Inspired by Earth Newsletter #56 April 2021

my voice, my choice
     I have had many recent conversations surrounding the topic of forgiveness lately and have found it to be a rabbit hole type of discussion. What I mean by that is one person can wholeheartedly believe that forgiveness is essential for mental wellbeing (which isn’t being disputed either way here) while another cannot even fathom forgiving a transgression done against them because the repercussions were so awful. The first opinion makes the second person feel worse because now they are being told they will never find peace until they can forgive. Hence, the journey down a winding rabbit hole. Which answer is right? We have all heard expressions stating anger only harms us and forgiveness is the anecdote that frees us. But consider how that sounds to someone who has been so hurt, so ravaged, so torn apart…by someone else. Why should they forgive? How can they?
    
     And so, in one of these discussions, we fell upon the word acknowledgment. We all agreed that it felt okay to acknowledge negative feelings around an incident and let them go.  We also decided to abolish the word forgiveness.

     While forgiveness is meant to be peaceful and assuring, I think all the attachments and expectations that the word brings becomes a sharp-edged sword to those already suffering. It is one thing to forgive someone for standing you up for a lunch date; it is completely another thing to forgive something so heinous it has left imprints on one’s entire life. So...with respect...I release the word forgiveness.

     I wonder what you think about letting go of the feelings you’ve accumulated versus…forgiving?  I feel uneasy with the topic of forgiveness because expecting or telling someone to forgive so they can feel better just seems backwards. I like acknowledging the feelings instead because then we can do whatever we choose with them. And in choosing, we use our voice and reclaim our power.
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I am holding my next virtual Death Cafe meeting on Monday April 12th at 6pm CST. Please email me for the link and password. You can also find my meetings on www.deathcafe.com as Death Cafe Western Suburbs Chicago. If you have never been to one, please consider joining me in a safe space to organically talk about death. We have some really great conversations! There is no meeting agenda and the intention is to make this a more comfortable and normal conversation. Space is limited to 20.
___________________________________________________________________________________________YYoga Class Schedule
ALL classes will remain ONLINE on Zoom until further notice. All are welcome to attend any class for free. Please reach out to me for the link and password. Please note the Vinyasa has moved day and time.

*SUNDAY'S: 10-11:15am, Gentle/Restorative 
*TUESDAY's:  2-3:15pm Inspired Vinyasa
*WEDNESDAY'S: 6-7:15pm, Gentle/Restorative

 If you miss a class, I am posting them to my YouTube page, which can be found by searching my name or by following this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9b8ULuY6A2uAuoxC2iaO2Q
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FEATURED HEALING STONE: Chrysocolla
by Maryann Sanfilipp, Crystal Writer Extraordinaire
  
When thinking of Spring, I think of Mother Nature, a goddess in her on rite!  For this month of April, I have chosen Chrysocolla which is a stone of the Goddess.  Like Mother Nature, it is a stone of empowerment of the feminine energies in both women and men.  While emanating power, it teaches that power is best expressed through gentleness. 
 
The name Chrysocolla comes from the Greek word Chrysos meaning gold and Kola which translates to glue. It earned part of its name kola as it was one of the first materials to be used by goldsmiths to weld precious metals together. Artists and workers loved the stone, and it was often used by renaissance painters, ground down to a pigment to be used in their most epic works of art. It was beloved by Emperors and Kings, known to be a stone that carried connotations of elite living.
 
This is a stone that is associated with the root, heart and throat chakras.  As such, it is an ally of those who speak for a living.  It is a teaching stone that encourages us to reveal our highest knowledge so others may benefit from our experiences.  It also teaches one to choose words carefully and that sometimes silence is the best choice.  It is a stone of wise women everywhere and is often a gift for first-time grandmothers to help balance their new caring role.  It is also a good stone for those who live alone who may feel nervous being alone at night.
 
Strangely enough, it has been used as a crystal to encourage people to stay at home!  It has been prized since antiquity by monks, wise men and hermits to diminish anxiety that often accompanies seclusion.  It could also help those with wandering tendencies who never seem to stay in one place.   
 
Thanks to its calming properties, Chrysocolla helps to lower blood pressure. Alongside being an amazing antidote to anxiety, it helps with depression and can ease emotional heartache. On top of this, it also helps regulate blood sugar, aids digestion, keeps the lungs clean and healthy and can deal with infections and fevers.
 
All in all, it is a stone worth its weight in gold, just as its name implies. It is a great stone for this months opening of spring and a return of the beauty that accompanies it. 


Copyright 2011- April 2021

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