Welcome new and old subscribers as this mailing list levels up in its frequency! I'm trying to make this as regular as the free weekly oracle readings, but with extra bonuses for those on the list.

This week includes a full moon in the constellation of Sagittarius, and you may find yourself meeting people from farther away, having amazing conversations, and growing in your understanding of other cultures and other points of view. Or, you could be traveling yourself and finding yourself in a meaningful teaching or facilitating position.

The video recorded for this week itself expanded in length and topic, and it seems my laptop and software could NOT deal with it. So for people who do not like when images and sound do not synch up in a video (and I'm one of those), here's the collated gifts of those parts of this week's reading for those who may find themselves going through an especially tough time, particularly those who can't even say where they will be, or what they will be doing 3 months from now. This may get "woo", but hey, just take what resonates. This was cobbled together from observations of personal card readings, transformations, and conflict-points I've witnessed recently.

Soul Expansion vs "Playing it Safe"

Let's assume you've some familiarity with the Law of Attraction, which really stands as one of many spiritual laws, but has been a serviceable modern introduction for many into the idea of personal energy. This field extends outside of our body, made of layers of subtle energy that yogis and energy healers can be trained to perceive in terms of colour, shape, density, intensity, clarity, etc. Within our personal fields, you can also find flows and blocks, weaknesses and gaps--and often our language can even reveal an intuitive understanding of these fields eg. feeling "blue", "green with jealousy", or "writer's block". On another intuitive level, those who value their creativity, sensitivity, and emotional wellbeing (including self-love) have actually been working on their energy bodies. This applies very much too to those who are doing any therapy, including writing therapy.

A LITTLE ENERGY CRASH COURSE

 So, to pack different schools of thought on energy-healing into a relatively short newsletter, our power and influence ON the energetic level is an often unseen but extremely profound way to affect our environment and the people around us. Self-care and healing our traumas, and unsubscribing from self-destructive beliefs is, at the least, an EXTREMELY efficient way to change our world, because this type of healing gives us conscious understanding of how to improve ourselves, improve our relationships and our enjoyment and quality of life. In short, happy people are just less likely to hurt others. Our cups are full (or near full), we even know how to replenish our own, and then we are likely to help others with this knowledge.

Healers who work with energy, or people who have met spiritual teachers will describe "auras" of well-respected individuals that you can feel from a distance. They describe feelings of calm, compassion, equanimity, and acceptance; and want to stay in that energy. Such individuals are like "beacons" to others. Those of us working on ourselves may get the inspiration to become similar dependable beacons and pillars of strength to our family and community. This endeavor is actually more pragmatic (and doable) than remaining in a hall in Dharamsala for the rest of our lives. Sometimes devotion to a teacher or an authority is admirable--but carried to an extreme, it can be a shirking of our own responsibility to PRACTICE, on our own, what the teacher has been modeling.
 

To get back to soul expansion vs "playing it safe": If we've been working on ourselves, our energy fields become clearer, brighter, and bigger. All of us have this potential. It's up to us to claim this growth. It's a return to Love because we can become Love ourselves. It's a return to Grace because we can become Grace ourselves. Even amidst atrocities covered in the news, you can find these individuals now, not just in prayer halls in exotic locales. The last words of Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, one of the slain heroes in the Portland stabbing, were "Tell everyone on the train I love them."
 

A GENERATIONAL DIVIDE?

NPR recently covered the phenomenon of the millennials being the “self-care” generation, and how they depart from previous generations with their awareness of emotional intelligence. What is emotional intelligence? Self-acceptance alongside self-improvement. Compassion for self and others. An awareness of everyone's emotional needs.

But why the atrocities, violence, and the vicious fights and doxxing online? Even more easily, you can find mocking, verbal attacks, the dehumanisation of strangers online over all topics. "Snowflake" and "SJW" (Social Justice Warrior) have become derogatory labels for those who speak up for the disadvantaged and in the spirit of respectful co-existence. Judgments fly back and forth.

The pattern or explanation that makes the most sense to me is that it's going to be a real struggle to shake off thousands of years of programming that has divided society into different classes of people based on their gender, skin, abilities, religion, country of origin. (All of us are human, but some are seen as more human than others!) A lot of the conflict and contrast we may observe around us now runs along these lines:

The "stay in your place" voices vs those who want to break down the walls and boxes.

If you've heard of the Age of Aquarius, what you need to know about it is: Aquarian energy is that of freedom. The freedom to be who you are, without violating another person's will. We're only in the early days (I mean years) of this Age. The old ways of division and force are not leaving without a fight! Whether you want to buy this view (and you don't have to!), it's helped me to make sense of the world right now, and where the younger generations are heading.

THIS WEEK, THIS MONTH, THIS YEAR

Some of us are meant to be Teachers. Capital "T" teachers. And there are many worthy topics and ways to do it: Living as an example of a compassionate nurturer; or working formally as a healer or someone who understands/perceives energy and its influence on our environment, emotions and health; Someone who writes, speaks, and just communicates their grounded knowledge and research into ways of improving society, advocating for change.

These roles are decidedly NOT EASY when they challenge prevailing norms. But more and more, there are people who naturally challenge small minds and small hearts just by being who they are--people who look different, have different gifts, a different way of carrying themselves and just doing what fires them up. If we've NEVER been in that position in our lives EVER, or had such individual as part of our family, or our circle of friends, when we come to the point in our own lives when we are challenged to stick out, to embrace a gift, an activist role, or an experience that makes us different, we can experience fear.

Part of the journey towards soul expansion (the claiming of our power and purpose) is going to be scary. When I look at the patterns of this year (and the last 2 months) so far, I recognise and see that many people have come to a significant choice point in their work, or in their personal beliefs, where their options can be summarised like this:

• Stay in the safe box, job, relationship or pattern in which they've been unhappy (and sometimes hasn't even worked out well!), or

• Go for what they really want to pursue (or the only option that is left!) even though they are afraid they aren't "up to it" or it's too risky or it goes in opposition to their “play it safe” family members.

These are STILL signs of growth and expansion. And no, it doesn't make some of these life decisions easier to make, but in my own experience, it's easier talking about these things with someone living in their authenticity, than someone still living in fear. This may explain the explosion of people turning to life coaches, and yep, card readers, oracles, astrologers, and energy healers! (Not to worry if you're one of these--the millennials have got your back! ;) )

And you know you've found a good confidante or coach when they are grounded and help you manage your fears and concerns with wisdom and realism WHILE still encouraging you to go after what you want!
 

HIGHLIGHT

Again, this week's video was long and admittedly crap in quality (unless you listen without watching; so here's the link) but I'll lift out the most coherent thing I said:

Fear comes when you perceive something outside of yourself that you feel you have no control over, or that you lack the ability to overcome. But expansion is becoming bigger than your fear, embracing the fear, and working through it.

"There's a part of me that desires, and it is stronger than my fear.

There's a part of me that is loving, and it is stronger than my fear.

There's a part of me that is a master manifestor, and it is stronger than my fear.

There's a part of me that carries God, and it is stronger than my fear."

Keep going and keep growing!

I so love and appreciate the emails and feedback I've been getting in response to my oracle cards (app/deck), videos and web site. Sometimes I cannot reply immediately but they help me understand and benefit even more people by understanding what people are looking for on their own journey and where I, and my friends who work in creativity and healing, can bridge gaps or fill in certain spaces with our work and sharing. So this is a big general thank you!

And, if you know anyone in Melbourne and/or who may appreciate this newsletter, forward it to them with a small note and invite them to opt-in themselves at my web site. I'll be at the MindBodySpirit Festival (Heaven on Earth booth) this Friday to Sunday, and looking into participating in more events in Australia.

Thank you very much, and lots of love,