time on earth, dark versus light, good vs. bad, angel vs. devil. I am not one of those psychics who believed this will happen instantly as some did, and it didn’t. I like to look back through history and past lives at the big picture to see how things have worked in the past to get a feel for how it will most likely go in the future. Plus, my common sense part says “What is there to learn from instant healing?” Nothing. We must live the darkness to learn how to shine our light. I believe we are spiritual beings in a human form and our human form does not change quickly or even easily. It takes time and work, until we truly, on every level, believe it is easy. Then and only then, will it truly be easy.
“Enlightenment can be a slow process, requiring dedication and discipline. It’s perfectly fine to rest now and then. You are not going backwards; you are consolidating and resting.” Dr. Brian Weiss
The Truth is Coming Out, Ready or NOT
So, back to the difficulty that was predicted this year. The energy of Love and Light is stronger than normal but what that means is that people who still have issues in the dark must shine their light on them and DEAL with them directly. This means that issues that have been dormant in the past are now bubbling to the surface and demanding to be dealt with, NOW. There is no more hiding, no more denial, no more pretending, they have to be dealt with. For those people who have been on the healing path for a long while doing this difficult healing work, life may not be as difficult as it is for others at this time. Those people may find themselves in more of a support position for many others, especially.
In the Way of the Storm
But, for those who have not done the hard work, the “look in the mirror and truly deal with it” work, or for those who are just ‘waking up,’ they are thrown into the eye of the storm right away with not much time to prepare and learn the techniques they need in order to learn from these situations and heal from them. These people need to start acting on new and different ways of coping, learning and progressing before or even while being directly in the path of the storm. Crisis mode. There is time, there is always time (big picture speaking), but for some, this means that life has gotten rather like living in a real soap opera. Lies can no longer be hidden. The truth is coming out, ready or not.
“The black moment is the moment when the real message of transformation is going to come. At the darkest moment comes the light.” Joseph Campbell
Crisis All Around
I have found, this summer in particular, that there is crisis all around me. It seems like every client, every friend, every caregiver, every family member, has been thrown into crisis mode very quickly. Addictions, severe medical issues with loved ones, job stress, money stress, political issues are all bubbling to the surface in record numbers, all around and affecting the lives of people who were not affected before. When I talk to other healers, they say the same thing is happening around them as well. When I talk to my clients who are not themselves in crisis mode I find that their family or friends ARE, and they are finding themselves being leaned on quite heavily for support.
Take Care of YOU
As a healer I see it as my job to be the support system for my clients, friends and family during these times of difficulty, but only if they ask for my help. I’m very careful to not invade anyone’s boundaries. Some people may see this as cold or uncaring. I’m showing respect for their wants and desires. I offer my help and it is up to them to make the next move. Plus, I can’t help people who don’t want it or aren’t yet ready for it. This is one way that I also protect myself by only helping those who want it and are truly ready for it. I conserve my energy and help for those who ask. But, that’s another blog. In order to be there for people in crisis, most healers know, we must take care of ourselves first. I’ve written about this before, from the mom perspective, putting your oxygen mask on first and what not. But, I’m a double duty; mom, and healer. I’m taking care of a whole lot of people. Many caregivers get burned out because they don’t take care of themselves first. I’ve gotten burned out many times, I’m speaking from life experience here, over and over again. No matter how many times I say it, many of you will not hear it. But, hopefully, many will. TAKE CARE OF YOU FIRST!! TAKE CARE OF YOU NOW!!
THE HOW!
Choose any of these that appeal to you and that you will actually DO. DOING these on a regular basis is the difference between people who are happy even in difficult times and those who are struggling. Pick two minimum NEW activities that you will commit to doing, and JUST DO IT!
- Do Reiki on yourself every day with intention. Do not wait until a crisis happens, be prepared ahead of time by doing Reiki on yourself and your loved ones, you’ll be stronger and more prepared when the crisis hits. Work with intention on what you want healed within yourself for instance “It is my intention, Divine Source, that the Reiki will help to heal my thoughts and beliefs about me not deserving self-care first.”
- Meditate daily– Yes, there is time. Turn off the T.V. and get away from the computer and make half an hour to meditate. Meditation is the single most important technique you can learn and do, to enhance your spiritual growth. Seriously, and it’s practically free. Don’t worry about doing it right at first, just do it. Make it a habit and when you feel you are ready for learning more you will.
- Look in the mirror – It is important to not just talk the talk but to also walk the walk. By looking in the mirror you are facing up to the parts of YOU that you want to change, they may be ugly, scary or humbling, but when you deal with them they are not so bad. The more you do this the easier it gets over time. Reiki can help with this too.
- Daily self-care energetically speaking – Keep your boundaries STRONG, multiple times a day! Do a five-minute quick boundary protection ritual. Five minute boundary ritual can be found in “Don’t Get Dumped On” blog.
- Gratitude– Being grateful for what you do have, even during a crisis, is critical to your mind-set and in your spirit guides and Divine Source being there to help you through situations. Divine Source and our spirit guides respond to gratitude and positive emotions. The more you put into your prayers of gratitude the more they will hear you and help you in other areas of your life. There is always something to be grateful for. “Thank you God that I’m still breathing!” or “Thank you God that it’s only a broken arm.” There is always someone, somewhere worse off than you. Seriously, prayers of gratitude have gotten me through some very dark hours. JUST DO IT!!
- Join support groups– Be a regular part of a Reiki support group, a healing group, Al-anon, a knitting group, a game playing group, or any kind of group that gives you a close-knit support system for when things go south. We all need supportive non-judgmental friends to help us through these difficult times.
- Get professional help– have a therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, Naturopathic doctor, Reiki practitioner, hypnotherapist or some other professional who can be there for you to support you and to LISTEN when you need it. These support people can be invaluable during times of crisis. I work with a therapist regularly for self-care even when things are going great. When you are taking care of a lot of other people, you need and deserve someone to listen to you.
- Spend time in nature– walk, hike, beach, forest or desert, hug a tree, or at bare minimum spend fifteen minutes barefoot on the earth, any earth. Stand in a potted plant if that’s all you have. We all know nature heals but many of us don’t spend enough time in it, relating to it, feeling it and taking it into ourselves energetically on all levels.
- Physical Exercise– Keep your body strong and your mind will be strong as well. Physical exercise not only keeps your physical body strong but it helps to release stress and negative emotions, mind sets and toxins. It’s called a WIN/WIN!
I’m sure there are plenty more but these are the techniques that I have personally found invaluable. I pray you take this to heart and truly start putting yourself first, healing yourself with Reiki and meditation and stay strong so you are able to support others when they ask for it.
Love and Light to you all,
Josslyn
Contact Josslyn at rainshadowreiki@gmail.com or 360-460-7829
