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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

Thoughts About the Holidays, Snow, and What's Ahead

You may or may not know that I am in the process of writing my second book so I have not been posting blogs as often while I am in this book writing frenzy. I have completely lost focus on everything else as I attempt to tell the story of my journey from mainstream Christianity to the path I now follow. As I have journeyed through my life so far, I have noticed that the same issues I have been through are a common thread throughout the lives of many others.

That being said, I have taken some time to connect with Spirit along the way, and I am noticing a theme.

It seems that there is a huge shift in our Universal Consciousness on the way.

We can choose to go along with our lives with the attitude of "business as usual" or we can choose to take a ride on this new energetic shift and get ready for the ride of our lives!!

Many of us have experienced many challenges in 2013 and I feel that it is really important as we approach the coming year to take some time to go within and find the gift in each of those challenges.

It seems, at least in our part of the country, that the weather is offering us the opportunity to take advantage of some time of inner contemplation.


Winter in itself is symbolic of going within. Snow, in particular, puts our lives on a bit of a hold pattern, as we are forced to either stay home or go out into the elements and shovel our way out.
Either way, whether you decide to hibernate or go out and face the weather, you are offered some time to contemplate. This morning as I began the process of shoveling the little bit of snow that had already accumulated, in a preemptive measure to keep on top of things, I felt such a wonderful connection to the elements and to the quietness of the snowfall. It seems when snow falls, there is almost an element of awe and reverence in the atmosphere that I can feel falling from the heavens.




In the news I am seeing that snow is falling in areas of the earth that has not seen snow in over a hundred years. This to me is significant. The Universe is calling upon us to take some time to contemplate, go within, and find the beauty in our lives.

Just like snow is beautiful to behold but sometimes can be a challenge, so it is with life. Our lives are filled with events and possibilities that offer us a life of awe and beauty, but also one of challenges to overcome. One seems to come only hand in hand with the other sometimes.

This season of Christmas is when people come together to have communion, possibly exchange gifts, and think about the story of new beginnings. In the quiet of a manger, a child was born which changed the direction of the world. Some of the change was good, and some not so good, as I am sure the intention of Jesus was to offer the opportunity for acceptance, forgiveness, and love, but we humans took some of the ideas to extremes and used him as a means of separation and judgement.

We can choose to look at the gift of the Christ Child as a blessing or a curse. Many died over the centuries as supposed followers of Christ killed those who did not adhere to the beliefs they were propagating, but I am sure that was not Christ's intention.

It is all about what we choose to focus on. Should we focus on the atrocities that have been displayed over the centuries or the hope that  there was the offering of a new beginning from the old ways that Christ attempted to uproot? Should we focus on the challenges related to how snowfall keeps us from going on about our business or should we use the opportunity to go within and appreciate the beauty and awe that snowfall affords us?

Should we look back on the past year with regrets, bitterness, or grief, or should we thank our challenges for the gifts of strength and fortitude which only a challenge offers us?

It is all about intention.

May I offer you the challenge to look back on this year with gratitude for the gifts it offered us. Let go of any hurts, griefs, or setbacks, so that your soul can be ready for a new beginning in 2014!!!

Just for today, thank every event in the past year that offered you the opportunity for growth. Let go of anything that you may be holding on to that may hinder you from moving forward!! Look forward to time with family and friends, and look at gift giving, not as an obligation, but an opportunity to bless others!! Many in our past have given us gifts that have brought us to the place where we find ourselves today. Thank them!!

Now excuse me while I go connect with the elements and become one with the snow!!

New Moon and Solar Eclipse Sunday!

I don't usually post on weekends. Statistics say that readers are offline on weekends, and I say.. yay you! Everyone needs time to enjoy their lives. Go outside, if weather permits. Take a walk. Spend time with family and friends. Read a book.

However, today is the new moon and also another solar eclipse. Apparently we have been having a lot of activity in the skies lately.. eclipses, solar flares, not to mention the Mercury Retrograde,  all of which are contributing to our personal state of affairs.

I am not at all educated in the reading of the stars. I get my information from my many experts in the fields. All I know is that I have been feeling the effects of all of the solar activity. Aches and pains. Tiredness. A need for sleep.

I believe in symbolism. Spirit uses symbols to communicate with us and give us encouragement and hints about our lives. I am always open to symbols and hidden messages, so when I think of the new moon, I think about a time when the moon is not visible in the sky. That doesn't mean it isn't there. The moon is symbolic of all those things in our lives that are not readily visible, our shadow self, some call it. It is also symbolic of the Sacred Feminine. When there is a new moon, it has been waning for some time. This is symbolic of things that are passing out of our lives. What is it in your life that you want to get rid of? Anxiety? Anger? Troubled relationships? Perceived offenses? Maybe financial difficulties or sickness?Why don't you see those things passing out of your life right now? Why don't you go within to find your true light, the light that shines out from within you?

A solar eclipse is also symbolic of something being hidden behind something else. In the case of the new moon, we cannot see the moon because the dark side of the moon is the side that is facing the earth. In a solar eclipse, the light is hidden behind the shadow of the moon. So symbolically, shadows are hiding the light. Shadows are really nothing. They are just what is cast when the sun is shining on the other side of something.  So really, what may come up for you today is that the light is shining, but you can't see it. The shadow of something hidden from view is blocking your light.

Don't allow yourself to be offended today. It is just a shadow. It has no power over you. Let go of grudges and offenses. Be kind. Whatever does come up for you today, know that it will pass. On the east coast of the US, the solar eclipse was only visible for about two minutes. This is symbolic of the shadows of the events in our lives being very transitory.

Allow what is passing out of your life to pass. Thank it for its valuable lessons. Be ready for the light of the sun and the moon to come back. After the darkness has past, new things can begin to birth in your life. New and better things. There is a saying that nothing can be born without there first being a death of sorts. There has to be some sort of release before new things can come into our experience.

Welcome all the things that come and go in and out of your life. Know that it is all good. Learn from your mistakes and grievances. Forgive others and yourself.

I close with a quote from Rev. Irma Kaye Sawyer..

Happy New Moon and Solar Eclipse friends! May what is no longer serving your highest and best be gently eclipsed out of your life, to reveal the shining, crystal clarity within. May healing magic be in your every step.

The Ace of Swords

 I love the ace cards!!

I love them because to me the hand represents the hand of the Universe, or Source, or God.

To me, when I get an ace card, it means that I am about to receive a gift from the Universe. The individual ace card that I get will give me a clue as to what kind of gift I am about to receive!!

In the case of the sword, traditionally, swords represent words and communications. However, they can also represent conflict. If the latter is true, how can we consider the possibility that conflict may be a gift from the Universe!!

Yay!! I am about to tell you!!

You can learn from any conflict by considering that conflict to be a gift. Think of any conflict as containing within the issue something to be learned.  Get into your sacred place, maybe a quiet place of meditation or however you connect with your soul or the Universe, and ask the conflict ... "what gift are you offering me?" Many times it is a snippet into our own hidden world that many times we choose not to see, our shadow selves, many people call it. 

For example, do you and your hunnie bunnie fight about money? Could it be possible that there are some underlying issues relating to your feelings of self worth? Money is just a catalyst that inspires you to examine your own worth, or your perception of it. If you are constantly giving in to a partner who spends too much, then maybe you are not confident enough in your own self worth to stand up and say, no, this is not allowed.  Think about what issues you frequently find yourself in conflict over, either within yourself or with others. Ask yourself how you feel, deeply within yourself, about this subject. Do you feel your value is wrapped up inside of this issue? If it is, then the conflict itself is a gift from the Universe, saying... "hey, this is something you need to work on!"

The ace of swords does not necessarily mean there is going to be conflict. Words and communications are also highlighted. Maybe you are about to embark upon a new writing or speaking project. Maybe there is something you need to say. Maybe there is a letter that needs to be written, or a new job in the communications field opening up to you. This card is telling you that this is about to occur and that the Universe is offering you the opportunity to be successful in this venture!!

However the sword plays out in your life today, take that sword and go for it!!

Two of Wands

Today's message from the tarot is the two of wands, shown here:

As you can see in this picture, the man in the picture is holding the world in one hand, and a wand or staff in the other. Behind him is another wand or staff mounted against the stone wall he is standing behind. He gazes out into a lush landscape, graced by mountains, a beautiful blue body of water and green fields and trees. You can almost sense the excitement in the air as he contemplates his next move.

This card speaks of adventure, starting out on a new path, conquering new worlds.

If I were giving you a reading and this card were to show up, I would know that you are ready to take a step into something new. You have already come a long way, symbolized by the stone wall and the one wand braced securely against the wall but behind the man. Things are good, but you are ready for something new. You are ready to leave the security you have built and embark upon a new adventure!

This is a card of possibilities! The world is at your beck and call! There are new possibilities calling out for you!! Although you are holding the world in your hands, you would give it up in a minute to answer the call to go out into the unknown and forge a new path for yourself!

Maybe you are at a crossroads in your life. Things are good, but you are restless. You have created this secure and well established life for yourself, but you hear the call of the wild!

This card is not necessarily telling you to quit your job or leave your husband or wife, but it is telling you that adventures await you!! You can stay in the security of the walls behind which you stand, or you can risk it all and embark upon a new life, and only you know what that will entail!

We have all been in the position of hearing the call of the wild! We have lived safe within the walls of our own building, gazing out upon the unblazed trails of our own imagination! We know that as long as we remain within the walls, we will never experience the rush of adrenaline we long for, racing out into the unknown, feeling the wind in our faces and the crackling of the twigs beneath our feet! We hear the call, but stand inside our own walls, gazing out at others who risk everything in order to feel that surge of life rushing through their very being.

Sometimes, if we don't answer the call, the Universe will answer it for us. The comfort of our walls will collapse, and we will be forced to embark upon the adventure anyway.

Do you hear the call of the wild? Is it time to venture out beyond your comfort zone? Is it time perhaps to do something new? It may be as simple as listening to someone's viewpoint that differs from your own. It may be just driving a new way to work, or rearranging  your morning rituals. It was suggested to me once that if I desired things to change in my life, that a good starting point was to change my daily habits. If I was in the habit of brushing my teeth first and then taking a shower, then one morning take my shower first and then brush my teeth. Just a simple, mindful act of doing something out of the ordinary changes my energy and says to the Universe that I am open and receptive to change.

Try this. Just for today, say to yourself:

 I am open and receptive to change. 

or

I invite new adventures into my life.

or

I am open to other people's viewpoints.

I am excited for you as you embark upon a new stage of your life, as you leave behind the security of the walls you yourself have built up around you to protect you and venture out into the unknown!

Listen to the call of Spirit inviting you to really live your life! Do something different today! Anyone can risk one day of going outside of your comfort zone. Who knows what awaits you! Now get out there and be alive!

Eight of Cups

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is it you would like to walk away from?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

www.whispersofjoy.net