Embracing Summer

As the sky changes from light to deep blue, we feel the transition to summer.

The only thing that has been constant in our lives is change. At this point we have no benchmarks, no quantifiable measures on which to stand. We were directed into what was open to us, and now it is time to once again lean into self; to embrace our voices, our being, and our dreams.

Are you living life fully? Are you embracing all the possibilities that await you? We get used to seeing24
our personal worlds with limitations and restrictions – so used to this that it becomes a mindset. It takes just a few weeks to form a habit. Who would have thought that being in lockdown would become a way of life, a normal? We had justification for not following through on our deepest wishes, but now that those restrictions are lifted, we need to check in and ensure that we are not placing ourselves in
lockdown.

Summer “to-live” list:
Step 1 – Discovery:

  • What 3 things (or more) have you been wanting to do that you can now do?
  • What experiences await you that are only open to you in the summer?
  • What foods can you eat that summer brings?

Step 2 – Celebration:

  • How are you going to celebrate your summer freedom?
  • How are you celebrating yourself?

Step 3 – Dream, Be, Do
Get out your journal and write the answer to the following:

If you could have a perfect day, what would it look like? This would be a day without restrictions,
obligations or limits – financial, emotional, physical or other limits.

  •  Who would you spend time with? What would you be doing? What foods would you be eating?
  • What would you be watching, listening to, or reading? Anything goes, in this vision exercise.
  •  Now from this list, what can you start doing right now? Can you add this activity to each day,
    making a single moment of each day perfect?

Summer is a time to reap the rewards, unleash your creativity, explore new opportunities and embrace
life.

What does your summer bucket list have in it?

Many Blessings,
Santa

RUNNING THROUGH DARKNESS
MEMOIR OF A SPIRITUAL WARRIOR

BY SANTA MOLINA-MARSHALL ‧ RELEASE DATE: MAY 3, 2022

This debut memoir chronicles a woman’s spiritual exploration and growth as she overcame a disturbing childhood and helped others heal.

Brought to America from the Dominican Republic as a youngster, Molina-Marshall should have led a happy life. Her father was a diligent worker, and his large family wanted for nothing. But the author recounts that her dad had a drinking problem and was a serial philanderer. Molina-Marshall’s long-suffering mother left him for a woman. Then it was all downhill for the bright, 12-year-old girl, who was shuttled between foster care and relatives. According to the author, she was sexually abused by the husband of one of her siblings. This resulted in Molina-Marshall becoming alienated and moody. By 15, she simply tried to survive. In her favor were grit and a restless intelligence. She quit school, rented a room, and found a factory job. Time went by, and for a while she was happily married. Yet when her husband left her, her life truly began. She turned to religion for answers but decided that blaming God for her woes was a cop-out. 

In this absorbing and moving memoir, Molina-Marshall’s vivid storytelling is fearless. She frankly discusses the truths she discovered and the indignities she suffered. These admissions are disclosed with a touch of resignation and plenty of bite. However painful, everything she experienced was a lesson, and she bravely realized that she was part of the problem: “The fear of being hurt, rejected, or abused often led to me feeling lonely and misunderstood. No one knew the agonizing pain I felt being trapped in my thoughts and anger. I was becoming my biggest threat.” 

The author skillfully recounts her intricate spiritual journey. To deal with her psychic wounds, she searched for an inspirational system. Her open-mindedness led her to the interfaith concept—cherry-picking from various religions and spiritual movements, yoga, and Indigenous beliefs as a way of finding peace. Along with her female partner, she built a therapy practice, making use of every spiritual element that aided her and others. The road was bumpy, and she found that women of color in same-sex relationships were not welcomed everywhere. To do good works—and finally live on her own terms—she effectively overcame bigotry.

An engrossing, cathartic account of empathy and success through determination and confidence.

Pub Date: May 3, 2022   |    ISBN: 978-0-578-38315-6  |   Page Count: 264    | Publisher: From Trauma to Triumph  |   Review Posted Online: June 13, 2022