Releasing Grief

When we feel sad, it is natural to want to stuff or hide our feelings.  Remember, they come up to be released.  We may need to release old grief about how we have been treated or grief about losing someone we love.    It is important to recognize that grief comes from a variety of sources and experiences.  Though it is not fun to address old feelings, leaving your feelings unresolved often results in anxieties and fears.  It can also leave you more vulnerable to being hurt by others.   If sadness comes up, take time to acknowledge the source of your grief.  Then ask yourself when was the first time you felt a similar loss or feeling?  Share your grief with God and ask Him to help you with it.  Acknowledging your grief allows the healing process to begin.   Though it isn’t fun to explore where your emotions are coming from, it is the fist step to healing and finding peace. © August 2013 Nancy Hickman, M.Ed., LLC

Healing Adversity

A dear friend is facing issues with a person who is acting spiteful and she is handling the adversity from a spiritual perspective.   Situations like these come up for all of us and they can be confusing and painful.   Our immediate reaction may be to push back;  however, the most productive thing is usually to take a higher spiritual road.  We should never accept abuse from others but we are still responsible for how we respond.   If we learn to step back and release the situation we are struggling with to God, we can grow stronger with his help.  The person or thing causing us difficulty can ultimately be a teacher for us by raising us up to a higher spiritual level.   Fighting back only  pulls us down by making the lesson more painful and difficult.  Rarely is there a positive resolution and often you end up giving away your personal power by expending energy in the wrong direction.   If faced with adversity, recognize the situation is meant to teach you something.  Go within and ask yourself what you have learned from it.  Then ask yourself, “what would God do now?”  You can also ask that he give you what you need to heal or turn things in a positive direction.  When obstacles arise, it is rarely effective to try to push through them.  It is often more effective to take a step back and choose a higher path.© August 2013 Nancy Hickman, M.Ed., LLC

The Omnipresence of God

Sometimes it may seem like we are just a cog in the wheel of life.  We are so small in comparison to the Universe as a whole.   The distractions of this world can make us forget that we are a part of something greater.   Then something happens to show us how connected we are in spirit.  That we are apart of everything and that in God's eyes, we are important and we matter.  Whatever our struggles might be, He is there in all things, both awesome and small.  We may need reminding and we may even want "proof".  That is simply our nature.  If we really look and allow our eyes to see, it is all around us.  When we observe a beautiful sunrise, majestic mountains or a starry night; there is little doubt the Universe was created by something wondrous.   Though all those things are beautiful, we only have to look within at our own inner light to connect with that same awesomeness.  It is  already inside of us because He is everywhere and in everything. © August 2013 Nancy Hickman, M.Ed., LLC

Are You Really There?

We often don't recognize when our loved ones are near.  They send us little signals that we can easily misinterpret or miss.  A loved one will try to get your attention by putting their memories in the front of your mind.  You may see a quick image of their face or think about things you did together.  If that happens, you are likely sensing their spiritual presence.  Those memories and images may make you feel sad but they can also give you hope that your loved one is watching over you and sending you signals to get your attention.   Acknowledge that you think they are there. This will likely encourage more of the same experiences as they visit you. It can be healing to know that you haven't lost your relationship with them, it has just changed...   © August 2013 Nancy Hickman, M.Ed., LLC

Fear

Fear can cause many things like lack of sleep, shortness of breath, spinning thoughts and even difficulties with others. Often that part of us that is afraid is triggered by beliefs we established in Childhood or from a traumatic event from the past. In the here and now, ask yourself,  "When is the first time I felt this?" and "What is the worst that is going to happen today?" and most importantly, "Do I believe God is powerful enough to carry me through this and protect me from the thing I am afraid of?"  When the past is affecting you today, ask God to heal that old part of you. Whatever is before you today that is causing concern, will likely be a distant memory in the near future as you move on to a new worry.  Rather than giving your power away to fear, allow prayer and faith to make you stronger.        © August 2013 Nancy Hickman, M.Ed., LLC

Feeding Your Inner Light

Living a spiritual life will cause you to grow and can result in many changes. The more spiritual we become, the more we tend to let go of things that are not in line with our desire for love and peace. Things that we might have tolerated before, will be less tolerable in the here and now.  We may find ourselves walking away from situations, things or people in ways we wouldn't have in the past.  We may find that as our own light gets brighter, we are less attracted to things and people we used to align with.  Proper care of our inner light means we should not engage in situations that deter us from being the best we can be.  We should pursue our goals with integrity and consideration for others.  Spiritually and karmically, we will be rewarded for having the right intentions and taking correct action.  As we grow and take responsibility for the care and feeding of our inner light, we think less of selfish things and align ourselves more with loving thoughts and actions.  Always remember, inviting God to participate in your daily plans and activities can make living spiritually easy and effortless.  You will naturally gravitate to what makes you healthy and happy.  © August 2013 Nancy Hickman, M.Ed., LLC

Miracles

Today expect a miracle. What is a miracle? It is an extraordinary event in human life. Being miracle minded opens you to multiple opportunities for positive intervention from the Universe.  © 2013  Nancy Hickman, M.Ed., LLC

Love Lessons

Love can be a difficult life lesson or it can be an experience that reflects the love of the Universe. In order to attract love, you have to believe deep within you that you deserve it.  If you accept poor treatment or criticism, some part of you isn't integrating the belief you deserve love.  One way to reprogram your mind to expect love is to daily affirm: "Today I expect to be treated lovingly in words and actions."  Eventually, you will attract what you teach your mind to expect and it will feel natural to you.  To change your outer world, it helps to get your inner beliefs into agreement with the transformation you want to create in your life. ©2013 Nancy Hickman, M.Ed., LLC

Adaptability

This morning in meditation I was shown insects having the instinctive ability to adapt to nature by restructuring their living situations.  In the image, the adaptations seemed easy and effortless.  They recognize the situation or changes needed and begin restructuring their homes and environment to accommodate mother nature. In the same way,  it is necessary us to have the ability to adapt.  The ability to adapt affects our ability to survive and it affects our emotional sense of well-being. 

Change is a constant in life.  The belief that we are actually in control is simply not always the reality we would like it to be.  The question we have to ask ourselves is, "how adaptable am I?"  Those that can adapt well to change will have a greater sense of peace and serenity.  They will see change and have the ability to work with it.  They recognize what is needed and move on.  Sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly. 

Resisting change can be frustrating, exhausting and painful.  We can become comfortable with the current status of things and fight against any shift in our circumstance.  Fighting the flow of things can wear us out emotionally and take away from the energy needed to adjust to the change.  Why do we resist?   We are often fearful of what the change will bring or fearful we will lose something important to us.  When fear is the issue,  faith can assist us and help us to be more adaptable.  It can help us see the benefits and growth involved with the changes we need to make.  Faith can also help us learn to cope in new ways where we once may have used controlling behaviors to create a sense of safety.  When faced with change, take time to assess the situation and then turn it over to God.  Allow yourself to release your fears by recognizing you have the instinctive ability to adapt within you and you can apply it to each and every situation you encounter.

©Nancy Hickman, M. Ed., LLC

A Time and a Season

This morning I heard that "there is a time and a season to everything".  I was shown connections to people and the recognition that some people come into our lives to stay and some come just for a season.  On a spiritual level, we are meant to connect with and learn from certain people.  Those encounters can teach us a life time of lessons or the connection can be meant to only last for a small amount of time.  Once we complete our lesson together, we may be destined to move on in separate directions.  Sometimes it can be hard to let go of a connection because we develop emotional attachments to people; however, hanging on to something that isn't meant to be can cause us more pain in the long run. 

How do we know when to move on?  Sometimes we have to pray for clarity.  At others we have to trust and let go.  If a relationship is meant to be in our lives, we should not have to grasp at it emotionally  to maintain the connection.   No relationship goes smoothly at all times; however, it is always important that the relationship be built on mutual respect and consideration. 

When a relationship leaves your life, or changes into a different one, learn to release it with love.  If your efforts to keep it together are not reciprocated, it may be your sign to let it go.  Acknowledge the lessons you learned from it and ask yourself if there is anything you would do differently?  Do you owe an amends?  Did you engage in the relationship knowing it wasn't a healthy choice?  Once you do that,  release it with love.  If it is meant to be, it will come back to you.  If it doesn't, it likely is not meant to be.

© Nancy Hickman, M.Ed., LLC

Whispered Words

From the time I was a little girl, I got messages from spirit.  I would sit in a field on our property and hear thoughts in my head offering love and support.   They were like words whispered in the wind.  Always kind and loving.

We all hear these loving words from time to time.  Some of us just don't always  recognize that inner voice is not always our own.  Loved ones will put thoughts in our head to help and reassure us but we might not always perceive those thoughts as from them.   They may be the thought in our head that tells us not to go somewhere at a certain time.  Then we find out there was an accident in that spot that evening.  They may tell us a relationship is turning unhealthy or to be cautious of someone.  Those little warnings and gut feelings are a gift from your loved ones.  Their way of watching over us  to try to positively influence our thinking.

Sitting in that field, I was quiet and open to listening.  That made it  easier for me to hear.  We are more likely to hear their messages if we allow ourselves to be quiet and clear our head of worries.    The words whispered to me have definitely prevented accidents, provided me with health information, warned me that my kids needed me and more.  What have you heard from your loved ones when you take the time to quiet your mind and listen?
© Nancy Hickman, M.Ed. LLC

The Plotting Heffalump

In Pooh's story, the Heffalump is a character that is never seen but feared.  Pooh is kept awake at night with visions of a Heffalump coming to take his honey.  In my meditation today, the Heffalump represents those things we think of that cause us fear and anxiety but  usually never come to fruition.  It is the part of our imagination that ruminates on things,  creating fear and interfering with our serenity.

During those times of fear, we are being triggered.  We usually feel threatened in some way or fear a loss of control in a situation.  It could also be that painful memories are coming back from the past, floating around and interfering with our serenity.   In those times it helps to start checking reality and reminding ourselves of the present.  We can make a gratitude list or ask ourselves, "what is the worst thing that could happen? Is it likely that it even would?"  Remember that even those painful parts of our past can be lessons that teach us how to have a better future.  Most importantly our memories are in the past and can only have the power to affect our future if we allow them too. 

In my meditation, I was shown a bubble representing the imagination and an angel deflating the bubble with an arrow.  The message was, "you always have faith to fall back on when you need it."  Allow your faith to deflate your fears by turning them over to God. When they come up, releasing them to Him can keep them in perspective and He can transform them into something less disturbing to your serenity.

© Nancy Hickman, M.Ed., LLC

"Honey? I don't eat honey. I'm afraid of bees...

Gaining Perspective

In meditation I saw some swirling energy.  The energy cleared away and I saw a woman sitting on a mountain top in a grassy area reading some scrolls.  The message is that "we can sometimes get confused by the situations around us.  At times it is necessary to seek a higher perspective to gain the knowledge we need to go forward."  It can be important to temporarily remove yourself from situations that overwhelm you emotionally to gain a new perspective.  Though we often want to act, the most prudent thing to do at times is to sit patiently for the wisdom to act in the most appropriate manner.  If you find yourself feeling off balance by a situation, pull away and take time for prayer and reflection.   The intuition you need to act appropriately will come when you are able to quiet your mind and listen.

© Nancy Hickman, M.Ed., LLC

Abundance Thinking

This morning in meditation I saw a gold flower.   The message is that "the Universe is abundant with loving, creative energy that can assist you in getting all your needs met."  Our thinking attracts our experiences by putting a signal out to the universe.  Every time we think a negative thought, our aura decreases in size and acts against us in attracting positive experiences.  When we think positively, our aura grows. That allows it to send out positive signals of attraction to attract the experiences we are looking for.  Remember to think in abundance.  "There is enough love, money, friendship, etc for me and everyone else to have all we need."   As you go about the day, be conscious of  your thinking and ask yourself "what signals am I sending out to the Universe?" This will help retrain your thinking to  "affirm and attract" the positive experiences you desire to have in your life.

© Nancy Hickman