Sometimes You Just Need a Break

No great spiritual insights today.

Just a sweet day with my hubby love.

We walked along a path.

Across a stream.

For a moment we forgot about bills, and kids, and writing books, and seeing clients.

We took pictures with our phones because we didn't think about bringing the camera.

We ate a picnic lunch from Subway.

We watched the ducks.

We found a new favorite spot.

We thought about how peaceful, how beautiful.

We thought about the soldiers who died here. (this is the location of a very bloody Civil War battle.)

Then we came back to town and had ice cream.

Sometimes when you are in the middle of life, and you get bombarded with the challenges of life, you just need to take a walk.

Maybe you will resolve your issues. Maybe you will not.

Tomorrow's another day.

Eight of Cups

So here it is again today a message from the tarot. I am not sure if this is going to be an every day thing or not, but I am just going to go with it for now.

In August I am teaching a class on the tarot so maybe Spirit is indicating that we need a few weeks of getting to know the cards before the class.

 This morning I drew my card, the eight of cups. This appears at first glance that it is not a wonderful card to get, as you can see from the photo.

In this picture it is nightime. A man has his back turned on eight cups and is walking away from them into a scenery that is full of water and rocks. It appears that his future is before him and it is not daytime so the night signifies that it could be a difficult time for him. He is leaving behind all that he has accumulated in search of something new and unknown.

Traditionally this is a card that signifies the end of a relationship. The relationship depends on the querent and what he or she is inquiring about. Sometimes it signifies a dark night of the soul. All that a person has accumulated is in question. The person is turning his back on his bright shiny cups, which could represent all that has had value in his life.

So when I pulled this card this morning, naturally I was a bit unnerved. No one likes to be told that something is about to end or that there is going to be a scenario like the one in the photo. But all is not as it appears!

Eights in numerology do not normally represent something difficult! However it appears in the card that there is a rough road ahead.

I inquired of Spirit as to the meaning of the card, and immediately I got this suggestion from Spirit:

Joy, in order to manifest something new in  your life, you have to walk away from  something old.

What is it you would like to walk away from?

Oh, how about doubt! How about fear! How about lack!  How about anger, irritation, or any multitude of other "lower" level emotions!

Lately I have had the opportunity to assist my clients in raising their energy level. In order to do that you have to leave behind those lower level emotions!! If you want to feel joy, you have to turn your back on sadness. If you want to feel abundant, you must turn your back on the feeling of lack! If you want to feel love, you must decide to turn your back on anger, hate, fear, and all other emotions that make you feel less than love.

It is amazing how attached we get to those old yukky feelings!! 

One meditation I like to do with my clients is what I like to call the "elevator" meditation. In this meditation, you stand before an elevator. You look above the elevator which indicates what floor you are on. Spirit will show you the floor that is appropriate to the place you are in your life.  Then you get on the elevator. Push the button to go up. Go up one floor. Don't try to take the elevator all the way to the top just yet. One floor at a time. Stop on the next floor. Open the door. Notice what you see. This can be a message from Spirit as to what is about to occur next in your life or possibly what is available to you if you will just move your energy up one level.

Guess what! You have to leave all the old stuff on the lower floor!

I know. That part is difficult. What is it that is causing you grief, or pain, or anger? Leave it on the lower floor. See that elevator going back down and carrying all of those old emotions with it! And you remain on that next higher floor.

Who knows what new adventures await you! Get off that elevator at that next floor up and start to live your life at that higher level.

You can repeat this meditation as often as necessary until your energy is at a new level. Soon you will notice the sun is beginning to shine again. You don't even miss those old cups!

Is there something you need to leave behind to embark upon a new adventure? Spirit is saying today is the day!

If you are interested in assistance as you embark upon your next great adventure, you can contact me through my website. Or if you live nearby, I offer classes and a weekly meditation at my home here in Winchester. The best is yet to come!!

www.whispersofjoy.net

Four of Swords

I have my hands in a lot of pots. I work at the Post Office. I teach monthly spiritual development classes. I do personal and group sessions for those who are interested in connecting with Spirit or hearing from loved ones who have passed. I also do weddings. Soon I will be doing a weekly meditation class in my home here in Winchester Virginia.  I am working on creating some spiritual journey/guided meditation cds. And there is another book inside of me waiting to be written. Also I am always learning, improving my skills, practicing my craft. I am a wife, mother, and grandmother.

Sometimes I get tired. I want to quit. 

Almost every morning I draw a tarot card. I ask Spirit to give me a message through the cards. In the past I have written some of my insights from Spirit in my blog.

This was the card I drew this morning. The four of swords.

As you can see, the man in the picture is laying on what appears to be a hard bed. There are three swords hanging on the wall above him and one sword underneath his bed. He is laying on a hard bed and he has something hanging over his head.

The traditional meaning of the four of swords is that it is time to take a rest from your responsibilities. Or that you have made a hard bed and now you have to lay on it. You may have something hanging over your head. The message of the card is that it is time to hang your swords for awhile and lie down for a rest. You have been working hard. Take a step back.

I am thinking the message from Spirit for today  may be for someone else as well. We all have so much to think about. Jobs. Kids. Family. Finances. Health issues. This card of the tarot tells us that it is okay to lay our worries down for awhile and take a step back to reevaluate our position.

Have you had a lot of responsibilities lately? Has conflict or struggle been your bedfellow?  Today Spirit may be telling you that it is time to hang up the swords on the wall for awhile and take a much needed rest. All those responsibilities will be there when you get up from your nap. Spirit does not want you to run away from your troubles or avoid your responsibilities. Just take a rest.

Sometimes when you step away from all the drama, all the thinking, planning, working, or doing and just check out for awhile, it is like a reboot to your inner computer. You awake refreshed, and perhaps with some much needed inspiration. That problem you have been replaying over and over in your head? Let it rest. You may wake up from your nap with the solution!

We all have different ways of rebooting. You may like to meditate, or pray. You may like to go fishing. Maybe you like to go outside for a walk or a run. Or read a book. Get out in nature. Whatever your way of disconnecting, it is okay to do that every once in awhile.

If the worries and concerns of life have you a bit out of sorts today, Spirit is telling you that it is time to reboot. Step back. Hang up your sword. Don't make any rash decisions. Tomorrow is another day.

Name It and Claim It

I was certain that at some point in my past I have written this message down. But I couldn't find it. My first thought was to find it and just repost it. For some reason while I am doing some paperwork for my husband's business, this message came back to me.

I don't know why.

I know now that when I remember a message from the past for no apparent reason, there must be a reason why. I will relay the old message that just came to me after I give you a little insight into how my day has progressed.

I woke up this morning from a dream. I had dreamed of a terrorism attack. I was in a car trying to get home and on the radio I heard that the attack had happened about 800 miles from a centralized location in the US that controlled all of the electricity for the entire country. I don't think this is accurate. I would imagine that electric cannot be controlled from a central location, but that is just my thought. Anyway, in the dream this was significant. On my drive to get home there were countless obstacles in my path. I was worried about my family. I had the thought that I should go buy some nonperishable food items in case we did lose electricity. Then I woke up.

Throughout the day today, I thought a bit about the dream. I emailed some of my friends and associates and asked them just to send out positive energy throughout the planet. It may have just been a dream. I may have been dreaming of something personal or maybe for someone close to me... Or maybe not.

At some point as the day has progressed I forgot about the dream. I then started to get the feeling like something really good was about to happen. A complete turnaround from the dream. Almost a giddy, feel good feeling that you would get if you were destitute and someone gave you a million dollars. That kind of feeling.

So anyway, I am sitting here doing some paperwork, and I remembered a message I got many years ago. I know at some point I have written this message down and published it in my blog. I looked back through my old blog posts.

Anyway, I couldn't find the old post, so I am retelling this message with an addendum from Spirit. Here goes.

It was...oh.. about thirteen or fourteen years ago now, maybe more when I got this message.

My life was a living hell. I was depressed. I was poor. I was miserable. I will  not give the reasons for my misery, but at some point, I got this message. At the time I was calling my messages.. "words.. from the Holy Spirit." This is a message from a story in the Bible.

I can't remember where in the Bible this story is, but somewhere in the Old Testament, there was a city that was surrounded by an enemy army. The enemy army had cut off all the food supply and the people were inside the city starving. Inside the city there was a prophet and a king. The prophet went to the king and told him that as of this time tomorrow, there would be riches and food enough to spare! The king got angry at the prophet and told him that it wasn't possible and he shouldn't be raising up the hopes of the people that way! Well, this made the prophet angry so he told the king that the prophecy would indeed come to pass but the king would not see it happen!!

That night right outside the city gate there were two or three beggars. Talking amongst themselves, they decided to try to go over to the enemy camp and beg for food. This they did. However, when they got there, amazingly enough, the camp was empty! The enemy army had run away, but they had left all their food and supplies intact! Of course the beggars ran back to the city and told everyone! There was a rampage of people running out to the camp to gather up all the food and supplies!! In their hurry, they trampled the king! So the prophet's words came true!

The message came to me years ago when I was destitute! My message from God (or Source, Universe, hey I have already written in a previous blog my thoughts about the names for God) was that I was destitute now (at that time in my life), but that I would see a reversal of fortune within a short period of time.

No it did not happen in a day. I had to go through some difficult times. But in a relatively short period of time, I looked back one day and I remembered the message. And I knew it was true!!

I wanted to post this message just in case there is someone out there on the end of their rope. All hope is gone and they don't know how they will survive. I am sending you the message that hope is not lost!! You have attracted the attention of the Source of All That Is and you have found favor in His/Her eyes!  There will be a reversal of fortunes!! It will come speedily and surprisingly!! And my Angels specifically said to me that the blessings will come from a surprising source!! It will not come through the route you will expect it to!

Now I am always looking for an unexpected blessing so I am taking this message to be personal for me too!! But I wanted to extend the blessing to my readers as well!! You can claim this blessing too!! No you do not have to mail me a donation for a specific amount of money to benefit or for me to put your name on the blessing list! Just say.. out loud or in your heart... that is for me!! I want that unexpected blessing!! Yes I am saying .. name it and claim it.. (ha ha.. can you tell from whence I came??? Yes I used to be a holy roller..I come from a heritage of holy roller preachers, it must be that generational thing jumping on me)..

Expect your unexpected blessing! Look around every corner thinking.. it may be right around the corner. No, don't spend your whole paycheck on lottery tickets. Don't do anything stupid. Just have an expectant heart.

One day, you will look back and remember this post and remember you "claimed" this blessing. And it will have come to pass.

Just remember to say thank you.

Spirit Radio

I was not the person who coined this phrase. But here is how it goes. You know that inner radio that is always playing? You wake up in the morning and a song is going through your head. It plays on and off all day. Sometimes it gets annoying. It could be the last song you heard on the radio. It could be some silly commercial you heard on television. But it just won't go away.

I heard this some time ago. When Spirit is trying to give you a message through this means of communication it is called Spirit Radio. I decided to allow Spirit to give me messages through the songs that go through my head.

Sometimes I will wake up and I will hear a song that I have not heard in many years. Like this one:

"You've only just begun... to live...." (Karen Carpenter)...

I woke up one morning and these words were running through my head.. over and over. I tried to think of the rest of the words to the song. I couldn't remember any. I quickly realized that the rest of the words didn't matter at this moment. Spirit was giving me a message. I heard the song all day and for the next few days. It comforted me to know that Spirit was using the words of this particular song at this particular moment to inspire me.

So the last two days here are the words that are running through my head. I don't know who does this song so I can't give them credit. I don't think the words that I am hearing are the title to the song. It is a song I hear on the electronic cardio station on Pandora (my fav...!!)

"Don't you worry.. Don't you worry, child.. Heaven has a plan for you.."

Are the songs running through your head ALWAYS messages from Spirit? No.

So how do you know when a song is a message from Spirit and when it is not? You just know.

It's like the words to the song jump out at you like this. Sometimes more than once. I don't know about you but sometimes Spirit has to tell me something more than once before I listen.

Several years ago I used to hear a song on the radio whenever I was going through a tough time or when I was wondering how things were going to play out in my life or the lives of my loved ones. The words went like this:

"Everything is going to be all right.."

 At the time it really comforted me. I would hear the song at the exact moment I needed to hear it. I would stop whatever I was doing (unless I was driving of course) and thank Spirit for the message. I would feel the words to the song sink down into my soul. After awhile I knew the song so well that if I even heard the intro to the song I would think about those particular words and it didn't even matter if I heard the actual words. Just the intro to the song would comfort me. During a particularly difficult year I heard that song A LOT.

Just for today, pay attention to those songs going through your head. Ask Spirit to send you messages this way. It doesn't seem to always work if you ask for a message and then turn on the radio. Just relax. Thank Spirit for sending you messages and then just pay attention.

So what if the words to the song are not really positive words of encouragement? This could be a message from your soul that you need to do some inner work! It could be a warning to change your thought patterns. Or it could be a message that your energy is vibrating at a lower level and that is all that could get through. This means it is time to work on your vibration! I never ever wake up to words of songs that scare me or make me feel bad! That is because I am always working on myself, connecting with Spirit, and deciding to feel happy despite any and all circumstances!Yes, sometimes I panic. Sometimes I am not all joy and happiness. But those days are not as frequent as the good ones. I decide to live my life this way!

What if the song going through your head is some silly commercial or words that could have no possible meaning? Ha Ha.. Well maybe Spirit is telling you to lighten up and have some fun. Don't be so serious!!

I would love to hear what songs are going through your head. Sometimes the meaning is not so apparent. If you would like, leave me a comment on the words to songs that Spirit Radio has been sending you!! If you are not sure of the meaning, maybe Spirit will explain it to me and I can help!

Thanks to Spirit for using music and many other means to send us messages and let us know that we are much much more than just the skin and bones and hair that make up our physical bodies. We are Spirit. And we are so connected. And we are loved.

Independence Day

Tomorrow is Independence Day, a day where here in the United States we celebrate when we as a nation declared our independence from England.

On a spiritual level, it is a great day to think about what things in your life you are ready to release or declare your independence from. The new moon happens to be coming up on Monday in Cancer, which highlights emotions, moods, and family concerns. If there are some issues in your life which have you emotionally wound up, this is a great time to think about declaring your independence from those things! It could be worries, concerns, unhealthy relationships, soul ties, or a number of other issues.

One of those maybe well known or not so well known rules of ritual is that if you are doing ritual to either create or release something, do it three times before the new or full moon, depending on what you want to create or release. The moon now is waning up until Monday, so it is a great time to be thinking about releasing what is no longer serving you. Is there a relationship that is toxic to you? Maybe it is time to do a ritual to release it from your experience.

Cancer is a water sign, so try to include water in your ritual. One suggestion I would offer is that you could get a bowl of water, and one of those floating candles. Write down what you would like to release on a small piece of paper, and then burn it up in the floating candle. An acquaintance of mine is going to release a memento of a relationship that has ended into the river. This is also an option.

Here are some suggestions of releasing and/or independence statements that you could incorporate into your ritual. Normally I tell people to turn their statements into positive statements of intent so that you declare what you want rather than what you don't want. However, with the new moon energies here to help us with releasing things that are holding on to our energies, I think it is okay to declare releasing statements or to do visualizations of being released from energies that are toxic.

I declare my independence from negative relationships.
                                           or
I release negative relationships. ( you can insert someone's name in here if there is a particular person who is toxic to you.)

If you are releasing a particular person out of your life, send their energy away with love. Thank them for the lessons you learned and the good that came out of the relationship. 

I release fear (or anger, or anxiety, or depression, or sadness, or loneliness. You insert the emotion you are releasing.)

With the moon in Cancer, try to focus on the energies of emotions and relationships at this time.

There will be plenty of time to deal with other issues at other times. We all have layers of toxic emotions that we are so much better off without!!

Declare your independence from all those yukky emotions that keep you tied up in knots!!

Find a symbol of what you are releasing and release it from your life using water as a catalyst. Use the suggestions listed here or find your own releasing ritual. Remember that it is not the power of the moon or the power of the water that is important here. It is the power of your intention!

Once you have declared your independence from those people or emotions that are keeping you in emotional bondage, look with expectation and anticipation of a life free of the bonds of emotional slavery! If you are still in bondage in your mind, doing a ritual will not help you! It is so important to see yourself free!! See yourself happy, productive, full of joy and enjoying healthy emotions and healthy relationships. Visualize yourself being in relationships where you are treated with love and respect. More important, love and respect yourself! If you are allowing yourself to be treated badly, this means that somewhere inside yourself you are thinking that this is all that is available to you. If you are wallowing in self pity, anger, fear, or other toxic emotions, then from inside yourself you have told yourself that there are no other options.

Today take a step to be free. Talk to someone. Take a walk ( physical activity is known to raise your level of happiness.) Imagine yourself free!! This is Independence Day!!

All About God, Goddess, the Universe, and Other Names

I know we are all very attached to our beliefs. It takes a lot of courage to question the beliefs you have had all your life and take a step back, examining all the things you have always known or believed to be true. Today I want to examine what and how we feel about "God" and the names we call "him". I believe that it is time to examine what we believe and how it matches how we live our lives and how we treat our fellow man (and woman.)

I was born a Christian, as many of you know. Over time I have examined my beliefs and eventually found that I resonated with a different view of "God", although Jesus and I are still very much in touch, and so, because of the general consensus here in the United States about the name "God", have decided to call my Higher Power by different names. I am not sure if I have come to settle on a name that I can completely identify with.

I am of the philosophy that whatever belief system you find that gives meaning to your life and helps to make you a better person is the one that is best for you! Yes I do believe there is a Higher Power, but I am not so attached to giving that Higher Power a Name. I think that in the Bible in the Old Testament God would rather be referred to as "I AM", or Jehovah, and I like the "I AM" name because that really says it all, doesn't it? However, when I think of that God from the Old Testament, I am not sure I resonate with some of the ideas and laws that were handed out by the interpretation of that God either. Sometimes I will say "the Universe" or "the Angels" or "Source" but these are just names as well. I also don't believe that God is necessarily male or female. If I say "Goddess", then I am focusing in on the female attributes of that Deity we know as God, or perhaps I am just trying to balance the focus away from the hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years of assuming that God was a man.

Sometimes I like to "pray" to different deities, but really, I think, I am focusing in on the symbolism or the qualities that they represent, not necessarily because I am "of" a particular religion. When I talk about my Power Animals, I do believe that animals have specific qualities that are symbolic of the energy that they possess. When different animals or Deities come to me when I am meditating, I take notice. I ask them what is the message you have for me? I believe that my Higher Self, my own Soul, is my Higher Guidance system, and that all is one. I am one with my Creator, I am one with all that is, I am one with you, my readers. We are all one. I am also one with the grass, the trees, even the homeless person on the street. We are all connected. That is why I believe in my ability and the ability of all of us, if we desire it enough, to connect with the souls of our pets or other animals and communicate with them, or even our dead grandmother or a civil war soldier or even a Greek Goddess from thousands of years ago. That is why some of us can feel emotions coming out of furniture! All of this is based on the belief that we are all one.

The idea that my religion is better than yours or that my religion or belief system is the only right one is the thought process behind wars, terrorism, and hate of all kinds. It is why some think that how others live their lives in the privacy of their own homes with malice toward none is unacceptable.

Bottom line is this: If my religion or lack thereof is making me a better person, is helping me to be kind to others and is giving me a sense of joy, fulfillment or peace, then I have true religion. If I can be of service to others, if I can make someone's pain go away, or make their time on earth more enjoyable or easier, if I can help bring a person peace by connecting with their loved ones or their pets who have passed, if I can help someone resolve current issues by tapping into past lives, then whatever I have chosen to believe about God is of value and beneficial to myself and others.

Let us all break down the barriers that divide us. Let us put down our swords and love one another. Let us accept one another and stop trying to make everyone conform to what our own personal idea of God and the Universe is or is not.

No matter what we believe there is someone who can disprove it or argue the validity of our beliefs. And I say: so what? If I want to pray to the rock in my backyard and it makes me a better person and gives me peace, who's to say that I am doing something wrong? ( I do talk to my rocks, by the way!)

And now you all know. Yes I love God. And Goddess. Whoever is Up There talking back to me when I talk to the Heavens, no matter what I call Him or Her. He or She is real. And I know this because I feel better after talking it out and listening. And I do get answers. And I do feel love. And that is all that matters. And if you do or do not believe in "God", and you are a good person and you have peace in your heart, I say, Go You!!

Just for today, why not put aside your ideas about God. Whatever stories or beliefs you have about God, why not, just for today, read about someone's beliefs or teachings with whom you are not familiar? I challenge you to look through the eyes of love!! Jesus was reprimanded by his superiors for hanging out with those who in His time were considered unlovable and to be avoided. Why don't we take his example and just for today find someone who is unacceptable in the eyes of your belief system and look at things through their perspective!

Let us all learn to love one another. Not with the intention of changing someone so that eventually they will put aside their unacceptable behavior and join you in your box of beliefs. Just because loving them is the right thing to do. And just wait and see how your world changes. Mine did. And now I could never go back to who I was and how I thought in years past.