The Fates
Recently, I was reminded of how far I’ve come. I’ve said several times this week how I started taking steps in the physical world towards my inspiration, and the universe has conspired to snowball those efforts quickly. It seems as though all of a sudden, I have so many things going on at once, I’m approaching a deadline, and the time is going by faster and faster.
Forcing Fate
In the three days this week, I have spent two full days working… probably in the twelve to fourteen hour window (hello old workaholic patterns - I did not miss you). The other day, I spent half my time traveling and half my time working… still the same long day. Yesterday, in the midst of checking tasks off my list, I wanted to push forward with a project for another business, yet something was asking me to pause.
Allowing Fate
I picked up my Colette Baron-Reid Wisdom of the Oracle divination cards because they usually provide clear guidance in the moment and have yet to steer me wrong. As I shuffled the cards and called in help from the highest illuminated beings, spirit guides, and masters, the card that popped out was #17, The Fates.
The essential meaning of this card is to accept that there are things I cannot change and to know what those things are. The book even quotes the Serenity Prayer, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Luckily, I have so much on my plate, I accepted this as a clear sign to set aside this one task I was trying to force and let it be what it is for now.
Learning to Navigate Fate
Looking back, I started the work of acceptance during the pandemic. In solitary confinement, I learned to listen to my intuition, find joy in the present moment, and implement practices that raised my vibration, like meditation, qigong, and following my heart’s calling. I was feeling so wonderful that when I went out in the real world, I had a rude awakening to other people’s energy. Looking back now, I’m sure I was feeling their emotions as an empath. But gradually, I learned energy protection tools and to focus on setting intentions for positive interactions before heading out into the wild. And it was working.
That is, until I encountered family and friends who felt negative to be around. This was a much harder hill to climb. I was emotionally invested in these people and not only wanted the best for them, but thought I knew how they should get there. Other people’s behavior falls into that category of things you can’t control. Gradually, I learned to accept people as they are by using the same tools. I set intentions for positive interactions, protected my energy, and allowed space for them to express themselves as they are.
Accepting FAte
And it was working. Some of my relationships transformed over this time when I was reacclimating to the real world outside my COVID bubble, but I also began to see more clearly how some of these relationships were no longer serving me. Let’s bring it back into what is in my sphere of control. Some relationships ended because I no longer chose the dynamic they offered me. Honestly, over the last few years, nearly all of my relationships have fallen away. Some have been deeply painful, and I have spent a lot of time in grief. But I also became aware of patterns and lessons those relationships had come to teach me. This is in my control.
Aligning with the Fates
The protection message for The Fates card reads:
It is difficult to understand why painful things happen to good people. Fate is a mystery, after all. Yet what we do with our circumstances, the way in which we respond to life’s challenges, is how we rise up to greet our destiny. Now is one of those times to be aware of your powerlessness to change certain situations and surrender to acceptance. Hang in there. Life will only get better. Act as if you believe that, for the only thing you can control right now is your attitude. When you align with the Fates, being mindful of what you can and cannot change, serenity will come to you.
My experiences over the last five years have put me through the wringer on this one, but as this lesson came up for me again yesterday (although on a much lesser scale), I congratulated myself on accepting this as something I cannot change, set it aside, and let that be okay. Wherever you are on this journey, know that it does get easier.
