Why 2026 Feels Harder Than We Expected.  

Did you know that January has always been a hard month for me?

My birthday sits right in the middle of it, on the 10th, and if I’m honest, my body has never trusted January very much.

Many of the most traumatic events of my life happened in this month.

The truck accident in 2006 left me with crippling injuries.

A broken mind in 2008, which turned into a year-long dark night of the soul experience.

Life-threatening bowel obstructions between 2008 and 2013, where I nearly died in January after years of cruel, searing pain that often pushed my system to the edge.

Even when the mind knows “that was twenty years ago”, the body remembers differently.

This January, my body has been wobbly again.

A near bowel blockage the other night, which left me shaken.

I understand now that my body needs reassurance, not the old Dutch bravado.

It just needs to be reassured that it can pass through January safely and come out the other side intact.

And usually, by the time February arrives, it does.

But this year, something else happened.

Rastus disappeared on the day I posted this article: https://www.purplehousenaturaltherapies.com.au/the-parable-of-rastus-how-a-killer-cat-became-a-master-healer/

He simply didn’t come home for breakfast and he hasn’t returned.

For nine years, Rastus was rarely more than a few metres away from Pete or me when we weren’t with clients.

He was our little barometer, if he was settled, we were settled.

Every day at 5 pm, without fail, he would poke his head into reception to tell us it was time to close.

When daylight saving changed, he got it wrong for a while, and then, about ten days later, he autocorrected.

That’s how deeply he lived in rhythm with us.

And now, my quiet, wordless fat, furry Buddha companion is gone.

I loved Rastus without holding back, and I would do it again.

Many people believe that loving deeply means setting themselves up for pain.

So they ration love; instead of allowing it to flow.

They guard against or brace for potential or inevitable heartbreak.

But clean love doesn’t cost more when it ends.

What truly drains us is living half-alive to avoid grief.

Today, what I am experiencing, I have no words for.

What I’ve come to realise is that Rastus inhabited a part of my nervous system, a non-verbal, right-brain place that knew safety, rhythm, and timing without words.

When he disappeared, that part went quiet.

You may have heard people say that “a part of your brain dies when a pet dies.”

It’s not poetic exaggeration; science has shown the truth of this statement.

When we form long-term bonds, especially with animals who offer unconditional presence, the brain builds stable neural networks devoted to that relationship, involving the limbic system, the autonomic nervous system, and the parts of us that regulate calm through co-presence.

When that bond ends, those circuits don’t vanish; they fall silent.

And that silence can feel deafening.

Humans have only three core fears at a nervous-system level:

1. Fear of intensity,
2. Fear of the unknown,
3. And fear of emptiness.

Grief touches all three.

For me, this loss landed on top of something much older.

As a child, when I cried over the loss of a beloved pet, I was beaten for it by my dad, who didn’t do extreme emotions. (He was scarred from WW2 and was completely unsentimental when it came to pets)

My system learned very early that grief was dangerous, something to lock inside the body and never let out.

So, this year, without Rastus quietly regulating me through January, I felt more exposed than usual, and the flashbacks and panic attacks came back at night.

I didn’t berate my body, like I used to do in another lifetime.

I supported my system instead and booked myself in with Pete.

During that session, I could feel the neurological, energetic and autonomic layers re-aligning, like magic.

I felt so much lighter immediately.

Afterwards, I could think of Rastus without my system flipping into fight-or-flight and the shock was gone.

I’m sharing this because many of you carry grief today.

Some of you have lost pets, people, relationships, or versions of your life that have ended, and you are trying so hard to stay functional, productive, and composed.

Understanding grief intellectually doesn’t mean the body doesn’t need help.

If you’re feeling hollow, depleted, or unable to recharge your batteries like your old self, Pete, Caleb and I offer diagnostic (reset) sessions designed to support exactly this kind of transition.

Not to erase your grief, but to help your body hold it without cracking up, and to restore a sense of safety and connection, sometimes for the first time!

You were never meant to carry loss or trauma alone.

We are wired to lean into each other!

If you find it hard to love yourself and others fully, or to be on the receiving end of love,  there may be old trauma lodged in the system that makes openness feel unsafe.

Don’t stay like this!

Every year of your life, it will cost you more.

Today, we can clear trauma issues in your tissues with expert precision.

Pete, Caleb and I have practiced this for many years. 

Call my friendly team on 03 64283007

If something in this message touched you, you might be ready for deep, lasting transformation, which you can experience fully during my next Miracle Method Immersion in March 2026.

Have you noticed, too, that the human collective cry for real help is getting louder?

Not for quick fixes, or surface-level positivity, endless coping strategies that keep humans stuck in fight or flight, lost in disconnection?

People are sick and tired of feeling stuck in the same old loop.

In March, I am hosting an in-person Miracle Method Immersion, where I transmit the wisdom, skills, and tools of the trade I have spent decades refining, not from textbooks, but from lived experience, survival, healing, mastery, fuelled by never ending curiosity into the human plight.

This immersion is not about becoming “more spiritual” or fixing yourself.

It is about becoming stable, embodied, resourced, and clear enough to stand in your own lane, and from there, to naturally become a lighthouse in your family, your work, and your community.

Many people feel their soul mission stirring right now.

If it has been lying dormant, it will no longer stay that way.

The energies are changing.

When we put off what we know we are here to do, the signal doesn’t disappear; it boomerangs back, often faster and closer to home.

But when we step up with courage, choose to show up for ourselves, and tend to our own nervous system and inner alignment, something remarkable happens:

The gap between where we are and where we want to be disappears much faster today.

The Miracle Method Immersion runs in March, here at Purple House in Tasmania.

Places are limited because this work requires depth, presence, and containment.

If you feel a quiet but persistent yes in your body, this may be your time.

You don’t need to have it all figured out before you step forward.

Courage doesn’t come after clarity — clarity comes because you were willing to show up.

Birds flying in formation conserve around 70% of their energy by travelling together, rotating leadership, reducing drag, and supporting one another along the way.

In the right human community, the same principle applies.

When heart-centred, intelligent people gather with shared intention, the nervous system settles, clarity sharpens, and progress accelerates, not through effort, but through coherence.

That is what true community offers: not dependence, but shared momentum.

A friendly reminder, We welcome clients at Purple House Wellness Centre on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9am to 5pm.

We’re also happy to assist with postal orders.

Please call 03 6428 3007 to place or secure your order.

You can also visit our website to:
• Book online appointments (including Full Health Audits with Peter or Caleb)
• Read past blogs
• Download free eBooks
• Order supplements at your convenience

If you’re feeling called toward a career shift, deeper healing, or connection with a supportive, like-minded community, you can learn more about the Miracle Method Immersion by clicking here.

To learn more about the living water we use in our home, at the Purple House Clinic, and at Purple House Kitchen, please call Peter on 0428 283 007.

For updates, seasonal menus, and a behind-the-scenes look at what we’re creating, follow Purple House Kitchen on Facebook and Instagram.

Purple House Kitchen hours
Open Wednesday to Saturday, 10am–4pm
(Kitchen closes at 3pm)

Grada Robertson, MNM
Master of Natural Medicine
Doctoral Candidate in Natural Medicine (Psychosomatic University / Holographic Manipulation Therapy with Drs. Gabe & Tiffany Roberts)

Grada is a three-time Amazon Bestselling Author of the trilogy: You Are the Miracle, The Underbelly, and Alchemy of Love.

Disclaimer:
Our content is for educational purposes only, based on our personal journey and research. It is not medical advice. We are not medical professionals. Always consult your doctor or healthcare provider for any medical diagnoses or treatment. The information we share is intended for learning and discussion and should not replace professional medical guidance. Any actions you take based on this content are solely your responsibility.