“The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image. If in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them: we only love the reflection of ourselves we find in them.”
~ Thomas Merton
Hello Lovelies,
Here’s this week’s oracle card and my take on the energetic outlook for the days ahead.
‘Peace’, from Colette Baron-Reid’s Wisdom of the Oracle deck is a gentle reminder of the need for self-love and self-care, and for the importance of clear-thinking and heart-wisdom in your relationships.
First and foremost this week is the requirement for rest and reflection. Give yourself time to heal. Give yourself time to think. Give yourself time to dream and to plan and to work on your own projects. Make yourself, and your dreams and needs, your crowning priority this week.
Find it impossible to get quiet time at home? Then take yourself for a walk. Visit the beach or a local park. Stay up late or get up early, while the rest of your household is in bed. Sometimes we need a space that is free of the thoughts and energies of others, in order to truly feel and be ourselves.
For some of you, this week may also be about finding your own space, creating an office or a writing room or art space. It could be about house hunting, or moving out on your own.
Got a project on the go? Make space for it. Create dedicated studio room, desk space, computer files, and project boxes to store your scraps of paper and trinkets.

This week is also about relationships. Here are the top five considerations:
#1 Put your relationship with yourself first this week. Extend the olive branch of forgiveness and self-acceptance to yourself, whatever your current circumstances. Need help? Ask for it. Get your needs met. Do or schedule the things you’ve been putting off that support your physical and emotional health, your learning, your wild untamed yearnings (like art classes or walking the Camino or dancing all night). Yep. Really.
#2 Who can you let into your inner circle? Who do you trust? Who has your back? Who lifts you up? Ensure that these relationships are in good repair. Nurture them and spend time in them or schedule some catch-ups for the weeks ahead.
#3 Those difficult and hurting spaces with people. Review them from a soul space rather than from that place of wounding. Consider the other person. Are they insecure, anxious, driven by a worry or neurosis that you can’t see? All of us are wounded, one way of the other. When we sit in compassion we begin to allow that behaviours and attitudes may be less about ourselves and more a reflection of where the other person is at. Try your best to look from new angles at these old or ongoing hurts and you’ll begin to feel a shift.
#4 Where are your boundaries? Sometimes we end up in relationships that don’t work for us as well as they might because we haven’t clearly expressed our needs and our boundaries. We put other people’s feelings or needs ahead of our own wellbeing. That never ends well for us… (You know it!) This week speak up for yourself. Identify and patrol your emotional perimeter. Use discernment around who you allow into your inner circle.
#5 The Drift Away Factor and Door Closing. There will sometimes be relationships that only stay active because of the one-sided effort we invest. This week think about how you might invest less, so that the relationships drift further and further away from you. OR so that the other party must suddenly begin to pull their weight. Any relationships that need a door closed on them as a more formal ending? This could be love, work, family, friends, or even a destructive behaviour you do to yourself.

It’s a great week. A week where you can get so much done. A week where you can truly begin to feel and experience forward momentum. Use it well!
Much love to you, Nicole xx
PS – By the time you read this I will already be in hospital, getting ready to be prepped for surgery. I’ve written a few posts and scheduled them to post automatically over the next few weeks so there will still be stuff to read and share. But I’ll post here or on facebook just as soon as I am able and update you all. Thanks for all the love and well-wishes. I’ll speak with you soon. Bless <3
<3 heal well thinking of you
Hang in there Nicole! Hoping that you have a team of angels ( human, spiritual and animal) by your side as you go through this and come out the other side. Here’s hoping that you will have the speediest of recoveries and that you feel immeasurably better.
My kindest thoughts are with you.
K
Blessings and prayers as you go through this most difficult leg of your journey. You have support so many of us for so long, I am indeed grateful to you and your talents. Care for yourself please! Let others help and support YOU!
I have been sending prayers that your surgery today was successful. May your healing be swift and hope you are quickly on the road to recovery. Much love being sent your way Nicole xx
Good luck in your surgery. Sending healing, angels and positive vibes your way xxxxxxx
This resonated deeply. Sending prayer for immediate and complete recovery. I see you well and doing more wonderfilled things with your life.
What a beautiful (and timely for me) post that was written with such grace and poise. I will definitely take your wise words to heart and spend this week working on such things. Blessings on you Nicole, I hope that all goes well for you and that your procedure is an angelic success. Love and Light J
Your generosity overwhelms me Nicole. You have given (us) whilst being in a space where you need support. Sending my love and thoughts to you for your op today and thank you for your wise words xxxxx
Thank you, this I needed to read
So much of this spoke to me. Sending you warmest wishes and love that all goes well for you. xo
Much love and peace to you today Nicole – May the Angels, fairies and ancestors watch over every part of the procedure and recovery. – Love Sue Girl!!
Wishing you well. Listen to your body, Nicole
Holding you close to my heart, knowing that you are supported by the heavens above & the best medical staff available for you. Seeing you in a BIG bubble of light this morning, during the surgery and the coming weeks. Oh! We’ll all make sure Ben is well fed & does not get into too much mischief! Love, LOVE and more LOVE