I have heard that this is a year for emotional clearing, and the last few weeks have been said to be a time of transformation, according to several astrology forecasts.

Earlier in the month, a client asked me if I saw any earthquakes coming because he had heard predictions. I am not usually alarmist or even into predictions, but I saw the potential for it. I suggested doing prayer circles.

A few days ago, a 7.8 earthquake hit Nepal, claiming thousands of lives. I personally know of 2 people who lost someone they knew.

Last Tuesday, my husband was pacing around our house. “I’m really restless,” he said. “This is how I felt before a big earthquake. This is how I felt before 9/11.” He has a knack for feeling the planet.

I sensed the tension too, and many people I knew had an intense day last Tuesday. It’s like there was this pressure under the surface that put us on edge without knowing why.

The next day, a volcano erupted in Chile causing over 4,000 evacuations. Pressure released! It was strange because, even before I knew this, I noticed that Wednesday felt much lighter and easier than Tuesday.

I don’t claim to always understand why these tragedies happen, and I feel for those affected. There are all kinds of reasons why someone would be in the middle of one and none of them involve being a “victim.”

Many people blame the weather for their bad days, and credit the weather for a good day. I have long seen it a little differently. The weather is a reflection of human consciousness. And so are these natural “disasters.”

I’m sure scientists have their own explanation. I am not a scientist. But I have studied energy for several decades now, and it seems that whenever people need to go inward, we have a cloudy week. When spirits are high and it’s time to get stuff done, the sun comes out. A fresh rain comes just as emotions start to flow, and we are nourished.

Last week, we were literally re-structuring things in our home. We have an extra bedroom that functioned as a shared office. My husband wanted one space in the house that was all his. I don’t get it, I don’t like it, but I saw that he needed it. He is spacial and works with products. He needs to lay his things out so he sees them or he forgets. I function fine with my things tucked away until I need them, and I don’t like clutter.

I am much more attuned to time. I was fine sharing space, but didn’t want my attention pulled by someone else’s paperwork, etc. And when it’s my time to work, I need to give it my full focus.

So this was emotional for me moving my desk into the dining room and trusting that my work would still flourish without an office, trusting that my cosmic husband and sweet daughter would get out of the house at the proper times. The day before the earthquake, I told him, “I feel like the ground is moving under my feet.”

When my client asked me about earthquakes, I saw the potential not just from reading the energy in the earth. I saw that people needed a wake-up call. Unfortunately, human nature is to resist change until the point of pain. And then pain motivates us like nothing else.

Mother earth feels everything. She can handle so much, but when she can’t take it anymore she erupts. As we are all learning to express our emotions more, and to allow conscious transformation in our lives, there are still pockets of resistance and long-held patterns of holding on for dear life.

We women, in particular, need to express our emotions so they don’t turn into resentment, self-denial or hatred, overweight or overwhelm. Have you ever noticed how much better you feel after a good cry? After telling someone you’re mad at them?

Like many women in my generation, I grew up with the unspoken message that tears were ok, anger not so much.  As I’ve learned to express natural anger when it arises, I’ve been amazed at how “clean” it is! Meaning, it comes out and then it fully goes away. It doesn’t hurt anyone like I thought it would.

I’ve noticed this when others are angry, too. It’s actually refreshing, because the feelings were there anyway and are much easier to deal with in the moment. They don’t fester and snowball and get distorted. We know where everyone stands and can create real win-win relationships. Imagine that!?

In general, our society stresses activity and schools don’t really teach healthy emotional expression. Women and men alike have learned to stay strong and do what needs to be done. Of course, there is a place for that, but when months and years go by and feelings aren’t expressed, something is deeply wrong.

May these recent natural disasters remind us to check inside for anywhere we’re ready to burst. Are there any feelings you’ve been holding back? Sometimes we’re not even sure, and if so I suggest giving yourself a few minutes to check in. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, feeling your body for sensations of pleasure, tension or anything you notice. From here, ask yourself, “Are there any feelings I’ve been pushing down?” Any emotions you’ve tried to bypass?

Some of us are extra-sensitive (like my husband) and feel emotions that aren’t ours. If this is you, you may need extra practices for grounding and releasing energy. Otherwise, you will know your feelings are yours by the sense of relief you have in letting them move.

Cry, scream, journal, beat your pillow, tell someone– get it out in some way that does not hurt yourself or anyone else. Once you do, enjoy your extra manifesting power, increased health, better relationships, and feeling of freedom inside. Oh– and maybe just maybe we’ll see less earth shaking and less lava spewing as the years go on!