Iced Mint Tea

Some years ago, my highest self gave me the ultimatum I didn’t see coming.

I no longer could entertain the constant anxiety, fears and worries that ran through my mind every day. People and events easily triggered me though objectively speaking, no one except I could be blamed for how I feel and react. As a mother to two young kids, this was no way to be a role model. Change had to happen, and it had to start ASAP.

Personal experience has taught me that there is no single tool to reframe the inner dialogue. Transformation has to happen mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically.

Demolishing the structures of my past belief system and limiting mindset was not an easy walk in the park and it is (and forever will be) a work in progress. But believe me, once you start the inner work, you’ll never look at life the same way again.

Everyone has their own preferred healing methods – it really depends on what modalities you resonate with. Many people have found comfort in conventional psychotherapy; some others prefer meditation, yoga or a vigorous movement practice; and there are those who have learned deeply about who they are through past life regression or learning about the Akashic Records.

My personal tools have been Tarot (duh), Reiki and frequent exercise (YES there’s no running away from moving your ass!).

Tarot for Positivity

Storytelling is the gift I was born with and Tarot helps me craft intuition-led narratives for myself, friends, family and clients. Any given spread can reveal my (or the seeker’s) state of mind, deepest hopes and desires, roadblocks and truthful advice to achieve success and more importantly, peace of mind.

I refer to a Tarot deck as a pocket-sized life coach. When we have the vocabulary to bring the messages of the cards to life, Tarot reading can be a very very powerful way to flip on the light switch in our heads. It also can be the step between feeling depressed and seeking professional help – I can’t stress the importance of this enough.

Reiki for Alignment

Right about the same time I was picking up Tarot reading, Reiki (a hands-on energy healing technique) came into my life. I experienced a temporary attunement and Reiki exchange during a free community session, and while the session wasn’t mind-blowing, the aftereffect was life-changing.

My mind became strangely quiet and worry-free. Even when what I often ruminated about came up, all I felt was a fat nothing. That was EVERYTHING to me. For the first time in my life, I understood what it was like to experience peace and gratitude and to look at my world objectively, rather than through the lens of my my inner child who had been subjected to decades of social conditioning and subliminal trauma. This modality has greatly improved personal issues relating to my biological family – we all know how annoyingly hard this is.

Since then I’ve taken classes and am so happy to report that I’m finally a certified Usui Reiki Level 3 practitioner! In addition to providing Reiki treatments, I’m now able to give heart attunements to let others experience the flow of Reiki through their hands temporarily – the effect usually lasts about a week.

Exercise

What really made my healing journey holistic was the incorporation of a movement practice. I’ve been a fervent yoga practitioner since the early part of 2018 and have recently started running twice a week. And mind you, I was the most un-athletic, pudgy person way back in school but now at the grand age of 37, I am the strongest and fittest I’ve ever been.

Exercising (even brisk walking) releases stuck energy in the body. When done at a moderate to vigorous intensity, a workout keeps your mind present on the moment. When your heart is beating at 160bpm or you’re fighting to keep your balance in a Half Moon, your focus is not going anywhere else. When you think about it, exercise can be as effective as meditation in terms of keeping overthinking at bay.

And that’s it – the three most powerful modalities that have saved me from the pits of my bottomless ego. Healing will always be ongoing and I make sure to do at least one of these things every single day – no one said it was going to be easy.

But start small, baby steps count. Find a modality you resonate with and try it out for a while. When you send your intention for healing and transformation out to the universe, trust that She will deliver to you exactly what (or who) you need.

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If you feel called to discover what a Tarot reading can do for personal development or achieving clarity on certain issues, check out the range of readings available here. Those who prefer a live virtual (or in-person if you’re in Singapore) session, please email me at hello@icedminttea.com.

I’ve not officially added Reiki healing to my services at this point. However, I am able to take in a limited number of clients who are keen on experiencing a Reiki treatment or heart attunement – both virtual and in-person sessions can be arranged. Email me for details.