COUNTERING CHAOS

Let's face it things are chaotic and heavy! Lately, I have been reflecting on the state of the world and how it feels like we went through a wormhole during the pandemic and came out the other side into a strange slightly-apocalyptic otherworld. Wild weather, war, and civil unrest has everyone overstimulated and sitting on edge, as we we feel the mounting pressure of the collective; transformed into a state in which our personal fears become prominent.

I have spoken for many years about Psychic Evolution, and how I believe we are going through a grand scale empathic opening; in which we are developing psychic intuition on a species level. In the long run, I believe this is a needed advancement if we are going to survive the changes happening on our planet, but in the short run it's pretty damn hard!

Many refer to this process as Awakening, which is a lovely term that sounds sweet; filled with morning song birds, and colorful sunrises. But the truth is not everyone wakes up happy...some people want to go back to sleep; existing in a controlled version of reality, others are angry and grumpy, and still others are scared to face the reality they are seeing. Heightened psychic sensitivity is both a blessing and a bane, as it refuses to let us ignore our own pain and wounding; forcing us to either step more fully onto our personal healing path, or self-destruct as we become overwhelmed by the weight of the world.

Never before in the history of the world have we had so much access to the pains of the world as a whole! Through news channels and social media even those of us who are not intuitively opening are seeing, hearing, and feeling global pain, and the chaos created in it's wake through the the shows we watch and the pages we google. We no longer just worry about our families, neighbors, and local community. We now add war in foreign lands, global water shortages, and weather activity to our awareness. What was once vast and unknown, is now close by and force fed to us through the inter-web, and amplified by our heightened psychic sensitivity.

(photo-Henry Austin, Salicrow singing to Lake Willoughby)

BOOTS ON THE GROUND...

One of the things that keeps me grounded and optimistically focused in this time of turmoil is the soul-level-knowing that I was meant to be here at this time in human history; when the world is changing on an epic scale. I was meant to be Boots on the Ground; a physical presence here to hold space, and help others move through this transition in whatever way I am capable. For me, this includes both my words and my actions, and understanding the role I play helps me stay sane in a chaotic world.

Years ago I watched a series on the BBC called The 1940's House, which was a recreational documentary in which people lived as a middle class family in London, during WW2. One of the things that really stood out was that the women and children, who were home while the men were away fighting began to become very depressed living with rations and the sounds of bomb sirens, until they were given jobs! The mother of the house joined a unit much like the USO; in which they were volunteering and doing jobs that were once done by men, and the children began collecting recyclable materials that could be used in the war effort. This change to action instead of waiting in fear had an immediate affect on the family, as they now had a sense of purpose.

The 1940's House

Human beings need purpose! We have problem solving minds that need something to do, else we begin to pick apart our own consciousness; looking for anything wrong with us we can perseverate on. Without purpose we cannot help but focus on the troubles of the world, and we all know that what we focus on we call into our experience. This hyper-focus on what is wrong is then amplified by the fear and chaos swirling around the collective consciousness of the planet, making whatever ailments we are currently facing seem overwhelming.

 Some people find escape from their mind through unhealthy means, turning to substances and experiences in excess that they may not have to feel, or think about life's current situation. While such things can be enjoyable to start with, they generally create more problems then they solve, and they do nothing for the world as a whole!

As much as the last few decades has tried to convince us that we should focus on self-growth, self-love, and self-importance, we humans are really a collective! We cannot help but be affected by the pain of our family, community, and neighbors, and on a larger scale the pain and suffering of other humans, animals, and nature itself! Pretending otherwise does not lead us to bliss, instead it leaves us feeling isolated, and lonely! While we cannot solve all of the worlds problems, we all can do something!

Service to others feels good, it gives us purpose and helps us feel like we are part of the whole. We may not have the power to stop the bombs, or school shootings, we do have the power to help our elderly neighbor, or volunteer at a community function. We may not have the ability to speak in front of congress, but we have the ability to write to our congressman. Whether we are picking up litter on the side of the road, or knitting hats for babies in the NICU, we all have the ability to be of service.

SPIRITUALALITY...

Along with a sense of purpose the times we are living in require us to develop a relationship with our soul, recognizing that just as our body needs nourishment; in the way of food, our spirit also needs sustenance to survive! As our mind expands through psychic evolution we begin to recognize that we are far more then this one life. We begin to experience glimpses of ourself in other places and times, and start to recognize that we have had multiple incarnations, and that we carry fragments of those lives inside of our current consciousness.

Spirituality comes in many shapes and forms, with some people being drawn to organized religion, and others feeling more comfortable creating their own belief system from bits and pieces of science, magic, and world religions. Spirituality is literally the relationship we develop with our spirit! Finding what works for us on a personal basis requires an investment of time. Just like we need to figure out what foods work best for our body, we also need to discover what practices support our soul's growth.

I find a lot of solace in nature, viewing woodlands and waterways as temples for my soul. The sound of wind blowing through the trees, and water flowing over rocks naturally rocks my consciousness into a deeper place where the world is calm and peaceful. The rest of the world can be hyper-active and filled with chaos, but in that moment; inside my temple I am grounded, centered, and open to the wisdom of the universe. Even in cities we have places in nature we can reconnect; such as parks and graveyards, fountains, and the big old trees around libraries and churches.

Feeding our soul at this time of psychic evolution often requires exploration of our self. As we sit with ourselves, asking who we want to be in the world, and who we have been; both in this life and others, we start to make changes that help us live a more purposeful life. Through this growth we often develop personal rituals that help us live with a deeper connection to the world and ourselves. Here is one of my favorite self-regulating rituals that helps me.

spreading love-salicrow

PERSONAL RITUAL- Daily Divination

As a Psychic Reader I have a strong connection to cartomancy, and generally check in with myself daily. I just turned in my manuscript for my book on psychic development, cartomancy, and storytelling. In this personal ritual we will utilize oracle cards, however playing cards or Tarot may also be used. The ritual is developed to help you see where you are in the moment, what obstacles you are facing, and what tools you have to work with.

YOU WILL NEED- Oracle cards of your choice (tarot or playing cards are acceptable), your personal altar, incense or sacred herbs of your choice, a white candle (can be any color you happen to have) and your Book of Shadows or sacred journal.

1. Start by connecting to your personal altar by lighting your candle, taking a few moments to welcome in your spiritual allies (ancestors, guides, deities, and elemental spirits).

2. Light the incense or sacred herbs off your candle, and waft it around you and your space, cleansing and clearing away any negative energy.

3. Pick up your Oracle Cards, and shuffle them as you ask about your day, 'What do I need to see today?'

4. Pick your first card; representing your current self, placing it on your altar.

5. Pick the second card; representing your obstacles, placing it to the left of the first card.

6. Pick your third card; representing the tools you have at your disposal on the right of the first card.

7. Look at all of the cards, individually and as a group, and record your thoughts in your Book of Shadows.

8. Place your daily cards where you can view them throughout the day, or take a photo of them that you can look at periodically.