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!
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.
These days it feels like we need to pull some miracles out of thin air.
As I watch the world react to Russia invading Ukraine, I have to say I see consciousness changing in the world at large. Switzerland is no longer neutral, and they are withholding Russian moneys. Russian soldiers are unhappy with what they are doing. Russian citizens are rebelling and marching against the invasion.
I see change happening in how individuals are thinking.
There is a tipping point in the world as people realize how they think and what they say matters and makes a difference.
When enough individuals change the way they are thinking, their behavior changes. When that happens, according to Malcolm Gladwell, society hits a tipping point and the local culture changes. I see the global society hitting the tipping point in new thinking and I can see the potential of cultures changing globally.
We need to keep going in the effort of realizing who we really are as humans. Humanity has many underdeveloped gifts. Realizing we are infinite beings being one of those gifts. We are able to create our own reality.
Sandra Ingerman, shaman, talks about the 7 ingredients needed for a miraculous healing.
Those ingredients include how you think and who you align yourself to.
When you know you are an infinite being and you are aligned with the highest source, all things are possible. Thing is, aligning yourself to your soul and God is like baptizing a cat.
How do we come to the KNOWING of being infinite and in the grace of the creator? How can you recognize the highest source of the creator when there are so many powers and fears pulling at you? It’s easy to mistake a fear as an all-encompassing power. Think of all the years the Cold War went on, and here we are facing Russia again with another threat of nuclear bombs. Will this fear hold, or can we look at this differently? Can we as conscious beings create a different reality using different thoughts? This is the PRAYER for this time.
Yes, we can, and we have.
Create a strong clear intention that will fuel your thoughts and actions. Intend to live in grace and peace within yourself. The world within yourself needs to match the world you want to create. If you want to be heard, then you need to carefully listen to yourself. Your needs, desires, and your fears all need to be heard, recognized and attended to by YOU. That brings your inner world into alignment.
Realize, as you listen to your inner needs and desires, that you need a relationship with the Creator, source of unconditional love, to create your dream. The creator is the universe that provides all things. You are responsible for nurturing your relationship to your Soul, Source and the creative power. As you blend with this source, you are on your way to becoming a vessel of unconditional love. This action creates UNITY, another of the 7 elements to create miraculous healings.
You are a light warrior, as much as a light worker. Your focus and concentration are key to create the dream you seek, the dream as it is in alignment with the creator. Do not think of other things, doubts, what if’s, guilt, and other fears. Focus the power that you create with spirit and visualize that radiance coming through you. No matter what is happening around you, focus on the power of the connection within you as you unite with the creator.
You will find harmony within yourself as you do this work. When you are in harmony with yourself you will bring peace, balance and wholeness that will fund your inner balance and wholeness. It is a cycle that grows on itself. Being whole is healing. You need an inner state of harmony and unity within to do the work that brings about miracles.
Dream your Dreams! Use your imagination to create pathways that will bring a new world and reality into being. Shift what you are daydreaming thoughout your day. Take the anxiety you are considering and shift the thoughts to something more aligned to the dreams you have in your heart. Imagine the best possible result happening better than you know right now. Imagine possibilities and then get out of the way and let them bloom. Open to unconditional love in your dreams.
Then, as if by a miracle, watch your dreams blossom and unfold.
Can you figure out which of the three phrases here are truth and not truth?
Love exists in all sentient beings. You only have to open your heart to experience the love in the life around you.
You are loved unconditionally, and you are never alone.
Listen to your heart. If you love someone, follow your heart and THAT will lead you to a loving meaningful relationship in your life.
From a spiritual point of view, we are created from love. From the love of the Creator! Our spirit and soul recognize and gravitate towards the Creator’s love. As humans (we are spirit in human form) we forget the love we come from. The voice of our Soul is soft and subtle and often goes unnoticed. We literally forget where we come from and how we used to feel. It’s as if a veil comes between us and heaven when we are born.
We are designed to remember that divine love over time. We can jog our memory through mindful practice of awareness and gratitude. We may eventually discover the hidden beauty of life will reveal itself to us. Our Divine origin, which IS unconditional love, is hidden right in front of us.
During our journey in this human life, the creator, our soul, and Guides form Spirit walk with us. They love us and try to guide us. We can choose to listen or not to listen. Our lives are about learning and growing and remembering who we really are. For some mysterious reason we are here in this life to remember what love is. We are meant to find our way back to God’s love. We are made from love, and we will return to that love. The miracle is remembering and living in love while we are here.
Emotions, sometimes called energy in motion by healers and light workers, lead you and often MISLEAD you. Your emotions are messages from your inner self. Your emotions, as powerful as they are, are messages based on your physical and psychological point of view. Emotions are often based in needs. Which is totally fine, and often they feel satisfying and fulfilling. Emotions inform you about love and relationship.
We start learning to love from the moment we are conceived. We learn from our interactions with our parents and caretakers. We learn from the feelings that arise within us through these interactions. We need touch, snuggles, emotional nurturing and much as we need food to sustain us. How we are cared for sets the stage for how we give and receive love as adults.
Childhood is not perfect. (It’s meant to be that way.) You may crave love from your parents and never get it. You may then spend the rest of your “relationship life” seeking the love you never got. Thing is, you may keep choosing the same kind of people your parents were, people who are unable to give you the love you desire. You may fall in love with a person only to experience craving something you will never get. You can unconsciously recreate the dynamics your “parents” taught you until you decide NOT to do that anymore. (Most people need some guidance on how to create different relationship dynamics and learn new “bonding patterns.” That is totally possible.)
How can you create the best and healthiest love for yourself? The best path to a loving relationship begins with loving yourself. A loving relationship with yourself includes recognizing your own divinity. See yourself through God’s perspective. You are respected, appreciated, and held in high esteem by your creator. Why not give that to yourself?
When you appreciate yourself by acknowledging your efforts in life during your struggles, when you speak to yourself with kindness and compassion, when you forgive yourself, show patience when you are growing and learning, you are loving yourself. When you love yourself in this way, you are able to love another person in a healthy balanced way. When you love yourself like this, you are also able to allow the love of Spirit into your heart and into your life. When you open to Spirit, miracles can happen.
If someone lives in self- hate, recrimination, guilt and/or constant remorse, that is what they put into the relationships they participate in. That is NOT love. Addicts and alcoholics often show us that very clearly. Some addicts are so consumed with what they are addicted to they put that substance and the feeling it gives them in front of everything, including their own well- being. Addiction is the opposite of self -love. Addiction, the need for something outside of yourself to make you feel a certain way, blocks your ability to give and receive love. It is an act of self-love to break from that all-consuming need in order to connect to who you really are once again.
Should you follow your heart into a relationship with another person who is unable to receive or give love, you are not in love. You are in something else all-together.
Compassion for another, loving unconditionally is divine. This compassionate state doesn’t mean that entering into a romantic state or even a deep friendship is a given. Choose relationships that are in balance and enhance your own well-being. Have compassion for another, for sure, and be mindful of the dynamics at hand.
Your first love is to you. When you love yourself, you are able to let divine love of the creator into your heart. When you are in a balance of love like this, you are able to love another, and choose another person who you can create a wonderful experience with, because you are able to negotiate a healthy loving relationship you both can learn and grow with.
It’s a practice…relationships are a practice of love. Exchanging with each other, learning, growing, and LIVING!
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.
Our time on earth is comprised of seasons that make life meaningful. Every trip around the sun is complex and unique. There are periods of stillness, followed by action. There are moments of rest that birth deep reflection. There are seasons of hope that give way to change. There are also times for letting go.
Letting go is never easy. Especially, when we love someone and want to make it work. Or, when we don’t get a chance to say goodbye or send them one last text. When friendships fall apart, or families are at odds, letting go is the hardest thing to do.
Sometimes, it’s the only thing to do. All we can do is take a step back, accept what is happening, and release it to the divine. It’s incredibly challenging to relinquish control but as we move deeply into 2022, life will ask us to do just that. Let go of what is no longer in our hands and watch the future unfold.
This is a profound time of growth for all inter-personal relationships. Some connections will break and the ending will be inevitable. Other relationships will blossom and give way to new beginnings. Some souls will be reborn and will make their transition to the other side.
The point of it all is not to look away, but to surrender. Give in to what is happening and allow life to flow. Allow it to move in a turbulent, chaotic, crazy, sort of way. Allow yourself to grieve, laugh, and rejoice as life ebbs and flows. Let go of the past, embrace the present, and have hope for the future.
Keep going. Keep living. Keep loving.
That is how you move forward and honor the seasons of life.
It’s hard to believe that 2021 has come to close but it’s even more incredible to see that we made it through the storm. Many of our friends, family, and loved ones left too soon. Yet, here we are. It’s a gentle reminder that time is precious, and life truly is a miracle.
As we move into 2022, I want to share some important messages that will guide us throughout this year. Spirit urges us to stay calm and listen deeply to our intuition. Doing so will keep us safe and protected. Intuition is the still small voice that lives within all of us. It is direct, non-emotional, and its core messages do not change because they are eternal.
We are also encouraged to pray for discernment in all areas of life. Whether it be love, relationships, or watching the evening news, listening with discernment is key. Discernment is the ability to view any situation and see it for what it is, not what we want it to be. This is the same kind of wisdom that is used during spiritual readings. We see things as they truly are and, in that process, we are able to make better life choices.
You will always know the truth by the way it feels. A still presence enters the room and the answers become clear. If you ever feel lost or have difficulty making decisions this year, place your hand on your heart, pray for discernment, and ask that the truth be revealed.
Once you receive the answer, don’t look away. Lean into it and accept it. Doing so will empower you, avoid distractions, and allow you to spend time and energy on what is most important.
Angels are on everyone’s minds during the holiday season, and for good reason. In many spiritual traditions, they bring comfort, peace, and serenity for special times of the year. They are also a source of warmth and light for those who associate the holidays with loss or grief.
You may wish to use this special time of year to connect with your angels. A perfect place to start is simply getting to know them. Some of them may be the spirits of loved ones or pets who have passed on; others are wise and eternal Archangels as old as time itself. They have a common purpose: to guide, nurture, and protect us in our earthbound lives. We honor their missions by conversing with them and getting to know them individually. This can take the form of meditation, guided drumming, drawing, or any personally meaningful ritual. If you prefer working with Angel Cards or crystals, this is another excellent way to connect to their presence.
Since many of us have unique traditions for the holidays, we can also include our angels. (If your family doesn’t have old traditions, this is the perfect year to start new ones.) For loved ones who have passed, sing a favorite song, bake a family recipe, or recite a meaningful poem that forms a connection. Some choose to visit resting places or other sites which were important to the person while they lived on earth. These acts of love all have spiritual power and beckon the angels to us. They are always speaking to us in subtle ways, but you might find their voices amplified when taking part in these rituals. Our actions, thoughts, and words have power in them.
As you start to know your angels better, each of their voices will become clearer and more distinct. They may each communicate in different ways. For example, patterns of numbers, images, or sensory inputs (songs, smells) are strongly associated with angels. Finding unique or lost items can be unexpected angelic gifts. Pull out a letter or holiday card from years gone by and see how it speaks to you now. Keep your eyes open for angelic images like grey/white feathers, shapes in the clouds, and butterflies/moths. The angels surround us with every step we take.
So many of us struggle with stress and anxiety during the holidays, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Our spiritual guides are waiting to connect and speak to us. Acts of service to others also honor angels, since they represent divine love and kindness. Help someone in need by volunteering or donating gifts. You can do this in memory of a loved one who has passed on. They will whisper gently in your ear exactly what you need to do.
The winter holidays are a time for celebration and for reflection on the year which has passed and the one about to begin. Invite your heavenly guardians to be with you during these days, and you will find hope and inner peace that are never far away.
Losing a beloved pet is surely one of the most painful moments we experience. It seems unfair that although our earthly bonds are strong, our furry friends don’t have the same lifespan we do. Their souls, however, are just beginning a new spiritual journey in the afterlife.
Our pets have spirit guardians and angels just like us. When their earthly life ends, their afterlife begins, and these wise and loving guides are there to escort them. As humans, we look forward to seeing our loved ones again when we pass on. So too our pets meet their best friends, both human and animal, once again. If they were limited by sickness or injury in life, their bodies are once again whole and healthy in heaven. A popular image in many animal rescue groups is “crossing the Rainbow Bridge” when animals cross over. This means they are free of any pain or suffering they experienced on Earth and are now able to experience divine love and comfort.
Many of our four-legged friends have important missions in spirit form. They may return to guide and comfort us through our own grief and sense of loss. If you lose a beloved orange cat, for instance, you may start seeing imagery of orange cats (on TV or a YouTube video, a picture in a magazine) or having vivid dreams of your cat. This is how animals’ spirits communicate with us. Because animals don’t use words to talk to us, listen for the sights, sounds, and smells associated with them to hear what they are telling us. They may also protect us from dangerous situations, like a gas leak in the house or a potential car accident. Some people report seeing glimpses of their pet after he or she has crossed over. They are looking after us right along with our angels.
It’s perfectly natural to grieve the loss of a pet. However, it is reassuring to know their soul will live forever in a place of peace and happiness. Their spirit will never leave our side and they are able to help us, and others who loved them, through life. You may wish to keep a favorite toy or another item for your pet as a touchstone of their life. They are never more than a gentle word away!
One of the most important things we can do to honor a pet who has crossed over is simply remembering the wonderful memories they gave us. Though they are all unique and can never be replaced, consider opening your heart to another pet in need when you feel the time is right. Maybe that orange cat (or big fluffy dog, or ferret…) will show up in spirit at your local animal shelter or rescue, in the form of someone else who needs you.
Pets never leave us even after their earthly life ends. Next time you think you hear a soft “woof” or the sound of a cat purring, smile and know that a four-legged angel has its paws wrapped around you with love and comfort.
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.
