Sobriety, Divinity & Trust: Overcoming 3 Of Life's Biggest Challenges One Tattoo At A Time
Choices made lead to symbols of wisdom- each tattoo holds the story of a life
No life is free of challenge and none of us go unscathed from the choices we make to face these challenges. Big or small, when we gather the lessons learned we add a depth to ourselves which creates a more well-rounded individual equipped with tools to face the next challenge. The choices I made in life weren’t always in my best interest for the future. More often than not I made choices to face the issues of the day. Short sightedness is a human condition, one I have overcome with time, age, and the occasional tattoo so I always remember.
Breaking the Chains
Rising out of abuse- alcohol and a marriage- my tattooed phoenix rides upon my hip with 6 long feathered tails to remind me that I numbed myself with liquor to deny my truths. I allowed the abuse in my marriage because it was easier to deny the life I desired than to leave and face the unknown. Each time I glimpse the bird that rides upon my hip I am reminded that I finally choose to walk away from all the self-inflicted pain. I have risen from the ashes to do what I was truly intended to do.
Embracing the Spirit
With my divorce behind me and the first days of my sobriety before me I stood on the ancient shores of Kauai. Old stories of forgotten times pulsed beneath my sandy toes, greeting me with the reminder that this ancient knowledge was also contained within me. By allowing myself to trust the Spirit that fills each cell of my being I take a step closer to my highest truth. On a warm, humid afternoon in the small town of Wailua I marked my body for the second time with the Hawaiian symbol of turtle- Honu- the mother of the seas and land. She swims with the spirit of the ancients and reminds me that all I need I already posses.
Living in Faith
A decade later and inside another marriage, parenting in full swing, I found myself grasping for a place inside of life that belonged only to me. I was lonely and lost. My connection with Spirit no longer felt complete. On an early summer morning, the moon as my guide, I heard four words that would change my perspective on life. Trust in the Truth. These words became a symbol of my faith in the power of my intuitive sight and my connection with the Divine. To trust that no matter the situation I was never alone. My intuition was a compass that never led me astray, all I needed to do was simply believe, trust, allow. Beyond Infinite is etched on my left arm as a reminder that Spirit is limitless and because I am made of spirit, therefore I am too.
Each time we face a challenge we have one of two choices: to accept it and move on with the lesson or wallow in our circumstances and become the victim of our choice. Even when I didn’t always have it all understood I chose to tattoo my skin. I wanted to be reminded of each threshold crossed so when the time was right, I would fully understand more of the lessons earned.
How are you marking your thresholds and gathering lessons? In what capacity do you allow yourself to be held by the spirit of the lesson and how are you collecting your winnings?
“Trust in the Truth.” Those are such powerful words! Thanks for sharing your experience with us.