 The rain is pouring down steadily here on the island, its sound soothing to the soul.
Water is a purification, a ritual one could say, naturally granted to provide Mother Earth with an essential element needed to stimulate new life, and foster existing. We are nothing without water. It is essential to our survival, and as our bodies are made up of close to 80% water it is vital that the quality remain as pure as possible. As an Emotion Code Practitioner, I have been trained to understand how much trapped emotional energy we truly hold within our bodies, and how damaging it is to our health and well-being to continue holding onto. We experience another lashing out at us and we take that emotional energy in. Someone is upset – we take it in. We watch and witness, or experience, injustice, racism, physical or emotional abuse – and we take it in. All of this energy of suppressed emotions changes the quality of our life sustaining water flowing through our bodies because we forgot to let it go in healthy ways, and instead continue to suppress and hold onto the stories and emotional baggage. I remember very clearly being teased as a child. Being called names, being left out, hearing whispers and noticing eyes looking in my direction amongst snickers and giggles. As a child it is hard to understand, why is this happening, and that experience starts to change who you think you are. I became very quiet, and held everything inside. In a world where I felt that I didn’t fit in, it was so much easier to pretend to be shy. People accept that. “Oh, she’s just shy”, would become the words spoken by my parents, my teachers, and others in my close circle. What happened as a result is that I gave away my voice and my power. I lost my confidence, I lost my identity, I drifted so far off course that I forgot who I truly am. I became so consumed in holding silently onto my pain and protecting myself from the outside world that I built energetic walls so high, so thick, and so tall around me that very few people could get in to see who I truly was. I wore the camouflage mask of putting a smile on my face and pretending that everything was ok. I worked hard at trying to be the image of the perfect child, perfect friend, perfect mother, perfect spouse, perfect employee. I became perfectly exhausted! Like most things in life, when you are standing in the middle of chaos and pain, you cannot see the whole picture. You are blind in seeing other people within your stories or looking at things from other perspectives. Everything feels personal and it feels like you are drowning. It’s when you reach the point of having enough, that you begin to step back and seek out change. This is where the healing begins and you start to take back your life. It starts with the free flow of tears, the acknowledgement of pain, the hurt, and the injustice. The tears are needed to release what the body just can’t hold onto anymore. It is not a sign of weakness, for those tears bring hope and new perspective. I have cried a lot along my healing journey, and when the tears slow and I acknowledge that I am ok and am no longer in that same place, or same story, then I begin to notice the beautiful lessons the experience taught me or in strengthening my conviction within myself of how others should not be treated. Healing is walking me around the outside of the personal story and as I heal, the circle gets larger and larger. I have sat back in that childhood classroom and saw the groups of giggling girls. I remember how they were also on the receiving end at different times. I remember how names were called out to others in the class, how emotions were felt as children and young adults struggle with their own insecurities and carry their own personal experiences. I learnt to see that it wasn’t all about me. It was a moment in time, an experience and they are responsible for their behaviour as I am for mine. I am responsible in finding my voice, in speaking up for myself and establishing boundaries. I am no longer a “shy” voiceless child, I am a woman who has learned the power of compassion, understanding, the need for inclusiveness and equality, acceptance and love. I have learned to look beyond the masks of pain we all wear and look instead at the purity of the soul where we all desire to love and be loved. As a woman I walk a healing journey because I do not wish for the generations after me to carry the pain. I come from a long line of women who have huge hearts, suffered tremendously, and remained silent through it all. No more! I have stood up as a healer to declare my worth, to find my voice, to let go of the past, and to shape a beautiful future in which I let down those walls and invite in the right individuals by establishing healthy boundaries. My journey ventures down a path of value and self worth, knowing full well that only I can walk this personal journey and lay my burdens down, and boy have I traveled far! As a mother of three daughters, I am fueled by a desire to stop the cycle of being silent, and empower them to embrace their authentic selves, whatever that may be. I understand that actions speak so much louder than words, so inspiration starts by walking the talk. I have been blessed on my journey to find a tribe of like minded women and an empowering guide to hold space as we walk towards self empowerment and self discovery. We walk hand and hand in a desire to more than exist, and we welcome all those that wish to declare, “I am done!” and walk towards their own healing. When the time is right and your ready to walk your journey, the door is open and we welcome you in to a life of More Than Existing™. Lots of Love, Lisa Richard Lisa is the owner of Loving Energy Recharge, a Level 3 Reiki Master, Emotion Code Practitioner, Human Design Guide, Business/Life Coach, and current Level 3 student within the More Than Existing™ transformational coaching certification program. Photo credit: Mylene2401 - Pixaby  Most mornings I try to make a habit out of pulling an oracle or tarot card, and simply asking, “What do I need to know today for my highest good?” This simple action has so much more meaning behind it as it forces me to truly listen and connect. As I drop down into the heart center and detach from the mind I become still enough to truly listen and hear the wisdom I seek.
Today’s card the “Talisman” from Colette Baron-Reid’s The Enchanted Map deck intuitively speaks to me of the healing journey, the road ahead and the desire to move forward no matter what. The beautiful goddess dressed in green bares the chakra color of the heart and exhibits the presence of archangel Raphael the healer. The song by the Hollies “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” plays strong in my vision and confirms what I have always known. We are on this journey of life together. As humans we are all the same inside. On the outside a beautiful diversity of colours, shapes and sizes. But inside at the true heart of the matter, we are all connected energetically and all just trying to do our best to be human. The journey is not perfect, and there are mistakes to be made along the way. But that forward momentum towards healing is worth every step. I personally have been on this road for as long as I can remember and picking up both pace and conviction over the last few years. There is such a desire in me to keep forging ahead and to not give up, because I see the truth in my story. I understand that I am the only one who can travel down this road, pick up the pieces, learn the truth of the story, and heal it with love. I no longer wish to carry the burdens of the past, mine, my parents, my ancestors.. none. I have stood at the crossroads and chosen the path towards freedom and destiny. A path that stops the patterns, cycles and old beliefs of, “That’s the way it’s always been.” The world is changing, we are adapting and having access to communication globally is bridging the gap towards compassion and understanding. We are all in this together, walking towards a better future for ourselves, our children and generations to come. We want change! What I’ve come to understand is that change starts with each of us. It’s the desire to declare, “I release the pain I’ve been carrying. I send it love, I place it down, and I walk with my head held high towards the unknown.” As an energy healer I can feel the heaviness out in the world. That heaviness of fear, sadness, pain and confusion. I see and feel it as a thick heavy cloud. But I then understand my role and the role within each of us to fight back through creating the energy of love, light, and hope. It’s not too hard to stop and switch focus looking instead at all the beauty in the world. Focusing on what we are doing right and how we are supporting each other. Sitting in the gratitude of progress, awareness and love for humanity. That energetic vibration of love we can each create, starts to push against that thick cloud of heavy energy, and because it is light and carefree, it finds the cracks and openings and slips right on in. Love has the ability to diminish lower vibrations, break it up and transmute it all together. If you truly want to be the change in the world then start your own personal journey. Walk forward towards an open mind of healing, mending, releasing, and understanding of each other. For as the Hollies sing “he’s not heavy .. he’s my brother”. We are all in this together: sex, religion, race, nationality, however you define yourself. We are humans and we forge ahead in solidarity and strength. Lots of Love, Lisa Richard Inspired to live a life of More Than Existing™ Photo credit: Pixaby  I remember a period of time as a young child waiting for the day that I could lay down in the bathtub and my feet could finally touch the other side. I couldn't wait to grow up and each time I would take a bath I'd stretch out my little toes to check and see, "Am I there yet? Am I getting closer?"
We so often spend our lives trying to reach the next stage that we may forget to just savour the moment. I feel like I've spend a lifetime dreaming about the future, those "what if moments" or "someday I want to ...." Dreaming is important, but without an action plan that is all it will stay as. Just a dream, nothing more. I feel like the wind was just knocked from my sail with that realization, but only momentarily. As I pause and become still in the present moment I understand. Action is movement, movement is energy, energy is projecting out into the universe what I wish to attract. It's that simple. Alright universe! I hear you loud and clear, and today the intention is set to not only dream and dream big, but to truly consider, "What can I do to get there? What stepping stone can I lay down in this very moment to get just a little bit closer to that goal, to declare to the universe that I intend to live, breathe and experience that dream, not just wish for it!" We all have such beautiful dreams and goals. Take some time in this full moon energy and lay down your action plan. You deserve to live a life of More Than Existing™ Lots of Love, Lisa Richard Inspired to live a life of More Than Existing™ Photo credit: Pixaby  In the darkness, I can see my light. In the shadows, I am gifted sight. To see the truth I was trying to hide, that I'm scared of the darkness and of the light. For what happens if I let the light shine? What then am I going to find? Will I need to face a truth to see? Will I finally understand that the shadow is me? That the light inside is a piece of creation, and we all have a piece so don't be mistaken. The shadow was never bad, the darkness is not a place to feel sad, It is not evil or full of sin, it is simply the vessel to shine the light within. We are all a combination of darkness and light, we have all been gifted the beautiful gift of sight. Two eyes to truly see, the human wasn't to be perfected in you or me. That its OK to make mistakes, its part of belonging to the human race. It's part of living and learning to breath, we are going to have times we fall to our knees. We are going to hurt, we are going to cry, what matters the most is that we get back up and try. Tomorrow is a brand new day, both the light and dark are here to stay. The darkness is needed for the light to shine, the light is there to always remind. The shadow is the human journey, the in-between immersed in learning. Life is not set in black or white, it's full of colour, and full of sight. Change the picture and you will see, the beauty of all parts of you and me. - Lisa Richard Inspired to life a life of More Than Existing™ Photo credit: Stocksnap - Pixaby  As I sit in the sun to write this blog, the church bells are ringing in the neighbourhood, and I have just pulled a card from a brand new Angel and Tarot deck. Its title simply says “unity”, its message was loud and clear.
Unity. A merging of the past and the present in order to shape the future. Honoring history, the traditional teachings but also understanding that times have changed. We have evolved, and that knowledge gained is now applied to help shape a beautiful new future. As I reflect upon the stories of the Garden of Eden, and the concept of having been kicked out of this beautiful paradise of creation due to the temptation of biting from the forbidden fruit, I allow my intuition to look closer at the apple tree, and even deeper still until my eyes fall upon the worm. Why would there be a worm eating its way through an apple, causing destruction in this perfect utopia? Well, perhaps a perfect “exterior” utopia does not exist. You see, we arrived in the world perfectly whole, completely intact, and carrying the Garden of Eden inside our soul. We were given the gift of life, and as we were “kicked” out of the womb to take that first breath of this new world, we let out a cry, feeling as if we were “kicked” out of Eden. We spend a lifetime searching, seeking, trying to be good enough, worthy enough, to go back. Your not lost! Nor am I! We are both just looking to find perfection within a world that is not meant to be perfect, and in human form neither are we. Eden is already inside of us .. it’s the soul. That worm in the garden is not causing destruction, it is transforming the false illusion and allowing seeds of possibility to fall to the ground and take root. It is planting for the next generations to understand they are not meant to be perfect as a human, as their soul already is. We were designed to leave the Garden of Eden and experience life. To truly live, try new things, learn and grow, but never to strive to be “perfect.” We get to be the worm, beautifully created to inspire change and break away from a false perception. We get to be perfectly imperfect. Lots of Love, Lisa Richard Inspired by my soul sisters who walk beside me in this journey of More Than Existing™ Photo credit: Silviarita – Pixaby  I’m sure by now you’ve seen the links in the blogs, perhaps listened to some of the audio testimonials, or at least heard the words More Than Existing™ and may be wondering, “What exactly does that mean?”
As a current student enrolled in Level 3 of the More Than Existing™ coaching program, for me it simply translates to a desire to change, and this begins with making the decision that you are ready to change, knowing you deserve something better, and are committed to taking the action steps. Change is transformation, and transformation begins from the inside. It’s a healing journey, and you are the only one who can walk it, feel it, experience it, and transform from it. The beauty of the coaching program is in understanding you don’t walk this path alone, and that you have many tools at your disposal to assist with every step of your journey. Change can only occur once you are aware of what needs to change, so in walking a journey to More Than Exist™, you are looking at all those aspects within yourself, your patterns, beliefs, mindset, limitations, thoughts, and feelings. You become aware of your generational stories, and your perception of how life has been. The key word here is “has”, because through awareness you gain a new perspective and are gifted with sight. Those new eyes will make you question everything! Why are things always done that way? Is there a better way? Were other people involved in my stories? How would they tell it? Where did I get my beliefs, patterns, and habits from? Do I want those same ones passed to my children? How many times have you ever taken the time to look deep inside and ask your heart, “What do I want?” Without the limitation of the mental mind telling you that you can’t, it’s too hard, it’s too late. Before all of that conditioning sets in …. What do I want? For me, the answer was clear. I want to More Than Exist™! It’s been an amazing journey moving through the first two levels within this coaching program, and the start of level 3 continues to add even more fire to my self motivation to continue investing into my healing journey. To be that change I wish to see in the world, to hopefully inspire my children to reach for the stars and dream big, and most importantly to fall in love with the woman I am becoming. To look proudly in the mirror and tell her “I love you, and you are so worth living a life where you are doing more than just existing!” We are all worthy and capable of creating a life that you are proud of. One that makes you smile when you wake up in the morning, and fills your heart with gratitude at the end of the day. A life where you finally feel whole, because you’ve put in the time and effort to heal and free yourself from those chains. Change starts with you. Are you ready to join the movement? Lots of Love, Lisa Richard Inspired to live a life of More Than Existing™  The owl looks with eyes so wide,
at all the stories passing by. It sits there perched in all its grace, gaining a higher perspective from this place. Time has taught the owl to be wise. Time has taught her to look through new eyes. To see beyond the everyday scene. To take a look at the in-between. For to have arrived in this very place, was to savour the moment without any haste. To experience the journey of the past, but no longer allow the pain to last. For why live there when you can be here? Looking through eyes that are so very clear! - Lisa Richard Photo credit: Lenka Novotna - Pixaby  Yesterday I had to go chase waterfalls. Regardless of the song by TLC and the words of caution playing in my mind, “Don’t go chasing waterfalls, please stick to the rivers and the streams that you used to know ..” the call in my heart was just too great. I’m tired of always staying in the safe lane! Don’t get me wrong, I respect the rules and boundaries established for society in general, but when it comes to my life and “playing it safe”, well that’s just not a place I wish to stay any longer. I have always assumed the role of the “good girl.” Raised in a family where my father was an RCMP member and highly respected, and a mother who worked as a nurse, with a heart of gold. I was super proud of their dedication to help make this world a safer place, and understand how hard it must have been to bare that responsibility at times. As a child though, it was tough to follow those rules of “sit up straight, don’t swing your feet, clean your room, chew with your mouth closed, don’t run around, don’t talk back, don’t, don’t, don’t!” I can chuckle now as an adult, as I clearly picture and hear my “oh I’m so hard done by,” little voice, along with seeing an image of that little girl kicking her feet in frustration. It’s surprising how the stories we play over and over again in our minds, prevent us from truly seeing the whole picture. That little girl of me, oh she was so feisty and stubborn! She just wanted to explore the world, be outdoors, watch the animals and plants, get dirt on her clothes, and just be free. Her innocent mind was full of curiosity and wonder, and she certainly wasn’t thinking about the importance of all those rules “caging” her in. Becoming a parent myself, and having daughters certainly opened my eyes to the other side of the story. But truly, it’s almost comical how many times I wanted to be the “victim” in the story instead of looking at the other angles. I never stopped to consider that maybe I wasn’t allowed to just get dirty because clothes were expensive and we had a tighter budget. I just couldn’t freely wander wherever I wanted to go because the adults in my life held tremendous love for me and knew all to well of the potential dangers lurking out in the world. A large part of my healing journey, has been to truly sit with all these memories, excuses, and limitations I have created and placed as bars within my own cage. For one thing I have learned to see the truth of is that I have created my cage. No one else. The bars of the cage have been coming off, slowly and surely as I heal, and that call to chase waterfalls becomes stronger. I’m ready to move off those paths and patterns that I have followed in zombie mode, because that’s the safe zone. I’m ready to take risks! Explore life, push through those boundaries holding me back to see what lies in store when I just believe and have faith to try. I’m ready to chase waterfalls because of all the beautiful lessons and people in my life who have taught me to look at the “what if’s” the potential dangers, to consider multiple angles, and then to choose wisely. I can stand confidently with my feet anchored to the ground and look up at the potential, see the beauty, and feel the wind of change on my face. I am no longer that naïve child who would have gotten into the barrel and surely fallen down the waterfall if left unsupervised. Love has given that child wings, and now she is ready to fly. Lots of Love, Lisa Richard Inspired to live a life of More Than Existing™  “Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are . . ”
This famous nursery rhyme written by Jane Taylor and first published in 1806, carries such a deep meaning. Have you ever looked up at the sky and questioned, “Who am I and why am I here?” A soul searching journey that many of us set out on a quest to find answers to. I remember as each one of my beautiful daughters were born, the love I felt as I snuggled them close to my heart, brought my nose close to their hair and took a deep breath in of that newborn smell. This bundle of life, gifted from the creator. Small, fragile, and oh so dependent on the world to nurture and care for it’s human vessel. Completely helpless of it’s own accord, and trusting completely that another will care for its every need. Faith in the power of love to hold, protect, nourish, and guide. A potential held inside it’s tiny body to become whatever it’s little heart desires. We all started out in exactly the same way, although the scene may have looked different. Regardless of your birth story, I know in my heart one thing to be completely true. We were all made of love, for a soul needs a vessel of pure love to host such a precious gift of life. As humans we have free will, and often make choices and decisions that can be questionable, but at that moment of conception, that spark of life, and the formation of a brand new vessel to host a piece of creation itself, that is purity. We all arrive pure, twinkling with that sparkle of creation planted within our tiny vessels. Reliant on the world around us to teach, nurture, and guide us along our paths, as we experience and learn what it means to be human. The outside of us begins to change as we grow, our minds conditioned to how we are taught to react to situations, absorbing the values, beliefs, and mindsets of those we are exposed to. Our little hearts get broken. We fall and scrape our knees. We make mistakes, laugh, cry, love, find friendship, and take in a constant stream of life experience. Some of those life experiences might have been really hard, but through the eyes of love can be our greatest teachers. The pain and heartache, cruelty, prejudice and injustice we may face can show us how to not treat another human being. It makes us wise enough to understand the power words and actions can have, and can be used to strengthen our resolve to not pass that treatment on to others, but instead to stop the cycle. There are times in life when we lose a precious loved one, and grief washes so completely through our being, shattering the heart and showing us how deeply we truly loved. I have experienced this shattering of the heart a few times myself, and as time slowly healed the deep stabbing pain of loss, I could begin to sit in the beautiful memories and love carried for each passed loved one. Each precious soul that taught me how fragile life is and to live for today, as you truly do not know if you will be here tomorrow. I remember very clearly when my mother in law was passing away from cancer the very words that crossed her lips, “I leave this world with my heart full and with no regrets.” Was her life perfect? Not even close. She had a lifetime of battling illness, worked hard raising a family and making ends meet. She experienced anger, judgment, and made many mistakes. She was also a women that loved deeply. Who believed you could accomplish whatever you set your mind to, and was not afraid to use her voice and express her opinions. She was a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend, and she knew it was impossible to ever try to be perfect. She was just authentically herself, and that was more than enough. The willingness to try. To go back to the innocence of a newborn carrying that precious seed of potential within it’s soul. As I find myself this week drawn back to writing poetry, and deep in the healing of my inner child/teenager once again, I draw inspiration from those that walked before me, my own children, and the grandchildren to someday come. My deepest wish for all of us are those very wise words spoken from a perfectly imperfect human. To live such a completely full life that when your time comes to be called back home, that you leave with peace in your heart and no regrets. Lots of Love, Lisa Richard Inspired to live a life of More Than Existing™ Photo Credit: Free Photos - Pixaby  Oh the heart is such a fragile thing,
It lives, it breathes, it can feel the sting. It holds on, like there is no tomorrow, to every thought and every sorrow. It absorbs, it contains, all the hurt that remains. It's patient and kind, just biding it's time. It waits for the day, you are ready to say: "I can't take anymore!" as you curl up on the floor. "Are you ready then to finally heal?" I feel a presence near me kneel. A love surrounds me as I lay on the floor, I can not deny the essence of so much more. More than my human eyes can see, but a knowing deep inside to have faith and believe. I feel the breeze of an angel's wing, my heart beats in response, it wants to sing. I have felt this presence long before, when I truly believed that there was more. I feel a tear roll down my cheek, and turn my head to take a peak. "I am ready to heal," I whisper back, "I can not take another attack. My mind can be so cruel you see, it truly does not believe in me. It says I'll never be enough, my heart is too gentle, and the world too tough. It doesn't believe me when I say I'm willing to try, it laughs instead, and makes me cry. The mind says such hurtful things, I can no longer bare the pain that it brings." I feel the touch of the Angel's wings, and once again my heart wants to sing. I feel so alive, with this presence by my side. "My child, that mind is powerful indeed, but your heart carries something special, it carries a seed. A seed you can plant wherever you go, a gift from the creator, that he has bestowed. This is no ordinary seed, it was gifted to those who truly believe. This seed contains the knowledge of hope, it will give you all you need to cope. Hope can transfuse the energies you face, the darkness and negativity is defused where its placed. Hope never gives up, it only becomes stronger, the thoughts of the past, the fear, has power no longer. Hope brings with it a light you see, to penetrate the darkest corners within the mind and put it at ease. For the darkness was never to be feared, their secrets in stillness are to be revered. Hope reminds you that you never journey alone, your guides and angels are here to catch those stones. To remind you that you are so deeply loved, to protect you with an armor that fits like a glove. To give you the strength you need to carry on, to take away the pain, so you can be strong. It is a love like no other, and it's a gift available to all sisters and brothers." Lisa Richard Inspired to live a life of More Than Existing™ Photo credit: Bessi - Pixaby |