Tips and Tricks

Have you heard the term “Touch Starvation”?

Last week I learned my new neighbor had lost his beloved cat after 17
years. His name was Elvis and, as my neighbor was telling me about it, I
could sense his deep sense of loss. My neighbor is single, lives alone and
was always welcomed by his beloved Elvis, the pitter patter of his little feet
greeting him when he came home and providing comfort as only a pet can
with pure unconditional love. Elvis was his lifeline to “touch”.

Today I want to talk to you about unconditional love and our need as
humans to have touch or social contact in our life. There is a term called
“touch starvation”. Many of us have experienced this because of “social
distancing” during the Covid-19 Pandemic. But this has been experienced
by those in hospitals, care facilities and orphanages too. There are many
reasons for us to experience love, touch or social contact and what
happens when we are deprived of it? I will attempt to cover a few of them.
Why is touch so important? We bond through touch with co-workers,
loved ones and friends. It is how humans interact. Because ‘skin’ is the
largest organ in the human body we are able to receive and sends signals
to our brain with touch. A hug can release the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin
is the feel good hormone and helps to lower fear and anxiety. When babies
are born Mother’s typically hold and comfort their babies. What we’ve
learned now is that this interaction is just the beginning to our well being
as humans. Touch helps to regulate sleep and digestion and boost our
immune system.

Lack of touch can create stress, anxiety and depression. Cortisol is a
hormone that is released as a result of stress. This can affect blood
pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and our breath. As our breath
becomes shallow our immune and digestive systems are affected too. Our
quality of sleep is disrupted and we become at higher risk of infections
and other more serious long term medical conditions.

These are some of the things we have been seeing with friends,
acquaintances and family in a more dramatic way since the pandemic
started. But there are ways to counteract these affects and one of them is
to interact with our pets or animals at sanctuaries or rescue facilities. Small
or large our animal companions can make a difference in our life. The act
of caring for another living being can take us out of the funk we may be in
and allow us to be of service to them. In reality they are in service to us.
Depending on the pet they may greet you at the door with kisses, and
love. They are so excited to see us in the morning and when we return
home. It has been shown that when we pet a dog or cat they can help us
reduce our blood pressure, calm us down and take our minds off anything
that may be creating pressure. Playing with your pet can help you relax by
releasing oxytocin, that feel good hormone in our brain.

Large or small interaction in general with animals can take us away from
our worries and reduce stress. Whether we are volunteering at a sanctuary,
a rescue facility or interacting with our own pets, touch in this way is an
act of being of service and to show grace and gratitude to other living
beings.

I read recently that a cat’s mission in life is to remove the negative energy
accumulated in our body. When we sleep they absorb energy that
accumulates in us. They protect us as we sleep. If they feel they are
needed by us they will sleep with us, if we are fine then they won’t sleep
with us. It has been scientifically shown that the purring sound or vibration
emanating from a cat can actually knit bones and heal bodies. Cats may
have a different way of showing love but don’t doubt that the love they
share is true.

I have had the honor of sharing my life with my dog Inochi, who just
turned 7 years old this year. He has been a loving companion for me.

He has been with me through thick and
thin and gives me opportunities everyday to go outside and get exercise
for both of us. He helps me stay active because we walk daily. And then,
because it wasn’t enough love for me, during the pandemic and the long
lonely days, I had to have a cat to join us. But wait, not just one! Being
new to cat guardianship I realized it is best to have two so that they can
interact. Nigel and Sasha are now part of the crew. Three furry friends who
give me deep love and affection every single day. And somedays it’s quite
a circus but they make me laugh and give me comfort. I am honored to
have them in my life to help me through.

If you are experiencing “touch starvation” a wonderful way to bring it back
into your life is with a furry friend, large or small. I highly recommend it.
What are you doing to enrich your life to prevent “touch starvation”?

Author: Debbie Del Rio https://bestamericanpsychics.com/listing/debbie-del-rio/

August 2022 Prediction Through TAROT

Tarot Predictions going into the first week of August:

Aries (The chariot)

March 21 to April 20

Inner harmony and balance is key, happiness and contentment within relationships is very much on your mind. You have the gift of keeping the peace. Enjoying social activity and being part of something gives you peace of mind.

Taurus (The star)

April 21 to May 21

You have the power to draw others to you and make a good impression on people. Your relations with other people are better, so much so your social calendar is likely to be very busy. However, watch that you don’t try to please everyone else and leave yourself short.

Gemini (King of Cups)

May 22 to June 21

This week, your mind is full of new ideas and you are intellectually sharp, able to talk yourself into and out of just about anything now. You can get things done now if you put your mind to it. This is a good time for social interactions and catching up on what’s happening in other people’s lives.

Cancer (The Ace of Swords)

June 22 to July 22

A week of feeling noticeably more sensitive and impressionable at this time. However, if you are in too much of a rush to get things done, you risk making mistakes and wrong decisions, so try and make a to-do list and smooth out any areas with others that need your time.

LEO (3 of Cups)

July 23 to August 23

Others seem more receptive to your emotional needs and show that they care about how you feel. Social activity within the home or family is easy and relaxing, so join the fun. An essentially positive outlook is flowing towards you, make the most of this.

Virgo (3 of Wands)

August 24 to September 22

Hard work and long hours don’t faze you now. In fact, you relish the idea of carrying a task or project through to a successful conclusion. Having much optimism, confidence, and resilience is the key word here. Expect a fruitful week and advantages with successful connections.

Libra (3 of Coins)

September 23 to October 23

This week stars are aligning you to an easy going atmosphere. Some of you will feel light -hearted and joyful for others. Good relations bring new creative projects ahead especially for those seeking change of location. There could be a leading role to take on and connections to be made.

Scorpio (10 of Cups )

October 24 to November 22

Popularity and self-expression are soaring this week, creative endeavors can receive honor, recognition, or acceptance. Success through romance speculation and dealing with children is favored at this time and nothing can stop you now. Say yes to being the best you can be.

Sagittarius (4 of Cups )

November 23 to December 21

Communicating with others may be difficult or irritating now: they are likely to challenge your views and opinions, at the end of this week you will have a clearer picture about making important decisions which will free you up from any conflicts relating to matters of importance.

December 22 to January 20

Popular is the word and teammates around you are obliging and courteous. You will feel good about yourself and your appearance. Social occasions are enjoyable so much so that for the singletons, love is very much on your mind. For some, you will feel ready to settle down.

Aquarius (Justice)

January 21 to February 18

This week is excellent for great communication and personal interchange with others, it is a good time for examining goals and expectations. An excellent time for learning. Travel with learning and new experiences as a goal could be added to your bucket list.

Author: Samantha Hamilton, https://BestAmericanPsychics.com/listing/samantha-hamilton

First Aid for Freak Out

It’s a near daily occurrence: You come across something that sets you off, in a conversation,
in a social media post, on the news. Emotions erupt. Words rise up in you, maybe so many
that you have trouble piecing them together coherently. You feel anxiety and panic. Worst-
case scenarios flood your mind. Your blood pressure rises. Your heart pounds. You find it hard
to let go of whatever’s triggered you.

You have been hit with a energetic virus. Unlikely with a physical virus, you can combat it. All
you need is a few shifts in attitude, the ability to visualize or imagine, and the willingness to
try.

Keep this first aid checklist on hand for your next freak out:
1. Disengage with the trigger.
Do not respond. Leave the conversation or social media site. Turn off the news.

2. Breathe.
Breathe in. Breathe out. If you’re badly agitated, cover your mouth with your hand and
breathe into it until you feel your breath slow. Imagine that you’re breathing out tension,
anxiety, and panic. Imagine that you’re breathing in calm.

3. Clear your mind.
Acknowledge and then act on freaked out, irrational thoughts. Here are two easy ways to do
this.

Physically: Write down everything that’s running through your mind. Everything, especially the
crazy. Write until your hand tires, then write more. Take as many pieces of paper as you need.
When you feel complete, put all the pieces of paper you’ve scribbled on into a box with a lid
on it. Put the lid on the box, and put the box out of your sight. Your choice whether to open it
later. If you like, treat this as handing the issue over to a higher power. (Tosha Silver
describes this technique as a God box in her book It’s Not Your Money.)

With visualization: Imagine a stack of paper, a pen with an unbreakable point, and a box with
a lid on it. Imagine writing down everything that’s running through your mind, using as many
pieces of paper as you need. When you feel complete, put the paper in the box and place the
lid on it. Put the lid on shelf in the back of your mind. Leave it there for as long as you like
(including forever). If you do ever return to the box, you can sort through the paper, keep
some, and throw some out. Or you can blow up the box and dispose of the debris.

4. Remove the virus from your energy field.
Visualize a horseshoe magnet. (It’s shaped like a horseshoe, only red with black tips). Point
the tips toward you.

Now imagine that you’re facing whatever set you off. If it’s a person, see that person. If it’s
not, imagine an image that represents the trigger to you – a group of people, a written
message, even a big blob.

Place the magnet in front of that, with the tips pointed at you. Instruct the magnet to pull the
energy of that person, or group, or situation, out of you and return it.

Sit with this. As the magnet works, you may feel a pulling sensation. As the clearing finishes,
you may feel a pop and then calm. This may happen in your solar plexus (your power center,
and frequently where attacks plug in) or in your root chakra (your survival center).
When you feel complete, drop the magnet.

5. Remove your energy from the trigger.
Visualize another horseshoe magnet. Place it at your solar plexus and point it at the person or
the image whose energy you just returned. Instruct the magnet to pull your energy out of that
person or image and return it to you.

When you feel complete, drop the magnet.

Any combination of these tactics will help bring you back to center. In a pinch, disengage and
apply the magnets. With practice, you can have them running simultaneously.

Then, and only then, decide whether to respond. Odds are you won’t want to waste the
energy.

More energy management tools are available in Reclaiming Your Energy, a one-hour talk
available for download at no charge.

Author: Kathy Biehl https://bestamericanpsychics.com/listing/kathy-biehl/

How to read tea leaves and what to look out for

Tasseography is the art of visionary tea leaf reading, and I welcome you to this blog on how to read the leaves.

Did you know that it doesn’t matter which caffeine enhanced hot beverage you use when it comes to reading the remnants of a cup, because rather joyously, coffee granules can be read in exactly the same way as its visionary cousin, the tea leaf. Both are wonderfully powerful tools to use for seeing into the future.

We are all aware of the legacy of tea leaf reading, which dates back centuries with its origins said to be in Asia and the Middle East. It is Middle Eastern culture, however, and their love and skill for brewing coffee, that has brought the alternative ritual of reading coffee granules to the fore.

As with any ritual there are preparations to be made to help you achieve the most from your brew-induced reading.

In this blog I aim to explain how to use this wonderful gift to help you answer questions or gain insight into what lies ahead.

Here are 7 handy tips to set you on the right path to reading tea leaves or coffee granules:

Select a cup with a smooth inner and no surface decoration
A white or light coloured cup and saucer is the perfect vessel
The wider the mouth of the cup the better
Drink as much of the tea or coffee as you can without consuming the leaves or granules
Brew your tea or coffee in a pot
Meditate to free your mind from distracting chatter before you start reading your leaves or granules
For tea drinkers – I find Earl Grey usually delivers the best results.

While you have your coffee or tea brewing, please try to indulge in a gentle meditation to clear the mind and find a peaceful place without too much distraction so that your thoughts and vision are centered on the cup and the shapes and symbols that lie in front of you.

Brew your tea or coffee in a pot and don’t use any form of strainer so that the leaves and granules are free to find their place. If this reading is for a loved one, or a friend, let them pour the tea or coffee. Their energy and connection to the cup is important. Whilst pouring the cup, you should try to think of any questions you have and visualize the person who you are asking questions for, if it isn’t for yourself.

Mediation is key to freeing your mind to enhance your ability to see and read more clearly. Please don’t worry if at first you find the symbols indistinct, and have some difficulty in identifying them. With practice you will build up confidence and start to find clarity and a stronger focus; meditation helps illuminate the reading in the same way that reading glasses help magnify any tricky to read text. It’s always a good idea to make notes and, if you can, scribble some drawings of the symbols that you see, so that you start to build up a record of pictures and patterns that you can mentally reference and draw upon for future readings.

Allow yourself this freedom of thought, and let’s see what your eyes and especially your intuition and inner feelings are guiding you to see. We are all gifted intuitively and psychologically. We each carry a divine intelligence and have an inner knowledge that we should embrace and seek to bring to the surface. Your level of perception and experience will build with time and you will increase your psychic abilities. And please do have fun whilst you are reading the remains of your delicious cup of coffee or tea. This is a joyous and powerful gift and experience that I want you to enjoy as much as I do.

Once you have finished drinking from the cup and have left the sediment of leaves or granules at the bottom, turn the cup over onto the saucer and allow it to drain. Doing this over a sink is a good idea, to avoid any annoying tea or coffee stains on upholstery or clothes. [No one wants to add stain remover to their tea reading ritual.] Now pick up the cup and start to read what’s inside. Remember to read the leaves or granules in clockwise rotation, starting from the handle. Focus and you will gradually see images and patterns emerging.

The handle of the cup represents you or the person you are about to read. Read the symbols closest to the handle, which represent your thoughts and current situation. The middle of the cup relates to the near future and the bottom of the cup is the more distant future .

A reading of leaves or granules may show you the future in terms of a couple of weeks or a couple of months ahead; there is no rigid timeframe as to where that future lies.

I have been reading leaves for many, many decades; an art which I started to indulge in when I was just seven years old and which I have reveled in practicing ever since. I have a ticker tape of symbols in my mind that I can call upon when reading, and I would like to share some of those here with you now.

Below is a list of symbols and their meanings to help you start your journey….

🦋BUTTERFLY signifies transformation; not standing still

🦌DEER signifies gentleness; a kind person

🦊FOX signifies a tricky witted individual

🟣CIRCLE signifies a wedding; a partnership; a new start

↑↓ARROW. An up arrow signifies yes to a question and a down arrow signifies thinking about your wants in life .

⎻ LINES signify an important journey .

🌊WAVES signify emotional times and also mean an important journey.

✉️ENVELOPE signifies news, letters, contracts

🧲HORSESHOE signifies happy times ahead

👫MAN OR WOMEN near the handle signifies a visitor

🗝KEY signifies new opportunities

🏡HOUSE signifies new home .

Remember to take notes each time you read from a cup, so that you will more quickly recognize shapes and symbols for future readings. Like all of life’s skills, practice is key. And ENJOY! This is a simple gift that we should all rejoice in.

Author: Samantha Hamilton https://bestamericanpsychics.com/listing/samantha-hamilton

Love is one of the most important feelings in the universe. It is so important and powerful that we have trouble expressing it, and any block regarding our ability to love or to be loved needs working on; to remove any fear of love.

The end result is always a happier, more content, and nicer person. When we feel good, good things happen.

From your kitchen to your bath, you can fill your home with love.

Let’s start this process with some relaxing meditation and affirmations for lasting love…This is a 30-day healing process for positive change. All you need is some rose quartz, a quiet space, and the time to ease your mind.

Before you start…

Take a moment to be mindful.

Find a peaceful place to sit or lie down, holding your rose quartz in your left hand.

Take three deep breaths (inhaling deeply through your nose, and then long exhales out through your mouth). As you breathe in, envisage surrounding yourself with white light and breathe in that white light. This is an opportunity for you to be still for 5 minutes. Invite your Angel of Love in by saying: “I ask the Angel of Love to assist me in healing and to embrace me with divine guidance so that I open my heart to the loving energy vibration; to attract true, long-lasting love into my life.”

“I (your name) am open to having a long lasting, healthy, balanced, and supportive relationship and unconditional love between me and my partner. I welcome a lasting relationship for life.”

You can choose to say this in front of the mirror. Standing in front of a mirror saying your written Affirmation is healing too!

Chanting the angel’s names three times will help strengthen the connection. (Archangel Chamuel is the angel of joy and happiness and unconditional love).

……………………….

LOVE BATH

This is a healing bath to detox and sooth your mind and body.

Run a warm bath and add a spoon of honey plus half a cup of almond milk. Or a spoon of parsley and half a cup of almond milk.

If you can, play some spiritual music, as this can help to put you in the right mood when connecting with your spirit guides and Angels.

Invite The Angel of Love into your bathing space. (Archangel Chamuel is the angel of joy and happiness and unconditional love).

Relax in your bath of honey or parsley and almond milk and breathe in those aromas.

There is no timing on how long you stay in your Bath.

This practice should be done for a complete 30 days.

You can also light candles. Light a pink candle and a white candle (burn for 9 days; evening is best).

To Receive Healing Recovery from a broken relationship or inviting in a new relationship, write your own beautiful affirmation for self love or to attract a life partner!

I (name ) ……

…am now open to love. I give love unconditionally to my future partner and myself.

I am happy and well. I enjoy loving company with my future partner and with myself.

I choose to be loved and to give unconditionally. I see love clearly now.

My future partner is around the corner.

I am loved and love is around me.

I see love / I see love with loving eyes.

I accept love.

My relationship is simply beautiful, we are happy, and all is well.

Author: Samantha Hamilton https://bestamericanpsychics.com/listing/samantha-hamilton

How to Connect & Work with Your Angels!

The veil that separates you from the Angelic Kingdom is just a breath away. Simply by affirming the Angel you would like to invite into your daily life, you make it happen. It’s so easy. Just ask!

YOU don’t have to be gifted psychically, or a Clairvoyant, to experience the joy and happiness of Angels.

We all have our own guardian Angel giving guidance throughout our lives.

You may sense their presence as a feeling of calm and a flowing warm atmosphere. The majority of us are aware that we are never alone and often feel their comfort and healing.

Here are some of the Angels that can guide you and support you in the here and now.

Archangel Michael (Throat Chakra. Colour: Blue)

Crystals to encourage communication: Turquoise, Aquamarine.

Brings: Protection, Strength, Truth.

Archangel MICHAEL will emotionally, physically and, most of all spiritually, protect you. Call in Archangel Michael when you feel lost or fearful.

By asking Archangel Michael to assist you indicates, changes in job, relationship, endings, new beginnings.

Archangel Raphael (Solar plexus Chakra, Colour: Gold)

Crystals to encourage Healing & Love. Rose quartz, Aventurine

Brings: Healing, wellness, emotional wholeness.

Choosing Archangel Raphael, he knows you require healing and will assist you in your quest as a healer too. Difficult relationships can be resolved. Health matters concerning will soon become more clear as to which support is best. Do you have someone in mind that you would like to send to healing?

If you are thinking of becoming a Councillor, Therapist, Nurse, Carer

Archangel Raphael will always be by your side supporting You.

Archangel Chamuel (Sacral Chakra. Colour: Red)

Crystals to encourage unconditional Love and forgiveness, Red Jasper.

Brings: Love, Self-Care, Relationships, Romance. Unconditional love and, most importantly, urges you to love yourself.

Time to forgive yourself and the past! Childhood pain, past life limitations. Letting go of old wounds, broken down memories.

Archangel Chamuel will support you with every turn in your life which you find challenging! Archangel Chamuel wants you to know that he is always present and will open doors to new love.

Archangel Gabriel (Crown Chakra. Colour: Indigo)

Crystals to encourage clairvoyant ability, opening the third eye, Lapis Lazuli

Brings: Guidance, Meaning, Prophecy, Purity, Vision

Do you need answers and feel confused? Perhaps by choosing Archangel Gabriel for divine guidance may even be a life transformation! Moving, change of job, or simply feeling unfulfilled with your life. Archangel Gabriel is waiting to be invited in and will help you to make important decisions.

Do you need to take note of your physical body, are you in need of exercise? Clearing away toxins and removing habits which are not benefitting makes a better well-being.

Author: Samantha Hamilton https://bestamericanpsychics.com/listing/samantha-hamilton

Boundless Gratitude

The month of April brings the promise of new beginnings. With that promise comes choices; choices on how we want to move forward and what we want to focus on. This month, I invite you to focus on gratitude. Take some time to reflect on all the things you are grateful for. It can be the little things, like a cup of coffee in the morning or the bigger things, like the miracle of being alive in these changing times.

A great way to reflect on gratitude is by writing it down. When I was a university student, one of my teachers suggested that I keep a gratitude journal. He said it was a way to keep track of all the things I was thankful for. His suggestion worked. That little journal was a huge help during difficult times. It reminded me of what was most important and encouraged me to keep going.

If you have never kept a gratitude journal, I invite you to start. It can be a plain notebook, a fancy journal, or a blank book that you decorate. You can also write notes of thanks in a daily planner. The point is to find one thing you are thankful each day and make record of it.

Write it in the present tense so that you continue to draw those positive conditions into your life. When times are tough, revisit your journal and reflect on the good moments. They will remind you of what matters most.

Have a beautiful month and look for the good things, big and small!

Author: Nicole Bowman https://bestamericanpsychics.com/listing/nicole-bowman

March is a promising month here in New England. Winter is coming to a close. March 20, the spring equinox promises change. March is also a month full of disappointments. We are done with the cold icy weather, and warm promising days are far and few between. April can be that way too. Us folks in the North long to travel south, or even west.

Let’s talk about Spring clearing. As seasons changes, no matter where on earth you live, this is the time to clear the garden to ready for the next planting. To prepare for the next growth in your life, the inner chemistry of your thoughts, emotions and actions need to be tended to.

Courage, humility, and focus are good tools for clearing your inner garden.

Courage is for seeing clearly what is actually growing in your life. Feel it to heal it. Feeling where the discord in your life is, is the start of the clearing process. What blocks your progress is usually organic inner growth. This growth, when unattended, grows like Kudzu. Your inner blocks have roots in emotions we don’t know what to do with. They are the emotions we deny or ignore, and they grow like weeds.

Humility is the action of recognizing the overgrowth of beliefs and thoughts that run your life. As you become self–aware as a result of clear seeing, you will find some interesting aspects within yourself you never thought existed. Humility includes asking for help from your higher power, your Soul, your guides, and a healer in human form.

Focus is your own willingness to stay engaged with your healing process. No matter how fast or slow your process is, choose to stay the course and gently progress. This focus can range from “Yup, I know you are there, and I am not feeding you anymore,” to “Let’s get this worked out once and for all.” Your focus may go back and forth, the key here is to stay aware as best you can. Don’t go back to ignoring your inner landscapes.

Colors have healing properties. They have certain vibrations and even sounds attributed to them. Your chakras all have colors. One color per Chakra. The colors are all kinds of hues and intensities. You can do a self-clearing by focusing on the colors of your chakras in your physical body. You have seven of them. You have more throughout your etheric body, but for this clearing let’s focus on your physical body.

To brighten up your energy, you can visualize your chakras. Start with your root chakra and move up through to the crown chakra at the top of your head.

Begin the process with an Intention to clear your chakras. Invite your spiritual team of healers to help. You can visualize, think, imagine, feel, talk your way through your chakras clearing. Whichever sense works best for you. You can do one chakra a day, or all at once. The end result is that you are aware of these energy centers so you can keep them bright.

Imagine your root chakra at the base of your spine. This is the RED chakra. Home, survival, nurturing on a basic level. How red is it? Imagine the red is becoming brighter. Ask your healers for help.

Move up to just below the naval. Imagine your sacral chakra. This is orange. Creativity, sensitivity, sensuality, sexuality. How orange is it? Imagine the orange is becoming brighter with your healers help.

Above your navel is your solar plexus, this chakra is yellow. This chakra is Self-awareness, self-worth, identity and will. How yellow is it? Imagine the yellow glowing with your Soul’s help.

Your heart chakra is at your heart’s level. It is green. This is the place of Awareness, truth, language, understanding and compassion. What is in your heart right now? Imagine the green is getting brighter…how does that feel? What are your thoughts now as you heart gets brighter? Your Soul and guides are helping you and guiding you.

Feel your throat area. This is your throat chakra. The color is blue. This is your self-expression and your Soul’s expression through words, speaking, writing, singing, painting and all other expressions. How does your throat feel right now? Imagine the blue becoming brighter. Same healing team helping.

Move to the middle of your forehead. This is your third eye. This is deep indigo blue. Think of the images of outer space. This is your envisioning center. You project your life and your thoughts here. You can enter the mind of Universe here. Imagine the indigo blue deepening and becoming very, very clear. How do you now envision your life?

Move to the top of your head. Your crown chakra. This is where you interact with the presence of the universe. Imagine bright gold and white light pouring into your crown and brightening up the purple. You are sovereign as you connect with the source of the universe.

As you brighten up the colors in your chakras, observe what nurtures you and see what needs to fall away in your life. Trust what you sense. Repeat this often. It takes courage, humility, and focus. You got this.

Author: Nancy Smith https://bestamericanpsychics.com/listing/nancy-smith

Grief as a State of Grace

Grief happens to all of us in many forms. Some grief changes our life, or at least the path we thought we were taking though life. We can become rudderless, lost and ungrounded. If you were to ever come to this point, reach out to your soul, your guides, your angels and ask for grace. Grace is a spirit-led place of compassion and protection that eventually leads us back to love. You may feel desolate and alone, but Grace and your soul knows what to do and where to lead you.

When we lose someone or something that we love, it’s normal to want to replace it. In our Grief we find a deep desire to recreate what has been lost. The loss can happen in a moment and all of life changes. I have experienced in myself and others a sense of desolation, loneliness and even betrayal. Isolating yourself may seem the best answer in these times. It’s hard to imagine your loss will ever be understood. And some people around you may have even proven your point.

Don’t give up. You have more help and love around you then you can feel at these times. Your pain maybe blocking out what you need. Do what you can moment to moment. Claim a state of Grace with a higher power you can’t see or feel right now. During these times in your life, your Soul is hard at work, and so are your guides and guardian angel.

There is an indigenous tribe in a village who, when someone dies, everyone responds. When the grieving person or family go to bed, everyone takes a chair or piece of furniture out of their house, and they leave it outside. When the grieving person wakes up, they see the “everything has changed” not just for them, but for everyone. In this beautiful example the bereft is seen, the pain is witnessed. We all need to be seen, to be heard. We need to know that our grief is witnessed. As a community we can give that gift to each other, we don’t have to have advice, or answers or explanations. We simply need to listen and be the witness, for however long it takes.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross PhD, during her research identified five stages of grief. Her student David Kessler identifies a sixth stage. The five stages are (and they don’t show up in this order) Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. These stages can flow in and out of a person’s grief with varying intensity. It’s a journey the finally leads to what Kessler calls the stage of meaning. He talks about this in his book “Finding Meaning.”

Everyone’s life has meaning, no matter how short or long the life lasted. No matter who the person was. The bereft’s journey is to find that meaning within their own heart. And meaning comes in endless ways and understandings. Your Soul and inner guidance can help you find that meaning. This applies to any loss, through death, divorce, break up between lovers and even friends. Loss of a career or business are included in this list.

There is wisdom in the advice: for a time remain empty, until your soul guides you to the next step. Trying to replace what you have lost will not work. You must eventually grow into something new, to heal, and move to the next step as your soul guides you, little by little, when you are ready. Be still, for now, and claim your grace. You are not alone. You are loved.

Author: Nancy Smith, https://bestamericanpsychics.com/listing/nancy-smith

When Holidays Aren’t So Happy

None of us are ever fully prepared for losing a loved one, but the pain can be especially intense when the loss occurs during the holiday season. How is it possible to cope with grief when we’re culturally expected to celebrate and be happy during these times?

It’s crucial to take care of yourself in the ways you need. If you feel the need to scale back on holiday gatherings or skip the office party, there is no shame or guilt. Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to others or skip them for a year if you don’t feel up to it. Finding someone objective (ideally, outside your family or circle of friends, such as a qualified grief counselor or member of clergy) to talk to may help through the journey of grief. They may show you useful skills like meditation or personal affirmations which you can use beyond the stressful holiday season.

Because the holidays are a time to gather with family and friends, the person’s absence may be felt more strongly. Many people choose to create traditions to honor their memory: singing a favorite song, making their signature recipe, or reminiscing on happy times while looking through photos or videos. On the flip side, if there were traditions you shared with your loved one which now feel too painful, nothing says you must continue those traditions. If you wish to “pass it on” to others in need, consider a memorial donation to a charity both of you supported, or a day of service at a local soup kitchen, animal shelter, or anywhere else which holds meaning.

Grief can be unpredictable and appear when we least expect it. In the holiday season, when many of us are already under added stress, this compounds the issue. Consider coming up with an “exit strategy” to gracefully bow out or just step out for a break. If you have a supportive friend or family member willing to listen during these rough times, keep their number handy for a quick text or call. A pet can also be a sympathetic listener; cats and dogs are natural grief counselors.

Most importantly, it’s best not to burden yourself with “shoulds.” There is not one way you should feel, there isn’t a set number of events or gatherings you should attend, and there isn’t a designated period when grief takes place. Grieving is a lifelong process. If you lose a loved one during the holidays, you will likely associate the season with that loss forever. Allow yourself to feel everything. As much as you can, continue to consume nourishing food and drink, stay active, and (in winter climates) plenty of vitamin D/sunlight. No two people are alike and their grief processes can’t be either.

It’s all right if you’re not feeling so jolly in the wake of a loss. Finding the right balance between self-care and meaningful acts to give back can help alleviate the absence of your loved one and share a little bit of hope with others who need it…chances are some of them are grieving too, and you may be the one they need most right now.

Author: Mystic Shelley https://bestamericanpsychics.com/listing/mystic-shelley