All Saints’ Day is a special occasion to honor the lives of saints who have shaped the spiritual landscape through their devotion, wisdom, and compassion. Among these revered figures are women saints whose lives and teachings continue to resonate deeply with us today. In “Pockets of Grace: Lessons from Darkness, Lessons from Light,” I explore the profound impact of these women mystics. Let’s delve into the lives of Julian of Norwich, Saint Brigid of Kildare, Hildegard of Bingen, and Teresa of Avila, and discover how their spiritual legacies offer us guidance and inspiration.

Julian of Norwich: The Revelations of Divine Love

Julian of Norwich, a 14th-century English mystic, is celebrated for her theological masterpiece, “Revelations of Divine Love.” In a time of great turmoil and suffering, Julian’s writings offered a vision of God’s infinite love and mercy. Her famous quote, “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well,” continues to provide comfort and hope.

Julian’s teachings emphasize the importance of trust in divine goodness and the transformative power of love. Her insights encourage us to seek a deeper connection with the divine, especially during times of personal or collective hardship.

Saint Brigid of Kildare: The Compassionate Healer

Saint Brigid of Kildare, one of Ireland’s patron saints, is known for her generosity, healing powers, and dedication to the poor. As a founder of monasteries and an advocate for education and care for the needy, Brigid’s legacy is one of compassion and service.

Brigid’s life inspires us to embrace acts of kindness and service in our own lives. Her commitment to helping others reminds us of the importance of community and the sacredness of everyday acts of compassion.

Hildegard of Bingen: The Visionary Mystic

Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th-century German abbess, was a polymath who excelled in theology, music, medicine, and natural science. Her visionary writings and compositions continue to captivate audiences with their profound spiritual and ecological insights.

Hildegard’s concept of “viriditas,” or greening power, speaks to the vitality and interconnectedness of all life. Her holistic approach to spirituality encourages us to see the divine in the natural world and to nurture our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

Teresa of Avila: The Contemplative Reformer

Teresa of Avila, a Spanish mystic and Carmelite reformer, is renowned for her deep contemplative life and her writings on prayer and the soul’s journey to God. Her classic work, “The Interior Castle,” describes the soul’s progression through various stages of spiritual development.

Teresa’s teachings on prayer and inner transformation highlight the importance of cultivating a rich interior life. Her emphasis on perseverance and trust in God’s guidance offers us a roadmap for our spiritual journeys, particularly when faced with challenges.

Embracing the Wisdom of Women Saints

These women saints, with their diverse gifts and profound spiritual insights, offer us timeless wisdom and inspiration. They remind us of the importance of seeking the divine in our lives, cultivating compassion, embracing our unique talents, and nurturing our spiritual growth.

As we celebrate All Saints’ Day, let’s honor the legacy of Julian of Norwich, Saint Brigid of Kildare, Hildegard of Bingen, Teresa of Avila, and other women saints. Their lives and teachings are a testament to the enduring power of faith, love, and wisdom. May their sacred medicine continue to inspire and guide us in our quest for divine connection and inner transformation.

Navigating grief and life changes can feel like an uphill battle. But guess what? You have a superpower that can help you through these tough times—your imagination!

Your imagination can take you anywhere, and using it creatively can be an incredible way to process and express your emotions. Celtic spirituality reminds us that your creative imagination is an essential part of who you are and can be tapped.

In fact, your imagination can be your greatest asset if you value and nurture it. This requires some daydreaming, playfulness, and light-heartedness. Let your imagination guide you to new ways of seeing and being in the world.

Whether through painting, reflective writing, any other form of art, or visualization, you can find a path to healing and self-discovery. Let’s explore how you can unleash your imagination to navigate grief and life changes.

Get Creative with Painting

Grab those paintbrushes and let your imagination run wild! It doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced artist or just starting out. Choose colors that speak to you, and let your emotions guide your brushstrokes. Painting can be a fantastic way to express what words cannot. The act of putting paint on canvas can be incredibly liberating and therapeutic, allowing you to release your feelings in a visual form.

Reflective Writing

Set aside some time regularly for reflective writing. Let your thoughts flow freely onto the page. Imagine you’re having a heartfelt conversation with yourself. Write about your dreams, fears, and everything in between. Your journal can become a safe space for exploring your innermost feelings. Reflective writing helps you make sense of your emotions and provides a way to document your journey through grief and change.

Doodle Your Heart Out

Sometimes, the simplest forms of art can be the most profound. Grab a pen or colored pencils and start doodling. Let your imagination take over and see where it leads you. Doodling can be a fun and relaxing way to express your emotions and tap into your creative side. The beauty of doodling is that it requires no skill or prior experience—just a willingness to let your mind wander and your hand follow.

Harnessing Imagination: Paving the Way Forward in Uncertain Times

In uncertain times, leveraging imagination to envision a new future cultivates resilience and adaptation. Research suggests that imaginative thinking stimulates brain regions associated with creativity and problem-solving, fostering innovative responses to challenges (Kaufman & Beghetto, 2009). By tapping into your imagination, you not only explore novel possibilities but also strengthen your ability to navigate uncertainty with optimism and determination. This proactive approach can lead to transformative personal growth and a clearer path forward amidst unpredictable circumstances.

Embrace the Power of Imagination

Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to use your imagination. The goal is to let your creativity flow and allow it to guide you through the healing process. Your imagination is a powerful tool, so don’t be afraid to unleash it! Embrace creative activities that resonate with you and provide an outlet for your emotions. By doing so, you can find new ways to cope with grief and life changes, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding and acceptance of your journey.

Your imagination can be a beacon of light during dark times, guiding you toward healing and self-discovery. So, grab your art supplies, journal, or doodling pen, and let your imagination take flight. You have the power to transform your pain into something beautiful and meaningful.

Life’s journey is often filled with unexpected turns, challenges, and periods of profound change and grief. During these difficult times, the natural world offers a unique form of therapy that can provide solace, healing, and a renewed sense of purpose. Hiking, in particular, can be a powerful way to navigate your emotional journey. Let’s explore how the trails can guide you through times of change and grief.

The Healing Power of Hiking

1. Connection with Nature: When you set foot on a trail, you immediately immerse yourself in the beauty and tranquility of nature. This connection can be incredibly grounding, helping you to feel more centered and at peace. The simple act of walking among trees, listening to birdsong, and breathing in fresh air can have a profound impact on your mental and emotional well-being.
2. Physical Movement: Hiking involves physical movement, which is known to release endorphins—our body’s natural mood elevators. The physical exertion of hiking not only helps to reduce stress and anxiety but also boosts your overall mood. As your body moves and your muscles work, you’ll find that your mind starts to clear, allowing you to process your emotions more effectively.
3. Mindfulness in Motion: Hiking is a form of mindfulness in motion. As you walk, you become more aware of your surroundings—the rustle of leaves, the crunch of gravel underfoot, the way sunlight filters through the canopy. This mindfulness helps you stay present, reducing the tendency to dwell on past regrets or future anxieties. It allows you to focus on the here and now, which is crucial for emotional healing.

Hiking Therapy: Trails as Emotional Guides

1. Finding Solace in Solitude: Sometimes, the best way to heal is to spend time alone with your thoughts. Hiking solo can provide the solitude you need to reflect on your emotions and gain clarity. The quiet of the trail gives you the space to think, to feel, and to start making sense of your grief.
2. Building Resilience: Trails often present physical challenges—steep climbs, rocky paths, and unpredictable weather. Overcoming these obstacles mirrors the process of overcoming emotional challenges. Each step you take, each hill you conquer, builds resilience. You learn that, just like on the trail, you can navigate the ups and downs of life with strength and perseverance.
3. Symbolic Journey: Hiking can be seen as a symbolic journey of healing. The trail represents your life path, with its twists, turns, and varying terrains. As you hike, you move forward physically, which can help you feel like you’re moving forward emotionally as well. Reaching the end of a hike can symbolize reaching a new understanding or finding a sense of closure.

Tips for Your Healing Hike

1. Choose the Right Trail: Select a trail that matches your current physical and emotional state. If you’re feeling particularly fragile, opt for a gentle, scenic route. As you gain strength, you might tackle more challenging trails.
2. Take Your Time: There’s no rush on a healing hike. Take your time to absorb the surroundings. Pause to appreciate the beauty around you. Sit by a stream, meditate under a tree, or simply stand and listen to the sounds of nature.
3. Reflect and Journal: Bring a journal with you to jot down your thoughts and feelings during rest breaks. Reflecting on your experiences in nature can help you process your emotions and gain new insights.
4. Hike with Intention: Set an intention for your hike. Whether it’s to find peace, gain clarity, or simply to enjoy the beauty of nature, having a purpose can make your hike more meaningful.
5. Share the Journey: While solitude can be healing, sharing your hike with a trusted friend or loved one can also provide support. Talking about your feelings as you walk can strengthen your bond and provide mutual comfort.

Embrace the Healing Trail

In times of change and grief, the natural world offers a sanctuary where you can find healing and support. Hiking is more than just a physical activity; it’s a therapeutic journey that can guide you through your emotional landscape. By connecting with nature, embracing the challenges of the trail, and finding solace in the journey, you can navigate difficult times with a renewed sense of hope and resilience.

So, lace up your hiking boots, find a trail, and let nature guide you on your path to healing. Remember, each step you take is a step towards emotional well-being and a brighter tomorrow.

Years ago, I was introduced to the concept of being a good ‘steward of your pain’ by Presbyterian Minister, Frederick Buechner. What does it mean to be a good steward of pain? It means staying connected to your pain, keeping in touch with the sad and difficult times of your past for many reasons. These moments often bring us closest to our most vital, human selves. They reveal our depth, vulnerability, and capacity for growth.

Buechner suggests there are various alternatives to being good stewards of pain:

1. Forgetting and Hiding the Pain

The most tempting option is to forget it, hide it, or pretend it never happened because it is too hard to deal with. The world often encourages us to handle pain this way. Families, too, can be part of this dynamic, suggesting, “Don’t talk about things that cause pain. Keep them hidden from yourself. Don’t allow yourself to feel them.”

2. Using Pain to Win Sympathy

Another approach is using pain to win sympathy. A sob story might be a way to elicit empathy from others, making us feel like a tragic hero in the eyes of the world. This tactic can become a way to seek validation and a sense of importance through suffering.

3. Using Pain as an Excuse for Failure

Some use pain as an excuse for failure, thinking, “If only I had gotten the breaks; if only those bad things hadn’t happened, who knows where I might have been today.” This perspective can trap us in a cycle of self-pity and stagnation, preventing us from moving forward.

4. Becoming Embittered and Trapped by Pain

Another great temptation is allowing yourself to become embittered and trapped by pain, imprisoned in a sadness you can never escape. This path leads to a life overshadowed by darkness and despair, isolating us from potential joy and connection.

All these are ways of dealing with pain. But there is another, more life-giving option: becoming a good steward of one’s pain.

Becoming a Good Steward of Your Pain

Becoming a good steward of your pain is key to transformation. Honestly telling your story is the first step. Being a good steward of your pain means letting this universal human experience become a source of empathy, compassion, and wisdom.

1. Sharing Your Story

Your story is important, because it is yours, and also because if you tell it honestly and authentically, others will recognize that it is also theirs. Keeping track of these stories of who we are, where we have come from, and the people we have met along the way is crucial. This collective narrative binds us together in our shared humanity.

2. Staying Connected to Your Pain

By keeping in touch with your pain, you become more open to the pain of others and your own deep places. Keeping in touch with sad times makes you more aware of your powerlessness, devastated by what is happening to you, yet also noticing gentle nudges and comforting  signs from the Universe, cheering you on and suggesting that perhaps you’re not alone in your pain. I write about this “kind, invisible, yet vital life-force, who’s got your back, gently pushing and pulling you toward your true center, your deepest identity,” in my book, Pockets of Grace: Lessons from Darkness, Lessons from Light.

3. Embracing Your Depths

Keeping in touch with your pain also means being true to the deepest parts of yourself, your core being, what I refer to as your “you-ness.” This authenticity allows you to access depths of pain and joy, for they come from the same place. Embracing this duality makes you more whole and capable of living a fuller, more meaningful life.

Indigo Flow: A Path to a New Beginning

At Indigo Flow, I believe in the transformative power of becoming a good steward of your pain. My coaching packages and programs are designed to include the four transcendent flows of Nature, Creative, Sacred, and Soul, to support you in connecting with your wise intuition, your “you-ness,” to help guide you forward. Through the natural world, creativity, spirituality, and soul-searching, Indigo Flow helps you navigate grief and life changes, transforming pain into a source of strength and growth.

By becoming a good steward of your pain, you open yourself to a life of empathy, compassion, and wisdom. You transform your pain into a source of connection and strength, ultimately leading to a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

Join me inside Indigo Flow and embark on this journey of transformation and healing.

Grief is a journey, one that ebbs and flows like the changing seasons. When you’re deep in sorrow, it can feel endless, but nature has a beautiful way of reminding us that everything, including grief, has its cycles.

Imagine the seasons: spring’s renewal, summer’s vibrancy, autumn’s release, and winter’s stillness. Each season has its own unique beauty and purpose, just like each phase of grief. Spring brings hope and new beginnings, summer offers moments of warmth and connection, autumn teaches us about letting go, and winter provides stillness and reflection.

Allow yourself to experience each season of grief. Embrace the hope and renewal when it comes, bask in the warmth of cherished memories, gently release what you cannot change, and find peace in the stillness. Nature’s cycles teach us patience and acceptance, helping us to understand that grief, like the seasons, will shift and transform.

Take a moment to step outside and connect with nature’s rhythms. Let the profound grounding found in nature offer you peace and understanding during this time.

Life’s journey is filled with challenges and moments that require us to dig deep within ourselves. One of the most profound ways to navigate through these times is by embracing writing as a spiritual practice. This isn’t just about putting words on paper—it’s about creating a sacred space for self-discovery, healing, and personal growth.

The Sacred Act of Writing

Writing can be more than a means of communication; it can be a profound spiritual practice. When you sit down to write, you’re not just engaging in a creative activity—you’re starting a conversation with yourself, embarking on a journey within, exploring your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. This process can be incredibly healing and transformative. I write about this in “Pockets of Grace.” “In the process of writing, a love song to my own heart emerged. Unexpected healing arrived while I was writing, and my hope is that it will be a love song to your heart as well.” This kind of healing is available to you as well by conversing with yourself on the page.

Creating a Sacred Space

To start, carve out a peaceful space for your writing practice. Find a quiet corner where you can be alone with your thoughts. Decorate it with items that bring you peace and inspiration—maybe a candle, a pretty journal, some crystals, or a favorite plant. This will be your sacred writing sanctuary.

A Ritual of Reflection

Think of writing as a ritual. Begin each session with a moment of stillness. Take a few deep breaths, close your eyes, and set an intention. This could be anything from seeking clarity on a particular issue to simply expressing gratitude. Let your heart guide you.

Conversing with Your Soul

When you write, imagine you’re having a conversation with yourself, your “you-ness.” Allow your inner voice to speak freely, without judgment or inhibition. This is your time to be completely honest and open with yourself. Write about your dreams, fears, joys, and sorrows. Let the words flow naturally, and trust that they will lead you to deeper insights and understanding.

Spiritual Insights and Growth

Writing as a spiritual practice can bring profound insights and personal growth. As you pour your thoughts and feelings onto the page, you may uncover patterns, truths, and realizations that weren’t apparent before. This can help you make sense of your experiences and help guide you on your journey.

Connecting with the Divine

For many, writing can also be a way to connect with the divine, however you define it. Whether you consider it a conversation with a higher power, Spirit, the universe, God, or your higher self, writing can be a channel for divine wisdom and guidance. Allow this connection to flow through your words, bringing you peace and clarity.

Sharing Your Spiritual Journey

Consider sharing your writings with a trusted community. Whether it’s a writing group, a spiritual circle, or close friends, sharing your journey can provide support and connect you with others. Listening to their stories and reflections can also enrich your own spiritual practice.

You’re invited to join us in The Pockets of Grace Writing Circle. The purpose of this group is to intentionally carve out time and space for writing – a conversation with YOU on the page, in community with others. It’s a supportive environment where you can freely express your thoughts and creativity.

Your Sacred Journey Begins

So, why not start today? Grab your journal and your favorite pen, find your quiet space, and let your soul speak. Embrace writing as a spiritual practice, and allow it to guide you toward healing, growth, and inner peace. Your journey is unique and beautiful, and your words have the power to illuminate your path. As writer Joan Didion says, “I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I fear, and what I want.”