Help for Empaths: Navigating the Should’s

This topic arises so often in sessions that I feel led to address it here, too. Many times, life tugs in different directions. Empaths, especially, sense how our own decisions affect the people we know and love. To some extent, this is a good thing. A person who lacks any empathy is also known as a narcissist or sociopath, so yes, we do need awareness of how our behavior and attitudes affect other people.

However …

Empaths feel the emotions, attitudes, energy and thoughts of other people to a sometimes debilitating degree. Even the thought of hurting someone else hurts us. Without protection, we feel the disappointment, judgment, illness or whatever other pain of someone else within ourselves. When lived unconsciously, empathic “gifts” feel awful. Mysterious body aches, overwhelming sadness, anxiety, general confusion or lack of desire: I always advise empaths to ask, “Is this mine?” Because many times, it’s not. Good energy hygiene aides discernment.

I call this the Energy Brush Off, but it’s also a Japanese technique called Kenyoku or “dry bathing.” Bring your right hand to your left shoulder and then sweep down your arm, past your fingertips. Repeat on the other side, left hand to right shoulder, sweep down past your fingertips. Alternate sides three times, then flick your fingers like you washed your hands and can’t find a towel.

Repeat morning and night, like you brush your teeth. You can also do the Energy Brush Off anytime you felt good until you interacted with someone or something then suddenly felt tired, angry, sad, oppressed or “not as good as you did before.” Sudden shifts in health, emotions or energy levels often indicate some kind of empathic exchange. Brush that energy off before it settles in and becomes “yours.” It won’t really be all yours, but it becomes much more difficult to sense your own emotions, desires, attitudes, hopes and dreams when you embody those of everyone around you.

Good energy hygiene offers a regular reset to your own energy field. The more often you return to yourself, the more you recognize your own energy, including your own longings and desires.

Garden Update ~ Less Work, More Fun

2019 remains my lowest maintenance garden year yet. While I have very few edible annuals growing, the herbs, flowers and fruiting shrubs continue to produce. Our bird and butterfly population keeps growing, too. With temperatures finally in the 80’s, the slowpoke basil took off, and frequent nighttime rains plus well rooted perennials mean I’ve only needed to water the garden three times so far!

I’ve been waiting forever for these Casablanca lilies to bloom. I love how they contrast with the butterfly friendly liatris.

I thought the Polar Vortex claimed all my hummingbird mint,

Foundational Shifts and Incremental Upgrades

Have you noticed? So many times when we set forth a big goal or intention, we have a vague idea of what we’d like, but no nuts and bolts understanding of how to do it. How would it feel? How did our future self “get there”?

Many times, a really big upgrade requires a foundational shift. Minor issues at the current level would become major with more energy, more visibility, more wealth, more, more, more anything. We might not realize it now, but the bigger part of us connected to All That Is knows and course corrects.

Building a castle on a cracked foundation risks disaster. Flying higher with faulty wings isn’t wise. Real, lasting achievement of this magnitude requires repair first, in order to build or soar later — with confidence, grace and joy.

If you’ve set a big goal or intended something far beyond your current reach, take a moment to appreciate any foundational shifts or incremental upgrades:

What fell apart or faded away after you launched your goal?

In what ways might this loss be a good or necessary thing?

What weak areas did it expose?

What old wounds or resentments surprised you by reappearing?

What new opportunities for healing and integration presented themselves?

How have you seized or resisted these opportunities?

In what ways has your life improved during your longer quest?

Which incremental upgrades joined the journey without you noticing?

In a world of “instant manifestation,” “Law of Attraction” and “spontaneous healing,” I hear from so many people who feel discouraged or impatient with their progress. Yes, sometimes we block ourselves from moving forward, but it helps to take stock once in awhile. You might be further along than you imagine.

Healing and abundance often sneak through the back door while we pine away on the front porch. Only when we go back inside do we notice how our living space has changed.

The Lion Dream

On May 9, I mentioned having some powerful dreams right when the Moon conjuncted my natal Mercury at 4 degrees Gemini. I had one and then another three-part dream, which I recorded right afterwards and shared with a few friends. I had not planned to post details here, except my sweet Faery Twin Tania Marie mentioned having a similar dream in the comments of today’s post about July’s astro energies.

Tania shared: “interesting mars in leo connection to last night’s dream of a male lion following/coming at me (not threatening, but definitely getting my attention). weird that in dream i say to myself, this is the second time a lion comes at me in a dream – but i don’t actually remember dreaming of this another time. 🙂 good stuff”

me: “Remember, though, I had that amazing dream about the giant male lion a couple months ago! Maybe that’s what you were thinking about. 🙂 I had a dream on the weekend where people were turning into cats standing on two legs. They would eat one bird and then change back into people. It wasn’t violent–more surreal. Wild stuff. 🙂 ”

Tania: “hmmm, interesting. that could be. didn’t remember your dream. i think i may have had a lioness once, and the white jaguar. it was very clear to me when the lion came at me, that i’d seen this before and was being told it was second time. so could be bleed through of yours, or i’ve actually had it before in a dream state i just don’t remember and now am with the trigger again. in either case, very cool! since we’re twins it makes sense. your dream is wild for sure with cat people 😉 ”

me: “In my dream, I actually had the same thing happen where the huge lion walked across our patio, and I ‘heard’ ‘this is a miracle. remember this’ and then I had three, back to back recurring dreams where the lion came up in memory in the dream. It was significant, and it also bled through … . In my dream, it was like an Aslan figure. I used to have cat dreams ALL the time– tigers, jaguars, shapeshifting people into tigers, cougars … but until the lion dream I hadn’t had any for many years. Then this weekend I had the cat-people dream. 🙂 ”

This synergy of lion dreams leads me to share both the comment exchange and my dream here in case it holds broader messages for other people.

Shortly after my lion dream (below), I emailed Timothy Glenn, who was part of the dream, and it turned out the timing and events were highly synchronous to real time events in his own life. My recent cat dream, along with Tania’s lion dream with similar “remembering” effects, seems timely once again, so here’s my three-part lion dream:

Eclipse Season and July 2019 Specials

Just a reminder that tomorrow (July 16th) brings our second July eclipse, this one a Lunar Eclipse. Also of note, it’s not just Mercury Retrograde right now. Chiron, Neptune, Pluto, Saturn and Jupiter join Mercury in that retrograde motion, along with the North and South Nodes (although Rx is normal for the Nodes).

In other words, if you feel a bit off, slow, or your communications have gone wonky, give yourself a little break. Mars in Leo, Sun and Venus in Cancer, and Uranus in Taurus are moving forward, but pretty much everything else says, “Step back, re-evaluate, review, pause. What have you learned? What calls out for healing and recalibration? Focus there, for now. This, too, shall pass.”

Laura Bruno's Blog

An eventful July begins with a Total Solar Eclipse on July 2 at 10 degrees Cancer. If you have any personal planets at 10 degrees Cancer or Capricorn, you’ll feel this one in a big way. Ditto for anyone with 10 degrees Libra/Aries, which will be squared (creates friction/action) by the eclipse.

On July 8th, Mercury moves retrograde, conjuncting Mars in fiery Leo, which may increase impulsive action. You might also feel more tension than usual between acting and thinking. On the 9th, Chiron (wounded healer/deep inner wound) goes retrograde at 5 Aries, which will affect anything you have around 5 degrees Aries/Libra/Cancer/Capricorn. We’ve also got upcoming astro-weather involving Mars/Uranus, Venus/Pluto, and the Sun/North Node. You can find a more detailed overview of July 2019’s intense astrology here.

On July 16th, we’ll have a Lunar Eclipse at 24 degrees Capricorn. If that sounds familiar, have a look back at…

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Reiki Level 2 Certification in Kalamazoo, MI

The next Reiki Level 2 Certification Class in Kalamazoo, Michigan is coming up midweek at the end of July. Kalamazoo is less than an hour south of Grand Rapids, 2 hours and 20 minutes from Chicago, and a little over 2 hours from Detroit. Pre-registration and Reiki Level 1 Certification (by me or another instructor) are required.

Reiki Level 2 Certification Class in Kalamazoo, MI

Wednesday, July 31, 2019, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

This interactive class includes:

• Reiki Level 2 Attunement.
• Experiencing Reiki energy.
• Discussion of 21-day cleanse.
• Establishing a Reiki practice.
• Different qualities of Reiki energy
• Techniques for replacing addictions and bad habits with better ones.
• Clearing rooms & cleaning crystals
• Chakras and healing.
• Mental/Emotional Balance technique
• How to send Reiki thru time & space (long distance healing)
• How to amplify Reiki energy.

At the end of the training, each student will receive a certificate acknowledging completion of Reiki Level 2, as well as recognition as a Reiki Level 2 Practitioner. Taking any Reiki training with me also qualifies each student to audit (at no cost) any additional Reiki classes taught by me, up to and including the level completed with me (space permitting).

Rate: $275 ($250 if prepaid two weeks early.)

Please contact me with questions about Reiki Certification or to sign up for this class.

The Sunflower Saga, Synchronicity and the NAPC

This very long, dramatic post wants to go up again. Perhaps it holds a message for someone wondering whether or not to pay attention to intuition, dreams or premonitions.

While I cannot explain the how of everything shared in this 2014 post, five years later, I continue to affirm the value of listening and discernment. Sometimes, we can jiggle a timeline, but sometimes larger forces seem to barrel through life, knocking down anything in their way. In those moments, a timely sidestep nudged by recurring dreams or signs can mean the difference between finding a new opportunity, making the most of “Fate,” or rushing in where angels fear to tread.

Whether we call these larger forces an astrological transit, Divine Providence, or kismet, I’ve noticed that paying attention tends to lead me in positive, joyful directions, even if the messages seem “negative.” Pushing against such inner and synchronous outer messages tends to get me into trouble. Talking with thousands of clients for nearly two decades has confirmed that we all have some intuition. Learning how and when to trust ourselves forms a huge part of our journey and can dramatically improve quality of life.

During this intense July filled with revelations, eclipses, and personal choices, I wish everyone extra discernment, love and wisdom. You are loved, and you will find your way.

Laura Bruno's Blog

In a life of extreme synchronicity, prophetic dreams and generally inexplicable things, the following series of events comes in very close to the top of strangeness. To those few of you who’ve heard part of the sunflower saga as it relates to my ticket to the North American Permaculture Convergence, I can only say, “But wait! There’s more.” I hadn’t planned to share this in public, but the entire situation has become so odd and so illustrative that I feel called to do so. Warning: this will be a mighty long and mighty weird post. 🙂

Some of you may remember how excited I was to announce that I’d be attending the first ever North American Permaculture Convergence and the following whirlwind Driftless Area Bus Tour of farms, including Seed Savers Exchange. Ann Kreilkamp of Exopermaculture and I planned to carpool together, and I was as thrilled to cook…

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Easy Peasy and Mercury Retrograde

Just a quick update to say my second set of wisdom teeth surgery went very well, especially compared to the first surgery in December 1994. This surgery took only 20 minutes, whereas that first one took four hours!

Last night I checked out my own astrological transits for today’s surgery compared to the surgery on December 26, 1994. Holy, moly! No wonder I almost didn’t awaken from the anesthesia in ’94. I had six Jupiter transits (often associated with death), including transit Jupiter exactly conjunct my natal Neptune. Jupiter enlarges everything it touches, and of all the planets, Neptune would be the one closest to drifting away in an anesthetic or opiate haze. I basically OD’d on anesthesia, because natural redheads uptake anesthesia very differently than others.They used so much to knock me out, but then it took me an alarming amount of time to come to.

On December 26, 1994, Pluto (planet of death, destruction and rebirth) had also just begun a long opposition of both my natal Midheaven and Sun. It would continue pummeling my entire packed 10th house with very little break from 1995-2008. Had I known astrology way back when, I would certainly have opted for different timing.

Everything works out for the best, though, and this latest surgery nearly 25 years later feels like such synchronized completion, perfect for a Mercury Retrograde. Redo, revamp, reclaim, recharge … all the re-‘s work well during a Mercury Rx period. So far, homeopathic arnica and hypericum are doing their post-surgery thing. I opted for no narcotics, and so far so good. All I feel is relief and a little bit of a puffy right cheek.

Thanks to everyone who’s sent prayers, Reiki and good wishes. The doctor confirmed my sense that I’ll be good to go for the lighter days of sessions I have scheduled this Thursday and Friday. Many blessings to all, and Happy Mercury Retrograde! If you dread these time periods, here’s an old post reminding you of how to make the most of Merc Rx.

If you need to do any of the non-recommended tasks during this period, just be extra careful of paperwork and communication. Many of my best, most long lasting decisions occurred during Merc Rx periods. I happen to love them, as they give a bit of wiggle room on things that might otherwise feel like a big, scary commitment. Blessings and enjoy the journey!

Garden Update and a Whirlwind PA Trip

On Wednesday, I returned from a whirlwind trip to PA to help my mom, aka “Momma Jane” prepare for another move — this time from a standalone house into a 2BR apartment in an active retirement community where many of her friends live. She’ll hire packers and movers, but my 5-day trip laid the legal, financial, insurance and emotional groundwork for her shift. Big mountains (of paperwork!) moved. The weather in PA was hot, hot, hot to this Michigan gal, but on my last full day there, we remembered to take a sweaty selfie:

I came back to a raucously blooming garden that needed a bit of deadheading but otherwise maintained itself. Here’s some seasonal red, white and blue:

Red bergamot “fireworks” with a bumble bee up front

Madonna lily in bloom

Delphiniums on the Fourth of July

… and pinks:

Where Were You in December 1994?

I’m reposting this May 2018 post, because these themes and this time period are very “up” for me right now. As synchronicity would have it, I’m having my second set of wisdom teeth removed on Monday, July 8.

I’ve had a long standing agreement with David that I would have this done if it ever became over-the-top obvious that it was time. Everything aligned to make it beyond obvious and also timely to use this surgery as a kind of shamanic timeline tweak. Unlike the first set of wisdom teeth, which were heavily impacted and growing in sideways, these wisdom teeth are already out. According to the oral surgeon, this looks like an easy removal process, and my inner knowing tells me the same. Between dreams, dental x-rays, astrological transits and general intuition, this feels like a “tying up of loose ends,” “correct the foundation before I build on it” kind of event. Since this December 1994-Summer 1995 time window has come up again for several people in sessions, I thought I’d reblog the article, in the event that it brings some epiphanies, healing and new opportunities to others, too.

Laura Bruno's Blog

Today’s post comes from a series of recent dreams, along with some surprising follow-up that came through in last week’s intuitive coaching sessions. When exploring this dream information brought forth key moments in clients’ and friends’ lives, I began researching the astrology of late 1994 and found some potent alignments. Since this seems to be part of a larger pattern, I thought I’d share some of the dream and discoveries here.

I have always been a huge dreamer, both awake and asleep. My painted portal doors and “Schizandra and the Gates of Mu” all came through dreams, and dreams have guided my most important decisions since childhood. In fact, my waking life includes so many overt signs, symbols and surreal instant manifesations that it often feels more dreamlike than not. I set an intention before going to sleep one night last week, asking to find the most relevant time period…

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