I can’t believe it’s been nearly a year since I began posting some of my entries to my Butterfly Journal. My purpose for writing and creating this journal was to provide a tool to assist others in their personal growth, healing process, and spiritual transformation. Doing the journal myself has helped me to heal through a very challenging time in my life – after having freely chosen to completely end one life to start a new one from scratch, I had to delay my own rebirth for almost two years. If you haven’t been following along, you can learn much of the story in my previous Butterfly Journal posts here.
As difficult as it all was, I knew that I was in the midst of growing pains inside my own cocoon. I have seen through this entire process that I was going through a major healing and clearing phase. I had to return home to complete the healing I had been doing my entire life so that I could truly fly free as a butterfly, and through this entire process I have come to deeper and deeper levels of forgiveness for both myself and family members, especially my mother. Though I held no grudges, going through this journaling process of self-evaluation and deeper exploration of my psyche (the Ancient Greek word for butterfly!) I have found old layers upon layers of hurt, pain, and shame from my childhood that needed both healing and much forgiveness.
My blog friend Leigh at Not Just Sassy on the Inside was inspired (Thanks Leigh!) by some of my insights into her own healing process to do a two week Round of Forgiveness where different bloggers write about forgiveness in their lives. (If you are interested in participating, she still has some spots open! Click either of the two links in this paragraph.) I feel this past year of journaling has been a beautifully intense round of forgiveness for me. Though I could write a whole book on this (which I am actually 🙂 ) I will sum up my round of forgiveness here:
- I have forgiven my child-self for having felt ashamed for being hurt by neglect, abuse, and abandonment.
- I have forgiven myself for being mad at myself when relationships repeated those patterns.
- I have forgiven family members and past relations for their neglect, abuse, and abandonment for I understand that they were/are suffering too.
Through this painful yet beautiful process of healing and growing, along each monthly prompt and step of the way, it was freeing the psyche through forgiveness that opened the way for more layers of the cocoon to peel away. And now, the prompt for month twelve of Butterfly Journal: With love, we have opened ourselves up to joy and the beauty that is all around us, wherever we are. By now, no matter how painful and difficult it may have been at times, we can see the beauty in the process of spiritual growth. Our wings are strong now and we’re ready to flutter about like free spirits. Let’s share our joy! For the final month of this journey, FLY!
Today is also my birthday! To celebrate, I am doing two give-aways!
Firstly, I am offering to all of you the e-version of my poetry book: Flying From the Heart, A Collection of Poems on Loving and Being, today through the 9th, which can be downloaded from Amazon here. If you do not have Kindle, you can also download a Kindle App for free here!
Secondly, whoever first guesses my age (sorry, astrology friends who know my birth data, you are disqualified) will get a free natal chart reading, Vedic or Western. Just leave a comment below with your guess. To learn more about my sessions and readings click here.
To read all previous Butterfly Journal entries, Click Here.
If you are interested in embarking on your own journey of transformation, you can purchase Butterfly Journal from Amazon (and international stores), or Barnes & Noble.
To learn more about and read reviews for Butterfly Journal, Click Here.
Through the Peacock's Eyes 
Reblogged this on Flying My Freak Flag.
It’s very hard to forgive.
Your pal, Stuart
It may be hard, but you can do it Stu! You may even get some extra treats! 🙂
i can so relate. as you know i recently left CA and am reconnecting with my family that lives in KY. a wonderful experience! a few months before I left CA I found my birth mother thru a biological older sister I never knew I had, who was searching for me. Divine intervention that we found each other. Unfortunately, my birth mother (using the term loosely) still wants nothing to do with me. not how i visioned, but at least I know the truth now and found a wonderful sister!
So awesome! So happy you have a sister now! ❤
Its often from revisiting old wounds we learn to forgive and get reborn.. .. I am sorry to have missed your Big Day…. A belated Happy Birthday to you Julie.. I hope you had a fabulous day 🙂 xxxx
Thank you Sue! No worries, every day is special! 🙂
Coming a little late to the guessing game. I never would have guessed 40 based on that photo on Ku’s blog. 🙂 I also wanted to say something about that image of the fairy, butterfly, and lion you have at the top of this post. I have this hanging on my wall! A print, anyway, not the original. 🙂
Thanks! I love Josephine Wall’a art! I’ve used many of her paintings on this blog.
I am late to this post but a belated happy birthday. Hope your day was all you wanted it to be. And by the way, I, too, am a Leo.
Karen
Thanks Karen! And Happy Leo Birthday to you too!
What a beautiful post to share, Julianne. Very inspiring, and, as always, I enjoy reading and learning from you. Enjoy the roar on this most, auspicious occasion. 🙂 Meredith
Thank you Meredith!
Pingback: Round of Forgiveness Day 5 | Not Just Sassy on the Inside
Reblogged this on Not Just Sassy on the Inside and commented:
Happy Birthday, Julianne!
Hi Julie,
I am not even going to attempt to guess your birthday but I will say Happy Birthday and Happy Healing!! Thank you for being you here! ❤ ❤ ❤
Aw thanks Amanda! ❤ blush ❤ Not even a guess?
Happy Birthday Julianne Victoria! I hope you have a joy filled day! I am going to guess 37 because it is one of my favorite numbers 🙂 You are a blessing, an inspiration and a guiding light! I am so glad that I found you and Ku!
Marty’s Mom
Kelly
Thank you Sweet Marty’s Mom, aka Kelly! 🙂 ❤
Pingback: Round of Forgiveness Day 4 | Not Just Sassy on the Inside
Happy Birthday Beautiful, inside & out~ If I were to guess I am going with my favorite number 33. If younger you are full of wisdom, if older your face brims with youth. I hope you and the pups have a great birthday together….kitties too.
Namaste
Much love
May All of your Divine Desires Be Manifest Now!!!
Sindy
Thanks you! ❤ One of my favorite numbers too! 🙂
Happy “Happy Birthday”, fellow Sol-sister! Wishing you a great day and a fantastic year ahead~ I am disqualified from guessing your age (even though I can’t remember your birth year off the top of my head). You look so young to me anyhow! 🙂 Birthday hug
Thanks Renate! 😀
Happy Birthday,send you lots of joy and love today,xx Rachel and SPeedy
Thank you Rachel and nose kissies to Speedy! xx
Congratulations on coming up on a year of blogging! You have a wonderful blog, and it and you serve as an inspiration to all of us bloggers! 🙂
Thanks! I’ve been blogging here for 3.5 years, just the Butterfly Journal posts began a year ago in September.
Happy Birthday, Julianne! I would say 32, but your wisdom shines through and you’ve picked up a lot of knowledge over this lifetime already. I would say 38. P.S. I recently started reading your blog and really enjoy your posts!
Thanks Peggy!
Happy happy birthday to you, dearest Julianne! Stay blessed, loving & awesome as always!!! I really enjoy reading your articles — and I particularly enjoy reading this post! You’re a true inspiration to me!! Hope you have a blast on this special day & have a miraculous day ahead ❤
Thank you so much! ❤
🙂 ❤ xx
Happy Birthday Julianne! I agree, you do look pretty young, but seem wiser than your years. I will guess 33.
I love your thoughts here on forgiveness, so important!
Hope you have a great day!
xxx
Debra
Thank you Debra! ❤ btw, 33 is one of my favorite numbers!
How Cool! Maybe I got a psychic hit about that Julianne?
P.S. I too, am a Leo, born on the 9th.
🙂
Cool! Happy almost birthday! ❤
Love all the Lionesses assembled here 🙂 I also love the number 6 in its 33 incarnation!
Happy, Happy, Happy, Birthday–> Julie! ❤
We are birthday buddies! My birthday is on the 7th. As for how old you are….? Are you 42, because according to Douglas Adams, that's the answer to everything in the Universe? That would be pretty cool. I think you look 35, but… you know…. what do I know? The most important thing is that you are happy and healthy. Thanks for sharing your passion! It's *always* inspiring to people when you are being your true blue beautiful self. xxx Ka
Thanks Lioness-sistah! ❤
Happy Birthday!!!! Since I think you probably look much younger than you are. I’m going to guess 40. xo, Alethea
Thanks Alethea! ❤
Sorry, I forgot to say what an awesome blog this is. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing. When you hold a grudge against someone the person you are really hurting is you.
Happy Birthday Julianne Victoria! I’m going to guess your age at 34. I hope I didn’t guess higher than your real age. I’m guessing this because it’s seems like you have done a lot of things in your life so it doesn’t seem like you would still be in your 20’s. I honestly can’t tell by your face because you look young.:)
Thank you Judy!
Hi Julianne and a very happy 50th birthday to you…??? Another lovely piece on forgiveness… Enjoy your day xx Barbara xx
Oh Barbara, I guess you have not seen my tarotscope videos or any of the rare pics of me on the blog. 🙂 I forgive you for guessing 50. 🙂
IAM so glad I haven’t seen a picture of you… but I was feeling into your wisdom and maturity… Maybe 40 is to old too then, so I’ll go for 30… You mentioned it was a big one and my last big one was 50… Can I win with the second guess? Keep young and enjoy Barbara x
You’re funny Barbara! 🙂 I accept your second guess, but 30 is not correct though. ❤
So happy your year has bought healing to you and around you Julianne..life is nothing if not a series of transformations and opportunities to spread our wings…when we can use our life to create our life then we are on the way! I think it’s rude to ask a lady her age but to me you seem about 28..a nice age and of course a seven year cycle that comes to an end..we here all wish you a very happy roar like a Leo birthday..love and hugs Bev and the whole gang xxx ❤ ❤
Thank you Bev. Beautiful words! Love to you and the whole Fozziegang! ❤
Aww you are so welcome sweets 🙂 ❤ ❤ Bev xxx
Happy Solar return Julie! I know someone else ( a past love) with the same birthday but different year 🙂
I enjoyed this year of posts from your journal, a great marketing tool I might add..
Sorry I cannot participate for the free Vedic reading giveaway. Hope you will offer this again sometime when I am not Saturnized “restricted”.
love and light and freedom,
Linda
Thanks Linda! I’ll do some other type of giveaways sometime that you won’t be disqualified for, or just call into my radio show each week! 😉
Happy Birthday! May this birthday mark another New Beginning at your next level… Hug your bear for me and Lou, please.
Thank you Aggie and Lou! 😀
oh! do have a happy day. wishing you lots of joy and blessings. how old? how old is your soul? you are forever -and forever young. eve xxxxxxxxxx
Thanks Eve! Yes, my soul is ageless! 🙂 ❤