Dark Moon and New Moon Rituals

Until recently I thought that the dark moon and the new moon were the same thing. It was confusing to me.. which moon do I manifest and which moon do I release? I understood that after the full moon and while it was waning was the time to release but the things I had found on the subject were sometimes contradictory. It is easy to see the in between.. you are manifesting while it is waxing and releasing while it is waning, but on the actual days that the moon is dark or the moon is full, what should you be doing?

When I have taught ritual I have always taught that the full moon is all about harvest, or manifesting, and the new moon about releasing.. ah but I was almost right, but not quite.

I have been spending some time just sitting with the moon and getting my answers directly from Her instead of relying on the things I read or was taught.

And then it came to me. The new moon and the dark moon are not the same.

The dark moon is that period of time when there is no visible moon. That is when a ceremony releasing what is no longer helpful to you is most powerful. Write down a list of things you want to release from your life and do ceremony to let them go. You might light a fire and burn the paper upon which your list is written. You might tear up the paper and release it into the wind. You might let the paper go into a body of water. You might even bury the paper in the ground, thus releasing your intentions into the Earth Mother. Which ritual to choose? This is personal to you. You might correspond  your ritual with your astrological sign. What is the element associated with your sign? You might find out what sign is associated with the current phase of the moon. Here is a link to the sight where I found that information. It changes every couple of days, so make sure you find the sign for the day you are doing ritual. I have found it is very powerful if you do your ritual three times, so I am posting this blog a couple of days before the actual dark moon on Wednesday. Intention is everything, so make your ritual personal to you. Call in the Higher Powers that speak to you.

Ah, so if the dark moon is Wednesday, when there is no visible moon, then when do you think the new moon occurs? Yes, you are right! The new moon is that first sign of a new moon! That little crescent moon that comes a day or two after the dark moon! That is when  you can begin to think about what things you want to draw into your life! What do you want to grow? What do you want to manifest? This is the time for planting seeds that you want to blossom and bloom in your life!

If you plan on doing a new moon ritual three times, then the first time will be that first little crescent moon you see in the sky. That would be Thursday or even Friday. You are planting seeds that are going to grow. Write down the things you want to manifest. Do ritual to invite in the Higher Powers to aid you in your prayers and intentions. In this case, you do not want to burn them, bury them, or in any way destroy the paper they are written on. I like the idea of planting them. Take the paper and plant it somewhere. In the bottom of a flower pot or even outside in the earth. Water it frequently.

You can use a proxy instead of writing your intentions on paper. Have a piece of fruit or even a piece of chocolate and send the intentions into the proxy and either gift the piece of fruit to the Earth Mother or eat it.

Here is a ritual I like. Fill a sacred bowl with water. Hold the bowl in your hands and send your intentions into the bowl. Then drink the water. You can do this alone or in a group. If you do this in a group then the intentions of everyone in the group become planted in the bowl and each of you become a partner in one another's intentions. You can do a similar ritual with fire. Light a candle or some sort of fire and send your intentions into the fire. Ask that the fire and the smoke receive your intentions and send them out into the Universe to be manifest in the highest and best way that is good for everyone concerned.

I always like to add that rider at the end. We only want to manifest or release things that are in the highest and best interests of everyone involved. We never cross free will.

Moon rituals don't have to be complicated. Use your imagination and do things that are meaningful to you. Drum, rattle, put music on and dance, light a fire, ring bells, sing, do whatever makes you joyful. Remember that the emotions you put into your intentions are like gasoline on a fire! Make sure your emotions are happy and full of love!

Use this week to connect with the energy of the Moon and its wonderful powerful energies!

If you are interested in contacting me for a private session, or finding out more about personal sessions or classes, you can contact me via my website, www.WhispersofJoy.net. Now get out there and enjoy yourself!

On Meditations and Moon Rituals

Feeling a little out of sorts today? Yes, today is a full moon. Not just any full moon, mind you. Today's full moon is in the sign of Scorpio, a very powerful sign to say the least. Scorpio is all about intensity. Death, secrets, and intensity. Today might be a day when every emotion you have been stuffing under the surface comes out to bare its head. It might be the day when those little irritations that normally are just annoyances really grab your attention. It might be the day when things that you have been hiding come out into the realm of reality to be examined and embraced, for good or for bad.

It's not all bad. Full moons are perfect times to really put some intensity into your intentions. Today is a perfect day to reexamine your goals, your path, your career, your relationships, your life. Yes, I know. A full moon comes around monthly. Do we have to reinvent ourselves every month? No, each moon brings with it its own theme. This one just happens to be very intense.

We all know that the moon carries with it an air of mystery. We usually only see the moon at night, and a full moon is the one that shines the most light into the dark places. The full moon has long been associated with bringing in a harvest, manifesting a dream, celebrating victories! The moon is shining its brightest into our dark places and with it comes the power to manifest our deepest desires!

Remember that the light we receive from the moon is really just a reflection of the light of the sun. The sun represents Spirit, it is the Source of our life and the ability for us to exist in the earth realm. The moon, then, represents what we should be, in our life on the earth. Each of us should reflect the light of our Source, and be a light to all those living in darkness. Most of us can attest to the fact that we are not always "full" of light. Sometimes our lights are shining more brightly than other times. The moon's message,then, is that it is okay to not always be "full". We have times when we are shining brightly, and times when we are not so bright. But even the smallest light is light for someone in darkness. Tonight's full moon encourages us to see ourselves in the fullness of the light we are reflecting. What is it that we need to shine the light on?

 What things have been hiding out in the dark, waiting to be revealed?

We all have dreams, aspirations, goals, intentions, and wishes. Sometimes the fantasies within our heart never come out of the closet. Tonight is a perfect night to dust off those dreams and bring them out into the open!! The difference between a person who daydreams and a person who puts feet on their dreams and goes after them is just movement!

Here are a few suggestions for making the best use of the power of the full moon.

1. Fill a bowl with water. Send your intentions through the power of thought into the bowl of water. Then drink the water! As you drink the water, say, "I now receive within myself the power to bring my intentions to pass." You can always request the help of a Higher Power, of course.

2. Write a goal or a dream onto a piece of paper. Put on some happy tunes and dance around, carrying the piece of paper with you as you dance! If you really want to intensify your intention, dance around in a circle clockwise nine times! Nine in Numerology is the number of completion, and is the sum of three times three. Three is the number of manifestation. (Don't be embarrassed!! You have a right to celebrate in any way that makes you happy and feeds your soul!)

3. Do you need more money? Do the aforementioned ritual, only take your wallet or your checkbook and dance around it! Do you need a soul mate? Draw a heart on a piece of paper, or find something that is symbolic to you of love, and dance around it, calling love into your life. Whatever it is that you would like to bring into your life, find something that is symbolic of that, put it in the middle of the floor, or the ground, wherever you are, and dance around it! Say out loud or shout or sing.." I  now welcome...... into my life! It is complete!"

4. Take a symbol of what you would like to manifest, or take the piece of paper with your intention, and plant it in a pot of dirt with a flower or plant of some kind. Every time you water the plant, say, I now send love and Spirit  into my intention and as the plant grows, so grows my dream. Make sure you do not forget to water the plant and make sure it is getting plenty of light. And thank the plant for assisting you in manifesting an intention. If you are familiar with the ancient art of feng shui, put the plant in the section of your home or property which represents the area of your life you want to grow!

There are many ways to ask for the power of Spirit and the full moon to aid you in manifesting your dreams! If you are happy with your life and really can't think of anything you would like more of, then you are truly blessed! Use the time of the full moon to be grateful for all your blessings! (those of us who are still manifesting dreams would do well to do this as well!) Remember that gratitude is the water that nourishes our dreams as they grow! Being grateful for all the blessings in our lives is one of the ways we raise our own personal energy field so that our souls are receptive to even more blessings! What we focus on grows!

Remember to send love and gratitude to everyone and everything that touches your life! Even the challenges come with blessings in their pockets! Look for the reasons to celebrate and you will find more and more of them hiding in your closet, waiting to come out to the fullness of your life!

The Magician

In my meditation this morning I was contemplating my lifetime card, the magician.

Here is a great image for this card, and here is the link to where I found it:http://azurylipfe.deviantart.com/art/Tarot-The-Magician-43841765

This card is all about creating whatever in your life you want to create. I was thinking about the card and my Guides decided to give me a lesson in the art of creating. This is what they said to me:




"Joy, what if you were the greatest magician in the world? And not just one of those illusionists. I mean a real magician. One who uses magic to produce an outcome."


"If you knew that you could do a ritual and cast a spell of some sort and you knew that whatever you intended would come to pass, what would be your mental attitude?

"For one thing, you would not even think of doing the spell over and over in case it did not "take", would you?

"Your thought process would be, simply,... Hmm.. I wonder when it's gonna get here... Not, .. if it's gonna get here, or I wonder if I did anything wrong.. or I wonder if the Great Magician in the Sky heard me..."

"You would probably just go about your business, and expect for whatever you intended to happen to happen."

"You would not even need a contingency plan."

That's what I'm talking about. Expectation. Surrender.

This is the key to why sometimes our intentions, our affirmations, our desires, whatever you want to call them, do not happen. We doubt. We set up a "well, if this doesn't work, then I'll do this..." plan.

So let me ask you. If you could come up with an intention, a desire, a goal, or a request of Spirit, and you knew that you would get whatever you asked for, what would you ask? And after you did ask, what would you do next?

Would you wonder if anyone "heard" the request? Would you ask again? Would you come up with a "plan B," just in case?

No. You wouldn't do any of these things. You would just wait. You might get excited and tell others about what was coming. You might daydream about what it would feel like when the request came to pass. You might make preparations for the event, whatever it is.

There it is.

The reason most of our intentions don't come to pass. We doubt.

Does a pregnant woman doubt that the baby is in there?  Once she has gotten the news, that is it. She is either happy or she is not, but wanting it or not wanting it makes no difference. She doesn't say, hmm, I wonder if the Pregancy God will change his mind and give the baby to someone else. I wonder if I am just imagining things. Do I really want a baby after all? I may have changed my mind. Well, let me tell you. Once the baby is in there, it's in there.

Okay, so, here it is.

What is it that you want? That is the first step.

Once you are really clear about that, then don't look back. Act like it is already here. Imagine yourself doing or being or enjoying whatever it is you have decided to manifest. Don't ask again and again. It is done. There is a field of thought that three is the number of manifestation and that you should do your ritual three times, and if that is the case, then do your ritual three times. But after that, act like it is done. No wishy washy, I wonder if it worked, I wonder if the Manifesting Angel heard me, I wonder if I did the ritual right, I wonder this and I wonder that.

Once you plant that seed, don't go digging up your seeds to see if they are growing.

Just plan for the harvest when it comes.

Just as a woman with child goes out and buys baby clothes and diapers and other baby items before the baby comes, go make your preparations. Get ready for that baby.

I remember when I was pregnant with my daughter I used to like to talk to her in my womb. You might try that with your desires. Talk to your intended manifestation. Tell it how excited you are that it is on its way. Imagine yourself doing or being or enjoying whatever you have desired.

Remember the number rule of manifestation. Harm none. And the number two rule.. you can't override human free will. In other words, you can't manifest a particular person falling in love with you. But you can manifest a relationship. As long as it is mutually beneficial to both parties.

Remember that if you don't know where you are going you are never going to know when you get there. In other words, you have to be clear on what you are manifesting. After that, the sky's the limit!

Now go out there and create your beautiful life!

New Moon Saturday!

Well, it is March 1st, the first day of a  new month, and also a new moon today! In numerology we are in a seven year, and if you add three to that (the number of March) you get ten, and if you add the one and the zero of the ten you get a one! One is the number of new beginnings and the number ten in the tarot is the wheel of fortune, and the number one is the magician. Whew!!What a mouthful!

What does that all mean? It means, dear soul, that March is geared up to be a month of new beginnings!! Yay! We all need new beginnings don't we? The wheel of fortune says that things are getting ready to change.. and I don't know about you, but I am ready for some change!

I guess it must have been sometime in the past week or so since the quarter moon waning towards new that Spirit gave me the message that for the week up to the new moon I was to let things go in preparation for allowing new things in.

 I cleaned out the refrigerator, and said the mantra that I was letting go of things that used to feed me that no longer do..

As I scrubbed the shower and swept up the dust on the floor I said.. "I am releasing all the crud and buildup that is hiding there in secret..."

I like to find mantras that match my activities. It is like I am acting out my manifestations!!

And now the new moon is upon us! Can you feel the energy shift?

We are coming out of a particularly difficult Mercury Retrograde, in which anything unsettled in the area of communications came out to be dealt with! Here in Virginia, winter has been particularly difficult. I have almost felt like I have been hibernating. I am reluctant to come out of my covers in the morning, and I can't seem to get enough sleep. And now here comes new things, new beginnings. It is time to wake up and get moving!

 In February, a nine month numerologically speaking, was all about completing unfinished projects. I have been tweaking my upcoming book in anticipation of a meeting with a literary agent in March. I am still not sure if it is in its finished stage, but it is feeling complete, anyway. I really took some time to look within, and sit with the moon stages, and ask for guidance. And now, March is here! It is like a horse and her rider must feel as they sit at the gates right before a race, waiting for that signal to charge out of their waiting spot.

What lies within you that you have just been waiting for the right time to begin? Now is the time!

Of course, we all have personal numbers and personal tarot cards that may be a bit different from the universal ones of which I speak. If you are interested in knowing where you are numerologically or what is your ruling card, contact me and we will set up a session! It is amazing how accurate our numbers and our cards are. In my sessions I always connect with your guides as I do your cards and numbers so that they can guide me and give me any additional information.

Just for today, find some time to sit and connect. Meditate on what the next stage of your path looks like. You may only get the next step. If Spirit says, go to the grocery store and buy some beans, then do it. It is like making soup. Sometimes Spirit only gives us one ingredient at a time.

I remember years ago I was in a group of ladies who liked to make what is called friendship bread. One person would give the "starter" to the other ladies. We would add one ingredient or two, and then pound on the dough and let it sit. Twelve hours later, we would add another ingredient and pound it down and let it sit. Eventually the result was the most amazing bread you ever tasted.

Spirit is the one with the "starter." You get an idea or an inspiration. You add an ingredient and let it sit. Then you add another. Timing is everything. You can't decide that you want to add the second ingredient before the twelve hour sitting time. Well you can, but your bread is not going to taste very good.

Today is the day to get your starter from Spirit. You will get instructions for when to add the next ingredient. Sometimes there  may be some pounding on the dough. Don't get impatient! Eventually your bread will be baking in the oven and everyone in the neighborhood will be smelling the most incredible aroma coming out of your very own kitchen!

Remember, if you need assistance as you navigate your journey, you can contact me through my website and set up a session. I am always at your service!

Blessings to you on this new moon, first day of the rest of your life!

Sitting With the Moon

Recently I embarked upon a new adventure. Every phase of the moon, new, full, and quarter, I have been connecting with her energy to get a feel for her energy and the differences in each stage of the cycle. Moon energy is very feminine, and centuries ago women were so in touch with the feminine aspect of her energy that even their cycles occurred in sync with the cycles of the moon. I have been feeling very drawn to the Sacred Feminine, to the extent of having connected in meditation with some of the ancient Goddesses, so this was just another step in the process.

 I will have to admit that this was not my idea. I had recently connected with my shamanic mentor, and she suggested this ritual to increase my awareness of the feminine aspect of spirituality, and to get me ready to conduct moon ceremonies.

 Each time I have connected with the moon, intense and powerful messages have come forth. I have wanted to post them on my blog, but my hesitation has been that by the time I sat down and wrote the messages and posted them, the particular phase of the moon I had connected to was over.

 Right now we are approaching a full moon. It will be full on the 14th, and we just passed the waxing quarter moon on the 6th. Each day we can see a little more of the moon as it seems to grow in size until it is full. When the moon is full we are accustomed to thinking about or doing ritual to manifest things into our lives. The moon being full represents the fullness of the light of the moon giving her energy toward our intentions. Many do rituals to manifest desires or goals.

 As I sat with the moon on the sixth, my desire was not to necessarily manifest anything. I just wanted to feel her energy, and to connect with her. I contemplated the fact that just because we could only see a portion of her, that didn't mean that the rest of the moon had gone somewhere. The moon was only showing us a portion of herself, but the rest of her, the side we couldn't see, was still there, out of view. Each day, I felt her convey to me, more and more of her was coming into view, but the fact remains that it was really there all the time.

The message that I received from Spirit in relation to this phase of the moon was that every day more and more of us are coming out into the light. The dark places inside of us are still there, but it is time to recognize that the dark side of ourselves is still a part of us, and we need to embrace all of the parts of ourselves, not just the "light" side, the side we show to the world. The moon does not reject those parts of her that are hidden from the light. She completely embraces all of the "phases" of herself. Sometimes there are parts of her that are hidden from view, but she is not ashamed of those things, those parts that she chooses not to show us. She is whole, even though it may appear to us that she is fragmented.

There comes a time when those dark things have to be brought into the light to be healed. The time for hiding parts of ourselves that do not "fit" into the image we show the world is over. We must embrace all the sides of our soul and all the "phases" of our lives.

For centuries those with healing abilities or "knowing" abilities were shunned, and even persecuted, or killed. In our "cells" we remember the pain of being rejected for our longings to help heal the world, and our fellow earth travelers. It is time to bring to the light the ways in which we judge one another, and our desires to bring healing to those who come to us. It is time to shine our lights and say that we want to help bring healing to individuals and to the planet.

The main message I got this week as I sat with the moon was that we are all one. There is no dark side and light side. Just as the dark side of the moon is the same moon as the light side, it is just not visible to us here on the earth, so it is with each of us. We each have dark sides and light sides. None of us are always on all the time. Everything has a season, and we as humans have seasons and phases as well. As we embrace those parts of our soul that have been kept in the "dark", we find that our soul heals.

Just for today, release the judgement which you have held against the dark, or hidden things. When you judge, you are focusing your energy on something, and actually giving it power. When we love those dark places, those hidden things, then the darkness loses its power. Love heals all.

Remember that I am always available to assist you as you begin to heal those dark places inside of you and bring them into the light. We as a human race seem to be racing full speed ahead, and the time of coming out into the light is approaching. It is so important to embrace all that Spirit brings to us for healing, so that we can move forward into what our souls have chosen for us to experience next!

This next week, as the full moon approaches, I suggest that you think about those things that you are trying to bring to the fullness of the light. Ask your soul or your Highest Self what is coming out into the light this week. Embrace whatever comes up for you! Even the tough things, the challenges, are there for your own good!! They are coming up because it is time!

If you would like to schedule a personal session, you can contact me HERE. Blessings to you as you navigate your journey through this life!!! What an adventure we are on! And it is all good!!

The Magician

Today's card is the magician! I love this card!

This card is all about manifesting. What is it that you would like to see happen in your life? A new job? A new relationship? More time to travel or pursue other interests? This card appears when it is time to create something new in your life.

This card, the magician, contains elements of all the suits on the table in front of him. He is holding his magic wand up in the air, and there seems to be a halo around him in the background. The figure eight is portrayed above his head. There seems to be blooming life all around the edges of this card, representing the possibility that your life is about to burst forth into bloom.

I love to think about possibilities.

I was listening to a recording on manifesting once and the woman suggested that when faced with a challenge, instead of fretting, say to yourself or to the challenge, "What else is possible?"

I love that! Instead of looking at your circumstances and thinking of the worst that could happen, which is usually what worry entails, instead, think of the best that could happen. Play the scene out in your head. This person will do this, that person will do that, etc etc. Maybe you are going to a job interview. Imagine the interviewer asking you questions and you giving amazing responses. Imagine the look in the eyes of the interviewer as they admire your abilities or potential.

Maybe you are having personality conflicts. Instead of imagining the conflict ending badly.. "I will say this and they will say that.." instead, think of "what else is possible?"

I was recently confronted with a conflict. Instead of confronting the issue head on, I decided to spend a day or two just sending the person love. I did that popular meditation where I said, out loud or in my mind.. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you." Over and over I said these simple sentences. When I laid down to bed at night I would go to sleep saying the words. Upon awakening I found the words to be the first thoughts that were going over and over in my head as I slept.

You guessed it. I didn't have to confront the issue. It resolved itself.

The magician card says that whatever you would like to create, you have the power to do it!

I was on the elliptical machine today, just lost in my own little world of electronica music and my own heart beating, when I remembered a story that a man once told of a time when he was living in a rundown motel building. He was on an upper floor, with a balcony that overlooked an old, rundown and nonworking swimming pool. He decided that every day he would go out on his balcony and imagine that he was sitting on a beautiful, new and lush balcony overlooking the ocean. He did this for a time, I don't remember how long. I bet you can guess the end of the story. Yes, now he lives in the place that he imagined for himself.

You can do it too!!

How do you start? First, you have to decide what kind of life you want for yourself. Imagine that life and what it will entail. Visualizing is not enough. You have to make a plan. How are you going to manifest that house on the beach, or that new job? What steps can you take today that will get you there. I am here to tell you that your house on the beach is not going to drop out of the sky. Yes, the magician card says you can manifest whatever you want, but you are the one who has to do the work! Make a plan. See yourself where you want to be, and then make a plan for getting you there!

Sometimes your fairy godmother will appear and wave her wand and give you your wishes. More often, you have to create your life yourself. Take a step today in the direction you want to go. The magician card appears today to say, "Today is the day!! You have the power to manifest your heart's desires. It is up to you to create that life you are dreaming of.."

Now go do it!!

Seven of Cups

As a teaser to next week's spiritual growth class on the tarot, I thought that for the next few days I would post a daily message based on a card of the tarot.

I shuffled my cards, and asked Spirit to give me a card to post a blog about. Something that my readers could identify with, and possibly incorporate into their daily walk.

Here is the card I drew:

This card is the seven of cups. I chose this image because it seems to me to be a little easier to understand than my normal favorite deck, the Rider Waite.

This card speaks of daydreaming. I think in all the times since I first began connecting with the tarot, and have had the daily practice of drawing a card and contemplating on its meaning all throughout the day, I have only once drawn this card. The image was a bit different, as you can see from this image of the Rider Waite deck:

At the time that I first drew this card, Spirit told me through this card that I had too many pots on my stove. It was time to focus and start turning my dreams into a reality by creating a step by step plan of action.

Sometimes we have a dream. We want our lives to turn out a certain way. Maybe we would like to turn a hobby into a business. Maybe we would like to add a spiritual practice or an exercise routine or some other aspiration to our daily life. We think about it. Perhaps we meditate or say affirmations or do some sort of manifesting ritual to bring about a desired outcome. But we never make a plan of action. The seven of cups is encouraging us to stop our daydreaming and take some steps to make our dreams into a reality!

For awhile now I have been saying I would like to start writing my second book. But things get in the way. I have a job, although my hours have changed, offering more opportunity to do my "other" work. I am a wedding officiant. I do private and group readings, classes, as well as write this blog. I also have a husband, children, grandchildren, and family responsibilities. Each of my various responsibilities could be symbolized in one of these cups.

Does the seven of cups speak to you today? Do you have a dream but no plan of action? It is not enough to say affirmations that you would like to have your own business or lose ten pounds or find your soul mate. You have to have a plan for bringing your dreams into reality. The seven of cups says that it is time to lay down your illusions. There is no limit to what you can create with the power of positive thinking and positive words, but at some point, you have to put action to those words and thoughts. 

About two years ago I took some swimming lessons. Yes I have lived fifty years and never mastered the art of swimming. Anyway, I took the lessons. My teacher said I had skill. However, now, two years later, I can't remember any of what she taught me. Why? I have managed to make it to August and I have yet to have gotten in the water! You don't learn to swim by watching other people swim! At some point you have to get in the water. You have to practice what you have learned. Eventually you learn to swim.

The tarot's message for today is to put into action what you are dreaming about! It is good to daydream while you are putting together in your mind what you would like to create. It is good to visualize yourself at your perfect weight, in your perfect relationship, or whatever it is you would like to manifest! But at some point you are going to have to get in the water!

Just for today, come up with a plan of action! Make a list of all the steps needed to put your dreams into the world of reality. Don't expect your dream to fall out of the sky and hit you in the head. There are things you can do to bring  your dreams into your world.

I am excited for you as you embark on the adventure of a lifetime! What is it that makes your heart sing? What would it take to bring that into your life? Take the first step today!

Gratitude Journal

This is a great idea and I thought I would share it.

I know that for many people May has been a difficult month. The energies of the month vibrationally were challenging, and this has been the case for many people. I for one am very excited that we are about to transition into June. Numerologically speaking, May was the vibration of 2, which many find challenging. It is the energy of polar opposites, so you may have had things going up and down and up and down. You may have felt like you were trudging through mud, as I did. I was hearing a lot about people breaking commitments or not following through with obligations. This seemed to be affecting a lot of people.  Your individual birth date may have had a different vibration, but universally this was the energy. I was hearing this from a lot of people, so I realized that this energy was affecting many of you.

Now we are about to shift into a new vibration when June hits us on Saturday. This is the energy of 3. This is a much more fun number, with the emphasis being on socializing, but it also has a very spiritual connotation as well. Many find 3 to be a powerful manifesting number, unless you are trying to attract a relationship, then it is not such a good number ( you know that old saying.. three's a crowd.. appropriate here)..

 I am choosing to focus on the manifesting aspect of the 3 energy. It is also the number of expression. We have all heard of journaling, but this concept includes the aspect of expression as well as multiplying the effects due to the way it changes our focus and multiplies our creative, manifesting energy. I thought that beginning in June I would do this, and it might resonate with some of you so I am suggesting you do it too!

Start a gratitude journal. In this journal write down every single time something good happens to you. It could be as small as finding a penny on the floor. We humans have to tendency to notice every time something goes out of our life: money, relationships, or whatever, and we seem to have no trouble expressing our dismay when these things happen. How about if we change our focus and write it down or express in some way that you have noticed when something good comes your way? I suggest having some sort of focus, like my money gratitude journal or my love gratitude journal. Think about what you are desiring to manifest.

You may wake up in the morning feeling good instead of groggy.. write it down! Someone may let you in line at the grocery store ahead of them.. write it down! You may be doing laundry and find money in the washing machine.. you get the idea!

As we focus on the good things that happen to us, we may not notice as much when things are difficult.


The new moon in June is on the 8th ( coincidentally my favorite number). New moons symbolize starting a new phase. So if we are going to start our journal with the help of the Universe and planets and the moon we may want to start our journal on June 9th. Up until that time, you may want to think about things you want to release. Right now we are going from a full moon to a new moon, which means the moon is waning. Symbolically this represents letting go. Are there patterns or habits you would like to be rid of?  Why not do a ritual symbolic of letting go of those things? Since three is the number of manifestation, it might be a good idea to do this ritual three times before the actual new moon.

What do I mean by ritual? You might write on a piece of paper something you would like to release and then find some sort of ritual which symbolizes this for you. Some people may burn the paper upon which their items they would like to release are written. Some may bury them in the ground while some may have some other meaningful ritual. The most important thing is that what you do has to mean something to you!

Wording is important!

Don't say:" I don't want .... anymore."  Instead, say:" I am now releasing.... "  Or "I release the need to....."


Be creative!! 

When we include powerful emotions in our rituals, it increases the effect!

You might want to dance or sing or laugh or cry as you do your ritual. You may want to call upon your Higher Powers to increase the vibration. I grew up Pentecostal, so we always engaged in powerful emotional triggers to our religious rituals. I still have fond memories of dancing around the church in expression of faith and devotion! This counts for your gratitude journal and your releasing ritual.

Get excited when something wonderful happens! As you raise your personal vibrations, miracles happen!

I am looking forward to the amazing effects of our collective energy raised up to the Universe as we release the no longer useful things and celebrate the good stuff in our lives!!

If you need some personal attention to ridding your life of negative patterns and moving on to the good stuff, help is available! You can contact me through my website and we can work on a personal plan of action! Feel free to contact me and let's work on moving forward!

www.WhispersofJoy.net

Visit From An Old Friend

The past few days have been a bit of a struggle for me. It started out promising. I joined a community of fellow bloggers and I had hopes of expanding my viewership. Then it happened. I started reading the other blogs. Oh my were they good!! My old friend self doubt started to creep in. I thought I had banished him for good but he started reading those blogs over my shoulder and guess what he said?

"You are not a writer at all! These girls really have it going on!"

"Who do you think you are even thinking that anyone wants to read your blogs?"

"These girls are so much younger than you and yet they really know how to express themselves!"

"You need to just give up blogging and just go to work at the Post Office and forget all this other stuff! No one is interested in what you do! People who know you know that you are nothing but a Post Office clerk!"

I could go on. He had been talking to me since I understood language so we have been very well acquainted over the years. I thought we had parted company. I had him banished, so I thought. But his voice had changed over the years, and I guess I didn't recognize him at first.

It didn't help that my tarot card for yesterday was the "star"

The star card of the tarot is the card of.. "you will eventually get what you want, but not today.."

It is a card of hope. It is still night, but this card tells you to keep going. Keep watering your plants. Like the magi who followed the star to the Messiah, the star tells you to follow your dreams, but it is still sometime in the future before you will get what you want. The last time I drew this card was the day I was going to West Virginia to get my license to perform wedding ceremonies there. I pulled the star and I knew it was not going to happen that day. But soon.

However, when self doubt is already talking to me in his disguised voice, the star card was just telling me that "it ain't gonna happen today, honey."

So last night in my pile of pity poop, I was having second thoughts. My old bedfellow self doubt had me almost convinced that I had nothing to offer the world. It sure would be a whole lot easier just to get up everyday and just go to work and come home. Go to the gym, come home, drink my glass of wine and go to bed.

Yes, I allowed myself to wallow for just a bit. And then, laying in my bed, it occurred to me. This is my life and I get to decide! I have every right to just throw in the towel, go to bed, forget all the "stuff" I do, all the "stuff" I hear, all the "stuff" I want to do. Wouldn't my old friend self doubt just love me then! Of course, then his job would be done. If I am never trying to do anything, there is nothing to doubt myself about. If I never try then I don't have to worry about will I ever get there!

So this morning I got up and my card was the magician..

I have done a study of how the tarot and your birthdate correlate to one another and this is my birth card. This card is all about manifesting. In this card we have references to all the other cards. Within this card is the ability to create anything you desire. So essentially, my Tarot Guides were telling me..

"Yes Joy, you get to decide. You can create a life just going to your regular job and  you will be okay. But is that what is going to bring you joy?"

"It is time for you to decide what you want and stop looking at who is already doing it and whether or not they are doing it better than you. Stop comparing yourself to others. Get up off your pity party ass and get back to work!"

So once again, I have banished my old friend self doubt. I am sure he will peek back in from time to time. Apparently according to my astrology chart he is in for the long haul. But I have remembered my purpose and I am once again in the drivers seat. I am the creator of my life.

This somewhat long blog is my confession about my battles with an old friend/enemy: self-doubt. I call him my friend because he is my teacher. I learn about myself when I notice him whispering in my ear. I don't think he really means me harm. He is just trying to protect me from my other friend/slash enemy "rejection"... yes we are friends from way back too.

Just for today, make friends with your enemies. Allow them to show you what you don't want so you can go after what you do want. Recognize that they really are just trying to protect you. They will not go away without some action on your part. The neat thing is, you get to decide. You are the magician of  your life as well. What have you decided to create?


Here are some links to a few of those amazing blogs that blew me away...

My discovery and remembrance is that there is enough abundance in the Universe that all of us can express our own most wonderful versions of our lives and our experiences with Spirit  and that there will always be enough abundance left to go around! We are each responsible for creating the life that we desire and just because there is someone out there who is doing something wonderful, and maybe better than you, is no reason to doubt yourself or your dreams! Keep going forward!! We are all in this together!

I want to start with my BFF's blog for all of you animal lovers out there and then from there the blogs from the recent group I just joined. I hope I got you all.. if not then I will get to your link on the next go round...

http://labyrinthgal.blogspot.com/

http://www.thehappyhunt.com/blog.html

http://claimyourtreasure.com/the-stories-they-told-me/

http://blog.thehagsden.com/2013/05/dancing-in-moonlight.html


http://racheljessicatan.com/2013/05/27/how-to-achieve-your-dreams/

http://www.rachelellenandrews.com/blog/2013/5/23/create-art-create-happiness-giveaway-
winners.html

http://www.lovethisamazinglife.com/challenge-8-take-a-hike/

 http://www.jacqueline-gates.com/

http://mypeacelovelife.weebly.com/

Surrender

This morning in my meditation I kept hearing the word "surrender." I have always felt like surrender was a paradox. We have goals. We do things to achieve these goals. We do vision boards. We do affirmations. We take action to make our dreams come true. And then we have to surrender these goals to the Universe?

Sometimes the things we really want to come to pass always seem just beyond our reach. We are always almost there. There is something that always comes up to cause us to take a step back. Two steps forward one step back. We get a little money saved up and then our car breaks down or some such similar thing. We get into a relationship and then that person finds someone else. You know the scenario. We find our dream home and then the financing falls through or someone else puts a contract down first. That is when we have to come to a place of surrender.

When you have done everything in your power to make a certain thing happen, when you have done your affirmations, when you have taken action, when you have meditated and envisioned it happening and then something happens that seems to be the opposite of what you wanted, it is time to surrender. Yes you have plans. You have goals. But there comes a time when the Universe just wants you to say, okay, this is what I want, but I am willing to lay it down for now. I know the Universe has my best interests at heart. I am just going to go with the flow and allow things to unfold as they will. I know that the best will come to me, and I am going to release my feelings about what that best thing is. It doesn't mean that you are giving up. Just take some time to surrender all you want, all you are to the Universe. Sometimes we don't know what is just around the corner. Sometimes it is all about timing. You can't force a flower to bloom in February. You may see a little sprout of a flower poking its head out of the dirt but you cannot make it bloom. If you go outside and start poking and prodding at that little sprout you will only kill it. Surrender.

Surrender is different from giving up. If you are in a place of surrender you are giving to the Universe all your plans and goals and you are releasing your right for what you want to happen in a certain way.

Think about things that you have wanted to happen that seem just beyond your reach. Just for today, give those goals up to the Universe, the Divine, God, Goddess, and say, okay, I surrender. I know that my best good is there for me, I surrender my thoughts and plans of what that best good is. Today I release control.

And then wait and see what happens.

Halloween Spells

A good friend of mine a long time ago once told me that in her belief system, any spell cast on Halloween was guaranteed to come to pass. The energies, she told me, were greater that day than any other. I hadn't thought about that for years but this morning it came to my mind. Of course I don't propose that we all go out and start casting spells, unless of course they follow the cardinal rule "DO NO HARM."  But let us think about this for a moment.

Yesterday I was supposed to officiate at a wedding in Virginia Beach, but decided to err on the side of caution and request it be postponed, due to the hurricane. So I ended up with a day to myself, since my original plans had been cancelled. I was walking into the grocery store, not really thinking about anything in particular, when my guides told me that I really had to watch my words, because words that came out of my mouth were very powerful and had the capability of changing worlds.

This kind of coincides with this morning's thought about casting spells on Halloween. Now casting spells kind of has an evil connotation, with all the media and movies that have glamorized the practice and the tendency for religion to demonize the practice, but really, it is no different than saying a prayer. A long time ago my guides told me that every thought I thought was a prayer. Every intention or every affirmation I repeated is a kind of spell that I am casting for something that I expect to manifest in my life. Anything that any of us do with intention has power to bring about change in our lives.

So what if my friend has a valid point? What if any spell we cast on Halloween has extra power? Why not use this to our advantage? Let us all spend a moment today to send out prayers, intentions, thoughts of love and light, or whatever you want to call your prayers, out to those in harm's way? To all those affected by the storm, let us send out our intentions that the ability to reclaim their losses will be intensified, that their hearts will be comforted in their losses. Let us send out the intention to the political candidates that the best man for the job will win, that whatever is best for our country and for all those that live here and call it our home will manifest, that whatever the outcome that we may all learn to love and accept one another no matter our differences of opinion, that all may have equal opportunities to live life according to their heart, and that we not blame the government or anyone outside of ourselves for our situations. Let us set aside our judgements and our thoughts of what is right and wrong, and simply love one another.

Some may call it casting a spell and some may call it saying a prayer. Some may light candles to intensify their prayers and some may do other rituals, but as long as no living thing is harmed in the process, what difference does it make what the ritual is or to whom the prayer is addressed? I believe our Source and the Creator of all that is has bigger things to think about than how He/She is addressed and what rituals are performed to request assistance.The bottom line is that it is our intention with which we perform our rituals or pray our prayers that has the real power.

May our intentions be of the highest order, that all may be blessed and that no one be harmed as we all celebrate Halloween in our own way. Do not judge others in their beliefs, whether they be similar to yours or different, as long as no harm is caused or intended. Blessed be!!

New Things

http://www.learntarot.com/bigjpgs/wands01.jpg

Yes, I know I have written about the ace of wands card already. This morning I drew this card first and I indicated to Spirit that I needed a card that I had not already drawn. Spirit makes no mistakes, however. I put this card back and attempted to write about the next card that I drew. It was a struggle to say the least. Obviously Spirit has something to say to day about the Ace of Wands.

If you read my previous message relating to this card, you know that this is the card of new ideas. Something within you has sparked and a new idea has conceived within you. This is the card of conception. Nothing has materialized yet. The final outcome of this idea is still undecided. The end result could be very different from the initial conception.

The message for today is that if you desire change in your life then do something new. I love the exercise gurus out there who say, " you cannot continue to do the same things and expect different results." This tidbit of wisdom applies to all areas of our lives. We cannot continue to do the same things in the same ways and expect something different to manifest. I learned this years ago. I was locked into a belief system and I erroneously thought that if I prayed and prayed, eventually God would intervene and fix all my problems. After a number of years of struggle I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and be my own savior. The strength I was looking for outside of myself I found within my own soul. Yes, I still connect with Angels and Guides, but I don't look for them to do anything for me without any action on my part.

Inside of ourselves we all contain a spark of the Divine. That light in our own soul is connected to the light that is inherent in all things. All we need to do is access that Divine Wisdom. All the answers we need are there. The Ace of Wands embraces that spark.

Just for today, so something that is out of the ordinary. Get out of your comfort zone. Drive a different way to work. Eat a food you are not accustomed to eating. Change the furniture around in your house. Remember that nothing is created or destroyed, it just changes form. When you change something in your world, anything, the energy around you changes.

 Do you want more money? Put a dollar bill in your pocket and pull it out periodically during the day and just feel its energy. Imagine yourself with lots of dollar bills in your pocket. Imagine the feeling of it. Then sometime, before the end of the day, give that dollar bill away. Yes, give it away. Nothing is created by holding on. It is created by letting go. If you cannot decide who to give it to, then go into a store and drop it on the floor. Say to Spirit.." thank you for giving me the gift of money. I have so much that I am giving this to You to give to someone who needs it. It is not up to me who that person is. I now release it to the Universe for whoever needs it......"

Just for today, do something symbolic of the change you desire to see in your life. If you want a new job, drive a different way to work. If you want a new relationship, place a picture in your bedroom of a happy couple. If you want to see things in a new way, wash the windows in your home or your car. I think you get my drift. Spirit will tell you what to do that is symbolic of the change you wish to see.

Today is the day to spark a new era in your life. Ready, set, go!!

The World

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Here is a card we all would like to see when we are getting a reading, the card entitled the World. This card indicates that the world is at our command. We are fulfilled. We are happy. We are complete.

In the picture there is a woman, seemingly dancing in thin air, covered only by a loosely wrapped scarf of some kind. She is surrounded by a laurel or a wreath, with four figures looking from each corner of the card. She is holding a baton of some kind in each hand. It is a happy card, a card that sings of completion and wholeness.

Most of us will have to admit that we are all aspiring to this card. We all want our lives to be at peace. We want to meet our goals. We want to be perhaps in a relationship which has weathered the storms and now has settled happily into bliss. We want that perfect career, that happy home, that feeling of completeness and perhaps enlightenment. If this is your goal, then the world card might be the one you carry around with you today.

Most of us will admit that sometimes this seems like a lofty goal, perhaps unreachable. We cannot imagine our lives this way, because we have not seen ourselves in this light. If you can admit to yourself that you have a hard time imagining your life without any struggles, then it may take some time before you embrace this card.

It is said that the reason that a large percentage of those who win the lottery are out of money within a relatively short period of time is because they are not in resonance with large amounts of money. In other words, they could not feel or see themselves without struggle. I wrote a blog once about my first adventure in building a pond, in which I took some fish out of the icky green water in which they had been accustomed to living and placed them in a bowl of fresh clean water and they died within a half hour. In other words, we are victims of our environment.  Many of us are fish living in an icky green algae infested pond. We cannot just jump out into a bowl of clean water. In order to create a life for ourselves in which we are able to embody the essence of this card, we must first feel it, see it, taste it, and smell it deep within the recesses of our being.

Just for today, imagine that perfect life, in which you are at peace with all that touches you. You are in a happy, fulfilled relationship. You have that perfect job or have created that perfect income. Your children are happy and settled. Your home is at peace. Your bills are paid. Pay attention to the feelings that come up. Deep within yourself, is there a small voice that is whispering that it could never happen? It is time to displace that voice and replace it with the essence of fulfillment, happiness, contentment, accomplishment. Feel complete. Feel enlightened. Feel safe. Imagine yourself as that woman, dancing in mid air in the midst of a crown of accomplishment. Do this regularly. Then just see what happens.

Seven of Wands

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Today's card is the seven of wands. In this card, there is a lone man standing against a blue sky, holding a stick (or a wand) in a defensive position against six more sticks (or wands) in front of him. He seems determined, defiant, and willing to stand his ground against all odds.

In the major arcana of the tarot, the seventh card is the card of the chariot. In the chariot, there is a man, driving a chariot with two horses, one white and one black, and in some cards it appears that they are going in different directions. The chariot represents the ability to tame opposing forces and reign them in to a successful conclusion. Even before I knew the meanings of the tarot cards, this rang true with me in my experience of the number seven. In traditional numerology, seven represents going within, spending some time alone, the need for privacy, but also with the indication that a spiritual experience would be the result of this time alone. Wands in the tarot represent ideas, creative ventures. So in the card of the seven of wands, it would appear that there is going to be a bit of a struggle in creating the reality that is your vision, but with the strength that comes from within, one can be victorious.

Is there an idea, a vision, or a goal, that you have been contemplating? Has it been a struggle bringing your idea or vision to fruition? Do you sometimes feel that you are alone in your quest? The card of the seven of wands indicates that it is time to stand your ground, against all odds, be aggressive and defiant of all opposition, don't be afraid to maintain your position, even if it means standing alone.

We all want to get great messages from Spirit. We want to know that all is well, that we will win the lottery, that we will fall in love and live happily ever after, that our business will be successful, that our children will be okay, etc, etc. There are some cards in the tarot that, at first glance, don't seem wonderful. No one wants to be told that they are in for a battle ahead. When you look at this card, it appears that there is going to be a struggle, and that you will be or feel alone in the fight. The outcome is not necessarily indicated. The fact that the sky is blue in the background is a good sign. It would appear that eventually the battle will be won, but that is not necessarily the case.

Sometimes all you can do is stand your ground. Sometimes you will feel alone in your fight to make your world work.  The encouraging thing is that we have all been there. Some of us have won the battle, and some have not. I remember in my past I went through years of feeling like this man, standing my ground, all alone. Every day was a battle of some kind. But the day it changed was the day that I realized that I was the only one who could change it. It did not change overnight. But I stood my ground and did my spiritual work until I was able to hold my head up high and see the end of the struggle.

Many years ago there was a friend at work who I used to like to whine to. I would come to work and boo hoo about all the things in my life that were not working and why it was not my fault. One day this friend looked at me and said the words that changed my life.

"Joy, we have known each other for all these years (seven or eight at the time I think). You come in here whining about your life for all these years. I am tired of it. Whenever you have decided to do something about it, then come back and talk to me. Until then, I never want to hear it again."

It was like a brick hitting me in the face. I realized he was right. That day I made a plan and changed my life.

Is there something in your life that needs to change? Is there a battle you feel you have been fighting all alone? Today is the day to realize that only you can change it. If your life is not working, stop blaming everyone else. Today take a stand and change the things in your life you need to change. I did it. You can too!!

Ace of Wands

http://www.learntarot.com/bigjpgs/wands01.jpg

Today's card is the ace of wands. Traditionally this card indicates that something new is about to appear in your life. Wands is the suit of creativity and ideas, so it could mean that you are about to start a new creative venture. For those looking for a job, it could indicate that a new job or career is on the horizon. For those looking for love, it could indicate that a new relationship is about to begin. Wands are all about creating in life whatever it is you desire to create. Ones of course indicates that it is the beginning stages of this new thing. Nothing is concrete yet. It could indicate an explosion of creative energy, not yet manifest into form.

If you desire something new to manifest in your life, first you have to make room for it. If you are looking for a new relationship, you might want to rid your house or your closets of things that belonged to old lovers. Take down any pictures in your bedroom that show people or animals or objects all alone. Put things in pairs. Even two pillows on the bed indicate you are ready for love (not three, as this has a whole different energy).

If you desire a new career, think about what it is you want to do. Put up pictures relating to that field. You might paste up some positive affirmations concerning jobs and finances. Imagine yourself doing that job, wearing a particular uniform maybe or whatever it is that that job entails.

Whatever it is that you desire to create in your life, today is as good of a day to start as any. You might want to consult a numerologist who can tell you if your numbers are vibrating with the start of something new, but universally this is a year of change so this indicates that things are moving and shifting. You may want to spend some time thinking and contemplating exactly what it is you desire to create in your life and focus (subject of yesterday's blog) on that.

The bottom line is that if there is something you don't like about your life, then it is up to you to change it. Don't wait. Make a plan and follow through. Every day do something that brings you closer to your goal. Ask your Guides and Angels to assist you. Do something symbolic of that change.

Today is the day to birth something new. Thanks to the Angels and Guides for helping us all create that spark that eventually turns our ideas into concrete form. Today is the day we recognize that spark and allow it to spur us into action.

Second Look

My first mistake is that I did not think to set aside the cards I had already drawn so that I would draw a different card every day for the entire month. So I cut the cards and drew a card I had already drawn, the three of pentacles. I thought maybe Spirit was just telling me something personal, so I thanked Spirit and put the card back.

"I really am asking for a card to put on my blog, and I already wrote about this one," I told Spirit.

So I cut the cards again, shuffled them really good, and drew another card. The three of pentacles. I know. I should have left it out after having drawn it twice. Or maybe not. Maybe Spirit has more to say in regards to this card. I studied the card. There is a workman standing on a bench. There are two apparently religious figures standing next to him holding what appears to be plans or blueprints, possibly for the work he is doing. The monk looks inquisitive. I assume the other figure is a religious figure as well, but I am not familiar with the clothing.

The traditional meaning relates to working together as a team, which I already covered in the blog I already wrote about this card. It seems to me that the worker is held in high esteem, thus his position on the bench making him higher than the other two figures. What draws my attention this time is that the inside of what I assume is a temple of some kind, is dark. It is apparently still under construction.

"What if," Spirit said to me, " you are every part of this card? You are the temple still under construction. You are the craftsman building an intricate and ornate cathedral, to be admired by all? You are the monk and the nun, holding blueprints for the construction."

We could say that we are all beautiful cathedrals under construction. Our soul is our temple. We have an idea of who we are and who we want to be. We have a spiritual self, who holds the blueprints for our soul, and oversees the construction of our temple. Our outer self, our physical side, takes the blueprints and turns them into something concrete. The inside of our temple is dark, because within our hearts and souls we hold the secrets of our deepest longings and desires.

In numerology one of the aspects of  the number three is that of expression. We long to express ourselves in the way that we have imagined and for which we have the blueprints deep within our hearts. Three is also a spiritual number, having to do with the three parts of the Godhead, and the three parts our selves, spirit, soul, and body. In shamanism there are three worlds, the upper world- which is the world of the Higher Beings, the middle world- the world we live in, and the lower world - the world of the subconscious. So this card also speaks of a need to express ourselves and reveal our spiritual side to the world.

Sometimes we need to take a second look at things we think we already know. If Spirit has sent us a message more than once, then it is definitely a sign to take another look. If we have gotten the same message at least three times, as I have with this card, the three of pentacles, then it is a sign that there is something I have not yet understood, that I need to meditate some more about.

So the message for today is three-fold.  Spirit wants you to know that you are a work of art under construction. You are the holder of the blueprints, you are the craftsman, and you are the temple. You get to decide what the finished product is going to look like!!

Also remember that if you get a message more than once, then it is important. Take a second look. There is something Spirit is trying to tell you. Sometimes Spirit won't tell you anything else until you get the messages you have already been sent. Take some time and listen.

The last part of this card has to do with promotion and honor. This card sometimes indicates that a promotion is on the way. The craftsman is standing on a bench which makes him higher than the other figures in the picture. Many times a traditional meaning for this card is that there is a promotion on the way or that you will be recognized for the work you are doing. Maybe there is someone out there who reads my blog who needs to know that Spirit thinks they are doing a good job. If this message resonates with you, then this part of the message is for you.

Just for today, recognize that you are a work under construction. You hold all the keys to the outcome of the finished project. You are doing a good job. Keep going!!

King of Pentacles

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Today's card is the King of Pentacles. What a wonderful card!! This card represents prosperity, wealth, and being at the top of your game. All is going well. You are sitting on your throne. Your kingdom is at peace; your crops are producing; you are manifesting all you have put your intentions toward. All is well.

Isn't it wonderful when you reach this point in your life? I know I have readers who will say that they have never been at this place in their life, when there is no struggle, no obstacles to overcome, all is well. Sometimes in our lives we are so used to the struggle, the hard work, the feeling like as soon as one trial or struggle is overcome there is another one right on the horizon. There are even belief systems out there that tell us that life is supposed to be hard. We are supposed to work hard and struggle. That is what life is about.

Today Spirit is telling us that it is time to change our perception. If we believe that life is supposed to be a struggle, then it always will be. If we believe that the economy is bad and we will never have enough, then we will experience the manifestation of that belief. If we groan every time we stop to put gas in our gas tank and complain about the price, then we will always struggle to pay for our gas. What if, instead of complaining about gas prices, say thank you to Spirit for the ability to fill your tank up no matter what the price? What if you place a love stamp on your bills because you love to have the ability to pay them?

Just for today, imagine that you are that king sitting on his throne.  Your crops are growing in the fields and ready to be harvested. Your kingdom is at peace. All your needs are met and there is nothing that you want that you cannot have. If this is the life you desire for yourself and your family, then maybe you should meditate on the King of Pentacles.

One last thing. There is nothing wrong with having all your needs met. Sometimes there is a voice inside of us that tells us that having all our needs met makes us lazy or sinful. Not true. If you hear a little voice inside your head telling you that you can never have this, then that is a sign you still have some work to do. You are not yet connecting with this card or this mentality.

Yes, I realize that there are people out there that have been displaced by acts of nature. I realize that people are struggling with unemployment, sickness, and scores of other challenges. This mentality starts inside of you. I saw a movie once in which a man was unjustly put into prison. He was there for many years. I don't remember the name of the movie or anything else about the movie except this one quote: " you can imprison my body but you can never imprison my soul."  This is the mentality of the King of Pentacles. No matter what you see happening in your physical world, you can embrace this card. Remember that your wealth begins in your soul and eventually manifests in your outer world.

Today Spirit wants you to embrace the King of Pentacles. Be the king of your own throne. Embrace the wealth that is in your soul, just waiting for you to access its treasure.

Letting Go of Anger

Today I received some words of wisdom for a client dealing with some anger issues, and the words that came forth came from a higher place, so I thought them worth repeating.

Some people seem to walk through life always angry about something. Someone cut them off in traffic. That dang mail man gave their mail to the neighbor again. Their significant other won't pick up after himself or herself. Their boss deliberately gave the position they wanted to someone else. Or something.

The most important thing to remember is that on a subconscious level, we create our life. We create all the experiences we call life. If we don't like what we have created, then it is up to us to create something different. We can't always choose all the experiences we have in life. Obviously we don't choose to be raped, or robbed, or laid off from work, or experience an illness or a death in the family. But we choose how we react to those events. Anger is a natural response that it is necessary to work through. However, this is not what I am talking about. There are some who just seem to be angry all the time.

When we walk around in a pool of anger, even if the anger is justified, those to whom we are projecting our anger can feel those feelings even if they are not in our presence when we are expressing our feelings. Even if we never say a word but are thinking angry thoughts, those thoughts are projected onto the object of our anger and on a soul level, they know. We almost perpetuate the actions of those individuals. We are creating in our minds the experience before it happens. We are expecting the object of our anger to behave in a way that justifies our feelings. Even if on a conscious level the person knows nothing of our feelings, on a soul level they know.

The Angels told me that our souls feel things that our minds have no way of knowing. When we get angry, or have any type of negative feelings about an individual, that person's soul hears and feels those emotions. It is almost as if we have cast a spell on that individual and they have no choice but to respond in a way that we expect them to respond. It is time now to change the spell we are casting!!

Instead of focusing on the events or actions that make us angry, think instead about living in a happy environment and all the people in our lives complementing that environment. Create in your mind that all your interactions with others are peaceful, and expect that to be the case. You could even think of the person with whom you are in a primary relationship and recreate in your mind all the things that attracted you to them in the first place. Was it their smell, their smile, the way you felt when they walked into the room? Think about those things. You might expect to come home from work and see the house picked up or the laundry done, you might expect the mailman to deliver all the mail correctly, you might expect that every interaction you have is a pleasant one. This is not living in a fantasy world. This is creating the life you desire!!

Here is a profound statement. Energy follows thought. What are you thinking about? Are the majority of your thoughts filled with worries, or anger, or fear? Do you stay awake at night thinking about what will you do if this occurs or that occurs or do you repeat over and over in your mind all the things that make you angry? How many times do you repeat either in your mind or out loud to others stories that make you feel justified in your anger? It is time to stop all that!! Stop repeating stories of  injustices!!

Imagine instead that the emotions you feel are audible and that the people to whom you are projecting your emotions can feel and hear those emotions. What messages are you sending them? The amazing thing is, this is exactly what is happening!! Their souls do hear and feel what you are projecting. When you change what you are sending out, then the energy that comes back to you is obligated to change as well. It is time to change the silent messages we send out every day. Decide today to change you thoughts and your feelings and your expectations and your life is obligated to change.

Yes I know this is an old message, but one worth repeating. Let us reinvent ourselves and our lives by changing our thoughts and our words. Let us send out the energy of love, and expect that energy to come back to us. Let us be the change we wish to experience.

Just for today, decide to let go of one grudge, one thought of anger or worry or fear. Let go of one resentment, one wound. If we all do that, the world suddenly becomes a little brighter. There is one less grudge, one less insult, one less resentment. And we feel better. And isn't that what it is all about?

Red Lights Don't Necessarily Mean Stop

A while back I was out running and I ran into Jesus. Not literally, mind you. If you have read any of my previous blogs you know that I frequently connect with Higher Beings when I am exercising. I wasn't intending on connecting with Him, but I was made aware of His presence when I got to that place during my run when my mind is out of the way and my spirit is cognizant of the world beyond this one. It is my belief that the unseen world is not millions of miles away, but just beyond our ability to physically see and sense it. There is a thin veil that separates us from the multitude of presences that are not in body, and this particular time it was Jesus who intercepted me.

At that particular interaction He reminded me from where I came and how much my thinking had changed in the past few years. I had gone from a traditional Christian viewpoint to now a much more expanded one and there were several messages that He gave me at that time which I felt needed to be put in print. I had published a few of the messages into blogs but was trying to compile the rest into what I thought was to become my second book.

Here it is several months later and it seemed that I had come to an impasse. I was unsure of how much to reveal in my story of how I got here from there and wondered if I should even be writing it. I had felt after this contact from Jesus that day during my run that He had wanted me to expound upon some of the information He had given me that day.This weekend was to be my writing weekend, since my husband was out of town and I should be facing several hours of quiet time. The material was struggling to come forth in written form. While I was struggling with the story, I got a message for my blog which I took time away from the writing of the book to publish. I was amazed at how the message had just flowed through my fingertips and what a difference from the struggling I had been facing with the book.

I remembered a message I had gotten a couple of weeks back as I was driving from one side of town to the other. I was headed to my husband's place of business and I had been instructed by Spirit that if a traffic light was red I was to take the alternate route. There were several ways to go to my destination and it seemed that every time I was faced with a red traffic light, there was an alternative. I could turn a different way and keep moving forward. The message I had gotten that day was that if I hit a red light, then I was to take an alternate route. I was told by Spirit that I would always have an alternative if I came up against an obstacle to moving forward.

I am one who believes that if faced with a closed door, then another door must be open somewhere. I do not believe that my path forward is engraved in stone or that there is only one way forward. The message that I have gotten is that if something isn't working, then something needs to be changed. I am therefore putting the book to rest until Spirit gives me the go ahead or shows me an alternative way to spread the message.

My message from Spirit for today is that there are others out there who are struggling with what they felt like was their instructions from the Spirit realm. They have been trying to put into action what they felt at the time was direct instructions from Source on their best plan of action. Sometimes we may feel like we have been led by Spirit in a particular direction and then the path seems to disappear from view or be overcome by obstacles. Spirit says not to have your path set in stone. Be willing to change your direction if the way forward continues to elude you.

There is a story in the Bible about Abraham and how he felt like he was led by God to sacrifice his son Isaac on the alter. Isaac represented to him God's promise of a nation that would be born of his seed and Isaac was that seed. Then God told him to kill his son. On his way to obey what he felt was the instruction from God, an alternative plan from God emerged. This story could be a parable of how sometimes what we feel like is direct instructions from God may not be exactly what we thought or that there may be an alternate plan that comes forward after we have moved forward with the original plan. The message is... be willing to change your course of action if the original course of action is not working.

One lesson I have learned in my study of Shamanism is that one of the ways to get stuck on your path is to think that there is only one way forward. Be willing to have your plans change. This represents flexibility.

Just for today, think about how something you have been working on has not been bearing fruit or moving forward. Think of an alternative plan of action and take a step in that direction. Sometimes a closed door may mean that there is a better way. Let us all be open to a change in plans. This year is a year of changes. What you think is your best path may be open to change. Let us all move forward in the way that is best for all concerned.

Changing Limiting Circumstances

The following is a message I received for a client and it was so good I had to post it for anyone else who may be going through a struggle and need a tool to recreate something in their life that they would like to change. I have changed any identifying information that would pinpoint the person for whom this message was given. I hope it can help others.

Okay. First of all the Angels told me that you have to change your vision of yourself. You have come a long way, They told me, but there is still more work to do. You have a subconscious belief that you are being judged for past sins. This has to be released or you will be forever subconsciously be creating situations in which you are being punished. So the first thing they told me to tell you to do is a releasing ceremony. This is a ceremony in which you will be releasing limiting thoughts about yourself. I will give you a few ideas of what these limiting thoughts may be but you are the one who must go within and find the true wording to what is in your heart. This can be discovered by getting quiet and alone with yourself.  Sit quietly and allow your consciousness to go within your heart. You could imagine a smaller version of yourself going within your heart and trying to find a hidden box containing all the negative beliefs you have about yourself. These are very strong beliefs that probably came to you in previous lifetimes. When you find this box, open it up and see what is inside. They could be hidden thoughts like.. "no one understands the true me."... or "I am always judged for past sins.".. or "I am never free from my past." Or "I always get the raw end of the deal.".. you will find the true thoughts.. these are just examples. When you have found these hidden beliefs I want you to write them on a piece of paper. Then light a candle and burn them. As you burn them, you send the intention out loud that you are releasing these limiting beliefs. You could say something like, " I now release these limiting beliefs I have about myself."

The next step is that if at any time these thoughts try to come back into your consciousness, you recognize the thought and replace it with a positive statement that is the exact opposite of the limiting belief. In other words you could say, " No, I have released that belief. It is no longer mine. I now believe that I am understood and loved for all that I truly am... I am recognized for all my accomplishments. I am exonerated of all charges against me." At this point it is important to visualize all those who you feel have let you down and thank them for the lessons you are learning through this experience and forgive them for their judgements of you. You could imagine their faces in front of you and say out loud that you are thankful for the learning experiences and you understand why they have misunderstood you.

The next step is to create a short sentence stating what you would like to create instead. The sentence should be seven words or less. It could be something like, " I create complete exoneration of all charges." or "I am loved and understood." or "My future is bright and successful." or "Those in authority recognize my true worth." You can use one of these statements or create your own.

Then I want you to create an object of some kind that would hold the energy of the statement that you can carry around with you. You will write the statement down on a small piece of paper and attach it to the object you create. I created an arrow that I don't carry around with me but I connect with every day. I wrote the statement on the arrow and I spend time every day with the arrow but the Angels told me that isn't good enough for you. You need something to carry around with you at all times that would fit in your purse or even your pocket. Hold it in your hand several times a day and say the statement either out loud or to yourself if you are out in public. I envisioned a small doll with the statement pinned somehow to the back but it could be whatever comes to you. Even a quarter with the statement taped to the back but it has to be something you will not lose and it is more powerful if you create it. It is even more powerful if you find something in nature that will agree to assist you. When I created my arrow I went outside and asked the trees if they would allow me to use a small branch for my arrow and then when one gave me permission I gave the tree a gift in return of a piece of my hair.

Anyway, when you have created your manifesting object you will carry it around with you for thirty days and connect with this object several times a day. Say the statement every time you touch the object. You can say it in your head if there are other people around. Continue to resist the temptation to allow limiting thoughts into your consciousness. When you think.. oh no these circumstances are so bad and there is nothing I can do to change them,  you could say.. what else is possible? I like that one. Keep saying.. what else is possible over and over every time you think.. oh no (whatever)....say...or think... what else is possible?

Just because your circumstances seem to be insurmountable doesn't mean it cannot be changed. Don't think this is set in stone. If you get a creative idea, act on it. Don't accept the sentence. Remember that you are the creator of your life and for some reason your subconscious has created this. When you have changed your subconscious beliefs about yourself, your circumstances will change. They have to.

I hope this helps the person it was originally intended for but I also believe that others can benefit from the ideas that Spirit gave me for this person. Now let's go out and create a more joyful life experience!!