For many of us in the New Age world the name Doreen Virtue is one of great significance and one that we readily associate with all things Angelic.  Her work certainly opened up a lot for me in my spiritual journey and helped me to see things in a way that was open to possibilities rather than restricted by rules and dogma.

Time is elusive to me but I noticed a change in her direction with the work that she was putting out in the world as her books and oracle/tarot decks were beginning to have a connection to Jesus rather than angels, mermaids, and other Ascended Masters.  Her shift was quietly establishing it Self and it was only a matter of time before she was going to dive completely into this new direction.  It's what she did.  It's how she lived her life and so openly shared with us all in her books on following signs and messages from angels, numbers, and conversations that led her to deeper understanding and ah-ha moments in her life.

All of this began to be more than just that.  It became her platform and her presence in the world at large.  She chose to fully immerse her Self into this new movement and then go that step further in publicly renouncing EVERYTHING that she had put out into the world up to that point.  

When this all started to hit the realms of social media it was a REALLY big deal!  It was our fearless leader jumping ship, announcing that she had led us all astray for all these years, apologizing for her part in our leading on a path of disillusionment.  Yes, it was that big.

The Aftermath

The judgements that followed and the strings of opinions fueled by this essential pulling-the-rug-out-from-under-us was very disturbing to me.  I mean, she was still being her Self.  She was still following those messages and signs and sharing her experiences with the world to inspire them into a closer walk with a Being or Wisdom outside of our own.  The fundamental difference, however, is her approach.

For those of us who grew up with a strict religious background, this was the most unsettling way of dealing with her new-found spirituality/religion.  We had already come from there....and we didn't want to go back....and we couldn't figure out why she was doing this "to us". 

As I read through all the comments I felt put off by them as much as by statements from Doreen her Self.  So much judgement to her statements and so much judgement on her state of mind, mental stability, and personality!  I knew I should probably weigh in but felt like it was bigger than what we were actually seeing on the outside.  Then, one evening while thinking about it all and asking for the nugget in it all it came to me.

Ultimately, whether or not we agree with her new direction and seemingly new take on all things unseen and spiritual, I think she is courageous.  It takes real strength to switch gears when everything you've believed and put out into the world as a spiritual "leader" is, for whatever reason, now exactly the opposite of where you are now.  When you feel it so deeply that where you are now is so right for you and you want to continue to inspire people and know that this will certainly destroy everything you've built for decades.....and to go ahead and follow your heart and do it anyway so that you can personally sleep better at night knowing that you are aligning your life to what is in your heart.  

THAT.

COURAGE.

I'm not saying I believe what she has to say dogmatically but I'm choosing to look at her with understanding, compassion, and to take her example to heart.  I don't believe that she said everything she said with the intention to cause such a stir....but I do believe that she said everything she said because she believed it with all of her heart...and to NOT say it would hurt her more than it would to just let the chips fall where they may.

My Takeaway

My takeaway from all of this is to ask my Self, "How in my own life am I living up to what is in my heart?  How brave am I being in the world if I know that what I say or teach is going to disturb or anger some people?  How much am I living my Truth...and how willing am I to live it no matter what so that I can feel in alignment with my Self?"

If you'd like to rein this in closer....where are you not speaking your Truth just so that you won't rock the boat in that situation?  When do you not speak up when you have something to say, or disagree, or simply need to say to someone out loud, "That's not okay with me" or "What you did/said to me hurt me"?  Where do you allow your Self to be small?

It's not to say that you should always get up on your proverbial soap box but to make sure that you are not allowing your Self to be stepped on unnecessarily, as many of us empaths are prone to do.  We think that it's not "nice" to disagree.  Disagreements don't always have to lead to an argument...they can lead to a really great conversation and maybe the other person had no idea and this helps to bring it to their attention and that in turn leads you into a better relationship with them.

Sometimes the point is not to focus on our disagreements but to simply listen to them and say something like, “Thank you for being willing to share your thoughts with me. “

Is it easy?  Not usually....but with practice it can get easier.

*************

Think if over and share your thoughts with me in the comments.