tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8300857743903706511.post4556163212190132296..comments2008-12-11T17:43:58.547-08:00Lubnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11459784498763512908noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8300857743903706511.post-81698988281582010442008-12-11T17:43:00.000-08:002008-12-11T17:43:00.000-08:00Hi Lalo,<BR/><BR/>Sorry it took me so long to respond. I am very grateful that you felt comfortable telling your story and am glad that you are starting to turn that corner. In regards to how I started to turn my life around... there was no magic switch and I still work on it every day. The key is that once you start to discover your true self... you honor it. "To thine own self be true." If you start there, you are able to see your path more clearly. Meditation and yoga has definitely helped me. I highly recommend to take up a meditation practice. Look for some classes or gatherings, it will help you get started and will also put you around like minded people with an open, accepting energy. Books have also helped me. Feel free to email me if you want more in depth advice or just some book recommendations.<BR/><BR/>I wish you the best. <BR/><BR/>Peace, Love, and Light,<BR/><BR/>LubnaLubnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16945844568165059348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8300857743903706511.post-73610781053215876152008-11-26T11:25:00.000-08:002008-11-26T11:25:00.000-08:00Dear Lubna,<BR/><BR/>I am very touched by your story and I must confess mine is very similar. Since September 2007 my life has undertaken deep transformations and changes reflecting Saturn Return in my life. <BR/><BR/>I left my country (Colombia -South America)and moved to North America where I was accepted in a graduate program at the master level in a very prestigious university. My life at the moment seemed very promising: a new step in my career, a lot of support in the form of scholarships and external funding, everybody seemed really proud of myself - my friends, my family, my co workers and supervisors -, not to mention I felt nothing could stop me. I felt at the time I could conquer the world. <BR/><BR/>Nevertheless reality would prove to be very different from my expectations. I had difficulties adapting to my new environment in personal and academic terms. <BR/><BR/>I felt extremely lonely and isolated and I started suffering from extreme stress, anxiety, emotional breakdowns, burnouts and suicidal ideas. <BR/><BR/>All these factors made me an insecure and anxious person, unable of fulfilling my academic obligations. <BR/><BR/>I started blaming myself and the others for what was happening to me. Things did not progress with time but got worst. My academic performance was very poor, economic difficulties emerged (I had a TAship the first term but had to drop it as I could not handle the work load), my mood did not improve (more depressed and more anxious) and, to make things worst, I learned my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson. <BR/><BR/>I refused to take a medical leave of absence as I wanted to prove I could do this master - to prove to myself or to others I am not sure yet - and remain "obsessed" with the idea of finishing this project no matter the cost. <BR/><BR/>It goes without saying things did not turned out well: I was asked to withdraw from the program, I am uncertain whether or not I will get my job back and I have a lot of debts and financial obligations. <BR/><BR/>Even if my life seems to be upside down at the moment I feel relief as I have realized I have not been honest with myself about what I want to do in my life. I was pleasing everybody but myself. <BR/><BR/>Everything I took for granted collapsed. It is a time of a new beginning, it is a time of going back to square one. The task is not easy but I have to do it and I wanted to ask you how did you handle all this process of getting your life back on track.<BR/><BR/>Lalo.Lalo Lalindehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961035785077460423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8300857743903706511.post-70216653592467503702008-10-16T18:32:00.000-07:002008-10-16T18:32:00.000-07:00Leigh... sorry it has taken me so long to respond. Your words have touched me. I haven't written in a while as I have been pre-occupied and travelling but I will be starting again soon. I am so glad that you have been recovering well. We all go through our healing processes at our own pace so be kind to yourself. The yoga is excellent. I recently signed up for a teachers training for Kundalini Yoga to deepen my practice. I highly recommend trying Kundalini yoga if you are so blessed. <BR/><BR/>All the best and keep me posted on your progress.Lubnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05468174755706888072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8300857743903706511.post-87081004188755813182008-09-27T08:23:00.000-07:002008-09-27T08:23:00.000-07:00Hi,<BR/><BR/>Your post made me gasp out loud! At first reading your story reminds me so very much of my own. I turned 29 five weeks ago and Saturn is currently exactly conjunct my natal Saturn. I have been feeling like I'm losing my mind for months, keep having bouts of vomiting and not eating. I have a story running with a man that I live with, he seems to simultaneously be the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me, the love of my life and them, someone that I must get away from at any cost. <BR/><BR/>I have issues about my Father, who I saw for the second time in my adult life 3 days before my birthday. Even though I am able to recognise that this man in my life is NOT in fact like my Father at all, he certainly acts as the repository for all my fears, hopes and complexes about men (all of which stem from my relationship, or lack of, with my father, of course).<BR/><BR/>He is currently having an affair with another woman (a Virgo, natch), with my consent. She is, it seems, the perfect repository for the aspects of my womanhood that I am currently bereft of and so desperately want, above all else (especially above any relationship). <BR/><BR/>My story is really one about 'coming forward' and out into the world. My relationship with this man falls down often because I try to remain invisible almost and not leave even a trace of myself on his life. While behaving like the biggest pain in the ass because there's this whole Father/addict story running constantly!! <BR/><BR/>I had a bicycle accident last night whilst riding with my man. He is very fast and always up ahead, there were several minutes of crying and confusion and concussion from me lying in the road before he came back. But he did. <BR/><BR/>I think Saturn is asking me to wake up. To really realise who I am, and stop letting my head (perhaps by bashing it onto the hard floor last night?) and my ideas about who I was and therefore who I MUST continue to be stand in the way of what I ACTUALLY want and am and can be.<BR/><BR/>It's so hard. I too have taken to yoga properly, after years of dalliance, and feel that it's a wonderful basis from which to live from. Once I have recovered from my accident I will be back on my mat, no question!<BR/><BR/>Thank you for writing what you did, it has given another strong reminder of what I must do.<BR/><BR/>LeighLianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837675232529654716noreply@blogger.com