Universal Life Church Spirit Quest
When your life is a mess, chaotic, when there have been many challenges, losses and forced changes, which is what happened to me when I became very ill as the result of food allergies and exposure to toxins, there is a tremendous need to set new and realistic goals. Last year at this time, I had energy, I was re-doing a small cottage in Virginia, I was making trips to the mountains, visiting friends, and working as a crisis nurse on a crisis unit. From Christmas time on, my health began to deteriorate, I lost energy, had increased cardiac problems, difficulty focusing, sleep difficulty, and other problems. I went to see a naturopathic doctor, who was able to diagnose how I was nutritionally deficient in many areas, what was going on to cause this and we began to do the exploration to find foods and toxins that I was reacting to. In the end I had to quit work, fortunately, I was able to retire. I also chose to leave Virginia and relocate back to Minnesota.
Through out all of these months, Amy Long has walked by my side, listening, providing positive words, positive encouragement, laughing with me, helping me look at what I have needed to change, helping me with the challenges I have faced, helping me release what needed releasing and empowering me to starting my journey to creating a new life.
Those months of the illness and losses created a kind of darkness, sadness, fear, uncertainty, and the inability to be able to trust in my body and mind. When I look back, it feels very dark. As I have moved into recovery, it is like seeing a light at the end of a tunnel that just keeps growing bigger and bigger. As I set my new goals, I have chosen to face this light, to frame my goals in positive language, to create that path of what I want to enter my life, to grow in my life, and because I also understand that greater positive thinking will prompt my brain to release the brain chemicals that will support positive energy, emotions, and more.
SETTING GOALS:
1. Increase healthy, positive and energy.
2. Increase toxin free - healthy input into my body, mind and spirit.
3. Increase positive, calm, and rational reactions to stress events and actions of others.
4. Set priorities: Spiritual; self; family; home; friends; etc.
5. Increase completion of projects, lessons, and commitments I choose.
6. Increase times for vision questing, prayer, meditating, writing, and to honor these times as sacred.
7. To increase ways for food to nurture my body.
8. To set short term and daily goals that will support the major goals each morning.
9. To increase awareness of when I act or react out of love....and when I do not......and to change what was behind why I did not act out of love.
Finally, some thing Amy taught me: when I feel a need for support, a positive word, validation, kindness, etc., find some one else who needs some thing similar and give it to them.
ROAD BLOCKS:
1. When I choose a way of thinking or behavior that does not support the above goals: I will stop and write down what I was thinking or doing: I will either at that time or later review what I was doing and ask myself why I stopped seeking what was posiitve and what triggered that response and then write it down.
2. Then I will finish this sentence: Because I am so loved by the Creator, I will..................................... open to receiving this love; review recent blessings and positive changes; do some energy healing; e-mail some thing loving and or funny to a friend; etc.
3. Then I will drink some good water as a way to cleans physically, emotionally and spiritually from the event.
TIME LINE: 8 MONTHS WHILE DOING THE SPIRIT QUESTING COURSE
I wish to thank Amy and others for supporting me on my new journey.
Reverend Victoria Hogan
Universal Life Church
