Beverly had tried many forms of therapy, meditation and medication before consulting with me. She had a strong belief in God and prayed daily. Yet she was still anxious and could not understand source of her anxiety.

Beverly grew up in a "normal" household with two parents who seemingly loved her. Yet as we explored her childhood, it became apparent that, while there was no overt abuse, covert emotional abuse was constant. Her parents were highly critical of her and would get angry and withdraw when she didn’t perform to their expectations. Her mother was not affectionate and her father’s affection was tinged with sexual energy that frightened her.

Beverly felt tense much of time in her home. Her parents fought a lot and her mother would often end up crying hysterically while her father withdrew behind his newspaper. What she did not see in her household was any role-modeling for taking personal responsibility for her own feelings. Her mother would blame her and her father whenever she was unhappy, while her father would blame her and her mother for his upsets. Beverly always tried to be a good girl and be there for her parents, but no one was ever there for her.

It’s easy to see why Beverly was so anxious as a child. But what was causing her anxiety as an adult?

The problem was that Beverly had never learned how to be a loving parent to herself, because her parents had not been loving to her or to themselves. She was kind and generous with others, but she tended to ignore her own feelings and needs. The little girl inside Beverly, her Inner Child, felt alone and abandoned inside most of time. In addition, she was highly critical of herself, just as her parents had been with her. She was constantly telling herself that she couldn’t do anything right.

When a feather falls at your feet, it means you are to travel on wings of curiosity. Don't be afraid of strange lands or a language you don't understand. The feather means freedom. Why else do you think bird gave it to you? -Nancy Wood, Poet, on Native American Wisdom

You come upon a snake in your path while ambling through desert. What is appearance of this snake saying about your life?

You watch a hawk gliding back and forth, skimming above tops of bushes. Finally locating a thermal current, she effortlessly rides uplifting air higher and higher until she disappears from view. How can medicine-the message-of this hawk help make your life easier?

You find bugs in your house. What communication are insects trying to give you?

A tree falls blocking your pathway through woods. What does this "sign" tell you about development of your professional life?

Wild Things--They Make Your Heart Sing!

The Call of Wild soothes soul. Nature provides "medicine" for spirit. Similar to helpful guidance systems of astrology and numerology, Nature provides direction and comfort for people who are temporarily out of touch with their own intuition-their direct knowing. As a living guidance system, Nature does more than illuminate your way through life. Nature models how to best proceed on your life journey with step-by- step suggestions. And, as you open to Nature's gifts, you naturally reconnect to your intuition.

Just as we are given useful clues about how to live a more inspired life through our nightly dreams, Nature's compassionate messages provide us with direction, comfort, warnings, inspiration, guidance and encouragement. Even US military realizes beneficial uses of Nature. The Army Ranger Special Forces gives their troops specific instructions on how energy of trees helps people survive in wilderness. When troops are tired, hurt, thirsty, hungry or lost, they are instructed to find oldest or tallest tree-then sit, aligning their spine against tree truck. Troops are taught that tree will re-energize them, heal wounds, satisfy thirst and hunger and help them to reorient themselves in woods.

How Do You Use these Gifts of Nature?