Masks

With it being the month of October, and Halloween coming up, my thoughts are turned to masks. My guides seemed to be hinting around about masks the other day when I forgot to put on my makeup and didn't realize it until I got to work. Normally I do not leave the house without a little bit of help from manufactured beauty, but for some reason I must have gotten in a hurry and my face slipped my mind. When I got to work I remembered and unfortunately it was too late to go back home. I was mortified. Immediately my guides said to me, it is time to stop covering up who you are. I was a little stunned because I thought I was pretty bold for writing a book and letting the world know that I hear voices and I write down what they tell me. Ah yes, they seemed to say, but not to everybody. It is time to be yourself no matter who is around. Okay.

So there is one group of people to whom I do not tell my stories. I don't even tell them I have written a book, although I guess it is only a matter of time until they found out. But, you have to understand. I used to get messages. And then I spoke up and gave the messages. And then my world turned upside down. And some of these people are still my friends. And when I am around them I am friendly. And we talk about the weather, our husbands, our yards, our children. I try to stay away from anything controversial. Am I wearing a mask?

So later on in the day I see one of these friends. And we talk a little. She asks me what I have been up to. Hmmm... I am remembering what my guides told me this morning. So I tell her I have written a book and that I blog a couple of times a week. And she asks what the subject is. And I say, oh, well, I write about my perspective on things that I experience. And messages. Messages from whom? What should I say?

To tell you the truth, I really don't remember exactly what I said. At this point I think that I can be myself and that we can have different views that we don't necessarily have to talk about. The problem was with me. I have been afraid to be myself around those who may not share my viewpoint. Why? I think it is not because I am afraid of having to defend my viewpoint. I don't really see the value in that. I believe each of us has our own viewpoint, and if it is different, I am completely okay with that. I believe that as long as our motivation is love, what does it matter what gets us to that place?

I believe that our Guides are always around to inspire us if we are open to their messages. They don't really care what names we call them. I get messages now that come from the same place as I got them all those many years ago. The key is to remember that they will always make us feel good. They will always inspire us to raise up to a higher vibration, and never a lower one. The fear I have of exposing my new belief system to my old friends is just a mask I wear. I am not sure what I am afraid of.

I am sure I will be writing more about masks because I am not completely sure I have taken my mask off completely yet. There are still things I don't know about myself. But I am sure of this. I am okay with who I am.

Just for today, pay attention to the masks you wear. Are you one person with one group of people and someone else depending who is around? Who is the person inside of your skin?

10-10-10

I've been hearing and reading a lot about the energy of today, October 10,2010. I am not an expert in numerology, but I know the basic energy of the numbers. One is a number of beginnings. I believe that symbols only have meaning that we attach to them, as I have written about before. To one person the number one could mean that they are alone, while someone else may feel that it is a number encouraging them to try something new. In thinking about new beginnings, we have to consider that in order for there to be a beginning, there also has to be an ending of some kind. This morning while I was outside enjoying my morning run, I contemplated what I wanted today to hold for me, or what my Guides and Angels wanted me to focus on.

Yesterday on my run I noticed a couple of crows, which often follow me while I am outside running, only this time when I approached they both took off in flight away from me. I immediately got the message that the crows were no longer going to be my Spirit Guides. I was very sad but bid them farewell. They assured me that they would stop in periodically, but I would soon be introduced to a new power animal. There was my ending. So this morning I thought while I was running that I would contact the Other Side and try to connect with my new animal guide. Nothing. Then my Shaman Guide came to me and reminded me that yes, today is 10-10-10, but there are as many zeros in that combination of numbers as there are ones. Zero is a number of emptiness, of nothing. It is also a number of wholeness, since it has no beginning and no end. My Shaman Guide let me know that I had to experience nothingness before I could start something new. He also told me that my Spirit Animal had to choose me, that I could not choose it.

Now I know that not everyone who reads my blog connects with their Spirit Animals, so what does this mean for you? The message that I got this morning that the energy that many of us are experiencing now is the energy of newness. Many times we try to fill our lives with new things before ridding ourselves of the old. There has to be a period of time where we experience the nothingness of the in between the old and the new. It is only an empty cup that can be filled up with something new. If our cups are already full, our Guides can't fill us up with new stuff. I was talking to a friend who had recently went through a divorce and she said her friends were encouraging her to consider marrying again, and she said that she was just enjoying finding out who she was, without any input from someone else telling her who she was and what she liked. One day she realized she didn't even know what kind of shoes she liked because she had always just worn hand me downs. That is what I am talking about. There is a place of nothingness, where your soul has been emptied of all things that are no longer valid in your current experience, and the new has not happened yet. It is that place between the in breath and the out breath. That is the energy of today. It may last for a moment, like when you breathe out, and just for a moment there is nothing, and then the in breath fills you back up again. Or it may last a little more than a moment. But it is the necessary pause between what is past and what is coming.

And what is coming? You decide.

Messages from Nature

In my previous blog I talked about getting messages from our Guides and Angels through the avenue of numbers. Today I want to talk about how we can pay attention to our surroundings and get guidance for our lives.

I live in a house in a neighborhood but I am blessed with having an amazing back yard. I have eleven trees and and a small pond which I built myself. It is my little piece of heaven. My favorite thing to do is to sit outside on my patio by my pond and just pay attention to nature. I have received so much good advice from my Guides and Angels just through observation of nature. When I am worried or upset, I often sit at the base of one of my huge trees and just place my back up against its trunk. I imagine that my energy and the energy of the tree are one. I imagine all the "stuff" that this tree has observed and all the energy it has absorbed. I imagine any unhealthy energy from my emotions or that I have unknowingly taken upon myself to be energetically transferred to the tree and that the tree uses that energy and sends it into the ground as fertilizer. I am not worried that I am transferring to the tree energy that is unhealthy for the tree. It is only unhealthy for me. The energy of the tree is different from mine. It uses the energy that I discard for its own benefit. It is strong and solid and is the home for many species of wildlife. I imagine that my tree finds much satisfaction in housing and mothering so many forms of life. I feel the love from the energy of the tree transferring into my energy field. I am always rejuvenated after spending time at the base of one of my trees.

But what about messages? Often I will observe what is happening in my backyard and find many lessons that teach me about my life at that particular time. If there are lots of birds building nests or looking for worms then I will know that it is time to spruce up the house, do some cleaning, get my home ready. If there are squirrels that are playing around with each other, I will take the lesson that perhaps I need to socialize more. If they seem to be fighting with each other, then I will watch my attitudes towards others and perhaps keep an eye out for disagreements. Recently I noticed that my fish were not feeding much on the algae that had built up a little in the pond so I realized I needed to feed them less fish food so that they would be forced to eat some of the algae. This related to my tendency to perhaps rescue others who actually need to fend for themselves a little. Whenever I hear a crow calling out to me I know that there are messages coming to me. Sometimes the number of crows or the number of times they cawk is also significant. Once I was out for a run and I noticed a crow calling out to me from a particular house. I felt impressed to send healing energy to the people who lived in that house. I seemed to see energetically a woman in the house who was ill.

With the change of the seasons upon us, I have been noticing that the activity in my backyard has changed as well. The squirrel activity has increased, and I am thinking that perhaps it is time to store a little away for the future. Today I noticed that there was absolutely no activity at all. No birds, no squirrels, unnaturally quiet. I took this as a sign that maybe I needed a little quiet time.

The key to getting messages from nature is not to observe only what is happening. Something is always happening. The key is to notice what you notice is happening. Your observation of what is happening is what the Angels are showing you to give you a message. There may be birds and squirrels all over the place and you may not pay attention to them at all but when you do, notice what you notice about what they are doing. I love to watch the squirrels play but my neighbor is always shooing them away. The squirrels seem to get on her porch and knock over her knickknacks or leave nuts on her furniture. She is noticing the disarray and the fact that her world has been interfered with. This may be a sign that she has some irritations around her, be it people or maybe something within herself. The squirrels have never messed with my stuff that I have outside. They may occasionally plant a nut in my hanging basket, knocking the dirt out of the pot and onto the ground, but this is not an irritation to me. To someone else it might be. Notice the feeling you get from things you observe. This may be a key in receiving a message from nature.

Last year the bees were an irritation to me. They had built nests all over my yard, and I found it difficult to pull weeds or do basic yard work due to the fact that they had intruded on my territory. This year I have had no such experiences. What was the lesson the bees had for me? They gave me quite a few lessons which I covered in blogs and chapters in my book, but I think I was learning about the blessing of just "being", not doing so much all the time. They prevented me from "doing" all the stuff I thought I needed to do, and I had to accept the fact that we all have to live on the earth together in harmony. This year I have learned to live in peace with the bees, and they with me.

We can make life on earth a chore or an adventure. We can find messages in all the little nooks and crannies of our day to day lives or we can miss all the great lessons that are out there, just waiting to be discovered. Let's open our eyes and find miracles awaiting our observation.

Numbers

A lot of people want to know how to hear the voice of their Angels and Guides or how to receive guidance or direction in their every day lives. It is a lot simpler than you may think. There are many tools available for learning how to receive a message from the Higher Realms. However, many times all we have to do is look around us.

Today I am going to touch on how numbers can be a sign from our Angels. In future blogs, I will give examples of many other signs and symbols that are messages from our Guides or even from our loved ones who may have crossed over and are sending us comfort or guidance from the other side.

Everyone will have symbols or signs that are meaningful to them. I love the number 8. Before I studied numerology I used to see the number 8 and to me it was a number of new beginnings. In my mind there were seven days in a week and the number 8 represented to me the beginning of a new week. When I would see an 8 I would know it was a message that a new week was just over the horizon. Now that I have studied a little bit of numerology I have learned that 8 is the number of money and harvest and prosperity. That is good too. But my Angels like to send me signs that they are around and that all is well by sending me that particular number. I will see it repeatedly in a short period of time and I will know that all is well. They seem to send it to me during times when I am questioning whether I have done the right thing or not. Just recently I was questioning my decision to publish my book due to the fact that I had seen no sales in a couple of weeks and wondering if it was worth the expense and within a day or two I began to see the number 8 everywhere. I was reassured that I was fulfilling part of my purpose and that it would all be okay. As you can see, what may say one thing to me may say something completely different to someone else. What if someone had a loved one who died on the 8th day of the month? Maybe to them when they see an 8 they will think of that person. Maybe to them seeing an 8 is a sign that the person who they love is okay on the other side. On another note, my husband once had a particular serious health issue that manifested on the 8th day of April, and then he questioned my love for the number 8. He said, see not everything that happens on the 8th of the month is good. To which my reply would be, I still have you. The fact that it happened on an 8 day assured me that you would be okay.

Recently I began to wake up in the middle of the night and when I would look at the clock, it would say 3:33. Then I would wake up again and the clock would say 5:55. Then I started seeing the same numbers during the day. Maybe on the clock or the odometer on my car, or the page number of a book I was reading, or the number of words on a particular blog I was writing. I learned from doing some research that 333 was the number of the Ascended Masters and 555 was the number of a gigantic change. So the message to me was that even though tremendous change was on the horizon, the Ascended Masters are with me. Other circles say that 3 is the number for creativity, fun, and manifesting your dreams. Either answer is a good one. Lately I have been writing a lot and my book was just published two months ago which is a manifestation of a dream, but I also like the thought that the Ascended Masters are with me. I think if we find numerous opinions on the symbolism of a particular number or sign, then we have to take the one that resonates inside of us.

This week, pay attention to which numbers you see repeatedly. Ask your Guides what the number means to you. Just because numerology says it means one thing does not mean that it means the same thing for you. You may find an answer to a question you have been asking yourself. You may find reassurance that a loved one is near. The key is that you have to decide what it means to you. Know that your Angels and Guides are near and they know you very well. They will only give you signs that you understand. Just knowing this is a big help...

So What is In Store for Us?

With the start of the new month of October I have been reading what others have been predicting for the month. I read about the Venus retrograde, which starts on October 8th and goes through much of the month of October and November. I am not an astrologist but they say that this will highlight relationships for the most part. Then I was reading what some of those who "channel" messages from the Higher Realms are saying and some say that this month is another extension of September which seemed to be very difficult for a lot of people for one reason or another. Then some said that we are in for a change and that things would be much better. It seemed to me that everyone was saying something different this time. Who to believe?

For anyone who studies numerology October is a 1 month, which means that it is a month of new beginnings. However, in conjunction with all the other numbers that surround it, such as the year and the day and other factors, it could vibrate completely differently for some than others.

I was meditating on what October holds for me personally, and which one of the articles to believe, and I guess what my Guides seem to be telling me is that no matter what the planets do or the numbers do, every day is my decision. Yes there are energies and vibrations out there that make some days easier than others. Studying the numbers and the planets are beneficial in discovering things that maybe I need to confront. Knowing that the Angels are out there and that the Higher Realms are "upgrading" our systems is helpful when I am feeling a little out of sorts. When I am not sleeping it is encouraging to know that maybe the Higher Powers are just working on my transmitters. I know that there are a lot of things I can't see. The Bible even says that we "see through a glass darkly." I think that means that we only see things partially the way they really are. We see things from our own perspective, and each of us has a different perspective. I remember from my church days a preacher saying one time if he hears someone preaching about the Lord is coming soon, I mean really soon, he often would observe that person died soon after. This would indicate that sometimes we hear messages that are personally for ourselves and those of us who often hear from the Higher Realms might mistake this for a universal message and not just a personal one.

So what am I trying to say? I am saying that I although I am the first one to read all the predictions for this month, I think that we all need to hear for ourselves. Yes, Venus might be in retrograde and maybe that might make things a little more difficult, but what am I going to decide to do to make my days better? What do I hear the Angels saying and is what I am hearing the same or different than what I am reading from others?

What I hear from my Angels and Guides is that every day is my decision. No matter whether I am having a good day or a bad one, my attitude and my perspective is the most important thing. Maybe I am going through some changes that are difficult,or maybe things are wonderful, but how I choose to react to those things that are happening to me is what will make my life flow smoothly or not. I can choose my attitude. I can choose to go with the flow or against it.

I was watching the news about all of the lawsuits and complaints in conjunction with the oil spill in the gulf, and although I sympathize with those who have lost their livelihoods, living in the idea that something or someone else is responsible for whether my life is working or not is a fallacy. I am always responsible for my own life and making it work. If the Post Office closes tomorrow, then I will go look for another job. I will not sue the Post Office for changing my lifestyle. I will wake up smiling and I will expect the best. I will live in anticipation of the next adventure. The saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens, but often we spend so much time crying over the closed door, that we miss the one that has opened up for us. What are we focusing on? The closed door or the open one? The Venus retrograde or the opportunity to improve our relationships? The loss of one job or the opportunity for the next adventure?

I guess the key is our decision to take responsibility for our own lives or the easy way out, to blame our problems on something or someone else. I spent the early part of my life blaming all my problems on the Devil, then I see now that I walk in different circles that some like to blame the planets or the numbers or the oil companies or the President. There is always someone to blame. Or there is the best way, to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and move forward. That is what I have decided. I am moving forward. And I am going to enjoy the journey.

Aunt Mabel

Last night I dreamed my Aunt Mabel called and wanted me to come up for a visit. I was checking my schedule and trying to find a weekend when I could take off and go visit. The dream was a little more involved but after waking up I remember that Aunt Mabel just passed a couple of months ago. I wondered if she was trying to contact me.

So this morning I got on my treadmill and put on my drumming cd and tried to contact Aunt Mabel. She came through right away. I am always surprised when my family members come through, because they're all Pentecostals and don't really believe in this sort of thing. Mom has contacted me many times and she says her perspective changed after she crossed over and she saw things a little differently. I guess maybe after they cross over they don't all think I am as crazy as they thought when they were alive.

Anyway, back to Aunt Mabel. She said she was happy on the other side, but she missed her family. Family was everything to her. She was relatively happy with her life, but her family was most important. She sees her family from time to time from where she is, and always wants the best for them.

She said that she admits that a lot of the family questioned my choices. They all thought I was a bit off my rocker, but now that she has a different perspective from the other side, she is proud of me. She and mom were both cheering me on, and sometime if I wanted to tackle cumpa ( a Norwegian dish mom and her were famous for ) they would help me. Not that they wouldn't have a little disagreement about technique.

When I looked up into the spirit realm and saw her and mom standing there looking in on me, I could see a number of my Guides and Angels also standing around giving bits and pieces of advice as well. Aunt Mabel said, yes, there were a lot of Guides there with me, and that I should not worry so much. Let things come to me. She also told me that as a sign that it was really her, she was letting me know that a family member would be contacting me soon. Hmmm.....since it is unlikely that any of my family members on that side read my blog, we will see. The perspective of time is a bit different on the other side, so it could be awhile before I get a visit, but she says someone is going to run across my book at some point. (no I did not send a copy to any family member except my dad and my sister and my daughter).

Thanks for the visit, Aunt Mabel. It was nice talking to you.....

Shopping Carts and Turtles

The other day I was on my way to work driving down the street in the neighborhood behind my house when I came upon a turtle attempting to cross the road. Always the rescuer, I stopped my car, got out, and rescued the turtle, picking him up and delivering him safely to the side of the road in the soft, comfy grass.

Then yesterday I was driving down the aisles in the parking lot of Costco when a runaway shopping cart darted out in front of me. Stopping my car, I jumped out and rescued the cart and the parked car in its path, replacing it where it belonged, with walking onlookers applauding me on.

I am a rescuer. I always go the extra mile when someone needs assistance or advice. If I see something that needs to be done, I am right on it. I assist many customers at the Post Office with their packages, mailing problems, personal problems sometimes too. I have always felt it was my mission on earth to make life a little easier for someone in distress. Now for my dilemma. When is enough enough? When do I stop doing for others? When do I stop feeling guilty when I just have nothing left? At some point there comes a time when doing for others means they do not have the opportunity to do for themselves, and that is not healthy for me or them.

The thought came to me after I rescued the turtle, what if he really wanted to be on the opposite side of the road I placed him on? Will he just wait for me to drive off, then turn right around and go back out into the road? At some point I have to realize that I cannot be God for everyone. I cannot stand guard at my pond twenty four hours a day protecting my fish from predators. I cannot wait to see if the turtle stays out of the road.

So today I decided that I am going to take off that invisible neon sign that says "Joy to the rescue." And I spent the rest of the evening feeling guilty. And then I realized the answer to the question, If God is really God, then why does he allow.. such and such. Because God knows we need to learn our own lessons. We need to experience the consequences of our choices.

I heard once that if a bird is hatching out of its shell and someone cracks the shell and lets him out, he will die. He needs the experience of cracking the shell himself. It makes him strong and able to survive. I am the person cracking the shell because I feel sorry for the poor bird who is pecking furiously at the shell. Today I stopped cracking the shell. And I feel really bad. And I will probably have to be reminded tomorrow not to crack the shell. And the next day. And the next.

When shopping carts stop darting out in front of my car then I will know I have finally learned my lesson. Should I have let the shopping cart crash into the unsuspecting car? No, silly, it was just my Angels again, teaching me a lesson.