Alana Sheeren, words + energy

Oracle Sunday: Step Away From the Drama

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From the Ascended Masters Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue, Ph.D.
From the Ascended Masters Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue, Ph.D.

Pallas Athena (also known simply as Athena) is the Greek goddess of wisdom, war and craftsmanship. She was known for being just and compassionate, for using wisdom to avoid conflicts and for her courage when called upon in battle.

Her message today is to take a deep breath and step back from whatever human drama has its hooks in you.

It’s not your job to make everyone happy. It’s not your place to make other people’s choices for them. It’s not in your best interest to gossip or judge others.

Press pause on the story you’re telling yourself about it all. Imagine yourself circling above your life like an eagle, or looking back five years from now. What’s really important to you? What do you think might actually be happening if you look at the big picture?

Can you set down the need to be right and see the situation from everyone’s point of view?

Sometimes that’s not emotionally possible, but it can be helpful to try.

And if the hooks are in too deep and you can’t step back, then it might be time to take bigger action.

For a long time I had a friend whose decisions I was completely over-invested in. When I disagreed with her choices, I couldn’t stop judging her, or arguing with her in my head, or discussing the situation with people who would tell me how right I was. It was awful and I didn’t like the person I became around her. Even though I loved her, I had to let her go in order to step away from the drama. It was painful and I am a much happier person for it.

What do you need to do in order to detach from any drama in your life?

Even if you can’t bring yourself to do it right now, it’s helpful to have an answer. And if an answer doesn’t come, it’s helpful to keep asking the question (then listening to your heart).

As humans we are attracted to the emotional rollercoaster ride of a dramatic story. It can make us feel alive. It also hurts us to be wrapped up in it. And if we are hurting, we tend to hurt others in turn.

This card is a message to leave the drama to the movies you watch or the books you read and instead focus on being the person you really want to be in all of your interactions. 

Like Athena use your hard-earned wisdom to avoid conflict wherever possible. And when it’s unavoidable, step into it with compassion, courage and the strength that comes from knowing you’re not attached to the story everyone else is buying into.

Card copyrights belong to their respective authors, artists, and publishers, and are used for example purposes. I encourage you to purchase the deck(s) that speak to you and get to know them on your own.

 

P. S. Are you struggling to feel compassion for yourself and others? Not sure exactly how to step back from the drama or listen to your heart’s (or intuition’s) messages? My Shine e-book is full of simple, bite-sized practices that will help you learn to do exactly that…and so much more.

Mantra Wednesday: Have fun

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Make room for fun

In yoga last week we were crouched down in crow pose, our arms stretched out in front of us, doing breath of fire and staring off into infinity. My beautiful teacher invited us to picture the light from our hearts breaking apart any barriers to living our purpose. In the middle of picturing my heart chakra busting things up like a Star Wars movie I felt a huge grin bubble up to my lips.

Oh! I remembered. I get to have fun doing this!

Kundalini yoga can be really hard work. As can the dedication to personal and spiritual growth. You get to hang out with your shadow, stare into the not-so-niceness of your ego, dig in the trenches of emotion. Starting and growing a business isn’t for the feint of heart either.

I tend to be more serious than I need to be anyway so I welcome a reminder to lighten up.

Working with my clients is fun (SO fun!). Figuring out marketing strategy (because it’s not my strength) makes me want to crawl under the covers. Reading or playing with my daughter? Fun. Getting her ready for bed when I’m exhausted too? Not so much. Life is like that.

So the mantra this week – the reminder and the invitation – is to bring fun into the places where it doesn’t naturally exist. And to add more fun to your to-do list.

In the world of the 9 Star Ki, a system of Chinese astrology I use with my long-term clients, one of the ways to diagnose the health of someone’s Fire element is to ask them “What do you do for fun?”

So what do YOU do for fun?

Leave your answer in the comments for inspiration, or share your struggle if you’re temporarily fun-challenged. We’re all in this together.

Here’s to making room for it all.

Oracle Sunday: You are a treasure

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From The Enchanted Map Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid
From The Enchanted Map Oracle Card deck by Colette Baron-Reid

This card is here to remind you that YOU are the treasure and that ultimately you are safe and divinely protected. 

The question to ask yourself is: Am I trusting too easily or have I built an impenetrable fortress out of fear?

If neither of those feels true and you know, deep in your bones, that all is well (no matter what happens) then your treasure is being well protected. Move forward confidently with the grace that this knowledge provides.

If you find yourself trusting others too quickly and repeatedly being hurt, then this card wants you to know it is time to take your power back. Don’t trade your soul for an illusion of safety.

If there is an unequal power dynamic in a number of your relationships, it would be wise to examine that. Start by privately and quietly tuning into what really matters to you. When you feel ready, take a baby step toward the relationships you want – those with integrity and equal give and take.

If this feels overwhelming to do on your own, find a trusted mentor, hire a life coach or therapist, or seek out the resources that speak to you. (This might be one).

If you’ve isolated yourself out of fear of being hurt, your treasure is being overprotected and needs room to breathe. Like a frustrated child whose parent won’t let her do anything for herself, your inner light needs air and the spark of connection to shine.

Practice sharing little bits of yourself with others – small stories from your life, an ache, a dream. Listen to your inner voice and let it guide you out of your comfort zone. Start small and let yourself see just how safe you are. It might feel risky but you have a courageous heart. Let it speak.

Remember always that you are a treasure to be cherished and valued. Allow only those who see that into your life.

Card copyrights belong to their respective authors, artists, and publishers, and are used for example purposes. I encourage you to purchase the deck(s) that speak to you and get to know them on your own.

*****

P.S. Join me for free oracle card readings (for the first 8 people who comment on the correct post) this Wednesday May 27th at 9:30am PST on my Facebook page, or book a private email reading here.

 

Mantra Wednesday: Stay Curious

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Stay curious

Last weekend I started to feel like I was fighting a cold again. My throat hurt, which is usually my first sign. I’ve been down with a bug each of the last three months, which is unusual and more than mildly frustrating.

After shaking my fist at the gods, I decided it would be more helpful to get curious about why I might be feeling run down again (aside from the obvious science of certain germs in my system).

I sat down, tuned in and asked my body what was going on. Three messages came through loud and clear:

1. More planned down time (especially after doing really big energy work)
2. See the magician (the doctor who helped me turn my health around 4 years ago)
3. No sugar (after 2+ years of being super strict, I’ve let myself have some and my body is not happy about it)

My frustration turned into a plan of action.

Still, I need to remain curious around all of it. How do I plan for down time when I’m not sure in advance what my clients will be bringing me? What kind of down time feels the most nurturing? Can I still eat my homemade granola, sweetened with a little honey?

Staying curious has helped me in other areas this week:

A woman posted a “pet peeve” in an online group that seemed like a direct judgment of my work (though I’m quite sure she wasn’t addressing it to me). My first thought was defensive but I was quickly able to shift to wondering what made her so sensitive to this topic? That curiosity diffused my need to defend my position and allowed room for our different points of view.

Someone on Facebook posted a “let’s not judge each other” rant in a very judgmental and shaming way. After hiding him from my feed and sitting with my emotions around it, I got curious. What was it about this person’s experience that made him act this way?

Then there’s the Twitter firestorm around the new @POTUS account. (Don’t hate the haters Alana. Stay curious.)

And the invitation to a meeting I don’t want to take (Why is the urge to say No so strong?)

And the feeling of sadness around a fading friendship that has haunted me for years (Why am I still hanging on?)

Staying curious helps me navigate my life, step outside of judgment and be open to surprises. It lets me drop unhelpful stories, release attachments to specific outcomes and timelines, worry less and hand it over more. It helps me to remember that I don’t have all the answers, and that’s exactly how it’s meant to be.

Will you stay curious with me this week?

I’d love to hear how it goes.

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