Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015

At the beginning of 2014, I connected with Spirit and asked what was my theme going to be this year.. and Spirit replied... grace..

I didn't really understand until a little over half way through the year I was called to my father's bedside as he crossed over to the other side.

This was probably the most difficult month of my life. My mom had passed in 2007, but she had been sick and I anticipated her graduation, and sometimes prayed for it, knowing her pain and suffering. Even though it had been difficult, Dad was worse. He was still relatively active, given his age and health issues. His accident had been a big surprise, and my sister and I were placed in the position of watching him teeter between life and death for two weeks. We were not sure he knew who we were, or if we were making the decisions concerning his care that he would have wanted.

Grace was definitely the correct theme for the year.

Thanks Spirit.

Looking back, the past year for me has been laced with many blessings as well as challenges.

I was blessed to have joined in marriage many couples in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, including my first same sex couple. I am very pleased that our country is finally beginning to recognize that equal rights for all should be a non issue, and guaranteed to all of our citizens, no matter if everyone agrees or not.

I was blessed to meet many new friends and begin to expand my horizons as my husband and I gave our first joint lecture on the compatibility of science and spirit. It has been so refreshing to have the most important man in my life be able to explain scientifically why the "woo woo" stuff I do really works.

I published my second book, Journey to Joy, Confessions of a Born Again Christian Turned Psychic Medium. I had been commissioned by Jesus Himself to write this book, and I had said no for over two years. Some of my friends laugh when I say that I initially said no to Jesus, and that perhaps a better title would have been.... the girl who said no to Jesus and lived to tell about it... and I will admit that He can be very insistent at times.

I have forged many wonderful relationships this year with new clients, students, and colleagues. We all need a circle of people around us who lift us up when we are down and for whom we do the same.

I think it's important to look back on our year with an objective heart and mind, thanking the hard times and the good times for the lessons we learned and the strength we gained from each experience, good or bad.

As we say goodbye to another year and look forward to 2015 with hope and anticipation, my prayer and intention for each of you is that you live up to the person you really are inside and most of all that you see the wonderful soul that you are.

In numerology we are going into an 8 year. I have always loved 8's, but they are not always the easiest of numbers. Yes, eights represent harvest, abundance, new beginnings, and blessings. In the tarot the 8 card is the card of strength:

( image came from my go to online souce: wikipedia)

This card indicates that sometimes we may have to tame a lion in order to seize our blessings. Nothing worth gaining ever comes without some effort. Yes, we can choose to allow our blessings to come flowing towards us like a river, but sometimes this requires some effort on our parts as well, since we are so used to struggling for our blessings.

Might I also mention that my dad passed in August, an 8 month, and the day I was driving to Florida to be by his side was the 8th of August. This did not escape my observation. Oh, I guess it was graduation month for him, but  my sister and I had to really go within ourselves and muster every ounce of strength we had to get through. Sometimes the blessings of the 8 come to us only we are willing to surrender our will to the will of Spirit.

As we get ready to enter a Universal 8 year (2+0+1+5 =8), I am anticipating that, yes, we will enjoy a good year, but that this year will require some taming of lions in order to find the strength that only comes from within ( the 0 in the year). There may have to be some big changes to occur (5) in order to secure new beginnings (1) in our lives and that our primary relationships (2) will also be a focus. This will require much going within and revealing of secrets (also part of the 2 energy.)

As you say goodbye to 2014 and hello to 2015, may you take some time to connect with Spirit and find your theme for the coming year. You will find that at some point in the year you will remember the theme and that within that theme you will find great comfort knowing that Spirit knew before you did what was to occur and gave you hints so that you could prepare.

Many blessings to you as you navigate your path. Thank you for being a part of my life, even if from afar. I pray that my words that I pen here from time to time have blessed you in some way or helped you as you traverse this journey toward joy.

Stories About Dad, Death, and Surrender

I have never really been good at giving messages to myself. Evidently this is a common problem for those who receive messages from Spirit. My very first mentor while I was still hearing messages while in the church was married four times before I met her and she told me once that she never got any warnings from (the Holy)Spirit about any of her choices. I read the same thing in one of Sylvia Brown's books.

In my early days of honing my gift of receiving messages, I heard this saying, "he who prophesies over himself prophesies to a fool." That makes sense. I always get more accurate messages for strangers than people close to me.

There is one exception. The tarot.

When I learned the tarot I was rather excited because I could finally get a message for myself. The cards don't lie.

I don't do readings for myself that often but for a couple of months I had been feeling like there was a huge change on the horizon. The cards agreed with my hunch when I got this card. Yes, you guessed it. The death card.

Now don't worry. As far as I know I am not going to die. Most of the time the death card represents a shift of some sort. It indicates that one's old way of thinking or doing things is about to change. A chapter is ending in order for another one to begin.

According to numerology, we all go through huge shifts at the age of around 28 and then again around the age of 52. As I am about to turn 52, I knew my energy was about to change. So receiving the death card was no huge surprise.

With yesterday's solstice and dark moon indicating an ending to a season in nature, I took some time to connect with Spirit and consciously release any ideas of how I thought my life should play out. For several years now I had a plan. I had been working my plan, and it was all going pretty well.

Then Spirit shook things up a bit. My plans have gotten shifted a bit, and I received a message on how my original plan was completely wiped out and how things were going to change over the next couple of months. At first I was a little disappointed. I liked my original plan. But one thing Spirit told me years ago is that we have to be willing to let go of how we think our lives are going to work out and be open to Spirit changing things. Surrender. Not easy. But if we are to be used by Spirit for the highest and best plan, then we have to be willing to surrender our plans to the plans of Spirit.

I had not felt the need to share until today. I received an email from one of my clients who has become a friend. She found a dead hawk in her barn and wondered if it was significant.

HUGE.

Hawks represent higher thinking and connecting with Spirit in a higher way. They are always present when connecting with Spirit in a higher way is indicated. The fact that it was dead symbolized my original message that it is time to allow our ideas of how our lives and our purpose are going to unfold to die so that Spirit can bring about the highest and best.

As I meditated today Spirit reminded me of a story that I meant to share but never did about something that occurred when my dad passed back in August.

I was sitting by his bedside. He drifted in and out of consciousness for about two weeks or so before he crossed. He couldn't talk and the doctors were not sure if he even knew who we were. I sat faithfully by his bedside, retelling him some of his favorite stories. He loved to talk, and frequently told stories, some of them over and over.

One of the stories he loved to tell was how God had given him my mother as his bride. He said that when he went to God and asked for a wife, God had spoken to him and said to him that he was not to come to Him with any particular person in mind, but instead, he was to come to God empty, and God would fill his desire with the best choice. As I retold the story to my dad, I received the message that we were not to come to God asking for God to heal my dad, for that was coming to Him with a particular outcome in mind. So I had told Dad that I was coming to God empty, and asking for whatever was best for Dad to bring that to pass.

Today the story was brought back to my mind as I meditated and Spirit (God, Goddess whatever your name for the Highest Power will do fine here) reminded me of this story. We have to be willing to let die whatever plans we have in mind for our lives. We have to be willing to lay down the gifts of Spirit and agree to only use them if they are required. We have to be willing to lay down and surrender any ideas of a particular outcome. We have to come to Spirit empty and allow our emptiness to be filled with whatever is for the highest good of everyone concerned.

Have you had a dream or a goal which has yet to manifest? Have you been traveling in a particular direction and for some reason, encountered a detour? Perhaps Spirit is telling you that it is time to surrender your plans to the plans of Spirit. Be okay with whatever the answer is.

Today is a perfect day to surrender your plans to Spirit. Light a candle, say a prayer, whatever has meaning for you. This time of year the story of the Christ Child comes to mind. The soul that was Jesus had to lay down whatever he was doing up in the Other World and come to earth for a higher purpose. Even if you thought that what you  were doing was for a Higher plan, be willing to lay it all down. Be willing to surrender your plans to the plans of Spirit.

Know that everything is going to be all right in the end. If it is not all right, it is not the end. ( I stole that from someone I don't know who.)

Blessings to you as you celebrate this sacred season of death and rebirth. Remember that death of one chapter usually occurs before a new chapter can begin.

This journey through life is filled with detours and changes of direction. We have to be open to releasing our ideas and plans and allowing life to unfold the way it is meant to unfold. 

It is okay to grieve the loss or death for a season, but realize that Spirit always has our best interests at heart. Eventually we will see the higher plan.

If you are at a cross roads and need a message from Spirit, I am always at your service. You can contact me at www.WhispersofJoy.net. There are many options available for you to connect with me.

Blessings to you as you navigate this path called life. Don't worry. All who wander are not lost. Maybe the path is just taking you in a different direction than you originally anticipated.

December 21st Solstice and Dark Moon

We are coming up on the shortest day of the year, the Winter Solstice. I look forward to this day  only because it means that once again we are shifting into a new phase where the days slowly get longer. It is the promise of Spirit that dark mornings and dark evenings will not last forever. It is also the date of the dark moon, although some calendars are listing it the 21st and some are listing it to be on the 22nd. No worries. The energy of darkness is still upon us.

Darkness is not always a bad thing. The darkness of the  moon reminds us to go within ourselves and find the wisdom and the power within ourselves to move forward in our lives. Symbolically the dark moon is all about releasing what no longer serves us or is healthy and nurturing to our souls. The darkness of the solstice also reminds us that this is the time of year when much of nature is sleeping.

I believe that Spirit gives us messages through the activity or non activity of nature. So many times we as humans are constantly on the move. We are racing towards real or imagined goals. We are constantly living in a state of chasing our dreams. Sometimes it feels like those dreams are just beyond our reach, not unlike the carrot that is dangled just beyond the reach of the racing horses. Now truthfully, I don't even know if they still do that dangling carrot thing, I know that I have seen it on television so it seems like a good analogy.

Are you feeling like that horse that is chasing after a carrot that always seems just beyond your reach? You always ALMOST get there. You almost reach a goal, only to see it drift away or, upon finally getting hold of that carrot, you find another obstacle staring you in the face.

May I suggest that you use the energy of this particular solstice and dark moon to just stop chasing that carrot for a season?

Yes, I am suggesting you take inventory of all the things that are working in your life. Look around you and count your blessings. Enjoy family. Eat too much chocolate. Be content with where your life is at this very moment. If you have nothing to be thankful for, then be thankful that you woke up this morning. That you  have breath, and life.

This dark moon is all about releasing and reinventing yourself.

Sometimes you have to release what you have been trying so hard to manifest and just enjoy your life the way it is.

Surrender to Spirit is all about things not having to work out the way you expected that they would.

Just for today, enjoy your life exactly the way it is at this moment. Be kind to yourself. Love those extra pounds you have packed on while being tempted with eggnog and Christmas treats. Love that guy ringing the bell for the Salvation Army that reminds you that some people are worse off than you are this time of year. Love the frost on your windshield. Love the lines at the mall. Take some time and just BE. BE HERE.

Tomorrow is another day.

12/12/2014

Are you ready to invite some change into your life?

December to me has always represented a month of new beginnings. It is the month when, for centuries, people have celebrated the birth of a baby. Not just any baby, mind you, but a savior of mankind. Whether or not you subscribe to that belief is really of no consequence. Symbolically this time of  year represents the hope of the human race that something or someone higher than themselves has come down to our human, earthly lives, taken interest on us, and given us the chance at a new beginning.

In my years of receiving messages from the Spirit world, I have learned that Spirit talks to us in symbols. It is easier for the Angels or Higher Beings to send us a message through an image than to send us a message in words. The year I started a new life for myself years ago, I suddenly became obsessed with Anne Gedde, the famous photographer of babies. I bought an Anne Gedde calendar and hung it in my kitchen. I dreamed of babies frequently, or of being pregnant, despite the fact that this was not something I had intended to create in the natural world by any means. The symbol of a baby is a universal symbol of new beginnings. A friend of mine who is getting ready to retire recently told me that she has dreamed of being pregnant or of other women who are pregnant several times recently. This is an easy way for Spirit to tell her that she is about to embark upon a new beginning.

You can take advantage of the energies of December if you want to embark upon a new beginning in your life!

All it takes is a little focus and an intention. What is an intention? It is kind of like a prayer, but it is not necessary that you seek the help of a Higher Power with an intention, although if you want to, you certainly can. With an intention, you are really just connecting with your own Higher Self and your Soul. You are saying to yourself and the Universe that you intend to create something new!

An intention might go something like this:

"I intend to create my perfect career."

Most really good intentions are not too wordy. Seven words or less is best.

Be really willing to allow this intention to come in whatever form is best for your soul at this time. It is easier for Spirit to bring something to you that is for your highest good if you are not too specific in how it manifests.

According to numerology, this particular year, December (12) 2014 is a 10 month or a 1 month, the number of new beginnings. This number can be obtained by adding all the numbers together: 1+2+2+0+1+4 =10. And then again 1+0=1.  If you add today's date: 12 to that equation, you get 13. In the tarot 13 is the death card. Death is not a bad thing, but a card of a final ending of a chapter and the beginning of a new chapter.

As you can see, Spirit is sending us a message universally that this month can be a month of great change and new beginnings! Now if you had a rich aunt who suddenly died and left you a million dollars, but no one told you that the money was yours, you would not benefit from the gift, would you? But the  million dollars is out there, just waiting for you to realize that you are entitled to it. At some point, you  might have to make yourself known to the person who is in charge of settling the aunt's accounts.

The energies of December for new beginnings is like the rich aunt. All you have to do is align yourself with the energies and claim those new beginnings for yourself!

Now let's take the energies one step further.

It seems like every day for a month or more I have just happened to look at the clock every day at exactly 12:12. This has been an indicator to me that a transmission of Higher Energy was headed my way. I have looked forward to today, December 12th, (12-12) since I began to notice the time on the clock, knowing that the Higher Beings were sending me a sign that today was to be a special day of transmission of light, love and higher energy frequencies from the Upper Realms.

So my intention for today is that I will receive a transmission of love and light from the Higher Realms. What if I never take any time to connect with Spirit today? What will happen to my intention?

I think nothing. It is like that million dollars is out there, waiting for me, and I am not accessing my account.

Just for today, take a moment and connect with Source. Ask for your transmission of love and light to manifest in whatever form is best for you at this time in your journey through life. Don't be specific as to how it manifests. Just believe and know that you have received a transmission of love and light.

Notice any subtle changes you may feel. You may notice nothing but other people may notice a change in you. Or maybe something in the physical world will manifest as a gift to you.

Remember to say thank you!

I would love to hear your stories of how and when you received your transmission of love and light today.

My New Power Animal the Vulture

A few weeks ago I was out in my driveway getting something out of the back of my car. Suddenly I felt a "whoosh" above my head. I felt a breeze and looked up to see what had just barely missed me. There was a huge expanse of wings and all I saw was black. It was so fast but I knew it was a vulture. A huge magnificent bird, she soon began to circle above my house. Then I looked and saw two of her friends, one circling with her and one sitting on the roof of a neighboring house.

They circled above my house and then above my neighbor's house. When you see one of them circling, you automatically assume there is something dead nearby. Sometimes it is easy to forget how large these birds are! I rarely see one up close and certainly not in my own driveway!

I am one of those people who believes that almost everything is a "sign." My hubby love jokingly said that it was a sign that something was dead nearby. However, I was not convinced. Obviously, vultures represent death and rebirth, but could they have some other meanings as well?

When an animal presents itself to me, either in a dream or in an actual encounter, I like to consult my animal meanings Bible, Animal Speak, by Ted Andrews.

You can find it on Amazon Here

I love this book and refer to it often when I am introduced to a new animal spirit.

Usually, an animal is not your Power Animal just because you have an encounter with one. Sometimes there is a message relating to the qualities of that particular animal. If you have an encounter, which could be a dream, an actual encounter in real life, seeing multiple pictures or syncronistic sightings of the animal, or a combination of the above, then perhaps it is coming into your life as a Power Animal.

A couple of months ago I was in Florida, while my dad transitioned to the other side, and I was in a park when I was able to capture this photo of one really trying to get my attention.

At the time I was not sure what it was, but after my encounter in my driveway, I was sure that it was the same bird. Yes, I was in Florida to be with my dad as he transitioned to the other side, so the sighting of the bird was understandable.

Since the two sightings, I have seen another one relatively close up recently. It looks like she is here in my life for awhile.

A lot of folks find vultures distasteful, as I used to. I didn't really like to think that this bird might be coming in to my life as a Power Animal. One of the meanings of this bird is that of being misunderstood. I can relate to that. 

For now, I welcome this new bird into my life. I welcome any messages.

Have you had an unusual interaction with an animal lately? Or perhaps you have had a dream that you can't get out of your head? Perhaps a Spirit Animal is contacting you!

The most important thing to realize is that your interaction with a Spirit Animal is personal to you. Just because you read a passage in a book or on the internet that says that such and such animal means this or that, does not mean that it means the same thing for you! Yes, I do believe that there are general messages or meanings for animals and if nothing comes to you immediately, I would consult a book or the internet. But the most important meaning is the one that comes to you when you see or experience the animal for yourself. What stands out to you about the interaction or the dream? What was the animal doing? Did you notice anything unusual?

One thing you can do is to contact the animal telepathically. This is easier than it sounds! Get quiet, think about your breathing, then turn your attention to your heart. Think about all the love in your heart. Feel love welling up inside of you! Then imagine a cord of energy carrying this love to the heart of the animal you want to connect with. After sending the animal love, ask if there are any messages for you. If you don't hear anything at first, keep trying! Even if you only feel love coming back from the animal, that is a wonderful thing!

When I tried this method with the aforementioned vulture, the vulture told me her name was Phyllis! I felt female energy and love coming back to me. I don't know why she picked Phyllis for a name, but I am okay with that. Spirit guides don't have to have fancy names. Actually, I have requested of my guides that they choose names I can remember. 

Remember that Spirit Guides come in many different forms. They may look like Angels, people, animals, or even magical creatures! They may just look like columns of light or colors.

Guides will never do things for you that you can do for yourself. But they are happy to help add some "umph" to your prayers and get them going quickly! I always send them along with my letters and packages that I mail and ask for speed and protection! 

Remember to send love and gratitude to any guides that you connect with and maybe even a gift! What can you give a guide? Oh there are lots of ideas! Ask them what they want! I like to give fruit and occasional honey to the critters who live in my yard. Or maybe a donation to the Salvation Army bell ringer.

You could give a gift that the animal you have connected with might enjoy. I think my vulture might enjoy an after Thanksgiving turkey carcass. I just have to figure out where to put it where one might come across it without coming too close to humanity. 

As you can see, there are many creative ways to connect with your Spirit Animal.

Be open to suggestions from your Guides and Spirit Animals. Be thankful. Connect to them with love.

Think outside of the box. Just because you have never thought about animals being messengers from the Spirit world, does not mean that it is not possible. Be open to new ideas.

Anything that comes from a place of love and light is good! 

I would love to hear about your interaction with Spirit Animals! If you need help contacting your Spirit Animal, you can contact me through my website, www.whispersofjoy.net. I look forward to hearing about your encounters!

Reversing the Effects of Karma

Today I was giving a reading to a client and Spirit gave me this message about karma. I thought that we could all benefit from this suggestion from Spirit so I am sharing it here.

Most of us are aware that there is a balancing of the scales in the spirit world. We know it as "what goes around comes around" or in Biblical terms, the law of sowing and reaping, or in scientific terms, the law of reciprocity. I think it was Einstein who said, " every action is met with an equal and opposite reaction" or something like that. This is known as karma. Anything we do, think, say or feel is a message that we send out into the Universe that at some point comes back to us.

If only those who are looking for justice on behalf of murdered or violated loved ones understood this!

My husband loves to watch those shows that describe how murderers and other violent criminals are brought to judgement, or in some cases, not. The family members and loved ones sometimes spend years and millions of dollars bringing criminals to justice. The law of karma states that this is an inevitable fact: every one will eventually have the payback they deserve. We may not see it happen, but it will occur.

Some people spend a large time of their lives trying to escape justice. Others always feel like they are a victim of circumstances, that justice is never on their side. There is also the field of thought that according to the law of attraction, our beliefs and thoughts bring to us what we think about most.

So what should you do if you seem to always be getting a "raw deal?" Do you sometimes feel like the scales of justice never tilt in  your favor, that as soon as one tragedy is dealt with, there is another one coming right along behind?

Today Spirit suggested to my client that she start a "karma" savings account. She should mark down every time she did something kind for someone else, gave to a charity, or blessed someone or something else in any way. This would be a "deposit" into her karma savings account. Every time she received something from someone else, or was the recipient of charity, she was to make a mark in the "withdrawal" section.

We all know people who are addicted to charity. They cannot function without it, and even come to expect it, and get angry when it is denied to them. What if each time someone was offered charity, they had to do something nice in return? It did not have to cost them money, but perhaps a little of their time, or require some effort on their part? It could be as simple as picking up litter, or helping someone across the street.

If we find ourselves always in the predicament of experiencing lack in some form, Spirit suggests that we open up a "karma" savings account and begin to make regular deposits. This does not have to cost you money! It could be something simple, like letting someone in front of you at the grocery store, or allowing someone to get in front of you in traffic. It could be sending out a prayer of blessing to someone you don't really like. It could be putting extra money in the parking meter, or giving that dollar to the charity of the day at the local grocery store.

Spirit says the amount of the deposit or withdrawal is not a factor, only the amount of entries. If you find yourself a regular recipient of the charity of others or the charity of the state, then you are running on a depleted "karma" account. It is time to balance the scales!

Just for today, do something nice for someone you don't know. It is really good if no one notices what you have done. When you get noticed or congratulated on your acts of charity, they don't count!

Be creative!

Spirit says that as you build up your entries into your karma savings account, Spirit will regularly "pay you back!" It is much better to be paid back by Spirit than whatever it cost you to perform the act of charity in the first place. I believe the Bible states that God pays back a hundredfold!

Contrary to what I was taught in church, I don't believe that God curses you if you don't give a specific amount of money to "Him" or his earthly representatives. I do believe that if your karma account begins to show a deficiency, you will begin to experience challenges in your life. This explains why some people seem to have all the bad luck! Their karma account is operating in the negative! You can reverse this trend!

Okay, it is time to go make a deposit into your karma account!

If you need direction from Spirit, I am always available to help! Check out my website, www.WhispersofJoy.net for information on the various ways I can connect to Spirit for you, or find the dates and times where you can meet with me in person!

Blessings to you as you navigate your path through this lifetime!

Message from the Moon

Last evening I was so blessed to view the beautiful, almost still full moon (it still appears to be full, but the actual full moon was on the 7th this month).  I was driving home from a wedding rehearsal, a two hour drive. When I first saw the moon, it was just beginning to rise over the horizon. It's light seemed almost orange and glowed brightly through the autumn trees far off to my right.

(no, this is not what I saw, but close. I was driving and didn't have my good camera with me. This photo I found here.)

It used to be my custom to sit with the moon at every phase, and the moon would impart to me wisdom and messages from the Spirit world. Lately life has gotten busy, with weddings, readings, events, grandchildren, and, oh, yes, I still work at the Post Office.

But I was blessed with a two hour drive home last evening, and even though it is not recommended to connect with Spirit while you are driving, I am pretty good at it. I will admit that sometimes I miss my turns, but my GPS brings me back to reality when I am busy receiving messages.

I sent a beam of love to the moon, and thanked it for accompanying me on my ride home. I began to contemplate the moon and ask her if there were any messages from the Spirit world for me.

The first word I heard was, "don't be afraid to shine."

Sometimes we humans, especially those of us in the service to Spirit, feel a bit uncomfortable with shining. The moon encouraged me that she was not afraid to shine. She reminded me that her glow was not something that emanated from within herself, but was only a reflection of the light of the sun. She reminded me that any glow that might emanate from me was the same. It was only as I reflected the light of the true source of light, Spirit, that my glow would be genuine and I would appear to shine.

I want to encourage you to shine! 

Anytime we try to shine on our own, without the light of Spirit shining upon us, our efforts will be dim in comparison to the light that comes from within us when Spirit shines through our pores from our time spent in the presence of the Divine.

I am not suggesting to you the way in which you connect with your understanding of the Divine.  It is only through your own personal relationship with that Divine Presence that gives you joy and gives your life spark and meaning that will eventually shine through you to light the world. I am not a proponent of suggesting that there is only one way to connect with that Divine Presence. I have spent the past fifteen to twenty years studying and learning to connect with that Divine Presence in many different ways and with many different faces that reflect that Divine Presence.  I am suggesting that you just simply spend time with the Divine. Your way. Your understanding. 

During those two hours last evening I spent driving, the moon imparted much wisdom to me.  I realized that my own human efforts were pale in the shadow of the light of Spirit. I realized that my job was to spend time in the presence of the Divine. In doing that I would shine without really much effort on my part. Sometimes we get so busy trying to shine we forget that the shining comes from within us. As we are really only a reflection of the light of Spirit, spending time with the Light is the real way to shine.

Just for today, take some time out to connect with Spirit however you enjoy doing that.  You can do that while you are doing laundry, washing dishes, or showering. All you have to do is connect with your heart, and send love to yourself and your understanding of the Divine. Simple. Yet profound.

As you do this, expect miracles!

Shine!

Dark Moon and Solar Eclipse.. Thoughts on the Shift

Tomorrow we have a dark moon with a partial solar eclipse to boot! The energies this month have been intense, for those of you sensitive to those things!

Those cultures and belief systems that are close to the earth and believe that everything has consciousness and everything has a message or a lesson for us, such as shamanism, believe that every time an event such as this occurs, we as humans have the opportunity to use the energies that are present during these events to facilitate change in our own lives. Even if you don't believe in the changes in the energy field of the earth during events like this, you can use the symbolism of the event to focus on changing your world and your life!

Dark moons happen when the earth casts a shadow on the moon in such a way that it is not visible in the sky. It is still there but not visible to our human eyesight. From the time of the full moon until now, the moon has been steadily becoming smaller and smaller, until tomorrow, we will not see it at all. This symbolizes that there are things in our lives that it is time to release.

This week I took a little holiday from my job at the Post Office. I did not have a trip in mind. I have been busily cleaning out closets. I have been sorting through last season's clothes and getting out the clothes that I put away for the summer. I have a small pile for charity, a pile of shoes for a good friend who wears my size, and a tote or two to be put away until spring. My focus has been releasing what is no longer useful for me at this time. That doesn't mean I throw away everything that I no longer need. That would mean that come spring I would not have any clothes to wear! Sometimes the message is not to throw away everything that you no longer need, but to put it away  until the season shifts again! Know this: spring will come again! That wheel is always turning, and at some point it will turn again!

When there is a solar eclipse, the sun becomes blocked by the shadow of the moon. The sun represents manifesting, change, growth, warmth, and life. The moon represents things that are hidden, our shadow self, feminine energies, intuition. While this eclipse is happening, and a day or two before and after, think about what hidden things are casting a shadow on your ability to manifest your dreams! Sometimes the message is that you need to spend some time going within! Access that inner life, that connection with your soul. Focus on what things are hidden from the light of day.

Soon the moon will be visible again. The sun will quickly pass through the shadow and become bright once again. Sometimes the clouds block our vision of any of this activity anyway! Have the clouds or the rain in your life blocked you from accessing your intuition or seeing the light of the sun?

No worries! Just because the clouds may block your view, this doesn't mean that the moon and the sun aren't having their little dance anyway! Sometimes we have to have faith that despite the clouds that appear in our lives, the sun continues to shine! The moon continues her trek across the sky.

Here is a suggested ritual to make the most of the energies of the next day or two!

Since the moon will be in Scorpio tomorrow, use the element of water in your ritual. You may want to fill a bowl or a cup with water, think about what you would like to release or have transformed, send out a prayer or an intention to God, Goddess, the Universe or the Divine for help in releasing or transforming your request, Send out this intention into the bowl of water, and then pour out the water onto the earth, asking the Earth Mother to receive your request and aid in its transformation.

Believe that your requests and intentions have been heard, and go about your day as if your request has been granted!

Be grateful for the transformation!

As always, I look forward to any comments on my blog! You are welcome to contact me HERE if you would like a personal session or if you just want to check out my future events or services offered. Remember that we are all in this together!

Here is a link to which I attribute photo: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/totaleclipse-
20121113.html

Here is a great link to explore more about the dark moon and solar eclipse: http://www.cafeastrology.com/thisweekinastrology.html.

Blessings to you as you journey this path called life!

Dreams of Turtles

Last night I dreamed that I found a small turtle. At first I thought it was dead so I tried to wash it down the sink (I know, we all do crazy things in our dreams that we wouldn't necessarily do in real life.. it's a dream, and everything is symbolic!) As I turned on the water to wash it down the sink, I saw it move and realized that it was indeed alive! So I fished it out of the sink drain and held it in my hand to make sure it was all right! Telepathically the turtle sent me love and thanked me for saving it! Then it scurried (scurried for a turtle) off my hand and went to play with my two cats ( in real life I don't have any cats.)

I thought I would share the dream because we all have dreams, and we all wonder what they mean. In sharing this dream maybe if you have dreams with similar images, you can begin to interpret what your soul might be trying to share with you!

First of all, we all have dreams. We may or may not remember them. Also, if your sleep is interrupted frequently, or you don't sleep long enough, you may not enter into the portion of your sleep time when dreams occur. This is not healthy!

Back to dreams of turtles, cats, and washing things down the sink drain!

Turtles represent slowing down, protection ( as in the shell), living life as an introvert, patience, and it can also represent intuition.

Cats represent intuition, psychic ability, the sacred female, self assurance, and wisdom.

Washing things down the drain represent releasing things out of your life, letting go of those things which you no longer have need of. Water represents spirit or emotion.

Interpretation?

In my early years I was very shy (in my shell). I spent much time alone, where I found much more time to connect with Spirit, and hone my skills that I now use today. I had no social life to speak of, and so I devoured books on spiritual subjects, spent much time in prayer or meditation, and although too much of this is just as unhealthy as not enough, I developed my spiritual side basically because I had no social life.

Now things are much more busy. I am sometimes a bit impatient. Aside from my job at the Post Office, I am a wedding officiant, a psychic medium, a Shamanic healer, and a teacher of spiritual principles. I would say that I am sometimes too busy. Maybe subconsciously I have thought that the introverted side of myself was dead.

I think Spirit, or my own soul, was trying to tell me that it is okay to slow down, go back into my shell a bit, and spend some time with myself. I don't always have to be racing full speed ahead! The turtle jumping off my hand to go play with the cats represent that my psychic gifts can easily get along with this forgotten part of myself.

Why am I sharing? One, I think that we sometimes think that we always have to be busy moving forward... doing doing doing! Spirit says that this is not only not necessary, but not healthy! Sometimes we just need to sit still and go within our shell and listen!

Manifesting what we want to occur in our lives will come naturally to us when we align our vibration with whatever it is that we want to manifest! Yes, we have to put legs on our prayers. We have to put action to our dreams. But just as important, if not more important, we have to align ourselves with our Highest Version of Ourselves and make sure that those things we want to manifest are the same as what our Soul desires for us!

If you are having dreams that you don't understand, remember that they are messages from your Soul! Your soul desires to communicate with you, and sometimes the best way is through dreams. Sometimes in our waking life, we don't take time to sit with our Soul and receive guidance. And sometimes we are too close to our own lives to make sense of the symbolism.

If you desire to receive guidance, I am always at your service. You can reach me HERE. You will find different ways that I offer to tune in and provide you with the guidance your soul seeks. I am also offering a variety of classes and get togethers for your particular needs. Please feel free to contact me and we will work on a plan that fits your needs!

Now excuse me while I go slow down and enjoy my day! There will be sitting still and doing nothing today! (if I can fit it into my schedule.. lol.. no just kidding..)

Mercury Retrograde... What Goes Around Comes Around

We are right in the middle of a Mercury Retrograde. For those of you who don't know what this is, it is when Mercury's appearance in the sky appears to go backward due to it's positioning in relation to the earth and our view of the sky.

( visit this page to learn more about Mercury.. where I attribute this photo..http://www.robinsonlibrary.com/philosophy/religions/classical/mercury.htm

This particular Mercury Retrograde symbolizes our relationships to one another. Mercury represents communications and travel, so that is why it is said that our electronics or anything to do with communication is affected.. computers, phones, as well as our communications with each other.

This morning I was connecting with Spirit while sorting mail at the Post Office, which I often do, since the work I do is somewhat mindless, and Spirit told me that it was important for people to think about their deep set beliefs and judgements, for if we have judged someone for the way they are choosing to live out their lives, or decisions they have made or lifestyle choices, look out, for retribution was about to be served! This is  not a punishment warning! The Higher Powers do not dish out punishments and rewards, as it is widely believed. We are our own judge and jury. Our Higher Self knows that we need to learn certain lessons, so we attract experiences and people into our lives which facilitate that learning. Like attracts like, but also, our attitudes and beliefs about ourselves and others attract similar experiences into our own lives.

This is not an idle belief. Science proves this in the principle of sowing and reaping, as it is described in the Bible and in nature. If we sow green bean seeds, we reap green beans. We do not reap grapes, or corn. Our thoughts create our reality. So if we think about something enough to create a judgement or a deep set belief, we are going to create the circumstances to experience the very thing we have been thinking about!

Here is a common deep set belief. "There is never enough." Do you ever feel like you never have enough time to complete your daily tasks, or enough money to pay your bills, or enough space in your home to hold all your "stuff?" This stems from a deep set belief, probably unconscious, that there is never enough! You will end up creating the experience of not having enough. With Mercury Retrograde giving it's own "umph" to that belief, we are going to come up with experiences of not having enough so that we can recognize that belief and change it!

I had a client once who had judged his father for having multiple affairs. He grew up to be an adult who had affairs as well. This is what I mean by sowing and reaping. He sowed seeds of judgement toward his father as a child, and probably forgot all about it. When he grew up, he ended up doing exactly what he had judged his father for. It is also possible that we inherit tendencies to do certain things from our family. We may not even know the person who has passed on a tendency such as I previously described, but if we judged them for having character flaws, then the particular character flaws that resonate with our own energy will end up growing up and producing a harvest in our own lives!

Here is a clincher. Instead of reaping a harvest of being the perpetrator, we could experience being the victim of said character flaw! Another family member may have judged the father for the same offense, but ended up reaping the experience of having been the victim of an affair.

Mercury Retrograde encourages us to examine ourselves and our beliefs and release any judgements or attitudes that might come back to bite us in the ass! Some of these attitudes may have occurred many years, or even lifetimes ago! How can we know what attitudes to release if we don't remember or recognize those tendencies in our lives?

Notice what comes up for you in the next couple of weeks! Are you experiencing running into people who have a particular character flaw that you abhor? Hmmm... there may be an attitude that needs to be released!!I encourage you to look within yourself and see if that tendency may lie within your own heart as well, or at least some version of it.

Remember that we are all souls navigating through this journey called life. There was no instruction manual given to us at birth! We are all doing the best we can with the information that we have! Let us let go of attitudes towards others and their choices in life! Let us all realize that we are all eventually going to get to where we need to be. Some souls just take longer to learn their lessons, but we will all learn!

Here is a little "prayer" or "affirmation" if you don't like the word prayer, that you can say to release judgements and attitudes toward others.

"I now release to the Universe, my Source, and the Divine all attitudes toward others, especially the attitude that..... (you can fill in the blank here)..." I recognize and appreciate the Divine looking back at me in the eyes of others, and especially... (here you can insert a person who is giving you trouble or pushing your buttons).


If you don't know consciously what attitudes to release, you can say a general statement that you release the tendency to judge others, and release any judgements you may have formulated that you have forgotten, asking that they be revealed to you so you can release them properly! Look out! You may experience an uncomfortable situation if you say this prayer!

My prayer for you is that you experience in this lifetime all you have chosen to experience, but especially that you experience joy. If you need help determining what judgements you may need to release, or would like to receive a channeled message from your Guides, Angels, or your Uncle Ted, please feel free to contact me and set up a private session! I would love to be of service to you in this way!

You can contact me through my website, www.whispersofjoy.net.

Blessings to you as you navigate your path!

Thoughts on the Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse

For months now I have been feeling like October was going to be a powerful month. I am not an astrologist, I just hear from Spirit. I like to follow the cycles of the moon, and I do read what astrologists and other "listeners of Spirit" have to say, but I must say, I am a bit excited because other "listeners" seem to be saying the same thing I have been hearing... October energy is powerful this year.

This month we have a double whammy.. a full moon and a lunar eclipse on the same day. Not a coincidence. I don't believe anything is a coincidence anyway, but add to that the fact that it is on an 8 day, and we are set for a powerful week!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love 8's. Anything having to do with an 8 and I am loving it.

Years ago I actually decided that I would pay attention to 8 days.

This year I am pretty excited because the full moon and the lunar eclipse are on an 8 day.

I have had a few people ask me what they can do to make the best of this powerful week, so I thought I would give you some suggestions!

--- Decide what things you would like to manifest. Write them on a piece of paper. Put them in the center of your room, or lay them down outside, three days prior to October 8 (in other words, you are going to do this ritual three times, the last time being on the day of the full moon, so you would do this Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, since the actual time of the full moon is just before dawn on the 8th.) You can put around your piece of paper items that are sacred to you: feathers, candles, statues of you favorite Diety, etc. Now put on some happy music! Dance around the piece of paper in a circle clockwise three times for two of the three days. Proclaim your intentions out loud!!  On the day of the full moon/lunar eclipse, which will be Wednesday morning, so I would do this Tuesday evening, you are going to put on your happy music and dance in a circle nine times.. which is three times three! Proclaim your intentions and this time thank your Dieties, the Universe, the Angels, Spirit for the answer to your proclamations!!

Here are some suggestions...

Do you need a new job? Your paper might read..." I now manifest my perfect job!"

Do you need a romantic relationship?... "I now manifest positive loving relationships!"

Maybe you don't need anything physical, like a job or a relationship. Maybe you need peace. Or maybe you need to understand your purpose. Or maybe you need to know the next step in your plan of action.

The simpler your intention the better.. it doesn't have to be wordy. Sometimes too much is just too much.

Spirit knows exactly what you need and will bring it to you at the perfect time!

The moon will be in Aries at this time so you can add some kind of fire ritual to add some zing to the ritual. It could be a candle, or a bonfire, but you might want to burn your paper in the fire after you are done.. you might send out an intention that as you burn your paper, the fire is taking your requests up into the heavens with speed and purpose!

Be sure to be grateful for the answers to your requests!!

A grateful heart is the fuel to the fire! Thank your Higher Powers for listening to your requests and thank the answers for coming to you speedily!!

Expect some major changes this month! Relationships and communications seem to be highlighted this month, especially with Mercury going retrograde. If there is anything you have unresolved in your life, or something you may have pushed under the rug till later, look for it to come back to be resolved this month. People in your past may show up. Electronics may not work properly. Just send the situations and people and especially yourself some extra love this month.

Look for big changes to occur this month! Expect surprises and know that they will end up well, despite what you might think at the time.

Remember this.. everything happens just the way it is supposed to.

"All that occurs is happening for my highest good."

And so it is.

It Is Time To Break OUT of Your Shell!

Did you ever feel like this chick?

It's getting uncomfortable in here. It's dark. You feel like you are all alone. In reality, you don't really know that you are in the dark because you have never seen the light. Then one day you have a compulsion to start pecking at the wall that has been surrounding you for all of your known life.

You begin to peck, peck, peck, a little at first. Soon it becomes a compulsion. Furiously, you begin to peck some more. At first it seems that the task is daunting, and you don't even really understand why you have this obsession with breaking out of this shell. This shell has kept you safe. It has kept you warm. It has been your security all of your life. But it's dark in here! You know, deep down in your soul, that there is something really great on the other side of this shell! So you peck.

"Why doesn't someone come help me? I am stuck inside this insidious shell and no one will help me to get out!"

So you continue to peck. For an eternity, it seems.

One day, you see a small hole begin to form where you have been pecking. An then a crack! You frantically begin to peck a little harder  now, with more passion and intent! You are making progress!

And then, OH MY GODDESS!! (ha that got you thinking, huh?) (not trying to step on any toes, just getting you to think outside of your shell a little)

There is light on the other side of this darkness! What is it? It is SO very BRIGHT!

(this photo came from this awesome site: http://incubatorwarehouse.com/incubating-eggs/getting-started-egg-incubating )

This photo shows how you might look while you have been furiously pecking at your shell! A little harried, a little worn out.

Have you been pecking at a shell that has seemed to surround you? It may not have been there forever, as is the case for this newly emancipated chick. It may be a shell you constructed yourself to keep yourself safe, or it may be one that has been there since birth, and you just now discovered you have been trapped inside. Up until now it has kept you safe and warm. But one day you just woke up and found that you had outgrown it. It had become cumbersome and stifling.

Are you beginning to break out of a shell? This shell might represent many things. It might represent some deep set belief that you have embraced since you don't remember when. One that you possibly inherited from your parents. One that they may still embrace. It could be a religious belief, like mine was. (you can read about it HERE.) Or it may be many other things. It could be a job or career that you once loved but now abhor. It could be a marriage or relationship. It could be a location. It could be, as I believe was the case in the client who I originally got this message for, a societal tendency. My client has been pecking away at a common misconception by society at large for a long time, and I told her that I saw a crack in the shell and that new beginnings were just around the corner.

Here is the clincher. If a person or some outside force comes along and breaks the shell for the little baby chick and lets them out, guess what. The baby chick dies! It needs that activity of pecking away at the shell to make them strong and able to face whatever lies on the outside of that shell!

My message for you today is to keep on pecking away at that shell! A crack has formed and there is light on the other side! You may not see any light at this moment. You may see just a tiny little sliver of light where you have been pecking. Or you may see a crack in the shell! Keep up the good work! There is light and life on the other side!

As I mentioned, I originally got this message for a client who I was privileged to read for at the recent Paramericon in Manassas Virginia. If you are in need of a message from Spirit, please do not hesitate to contact me HERE. I offer many different options for receiving your own personal message from Spirit. I believe that October is set to be a month of new beginnings for many of us! We are collectively breaking out of the shells that have incubated us for not only days, months, and years, but centuries. It is time for us to collectively break out of those shells and begin to experience life in a new way!

Keep pecking away!

All We Need is Love..

Ever have one of those days, or weeks, or months, where nothing you planned turned out the way you wanted it to? It seemed like it was hard to get up in the morning, you drug through your day, forced yourself to do those things that were necessary? Everything you tried to accomplish seemed just beyond your reach?

I can't really say every day this month has been this way, but let's just say that there have been a few difficult days. Getting up at 5 a.m. just has seemed to be harder than usual. I force myself outside to run. Sometimes getting things accomplished has been like pulling teeth.

This morning I got up and it just seemed like I could not wake up. I drug myself into the bathroom to get ready for work, and my mind was just REALLY complaining. My warm bed kept calling me to come back come back!!

I am one of those proponents for what you think in your heart, that is what you create in your life. At first my mind was too groggy to start this early creating anything, but my spirit was wide awake, and began to call my mind to come into line!

Okay, Joy, I began to quietly talk to myself, it is only your mind who doesn't like getting up this early. You begin to think and believe that you enjoy getting up, that you are happy to do it! That you LOVE getting up to go to work.

Immediately my mind came into line!

I created in my mind the intention that I enjoyed getting up to go to work! I began to feel better!

When I set my intention that I loved to get up and that it was not a hard thing to do, but I really LOVED it, my attitude immediately changed!

It was then that Spirit prompted me that my assignment today was to send love to anything and everything that came to my mind or that came across my path. I sent love to my warm bed and that sweet man that lay sleeping in it. That was easy.

Then I sent love to my soul. Then to my toothbrush. Throughout the day, I would remember and once again send love... to the mail I was weighing, to the computer, even to the trash can. To the floor under my feet. To the air I was breathing. To all the people who touch my life, whether on purpose or by default.

I have often said that every thought you think is a prayer. My question for you today is, what are you praying for?

When we spend our time sending love to all those who come across our path, whether they be loved ones or challenging ones, whether they be human or plant or animal or even non-breathing, then love cannot help but come back to us multiplied! 

Do not send love with the intention of getting something in return! Just send love with the intention of sending love for love's sake! Go throughout your day, enjoying each moment, whether you are doing something that is easy to love or whether you are choosing to love what you are doing, your mind does not know the difference! 

You will be amazed at how differently your day unfolds!

Just for today, send love! Send love intentionally, and send it arbitrarily. Remember also to send love to yourself! If you want love, then BE LOVE.

And love is all there is anyway.

Cleaning out the Closet, and Thoughts About the Dark Moon

Yes, the new moon is upon us. If you have read my previous posts on the new moon, you know I like the term dark moon better, because it describes the actual state of the moon. In my way of thinking, the moon is not "new" until you see that first little sliver of moon after the dark moon. The energies are completely different.

According to my calendar, the moon will be dark on the early morning hours (2:14 a.m. specifically) of September 24th. This is why you may see some discrepancy as to the date of the dark moon. Depending on where in the world you are, you may experience the dark moon late in the evening on the 23rd.

We all experience the moons in different ways. Up until the dark moon, the energy has been about releasing what is no longer helpful, healing, and in your best interests. This may be relationships, jobs, or, in my case, all the crap that has been accumulating in my closets. Yesterday, I decided it was time to release all of the no longer useful things that have been taking up space in my closets. I am really trying to get it done before the new moon early Wednesday morning.

Here is what I like to do. Whenever I am impressed to take on a project, I like to think about what it may represent in my life symbolically. To me, closets represent things that are hidden from view. I am one of those people who stuffs things in closets and drawers when I know company is coming. I may or may not immediately go back to those closets and drag out those things that I have hidden there right away after the company has left. This results in losing a lot of stuff!

So while I am busy cleaning out my closets and drawers, symbolically I am releasing those things in my life that are not necessarily open to public view. Maybe even things that I hide even from myself.

We all like everyone to think that we have it all together, all the time. Cleaning out closets represent to me the part of myself that I have stuffed away out of view.

What I have discovered from my project of cleaning out my closets is that a lot of little things end up cluttering up your closets! Things that I don't necessarily need or want, but I just can't seem to part with.

We are all familiar with the term: coming out of the closet. Long before it represented "coming out" about a person's sexual identity, it represented revealing a secret of some kind.

Today, while my husband was cleaning out his portion of the linen closet, he found a dainty necklace with a heart on it. He asked me if I had forgotten about it. I admitted I had never seen it before. There it was, for at least the eleven years since we have lived in our home, hanging in the back of the linen closet, forgotten. It must have belonged to the previous owners.

What treasures do you have hanging in the back of your heart? Forgotten amidst the clutter, waiting to be discovered? Sometimes in order to find the treasure, you have to clean out the shit!

Do you have forgotten treasures that are waiting for the clutter to be removed so that they can be revealed?

 What is it that you are ready to release? Anger? Resentment? A relationship that has outlived its time? Get ready, I am thinking now might be a good time to do that!! September is a "nine" month in Numerology. Nines are about releasing things, completing unfinished projects, endings, and surrender. In the tarot the nine card is the hermit. Go within yourself and find the wisdom you need. Take some time apart. I am finding personally that the "nine" energy has been particularly strong this month. And Spirit has indicated that October is set to be a month of new beginnings, and major changes. October is a "ten" month. The card in the tarot which is a "ten" is the card of the wheel of fortune. Things are going to change. It is also a month of new beginnings. Sometimes change is at first difficult if it is to bring new things into our lives. When a baby is born first there has to be that painful birthing process.

Let us spend some time releasing those things which no longer serve us so that we can be ready for the upcoming changes sure to occur in October. Remember, you can't pour water into a cup that is already full! It is time to empty your cup of all those things that are no longer useful to you so that your cup can be filled with new things!

Just for today, I encourage you to spend a little time thinking about what is no longer serving you and what is in your life that you no longer love? Release those things so you can be ready for what's coming up!

As always, I am at your service! Please do not hesitate to contact me for a personal session. You can contact me HERE. Happy Dark Moon!

The Fool...

I'll be honest. I almost never draw this card.

This is the card of embarking upon a new adventure. The person in the picture is happy go lucky, excited at the possibility of a new day, a new life! He (or she) has his traveling bag containing all that he will need for his journey. Not a care in the world. He has no idea he is in danger of walking right off a cliff!

Luckily, when we draw this card, Spirit is taking the role of the small dog in the picture, warning us to watch where we are going, lest we fall!

This card is telling us that adventure awaits us! We have the world at our beck and call! The sun is shining. There is not a cloud in the sky. Everything we need to take the next step in our journey is at our disposal. The only warning is that we need to open our eyes so that we can see where we are going.

Many of us who embrace our spirituality don't like to face the fact that we do, in fact, live in a physical world. We have a mortgage, or rent. We have bills. We find it necessary to work for a living. We would rather meditate all the time and our bills just mysteriously get paid. Well, that may work on occasion, but I am here to tell you that you can sit and meditate all you want, and when you open your eyes, there is still a physical existence we have to be aware of! If we don't eat, we will die. Oh, I know there are monks who can meditate for months and stay alive, I know this is possible. It doesn't happen to the everyday Joe, however.

Even Jesus made his living as a carpenter, at least for a portion of his life. Many of us who do spiritual work find it necessary to have "day jobs." This card, to me, is saying, "yes, there is value in having a spiritual outlook on life. But keep your eyes open. Don't fall off the cliff while you are creating the life of your dreams."

Am I saying that you should not go after your dreams? Absolutely not!! Go for it! But keep your eyes open. Do the necessary work. Put feet to your prayers.

In this picture you will notice that there is no one in the picture intentionally trying to sabotage the "fool." He is the only one in the picture. It is his own absentmindedness that is causing him to be in danger of disaster.

Yes Yes Yes.... go for your dreams!! Be led by Spirit. But don't live in a dream world. Realize that you are living a physical existence in a physical world. Yes you are spirit. But you are also flesh and bone. Keep your eyes open. Watch where you are going. Spirit is there like the little dog to warn us when we are about to fall. Heed the warning.

If you would like a reading or consultation, I am here for you! Contact me HERE and we will set up a session that works best for you!

Messages from the Tarot... the Death Card

In my last post I hinted at the suggestion that I read the tarot a bit differently from the suggested, traditional meanings of the cards, although sometimes the traditional meanings are quite spot on.

I draw a card almost every day. The card I draw always has some sort of message for me. Sometimes I can't quite understand what it is trying to tell me right away, but usually by the end of the day I have gotten the message. Let me give you an example from this week.

Yup. You guessed it. This week I drew the death card.

I will admit, when I drew it, I was a little anxious at first. I know that normally the death card does not have to mean that someone is going to die, but sometimes it does. When I was in Florida last month at my father's bedside as he transitioned, I never once drew the death card, but my sister did, maybe a day or two before he passed. Obviously, the apparent meaning of this card is that some sort of death is going to occur. But what does that mean? Well, it could mean a physical death, but usually it means that some part of your life is ending and something new is ready to be born. Now that I am writing this blog about the death card, I keep noticing the priest praying and the sun behind him that is either coming up or setting. The other day when I drew this card I will have to say I never noticed the priest.

My biggest tip on reading the cards is this:

Notice what you notice!!

The other day when I drew the card what drew my attention was what to me looks like a woman lying on her back on the ground. This to me represents surrender. Spirit told me that day that it was time to surrender all my plans, my intentions, and my goals to the Universe. Be open to change. Don't be attached to an intended outcome. I had to be willing to put to death anything that I want and surrender my will to Divine Will. Not always easy.

We all have goals, dreams, aspirations. We all come into this world with a creative mind, heart, and imagination. It is our right and our duty to dream, and then to put feet on our dreams and work towards bringing them to pass. But there is that fine line between manifesting our dreams and being willing to surrender our plans to the will of Spirit.

I had done a reading for a client this week and part of the message was that if you find yourself beating and beating a door and it won't open, maybe it is time to look for another door. In other words, if you are trying and trying to manifest something and it just continues to allude you, maybe it is time to surrender your goal or dream to Spirit and be willing to change your plans and even do something different. Maybe the cards were telling me the other day that it was time to surrender my plans. Be open to a different outcome. Don't be too attached to what I want to occur.

Why would they put a priest praying on the death card? Is that sun coming up or going down? It could be either one. What do you think?

When my dad was on his death bed, a minister came to pray. Well, actually  more than one minister came. Probably the priest showed up on this card because he had come to deliver "last rites."  Why did I not notice it until today? Must mean something.

The first time my dad's minister came to pray for him I left the room, but from outside the door I seemed to be hearing him compelling dad to wake up. I understand. Jesus commanded Lazarus and he rose up. This minister loved my dad. He believed that dad could be healed.

Not that I don't believe that dad could be healed. I used to believe that I could command things to happen in the Spirit world and they would happen. And sometimes they did.

Now I take a bit of a different view. 

I still believe in miracles. But I am more inclined to surrender my will to Divine Will. So I suggested to the minister that we just pray for whatever was best for dad's soul at this point in his journey. I figured if he wanted to pass I didn't want anyone's prayers getting in the way. After all, I do believe in the power of prayer. Sometimes I believe it is possible to pray and for things to happen that are not necessarily in our best interests. I was not sure if dad wanted to stay or go at this point. I just wanted what dad wanted. And what was best for him.

Have you been praying or setting intentions or saying positive affirmations for something that just has seemed like it was not happening?

Maybe today's message is that it is time to surrender your will to Divine Will. Be open to change. Be willing to change your plans or reset your intentions in a different direction. Ask for Divine Guidance.

You know, it is said that when Lazarus died, his sister had called for Jesus four days before and Jesus didn't come. Jesus apparently waited until Lazarus died before he came. Why? Would it not have been easier to heal a living Lazarus than to raise a dead one?

We don't always know what is best.

If something in your life is not working, maybe something greater is being born. Sometimes you have to let something die in order to birth something else.

It is okay to grieve over what is dying.

At some point, though, you just have to get up and go on living.

Whatever in your life is not working, I encourage you today to let it die a good death. Grieve, if you must. But after you have grieved for awhile, look yourself in the mirror and say, "okay, it is time to get up now and go on living." Allow whatever is ready to be born to come.

Remember that nothing really dies anyway. It just changes form.

Are you ready to give birth to something new in your life? I am available for consultations, by phone, skype, email and in person. Click HERE to set up your appointment today!

9-9 Thoughts from the Tarot- the Hermit

Today is September 9th. The energy of the full moon is still upon us, and I woke this morning, as I do every morning, at 5 am to prepare to go to work at my part time job at the Post Office. I was thinking about the nines, which in numerology represent endings, completions, and being of service to others. In the tarot the nine card is the hermit, which represents withdrawal and going within to find wisdom.

One of my rituals which I began years ago when I first began studying the tarot, is to draw a card every morning and think about it, look for signs of its meaning in my day, or perhaps see it in someone who I happen to come across in my journey through my day. This morning, I drew this card, the four of cups:

Now some interpret this card to mean withdrawal, being closed off, since the man is sitting with his arms crossed and seemingly ignoring a gift from the Universe. Not me. Every time I get this card, the Universe is telling me that He/She has a gift for me, if only I will take some time to sit and meditate. I like to think that this card and the Hermit card are closely related, because in both cards the underlying message is that there is wisdom to be found from going within oneself and opening up to the wisdom that comes only from quiet contemplation. Cups specifically have to do with relationship, and to me, the relationship to Spirit is the most important one we can have. Sometimes it is so easy to get busy with all the things that life throws our way, or our own agendas and schedules and "to do" lists that we don't take time to connect with Spirit and see what wisdom might come from just sitting quietly and allowing inspiration to come.

The four of cups remind me of the story of the Buddha, who sat underneath a tree until enlightenment came to him. Sometimes the sitting is the hardest part! I tend to fall asleep, or think of everything I need to do, or I am reminded that the fish have not been fed, the laundry has not been done, or some other really important detail that up until now had not entered my mind.

So today I sat. I released each thought as it came to my mind. There will be time to do the laundry. There will be time to write this blog, send out that email, go for a run, and write that wedding ceremony. Right now I am sitting.

The gift the Universe gave me was the knowledge that good things come to those that wait. The day to begin something new is not today. Today is a day to quietly contemplate. To surrender all my plans and ideas to the Universe and be okay with whatever occurs.

Just for today, I encourage you to spend some time in quiet contemplation. Allow the good to manifest in your life before you pick up and try to "make" things happen. Flowers do not bloom before their time. There is a time and a season for everything. If you have tried and tried to manifest something and the answer seems to be just ahead of you, just out of your reach, may I encourage you to take a break. Stop and sit underneath your tree, whatever that means for you, and wait. The Universe is always on time; never early, never late.

If you would like to schedule a phone, Skype, email, or in person reading, or are interested in my classes and events, I invite you to check out my website HERE. Sometimes we all just need a little encouragement from our Source. I look forward to connecting with you!