Look for the gold.

"Because our greatest gifts and deepest wounds reside in the same area; because the resurrection of old pains can be so fearful and painful, people need to be reminded in diverse ways that the inner dream of life, the wise word set within and the psychic gold are the natural inheritance of each human soul.
Because it is so easy to forget what we so desperately need to remember; old stories talk of golden treasures and great dreams that call us to undertake adventures and pilgrimages that in the end reveal what was within us all along."
- Michael Meade, "Fate and Destiny"

I know a lot of people who are feeling an energetic squeeze right now. It's as if we are being forced through a narrow passage and all of the things that don't fit with who we are becoming have to drop away.

Events playing out on the political stage are rippling through the economy, causing real financial hardship. The ripples have reached me, even though I have at least three degrees of separation from someone who receives money from the U.S. government. It drives home the point that we are all connected and interdependent. It also highlights the vulnerabilities in the systems that we have come to rely upon, even indirectly.

At times like this, problems can seem insurmountable, and it can be easy to fall into blame and victim consciousness, when the situation may be a gift in disguise. Maybe there is a belief, habit or pattern that you would not see otherwise. It may be holding you back when the rest of you is champing at the bit.

I encourage you to look for the lesson, the wisdom, the breakthrough. Look for the gold. Take on the perspective of an alchemist.

Some part of you knows what needs to change in order for you to move forward. Be curious. Ask questions like, what is here for me inside of this difficulty? How does this situation benefit me? What do I need to see?

You might be surprised at the answers that come.
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Sending you love and fortitude to navigate this moment.