Do You Care Too Much?

Are you one of those people who would do anything to help a friend out? Who will listen to her problems until 11 at night, even though you planned to go to bed by 10? Who feels the suffering of complete strangers and wish you could do more, and may even feel guilty because you can’t?  Are you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and even moody because you’ve emotionally spent yourself? Perhaps you’ve lost hope in love and kindness?

Well you are not alone. In this world, empathetic people have to face a s*#t-storm of emotions where there are still many conflicts, injustices and horrible news stories.  We have to find a way to balance our own truths and needs with those of others’ pain and suffering. Then we get energetically drained, or “zapped”, having to take days to recover.  

There’s also the circumstance where the empath uses all of his inner strength to listen deeply, care for others, relate, only to discover that those others can’t return the same level of compassion and understanding. 

I know, because this is me. I am the kind of person who wants to run orphanages, to scoop up kids living in horrible conditions and show them what they truly deserve. I’m the one who wants to change every inequality – where I despise prejudice and bigotry of any kind. I want to be the leader who brings in democracy in the world, and a sense of human rights and animal rights so everyone knows that they are loveable and safe.  If only I had the cash, the years, the foundation or outlet to do more.  But I’m one person, with my own resources and challenges, and I must know my limits, which is not easy for empaths like me.  

I roller-coaster between serving others and having to take time out and retreat in order to collect my energy and my core self. I have had to learn about boundaries and to heal my inner wounds from childhood challenges so I can keep a soft heart while not having a codependent dynamic. I have to get energy healing regularly, so I can release all that is not mine and stay in my own skin. I have had to find ways to stay grounded, focused and inwardly strong on my personal values and mission. It’s not easy with all the distractions in the world and the pressure to stay mindful so as to not cause further harm.

I believe that these are ongoing challenges for myself and for other empaths I’ve met. This is why I have created the Webinar: How toProtect Your Kind Heart in a Cruel World.  I will be hosting it on Wed January 20^th at 2:30 p.m. EST and Friday January 22^nd at 11:00 a.m. EST.   

If you’d like to join me for this crucial talk so you don’t become disheartened with the world, please sign up here.

For Weary Hearts

I created Blossoming Heart Divine Arts with the intention of being a place for people to feel loved. In this world of stress, challenges and a whole lot of unhealthy behaviour, I wanted to create a haven where a person can be seen, heard and held in a safe, non-judgmental and gentle way.  The services I offer are to enhance this experience for each person. I especially love helping people who are caring types and are going through issues of compassion fatigue, heartache, feeling lost, or just plain ol' stressed. 

 

A friend of mine expressed some confusion over the term "compassion fatigue", that it seems contradictory to have stress and compassion go together. He believes that we would be relaxed if we simply surrounded ourselves with caring friends and a higher presence.  Although, ideally, I would agree that this could be the case if we had those support systems, I also would suggest that it can also be stressful to be around people who need our attention equally. Our compassion and empathy for others can also weigh us down as we listen to and try to support their hurt, challenges and problems.  

 

Compassion fatigue shows up when we find ourselves over-giving and caring more about others' well-being than our own, feeling tired out or depressed, and getting caught up in the pain of the world.  We can become moody, angry, isolating and down-right overwhelmed by it all.

 

This is why I offer various services and retreats so you can re-group, re-centre and come back to a place of deeper love within.  Here are the benefits of each, depending on your needs:

• Energy Healing is really good for clearing out negativity and to restore your energy levels. It can help you relax, go deeper into yourself and feel more connected again;
• Soul Readings can help you see yourself, your relationships and personal challenges from a divine perspective giving you new understandings so you can have greater clarity and peace to make life decisions;
• Open Your Heart Retreat Weekend for Women is a chance to get away from the modern life and immerse in a luxurious yet natural setting. Reconnect with your heart and release some emotional baggage while having time to relax and be pampered.

 
If you feel you need to re-store yourself and return to your soul's natural state, please consider booking a FREE 'Get to Know Each Other' Session to talk about your needs.

Guest Post: Self-Care as A Spiritual Act by Louise Racine

What comes to mind when you think of self-care?  Is it a concept you embrace out of necessity? Perhaps something required when you reach your burnout point?  Or a mandatory commitment to prevent exhaustion or illness? What if you made the choice to take a preventative approach?  What if you started looking after your needs before you are forced to?

The specifics of what self-care entails will vary for each of us. For some, it might mean time alone, for others it could be going out with a friend. You might relish a massage, someone else might delight in reading a book. It doesn’t really matter how you do self-care, only that you make it a priority. 

Often it seems that we are a culture that relishes in being busy. Always moaning about how much we have to do, perhaps with a tinge of pride and bit of poor me thrown in for good measure.  The victim role does not serve us or anyone we care about. 

Do you even know what you need to take care of yourself? Is it your body, your mind, or your spirit that needs tending to?  Whatever you define as your self-care need is likely exactly what you need.  

As women, especially those of us in mid-life, we are mainly focused on everyone else’s needs.  It’s how we’re conditioned. More than likely we got the message that to do otherwise was selfish. To speak out was being bold. 

Then, once we are no longer needed by our families or our jobs, we can be find ourselves empty and unsatisfied. Perhaps even depressed. It’s so uncomfortable for some women, they seek out other opportunities to be of service to everyone but themselves. 

While the younger generations have made “me” more of a priority, are their self-care practices serving them or are they destructive?  Is there too much emphasis on the outward appearances, consumerism, and distractions? That’s not the path to feeling whole either.

It’s fine to be nurturing, to be of service, to be kind. We just have to remember and make time to do it for ourselves.  

Louise Racine

Thirteen Moons Wellness

www.thirteenmoons.ca

Offering space, events, products, and services to women who are ready to make their self-care a priority since 2001.

Who Has Time For Love?

We hear about how love is the truth, and that we are here on this earth journey to learn these lessons and how to grow spiritually. 

But, honestly, much of the journey of being human is difficult – there are real threats or dangers and divisions, much less the issue of being a fragile person who needs to create some stability in life. Often times, our immediate needs can over-ride our soul’s voice and we lose touch with who we really are and why we’re really here. 

This is why I created the Open Your Heart Webinar Series and am offering for FREE this coming Tuesday Oct 27^th and Thurs October 29^th. I’ve invited four people who I deeply respect because they have shown dedication and commitment to their passion and service in the world. 

Russell Scott – my love partner – will be the first speaker. He’s the author of the book Awaken the Guru in You, and he’s a stellar retreat leader (If I may say so, even with my biased opinion).  He helps people awaken to their true self through a unique contemplative technique. What takes years for some people can take days on his retreats. For real! He will be speaking about “Living From the Heart” on Tuesday the 27^th at 1:00 p.m. EST  CLICK HERE TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFO

Moragh Lippert – a long-time friend and colleague – will present next on the topic of “The Heart of Forgiveness”. Moragh is a holistic nutritionist and yoga/meditation teacher. She will share stories on how forgiveness is a key component on the path to health.  She specializes in serving people with addictions and mood disorders and understands that self-forgiveness is the most important aspect to the recovery path.  She will be presenting on Tues Oct 27^th at 4:00 p.m. EST  CLICK HERE TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFO

Louise Racine – she is the Goddess hearth matron of Thirteen Moons Wellness where I host my retreats. She has made a life path of serving women to slow down and to take care of themselves from the inside out as an Retreat Owner, Holistic Nutritionist and Arbonne Consultant. She has a lot to share on the topic of “Self-Care as a Spiritual Act” on Thurs Oct 29^th at 2:00 p.m. EST  CLICK HERE TO REGISTEROR FOR MORE INFO

Lori Bateman – a woman I met a few years ago who I have deep respect for in her commitment to creating a unique business, Open Heart Journals, which keeps people in their hearts through journaling as a gift and expression of love. She has personal experience with the transformative power of simply writing out and creating books that capture memories, loves and vulnerabilities so that relationships can be cherished. She will speak about “Giving and Receiving Love” on Thurs Oct 29^th at 7:30 p.m. EST  CLICK HERE TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFO

All 4 Speakers will be offering specials for those who register for the Webinar Series. I will also announce discounts and options for my upcoming Open Your Heart Weekend Retreat for Women – there are only 4 spots left for it! – in November 13th-15th.

So be sure to reserve your spot ASAP and join us on the webinar.

Aligning the Heart In Your Life

As many of you know, I'm passionate about getting people more into their heart, knowing that this is where true satisfaction, love, wisdom and honesty lives.

Each time I peel away at a layer of my soul, revealing a new truth or understanding, I find that my life takes a drastic turn. Though this can feel unstable for a while, I always trust that it's leading me to where it is more authentic for me.  I encourage every person going through difficult changes to try and see that perhaps this is in one's life to guide one closer to what is in integrity, which is the "state of being whole, undivided."

Often times we get upset when things don't work out for us, believing we "attracted this into our life" and have the power to "unattract it".  On one level, yes, we have brought this in, but on another level it is also be a form of divine guidance or protection from our guides and angels, ensuring that we are making choices that are in alignment with our true nature, not our ego.

The spiritual path is, ultimately, the way of the heart.

When we can see clearly the meaning and the higher movement to our circumstances, it's amazing the way doors will open afterwards -- that spiritual gateway that reveals why and how and who we are.

This year has been filled with a ton of changes for me -- leading me closer to my artist self.  Without these changes, I wouldn't have been passionate about getting my children's book, The Stellar Queen of Oaxaca, out to the world. Nor would I have had the courage to give my notice in where I was working at the Terrace because I wasn't feeling the support of like-hearted people in the building. I took a risk, not knowing where I would go next. Then, voila, a door opened to set up my business for 3 days a week at Silence Sounds - a funky music, community arts and energetic healing venue in downtown Guelph. I'm now surrounded with people who are "like me" in our goals, outlooks, values, etc.

It takes courage to listen to your heart and follow it, trusting that doors will open and opportunities will align.

I invite you to really look into your truth, examine what feels loving, honest, deep and real for you. When you go to that place, you will feel the heartbeat of the Creator, and feel in harmony with all other beings in life.