February 2018
Greetings Friends!
As always, I hope this letter finds you happy, healthy, and....feeling LOVED.
Aaahhhh, love is in the air! Well, at least it is in every store and commercial right now. You can't help but notice every cupid and heart shaped boxes and Sponge Bob valentine's cards looming in the aisles. Am I right? Don't get me wrong. I do love Valentine's Day. I love any holiday that promotes LOVE. But the pressure of it all. Geez. What gift adequately expresses how we feel about another? Is a card sufficient or does a bouquet of flowers say more? And what if we don't have anyone special in our lives on February 14th?? Although I am blessed with a wonderful partner in life, my husband and best friend...he hasn't always been in my world. I can remember many years of being single on this sacred day of relationships and romance. Some years were tough and lonely. And others were fun....hosting "Single? So What!" parties and buying half off candy for myself the next day. Good times.
Being single had it's perks. I could do what I wanted, when I wanted. My house was cleaner. I was only responsible for myself and my cats. I could party all night and sleep all day. I could eat cereal for dinner. Actually, I was pretty good at being single. I liked myself enough to enjoy my own company. But it took me some time to get to that place with myself.
Because for many years, I thought and felt and believed that my happiness was dependent on whether or not someone else loved me. It's no wonder that those relationships did not last. The problem wasn't with them. It was with me. I didn't know the importance of loving myself back then. No matter how much I was loved in those relationships, there was always something lacking. Those guys never stood a chance because I wasn't happy with me, much less in love with myself. I did not know the importance of loving myself unconditionally...fully and wholly.
Then the 'cheater' presented himself.
After several months of a whirlwind romance, I decided this guy might just be the 'one'. We had so much in common, the relationship was easy, and... he was pretty easy on the eyes, too ;-) No sooner did I fall in love with him, I learned that he also had a girlfriend in another country. At first I didn't want to believe it. I wanted so desperately to hold on to the relationship, I believed the lies he fed to me. And I tried to see the best in him, despite knowing the truth deep down. But ultimately, I had to face the truth and walk away.....broken hearted and with a crushed self-esteem.
It took a long time to recover. But in that time, I realized that no one was ever going to love me more than me. I decided that I was happier being single than being in an unhappy relationship. I worked out and took vacations on my own. I enjoyed the company of friends and the company of me. I grew stronger than ever in my sense of self. I was able to look myself in the mirror and say with confidence - "I really like you!" And when I stopped looking for someone else to make me feel whole, the Universe clapped and cheered and high-fived and then.....introduced me to my husband.
It wasn't until later in life that I realized what had taken place. Once I began connecting with Spirit, I learned that when we love others unconditionally, but not ourselves, we tip the scales (remember how much the Universe likes balance?). We are often taught that it is selfish to put ourselves before others or that to admire ourselves makes us self absorbed (of course we sometimes tip the scale in that direction, too). But the reality is that when we do not give ourselves the same amount of love and affection that we give to others, we end up relying on others to fill the void within. And that's a lot to put on someone else. It's really up to us to fill our hearts with love, first and foremost.
Spirit often uses my frame of reference during readings. They use my past experiences to show me when someone is struggling with self love. And it's usually when they're struggling with a particularly difficult relationship. Often times, we are presented with relationships that are meant to open up our eyes to the work we need to do for ourselves (i.e. the 'cheater'). I'm pretty stubborn so it took me many years and a handful of challenging relationships to finally understand.
And exercising self love doesn't need to (and shouldn't) stop when you're in a fulfilling relationship, either. Taking time to show yourself some love is a practice that should last a lifetime. Feeling unconditional love for yourself is seeing and loving your beautiful Soul...perfect in every way...no matter what. It's feeling the unconditional love from God (Creator, Source, etc) and recognizing our own incredible light within. This is what makes us feel whole and complete. And the more whole and complete we feel, the more we bring to all of our relationships.
So how do we practice self love? Well, there are a bunch of ways! Here are a few:
1. Write positive "I AM" statements on sticky notes and place them where you'll see them often (mirror, computer monitor, car dashboard).
2. Practice talking to yourself like you would your most dear friend - with compliments, kindness, and unconditional love
3. Treat yourself to a fancy dinner, a relaxing massage or Reiki session, or a fun weekend away
4. Buy yourself a Valentine's Day card, flowers, or a box of candy
5. Spend time alone, doing things that you enjoy
6. Give yourself a hug. Squeeze tight.
7. Make your needs a priority.
8. Be your loudest cheerleader.
9. Stand in front of the mirror and say "I love you". Repeat as necessary. (for extra fun, try saying it using different accents)
10. Mean it.
I hope that you find love this month....and every month! Whether you're in a relationship or single and ready to mingle, know that loving yourself is the greatest gift you can give to you. You deserve it. You are beautiful inside and out. And if you are having trouble feeling love for yourself, your Spirit team is standing by, ready to assist. Give your angels and guides a shout and ask them to help you open your heart and to see what they see in you. Your perfect Soul. What's not to love?
Happy Valentine's Day to YOU!
Sending love out to all those who need/want it and prayers to those who may be hurting today. May you find peace in your heart and a smile on your face no matter what is happening in your world. And if you need a place to go to lift your spirits, I hope you'll stop by sometime
Here's what's happening at Light Works this month...
To kick things off, Joyce will be hosting "Love and Appreciation" Make & Take! on February 10th. Come join the fun as she teaches about the therapeutic benefits of essential oils and how to use them in roller balls and inhalers. You'll have the opportunity to make your own to take with you. These are great little gifts for you or to give to someone else you love!
On February 11th, I'll be teaching Meditation with Intention...to Connect with Spirit! Want to learn how to connect with Spirit? In this class, you'll learn my method of connecting with the angels, spirit guides, and loved ones...and, yes, anyone can do it
Have you been thinking about learning Reiki? We've got Usui Ryoho Reiki Level I Certification class coming up on February 17th/24th . Whether you're interested in learning how to give Reiki to yourself, wish to share Reiki with friends & family, or want to begin a Reiki practice....this is the perfect opportunity to jump right in! Looking for a class that offers CE credit hours that you can apply towards your massage therapy license requirements? Receive 10 CE hours when you take this class!
Next, we'll be getting together on February 22nd for Movie Night! to watch...."Sensitive - The Untold Story" . This groundbreaking documentary explores the topic of highly sensitive people (HSP), also known as empaths. The film is based on the findings of bestselling author-psychologist, Dr. Elaine Aron, who discovered the brains of sensitive people actually work differently. Learn about the science-y side of what it means to be an empath! Come hang out with me and other like minded folks for a chill night at the movies ...popcorn provided
Need a little assistance with self love? On February 27th, join us & the angels for a guided meditation to focus on just that at "Let's Meditate! Guided Meditation Night: Loving Oneself & the World". Relax and leave all of your stress behind as tap into the many health benefits of meditation!
Need a quick message from your angels? Then check out month's special - Mini Angel Card Email Reading for $10! . See below for more info!
And finally, I'll be joining fellow medium, Stacey Nichole, on February 28th for an evening of channeled messages at "Voices of Spirit - Mediumship Gallery featuring Juli & Stacey!". Come out and witness the amazing connections and loving messages from Angels, guides, and loved ones on the other side! Those in the Spirit world are always around and want to help us to heal, to feel loved & supported as we navigate our way through life in the physical world. A mediumship gallery is a wonderful way to experience this beautiful connection...hope you'll join us!
So, these are just a few of the things happening this month at Light Works.
As always, new things are popping up on the Light Works Meetup page . Be sure to join the group to receive announcements. Stay tuned, stay connected, and stay in touch!
Sending lots of healing energy and LOVE to you all...hope to see you soon!
In love & light,
Juli
Juli Richardson
Certified Reiki Master Teacher, Psychic Medium, & Animal Communicator
Call 703-926-4499 or email lightworksreiki@aol.com to schedule a reading or healing session for you or someone you love
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