This month, some of us are working on releasing or letting go of resentment, unforgiveness, guilt, and other negative mindsets that are weighing us down. I created the October Release Set for this reason.
You may have woken up one day recently and decided it was time, or you may have been working on letting stuff go for years. If you've just started this journey, you're in good company. And as long as you set your intention and move toward this letting go in, you're on the right path. Whether it takes a moment or years is to be determined.
You may receive talk therapy or counseling through all or part of your journey. You may keep a journal. You may read books to help you understand the process. You will find that taking long walks, gardening, and just being in nature will help you heal.
As a support to my own process, I have found gardening to be a healing experience. To engage in a reciprocal relationship with the earth, to care for plants, to give back is has helped my soul to mend. The trees and herbs, especially with their gentle strength have been my plant companions during this rather solitary year.
The book The Wild Remedy: How Nature Mends Us by Emma Mitchell is a month-by-month look at how one woman experienced nature's healing as she struggled with depression. This book has beautiful watercolor, natural flat lays, and the writing makes you want to be in the English countryside with her. Oh, and the book starts with the month of October!
I am taking my Oregano Flower Essence every day and using the Release essential oil blend. Why? Because plants can aid us as we heal emotionally and mentally. Cypress (one of the oils in the Release blend) has particularly been a close ally over the past several years since my divorce. Whenever I've been overwhelmed by sadness, I have used Cypress in my diffuser with a few other oils such as comforting Lavender, cheerful Sweet Orange or Grapefruit, and grounding Vetiver.
This month, I have felt the strength of the flower essence and essential oils. Every day I speak out what I am releasing and who I am forgiving. As new hurts come up, I am working on forgiving and releasing right away, rather than adding them to the pile. Because new hurts will come up, particularly with close family or friends...(I am NOT talking about abuse, just everyday interactions with family members that can cause hurt.)
Another extremely helpful action I took this month was to read Desmond Tutu's The Book of Forgiving to gain some insight into the process. There are four steps on the path: Telling the Story, Naming the Hurt, Granting Forgiveness, and Renewing or Releasing the Relationship. It was helpful for me to learn that we can straddle two steps, or go forward and then go backward as we work through the process. It's different for everyone and we just need to take the time we need.
As you work on your own inner healing, know that you are surrounded by others who are walking the same path with you and remember that plants offer their help to you always.