Hello, and thank you for reading this post, that looks like a dense update. It’s been a while since the last blog post and newsletter. I’ve been busy recovering my energy and reinventing myself again after moving from Canada to California.
If you have the patience to read to the end, I think you might find something useful for yourself. These are the days at the heart of Autumn (or Fall, as you like), and what I’m telling you in this post is deeply connected with this particular moment.
For those who missed it, my husband got a job In California several months ago, so he moved first, and I followed him 6 months later because I needed to sell the house in Canada first, and wait for our son who was working all summer in the north.
Finally, I moved in September, and I save you from the "relocation tale" (a lot of work!). But I'm going to share what happened next!
So, about my relocation to California, on one hand I can tell you that California is wonderful, and I could not be happier. The Nature and the weather are so beautiful, we moved to an area in which we had friends, and I feel like I belong to this place - so I feel blessed for the opportunity to live here. This is really a wish that came true.
On the other hand, I needed not only to recover because the amount of work right before my relocation was intense and challenging (physically, mentally, and emotionally) but also to take some time because of the “surprise” I found as soon as I arrived in the US.
Due to a misunderstanding, my husband was sure I was allowed to work here.
But…no.
My visa depends on his visa, and our kind of visa doesn’t allow me to work as a self-employed professional, or run a business of any kind.
Of course, I “can” work, but I can’t be paid, and I am not allowed even to receive donations or gifts.
I consulted with a lawyer expert in both immigration and taxes, and she confirmed that the only source of income I am allowed to get is the royalties from the sales of my books and online courses, which cannot happen from my website or from me directly, but only through platforms like Amazon, Udemy, Teachable, etc.
I even had to close my Etsy shop, because Etsy would need more activity from my side, and it would mean “business”.
This news disoriented me a bit, but I didn’t panic.
In many years of work on myself, I learned that I can turn a perceived obstacle, challenge, or limitation, into an opportunity.
So, while reflecting and meditating on this apparent “limitation”, I took also the time to reconnect with and attune to my deepest needs - and self.
And I realized that for the first time, Life is reminding me kindly that I need to take a break from “doing" to allow a deep upgrade and reset.
Usually, Life reminds me of that through painful lessons - challenges related to my health. This time it’s the environment that is giving me this warning, and I consider it a huge step forward.
I don’t need anymore to reach the edge of a health catastrophe to take a break and go through a transformation. Life is showing me the direction clearly, and I follow it.
It took a month and a lot of bureaucracy to deal with all the work needed to understand my situation, then update both my websites, and put my online courses on Udemy, so to keep my work available even if I cannot actively work.
I also decided to make the printable high-resolution files of almost all my paintings free, connecting them to my books. I mean, in a couple of my books you can find a link to “secret resources” among which are the downloadable files of some of my paintings.
I am not allowed to teach or provide one-on-one sessions and be paid, but this means that I have more time to set up free group meetings and events, like webinars and masterclasses.
And I will take this time as an opportunity to complete some projects. There is something going on with one of my books, Turn to Heal, so if you didn’t purchase it yet, wait, because I’m working on a new edition of it which will include something new.
The heart of Autumn is the moment in which Nature, in the northern hemisphere at certain latitudes, retires from “doing” in order to prepare for its rebirth. It’s the perfect moment to let go of those habits, attitudes, or aspects of our life and behavior that could keep us identified with something that we are not anymore.
To allow change, we need to “sacrifice” something, like the trees “sacrifice” their leaves. The word sacrifice comes from Latin and means “to make it sacred”. A conscious sacrifice is about letting go of something to allow something else to happen, even when we don’t know what it is. Moments like this can be doors to deeper wisdom.
I think I already understood what are the gifts that this unexpected turn brought to me. There is something deeply related to my spiritual connections and inner work and I’ll tell you more soon.
For now, keep an eye on my next newsletters because I will probably invite you to some free workshops or events.
In the meantime, I invite you to take a look at THIS page of my website (Courses & Resources), in which you will find both the links to the courses on Udemy, and the links to the free resources on this website.
For those who followed my programs The Sacred Body or The Goddess Within, I’m scheduling a monthly free meeting. You will find the dates on the new page “Meetings”, and to get the zoom link please write me and I’ll send it to you.
HERE you can find the link to the Meditation for the Heart of Fall I led one year ago, and
HERE you can find the link to the masterclass and meditation dedicated to this moment in 2020.
Remember that this moment of the year is precious for reconnecting to our inner resources and self. I wish you a magical celebration and I hope to see you soon in one of my free zoom meetings!