At the start of this week I focused on printing and sending out all of the Reiki Level 1 certificates to the group that completed their training this past weekend. Even just that process was a big energy shift on top of all the Reiki flowing through the hours of teaching and attuning the last two weekends. It’s equally transformative and recalibrating for the teacher, as it is the students that are receiving, so I’m definitely experiencing my own activation and inner triggers for reflection.

For this reason, and both because I don’t write blogs as often as I used to AND I feel that others are going through a variety of changes right now in more significant and likely conscious ways than they have in the past, I’m sharing a longer post today. It’s a way to thread connection, too.

So, I noticed that as I sealed the envelopes and sent them out in the world it felt like sending out keys to new doorways of potential that feel to be gridding and lighting up more and more on the Earth. In their own way, they are seeding new openings to wider and innovative ways we can move forward for the greatest and highest good. 

At least that was the intention I had, as I sent them out with love.

Since this unexpected teaching flow invited me to also expand wider and change the approaches I adapted until now, it ignited a whole level of reinvention on other layers as well. And it definitely amped up energies that have put into motion a domino-effect of shifts to explore.

In a nutshell, I’d say my experience is all about transitions and upgrades right now. And with all the collective change happening simultaneously, it feels aligned with acceleration at large, and needed.

So how are these shifts and upgrades translating for me?

I’ll share some of the ways I’m experiencing this, as a way of demonstrating the varied levels of life that can be affected in a naturally organic way – especially when embraced – as we go through life changes. This may also be helpful to any of my students that read this blog.

This concept of recalibrating, cleansing, upgrading, and realigning, etc. is something we discuss in training, and includes the possibilities of what that could look like.

However, even though I know this shift is getting an added boost from the Reiki teaching, I also feel it was on its way simply as a natural process of transitions – like Nature’s seasons are reflecting currently and even the upcoming Full Moon is heralding in, as it brings to full amplification and illumination the things in your life that no longer serve you.

I ended up having to upgrade to a new, larger, more powerful computer that Dave just helped set up for me (since I’m not a very tech savvy person) at the start of this new week. Interesting timing right after completion of training. Also interesting is that I always used to have very tiny laptops – like notebooks. Then after a series of those and crashing all of them, I adopted Dave’s older, bigger laptop. I’ve had that quite a while, but it finally was starting to poop out. So now I have an extremely heavy-duty, larger, powerhouse laptop that is all my own and can do likely more than I’ll ever need. But that creates space for growth and new because who knows what the future holds, right?

Likely the very near future few months may hold a new cell phone in store too. Mine seems fine, (even after falling into the water, as you may remember – going through its own rebirth), but we may be upgrading together to a different carrier for several reasons and they likely will have different options of phones than this one that goes with their plans. It’s not surprising to have all electronics go through upgrades with big changes so that what ever is coming will be supported.

Luckily, I must have my energy better harnessed or something, as I don’t seem to blowing out things anymore and do have miraculous fixes like the water dunking with no ill effect. One experience that comes to mind was when I taught a large group Reiki retreat in Laguna and my phone literally sizzled and gave me an electrical shock on the morning of Reiki Master Teacher training. That was a full three levels in one weekend teaching, so it wasn’t surprising really.

The more mild experiences I have now might also speak to the more balanced life I’ve created and make a priority, and how I’ve learned to channel my energy more effectively, as well as do a lot of grounding, exercise, and nature things, along with self-care and holding center amidst contrasting dynamics all around me.

I’ve also been in home improvement project mode, which actually started last Friday before classes with working on tile prep in our shower to get it ready for Dave to seal, caulk, and fix grouting. I found myself scrubbing away with great vigor and being that the shower and water energy coincides with Pisces – my native sign, but also the sign the upcoming Full Moon is in – it seems reflective of bringing up deep subconscious and clingy stuff to the surface to observe, integrate, and move out altogether.

Improvement projects continued Saturday after class with me spending a couple of hours in the garden sanding my garden bench and restaining it to prep it for the upcoming seasons. Again, another layering process in motion, much like the shedding of old skin.

The shower tiles and the bench getting a renewed layer by removing the old one, and in effect some of my layers are coming undone too.

And the projects have continued little by little for us to include some minor redecorating in my office (still underway, but soon to be complete) and a little in the master bedroom, outdoor clean-up and fixers with the yard, pine needle removal from the roof, refilling the jacuzzi with new water, and repairing some insulation under the house. We are thinking about some other changes we may make as well, so there’s again that cleansing and renewal energy in motion.

I’ve also been completing a round of side-work projects to free up my time, along with monthly record-keeping I do.

I’m also in clean out mode and getting donation bags ready again – a favorite thing of mine to do whenever I feel change is in the air.

The weekend of teaching saw me physically drop a little weight, as any old load was lightened. And, for the first time in a while I am getting the strong feeling of lightening things with my hair as well. Since the ends of the hair are the oldest parts, it can make sense why the literal cutting away can come at significant periods of change in our lives so that we’re letting go and dropping that time period or part of our life it represents.

I have mostly just been letting it do whatever it wants and so it just consistently grows longer. Yet, I’m sensing there may be a more significant change upcoming instead of just my four-inch trim I’ve been doing every six months or so. Perhaps a more significant new cut is in store? I’m waiting to see if this is in fact the route I’ll take, or if I’m just feeling so much change that it inspires a large gamut of ideas and inspiration to flood through. In some cases like that, I’ll wait a little to see what actually feels to be the new anchoring, or if in fact energy is simply moving and may bring up other things, so it’s not about settling on the first idea that comes through.

Other changes have included seeing the potential for new possibilities with a feeling of greater flexibility I’m opening to that I wouldn’t have before, and allowing exploration in order to find the highest path that aligns with now. I’m finding myself revisiting things from about four years ago and this includes a resurgence of ancient and cosmic timelines merging and choices that were made at that time. It has brought underlying a-ha empowering moments, alongside some sadness.

There’s also been an experience of simultaneous, parallel realities. One carries the strength for the other, while it simply goes forth to explore. One dips into realizing the new challenges ahead of the unknown and is processing the stages of how to get there. At times, already being where the challenges are integrated and yet aware of the journey to get there being a step at a time and that it will ebb and flow. Then moments of the ebbs and flows. 🙂

We’re also starting to make different plans for the upcoming seasons and looking at some travels with the animals to change up energies very soon.

So, yes, there’s a lot of energy transitions taking place – even more than I’m sharing here. These may give you an idea of how when we stay in observational mode and decide to be more conscious of the active role we can also have with changes, the more things become obvious as to the levels of transformation that are actually happening, and the easier they shift.

And speaking of Nature, it’s also interesting to observe how the changes we go through can also be reflected in things like seasonal shifts, the different animals that show up for us, the things that draw our attention when we are outdoors, the types of plants and flowers that speak to us, the weather patterns, and unusual sightings in general.

As I just wrote that, a squirrel got my attention outside who is laying in an unusual rounded-over ball on a limb of the tree outside my office. Looks as if he/she is resting, but then sat up, still maintaining that ball-shape – so much so, the little tummy appears as if pregnant with tail wrapped perfectly up and around the back in a half circle. There’s a feeling of this little one resting and reflecting/pregnant with ideas and energy – and as soon as I said that he/she moved quickly on to the next task, which currently includes rubbing the entire front of its body and belly in the cutest fashion, flat all over another limb, relishing in the feeling. 🙂

But this is just a direct reflection in the moment right now.

Others have included how the smoke from the California fires have been blowing in and out of the region here. At times feeling like a veil thickening and lifting, or a transitioning taking place of transmutation. Smoke in fact is the transition of matter into spirit.

Then there’s been the increase in sightings of garter snakes that either cross my path right in front of me or lay across the path I’m approaching. Sometimes they catch my attention from the corner of my eye, and Dave is amazed I even see them since they are camouflaged in the grass. So much snake energy speaks to that shedding of skin, as layers removing for renewal. Another one was on our path while hiking down to the lake a couple of days ago, as you can see here.

This same day I also found a sweet, little dead mouse laying to the side of the trail, which I stopped to bury.

About a week before this I found a dead bird. In both cases the body was fully in tact and didn’t appear to have injury. Perhaps death by natural causes, but interesting at this time period.

In general, seeing a dead animal can symbolize something coming to an end in our lives through a natural cycle – a major life transition from one thing to another. It can also herald the time for a new direction or choice. It’s not necessarily a literal death upcoming, although could be and is relative to the person seeing it.

Seeing a dead animal can be a message or reiteration that a door is, or needs to be, closing. It can also be a reflection of hope in times of challenge. And depending upon the qualities of the particular animal, this can signify the areas in your life that it is highlighting. For instance, mice tend to small and tedious little things and so this could indicate an end to minor issues no longer bothering you or not allowing fears getting in the way. Could be an end to any shyness or timidity, or perhaps resourcefulness no longer being a challenge.

It’s interesting that alongside seeing snakes a lot, we’ve been humanely trapping and releasing mice under the house quite a bit before fixing the insulation, and now I see the dead mouse. Mice in Ancient Greece were considered sacred because they are associated as food for snakes, which were sacred to the Greeks as holy healers.

One thing that jumps out at me about mice is this description of their symbolism from Avia Venefica, which I shared in my blog about the little mouse named Fiver that was so transformative for me.

“Our ancient ancestors observed their affinity for ground-burrowing, and likened this to mice being ‘one with the Mother’ (Mother Earth, that is). This ground-loving behavior was also seen as a connection to the Underworlds (or Otherworlds, depending upon your source of reference). This kind of connection makes the mouse a kind of mediator between physical life and recycling life (spirit energies in transition). This Earth and Underworld connection continues in western, medieval Europe, where folk superstitions tell of mice possessing the ability to carry souls of humans who have passed from this physical life.

There’s that reference again to energies in transition, similar to the smoke and the general theme I’ve been speaking about.

And this transition has been taking place in both the garden and the entire landscape here as I watch the end of Summer move into hints of Autumn vibes.

I am really enjoying the transitioning energy showing up in different waves of blossoming and shades of colors turning, fading and warming. Especially soul-enriching to me is all of the golden sage blossoms. It speaks to something soulful coming into glowing illumination.

On the same hike down to the lake where I saw the snake and the dead mouse, we enjoyed the beautiful meadows, pond, creek, and forests full of signs that Autumn is approaching.

And even my garden continues to transition, too, with sunflowers going through life cycles (nearly

half of the 30+ buds all in bloom), prolific wildflowers popping up with more on the way, plants both growing rapidly and coming to end, roses on their last leg of flowering, a last batch of mini

strawberries ripening for Astrid, and pollinators doing their thing to ensure next year’s growth, as

well as squirrels and chipmunks beginning to hide their Winter’s stash (in my garden). 😉

I have a really tall, wild thistle plant out front that is in full fuchsia bloom and starting to turn to puffs of white dandelion-like seeds, as their maturity is during late Summer to early Autumn.

With only a few last days of August remaining, we are approaching the upcoming Pisces Full Moon of the 1st/2nd of the month (depending on where you live) and Autumn Equinox on the 22nd.

September feels like it will be a quieter month for me, full of deep exploration, decisions, and a new layer of writing upcoming. It also happens to be Astrid’s birthday month, which I know she’s been prepping for and she has her regular vet check at the start of the month, too, for her to start afresh. I have an eye appointment at the end of the month to see if any prescription updating is in order, this may be the month for hair changes, and I’ll be planting daffodil and tulip bulbs for next year.

The Full Moon means that intuition will be on an all-time high, so listening to it and trusting it will be key to support moving into your true power. It will help you to gain deeper insights and understanding about the seeds you’ve been planting in your garden, the intentions you have for them, and will illuminate what truly is guiding your life so that you have a broader grasp on the creative forces at work and how to harness them.

Establishing and recognizing boundaries will be the theme for well-being and is a lesson for the boundless Pisces energy to understand how to balance in a healthy way.

This is a powerful time for deep soul level closure, to exercise greater compassion rather than judgment, and to practice radical acceptance, which helps you to release suffering. Suffering is a refusal to accept things. It’s time to give up the suffering, do an energy cleanse, and ask how you can make the changes, then engage action to do them.

All of this is speaking to a time of transition with our relationship to things in our life and perhaps creating some kind of ritual or acknowledgment around supporting what is time to release, so that we can more fully step into the life we want, and receive those upgrades.

There is so much beauty in all stages of life.

The shifting environment reflects the shifting within.

When the time comes for change, there are many ways in which we are messaged about how we can support that process to be easier, more efficient, graceful, and peaceful.

It doesn’t feel like the energy is anchoring yet, which makes sense given the transitional stage that even nature reflects.

Yet, we may see and feel the importance of which things speak most heart and soul-fully to us that would like to take root for the season ahead.

Today happens to be my dad’s 75th birthday – so a shout out to my dad with lots of love as I acknowledge how his birthday also signifies a huge shift and transition period in life.

I know as I edge toward 50 here not too far off, these 40’s have been the biggest shifts indeed.