Are you prepared for the storms of life?

How will you handle the storms of life? 

Do you realize you have choice as to how you interact, react, engage, and emerge from the storms of life?

What have you learned from your storms?

Do you fuel the storms energy?

Are thawing, softening, warming? or Are you remaining hardened?

Are you tilling and ready to plant? What do you want plant?

What are the things in your life that make you squirm but could be/should be used for the goodness and health of your life?

What if moving underneath you? What is stirring within you?

 One need not be an intuitive, sensitive, empath or any of the assisting words used to title, label, or bring clarity to 'self', in order to know things/energies are really, really, super really intense right now. Intense, not just globally, but within communities, homes, and individual beings. 

Intensity begets intensity, sort of like how action begets action. Then, in that, the two feed off each other. There's a sense of intensity upon intensity, because what action will beget the next action? Emotions and feelings are becoming intense thus the begetting of intensity, and many of us are left wondering, what action we can take to ease the intensity?

Helplessly, I asked that last night, along with asking (somewhat angrily and sarcastically) what tools do I implement for my action, "Do I pray more, meditate more, write more, art more, drum more, speak more, move more, spend more, cry more? What MORE can I do?"

While I believe my life is a prayer, it really isn't effective or affective for me to be in a state of prayer and meditation all the time (even tho I super probably could really dig that state), I have clothes to sell, clients to speak with, everyday life tasks to experience.

During the evening Q&A with myself (short on the A) I was able, thank goodness, to get to a place where I stopped long enough and asked, "Does this 'tension' belong to me? All of it, some of it, none of it?" This was huge, for it allowed me, be it still difficult,  to step away from fears and to simply observe. It also allows me to remain open and receptive to know what and when to step into action. 

Tucking in after all this last night, my personal mantra began to reverberate, "Hope Remains, Joy Abounds, Love Surrounds." Deep breath in, mmmm, yes, this shall continue to be whispered, vibrated out to simply become medicinal action during this intense time. Feel free to join me in whispering my beloved mantra, allowing it, in some small and simple way, to calm, sooth, relieve a bit of the current intensities.

Today we welcome in a new month. Many of you may have looked at the calendar and, like me, wondered for a moment where this year has gone. But, August 1st, which marks the half way point between the Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox, is really a good time to take that wonderment into deep reflection. 

On the wheel of the year today is called Lammas or Lughnasadh. It is a time to reflect, honor, and celebrate the first fruits and the coming harvest. This day serves as a reminder to take a look at the seeds planted earlier in the year, assess their growth, notice the transformations, maybe give a bit of extra tending, and offer a deeper blessing of gratitude.

Yes, I encourage you to take a few moments today and glance back over your year. Do so as an observer; no judgement, no discouragement, no over enthusiasm. Simply observe your gardens, fields, and orchards with kind, loving, tender eyes and an open, gracious heart.

Look at the seeds you planted this year and the orchards you’ve been tending. What has sprouted and what has not? What has grown out of control or in a different, unexpected, or odd twist? What has been produced so far? Are there areas that need additional weeding? Are there places which are ready to be plucked or needing to be pruned? Are there seeds you might not plant again? Are you inspired to plant others? 

Let the observance continue for as long as comfortable for you, as long as you want. Journal any insights you may have received, even if they seem incomplete, remember the full harvest isn’t upon us just yet. Then, be sure to whisper a blessing of gratitude for the plenty you have and the ever unfolding abunDance. 

NOTE: After writing this, I pulled this card from Awakening to Your Divine Self deck; Unfolding (Surrender, Flow, Dance, Movement, Permission).This card, with her dancer, has colors of the Summery sun and ripening Autumn. It is an unfolding dance. A reminder to trust where we are, right now, to listen to the body, your own and Mother Earth. All things, including each of us, is unfold in their due time, ah, timing. We can’t rush the seed, can we? Part of the card’s beautiful message says, “This card is about giving yourself the time to be still and listen, even as you move imperceptibly, intuitively, like a flower seeking light.”

Seek the light dear ones xox

(If you're interested in working with me and/or you're interest in acquiring your own deck of Awakening to your Divine Self, please contact me.)

Last weekend we traveled to the top of Idaho to spend a few celebratory days with family friends as their oldest daughter graduated from high school. It was beyond lovely there. The weather, country scenery, company, and hospitality of friends...just delightful.

As so often occurs with me, my legs had severely blistered and I knew from the type of pain and wound appearance there would be a few days spent in the chair. Disappointment should not be part of this anymore, I'm familiar with the fragility of my skin and set backs have been constant companions along the journey of amputee life. But, anxiety, sorrow, and of course disappointment seeped right in. I needed some sort of escape, some fresh air.

Knowing what I needed and knowing he couldn't fix this, my sweet husband took me out for a stroll along the country lane. As we embarked this little reprieve the youngest child of our friends jogged over to join along. He wanted to show us the sights along the way. An ant hill under a majestic pine lining the road, the house where a grumpy man lived, the stables with three horses, another stable that had three more horses than the last, and oh so much more.

A delightful part about strolling in the wheelchair with a child, is that I'm nearly eye level making conversations with young souls that much better. Kordale is a brilliant 6 year old, wait, sorry, he's 6 and a half almost 7. We chatted about a gazillion things some which had to do with the sight seeing tour of grumpy men and neighboring horses and some which had to do with losing my legs. Oh, of course, there was a race too, down hill as I usually choose.

Just as we were about to approach the bend back to the house, this sweet boy turned to me and said, "It isn't about losing your legs, it's about having a life." These words became a bend in my perspective something I need, often, as often as the disappointment of another set back. 

Perspective: from Merriam-Webster

1. a  :  the interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally viewed <places the issues in proper perspective>; also  :  point of viewb  :  the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance <trying to maintain my perspective>
2. 3a  :  a visible scene; especially  :  one giving a distinctive impression of distance :  vistab  :  a mental view or prospect <to gain a broader perspective on the international scene — Current Biography>

The beauty of this deck continues to unfold. Sometimes it's unbelievable to think I'm a part of something so vibrant and beautiful. If it wasn't for the prodding from Pam DiFranco and Jill Chesrow, I probably wouldn't have participated. The sisterhood with these two divinely inspired women and all the women who joined in to create the Awakening to Your Divine Self, will for always have a sacred space in my heart. How often do we feel unworthy, not good enough, out of our comfort zone? And yet, stepping into this project continues to be one I am deeply grateful to have participated in. If you're curious about intuitive art, intuitive angelic card messages, owning one of these decks, please contact me. In joy and love ~ Julia xox

Having stopped and really looked at the calendar of my day planner, it stunned me; wow, it's the second week of February already. Am I alone in feeling like 2016 is in rabbit mode? (my little Bobcat has a rabbit and tortoise mode and boy when I hit rabbit that little skid steer starts to buck and jerk) As the month unfolded before me it became very apparent, as goddess and co-creator of my Universe (yes, I'm still a lower case 'g' and I choose to partner with Divine Source, the Great Creator), I need to calendar in time to dream, write, and plan my creations, that which I choose to make manifest. This is nothing new, I've known this and have followed a beautiful plan for years but, as many of us do, I'd some how forgotten, forgotten because of the usual numerous reasons. Our dreams and, more importantly, our plan of stepping into our dreams, needs our attention, as much, no more attention than anything else we/I could calendar into my day planner. What say you? How are you doing with your dreams, my fellow dreamers?

This touching video found it's way to me. Thought I'd share it here for you. Let's be a dollar for change today and tomorrow and...

In Joy & Love ~ Julia

This delightful review of the Awakening to Your Divine Self oracle deck is another reminder of how blessed I am to associate with such a beautiful, soulful, Fearless group of women and to have a piece of my simple art included among their's. This deck is filled with intuitive art and words from 39 inspiring women across our earth. Enjoy this little review, Arwen is darling, and if you'd like a deck of your own, let me know, I have several, you'll fall in love with them too.