I'm giving up my problems to the goddess. Usually I might abandon them to the universe but right now I feel the divine mother is the best holder of my shit. As you may know I'm currently pregnant and it's never been straightforward. Not at all. It's been one medical thing after another, and one potential problem followed by the next.
Each situation has had one thing in common, it has all been based on, 'if, buts and maybes'. I've had lists of potential problems presented to me but we actually know very little until baby is born. Some, none or all of the information we've received could be relevant. And of course I've allowed some of it to irk me and cause anxiety. Of course I have.
Each time this happens I find my way back to postivity. Today I reclaim my happy spirit and my pregnancy, I throw all the worry to the winds, I'm regaining the magic. I release any and all intention and simply ask that any or all divine goddess steps in. I trust that what will be is perfect and that my thoughts or fear plays no part in making that happen.

After making that decision I met a woman who was 13 weeks pregnant with her first child. Her crazy ass joy was infectious, it reminded me of me, first time round. I want a piece of that. So that's where I'm taking my thoughts. Down happy baby lane. I'm Allowing the chaotic aspects to be dealt with elsewhere. I suggest you all join me. Throw your problems to the goddess and invest yourself in the possibility of magic and wonder.
#spiritual #bringbackthegoddess #goddesses #birth #pregnancy #spiritualpregnancy #rebirth #instaquote #pregnant

I'm writing this on the back of a very personal situation. Being a spiritual author who does usually practice what she preaches, I recently found myself hugely challenged. You see I'm pregnant. And just when I was getting used to that idea and starting to get excited, I was told in no uncertain terms that the pregnancy had problems. My husband and I were placed in a grief room and given very little hope. We then waited five days for more tests. What happened in those five days changed my life and reignited my spiritual flame.

This has more to do with my mind than it does my womb. So let me assure you now, thankfully, baby is ok. We came out the other end relieved and transformed. The journey is what I wanted to share with you.

When given the frightening diagnoses I would have thought my reaction would be to dig deep into my spiritual tool box and come out fighting.  But I didn't. Instead I did something very unlike me. I started preparing myself emotionally and mentally for the worst case scenario. I placed myself in a state of grief and I got on with being miserable.

In doing so I felt I was protecting myself, donning my armour, reasonably preparing for the inevitable. In doing this I was on some levels rejecting all I believe in. But my beliefs were out the window. I was not even entertaining them. I was choosing instead to be in a morose limbo.

But then a few days into this zombie like state I received a powerful sign. Whilst driving along the road, feeling sorry for myself, a van drove past with the word HOPE emblazoned upon it. This changed everything in a split second.

I'm a sucker for a sign and this one swept me up. Yes, I thought, but of course. Hope. What else is there?

From here on I literally turned my grief on it's head. Instead of preparing for the worst case scenario, I chose to envision and believe in the best case scenario. I realised in doing so I was giving the situation a chance. My turnaround felt powerful. I felt lifted. I felt I was tuning into exactly what the universe wanted and the flow was right. Suddenly I was empowered and dare I say it... Happy.

I realised too that you cannot prepare for the worst case scenarios. That shit is always gonna hurt. But by planning for the best case scenario, even if it doesn't happen, you know in your heart you tried. And you tried on every level available to you as a soulful being.

There was also a part of me that felt the universe, divinity, my spiritual world was waiting for me to pick up and move on. I can't help but feel deeply that the happy outcome that eventually came was in no small part caused by my internal turnaround. We create the world through our thoughts. I knew that before. But now, now I have lived it. I have lived it in a miraculous way, above and beyond my usual minor requests to the universe. This was a gravely serious matter and I am convinced the choice to prepare for the best helped the spiritual axis of the world shift in my favour.

Preparing for the best is a powerful spiritual practice. It is something that will infuse my life forever more. I am grateful to the universal prompt I was given and I share it with you in the hope it can instil itself in your difficulties. It is as simple as a choice. Whilst preparing for the worst may feel like protection, the most powerful armour you can wield is a faith in the power of you. In your own positivity you will find a reservoir of possibility. When your hope turns to faith, faith turns to love and your love can flip over into a little miracle. Prepare for the best and change your life!

Alice Grist is a spiritual author of four books, a soul coach and Intuitive tarot reader. Find out more about her work at www.alicegrist.co.uk

Two bits of excellent news to report. 

Since Poppyseed was released early (4 days ago) she has jumped really quickly up the book charts and given her mother (me) quite something to celebrate. 

This morning she was at no.18 in amazon's wedding and pregnancy diary list. This afternoon she is at no.9 in that list and no.66 in pregnancy and childbirth books. This is out of millions of books. I am happily gobsmacked!

A few days, before release, she was sat languishing in the six figure mark, and now she is leaping up like crazy. Much like her namesake actually, who now having learned to walk, is attempting some very tricky climbing maneuvers. Oh how life reflects art! 

This afternoon I was very happy to appear on BBC Leicester, with Rupal Rajani. You can listen back to this for a week here... In the interview I get emotional as I read from the book, and chat all about pregnancy, hypnobirthing, spirituality and stingy nipples! Enjoy!

This time last year I was recovering from birth and getting to know the little pale pink pinch of blossom that is my beautiful daughter Ivy. In the past year my girl has learned to walk and talk, stumble and fall, get back up and start all over. The days of her being a little 'poppyseed' developing behind the closed doors of my belly seem very long ago. Yet the love story that started, perhaps even before her conception, has continued unabated. That's not to say all has been roses. We have had our hormones and sleepless nights like any other parent-to-be and new momma should! Without gushing too much it's been the most wonderful adventure of my life - who needs Everest?

Now the book which charts the ups, downs, soulfulness and human moments of my pregnancy is birthed to the world. It's all there for anyone to see, my spiritual la la, my fits of morning sickness, my fears, my love, my moments of weakness. All tangled up with love letters to my daughter, a changing marital landscape and the ever essential baby related DIY!

Dear Poppyseed is a huge departure from my previous two books. Whilst they were personal, this goes under my skin to the bone, to the soul, to the womb. I hope it acts as support and inspiration for any parent ploughing forth with pregnancy, a little unsure, a little excited, a whole lot in love! Whilst my previous books dealt with my spiritual leanings, this book deals in life, my life, the making of life. It's a whole other animal, and yet so intrinsically the same. For what else are our souls on earth to be, other than human, and to embrace all the icky, sticky, beautiful human-ness which that entails.

I hope you enjoy the book, and if you do, then please share it with friends and mommas to be!

Here is a trailer for Dear Poppyseed, to give you a little taste. 

Here is the book page on my publishers website.