Day 9: Gratefulness Journey--Something I hear

 Day 9: Gratefulness Journey--Something I hear

 I started this Gratefulness Journey not because in November it's something that many people do before Thanksgiving--but because there has been so much pain and hatred spewed out here in America over the elections.  So many people standing up for what they believe in going against so many other people trying to push them down, hurt or even worse, kill them.  We've seen the rise of racial hatred, we've heard voices that have been silenced for too long and are seeing the effects all over the world.  In times like this I know to either stand up and fight for what I know and believe or pull back and do something simple--like pray or give thanks.  Hoping that others will have at some point in their lives had an example shown to them that will light the way.  Many days it is difficult to find something to write on in this journey--perhaps because I too have waited and listened to what everyone else is saying.  There have been days where I've struggled to find something to be grateful about as I've watched hatred, bigotry and racism, shadow parts of humanity rise to the surface.  Yet onward we go.  Will it continue to spiral out of control?  Or will healing occur?

We see the struggle in the world of light and dark...hate and love...money or peace.  We see groups that were once hiding coming out of the woodwork--the KKK, the racism, the children and what they've been taught behind closed doors.  We watch the struggle for land and water against big oil companies doing whatever they want even if it is against the laws they are supposed to be following.  Is the answer to fight?  Is the answer to pray?  Opening up these wounds and holding the energy for all people to come together can get tricky at times.  Holding on to the spiritual values shown and taught for generations by going against corporate greed, can get tricky at times.  In the real world we are seeing white supremicists moving into the police force--having their say against the native population, the black population, the spanish population, the eastern population.  Real lives are coming to an end through these fights--and humanity is being given a choice.  Will you choose love and inclusion?  Will you choose hatred and separation?

Identifying with the shadow parts of ourselves is always the way through.  Covering up the issues with drinking, drugging or whatever else is out there just continues the spiral downwards. Yet in working with herbal remedies we are shown and taught the same cycle as a therapist is shown when working with psychological pain, or as a physician is shown when working with physical pain.  Our bodies are not just physical.  We have Spirits, Souls, Psyches--and when any one of our 'selves' is in pain or off kilter--we need healing.  Healing can occur by balancing that which is out of balance...and people respond to healing in different ways.  Some heal faster when they understand and apply physical change, some heal faster through spiritual change.  Spirit comes first and the physical follows. And our lessons will always continue around the spiral of our lives, showing up until we have healed what it is that is needed.  Again and again. Is your lesson power over another?  Hatred so huge it envelopes your world so that you strike out and harm another?  What are you struggling with today?  Is your lesson love and compassion?  Are you out trying to make things better or finding that you are engulfed in disbelief, pain or sadness?  Anger too?  Each of these scenarios are there to help you.  To help all of us.  Shadow parts of ourselves are our greatest teachers in life.  We are who we've been waiting for.  The veil of each of us has been lifted--and there is a way through all of this.

So back to what I am grateful about...the healing process...the ability to go within, seek answers, listen to what Creator and Mother Earth are telling me, showing me and showing you...and the ability to do exactly what I am shown to do.  These last few days have been spent in contemplation and prayer...ceremony alone as I often do.  We've seen the full moon outside--and the struggles go on out in the physical world.  I'd wondered if anyone would wonder why my Gratefulness journey days don't correspond to the calendar days.  Yet know that there are others who understand what's not been spoken, what's not been written and are on their own journeys of enlightenment too.  Continuing to pray, continuing to go within and act on what I'm shown, continuing to include.