Paradise Lost or Found: Hurricane Reflections (and an Energetic Reading)

Storms energetically stir up so much, not just within nature, as things from the sky fall, and things from the earth rise—we, too, are flooded by energetic tides as our inner and outer landscapes shift in ways beyond our control.

Hurricane Milton recently passed through Florida, and instead of jumping right back into my work, I've decided to share some deeper reflections about my experience.

These reflections may hold value not just for those who experienced the storm but also for those who haven't.

This particular storm surfaced more for me than any before.

It connected, disrupted, and dismembered me all at once.

Storms can be both a metaphysical and metaphorical exploration of the chaos and alchemy within each of us.

During the storm, where I was located, we experienced winds of nearly 90 mph and 20 inches of rain in just a few days—most of it falling within 24 hours.

While there was some destruction, we were spared the worst of it. I'm not seeking to dramatize my experience, but rather to share its energetic significance.

Being a psychopomp, moving through shadows and dark places into the unknown, this storm felt like a profound initiation. I know many have felt this deep churn into the depths of their own experience.

For those who haven't had the pleasure of encountering Mother Nature at her highest velocity and power, let me say—it feels very much like walking into the unknown, traversing the liminal, and embracing the chaotic.

The Energetic Phases of a Storm

Preparation :  

Hours are spent gazing up at the trees impotently trying to calculate if, when and where they might fall-

Wondering which room might be the safest to sleep in each circumstance.

Somehow believing we could predict with mathematical accuracy when the winds may shake them.

Then there's the gathering of food, the cooking, the calculating how long we could last with what provisions.

And the social media-

Fear-mongering, hype, worry-

Filtration and discernment is one's most important asset in this phase.

To separate in our minds and hearts what is known and unknown and what we must surrender to.

Where you put your focus and energy is paramount.

What most may not understand is that this particular phase can be the most depleting outside of the storm itself.

You have lived every scenario in your head before it has even begun.

The Liminal:

This is where waiting begins.

Despite all our logical tools, nothing can fully predict exactly when the storm will hit or how it will unfold. The anticipation turns to exhaustion as hours stretch into days, and uncertainty becomes the only certainty.

You listen with a depth that you have not allowed yourself to listen before.

The ambient sounds of nature subtly change.

You feel it keenly in your cells.

The instincts of your body know that something is shifting.

The wildlife outside also holds a kind of anticipation.

The Catalytic:

The storm itself is a catalyst, a mirror.

We hold vigil and high alert, listening to branches break, to trees moan as they bend unnaturally in the wind.

A phase of little sleep and surprisingly of loneliness no matter who is in the room with you.

It is you, your thoughts, your instincts running in the background, pulsing in every heartbeat.

We brace for each thud, each gust that threatens destruction.

Vigilance prevents drowsiness to overtake you as the intensity within matches the intensity without.

What little you can see outside between the boards of your windows you watch the trees hold fiercely to the earth itself and the sky flashes red from the explosion of a transformer in the distance.

In these moments you hold to the highest outcome, energetically build your protection, whisper to the trees to "please remain nimble" and the spirits of the land to deem you worthy of protection.

(At least this is what I have done.)

It's a test of surrender—to the chaos, to the unknown, to the force of nature and our own inner turbulence.

The Aftermath:

What I always wish I could articulate is not the event itself but the strange liminality of the aftermath as well.

The storm has passed, the trees have quieted from their hisses, and we step outside to survey.

The body simply moves to recalibrate-

The clean up begins the ritual that must be done with urgency and precision.

What we find is not just the physical debris, but the energetic remains of our own thoughts and emotions that were churned up during the storm.

The tending and the releasing of the energy built up, and harnessing it with decisive action.

And this is where the journey commences-

The telling of the tales to the neighbors and friends-

The traversing an entirely new physical and energetic landscape.

It is interesting to see the palette of emotions like rage as it bubbles up and gives voice-

Or the grief in places of your body you never recognized before.

You pick up full tree limbs with violent breaks and tears to majestic creatures that appeared once unbreakable.

Entire limbs stabbed into the soil like a spear from the heavens.

You wonder how did these now flitting butterflies before you taking sweet nectar from fallen flowers on bent stems-

How did they survive?

In what safe haven or secret nook did they shelter?

On the ground is a treasure trove of creatures now emerging from the soil.

Mandarin oranges lay on the ground.

Supple Beauty berries scattered in the moist earth once saturated with violent showers.

Fruits disconnected from the source, never to be fully ripened.

Things that were to grow- will no longer.

Within a week, the fallen tree will hold a new ecosystem entwined and enveloped in a flourishing vines, scattered insects and new mycelial networks quietly resuming their connections and regrowing their pathways.

The frequency of the liminal hangs in the air here as well-

It is thick after destruction and re pixelation of the atmosphere.

The lessons of being solid and yielding.

The lessons of rejuvenation and of acceptance.

 Of adaptability and insignificance.

Many may notice the old wounds have emerged during the storm and the revelation of what is truly important rises to the surface

You finally see....

What lives beneath the debris-

The beauty of compost -

The power of destruction-

 and what it means to become enmeshed in the evolution of the landscape.

Distillation:

The storm is an invitation to confront the chaos within ourselves.

It's a reminder that no matter how much preparation and prediction, there will always be elements beyond our control—both in life and in business.

And it's in those moments of surrender, when we let go of our need to control the outcome, be of significance, stop the disruption- that we find our true power.

Some practical takeaways ...

Discernment is Key: Just as we separate facts from fear during the storm, we must learn to filter the noise focus on what truly matters.

What distractions are pulling you away from your current vision? Where have you been resisting the disruption that is ready to pull you into an entirely new landscape?

Navigation of the Liminal: The unknown is where true transformation happens. It’s the space between the chaos and the clarity where your pure genius emerges.

Can you allow yourself to sit in that discomfort and listen to the whispers of your intuition—there's power in the vulnerability and the waiting.

It is ripe with wisdom if you know how to listen AND how to navigate it without turning to surface reactivity and patterned response.

Catalysts for Transcending: The storm itself is a catalyst, a chaotic churn that brings to the surface what was previously hidden.

Instead of resisting the turbulence in your life, where can you submit to it?

Ask yourself: How can I use this disruption to fully SEE what my next step is?

Rebuilding with Purpose: In the aftermath, as you gather the pieces, it's a chance to realign and rebuild with a clearer sense of purpose.

Surface level solutions die away to reveal your deepest wants and desires for your legacy.

What did the storm uncover that you can now discard?

What new paths are opening up for you beyond the debris?

I hope you found this article thought provoking and feel called to share your thoughts below.

What storms are you currently navigating, and how are they shaping your path?

I invite you to share your insights in the comments.

Let’s open up a dialogue on embracing the chaos and using it to propel us forward.

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My name is Lauren Zavlunov and I am an advisor and evolutionary guide to high-performing visionary men, helping them unlock their sovereignty and power to become the expansion they seek for rapid transformation and success.

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