First- go into action for yourself and find the right professionals. You may need a doctor, alternative medical practitioner, therapist, attorney, financial or tax advisor. If you are in serious trouble, you are likely having bad transits, so there is something to be said for using a professional you already know if possible- this avoids natalizing a new professional relationship during negative stars. Get referrals to find the best practitioners. If the first person you consult doesn’t feel right, seek out someone else. If in doubt along the way, get a second opinion.
Reaching out for extra support is a central strategy during crisis times- even if you are a strong person and usually don’t need outside help. Some ideas:
Call all your friends, even those you haven’t seen for a while. You may be surprised who will show up for you.
Find a support group and go often!
Look for: Groups oriented toward your specific crisis
General support groups
Appropriate 12-step groups- CODA can be a good general group
If the first group you try doesn’t resonate for you, try another and another until you find a group where you feel at home. Even if you hate the whole idea of a group- force yourself to find a good one. You’ll be amazed how much just showing up helps, even if you don’t say a word.
Find a great therapist. This too can take several tries. A referral from someone you trust is a great place to start.
Find a great bodyworker and get therapeutic massages.
It’s vitally important to make every effort to keep your coping mechanisms as healthy as possible during crisis times.
Some things that we may become dependent upon during a crisis, such as an addiction of some kind, can later become serious problems in their own right.
Don’t compound your problems. Never solve a short-term problem by creating a long-term one!
Be patient. Sometimes we can’t resolve a crisis until the astrological cycles that contributed to the crisis have passed.
Usually crisis times are clearly indicated by difficult transits or progressions to our chart. During these times, our normal luck is not with us, so “desperate” or irresponsible actions often create more problems than they solve. Again- don’t do any
thing which may compound your problems.
If there is no immediate resolution, the best course is often to SURRENDER your situation to God. Surrender may not solve your crisis, but often you can achieve the peace of mind that can allow you to continue on. Then, when challenging astrological cycles give way to positive ones, your situation will often resolve itself.
Keep your own list of healthy things that you can do for yourself when you need nurturing. You can refer to this list when you are feeling bad and don’t know what to do.
Some basics are:
Take a hot shower or bath
Go for a walk or hike or run
Do some yoga stretches
Breathe slowly and deeply
Read a good book
Make yourself a nice meal or a cup of tea
Call a friend or get together
Give or get a hug
Take a nap
Meditate
Putter or just sit in a garden or park
Cuddle up with a pet or even a stuffed animal
Crisis No-Nos!
Not getting appropriate professional care or advice
Alcohol to excess or while driving
Illegal Drugs
Abuse of Prescription Drugs
Lashing Out
Overspending
Dependency on an unethical or shady practitioner of any kind
Eating junk food/excess sugar
Not getting plenty of sleep
Giving up self-care
Watching disturbing movies/TV
Being self-destructive
Making major changes in your life while your judgment is affected by the current crisis
Deepen your personal spirituality. A spiritual base can give you the internal resources you need to weather many storms. If you have a satisfying spiritual practice, give your practice extra time and reach within it for some new dimension. If you aren’t clear what type of spirituality is comfortable to you, try doing some searching with an open mind. Follow your hunches. Remember that you don’t have to please anyone else.
You may find your spiritual home within a traditional religion, or elsewhere. Those that feel that they have exhausted traditional sources may find answers in:
Eastern thought, philosophy, spiritual practice
Feminine “Goddess” spiritual traditions
Nature-based spiritual practices
Native American spiritual traditions
Inspirational literature of almost any kind
Remember that as you grow and evolve, so will your spiritual beliefs and practice. Open your heart, and find your own way to become One with the Divine.
Pray and Meditate
It has been said that prayer is talking to God, and meditation is listening to God. Take time to talk, and to listen.
If you’re not sure how to pray, you can try these steps. Remember the acronym I-N-S-I-G-H-T-S
Invocation- Call upon the presence of God/Goddess/All That Is, feel the rush of Divine energy, feel Oneness with the Infinite
Number- Count your blessings one by one
Surrender- Surrender yourself, your thoughts, feelings, body, spirit, relationships, situations, and problems to the Infinite- “Thy will be done”
Intentions- State your intentions: things, situations that I want and intend for myself- “Ask and ye shall receive”
Gifts- Send out wishes and prayers for others
Healing- Ask for assistance in the healing and the forgiveness of people and situations
Thanks- Thank the Creator for his/her help and attention
Send it out- Release your prayer into the Universe, knowing that as it is released, it is accomplished- “And so it is”
Meditation is a process of becoming still and quiet, without interruption, (sitting in the lotus position seems to help), and allowing your thoughts to drift by, one after another. Allow them to pass by, one by one like the cars of a train, without judging or trying to control them. Just observe your thoughts, while remaining neutral. Focus on your rhythmic breath, feeling the breath passing in and out past the tips of your nostrils. Let your body relax, and your thoughts become quiet. In the silent spaces you create, the small and quiet voice of God can be heard.
Ask your guardian Angels to guide you. Allow quiet time every day for their voices to be heard. Most powerful is when you set aside time each morning, and write what comes into your mind. Detailed instructions are in my book: How to Sing the Uni-Verse, Messages from the Angels.
Make an affirmation recording and add statements to it like the ones below:
I now find the solutions I seek.
I am capable of handling what is in front of me.
I am amply supported.
I am truly loved.
I understand the blessing in the current situation.
I understand the lesson in the current situation.
I am able to correct what is needed within myself now.
I forgive myself. I forgive everyone else.
I release any need for distress or difficulty.
I deserve to have my needs met.
I trust myself to take care of my needs.
I deserve respect from myself and others.
I deserve to be nourished by myself and others.
I deserve only good things in my life. (you may want to list these specifically)
I am worthy just because I exist.
Get in touch with your needs.
Being as specific as possible, make a list of your current needs such as:
Survival needs (food, shelter, etc.)
Financial needs (budgeting, income, retirement planning, etc.)
Emotional needs (friendship, affection, intimacy, support, etc.)
Physical needs (exercise, fresh air, sexual release, medical attention, etc.)
Intellectual needs (mental stimulation, purposefulness, etc.)
Spiritual needs (spiritual practice, meditation time, etc.)
Notice how well these needs are being met, and look at ways you might meet them better or enlist more help to get them met.
No matter how chaotic life might be feeling, you can always put some part of your life into order. Organize a drawer, a cupboard, a closet.
Give away, throw away or recycle unnecessary clutter. Clean thoroughly. Put what’s left into some logical order. You can also organize a file cabinet, put your finances into Quicken, or anything. It doesn’t matter how small your area is- it’s actually better to start small so you can easily make it perfect and keep it so. Let this one part of your life be a model for more of your life in the future- a promise to yourself. Whenever the chaos feels overwhelming, open your drawer or whatever and remember this IS possible.
Find a way to make a contribution to others. Focus time and energy on those less fortunate than yourself. Advance your specific cause or another worthy cause. Help a friend. Listen to someone else’s problems. Find a purpose that is larger than yourself.
Remember that good stars follow bad stars and good times follow bad times. Remember that you’re not alone in having challenges- this too is part of the human experience. You can get through this if you make up your mind to do so. Don’t let yourself be defined by your losses. Get up and try again. And again. You can do it! You probably have more people praying for you and rooting for you, and more Angelic protection than you know. Be as peaceful as you can be. Keep Breathing.
More about handling crisis in my book: Build Your Dream Life: A Do-It-Yourself, Step-By-Step Guide.
Sending you Love, Light and Prayers,
