In recent weeks I have been gifted the opportunity to sit in Circle with a group of courageous and strong beyond belief women. These women have shown up, stepped up, and most certainly stepped out of their cozy little comfort zones – into the space that we must all find in order to heal. As we sit in Circle, listen to and share our own stories of grief, witness each other with loving compassion and hold the space necessary for healing to take place, something very powerful happens… we see the women sitting across from us in the Circle, we comprehend their strength and realize that through the process of hardship, loss and struggle something new is born within each of us- something that we cannot put into words or forms of expression but something that we just innately KNOW.
By witnessing the qualities that we admire in the women sitting beside us in Circle, we give ourselves permission to see these same qualities in ourselves. We have walked through our own version of hell, and we too, while moving through the twists and turns of the grieving journey have acquired our own strength, courage, compassion, clarity and unique to us skill-sets that only a hardship can present.
Through this process of recognizing that while the journey of grief is no doubt one of the hardest journeys we might encounter in this lifetime- it can also gift us with some new qualities that we may never have considered. Gifts like strength we may not have recognized otherwise, courage and even a new understanding of what being courageous looks like, the opportunity to discover and stand in our own power. Our integrity as we seek to grieve and honor our loved ones in ways that are in alignment with our personal values. And compassion which is found through the process of personal experience and then being able to witness with understanding the loss of another. Clarity of character can also come to us through hardship as we sift through what we do not want to become, we magically find clarity around who we do want to become! These and many other gifts can be valued and appreciated as the fog of loss begins to clear and the power of the warrior emerges.
From within the Circle you might embrace the gift of writing as you turn to journaling as a way of expressing your feelings, you might find a new creative outlet as you participate in an art therapy project; you might find a new friend who truly understands what you are going through because she too has experienced the grief journey. You may be forced to look deep into the belief systems you have encountered during your life and decide for yourself which of these beliefs are serving you and which might be hurting you. You might also develop a new understanding of the concept of spirituality and encounter a new relationship with your Creator.
Death may become less of a mystery as you are forced to look through your fear into the unknown and find your own Truth. And one of the best gifts received from our loved ones is that of an angelic presence by your side who will not only guide, protect and shield you from harm- but who will also send you constant reminders of their energetic presence… it might be butterflies, dragonflies, ladybugs, feathers, painted skies, repeating numbers, birds and animals, scents and fragrances that hold memory, the confirmation of God bumps, (goose bumps), flowers full of fragrance, autumn leaves, beauty found in nature, the calming sound of a rolling river, the beauty of a snow covered morning touched with sunlight, and an unlimited host of other loving reminders. Nothing is impossible for our loved ones who are residing in the spiritual realms – we simply must open ourselves up to possibility!
In appreciation to the women who walk the earth at this time and who continually strive to become the next best version of yourselves – I salute you, I admire you, I see you and most importantly I Love you!!! I love all of the strength that you possess, the compassion that you share, the power that you are discovering, and the way that you are embracing all that you are as you walk down an unknown path and allow curiosity to guide you to the next stop on the journey. Allow yourself to feel, to heal, to embrace and to let opportunity and synchronicity guide you.
And to the women who sit in Circle with me, thank you for your vulnerability, your openness, for being brave as you share your experiences and stories and for being examples of what stepping into your power truly looks like – my heart is full and my love for you immense. Thank you for giving others permission to feel and heal and for taking the steps towards finding your own power! You are all amazing!!!!
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