Shining Your Light

While the past 14 months have been filled with turmoil for most of us, we have also been given the gift of being tossed out of our comfort zones, shaking up our personal world.

In this space of newness, of re-establishing our routines and habits, we also get to redefine who we are in our world.

If you don’t already know this, the world needs your light. Who you are – the unique, imperfectly perfect person you are right now – is what the world needs.

Every person you meet, every interaction you have, is an opportunity for you to shine your light particularly when it’s being challenged.

Claim who you are fully and step into your light. Never dim your light for anyone. Those who truly care for you want you to shine. You deserve to shine your light fully and absolutely in every part of your life. Don’t settle for less. It may not be easy to shine your light, for fear of hurting others, Or of being hurt,but you come first in your life. People who care will transition with you. The only way you can give to others is to give to yourself first.

Step into your light by asking yourself:

1. In what way are you holding yourself back from shining?

2. What can you do to allow yourself to shine in this area?

3. How can you remove the obstacles that are holding you back?

Today, chose an action of self-care that helps you move forward in shining your light.

In what way are you choosing to shine your light today?

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