Heartbreaking Endings and Exciting Beginnings

by Liz Jansen

I didn’t expect to start the first days of the year spending the last days with a dear friend.

Deb and I met in fifth grade and became instant best friends. We’ve cherished that closeness our whole lives. We’ve shared graduations, marriages, divorces, jobs, job losses, the births and weddings of her precious daughters, the arrival of her grandchildren, and the deaths of our fathers.

Our life paths took us in different directions but no matter how much time had passed, we’d pick up where we left off without missing a beat. We lived a couple of hours apart but would chat at least weekly, usually while I was on my evening walk.

For the past year, she cared for her husband at home until it was impossible. He was on the wing of the hospital my dad was admitted to and passed away in November, a month after dad.

When Deb’s symptoms appeared, it was easy to attribute them to her physical and emotional exhaustion. We had only a few short days last week to learn about the nature and gravity of her illness and prepare for her passing.

I was honored to spend those days with her, her daughters, sister, and others in her family.

Few are fortunate to have such friendships and I’ll cherish Deb and our memories forever. They’re comforting, but it’s still going to take time to sink in. Her greatest legacy is her two daughters. Loving, confident, and beautiful in all ways, they’ll continue to be a part of my life.

Even in grief and heartbreak, there is light.

As 2017 drew to a close, I knew it was time to begin integrating an Energy Medicine practice into my writing time.

With access to a beautiful healing space at the yoga studio I attend in Orangeville, Ontario, I’m doing that formally onsite, as well as virtually. My approach blends wisdom and experience from a background as a Registered Nurse, Corporate Human Resources Professional, and a million miles of motorcycle travel. The shamanic Energy Medicine practices I’ve trained for beginning in 2013 are the most recent addition to this medicine bag.

Clients contact me because they’re feeling stuck, lonely, going through major life transitions, or feeling unfulfilled. Together, we unravel the stories we tell ourselves, the stories we’ve embraced, and stories that have been passed down for generations—stories we’re often not aware we’re carrying. By recognizing and changing them, clients transform their lives. My personal experience with coming to terms with ancestral stories is the heart of the upcoming Crash Landing.

These practices and techniques assist clients to discover their gifts, create meaning in their lives, and step into their fullest potential. It’s a natural progression of the personal empowerment work I’ve practiced for years.

The world needs all our gifts. By using them, we change the world, not by changing others but by transforming ourselves.

To schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation or book an onsite or virtual appointment, contact me at [email protected].