|
Greetings Friends!
As always, I hope this letter finds you happy, healthy, feeling loved....and at PEACE.
As one friend put it recently, "I keep waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and tell us that we've all been PUNK'd". Seriously. Between the natural disasters, international threats, national division, terrorist attacks,... and now Las Vegas. And these are just the things that I know of (coming from a person who makes a point to avoid the news like it's her job). It just seems like the world is getting bombarded. Maybe this barrage of tragedies is amplified by the almost instantaneous media coverage that is available to us now. Perhaps the world was hammered like this in years and decades past, but we were none the wiser as there were no cell phones, instagrams, tweets, or internets back then. But I guess as we enjoy the benefits of advanced technology, we also must face the reality of the despair and suffering that is taking place right in front of our eyes.
For many, this is more than just witnessing a news story. For many, this means taking on the pain of the world....and taking on the anger and resentments that it all stirs up. For many, one of the biggest challenges right now is finding peace with it all.
So how do we find peace in the midst of chaos? How do we surrender our anger, resentment, grief, and hatred in times like these? How can we feel peace when so many are suffering?
As far as I know, there is really only one place to find it - within ourselves.
It may sound too simple or too impossible, but that is really the secret. Peace begins within.
At least that's the way I understand it. No matter what is happening around me or to me or to those I love, I always have a choice. I can either get caught up in the $#!& storm that is spinning around me....or I can sit with myself and with Spirit and ask for peace. I can hurl ugly back into the face of ugly or I can go over in my mind all of the things that I am truly grateful for. I can sit with my negative thoughts and feel awful or I can look for the beauty in the acts of kindness and generosity that I see in my life and in the world. These are my choices and I know that I am ultimately responsible for how I react to the world around me.
This doesn't mean that I can't be angry or sad or frightened. It's not about denying my emotions. It's about choosing how long I allow them to stay there.
And how do we find peace within? For starters, we might ask ourselves "What can I do (within reason) to help the situation?" I don't know about you, but I don't have a spare cruise ship or a private jet that I can send anywhere. Nor do I have the resources to give to, (or the time to march for) every natural disaster, human rights group, medical research program, animal rescue/animal shelter, church missionary, homeless shelter, toys for tots, environmental protection group, save marine life, hospice programs, domestic and foreign poverty, and so on. You get the picture. Just thinking about it all is overwhelming and can quickly bring on feelings of guilt and sadness. If I could, I would take away the pain of every living thing that is suffering in this world. But that isn't realistic. So what do I do? I do what I can and I make peace with that.
And what about the feelings of anger, anxiety, sadness that come with all of the negative information that we're receiving every day? How do we find peace when we're being hit with it from every angle? One thing I find helpful is to limit my news viewing to simply getting the highlights each day. The less hours in the day that I expose myself to trauma, the less anxious I feel. I also try to avoid spending too much time on social media. And when I'm scrolling through Facebook posts, I do my best to zip through the negativity...and look for the positive. Sometimes it's hard to find, but when you're looking for it...it's easier to adjust your focus. There may be 25 posts about politics, but you can bet I'll zoom in on the 26th post about someone's new baby or an uplifting video about the grandson dancing with his grandma in her kitchen or a pay it forward story that moves me to happy tears. In this way, choosing my focus helps me to stay in a peaceful place.
Avoiding the news may not be an option or something that works for you. And maybe you do avoid the news and still feel horrible. I get it. Being empathic means that I can still feel the pain of others even when I'm not watching the news 24/7. And then we have our up to the minute neighbors, friends, family, and sometimes complete strangers that we engage with. So then what?
Meditation, spending time outdoors, listening to music, creating, laughing, hanging out with our animal friends....are all ways to raise your vibration and to help bring you back to center. These things remind me of 'home'. Remembering 'home' always helps me to remember that I am just here temporarily, experiencing earth 'school'. And staying connected to Spirit, whether in meditation or prayer, is probably the most powerful way that I find my peace within. And when that doesn't work....I call in the big guns and I ask Spirit to help me find it. Super fast.
And let's be real. It would be near enough impossible for anyone to engage in life and to remain in a peaceful state 100% of the time. My husband is a wonderful guy but he alone can mess with my peace 50 times a day. I think the goal is to constantly be working towards finding our happy place within. Remember, the more we raise our vibration...and find our own peace ...we are absolutely changing and shifting the energy of the world.
 So do what you can... and make peace with that.
I hope some of these thoughts are helpful in some way. I always say what works for me may not work for you. But if you're struggling, what do you have to lose?
Sending love out to all those who need/want it and prayers to those who may be hurting today. May you find peace in your heart and a smile on your face no matter what is happening in your world And if you need a place to go to lift your spirits, I hope you'll stop by sometime :) Peace out.
Here's what's happening at Light Works this month...
To kick things off, I'll be teaching Meditation with Intention...to Connect with Spirit! on October 8th. Want to learn how to connect with Spirit? In this class, you'll learn my method of connecting with the angels, spirit guides, and loved ones...and, yes, anyone can do it :)
Next, we'll be getting together on September 12th for Movie Night! to watch...."Road to Peace". Learn about the intelligence of your heart and how it can transform your views about money, health, relations, and success in this amazing life changing film. Come hang out with me and other like minded folks for a chill night at the movies ...popcorn provided :)
Join Lolita on October 15th for "Animal Guides and Totems with Lolita!" . Learn how animals in the physical world and in spirit are helping us in our daily lives. Lolita will also take you on a journey during a guided meditation to connect with your animal guide!
On October 18th, we'll be getting together for "Let's Play" - Animal Communication! Have you ever wondered what it would be like to talk to animals? Well, here's your chance to learn how. Our pets are tuning into our energy all the time and would love for us to understand what they have to say. It's easier than you may think!
Join Ranessa Porter for some manifesting with the angels at "New Moon Angelic Blessing Bowl Ceremony!" . On October 19th, bring your intentions and your heart's desires and let the angels supercharge them on the night of the new moon!
Ranessa will also be teaching "Integrated Energy Therapy (IET) Basic Level" . Learn how to enlist the help of the angels using the beautiful technique of IET in this fun, interactive one day class. If you like the idea of working with the angels and you're interested in healing others...or receiving angelic healing, you won't want to miss this! Interested in trying out an IET session for yourself? Ranessa will be at Light Works as a guest practitioner during the day on October 19th, offering discount sessions (see details in Announcements below), as well.
This month's special is all about your furry, feathered, scaly, and fishy friends. Did you know that Animal Communication and Animal Reiki can be done remotely? In fact, often times it is easier for the pet to receive energetic healing, or to communicate with me, from a distance. Without all of the distractions of having a visitor or being in a strange place, animals are sometimes better able to focus on the energetic/psychic connection this way. If you have a pet that you would like to treat to an Animal Communication and Reiki session, take advantage of this month's special - Animal Communication & Animal Reiki Session Combo for $100 ($50 savings!) . For more information and instructions, see below.
And lastly, we'll be closing out the month with the Animal Reiki Certification class on October 29th. This special day will combine classroom learning with hands on experience at a nearby farm. Whether you're interested in learning how to deliver Reiki to your beloved pets, wish to share Reiki with sheltered animals, or want to begin an Aninal Reiki practice....this is an opportunity to jump right in!
So, these are just a few of the things happening this month at Light Works.
As always, new things are popping up on the Light Works Meetup page . Be sure to join the group to receive announcements. Stay tuned, stay connected, and stay in touch!
Sending lots of healing energy and LOVE to you all...hope to see you soon!
In love & light,
Juli <3
Juli Richardson
Certified Reiki Master Teacher, Psychic Medium, & Animal Communicator
|
Practitioner's Corner 
