Embracing Loss and Finding Light: A Journey of Healing

Navigating Through Grief and Pain

It seems as if we've all been experiencing an enormous amount of loss over the past few years. For some, that loss looks like a divorce, a job, a home, a friendship, self-worth, or even death. I am definitely no exception. This shared experience of loss is something we all have in common. With loss comes pain. Pain does not discriminate based on its cause. It simply exists. No matter what we are all going through, we feel the pain, and we're all just trying to get through it.

After several significant losses, I finally found a place of peace. I felt free to step forward and create what my new life would look like. Then, the biggest loss of all hit me unexpectedly. My dog, Spirit, who had been my rock through all those losses, passed away. I understand that people who have never known the love of a soul dog may not grasp the devastation of this loss. Spirit helped me through the death of my previous soul dog, Tink. He supported me through my dad's death and my divorce. Amid all the pain, stress, and chaos, Spirit was my constant. And now, that was gone too.

The Healing Journey

I did the work. I sat with the pain, journaled, meditated, prayed, set intentions, and practiced gratitude. I engaged in talk therapy, EMDR, cranial sacral therapy, crystal Reiki healing, spiritual coaching, equine therapy, and Thai massage therapy. I leaned on my loved ones for support and confided in them. I socialized, laughed, traveled, worked, practiced yoga, ran, hiked, swam, ate healthily, hydrated, read, and took baths. I did it all, and it worked for a few months. But then, the pain gradually crept back in again.

Our spiritual coach, Pasquale, recommended a meditation for the upcoming full moon. The goal was to release the pain and what no longer served me while setting intentions for my highest good. Initially, I hesitated and thought, "Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt!"

But then, my intuition softly overrode my ego, whispering, "Do it again."

I listened.

A New Approach to Meditation

This time, instead of lying in bed visualizing the full moon just outside my door, I ventured outside, barefoot, and sat in the dirt. I didn't have to visualize the brilliance of the moon; I just had to look up.

I grabbed a rose quartz crystal that was lying on the gravel near me. Rose quartz attracts self-love, so I secured the crystal in front of me, postured into a traditional meditation pose, and began to breathe.

I got lost in the moonlight until eventually, I closed my eyes and allowed the glow of the moon to wash over me. I placed the palms of my hands on the Earth beside me. My only intention was to breathe and let go. I invited the light to enter every cell in my body, unblocking and releasing all that was holding me back.

The difference in this meditation was that there were no thoughts commanding my actions. I simply allowed myself to feel it.

Seeking Guidance from the Universe

Then, I asked the moon, the universe, and my spirit team for guidance for my highest good. Nothing specific—just guidance.

Suddenly, the motion detector light I was sitting near turned on. Strangely, it hadn't turned on when I sat down, and there didn't seem to be any other movement nearby. I could see the bright light intruding into the darkness behind my closed eyes. I tried my best to ignore it and stay connected to the moon and my intention of seeking guidance.

The light turned off. The darkness returned, and immediately my mind and body relaxed back into a meditative state. Then, that light turned on again. I checked in with my body, ensuring I was as still as possible so that annoying light would turn off and stay off. The more I stayed still, the more the light turned on and off repeatedly, almost in a rhythmic pattern. I had no choice but to lean into that as well. I surrendered and accepted it as part of the process.

Understanding the Intrusiveness of Light

Then it dawned on me to ask myself why the light felt so intrusive. In the darkness, I could just be. I could be me—fully and completely. I was free to be whatever version of myself showed up at that moment. The light shining on me made me feel like I had to do it right. I had to sit up straight, breathe properly, focus, say just the right things, and listen for just the right amount of time to receive the perfect answer.

Well, I did receive my perfect answer, just not in the way I had expected. With a deep exhale, I gently smiled, looked back up at the full moon, mischievously smirked, rolled my eyes, and uttered under my breath, "Good one." I laughed to myself.

What's even crazier is that after my little chuckle, I repeated my gratitude for the guidance as I always do. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

And then, the light turned off. It stayed off.

The Power of Simplicity

The light remained off even when I jumped at the sound of the outside air-conditioning unit suddenly turning on. It stayed off when I completed my meditation, as I do in yoga, with a "Namaste," prayer hands to my heart, prayer hands to my third eye, a gentle bow, and prayer hands back at my heart with love and gratitude.

It stayed off as I stood up and walked back into the house.

We often look for grandiose answers, epiphanies, and undeniable signs. Yet, most of the time, the truth is quieter and simpler.

Just be.

Conclusion: A Whole-Person Approach to Healing

At Free Spirit Coaching & Psychological Services, we believe in a whole-person approach to healing. Change isn't just mental; it's emotional, spiritual, and physical too. No single practitioner can hold all of that alone. That's why we brought together a team of specialists, each contributing a unique piece to the healing puzzle.

Whether you're drawn to the stillness of the outdoors or the comfort of an indoor space, every session is designed around you—mind, body, and spirit.

READY FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT? Request an Appointment Today!