Staying Grounded and Centered During Challenging Times

With everything happening in the world right now, you may need to add more coping strategies.  The goal is to stay mindfully in the present moment so that your mind doesn’t get stuck ruminating about negative situations.  Even though things are quickly changing, you still have the choice of where you put your thoughts and energy. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed, staying in the present moment is essential.  Someone recently asked me what to do when your present moment sucks. You create a shift to a new present moment.  

First, acknowledge your feelings. Then, take three deep breaths, inhaling peace, calm, and serenity — exhale and release all troubling thoughts. You can continue with this breathing exercise or do a simple activity like washing the dishes. Only focus on washing the dishes, nothing else. That becomes your new ‘present moment.’

The day after the  U.S. election, I did the breathing exercise, which helped. However, I caught myself slipping into thinking about the future and everything he said he would do. I knew I didn’t want to go down that slippery slope, so instead, I swept and mopped my entire house. I felt calm and peaceful during the activity and have remained in that centered and grounded space.

Spend time in nature. I take my dog on a long walk whenever I feel off balance. I concentrate on taking deep breaths while I walk.  I clear my mind and focus on what I am seeing, hearing, smelling. As I walk, I hold the space to receive any messages the Divine has for me. 

Clear the negative energy. Light sage or use a shaker to clear yourself and your space of any negativity. Visualize releasing anything that is not for your highest good. Light candles, burn incense, play sacred music, and move your body.  Breathe in calming, clearing energy, and exhale everything you want to release.

Acknowledge your feelings. If you skip this step and don’t allow yourself to process everything fully, those feelings can surface in unhealthy ways, like acting out with others, getting sick, or having mental and emotional struggles.  Journaling or talking with someone is an excellent way to understand your feelings better so that you can release them.  Welcome your tears. Crying is a powerful way to release what you no longer want.

Trust Spirit. When things look and feel dark, you can get stuck in despair. We are limited in our ability to see the future. Don’t make assumptions based on fear. It can be challenging to see beyond what is happening. Spirit knows things that you don’t.

Surround yourself with nurturing things that bring you peace and comfort. I amp up my regular spiritual practice — listening to more sacred music, lighting candles and incense more frequently, praying and meditating more often, and ensuring I always have some crystals for protection and healing on my body and near my bed.  What I put inside my body is also essential. I make healthy choices in what I eat and drink, including some of my favorite comfort foods. 

Take better care of your body during stressful times. LOVE your body and yourself.  Exercise, dance, sing, eat healthy, take nutritional supplements that help with stress, get a massage, have a healing, meditate, and create a healthy sleep environment.

Pay attention to how you spend your time. Make healthy choices. Read a book, listen to an uplifting podcast, play your favorite music, and connect with people who make you feel nurtured, calm, and loved.  Avoid unhealthy choices, especially anything that can negatively affect your mood. If you feel drained after spending time with certain people, limiting your time with them is okay. 

Stop watching the news - Instead, fill yourself with positive, uplifting information. If that feels too difficult, at least limit your exposure to the news.

The power of affirmations — they work! Spend some time meditating about areas you need to work on. Write affirmations for yourself and commit to starting every day by reading them. During the day, when you feel unbalanced or stressed, reread them. You may also want to reread them when you go to bed. 

Gratitude. Every day, preferably at bedtime, write a short gratitude list. It is essential to remind ourselves that even in the darkest times, good things are still happening in our lives. It could be something simple like “I am grateful for the hummingbirds that come drink from my feeder.”  Or maybe you are grateful to your friend who shared their wisdom.  Reminding yourself of the goodness in your life helps to keep you grounded and centered rather than feeling stuck in the darkness.  Here is one of mine: “I am filled with gratitude that I get to share my wisdom, hope, inspiration, and healing with others.”

Bring more laughter into your life. Watch a comedy. Laugh with your friends. Find the lightness and cleansing that laughter brings. 

Find joy. You may need to meditate and journal what truly brings you joy. Keep the list handy to bring more happiness to yourself and others. 

Spend time with animals. Unconditional love is so important, and they know how to give it to you. If you don’t have a pet, consider getting one, or hang out with one of your friend's pets.

Identify your tribe. Having at least one person who completely “groks” you is so valuable. To be seen, heard, and understood is one of the best gifts you can give someone. Find your peeps, and create a space for a loving exchange of energy with each other.

Create a Spiritual Support Group — find people on a similar path and commit to regularly meeting with each other.. One of my healing clients in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, is organizing a group. She has requested that everyone who participates has at least read my book — even better if you have had a healing with me. If you are interested in her group, message me, and I will pass it on to her.  

For those having difficulty finding your peeps in your area, consider organizing a ZOOM support group to broaden your outreach. If anyone wants to create a ZOOM group, I will forward any messages I receive from people who wish to participate.

Catch yourself and make healthy corrections. Watch what you say and tell yourself. For example, if you think, “I can’t get over these overwhelmed feelings.”  Stop and say, “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to say that. Let me rephrase it.”  You could replace it with “I love myself. I release and let go of any overwhelmed feelings I have.”  If you have difficulty believing your affirmations, you can journal, or talk with someone to look more deeply at what is behind you holding on to unhealthy thoughts and behavoirs.. 

Try to find the commonality we all share. Instead of focusing on the differences, see what you have in common with those “on the other side.”  It is not helpful to hold an “us against them” mindset.   

Hearing, seeing, and acknowledging another person is a powerful gift. Imagine if you were trying to discuss global warming with a nonbeliever. What if first you asked them why they have certain beliefs about global warming? Then, instead of arguing, repeat what they said to show them you heard it correctly. Gaze into their eyes, sending loving-kindness to their heart. Please take a few deep breaths and share your global warming beliefs with them. If we can avoid the “I’m right, you are wrong” energy, it will enhance our communication with others.

The Buddhist Loving Kindness meditation blessing can help you with this practice. There are many versions of the Loving Kindness meditation. You can use one below or customize your own.

Sit with your eyes closed. Take some deep breaths. Clear your mind.

First, you begin with yourself:

“May I be happy.”

“May I be safe.”

“May I be healthy, peaceful, and strong.”

“May I give and receive appreciation today.”

Now repeat the blessing for all sentient beings:

“May you be happy.”

“May you be safe.”

“May you be healthy, peaceful, and strong.”

“May you give and receive appreciation today.”

—VeryWellMind.com,

“How to Practice Loving Kindness Meditation”

Another examples of the Loving Kindness blessing:

“May I be filled with loving-kindness.”

“May I be well in body and mind.”

“May I be at ease and happy.”

“May you be filled with loving-kindness.”

“May you be well in body and mind.”

“May you be at ease and happy.”

—JackKornfield.com

Meditation on Loving Kindness”

Think about it for a second. If your ‘enemies" have plenty of loving-kindness, safety, wellness, and happiness, they have a better chance of having a more open and compassionate mind. Who knows, they may even think about awakening and enlightenment. We don’t always know how we affect others. At the very least, you showed them how to be empathic, kind, and compassionate, even when you disagree.

You will also witness changes in your own life. When you come from a place of loving-kindness, it fills your life with more compassion and empathy. When you are in that space, it is easier for others to hear and accept what you are saying.

Based on my spiritual experiences and information from my Spirit Guides, the key to lasting change is people waking up to their spiritual purpose. We are out of balance with our world. Many things happening right now are trying to get our attention, wake us up, and get us to think and act differently.

If you would like help with being more grounded and centered, healing things out of balance, or finding your Divine purpose and moving forward on your spiritual journey, contact me.

I would love to hear about some of the tools you use for staying grounded and centered.

Peace & Blessings,

Chloe

Visions of a Seer

For years, I denied my visions, insisting they were random or coincidental. Because most of them occurred during my dreams, it was easy to assume it was merely an exciting or surprising dream. Then the visions started happening while I was completely awake and individuals began identifying me as a Seer. 

When Eduardo Morales, the shamanic curandero I have worked with in Mexico, also called me a Seer, I decided to learn more. The dictionary describes a Seer as “one that sees; one that predicts events or developments; a person credited with extraordinary moral and spiritual insight.” Some describe Seers as “higher level psychics with the expanded and more evolved power of premonitions.” Seers may also be called oracles or visionaries. 

If you could discover what is coming in the future, would you desire to know? Some individuals hold the viewpoint that if your visions of the future are not entirely optimistic and upbeat, it is not advisable to disclose them, as it may generate unfavorable energy. I feel a responsibility to share the information. My visions are a gift from the Divine. I don’t request them—they simply appear.

As someone who has faith in the Divine as the messenger, I don’t perceive that receiving or sharing these visions with others generates negative energy. I see them as a gift from the Divine, with the intention I will use them to guide and prepare myself and others.

In my recent musing, “Silence Brings Clarity and Predictions for the Future,” I mentioned my visions have shown me that things will become much worse in our world by late fall. Many had the impression that I was talking about the November 4 election in the United States and assumed that if their candidate wins, everything will be fine. Sorry, the US elections are only one aspect of what might lead to significant upheaval. Worldwide problems, conflicts, and disasters will intensify. 

Hurricane Helene is a perfect recent example. As many continue to deny that Climate Change exists, we see Asheville, NC, and surrounding areas devastated by the storm. With an altitude of more than 2,000 feet and at least 300 miles from a coastline, this is not a place where one would expect a hurricane to have the ability to destroy it. 

This Asheville disaster hit me hard. I lived in Asheville for 12 years; my son still lives there. When I realized it was not a typical storm and could not contact my son, it was challenging to stay grounded and centered. I had to force myself to stop looking at the Asheville news and leave my house to be around some different energy. Fortunately, my favorite holiday was happening in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I sat and watched a beautiful parade filled with amazing dancers, costumes, drumming, other percussion instruments, and lots of copal. Inhaling this wonderful experience, I experienced a greater sense of tranquility and focus. During the parade I received a Spirit Guide message, which served as a reminder that when my son truly needs me, he connects with my soul. 

The most extraordinary time this happened was when I was staying at a cabin my son knew nothing about. Around 3 am, I woke up, startled to see my son’s soul body standing in the bedroom doorway. I took a few moments to make sure I was fully awake and not dreaming. 

I asked him, “What are you doing here?”

He replied, “The Big One told me to come here.”

Understanding his words as alluding to a higher power, I found solace in the belief that he was being led by the Divine. With this idea, I went back to sleep, trusting that he was in excellent hands.

Since I had no cell service at the cabin, I went home early the following day. At precisely the same time my son’s soul body appeared at the cabin, he had called my house and left a voice message, telling me the house where he was staying had been robbed, and asking if I would help him move to Asheville.

When I got home from the parade on Saturday, there was a message from my nephew that he had reached my son. The message arrived at the same time I had the realization at the parade that my son would find a way to contact me. 

As these disasters and upheavals continue, staying calm, grounded, and centered can be challenging. I have faith that is one of the key reasons Spirit is bestowing me with the visions. You may not know the details of everything that is coming, but you can prepare yourself. My best suggestion for preparing yourself is to strengthen your spiritual life. Embracing spiritual practices can provide a sense of reassurance and guidance in these unsettling times.  

Get Your Toolbox Ready

• Create a list of things that bring you comfort and keep you grounded and calm, and make sure you have easy access to them. 

• Find and listen to sacred music that lifts and inspires you.

• Experiment with percussion instruments to find which speaks to your soul. I have a shaker that I use to clear energy. 

• Meditate. If you find it difficult, try some guided meditation. 

• Journaling is a great way to explore your thoughts and feelings. Acknowledge what you are experiencing and then release it.

• Pray every day. And when you are overwhelmed, pray throughout the day.

• Breathe deeply and mindfully.

• Eat well.

• Consider adding some natural supplements that help with stress.

• Get some crystals that offer protection. I wear jewelry with protective crystals because I want them to touch my body. At night, I remove my bracelets and put them on my bed to protect myself while I sleep. Here are some crystals that offer special protection:

  • Amethyst - protection, stress relief, clarity

  • Black Jade - protection from negative people and situations

  • Black Obisidan - removes negativity

  • Black Tourmaline - absorbs negative energy

  • Clear Quartz - helps to balance your emotions

  • Green Jade - helps release negative energy; enables you to stay grounded and calm

  • Hematite - shields you against negative energy

  • Malachite - absorbs negative emotional energy

  • Onyx - helps shield from negative energies and eliminates fears

  • Pyrite - provides a shield to protect you from negative influences and energies

  • Rhodonite - assists with emotional healing

  • Rose Quartz - attracts positivity, shields you from negativity

  • Selenite - good for bringing peace, clarity, and a calm state

  • Smoky Quartz - protects you from negative energy

  • Tigers’s Eye - protects your well-being 

  • Turquoise - enhances your empowerment and inner strength

• Find your peeps now. It is essential to have at least a few people, or even just one person, who is on a similar path. The support you can provide for one another is incredibly strong. It is important to have support during troubling times.

I would love to hear how you are preparing for unsettling times. Or, share with us what tools you use to cope when you are having a difficult time. Opening up about your methods for managing stress can not only be helpful to others, but also cultivate a sense of connection and support during these challenging times.

Remember, even amid uncertainty, there is always hope. Let’s stay hopeful and positive as we navigate these unsettling times.

Peace, Blessings, Love, and Light.

Chloe  

Taking Responsibility for Your Health

Whether you use alternative healing modalities or receive traditional Western medical care, your treatment will be more effective if you show up as an open-minded and willing partner. Taking an active role in your health can lead to a better outcome.

Staying grounded and centered can help you gain more clarity about your situation, making it easier to decide how to proceed.  

When I feel something is out of balance, I first take a thorough inventory of my symptoms. Details include what was happening when they started and looking carefully to determine if I was doing anything different before the symptoms appeared. Then, I decide what action I will take.

Recently, I had an opportunity to practice what I teach. For a week, I would feel fine one day and so sick the next that I could barely get out of bed. On my “off” days, I was extremely exhausted and achy. It didn’t make sense that I felt good one day and could barely function the next.

First, I closely reviewed everything that had happened when I started feeling poorly. I realized I had been eating chocolate every day. It was gluten-free cake, so I thought eating it was fine. I had also been consuming some foods with regular flour; since it wasn’t causing me to bloat, I assumed it was not a problem. Those were the only dietary differences; I cut them out.

My next step was to dig deeper into how I spent my time before I started feeling sick. I identified two significant things: I had been working a lot and was on the verge of feeling burned out. There were also some things I did not want to do, but I did them anyway.

After two days of cutting back on my work and tweaking my diet, I felt like myself again. After a few weeks, I participated in something I did not want to attend. I received several Spirit messages asking me to cancel, but unfortunately, I ignored them. Guess what?!? The extreme fatigue and achy body came back.

I realized what was happening this time and spoke frankly with my Spirit Guides. “Thank you for getting my attention with the fatigue and aches. I promise I will not keep agreeing to do things I don’t want to do. You do not need to cause me to be sick this time — I see and hear your message loud and clear.”

Although I had already started to feel achy and tired, I felt fine by the time I got home that day.

If I had not been willing to take responsibility for my health, I might have blamed the healer (me) when I started feeling poorly again. Rather than assume my “healer” didn’t do a good job the first time, I intuitively knew to review everything again. 

Sometimes, people who receive healing will blame their healer or doctor if their problems resurface or persist. These clients want to be “fixed” but do not want to do any personal work to help heal. If you have an alternative healing or medical treatment and don’t make individual changes that your healer or doctor recommends, don’t expect the healing results to last. It will be difficult to have genuine, lasting healing if you continue with the habits and behaviors that contributed to your getting sick. 

I would love to hear what you do to take responsibility for your health.

Peace & Blessings,

Chloe