Reeling, Feeling, and Healing

 

Notice the signs…

Grieving and loss have been thick in the air lately. At least it has been in my therapy room. The big question clients have been asking me is, “How long do I have to endure this pain?” After sitting in silence and allowing the energy to settle in, I review what I have witnessed in the grieving process.

The first stage is Reeling. After the shock of loss settles in, we begin to stagger and stumble, not quite knowing where to grab on to life. Feeling lost, we reach for stability but nothing feels like it did before. We begin to wonder if we’ll ever feel sane again, happy again, and just plain want to live again. We may even feel guilty for having those thoughts, and yet, the pain overpowers the guilt.  Life as we knew it is gone, with no light in sight.

And then we begin to Feel. Reality of the loss drops in and we realize we’ll never have the old back. As we work through our feelings between the tears, anger, confusion, and bewilderment, a shadow of acceptance begins to crack through the tunnel. We begin to see the light, and then the roller coaster comes winding around again. One minute we feel like life is returning to our normal, and the next minute, the pain hits like a ton of bricks again. It is at this point that I remind my clients that the roller coaster ride is part of the process of grieving. We continue to work through those feelings until the span of peace is longer than the span of unrest. In time, as we work through all emotions the reality of what is now becomes the new normal. This doesn’t mean the loss is forgotten. It simply means the loss is accepted.

Once acceptance has calmed the roller coaster, we move into the healing stage. It is here we begin to have a new relationship with the loss. If it is a loved one who has passed, we may begin to connect with them on a spiritual level. I know when I lost my dad the reeling and feeling stages were excruciating for me. It wasn’t until the healing stage that I began to relate to him through energy, signs, and dimes. Yes, he leaves me dimes. I have a client who knows it’s her mother saying hello every time she sees a cardinal fly by. Another client’s rose-bush blooms in the middle of winter. It was his wife’s favorite part of their garden. A friend of mine sees her father with every butterfly that persistently follows her. Open your heart and notice these signals from your loved ones. They are full of love and light in their world and they want you to feel happiness in yours.

There are many different types of losses that happen in our lives besides losing a loved one who passes through the veil. We experience loss with employment, relationships, money, homes, pets, health, the list goes on. Everyone’s experience and length of time in the stages is different. It took me two years before I came to acceptance of my father’s passing. I was reeling for about six months, just trying to find my footing. And then I was painfully feeling for about a year and a half. It was a day of enlightenment when the light finally broke through the tunnel. I felt joy in the realization I didn’t have to pick up the phone to talk to him anymore, I could talk to him any second, any time of the day. He wasn’t only with me in human form, he was with me and around me always. And we were one. That’s the day my spirit crossed the veil with a new understanding of our spiritual connection. Way beyond this world. Way beyond our intellect. A beautiful dimension extension.

For those of you staggering through this process of grief, doing your best to catch your breath, I ask you to trust not only the grieving process but the spiritual awakening that is inside of all of us. There is so much more to us than these shells we habitate while here on earth. When we stop reeling and move through our feelings, it is our spiritual expansion that delivers the healing. It is then that we realize what we thought was lost never left our side.

Surrounded by Love

 

Living, Loving & Unlearning is Released!

 

‘Living, Loving & Unlearning’ has been released! My hope is that this book will assist you in becoming the truth of who you are, lighting a path for you to travel your journey with comfort and ease as you move through the ups, the downs, and all the in-betweens.

Love & Blessings,
Cynthia

Click here to order your personal copy of ‘Living, Loving & Unlearning’.  ~Namaste

 

Goddess of the Dawn

My glory days with Early Aurora, circa 1971

I WOULD BE REMISS if I didn’t include the special bond I had with one very special girl, my horse, Early Aurora.  In Roman mythology, the meaning of Aurora is “goddess of the dawn,” and oh what a goddess she was!  A bright light shining into the dim of the morning. She was my guiding light, my maternal protector, my soul mate.  She safely carried me through trails, over hurdles, and around arenas from the time I was 10 years young to the ripe old age of 13.  Soon after, her time came to retire on our farm, soaking up the leisure life of pastures and blues skies, until she passed through the veil, shortly after retirement.

Barb and Early Aurora shining their Light.

Aurora has been shining her bright light on me, yet again, as of late.  Forty-three years after she came to me, another shining light tapped on my soul. Aurora’s previous rider/soul connector found me on Facebook and asked, “Are you by chance the Cindy Weintraub who rode Early Aurora?”  I replied, “Yes, she was very special to me.  Who did you ride with?” When she told me she was Aurora’s previous owner, my body quivered in chills.  She had kept a Christmas card I sent her those four decades ago, when Aurora came to me.  A photo of Aurora and me, and my name, enclosed.  Immediately, I felt bonded with this person who I knew loved Aurora as much as I did.  Our connection has gone beyond my wildest dreams.  Barb has become such a sweet soul sister to me, and, of course, we have more in common than I ever would have imagined.  The bond we have, it all makes sense to me now.  At 61 years young, she runs, swims, moves through nature walks, eats very healthy, and has more energy than a 15-year-old.  Our spiritual beliefs are so in sync it leaves no doubt that Aurora’s spirit not only arranged our recent connection, but the passing of Aurora’s light from Barb to me many dawns ago.  Barb is now a bright light in my life, with Angel Aurora in the middle.

The grace of meeting Barb was not only enlightening but cathartic in my own healing.  As I was in the shower one morning, where most of my profound intuitive thoughts come to me, I realized the real reason I quit riding while I was so young.  My excuse was that I wanted a social life with kids my age (and part of that was true), but the deeper meaning expressed itself through my stream of tears, washed away by the shower cascade.  You see, Aurora retired young because she had cancer.  I realized that morning, surrounded by the ease of water, that I blocked the pain of losing Aurora so deeply that I quit doing something I loved.  At such a young age, I didn’t know the value of grieving, and moved on, hiding the hurts festering inside.  For those of you who can relate, you know the bond between a girl and her horse.  It’s stronger than many friendships throughout your lifetime.  I am so very grateful for Barb entering my life, for she not only gave me the gift of a beautiful friendship, she unknowingly pushed me to feel the pain and grieve my long lost love.  Not only Aurora, but the joys of riding itself.  I know Aurora sent a spark through both of our hearts, creating a bond forever connected to her spirit.

When painful times come upon you, remember, “This too shall pass.”  Spirit has given us the blessing of amnesia when it comes to pain.  Allow yourself to feel and express, especially when you think you can’t feel anymore.  The nights will eventually give way to the glory of the dawn.

Shifting Sands

Amazing how life can shift in just three short weeks.  From expectant loss, to tragic loss, to new birth.  Below are three short paragraphs describing the gamut of emotions I experienced during the month of July, 2013.  Just like that, life can change and bring you excruciating sadness turning to joy and light.  The sands settled on my heart and opened a whole new world for my eyes to see.  Never forgetting the light that remains, and simultaneously, opening my heart to new light.

Our dear, sweet Ollie flew into the heavens recently. We all circled around him and gave
him our last round of love ~ including Jazzy who snuggled in with us. Those of you who knew Ollie, know what a big gentle soul he was. He gave us twelve years of big love from pony rides ( when Rachel was a baby) to big bear hugs (to warm us) to majestic protector (literally coming toe to toe with black bear in our backyard). We will forever miss you, Ollie Bear, always in our hearts.

It is said, when two souls are deeply connected, and one exits this earth, the other is sure to follow. Our sweet soul, Jazzy, followed her love companion, Ollie, soon after we lost our big gentle bear. We were expecting it with Ollie, as he was ill for some time, but Jazz, it came out of the blue. Just two short weeks after losing Ollie, Jazz let us know it was time to join him. I should have known when she nuzzled him nose to nose as we circled around him to give our last round of love.  They came to us as pups twelve short years ago, and now their souls will live together forever. We miss you, my angel girl, always full of love and loyalty. Always with kindness in your heart. Always my soul connector. Fly high with Ollie and shine your angel wings around us. You are both forever in our hearts.

Well, I thought it was too soon for a little one to enter our lives after losing Jazz & Ollie, but my daughter, Rachel, was persistent and I caved. So happy that I did because little Jude has brought back that spark that diminished when Jazz & Ollie left. I feel them with us more than ever ~ in every hug, every smile, and especially when I see Luke & Jude romping together. The love continues to expand.

I suppose it’s no surprise that I’ve had so many animals come and go in my life. I grew up on a farm and my husband, Mike, is a veterinarian. We were very fortunate to be able to say goodbye to Ollie in the comfort of our home.  Our circle of love consisted of me, Mike, and our three girls, Kelley, Becca, and Rachel…and then Jazzy snuggled in.  They know, don’t they? Our animals feel more than we think they’re aware of.  Spiritually, I believe they’re much more in tune than the human race…that is, until we strip away those layers of conditional life.  I have been blessed with a plethora of animal souls streaming through my life.  There is no doubt, when I move into the spirit world, it will provide peace, love, warmth, and yes, a boatload of four-legged loves.

Soul Dance

Soul mates come in every size. Some are wise and some otherwise.  They connect with intensive soul eyes….

The thing about a soul mate is they will call you on the facades you create when you get caught up in societal fantasies.  They will also reign in as your biggest cheerleader, professing their faith in your ability to shine.  Soul mates won’t settle for less than you are, they innately know what resonates within your soul.  Likewise, what you see in this soul connector they see in you too.

When you’re in the company of someone who you connect with at this level, your heart sings!  You suddenly have the desire to reach your highest peak.  You glide in that direction with ease because you know your spirit is in sync with all universal energy.  It feels effortless as your dreams begin to fall into place.  This is not to say the climb is easy.  Our egos wrestle inside when our connector calls us on our flaws.  On an unconscious level, however, we know they are right.  If we are wise, we will heed their observations and follow.  If we are foolish, we will ignore it and travel a much more difficult road.  A connector sees in us what we are not able to see in ourselves.

A soul mate will tell you when you’re not grabbing your potential, she will remind you that you’re failing yourself and not flinch when she says it.  She will praise your abilities more than anyone else and scratch her head, roll her eyes and smirk at you when you don’t listen to what she sees as obvious.  She sees you with clarity as you put the blinders on.  She grounds you, and elevates you, at the same time.  She’s your best friend.

A soul mate will listen to you when you throw a tantrum and then calmly look at you and ask if you are done.  He holds you as you stomp your feet and wonder why the world is so unfair.  He sees through to your soul and recites insights into your life at an angle you never considered.  He holds your hand when you need a guide and gently pushes you when you need to take that first step.  He treats you with more kindness than you treat yourself.  He’s your best friend.

So where are you on your soul path?  Are you pushing away the sparks of light that enter your life out of fear, or are you welcoming the challenge of SEEING the purity of your soul? When you step out, and bare the naked truth of yourself, that is the place where you will find honor. That is the place where you will find peace.  That is where the house of your soul lives.

When our time comes to move into the spirit world it is a day of celebration for a life well lived, and a bow of gratitude for a life yet to come.  Feel it, breathe it, BE it now, for this is it.  Your time to show yourself and shine!

 

Help, Hope & Healing Talk Radio; Soul Connectors, Meditation & Self Healing

To listen to my show on Soul Connectors, Meditation & Self Healing, simply click on the link below.  This show will also be archived under “AM-WWLZ820 Talk Radio” , titled, “Soul Connectors, Meditation & Self Healing with Cynthia Brennen, LMSW”. 

https://cynthiabrennenlmsw.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/wwlz-pgm_12-06.mp3

*My show with Adam DeYoung has been rescheduled for May 21st, 2011.  Tune in with us then for more meditation, yoga, chakra healing & self-realization.  Namaste:)

Teachings of Michael with Jeff Fasano

Join me as I welcome my guest, Jeff Fasano, on Help, Hope & Healing, WWLZ820am, Saturday, January 15th, 12-1pm EST.  Jeff will be awakening our hearts as he reveals the teachings of  Archangel  Michael in discovering our true essence and joy of who we are.  Tune in and explore with us the deeper meaning and enlightening path to our spiritual existence here on earth.  As always, calls are welcome during the show at 607-732-4820 or 1-866-732-4820.  Namaste and enjoy the day!

Journey of the Awakened Heart
A brand new book by Jeff Fasano

As we have walked our pathways on the journey of self-mastery we have read many books that have given us valuable information to think about, and we’ve been introduced to many spiritual tools to improve our lives. We have stored much of this information in our minds. Now, many of us are wondering, “What’s next? What do we do with all of the information?” Our next step is to bring what we have stored in our minds into our hearts, so that we may actually live from it.

Journey of the Awakened Heart is a book containing the teachings of Michael that guides us step by step to move within our heart space to discover who we are, our talents and gifts and our purpose in this lifetime. Contained within the pages of this book are messages and lessons that will assist you in discovering a new, highly individual, and self-mastered way of life that is more enjoyable.

This book, if it is in harmony with your essence, can facilitate the movement forward toward living the life you say you want, and loving yourself more than you ever have before. As Michael has stated so eloquently on different occasions, those of us for whom this message is intended have come to the intersection of the old way of life and the new, Journey of the Awakened Heart provides the tools we need so we can release the old habits, patterns, and rituals that hold us anchored in the old way of living.

In detail, it shows us a path to follow that will enable us to begin to honor and value ourselves, and recognize our unique gifts and talents. If we follow this path, as Michael has so plainly illuminated it for us, at the end we may step confidently into the unknown and live our purpose in this lifetime.

Click here to download Michael’s message – our gift to you!

Jeff Fasano is a photographer currently living in New York City. He found his passion
for photography at the age of 40 and it has led him to living his dream and a life
that he only imagined. This gift and passion has been the doorway for him to
connect with his purpose in this lifetime and led him to those in the world who
have made the same connection and who he photographs today. Jeff is also
a trance channel, and a Reiki master. He channels the energy known as Michael that
emanates from the Archangelic Realm of Michael and imparts this wisdom, guidance
and support as a messenger so we can move forward together in service for the
greater good of the world, the planet and the universe.

Jeff has just completed his first book entitled Journey of the Awakened Heart that is
scheduled for release in the fall of 2010. It is based on the teachings of Michael and
contains a series of messages and exercises that will lead you to know who you are
and why you are here. His essay “For the Love of It” was published in the anthology
Audacious Creativity. His photographic work has been published worldwide.

You can see his work at Jeff Fasano Photography www.jefffasano.com and also can visit
The Teachings of Michael at www.teachingsofmichael.com

Soul Connection

“A soul connection is a resonance between two people who respond to the essential beauty of each others individual natures, behind their facades, and who connect on this deeper level. This kind of mutual recognition provides the catalyst for a potent alchemy. It is a sacred alliance whose purpose is to help both partners discover and realize their deepest potentials. While a heart connection lets us appreciate those we love just as they are, a soul connection opens up a further dimension — seeing and loving them for who they could be, and for who we could become under their influence. This means recognizing that we both have an important part to play in helping each other become more fully who we are….A soul connection not only inspires us to expand, but also forces us to confront whatever stands in the way of that expansion.”

~John Welwood

This is for all the beautiful souls that have passed in and out of my life.  Some remain and some move through, leaving a mark, never to be forgotten.  For all of you, I give gratitude for the ups, the downs, and all the in-betweens.  The lessons learned, as I continue to climb this path, are blessings given to me by each and every one of you.  In my life…I love you all!

Click below for a Beatles delight…my personal fav:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3wvUwb4p4Q