Today’s Ask Sharon Column featured in The Area News.
Following is a copy of the full version of the column featured in The Area News complete with oracle card images.
Ask Sharon
Time to let go of negativity
THIS week Claire asks:
“Once again I’ve over-indulged at Christmas. I usually find it takes me a while to recover. What can I do differently?”
Today I was drawn to Doreen Virtue’s Archangel Raphael Healing Oracle Cards. The first card was “Forgiveness Heals”. You might think, “What has forgiveness got to do with over-indulgence?” But honestly, there could not have been a more accurate card to represent the source of the issue. It is about replacing toxic emotions with peace and health. When you are angry with yourself or others, it is you who suffers. This card symbolises that it is time to let go of past negative experiences and emotions that have been stored in your mind, heart and body. You may be pleasantly surprised by how much physical and emotional baggage you let go of by allowing yourself to forgive.
The second card was “Detoxification”. It doesn’t mean you have to buy a program or pills, quite the opposite. A detox can be as simple as refining what and how you eat and drink (without judgement). It can be about moderation as opposed to cutting entire things out. It can be reducing some things you consume and increasing others (you will have an instinct about what these are already). It can be starting your day with some fresh lemon juice in a glass of water to kick-start your metabolism. Do explore what detoxification means to you, but I am getting a strong sense that this card’s message will ring true because it is something you have considered for some time. Take it slowly, enjoy the process by looking at it as an act of self-love. When you begin to take care of any aspect of yourself, your effort will be rewarded by how you feel within. The outer effects will be the icing on the cake (no pun intended).
The final card, which can represent the result of acting on the other two, is “Unconditional Joy”. It also highlights that it is possible to attain joy right now regardless of your circumstances. I can see two quick ways to get you on the path of joy. Firstly, give yourself a break from judgement. When you continue a behaviour and then judge or berate yourself for it, you will stay stuck in a dysfunctional cycle. When you acknowledge that what you’ve been doing in over-indulging is an attempt to soothe yourself and fill a void with something (like food or alcohol), you can begin a process of empowerment and be open to positive choices. This will lighten the load and allow joy to re-enter your life.
Secondly, be grateful for everything you have in your life now. You could obtain a nice crystal, but a rock will do. Place in your pocket and throughout your day when you notice it, be thankful for anything and everything you can think of. This can be a powerful practice. You can be thankful for anything from your family, your home to a flower or a breeze.
Today’s cards have been drawn from the Archangel Raphael Healing Oracle Cards. Images and card names are copyright to Doreen Virtue, 2010.
