Part I - The First Call
I wasn't aware of what was actually happening at the time, however I now know that my first call came just before my 28th birthday (#sadesati #saturnreturn). I was laid off from my job at an engineering company, I ended a 9 year relationship with my then fiance, I moved back to my childhood home and was a few months into a new job. My life was completely dismantled. My very neat rough draft was thrown into the shredder. After a couple of heart-wrenching, transformative years, I came out on the other side in a new relationship, started a second new job, moved again and was on the precipice of a whole new chapter, lessons and growth in tow.
Part 2 - The Second Call
The second call was the one that pushed me into my "spiritual awakening". This one came in the form of an intolerable coworker. After about 1.5 years of anger, frustration and feeling utterly helpless, my sister referred a podcast called PsychicTeachers to me. I began listening and practicing their teachings, and studying meditation, intuition, crystals, spirit guides and the chakras. My connection to spirit, a connection I always knew was there since childhood, reblossomed. Concurrently, I became aware of Aromahead Institute's online Aromatherapy school and Aromatherapy Certification Program. Over the next year, I continued my spiritual practices, developing my intuition and began studying to become a Certified Aromatherapist. In early 2016, one of the PsychicTeachers announced that she was launching her first online intuitive development course called Be Your Own Psychic. After spending the last year practicing and learning intuitive development on my own, I became very excited about an interactive class and to meet like-minded people. I enrolled and for the entire month of March I was in "psychic school". We had class once a week, and between classes we worked with a partner to practice the lessons and topics of the week. The education, community and practice helped me learn so much more about this innate ability we all have to connect with our own soul and with spirit. I learned how to do psychic readings for others, and also that I'm a medium. Several of my classmates and I were so excited about what we learned, we continued on after class to practice with each other, and we formed a group through which we offered free readings for others for about a year after Be Your Own Psychic ended. Throughout 2016 and into 2017, I strengthened my intuitive development, I was doing free psychic and mediumship readings, I had my first Tarot course, and I was still focused on my Aromatherapy studies.
Part 3 - The Third Call
The third call was the one that led me to Astrology. It was the summer of 2017, and the hype about the "Great American Eclipse" was everywhere. I had my own internal hype about this eclipse. For about a month before the eclipse, I started seeing dragon symbolism repeatedly. Lots of references to the movie The Wizard of Oz, and the album cover for Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, and the Dave Matthews song The Space Between were also showing up repeatedly. I had a heightened awareness of "signs" at this point due to my intuitive development, however I had no idea what dragons, The Wizard of Oz, The Dark Side of the Moon and the Dave Matthews song had to do with anything, so I just documented everything in my journal. I took off the day of the eclipse, and went to the beach to watch it with my husband and my sister. We weren't in the path of totality here in Southern New Jersey, however it was still remarkable!
For about two weeks after the eclipse, I experienced extreme digestive issues, fatigue and the strange "signs" continued. During the summer, the two hosts of PsychicTeachers were interviewed separately on the podcast The Positive Head. I hadn't heard of this podcast until they each announced their interviews. I began listening to The Positive Head during this time. In September, a friend alerted me to an interview episode with an Astrologer, Adam Sommer. She was aware of what I was experiencing in the weeks before and after the eclipse. I started listening, and very quickly everything started making sense. For me, the most significant words Adam spoke during that episode (paraphrased) were "...I call the space between eclipses the dragon hole...". My mind was blown! WHAT?! The eclipse gifted me the call to become an Astrologer and my teacher. I took my first beginner Astrology class in October, had my first reading in November, and I enrolled in Adam's 2018 apprenticeship program. During the remainder of 2017, I experienced many revelations. I knew I was to call my business Ursa Alchemy and I bought my domain. I knew it would have something to do with combining Aromatherapy and Astrology. During 2018, I completed my Aromatherapy Certification program and am a Certified Aromatherapist and Essential Oil Specialist. I completed the Astrology Apprenticeship and am a Professional Astrologer. The Apprenticeship program was also a journey of finding more community and like-minded people. I found wonderful connection and friendship with many of the women who were my classmates.
Part 4: Ursa Alchemy
As you can see, my journey has been quite a roller coaster ride! It's been very exciting, very emotional and has involved facing and overcoming lots of fear. This is the essence of the hero's/fool's journey. I launched Ursa Alchemy into the world in February, and over the course of 2019, I've very lovingly laid each brick into a solid foundation. I've given over 30 readings and stepped more and more into my own authenticity and soul's purpose. My goal for the year ahead is to continue building Ursa Alchemy through being of service to others in their own hero's journey, and to fully step into the role of my soul's intention for this precious lifetime. I've finally found local community as well, and am very excited to meet more like-minded people here in Southern New Jersey.