La vie en rose !
In my April 2024 review I take you on my personal journey through the month that is characterized by diverse seasons, phases, and forms, making it truly revolutionary. Commencing with Mercury retrograde and culminating in one of the most impactful eclipses in our history, April has been filled with twists and turns to say the least. April has been such a great teacher of beauty, resilience, and growth.
Total Solar Eclipse – Meeting The Darkness Inside Of Us
The energies were palpable. Astrologers, Channels & Co. have been saying it for a long time: that, for the collective, this would be the most transformational and challenging month of 2024. Well, let’s see if they were right. We still have 8 months left until 2025. Eight months only?! What?! Time really has changed! Or let’s say, the way we perceive and experience time has changed. What an interesting and fascinating construct.
So far, 2024 has been so different on so many levels. Things are somewhat the same and then they are not. It’s really strange. As I wrote in my January 2024 Review, this year carries a very unique and different energy than the past few years.
On April 8th, we experienced a total solar eclipse, well North America did. Eclipses are fundamental. They are paradigm shifters.
Eclipses have this uncanny ability to shake things up, to push us out of our comfort zones and into a realm of new possibilities. It’s almost as if the universe itself is orchestrating a grand cosmic dance, inviting us to step into a new rhythm of life.
We are all interconnected, all part of this cosmic dance together.
Following the call by Matías de Stefano the founder of YOSOY foundation to meet with darkness, and too sit with it long enough during the eclipse.
Not all doom & gloom
Here’s an excerpt from my Solar Eclipse email for my ‘A Year of Ritual and Self-Care’ subcribers (which is totally for free btw, just in case you wanna join this beautiful community):
“It doesn’t have to be all doom & gloom, you see!
Not at all. Yes, it’s intense, but that’s exactly why we have to invite the frequency of play.
Yes there’s a lot of things happening that are – let’s be honest – of evil nature, and then there are things happening that feel out of our control and shake us to the core, that shake things up, that shuffle the cards anew because:
CHANGE.All of it is present – at all times, always.
We now just get to experience the totality of it all, in all of its shapes and forms.
It was never not there. We’re becoming simply aware.Our bodies have been preparing or have been prepared to align with these higher frequencies.
We’re awakening to deeper spiritual truths, but the answers are never to be found on the outside. The external is merely a reflection of what’s happening inside, individually, collectively, globally.This eclipse comes with so many promises.”
Spring In Berlin & Hanami
When pink takes over as the dominant color in your life 😄…
…Then you’re on track. 😉 What I mean by that: pink is always a good sign! We surely need more pink in this grey world. More of those soft shades of pink everywhere, please!
Honestly, isn’t it most beautiful?! When those blossoms reveal their beauty?!
Yes, I’m aware, there are other colors as well, I know, but pink is another level. You have to admit. 😄
Easter – Ostara: time for healing and regeneration
I loved the Easter holiday. It was so quiet and peaceful – at least for me. I could read, and read, and read, and I loved every single minute of it. Recharging my batteries, and getting prepared for this very moody month of April.
April, with its unpredictable weather patterns and whimsical nature, always keeps me on my toes. One moment it’s sunny and warm, and the next it’s raining cats and dogs. But there’s something oddly charming about the way nature transitions during this time, right?
The blossoming flowers, the chirping birds, and the fresh scent of rain all come together and create this typical, warm and cozy feeling.
And as I turn the pages of my book, I can’t help but feel a sense of kinship with the world outside. Just like the characters in my stories who undergo their own transformations, I too am evolving with the changing season.
It’s a time for reflection, for introspection, and for embracing the beauty of new beginnings. I feel like I’m writing this in every single monthly review and every Self Love Sundays newsletter I send out to my ladies. 😄
By the way, if you’re not subscribed yet, then this is your call. I’d love to send you some love notes.
Here are some spring pictures (spot the pink):
Sakura – Cherry Blossom at Gärten der Welt, Berlin
“April, April, der macht, was er will.”
German saying, translates to “April, April, does what it wants”. It refers to the unpredictable and changeable weather that often always occurs in April. As I mentioned before: one minute it’s all blue skies and sunny, the next minute you find yourself in an unforgivable (hail)storm, only to be graced by a pretty, sunny blue sky just a couple of minutes later as if nothing ever happened. Dough! What an accurate portrayal of the emotional rollercoaster, the ups and downs, we experience this month.
April, with all its twists and turns, shakes us up, tears us apart, makes us laugh and cry all at the same time. April is as a reminder that we are capable of adapting and evolving, just like the ever-changing seasons, we just need be in tune with nature’s seasons.
A year ago
And it certainly helped me navigate my grief. I was amazed by how much I have healed and integrated. April 5th marked the one year anniversary of my cousin’s death. I wrote all about it in my mid-year review 2023. And I won’t go into detail here.
I miss Daniel very much, and at the same time I feel him with me. I feel a stronger connection to him now than I did in the last few years of his life. It seems like ages ago, yet it also feels like yesterday. The distance is there, yet the memories remain vivid and close.
Grief comes in waves and it is messy and has the power to rip us apart.
I felt surprisingly calm on the anniversary of his dying day. I guess I’ve been healing.
And I’m astonished about how far I’ve come!
Walk For The World
On April 21 at 10 am EDT/4 pm CEST people all around the globe walked for the world. If you are in the Dr. Joe Dispenza Community you know of this walk and have probably walked in September for the first global walk and then the second one in November of last year.
If you are new to the Dr. Joe Community or haven’t participated in one of the global walks before, let me tell you about this beautiful initiative. The global walks organized by Dr. Joe Dispenza and Encephalon bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds and locations to walk for unity, peace, and positive change in the world. It is a powerful way to connect with others who share a common vision of creating a better world for all.
It starts with us!
“When so many people come together in a meditation to raise the global energy, there is a large coherent group, and they are in turn affecting the global coherence of humanity.” – Nachum Plonka, Principal Data Scientist at HeartMath Institute
“Nothing will change until you change.” – Dr. Joe Dispenza
It all starts with us.
We hold the power within us to create the change we wish to see in the world. By taking the first step towards personal growth and transformation, we can ignite a ripple effect that extends far beyond ourselves. Each decision we make, each action we take, has the potential to inspire others and spark a wave of positive change.
Don’t stop walking. This is just the beginning.
Treptower Park.
Books That I loved Reading In April
Maybe this will become a book club at some point – who knows. I certainly wouldn’t mind it at all. I simply love sharing the books that I’ve been indulging in, and I hope it will inspire people like you to read more, and maybe even the books that I picked for myself. Let’s inspire each other. Tell me what books you love to read.
Lost In Pages
I’m adding this paragraph after I had written down my book reflections for this month here in my April 2024 review. But it became quite lengthy, and then it stroke me: ‘Why not create a new category dedicated entirely and exclusively to books?’
Oh, snap! That rush of excitement hit me like a ton of bricks. Thankfully not literally! 😄 ‘Of course, a book reflections series! Whoop Whoop!’
You know, that feeling when a light bulb goes off or a brilliant idea pops into your head? Yep, that exact kind of thrill. It was like the excitement fairy sprinkled her magic on me, craving to bring something awesome to life.
So, I put all my book reviews into another blog and only left an excerpt of each on.
Follow your excitement
And that’s how Lost In Pages was born. Yeah!
It’s my book review blog entirely focused on books and the world of fiction. Reading has the power to transport us to new worlds, heal us, unite us, and invigorate our spirits. It is a teacher, a comforting companion that immerses us in the depths of our imagination and inner selves.
Now, let’s have a look at April’s book selection, shall we?! (Btw: spot the pink shades) 😉
MAAME – My Name is Maame
What a great debut! When I was yet again at my favorite book store, Dussmann, in Berlin, I came across this hidden gem that instantly captivated me. I mean look at the art cover! I love it. Eye-catching and it makes you simply want to read it, doesn’t it?! A week later, I walked in there again and left with a copy of that book.Couldn’t help it. It was haunting me a little bit, so I had to get a copy.
I started reading it right away, and couldn’t put it down. A page tuner! …
(Wanna dive in deeper? Then read more on my new monthly blog series Lost In Pages.)
Love, Theoretically
After The Love Hypothesis and Love On The Brain we got another rom-com masterpiece by the one and only – and one of my new favorite authors: hands down! – Ali Hazelwood.
Love, Theoretically included – compared to the other books – a lot more science. I had to look up quite a lot of words because I don’t speak the language of a physicist 😄. But I don’t mind learning new things and vocabularies.
Hazelwood never ceases to amaze me: I said it before and I say it again: I wish I had her brain. She’s a genius with words and of great storylines. She makes her characters come alive. And this book is for all my recovering people pleasers.
Do you notice the common theme here?
(Wanna dive in deeper? Then read more on my new monthly blog series Lost In Pages.)
Check & Mate
I was hesitant when I first held this book in my hands. It was actually the one Ali Hazelwood book that I wanted to read first because of the title, and I loved the cover a lot as well.
Then at the bookstore, when I held in my hands, I read that it was a YA novel (but also amazing for OA 😉 ), and I must admit that put me off a little. So I decided to read it another time, ‘I’ll surely read it, just not today.’ And I intuitively went for The Love Hypothesis (which was Hazelwood’s debut novel).
But here I am now with this beautiful novel in my hand and I loved it.
(Wanna dive in deeper? Then read more on my new monthly blog series Lost In Pages.)
Happy Place
This book was my happy place. I didn’t know how much I needed to read this novel until I was reading it.
Oh, Emily Henry, I knew it would be love when I first encountered your books at the bookstore. But I approached you with lots of consideration and even some hesitation. Probably because I felt it in my bones that once I started reading your books, I can’t stop reading. I knew I would be forever in love. lol
“No”, he says quietly, “in every universe it’s you for me, even if it’s not me for you.”
I want more of her books!
(Wanna dive in deeper? Then read more on my new monthly blog series Lost In Pages.)
My Random Book Selector
I have a book list of hundreds of books. Thank Goddess there’s Goodreads to organize my book addiction. 😄
It’s overwhelming to say the least – but in the best way possible. I wanna read them all – all at once! 😄 And that puts me under a bit of pressure. Can we make time stand still, please, so that we, the people that love reading, can have all the time in the universe to get lost in the pages?
We gotta make a (book) choice 😄.
Some books that I know I will read at some point but not soon, and then there are other books I cannot decide which ones to read first. So I decided to create a random book selector with a special selection of book titles, I put in the title and let the wheel of destiny decide 😉. That’s it. Problem solved. Now I am able to relax. 😄
My read selection for May 2024 (subject to change)
- Beach Read by Emily Henry
- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
- Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
- surprise reveal(s)
My Podcasts in April
Yay, I’m back! After a four-month break, I’m back. And it feels really good. But I needed this break to simply make space.
What Else Happened In April (in pictures)
Food Gallery
My Outlook for May 2024
- Middle of April I felt the urge to go to the Barcelona Progressive Retreat by Dr. Joe Dispenza. Of course it’s already sold out – of course –, but thankfully those tickets are transferable. I just need to find someone who wants to sell their ticket. Wish me luck on this one. Barcelona is one of my favorite cities and I could really need a bit of Spain and beauty, surrounded by amazing geniuses who also do the work. Just putting it out there. Who knows what’s in the cards. Doing this work for now nearly 5 years has taught me that anything is possible.
- Write more blog posts: I have a long, long list of things I want to write about or I already have started writing on. So, I’ll get back to them and finish them one by one.
- Write more letters to my friends. Very important!
- Prepare everything for my launch.
April 2024 Review – Final Thoughts
As I’m wrapping up my April 2024 review I’m feeling grateful toward myself: (1) I have bravely maneuvered through all sorts of emotions and feelings akin to April’s unpredictable weather changes.. (2) I’ve made a lot of space for the things that are important to me. (3) I took longer breaks to savor moments of joy and tranquility; I enjoyed the peace and stillness that envelops me when I’m reading. And (4) I cannot be more grateful that I’ve been kissed by the sun. As I have said before, I’m simply a different person when the temperatures are above 20 degrees Celsius.
Here’s a quote from the last book I read in April Happy Place that I want to close this review with:
“I don’t want to live my life like it’s a triathlon and all that matters is getting to some imaginary ribbon. I want my life to be like––like making pottery. I want to enjoy it while it’s happening, not just for where it might get me eventually.”
