Spirituality – Dr. Danielle Clark

Signs are subtle

February 6^th was my 38^th birthday, my 38^th trip around the sun.

Two days before my special day, I asked Spirit to send me some special gifts to help me celebrate.

On my birthday morning, I went to Orangetheory Fitness. I figured getting active and showing my body love and appreciation was a perfect way to honor my life. When I arrived, the woman behind the desk said she had assigned me to rower 6. I smiled. Of course she had! Even though rowing is my arch nemesis (OTF-goers, do you share my pain?!), I was still grateful for the synchronicity.

An hour later, after a much-needed shower, I took my yellow lab Charlie out for a stroll. As we walked down the sidewalk, a brilliant red cardinal caught my eye. This majestic bird fluttered his wings and locked eyes with me. Whenever I see a cardinal, I feel it’s a sign from Spirit, a special gift in and of itself.

But there was something especially significant about this sighting: the day before while we were walking the neighborhood, my husband observed it had been awhile since we’ve seen the cardinals out and about. I agreed and he responded, “With the warmer weather here, hopefully, we’ll see them soon.”

As I watched the red cardinal fly across the rooftops and onto the next neighborhood, I paused, thanking Spirit for their gifts.

From my experience, this is how Spirit works. Spirit is artful, clever and practical. They will work with the nature and people in our lives to create these perfect moments of harmony and connection between our physical world and the spiritual realm. We just need to slow down enough to see them and open our hearts up enough to believe and feel them.

Join me in spreading my messages of breaking judgment habits and strengthening intuition even further: forward this blog to a few family members and friends. The greater the shares, the greater the impact – They can subscribe here.

Sincerely,

Dr. Danielle Clark | Psychic Medium
drdanielleclark.com

PS – Use this affirmation when you want to strengthen your connection to Spirit, “I am divinely created and divinely supported. I am in sync with the love, signs and synchronicities Spirit sends me.”

PPS – When we write something, we amplify its energy. Grab your pen and journal. Write a letter to Spirit. This can be to God, a loved one in Spirit, your Spirit guides, your angels, whoever feels right. Ask them to send you a gift. For the next week, be open to the signs and synchronies you receive (remember, Spirit is subtle – my gentle reminder to you to slow down and observe). Make sure to capture these gifts (like my rower 6 and the cardinal) in your journal. Then, write a second note to thank Spirit for the gifts.

Asking + Awareness + Gratitude = More connection with Spirit.

Reading recommendations from yours truly

If you’re like me, when you think about summer, you think about reading. There’s just something extra special about sitting on the porch with a lemonade and a book or perhaps taking a book to the beach, enjoying the sound of the waves and the sand between your toes.

Ahhh… I may just take a drive to the beach this afternoon…

If you’re looking to add a book or two to your summer reading list, here are a few I think you may like. Send me your suggestions as well. I’d love to hear from you.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Wild is one of my all-time favorite books. It’s been out since 2012, so there’s a good chance you’ve already read it but if not, make me proud, put it on your reading list and send me a note when you finish it so we can chat. Wild is a coming-of-age memoir that is gritty and human, written in a transporting prose. The book follows the author’s three-month solo hike from California to Washington on the Pacific Crest Trail after her marriage falls apart and she loses her mother.

What I like best about the book: Cheryl makes what some may call taboo choices. She’s candid about them. She owns them. She works to heal herself. And through the hurt and the healing, she made a beautiful life and beautiful art.

The Universe is Talking to You: Tap into Signs and Synchronicity to Reveal Magical Moments Every Day by Tammy Mastroberte

I hear this a lot from clients, “How do I tap into my spiritual side? I want to get messages from The Universe, from my loved one in spirit but I don’t know how.” This book is one of the many resources I recommend when helping my clients tap into their intuitive side. The Universe is Talking to You is an easy read filled with insight, direction and lots of tangible exercises to deepen your relationship with the universe. You’ll walk away with a clearer sense of how to recognize the synchronicities guiding you, and how to reach a higher vibe so it’s easier to connect with spirit.

What I like best about the book: It’s a great pick-up-put-down-pick-up kind of book. If you only have ten minutes, that’s okay. You’ll glean enough in that time to shift your perspective and try out some new things.

Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro

Many of us are born into families feeling out of place. There could be a variety of reasons for this: we feel we are different than other family members or we sense we don’t fully understand and know everything about our family (welcome to my childhood). Inheritance explores the author’s journey of finding out her beloved deceased father was not in fact her biological father. She discovers this after receiving the DNA results from a test she was given as a gift.

What I like best about the book: We get an intimate look at Shapiro’s family secrets. All families have secrets, mine included, but we often feel alone because we don’t share them (hence the word ‘secret’). Shapiro makes readers feel understood and gets us thinking differently about identity, forgiveness, family, and advanced technology and science. I also think Shapiro is a beautiful writer. Devotion is another good book of hers if you fall in love with her writing the way I have.

Ready Player One and Two: A Novel by Ernest Cline

The world Ernest Cline has created in Ready Player One and Two is just flat out cool. These books are my favorite when it comes to science fiction, probably because of how real they feel. If you’re looking for an escape from everyday life, this is it. These books have it all: fantasy, love, and a plethora of 80’s references. The book takes place in 2045. A few teenagers set out to find an Easter egg of sorts in a virtual reality game.

What I like best about the book: Wil Wheaton narrates this book on Audible. He’s the perfect guy for the job; his voice matches the narrative and personality of the protagonist perfectly.

Happy reading!

Oh and before you go out and buy these books on Amazon (no judgment though; I’ve been a Prime member for years), consider supporting your local library or local bookstore. If you want the convenience of online shopping while supporting local bookstores, bookshop.org is a site you’ll want to check out. Shipping may take a few extra pennies out of your pocket and a couple extra days, but a portion of your purchase supports a mom-and-pop store. Worth it!

Join me in spreading my messages of breaking judgement habits and strengthening intuition even further: forward this newsletter to a few family members and friends. The greater the shares, the greater the impact – They can subscribe here.

Sincerely,
Danielle

PS – Here’s an affirmation to help allow yourself the time to read, “I deserve rest, renewal and rejuvenation.”

PPS – Still struggling with finding time to read? If so, this writing activity may help. Grab your journal. What’s your favorite book? Why is it your fav? How did it make you feel the first time you read it? What has it taught you? How are you different because of that book? Once you remember all the positives that come with reading a good book, remind yourself you’re worth that feeling again.

Do you know what a dark night of the soul is?

A few days ago, a friend texted me, “So what the heck is a Dark Night?” His question was in response to coming across the free event I posted on Facebook happening December 10th called, A Dark Night of the Soul = A Life Found. (Check it out here if you want to learn more or if you’d like to attend. It would be great to have you with us.)

Anyways…

My friend’s question about a Dark Night reminded me that although the term is as common to me as, “I need tea,” “I love you” or even “Charlie, drop the sock” (if you’re wondering, Charlie is my dog), a Dark Night of the Soul isn’t a term a lot of people know, even if many people have or will experience it.

The term ‘Dark Night of the Soul’ has been around for centuries. It was commonly associated with a poem written by St. John of the Cross in the 1500s. A Dark Night is the spiritual depression someone has to go through to “wake up” and strip themselves of ego. Although the term has Christian roots, it doesn’t discriminate, regardless of one’s beliefs.

A Dark Night is usually triggered by an impactful event, such as losing a loved one or experiencing something traumatic. It could also present itself when the meaning you had given your life collapses; when an activity, achievement or something you had built your life around falls apart. (Think: the sense of purpose you’ve created in your mind.)

A few years ago, I experienced a Dark Night of the Soul – a term I never knew existed until it rocked my world. The unexpected loss of my job triggered a time of deep spiritual depression and reflection.

Without my usual heavy workload combined with a drive for external validation to distract me (yes, I was a workaholic), I was left to see reality with fresh eyes: my life was consumed with self-worth issues and I’d let important relationships with my husband, mom, friends, faith and myself fade into the background.

My Dark Night brought on positive experiences too – receiving signs and synchronicities from the universe, adopting a dog (yup! That’s how Charlie entered my life) and breaking into tough conversations with my husband. All these experiences and more showed me I’d been trapped in my own limiting beliefs. Trapped by impostor syndrome, trapped by a severe lack of self-acceptance and self-confidence. When I chose to turn my back to these restricting beliefs and let them fester, they poorly influenced my emotions and disrupted my life in damaging ways.

(After reading that, don’t be discouraged… Dark Night experiences vary from one person to the next. But for everyone, there are always opportunities for growth and change.)

My Dark Night drew open the curtains and revealed my truth: I was in dire need of internal renovation, a complete makeover that would shed years of self-sabotaging ego. Washing away ego wasn’t a “one and done” process; it took many up-and-down moments to learn how my ego had negatively controlled my thoughts and actions. But I didn’t give up. I didn’t run from the pain or try to escape the darkness. I had my fair share of detours and mishaps but we are human. I am human.

What I learned is that we can always find our way back to growth, which is what I did. I welcomed my Dark Night and because of that, my Dark Night helped me find my foundation: My true self from which I could rebuild and start fresh.

Because of the profound experience my Dark Night of the Soul had on my life, I’ve spent the last few years researching it, writing a memoir about it and developing frameworks, activities and a community focused on helping others prepare for and move through their Dark Night with intent, love and care.

To learn more about my experience with a Dark Night of the Soul and how I work with clients on their spiritual journey, visit drdanielleclark.com.

And don’t forget, you’re invited to attend the free A Dark Night of the Soul = A Life Found event 12/10 at 7PM EST.

Did you enjoy this post? You can subscribe here.

Sincerely,
Danielle

PS – Here’s an affirmation to help you if you’re in a Dark Night of the Soul: “I embrace the darkness and know it will show me the light. I accept my discomfort and welcome change.”

PPS – To help you identify and release your ego, get out your journal. Here’s a writing prompt: A good first step is to reflect and identify which areas of your life may be controlled by ego. Do a quick Google search for the definition of “ego” and write it down. Does it play a role in your career, your love life, your relationship with friends or family? How so? When making decisions do you check in with your mind and your heart?

Tag: Spirituality

Signs are subtle

Reading recommendations from yours truly

Do you know what a dark night of the soul is?

A higher version of YOU

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