Gratitude for the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

November 2018

Greetings Friends!

As always, I hope this letter finds you happy, healthy, feeling loved, and feeling GRATEFUL!

Yea, I know...not super original. Talking about gratitude in November. Definitely was not planning to chat about gratitude today. Not because I don't think it's a wonderful, high vibin' practice. Gratitude is awesome. But because it seems like we can easily get overloaded with messages about 'giving thanks' this month. Sort of like pumpkin spice. It's pretty tasty, and I welcome it in moderation, but.... let's not get crazy! Too much of anything and it loses it's lustre.

So why did I feel compelled to jump on the gratitude train this month? Well, I sat down and started reflecting on the past few weeks, searching my memory bank for inspiration to get my writing juices flowing. October was a pretty cool month. Busy, but nothing stuck out really. Except that I saw Andy Grammer in concert (again!) and it was amazing, as usual, and the experience stuck out as a pretty sweet highlight. So I started thinking that maybe I should write about music and creativity and how I believe it's all connected to Spirit. But that didn't feel super right. Then I decided to pull a card for inspiration and this is what came up:

from the "Messages from Spirit" deck by John Holland

Interesting, I thought. Well, the "Seek" card talks a lot about remembering that we are all connected and that it's important to look for the good in all things. Since all cards have multiple meanings, I sat with this for a moment and asked my team, "What is my take away here? What am I supposed to talk about?" (because it certainly doesn't feel like the music theme that I thought I was going with). And the answer I received was "gratitude". Huh? If I'm supposed to talk about gratitude, why didn't I pull the "Gratitude" card?? Then I understood. I wasn't just supposed to talk about being grateful for the good stuff in our world or using gratitude as a manifesting tool. They want me to talk about being grateful for the yucky stuff.

Ok, got it. But before we start talking about all that, here is what the card says:

"The power of Spirit exists in all things. Everything is made of energy, and every single thing in your physical world contains a fragment of Spirit - including you. We are all one with Spirit and always will be connected to one another.

The Spirit World is sending you this card because we feel you may be forgetting that you're a multi-dimensional being, so we want to remind you that you're a spiritual being as well as a physical being. Now is the time to stop seeing everything on a limited physical level, and to seek out the spiritual in all things. Learn to see from you heart and soul. Seek out the spiritual beauty in all things, as well as in the people around you. If you're having some difficulty understanding someone, try looking beyond what you're seeing in front of you. Layer upon layer of life issues may be disguising the goodness that's inside that person, making him or her seem mean, resentful, or spiteful. Equally, some individuals may appear aloof or distant, which is a form of protective armor, often due to past hurts. It may be hard at first, but know that a divine spirit exists within those people. Pray that the goodness in you honors the goodness in them - and that the goodness in them honors the goodness within you."

Pretty powerful message. What a great reminder to look beyond the words and actions of others and to just see their Souls. And to be grateful for the roles that they are playing for us.

Spirit often comes through to remind us that we are really here to have a human experience so that we may learn and grow as a Soul. As humans, we forget our true identities, and where we came from, so that we may identify with our human selves. If we subscribe to the idea that we have come to exist here in the physical world so that we might experience the extreme highs, the extreme lows, and everything else in between, ....we can perhaps see that humans aren't always going to be their best selves. Including me. Including you. I believe that we forget for good reason....how else would play our roles for one another? If we remembered who we truly were 100% of the time, we'd never get on each others' nerves. We'd never cause harm. We'd be good neighbors and it would be a perfect world. But where's the challenge in that? Why not just stay where we came from, where we see each other as nothing but loving Souls?

Now I don't know about you, but it took me quite a long time to realize that this was maybe how things worked. When faced with challenging people (and by challenging, I mean [excuse me while I put on my "Judge Juli" hat] - JERKS), my natural instinct would be to take on the role of the victim. That person said this and hurt my feelings. That person did that and pissed me off. That person is lying, cheating, stealing, abusing, nasty, etc and I won't stand for it. Them, them, them. They are doing x, y, z and I want resolution and justice.

But when I began to look at our human experience from a Soul's perspective, things changed. I began to look at challenges from my past with gratitude. I could see how each of the experiences taught me something valuable. Sometimes I got it in that moment, sometimes I didn't. But looking back, I am now grateful for each person who showed up in my life to shake things up, as well as those who showed up to give me comfort and to bring me joy. Super grateful. Because those difficult people taught me about creating healthy boundaries, compassion, self love, forgiveness, unconditional love...and so much more. What a gift!

That's great, you say. Hindsight is 20/20 and it's easy to be grateful for life's nasty lessons, and the people involved, now that the crap storm is over. So, what about when you're in the thick of it? You may be going through a situation now where someone is causing you stress, anxiety, inflammation, or even pain. How the heck are you supposed to see the beauty in that person in those moments? And maybe some of you are still struggling with coming to terms with your past. I get that, too. It's a process. And it's not always black and white. But I have learned that my happiness and peace of mind and my joy are directly related to the lens I choose to look through to view my experiences...past and present. So, what to do? How do we get to our place of finding love in our hearts for others when they are causing us discomfort??

First, we honor our emotions. If you're mad, express it. If you're sad, express it. If you're hurt, express it. Feel what you're feeling. Get it out safely through words, writing, or physical activity. And then take a moment to sit and ask yourself, "What am I supposed to learn from this?" and "What in me am I supposed to be looking at?" Because at the end of the day, it really is about our experiences. It's not about the other person. Perhaps it's about standing up for yourself or maybe it's about surrendering. Maybe it's about creating healthy boundaries or letting go of a relationship, job, or situation that is no longer serving you. Whatever it is, the sooner you figure it out and honor the lesson, the sooner you find peace for yourself. And the easier it is to see how the other person, or people, were all part of the Divinely orchestrated plan to help you evolve. Then it's easier to look beyond their words or actions to see the beautiful Soul that exists, beyond the roles they're playing....for us (instead of to us)...and to be grateful that they showed up.

It's not easy. I know. I struggle with this every day like everyone else. But I find that the more I ask myself these questions and look at things from this perspective, the easier it gets. Some days it just takes a lot more deep breaths, affirmations, and centering exercises....

As you prepare for the holidays, I hope you find something in everyone, and every experience, to be grateful for. Wishing you all a wonderful, love and laughter filled time with your friends and family as you celebrate whatever you celebrate over the next few months. And I hope that are able to embrace each other with kindness....even those with whom you may not see eye to eye.

To those who celebrate.....Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Oh, and if you disagree with my thoughts about Earth school, no worries. If you don't believe we came here on purpose to experience hard times, I'm okay with that, too. Like I always say, take what resonates with you and leave the rest!

Sending love out to all those who need/want it and prayers to those who may be hurting today. May you find peace in your heart and a smile on your face no matter what is happening in your world. And if you need a place to go to lift your spirits, I hope you'll stop by sometime

Here's what's happening at Light Works this month...

We're kicking of November with a Sound Bath Meditation with Biansa! on the 7th. Allow Ansa to guide you through a world of sound vibration for a deep cellular experience of alignment that will leave you feeling rested and connected! Enjoy the sounds of singing bowls, chimes, gongs, and much more. A Sound Bath can be an unforgettable sound experience for those who seek deep relaxation, rejuvenation, and an acceleration of their inward journey.

On November 15th, we'll be getting together for Movie Night! to watch...."Science of the Soul" . This documentary takes a deep look at the concept of the Soul and consciousness...from a science-y perspective. Come hang out with me and other like minded folks for a chill night at the movies ...popcorn provided

Take your Reiki Level I training to the next level with Usui Ryoho Reiki Level II Certification class on November 17th. Reiki isn't just a healing modality. It's a lifestyle that promotes self awareness...as well as physical, emotional, and Spiritual health. Become certified as a Level II practitioner to help others...and yourself!! Are you a massage therapist looking for a class that offers CE credit hours that you can apply towards your license requirements? Receive 6 CE hours when you take this class!

Next, I'll be teaching Meditation with Intention...to Connect with Spirit! on November 18th. Want to learn how to connect with Spirit? In this class, you'll learn my method of connecting with the angels, spirit guides, and loved ones...and, yes, anyone can do it

If you've never experienced vocal toning before, you'll definitely want to check out this month's Guided Meditation & Vocal Toning Journey with Lolita on November 18th. Lolita Hanna-Nnawuba is an intuitive massage therapist and energy healer who uses toning in her healing practice. Feel the vibrations of her voice move through you as she sings you through a unique meditative experience.

Need a quick message from your angels & guides? Then check out month's special - Life Path Readings - 30 minute phone sessions for $55 (normally $75). See below for more info!

On September 20th, I'll be delivering messages in a gallery style event at "Love & Hugs from Heaven" Mediumship Demonstration with Juli! Come out and receive loving messages from Angels, guides, and loved ones on the other side! This is a great opportunity to witness how Spirit works with me to share messages of healing, guidance, and love. Those in the Spirit world are always around and want to help us to heal, to feel loved & supported as we navigate our way through life in the physical world. A mediumship gallery is a wonderful way to experience this beautiful connection.

And lastly,

So, these are just a few of the things happening this month at Light Works.

As always, new things are popping up on the Light Works Meetup page . Be sure to join the group to receive announcements. Stay tuned, stay connected, and stay in touch!

Sending lots of healing energy and LOVE to you all...hope to see you soon!

In love & light,

Juli

Juli Richardson

Certified Reiki Master Teacher, Psychic Medium, & Animal Communicator

Call 703-926-4499 or email lightworksreiki@aol.com to schedule a reading or healing session for you or someone you love