Permission to wish with no limits

The start of the new year comes with a great deal of expectations.  Many of us think about how we will do things differently, and what we want to change.  As a result, we set goals and desires about where we will be and what we hope to accomplish.  Perhaps you did this last year, and as you look at your life now, you find some of those goals were not achieved.  Unexpected things happen in life and we cannot foresee what will unfold.  Forgive yourself for what you think you failed to accomplish.  Instead of judging where you should be by the standards of others, look at how you really feel about your life in this moment. Start by looking at all the things going right in your world, and the things you are truly grateful for.  When you do this, you will find that although last year’s wishes may not have become reality, you do have many things going well for you right now.  The possibilities before you are endless.

Give yourself permission to dream without limits about what you really want this year.  Map of the world, with a compass, treasure chest, and starsDon’t look at what is logically possible, rather allow whatever calls to you, to come.  What comes may surprise you.  Sometimes what we think we want in life actually comes from the expectations of others, or what society tells us we should want.  Tap into your heart’s wishes.  Be in a quiet space, close your eyes and take a few minutes to connect with your breath and heartbeat.  Open your eyes and, in your journal, write down everything you want in every area of your life, with no logic or limits. 

Pick one thing from each area that calls to you and think about what you can do now to implement it.  Do this without expectation – play with it.  Don’t be attached to the outcome or find fault with yourself if you do not achieve this.  Have fun with it and find the joy in implementing or working on this desire.  

We can create our life a day at a time.  Instead of looking at the bigger picture of a month or a year, we can focus on living fully in this day.  Living in the presence of each day allows us to avoid being overwhelmed by the expectations we have set for ourselves.  If we can make the most of each day, focusing on good thoughts, taking time to check in with ourselves, and actively focusing on things that bring us joy and gratitude, we will begin moving towards our heart’s desires.

What brings your heart joy in this moment?

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