Any way that we can strengthen our connection with our higher power, spirit guides and angels will help us achieve greater peace, guidance and serenity. Even if it's taking ten minutes a day to relax, center and listen to our inner guidance will make a big difference. In conjunction with meditation is the importance of working on the negative self-talk that sabotages our movements and self-image. By transforming those thoughts through positive thinking, we can use creative visualization and the law of attraction to manifest the life we desire. The law of attraction works by envisioning what we want as already being a part of our lives. If we can see it in our mind's eye, we can manifest it. If we believe we are not worthy of a healthy and loving relationship, we attract jerks and emotional predators into our lives who feed on our insecurities and reflect back the impression of ourselves that is ingrained in our psyche. If we focus on lack of prosperity, we attract more of that through dead end jobs, financial struggles and more experiences of the poverty consciousness. So, it's all about changing our thoughts to match what we do want our reality to be.

With empowered thoughts comes great physical manifestation. If you have a toxic friendship or relationship, end it. There are better relationships out there for you if you are willing to let go of the ones that don't support your growth and who you are today. If you are in a dead end job, get involved in training and education programs to build the job skills necessary for better paying jobs that can lead to career advancement. If you have a negative body image and don't feel attractive because you've let yourself go over the years, work on developing a healthier lifestyle with a personal trainer and nutritionist through a balanced diet, exercise, and behavior modification techniques.

If you suffer from a lack of self esteem and find yourself in a pattern of unhealthy or destructive relationships, it's time to distance yourself from dating for a while to work on yourself and the issues that have caused the erosion to your self love and confidence. Reach out to support groups and counselors in your area for healing and empowerment. Need a boost to your social life? Don't wait for Prince Charming to knock on your front door. Get out there and mingle! Travel, get involved in a group activity, humanitarian causes, a class or check out social events in your area that bring people together. Every situation can lead to a spiritual awakening and be an opportunity to re-invent and empower yourself to create the life you deserve. Find your passions, experience new cultures, ideas and don't be afraid to open yourself up the possibilities. You are only limited by your own mindset. So get out of your own way and look to tomorrow as a bright new beginning. You just have to believe that it's possible and then have the courage to take the steps to positive change. Bet on yourself. You are worth it.


Zuri is an Angel Reiki Healer, Psychic Intuitive and Metaphysical Advice Columnist. For more information about her services, please visit http://www.AskZuri.com

Depression and illness was a way of forcing me to slow down and “look within” at memories (old baggage), events (cycles), people (relationships), and life styles (habits) that were unhealthy.

Without depression I may have continued settling for less than I needed and/or deserved.  

I learned that just because something is thrown at me doesn’t mean I have to catch and keep it, especially insults or negative relationships. I can choose to move out of the way. I came to the conclusion that how people treat me is their Karma, how I respond is mine.  However, not all relationships should be avoided.  And that is when I learned my most important lesson—the quickest way to change someone’s behavior is to change mine first. They must respond differently to the new me.

Illness and depression made me take time out for myself, taught me to respect, honor, put myself first, and change bad habit. I drew new boundaries with which I could live.

A friend once asked, “How can I just quit my job or leave my relationship if that is what is depressing me.”

I answered with another question. “Are you worried about letting your job and relationship down or yourself?  Will they survive tomorrow if you’re not around? Will you thrive if they’re gone? You cannot hold a gift if your hands are full. Put something down.”  

Whenever I feel overwhelmed, one of the first things I do is “check my inner baggage,” –the useless stuff I accumulate, because old habits are hard to break.  

As a care giver by nature I often thought that if I carried someone else’s troubles for them it would lighten their load. It doesn’t. It just makes mine heavier. That taught me a very difficult lesson—I cannot carry other people’s baggage or walk their path for them. I have to respect their life-lessons… to be learned by them… and my lesson was to respect and love them enough to let them learn those lessons, including mistakes. I will offer them my shoulder but not my back. Let me explain.

I learned the difference between being supportive and being a mule. A supportive person lends a shoulder to cry on. A mule carries the weight of the world while refusing to focus on their own life—this is avoidance.  Another challenge can be the straw that breaks their back and sends them spiraling into depression.    

Our mind is a beautiful thing. Experience has taught me that we manifest not only what we want but also what we need. Sometimes we need to slow down and reassess our lives. Depression served me in this capacity. I didn’t enjoy it and would not choose to go through it again. However, by facing depression rather than suppressing it, I learned from it, used it to change my life, and ultimately survived adversity and illness.

I am troubled though because I wonder if I am really helping them out or I am just enabling a person to continue down an already bleak path. Sometimes I wonder if I am working against some greater work if I give money and I wonder the same thing if I don’t. I consider myself a somewhat compassionate, caring person so this whole issue does trouble me deeply at times.
It occurred to me today as I was out and about that maybe I need to re-frame my thoughts about this issue. Maybe I don’t have to worry about if I am helping them at all or if I am part of a greater work of the universe. In other words, forget the big picture and just focus on the moment. Maybe in just that moment of giving money to a homeless man, it can be a meditation to remember that whatever wrapping we come in we are all on a journey and in the end we all wind up returning to where we came from. Maybe I can view it as a moment of mindfulness in an otherwise routine day. A reminder that we are all expressions of the Divine.

If you would like to follow my continuing adventures in the spiritual world, please visit me at  http://musingsrantsandraves.wordpress.com

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I moved here to fall in love and learn about myself.  I was afraid and I kept saying that the world might throw me off the ground and that I’d vanish, if I didn’t start living. So I did something about it.

I moved to New York City when I was 24 years old, and I never looked back. I just didn’t care about the pain that was in front of me. I didn’t care, I just wanted to live the life that I remembered that I KNEW I’d live, once I got here. 

When I got here, friends that I knew would change, did…and walked away. Some changed for the better, some remained the same and some are still too scared to make moves.

My at the time BF cheated on me viciously. It was of course in a roundabout way, his way of getting back at me for making a clean break from our toxic relationship.

When I was a little girl, I knew I’d move to NYC. I saw the apartment that I lived in Washington Heights (apt. 5A—staple alpha numeric label!) and knew that this was my city…  
I began working at Technicolor Inc. and learned a thing or two about the corporate/entertainment world and being…Alma in the spiritual sense and Alma in the physical sense.   I also learned that if I could make Jodie Foster laugh at my sarcasm, I could grab the attention of other great celebrities without trying too hard. I also learned that when you shine in front of the big people, the individuals who refer to themselves as “the little people” sometimes grow jealous…

When I worked at French Roast on 6th and 11th street, I met Mel Brooks who later gave me the stage name Alma Ravelle (I don’t use it but it’s all good;)Thanks Mel). I met Mandy Moore and she called me weird! Jay Hernandez expected me to flirt with him, whenever he came in for a bite...and I always did just for him! I remember standing there teaching myself German, in order to forget my ex-bf. One of guys from A Bronx Tale asked me out…I declined. On one of my last morning shifts, I walked passed Sarah Jessica Parker and she winked at me. Enough said.

SO many guys came into my life. Some good, some BORING, some who were really arrogant, some violent, some gangsters, some rockstars and 1 famous one. Some had sensationalized me and expected me to be something they had read about. Well, the closest they got was a cross between Alma Wade and Carrie Bradshaw. They had to learn that I can’t be bottled and packaged. I may be petite but I’m not small…

Then, I met my soulmate for this decade. The relationship that I had with him made me realize that not all soulmate relationships are fun to be in. We met in 2006, one day after Christmas morning and 1 week after I let go of the pain of being cheated on. Within 7 minutes, I knew that he was the one I wanted to marry. We dated for 2 mos., started fighting, stopped talking February 7th 2007 and since then, we haven't seen each other..but we always hear about each other. Strange thing, Virgos and Capricorns and...soulmate-ism.

I learned that even though some people like the idea of a mixed family, mine was often too real for them. And so was my upbringing. And so is the fact that I’m psychic.  As I would listen to ignorant comments about race, religion, cultures and sex, I realized how blessed I am to have my mind, my life, and a family that loves me. 

I’m not a victim to any of this. I asked for it. Some of it sucked ass clean, but most of it was as good as gold. There were times when I was so hurt, I could barely get up to go to work. But I got up and made that an adventure too. I loved my adventures and hated them…but I lived in them. I made sure I was Alma, no matter how many times I was told to shut-up, back off or do things differently.

Some people ask me if I get tired of being so happy. I tell them that happiness NEVER makes you tired, it gives you a thousand more lives and creates this incredible pathway to existing and living above anger and madness. It’s an untouchable zone.

People always say that you can’t have everything. This may be true for the most part, but I believe that the closest thing to having everything in the world, is to be able to laugh at yourself…even when shit is hitting the fan.  And even when people hurt you with their own tainted self image, or when you lose a job (I got laid off 2wice and then 2yrs later had 9 jobs in 2009--not even kidding! LOL! I also had 3 which were off-the-books.Yeah...).

I moved here when I was 24. I’m 28 now and I feel like I’m getting younger and younger. Strange but a blessing. I felt so old and worn out when I was in my early 20’s.  So much passed me by back then. But in 2007, so many of the things I had wished for in my early 20’s came flooding in. I swore they wouldn’t. I was renewed and the events that occurred showed me exactly what my life will be like, granted I stay on my path.

When I moved to NYC, I learn to let go. I had not been able to do that for so long. And even though I’m still learning that it’s O.K. to let go, I still feel happy. I feel good about the decisions that I’ve made. I’ve come so far.

I just keep saying “So what if ____ doesn’t want to love me the way I want to be loved? I will still be loved and since I have a great husband written into my life, my King will come through for me and love me for good when the time is right.” I just keep saying “So what if I’m not perfect for other people? I can show those people how to enjoying being imperfect (from a distance of course—I’m nobody’s saint!)” I keep saying “So what if I my favorite Nanette dress gets stuck in my panties, in front of a bunch of really hot guys? I’m known to pull people’s pants down, so what about that?!”  I just keep remembering the time that I partied like a rock star, slipped and fell flat on my bum, in front of Russell Simmons. I laughed so hard! After that, I stopped because a bouncer decided to pick me up off the ground and steal a kiss from me WITHOUT ASKING!!! It upset me but…I laughed at that too!;)

It’s all worth remembering because the more I remember who I am when I’m on an adventure, the more love I feel me, giving to myself. 

I learned that waiting for love to come around, is waiting in vain. Especially when love isn’t being reciprocated by that person, place or thing. To live really is to Love, for when you live as you in your life, you’re up for straight “A’s” no matter how many times you fall on your ass.

I learned to be a novice and a leader at the same time.  I’ve learned that the best love that you can give in New York City, is the love that you give to yourself.  Don’t love in vain. That kind of love won’t set you free.

In 2007,2 weeks before my aunt Sissy passed away, she said: “Remember everything”.  â€¨Don’t say “victim”. Just keep going. Everything is new all of the time. Nothing is repeated. Just learn and keep moving and loving. Amen.

My Love,
Traveling through distant lands.
Defying space and time.
The Earth,
Twisting and turning.
Knowing no beginning,
 no end.
Flowers in the field, caressing
 One another.
Two mountains kissing the
Sky.
Feeling lost,
Visiting you
only in dreams.
Yearning,
Anxiously awaiting
Loves return,
My Love.
Alas, there
Is awakening,
Remembering.
Realizing,
That you were
With me all along.
My Love.

Women have big hearts and are generally the universal care givers. Yet, they are also the last people to listen to or take care of their hearts. They follow their hearts in matters of love but seldom in matters of life.  If someone they love complained of chest and arm pain, or shortness of breath, the care giver who would run for the phone. However, when a woman has jaw pain, we rationalize it as having too many “balls in the air” as we juggle our social lives, family, friends, pets, dinner, laundry… . So, we sit for ten minutes (a long time in our busy schedule) and take it easy until the symptoms ease or pass.

Few women realize that jaw pain is a symptom of heart attack. If a busy family life can make you clench your fist and teeth, surely that is the culprit of the jaw pain, not a heart attack.  Think again! Our body is speaking to us.

As women, our bodies have been speaking to us since the beginning of womankind. Our bodies tell up when we are ovulating, menstruating, pregnant and when a family member is in trouble. This information comes to us through dreams, intuitions and symptoms. Symptoms are body language.

Speaking with our inner self is the spirit of our being. We must listen to ourselves- our inner voices- our intuitions and symptoms.

As a two time breast cancer survivor, I am especially cognizant of my heart. I have had chemotherapy twice. Chemotherapy is difficult on all body organs and parts but it is especially taxing to the liver and heart. My heart has been stressed emotionally and physically. It needs extra love, care and attention. My heart took care of me through my treatment’s trials and tribulations. So now I must take care of my heart, and I started by listening.

Listen to your heart and follow your female instincts. Take care of your heart and it will take care of you.

About the Author- Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos was born to a military family, raised in Europe, graduated from Munich International High School in Munich, Germany, has a degree in Special Education from Keene Teacher’s College in Keene, NH, and taught Special Education for 10 years and Psychology at the University of South Florida.

Kathleen is a two time breast cancer survivor, www.survivingcancerland.com, an agented author represented by Scovil, Galen & Ghosh Literary Agency and has penned the soon to be published book- SURVIVING CANCERLAND:  The Psychic Aspects of Healing. 

She is an inspirational speaker, phone counselor for the R.A. BLOCH Cancer Foundation, and a mentor for WE CAN- a women’s self-help group. Kathy contributes to CapeWomenOnlineMagazine, Twitter’s C4Women, Colette Baron-Reid’s Intuition Now,  Examiner.com National-TheGuidedPath, Examiner.com/Chicago-SelfAwareness-Examiner, Writer’s Digest Community, guest contributor to author Carolyn Howard Johnson’s SHRING WITH WRITERS BLOG SPOT, NCCS cancerversaey.org, blogs, National Wellness Community Online Support blog and discussion groups, Cancer Advocacy Now blog site. She is a member of the International REIKI Association’s blog and website, ACOR (Association of Cancer Online Resources) blogger and web chat,  NBCC (National Breast Cancer Coalition) journal and blogger, USA TODAY Community Blog, LinkedIn , linked to heal@healthcarewhisperer.com, http://survivingcancerland.blogspot.com/tweets http://twitter.com/PsychicHealing  and is a volunteer for many other cancer organizations and online cancer groups. She is currently working on her second book, SURVIVING RECURRENCE in CANCERLAND: The Dream World and Healing.  Cambridge Who’s Who Registry Executive Professional of the Year 2009-2010. Press release pending.

Most of the spiritual and self help books say the same things over and over again.

1. Be in the moment.
2. The well of happiness and well being is with us.
3. That one needs to of this balance of happiness every time we find ourselves unhappy.

If we read through the literature available happiness is not a goal achieved once in a lifetime. It is a constant process. As we breathe constantly the same way we make effort to be happy, calm and cheerful with each breath. Of course this happiness remains elusive many times in my daily life. Like for example, I find myself brooding about my work or relatives and worrying about the things that have gone wrong and may go wrong in future. Such thoughts naturally disrupt my peace and make me unhappy. Then after long struggle I come up with the following conclusions.

1. Things have gone wrong and may go wrong in future despite my intentions.
2. Is there an action I can take to make things better? If not then no point worrying about it. If yes am I taking the corrective action or do I plan to take the action.

The point is that I have to snap my self out of the unhappy situation and bring balance to feel better again. Does this mean that I will not begin worrying again? No! But my happiness depends on how quickly I figure that I am cornering myself again into one of those corners of unhappiness. The moment I figure that my mind is clouded with worrying or unhappy thoughts I think of restoring the balance once again. So the delicate balance of happiness is lost and found many times in a day.

I have found personally though with much practice that deep breathing or just thinking of my breath calms me down immediately. And after few breaths my perspective about a situation changes for a more balanced view point. This breath technique is useful when immediately confronted with questions or situation which can elicit sharp reactions from me. But once again the moment I sense I am about to be reactive, one calming breath later my response is far more balance. I have surprised myself many a times when I took a calm breath before reacting to an offensive remark or situation. At other times, I just leave the difficult task at hand and go read a book or water the plants or do dishes. Getting involved in an unrelated task changes the frame of mind.

As a human being we are innately happy and complete yet we have to constantly strive to be in that state all the time. It is like saying I was born as an apple but to remain ripe, delicious and juicy apple all the time I have to make a constant effort.

Sometimes it may be the quiet moment of a rabbit in the field in a peaceful mediation or the laughter we feel from watching the unusual antics of a pet.

Spirit speaks to all of us when we truly listen. We may feel Spirit through a particular piece of music, or through art, or poetry, or just mowing the lawn. No matter the method, how big or small

Spirit is always there and ready to guide.

I feel Spirit when writing. It is during this time that I am at peace and feel connected to nature, humanity, and the animals.

Spirit speaks to us in many languages. My language seems to be poetry.

The Language of Spirit

As I knelt by my bed and prayed
I asked Spirit to send me an Angel to guide me through this life.
As tears ran down my face,
I felt a gentle breeze caress my soul.
In the dark room as my heart ached,
Spirit sent light for me to see.
As I crossed my arms in the cold,
Spirit sent the sun to thaw my heart.
As I walked feeling alone,
Spirit sent a bird that flew overheard.
When I asked Spirit for a sign,
rain gently washed the tears from my eyes.
When I asked Spirit if it were all a dream,
 Love stood before me with open arms.
At that moment, I knew that my angel had been by side all along
But, until now I had not listened.

The room would be lit by the dim glare of an old color television with five channels.

I would crawl in the chair and sat with my Grandpa and we would laugh, at episodes of Andy Griffith, or just at the humor of life, it was from him that I got my sense of humor.

At the age of ten, my late night laugh sessions were shattered. My Grandpa died of a heart attack.

Suddenly, I was lost and uncertain. It was then that I was given a gift by Spirit, the gift of writing.

My tiny hands grabbed a chewed up pencil and starting pouring out my soul on the pages before me and I haven’t stopped since. Through my writing I am connected to Spirit and I spend hours lost in the silent meditation of writing; guided by Spirit and my Grandpa.

Writing has helped me get through my darkest times and just as when I was little and would have a bad dream and came running to Grandpa;  by writing, my tears are soon replaced with laughter. Writing helps place light into my periods of darkness. It is my sacred gift from Spirit, it is my light.

It is my belief that everyone has gifts that have been given to us to help us get through these dark times whether it be art, music, writing, gardening, or what have you.

Find your gift. Dig through the trenches of your soul, to the dark corners that have been ignored. Pray for guidance and you shall find your gifts. You will know what they are by the way that you feel and your connection to Spirit, if it feels good it is right. Don’t second guess, that is your ego talking. If it feels right, it is right.

So many of us feel like we’re on different journeys, but in the end, the only difference is the path we choose to follow and how we choose to experience it.  The bottom line is, our journeys and destinations are all the same.  We may call our destinations by different names and apply various definitions, but that doesn’t change where and what it is.

We travel down our chosen roads, separate but together.  Some may pick a circuitous route, while another decides the straight and narrow is the way for him.  Others may pick a path filled with complications or even joy.  The possibilities are infinite.

They say life is about the journey, not the destination.  I have to admit, there are times when life feels more like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.  Yet even that is a unique experience for those who decide to hop on and take a chance.  Your dramatic, emotional friend is not going to have the same experience as the one who only views life through the eyes of fear.  Then, there’s that one person who is happy just because he is able to be a part of the experience.  He’s the one who notices the daisies on the side of the road, or stops his car to admire the sunset.  He’s the person who stops everything to truly savor his first sip of coffee in the morning.  He notices the scent, color, temperature, strength and the million other nuances that make that first taste a brand new occurrence every day.  He creates small moments of peace. 

Now don’t get me wrong, tragedy and chaos may still hit this person’s life.  The thing is, he’s got the resources, emotionally and spiritually, to deal with it when it does.  As he adjusts his path to fit the new circumstances, he may find a different flower to admire, or discover the wonders of the sunrise.  Or, he may simply continue to fully enjoy his first taste of morning coffee. 

When chaos hits, there will be occasions when we’ll only have time for a sip of peace.  Go ahead and take it.  It’s only a moment and certainly not long enough to get in the way of the rest of your day.  They payoff is immeasurable, especially when the moments add up.

Do your best to enjoy the journey, you’ll reach your destination soon enough.

Robin Linke

www.balancedhealingarts.com

2010

On February 14^th—St. Valentine’s Day—East will meet West. A mystical White Tiger will face Cupid’s arrow. As we celebrate the Roman god’s day of love, and Christianities St. Valentine, China will celebrate the New Year. Ancient Eastern mysticism will converge with Western modernism on the day that symbolizes love.  St. Valentine’s Day/Chinese New Year will celebration different cultures and embrace ideals of ancient sorcery and modern realism.  2010 will be a year of combined dualities that will result in a time in history that will be stronger than the sum of its individual parts.

According to the Chinese zodiac, 2010 is the year of the WHITE TIGER—“gyeong” means white and “in” means tiger.  The White Metal Tiger rules the Fall season and governors all metal elements. According to Chinese mythology there are five tigers that hold the balance of the cosmic forces in place and prevent chaos from collapsing into the universe. The year 2010 and the Chinese white tiger have strong numerical and symbolic synchronicities. In numerology, the year 2010 is 20+10=30=3+0=3. Three is the universal number for heaven, earth and waster. It is also the human body, soul and spirit. The month of the tiger is the third month of the year—March. And the tiger occupies the third position on the Chinese zodiac. The time of the tiger is from 3:00am to 4:59am—the Hour of Souls—a special time when the dying often chooses to free themselves from their physical bodies. The tiger is not only the emblem of protection for the living; it is the protector of the dead.

How does all this equate to what is in store for us in the year 2010?  Through sheer will power, 2010 will create balance and diminish chaos. 2010 will be the year of the protected free spirits. The elements of the tiger will herald in strength, power and wealth—Tsaishen Key.

When the sun sets in the West, love will have united East and West and conquered all.  The message is clear: religions, mysticisms and technology will be united and produce offspring capable of living in many worlds by transcending time and space. One of the biggest changes in life on earth will be technological innovations that will align ancient spiritual “truths and scientific” facts.  2010, year of the White Tiger, will be an interesting year, indeed.

SOURCES:

http://pages.infinite.net/garrick/chinese/tiger.html

http://wwwchinesezodiac,comtiger.php

http://english.donga.com/service.php3?bicode=040000&biid

http://joongangdaily.joins.com.article

http://www.ofesite.com/spirit/numerology/path9.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupid

http://ww23.rr.com/index.php?origURL=http://wwwchinesezodiac,comtiger.php/

About the Author- Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos was born to a military family, raised in Europe, graduated from Munich International High School in Munich, Germany, has a degree in Special Education from Keene Teacher’s College in Keene, NH, and taught Special Education for 10 years and Psychology at the University of South Florida.

Kathleen is a two time breast cancer survivor, www.survivingcancerland.com, an agented author represented by Scovil, Galen & Ghosh Literary Agency and has penned the soon to be published book- SURVIVING CANCERLAND:  The Psychic Aspects of Healing. 

She is an inspirational speaker, phone counselor for the R.A. BLOCH Cancer Foundation, and a mentor for WE CAN- a women’s self-help group. Kathy contributes to CapeWomenOnlineMagazine, Twitter’s C4Women, Colette Baron-Reid’s Intuition Now,  Examiner.com National-TheGuidedPath, Examiner.com/Chicago-SelfAwareness-Examiner, Writer’s Digest Community, guest contributor to author Carolyn Howard Johnson’s SHRING WITH WRITERS BLOG SPOT, NCCS cancerversaey.org, blogs, National Wellness Community Online Support blog and discussion groups, Cancer Advocacy Now blog site. She is a member of the International REIKI Association’s blog and website, ACOR (Association of Cancer Online Resources) blogger and web chat,  NBCC (National Breast Cancer Coalition) journal and blogger, USA TODAY Community Blog, LinkedIn , linked to heal@healthcarewhisperer.com, http://survivingcancerland.blogspot.com/tweets http://twitter.com/PsychicHealing  and is a volunteer for many other cancer organizations and online cancer groups. She is currently working on her second book, SURVIVING RECURRENCE in CANCERLAND: The Dream World and Healing.  Cambridge Who’s Who Registry Executive Professional of the Year 2009-2010. Press release pending.

My Angel

Angel of light

Come to me tonight

Relieve me of the horror I fight

Take away my pain

So all the remains

Is me minus the chains

Angel of love

Shining down from above

Show me that which I dream of

Take away the tears

That I have cried through the years

To you I release my fears

“Look,” I said to God, after rejecting another date. “If there is someone you want me to be with for the rest of my life please “bring him on” and if I am to stay single for the rest of my life that is fine too, but please don’t send me anymore losers. I’m almost thirty years old. I don’t have time for these weirdoes anymore. What must I do to find the love of my life?”

A week later, on Sadie Hawkins Day, I met Peter in a grungy bar.  A friend was having second thoughts about her impending divorce and asked me to meet her for a drink and a chat.  Attempting to have a private conversation was difficult as the chairs around our table filled with men who offered us drinks, dances, and their screws.  Yes, their screws! At the door women were given bolts and men were given screws for the Sadie Hawkins Day Party that has been held the first Saturday in November since 1938. Sadie Hawkin, the homely unwed daughter of the Mayor of Cartoonist Al Capp’s Lil Abner pursued the top eligible bachelors in a “run for your life” foot race.  The ultimate prize was matrimony for the spinsters.  And here I was… at the party for the spinsters.

But, the goal at this party is not to run men down but rather to find your partner by getting “screwed.” I threw my bolt away after a Neanderthal’s almost fit. Just when I thought I couldn’t take anymore, in walked handsome Peter, my future husband and love of my life. I was instantly drawn to this gorgeous Greek with sun streaked hair and the most beautiful soft brown eyes I’d ever seen. I fell in love with the “windows to Peter’s soul.” We spent the next three years together until the day my in-laws gave us a society wedding at Copley Plaza in Boston.  My father-in- law always said, “Kathy ran from Peter just fast enough to catch him.” If Peter was my Li’l Abner, then I was his Daisy Mae. With Peter by my side, I felt God had answered my prayers. “Ask and ye shall receive.” had worked.

15 years later my Li’l Abner stood by his Daisy Mae. I was diagnosed with breast cancer twice that was missed by the medical community both times but not by my female intuition.  We fought this disease together for ten year that included treatment , operations, and soul searching.

When your health is challenged your relationships are challenged. The closer the relationship the greater the challenge because deep emotions result in deep cracks.  Crisis causes relationships to either grow stronger or fall apart… but they never stay the same.

The way I see it, relationships are like bricks in archways; two or more entities fused together to become one. When an earthquake like illness and economic changes shakes those bonds to their foundation, cracks form.  If the cracks are ignored, perhaps from denial, they grow larger until they completely split.  However, if the cracks are scrutinized with soul searching and repaired with love and respect, the attachment can become so strong that when everything else is reduced to rubble, the archway survives. My illness registered a 5.0 magnitude on the Richter scale of Existence and although my life had tumbled down around my ears, my 27 year marriage is still standing.

Whenever I doubted my decisions concerning relationships I would reflect on why I made them in the first place and that would bring emotions back into perspective. My marriage was a prayer answered—a manifestation—L aw of Attraction in action.

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION: Want vs Need

“Kathy, what’s your New Year’s resolution?” a friend asked over lunch. “Mine is to give up sugar” she continued, while shaking two packets of sugar substitute into her coffee.
   

“Not to give up anything, and to put myself first,” I answered. “Then I’ll  refocus on the difference between want and need in my life.”
     

My friend stopped stirring her coffee, peered over her sunglasses at me, and asked,

“What do you mean by that?”  
     

The concept of care-giver first, and the difference between want and need can seem alien.  I learned about these during radiation therapy ten years ago while battling breast cancer.  I still see the side effects of emotional emptiness and burn-out in women who are unaware of self-care concepts.
     

Women are care-givers.  Many give unconsciously and unconditionally until there is nothing left to give. Consequently, their emotional-well runs dry. Lately, I’ve see an alarming pattern in my friends during these uncertain economic times.  Part of the problem is not distinguishing between wants and needs. Families have many wants, and the care-giver tries to meet them as though they are needs; a terrible burden to carry. Women become burned out from giving so much of themselves to those who want more than is available. When there is nothing left to give, the result is medication, and psychotherapy to fill the void, and dull the feeling of failure.
     

Today is the dawning of a new year. My first New Year resolution will be to allow myself to love, embrace, and always put myself first. I give myself permission to be number one in my life. How can I possibly share with others if I am empty? I want to be embraced by others but need to love myself first. 
             

During chemotherapy, my psychotherapist armed me with a powerful mantra to help survive the uncertainty of treatment. “You are number one. No one and nothing is more important than you.” She was right. Ten years later, as a cancer hotline phone counselor and mentor, that mantra is still important to me. If charity begins at home, and home is where the heart is, then an empty heart cannot give anything to anyone else. 
     

The importance of this mantra was even more evident during my Stitch-n-Bitch (as we liked to call ourselves) radiation therapy group. It broke my heart to see the care-giver suddenly discarded when their circumstances shifted, and they needed  family care.  These women felt that without family love and devotion they were useless. Their chances for recovery were challenged by their depression and feelings of emotional emptiness. Our little group spent hours discussing wants versus needs. We want a beautiful house, but we only need shelter. We want to eat in fancy restaurants, but we only need nutritious food.  We want others to love us, but we need to love ourselves. The list of wants versus needs is endless. Realizing the difference between them may be the first step in avoiding emotional and financial bankruptcy. When I see something enticing, I’ll ask myself, “Do I  need that, or just want it?” 
       

In 2010, I will focus on inner-balance by being kind, and forgiving to myself.  I will seek out and join a community “sister-hood of women” who can be my support system. Their strength will keep me from feeling alone during times of despair, and their resources will help me meet the needs of my family and friends. 
           

When my body is fatigued, I will rest. When my soul is tired, I will meditate, and give thanks for all that I have. I will surround myself with things I love; my husband, friends, pets, plants, music, and fragrant candles while taking a warm bubble bath. While I care for my body my soul will soar. 
        

Like the Chinese yin and yang, which are seemingly opposing forces bound together, intertwined, and interdependent in the natural world, we are complex creatures comprised of body and soul. These two diabolically different parts must be in balance as a duality for complete health of body and mind. Like yin and yang, male and female, body and soul are a dynamic equilibrium. If one disappears, the other must disappear as well, leaving emptiness. 
            

Too many of us have lost a part of ourselves and are experiencing  emptiness. The two faced mythical King Janus, patron of the new year, had two faces, one to see the past and one to see the future. We can also look in both directions, but tend to focus, and judge ourselves by past events that cannot be changed. It’s time to face forward into a new year of balance comprised of yin and yang. We can learn from our past to build a positive future. The good news is that a sisterhood of women is only a phone call or tweet away to help refill us with the love we deserve and NEED. 
           

Balance yourself. Know what you need. Take care of your soul and it will take care of you . . . then you can take care of others.

Change your MIND

I throw my pennies in a wishing well

To escape this living hell

But then I start to realize

The answer lies behind my eyes

In my mind is where change must start

My evil thoughts from me must part

The key to happiness is in me

It took so long for me to see

If you want to change your life

You have to change your mind

Forgiveness

It’s hard to forgive you for what you have done

It would be easier to look down the barrel of a gun

I no longer want to live this life

With pain that cuts me like a knife

You caused me years of misery

But now its time to set you free

In order for my wounds to heal

It is love not hate I need to feel

I forgive you for the pain you created

That caused me to become cold and jaded

I forgive you for not being who I needed you to be

I forgive you now and set you free

One Step

One step at a time is all I can take

Through all of the pain

My spirit wont break

Through it all I keep on a smile

You give me a foot and ill walk a mile

I hold my strength through all the pain

Even when I think I am going insane

I know that nothing in this life

Could ever give me as much strife

As I have already walked that path

And felt hates horrid and cruel wrath

But now I choose the path of love

I pull my strength from up above

And walk with my head held high

Knowing part of me must lay and die

But ill never look back to that place

The demons I no longer face

They are gone and not welcome here

I have cried my last tear

The sorrows are replaced with light

And I will win my internal fight

Happy

I don’t want to sing another sad song

Maybe this life really isn’t so wrong

Happiness has been here all along

I just didn’t want to see

That happiness begins with me

I don’t want to shed another tear

Or live another pain filled year

And I won’t as long as you are near

And now I am beginning to see

That happiness begins with me

Are you aware at the fact that we receive two million bits of information per second? Out of those 2 million we are only able to handle 134 bits per second. Only those are processed by the brain. We then group the 134 bits of information into seven manageable sets of information based on our memories, values and beliefs. From everything we experience throughout the day we leave a lot of information out and we only process that information that either relates to us or that is convenient to us.

In other words, we really cannot see anything other than who we are and what we perceive outside ourselves is who we are.

The people that we see are what we project them to be as we can only perceive a small percentage of information. We take our most unconscious believes and project them on to others and events around us.

What is the purpose?

To become conscious of them and change four our own good and better being.

Chaos creates chaos and peace creates peace. Where do you stand right now in chaos or peace? Your answer is a reflection of your own inner self. You must decide where you want to be and begin with yourself. You and only you can create value in your life. We tend to project all of our unresolved issues with the people around us and we don't see anything other than who we really are.

Every cell in your body is affected by what you think and the responsibility of change falls on you. The value of what you do and what you are solely depends on this. If you are surrounded by chaos, instability or confusion it is because that is what you are inside. The only way to modify this is by changing yourself.

Never underestimate the power to change yourself. Never overestimate the power to change others.

When you correct your mind, everything will fall into place. Think soft, think flexible and become humble. You have the power and capacity to change your being by changing the way you look at things about yourself. It is all based on beliefs of how we see ourselves and our life.

Begin by creating a blank canvas as you relate to others. Find peace in every relation and be open to listening. Benefit without the personal concern of your own benefit. Benefit by observing the way others relate to you as they are a mirror of your own self.

Meditation, Observation, Solitude, Silence, Humility

Be Mindful of your thoughts, actions and words. What your project on to others will be reflected back to you. Open yourself to the idea of creating a whole better version of YOU. The whole dynamic around you will change for the best.

born by a being we are said to resemble

A being that whispers the substance of creation

breathing life into the just delivered

A being who spits out rivers and salty oceans

and exhales atmosphere of earths vital gases

Who’s ominous breath sends hot air, smashing

into moist cold air, with thunderous results

Swirling, sucking the earth’s fabric to itself

Then, condensing those gases into droplets

thrashing, scrubbing, churning that fabric

Mixing this from here, with that from there.

Making it all new Yes! transformed is new

Then with its brilliance injecting a spirit

Or is that being itself that ebullient spirit

that touches and stimulates all of life’s cycles

spirit, spark, sparkling spirit that is life

almighty spirit that is love

interminable spirit that keeps love infinite

incessant love of life that keeps life eternal

Does it matter if we think of this spirit as a

ray of sun caught by a mythical warrior and cast

to the earth like an enlightened spear or the spirit

God, Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Qi or Shin of Jin-Shin-Do

Or perhaps, this spirit is simply left over energy

from a big bang, caused by a long ago binary mix up

Somehow, its infinite power enlivening vast galaxies

storing power in enumerable, seeming inexhaustible suns

Infinitesimal sparks energizing atoms in single cells

Shocking dormant DNA into performing their task

quantizing simple amoeba, as well as, complex creatures

without distinction yes! that includes us, you and me

A spirit none the less, timeless, mystical, beginning

A life loving spirit the ignition of life’s sustenance

What is the difference where it comes from, or it’s title

We are all of that spirit . . . however different our ideas
 

It appears like we will be celebrating more than the birth of Jesus Christ this holiday season. From a very personal standpoint, as well as a world wide aspect, I believe there is a group rebirthing happening at this time. This period will be talked about in years to come as a point in history that will forever be earmarked as the big shift, the great awakening, and I, for one, will be extremely proud to say I was a part of it. I am also proud of the depth of my courage and the strength of my knowing in spite of feeling like a misfit, and I have a great respect for my determination to see my way through to a different life. Change is most definitely underfoot and I will not be left behind in the dust of others forward movement out of fear or ridicule. Not happening, period.

Much of our past creations are being undone, seemingly falling apart from the view of outside existence, but what is really happening is a birth, a very intimate, personal re-creation that requires that a pre-existing form dissolve in order that a brighter, uninhibited version of self can emerge. This self is reborn as the innocence of one who has not been wounded in one way or another but has been given the opportunity, after all the hard work, to start over, only the birth process is much different than the first one! This time around, it really is up to us to choose what to do with this new life, and ignore those that can’t seem to even fathom that all can be new and bright again.

I have had many challenges along the path to this new life, did a lot of stumbling, crying, agonizing but it is getting easier, believe it or not! This latest glitch is about changing my approach to my dreams. In the past, I was the one to ‘get ‘er done’, if you know what I mean. I was the doer, the fixer, the go to person who could be relied upon to have a solution ready before something ever became a problem! Needless to say, this was mighty exhausting.

And now, if I attempt to move forward using that method, well, I gotta tell ya, it is so dang physically draining that I really almost can’t move. I am so grateful for the inner light bulb that eventually gets turned on and now know that the energy of life has changed so drastically that all that is truly required of us is intention. Put the order out there, so to speak, and let the universe take the plans out of our hands. It is not our job to figure out the ‘how’ but to decide on the ‘what’ that we want to create. We no longer need to DO anything but be open and willing to try something new, intend for the experience, anticipate, visualize and let the wave of that energy being expressed bring it to us. What a wonderful thing, this new mode of creating!

Now is the time when we are being given a chance to be heard, some of us for the first time ever, from the new self who is fresh and whole, untouched by wounding.  We may experience some fear and anxiety because of not being used to making choices from this new place as the residue of the old ways slowly disappears. For me, it is a time to stop pushing myself to somewhere, not knowing the destination, but pushing nonetheless! I am learning how to differentiate within what I like and don’t like, requiring that I learn a technique on how to tell the difference! Yes, isn’t that amazing??!!??! How I made it to this age without this skill is a real mind boggler! I guess it can only be described as ‘stumbling’ along the road of life, for a very long time!

My ‘get ‘er done’ days are over and in their wake, is what is truly in my heart, my deepest desires that I have denied for way too long. Now that is living. 

So I married at 18 and became very busy with marriage, children and church.

My life continued “normally” until the early 90’s. That was the most difficult decade in my life. I went through a very difficult second divorce that left me emotionally and financially devastated. I had no real profession to fall back on and I struggled to support my family. During this difficult time my mother who was my emotional support died of cancer. One year later my younger sister passed suddenly, leaving four children behind.  And a few years later my father died from congestive heart complications. I became very depressed and with only one sister left in my family, I felt orphaned and abandoned.

I questioned God’s purpose in these tragedies and the difficulties in my life but I didn’t give up praying. Yet I wondered if God was listening to my prayers because I felt so alone. At times I felt abandoned by God also… but I kept praying and calling out for help. In this spiritual conflict I developed a strong interest in angels. I started collecting them and had them all around the house. Even my friends gifted me with angels.

Suddenly an interesting spiritual phenomenon was awakening in my psyche. I started “hearing”, hearing the spirits around me. At first I thought it was my ego or my imagination… I was afraid of it. But soon I realized the “gift” I had developed as a teenager, my Sixth Sense was activated. I had opened a channel to the other dimension where angels and spirits communicate with us. Once I started to trust this communication without FEAR I began healing emotionally and spiritually.

With the help of the other dimension I started healing my life. All my religious training never gave me the full understanding of God. Now I was discovering God’s love and mercy and the unconditional love He has for all of us. Archangel Michael helped me to cut through my own darkness and ignorance to discover a new dimension where we are one with God and the whole universe. To heal my life was to know we are never alone!! 

This was ten years ago when the “awakening to angels” and accepting my “gift” put me on the spiritual path to my destiny. Today I am an “angel reader” on a mission to help others to connect to the other dimension for healing and finding a higher purpose in life.  You can learn more about what I do at www.awakeningtoangels.com .

F u l c r u m

I want to touch the sound

of my Self awakened in the morning light —

hold on to what cannot be held,

rest in what flows without resting.

I want to, but I won’t.

I’ll be silent for once, still —

listening finally without ears. Listening with

my breathing heart and beating wings.

Ripening like the sun rising inside the cedar,

like the rain falling to earth from tomorrow’s sky.

“Fulcrum” is excerpted from Soaring on Wings of Suffering, a collection of some of the writings that have been flowing through me for some time now. This “poem” arose out of a tea house writing partnership with my dear friend Chizuko. When we meet, one or the other of us reads a poem to set the kettles boiling. This day, the words that opened our hearts and sang our voices alive were, “What seems so far from you is most your own” from The Sonnets of Orpheus: II, 23 by Rainer Maria Rilke, translated by Stephen Mitchell. Recently I began publishing the collection as a book with the help of my handy archival inkjet printer known now as Cindereagle Press. To read more, go to web.mac.com/terimicco. (Safari & Firefox work best.)

w o r d s  &  i m a g e  ©  2 0 0 9  b y  T e r i  M i c c o

Science tends to dismiss mysticism as fantasy because it doesn’t conform to the scientific method. This ironically echoes charges the orthodox Christians once leveled against Gnostic Christian mystics in the first centuries AD. The common denominator is literal materialism negating spiritual mysticism.

The scientific method (hypotheses must be testable, refutable, and subject to empirical observation) is valid within its context. The thing is, there can be more than one context to life and reality.

We need to recognize and accept different standards for determining the validity of information. Though certain sciences such as quantum physics and aspects of molecular biology border on the metaphysical, hard science is limited to descriptions of the physical world and physical processes. We can call this the “objective” world for sake of discussion. Non-material phenomena are the provinces of psychology, philosophy, metaphysics, and mystical experience. These are more “subjective” disciplines exploring the psychic or abstract world, the world of images.

It would be hard to argue that valuable truths do not lie somewhere within each of the subjective fields of knowledge mentioned above. Should we dismiss all revealed or intuitive wisdom or the theories of philosophy and psychology because they cannot meet the objective parameters of the scientific method?

Many scientists and mystics concur that all reality stems from one source. Perhaps then a way to consider the validity of metaphysically as opposed to scientifically derived information is to say that the objective and subjective sciences are describing different layers of the same reality. Mystic wisdom employs different methodologies and descriptors than rational science because it is penetrating dimensions of reality that extend beyond the material.

The ancients arrived at their revelations through introspection using their intuitive and imaginative powers. They described facets of unseen dimensions that form the template for physical reality as we perceive it. Many points are emerging where these subjectively derived revelations are correlating to the newest and most advanced findings in genetics, molecular biology, and quantum physics.

As science creates new instruments to probe the quantum physical world, we are seeing how the symbolic mytho-poetic works of ancient mystics described, in terms of the available language and culture of their day, phenomena such as the Big Bang, Parallel Universes, Gaia theory, Information Theory and the Holographic Universe Theory to name a few correlates.

Many scientists, such as Einstein, used multi-standard methodologies by using non-material intuitive faculties such as imagination to visualize an instinctive truth then work it backward to a scientific hypothesis or theory.

So let’s not disrespect all channeled, mystical, philosophical, or otherwise “unscientifically” derived information as New Age drivel. Perhaps that elusive term, truth, is to be found at the emerging points of intersection between mysticism and science. If science is the y-axis of truth pertaining to the nature of reality then certainly spirituality is the coequal and necessary x-axis. Perhaps this is what Einstein meant when he said, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”

People on both sides of the scientific/spiritual divide need to study and respect the works of one another for only with an integrated mind/heart, rational/mystical quest for knowledge will humanity find the answers to its most compelling existential mysteries.

AUTHOR BIO-- Peter Canova

Current Project: Pope Annalisa, Book one of the First Souls Triiogy

At the age of twenty-three, I first realized my abilities to do intuitive medical readings, remote viewing, psycho kinesis, and other “psychic” phenomena. This led me to a conviction that all of humanity, and all life, is interconnected at an unseen level. As I traveled four different continents for my work, a variety of spiritual figures entered my life unsolicited thereby reaffirming this belief.

I combined my love of writing with my spiritual background and my travels to produce a fictional work entitled The First Souls Trilogy. It concerns the first fall of spirit into material existence as told through the lives of characters whose incarnations appear over different epochs of history. Pope Annalisa, the first book, tells of an African nun who becomes the first female pope in a near future world headed for self-destruction. The trilogy deals with the origin, destiny, and purpose of humanity, the suppressed role of the feminine in spiritual history, and spirit transcending religion.

Website:  popeannalisa.com
Twitter: popeannalisa
Pope Annalisa Videos on You Tube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSxB8r3sYBM

Women throughout the country are justified in their angst concerning the New Mammogram Guideline Recommendations from the “Government Task Force.” This recommendation breaks with the American Cancer Societies’ long-standing position regarding early detection, and sound like a step backward in health care.  It is a fact that detecting cancer early can mean the difference between life and death. If mammograms are discontinued before the age of 50, how will early screening for breast cancer continue?  What about arguments concerning false negatives and the panel’s advice that women shouldn’t be taught to do or use breast self examinations?  Don’t despair.  There are solutions to these challenges.

Now, more than ever before in breast cancer history, it’s important for women to listen to their bodies concerning health. It’s time to discover our inner-voices and self-advocate for the tests we need in order to survive. Medical tests we relied on for early detection may be a thing of the past. Our doctor’s hands may be tied by Hospital Policies that are cutting back on medical costs. We must depend on ourselves because we cannot depend on others to put our interests first and policies second. Education through word-of-mouth and the internet can be an invaluable tool. Four years ago a friend told me about the use of sonograms for breast cancer detection.

According to researchers at the University of Washington and Harvard Medical School, during a 10 year period, 1 out of 3 women had mammograms and breast exams which yielded images of breast cancer when none was actually present—false positives.  Conversely, false negatives are common (up to 15%) with mammograms, especially in younger women who have dense breast tissue.  However, the fear of a false negative is nothing compared to the panic attack associated with a missed positive. I can attest to this from personal experience. At ages 44 and 49, both of my breast cancers were missed on mammograms—missed positives—but found by self examination, and confirmed by MRIs. Our first line of detection should always be ourselves with self examinations, especially as our healthcare system continues to undergo changes. And, rather than systematically relying on mammograms for early detection, we should be looking at more reliable options such as Breast Sonograms.

The Power Color Doppler Ultrasound technology has been used as an alternative to Prostate Biopsy for years. One of the benefits of the Power Doppler Ultrasound is that it can be used as a mammogram alternative to monitor breast health and obtain clear, accurate breast cancer images. It can provide early and accurate images of most highly malignant breast cancers, resulting in life-saving early detection, diagnosis, and intervention.

According to the American Journal of Radiology, sonography detects four times as many cancers as physical examinations and twice as many cancers as mammography. Other advantages are that they can be repeated to closely monitor areas of concern during treatment. Additional benefits of Breast Sonograms are:

• completely painless, safe, and non-invasive
• no harmful radiation used during the procedure
• inexpensive when compared with the costs of a mammogram or biopsy
• requires no post-procedure medical care or recovery time.

If I’ve learned one thing these past years it is that you seldom get anywhere waiting for someone else to take action for you. Hoping someone else makes the right decision for you is a half plan missing a vital component and your biggest resource—You! Be a squeaky wheel until you are acknowledged, don’t take no for an answer, don’t settle for less, and don’t be dismissed.  I learned that the best way to survive any crisis is to mix intuition and science, and then cross check them against each other.

I am not beholden to medical or insurance associations.  I don’t have a Ph.D. after my name, but I do have 10 years of cancer experience behind it.  Help others by passing the word. Take care of your Inner-Spirit and it will take care of you.

About the Author- Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos www.survivingcancerland.com is an agented author and has penned SURVIVING CANCERLAND:  The Psychic Aspects of Healing.  She is a phone counselor for the R.A. BLOCH Cancer Foundation, a mentor for WE CAN, a contributor to Cape Women Online Magazine, C4Women, Colette Baron-Reid’s Intuition Now, blogs http://kathleenokeefekanavos.blogspot.com ,tweets http://twitter.com/PsychCancerland and is a volunteer for many cancer organizations and online cancer groups. She is currently working on her second book, SURVIVING RECURRENCE in CANCERLAND  

One does not need to check into a monastery and become a master monk to know peace, grace or to have the appropriate amount of time to just chill out and be. As in a human being and not a human doing. Finding and making time for “YOU” is a doable choice and yes it is a choice, based on self care and self respect.

The newness of having time not filled up may be a frightening experience at first. As feelings and knowledge need to have the place to surface, inform and heal our spirits. Rare is the urban warrior and goddess who are completely comfortable in the emptiness and act of non doing. Trust me, the stress and the drama will wait while you wander off and reflect.

Checking out from the collective matrix of over doing, over busy, over people pleasing does not mean dropping out. Try it just for one day, give your soul the treat of extra space and time to do nothing.  As with all wisdom; this happens one day at a time, one breath at a time and one intention at a time. You will be amazed at the learning and energy you will gather from the art of non doing.

Abundant Blessings In Grace

Master Michael Alaska

www.samuraiofgrace.com

I've heard it said as darkness looms
Fears are the killer of mind
I steady myself by melodic tunes
Deep within, LIGHT do I find
For LOVE is the POWER and CHAMPION!
A Dove and a Flower and Stanchion
Breathing in fragrance pleasing, lighting my candle, my lamp
Breezes buffet me while underfoot serpent I stamp!
Duality comes forth, Principle of Gender!
Reality's Source and invincible Lender
HIS Bride and Consort, THEIR Sun and Sender
By faith THEIR TRUTH the eternal Mender
When we struggle our strength
Be tested potential evolved
If we stumble at length
Still our problems are solved
For there's mercy abundant
Within all of our souls
By THEIR Power triumphant!
If LOVE and TRUTH we have chose
So be happy, be grateful
Yes look at the skies
Be chosen, be fateful
Relax, close your eyes
Tis in our hearts all the answers are written inside
We're all part, like as lancers they're smitten-disguised
Illusions enamored away they fade
Mentally clamored fray in the shade
Our cleansing Love-Light shall be obeyed!
We rise above ruling all things that are made.
For it is only the darkness that is afraid!!!

How do I do this, you ask, how do I be brave, how do I change things in my life that are a burden and a mess and of misunderstanding? How do I stop being this puppet with so many handlers that have access to my strings?

One step at a time, we say. With each step you take from this point on, do so with integrity, awareness and responsibility for the steps you choose.

If you can own the steps you take that do not turn out so great, then you can make the choice to choose a new route. If you can own the lines that come out of your mouth, you can make the choice to speak with thought and care put into what you emote.

If you can listen for our voice in good times and in bad, you will have a compass of wisdom to steer your walk.

If you can invite blessings into your life because you feel worthy of receiving them, will your stage find itself adorned with roses. If you can feel calm when the audience is in an uproar, you will have found peace and stable footing.

And if you can open your heart and let it swell, until it feels it would burst simply because you are, will the show become a miracle, with boundless opportunities, magic in each note that you hear, and you will come to see that where you are really isn’t so bad after all.

And as you turn to the orchestra, waiting for your cue, you will find they are already playing the song of your heart, the song of your truth, and you will step onto the stage, ready as you will ever be.

Dance, for this is your life. Sing, while you have the chance. Smile and feel like the sunshine. Weep, for this gives honor to your feelings. And above all else, see, that you alone, are sacred, you are a gift unto yourself, with every right to be here, and that no one, not anyone, can take away your dreams ever again, if you have removed your permission for this to be so.

We are watching, we see you, and we applaud, whether you shine or fall, we applaud, for it takes a soul of mighty courage and valiance to walk onto the stage. We will always be in the front row, we will always be backstage, and we will always be your orchestra, ready to play for you whatever you so wish.

Cherish your role, cherish your self, stand up and be counted, for you are a vision in all of your glory, magnificent beyond belief, and we bow in honor of your very existence

Our love for the deceased is shown by talking to them in their burial place, lighting candles for them in places of worship, and displaying their pictures. On the anniversary of their passing we have moments of silence, song, and food where we live, work, and pray. So, is setting a place for the dead at our dinner table going too far? Those who practice the Dumb Supper on All Hollow’s Eve don’t think so.

The Dumb Supper is a reverent event that discourages conversation of any kind. Dumb Supper literally means quiet meal—mum’s the word. It takes place on Samhain, which is All Hallow’s Eve or Halloween.  This practice, celebrated worldwide, is one of the largest gatherings at the Festival of the Dead in Salem, MA.

After the family meal is cooked, the table is set with an empty place setting filled with food. This extra setting is for all the family ancestors to come and enjoy a meal with the living family members. Photographs of the deceased are often placed on the table.

 Dinner begins with a prayer and a welcoming of the ancestors, and continues with quietude for the remainder of the meal. Appliances and cell phones are turned off because it is believed that silence is helpful for the dead to be among the living.

No one leaves the table until everyone has finished eating.  The silence is broken when everyone thanks the ancestors for dining with them.

After the meal is over, the ancestor’s food is fed to the family pets, spread over the earth, or taken to the cemetery where it is left on their grave sites. It is believed that the dead ate of the essence of the meal and thereby shared in the celebration of life.

One of the largest gatherings for the Festival of the Dead’s Dumb Supper is held in the Grand Ballroom of the Historic Hawthorne Hotel in Salem; a haunted site featured on the SciFi Channel’s show Ghost Hunters.

Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos www.survivingcancerland.com and @PsychicHealing twitter

If I dive into sorrow,

will I meet myself there in the darkness,

shining

like the hummingbird’s wings

gathering the light of the morning sun?

If I fall into longing,

will she open the thorny walls protecting

the secret place in my heart,

like the moon-flower’s pod cradles the seeds

until they are ready to drop

like tears

into the broken and waiting earth?

Thanks so much for this opportunity to share! This “poem” is excerpted from Soaring on Wings of Suffering, a collection of writings that have been flowing through me for some time now. Recently I began publishing the book with the help of my handy archival inkjet printer known now as Cindereagle Press. To read more, go to web.mac.com/terimicco. (Safari & Firefox work best.)

w o r d s  &  i m a g e  ©  2 0 0 9  b y  T e r i  M i c c o

I know because I’m a two-time, ten-year breast cancer survivor who found out that not all cancers are discovered by conventional medical tests.  Intuition can play an important part in diagnosis.

I am a psychic who always suppressed her supernatural skills. Fortunately, I am under the watchful eye and protection of “spiritual-guides” from the “other side” who were at odds with my doctors and their tests. My story explores my search for a cancer cure by challenging medical authority with  information from the psychic realm, accessed by meditations and dreams.   This same process can be used by anyone concerning any life concerning crises.

The first time I had cancer, rather than believing the healthy test results, I summoned the courage to defy doctors and used everything available in this world and the next, to save my life.  The doctors and tests had missed the 2.1cm tumor and lymph node— Stage Two cancer—Invasive ductal carcinoma. 

It’s time to stop ignoring ourselves. Listen, believe, and then validate! My inner voice saved my life.  Listening to yours may save you.           

After multiple tests and exams, my lump was still invisible to the medical community.  However, my guides had armed me with an angel feather to fence with against the indisputable medical information. My feather-fencing won. I convinced my doctor to perform surgery that was against hospital policy and his better judgment.  The result was a diagnosis that shocked the medical community and changed my life, forever.

I remember the exact moment when I received the validation of my dreams, inner voices and spiritual guide’s information.

“Pathology didn’t like what they saw when they cut the tumor open,” my surgeon said after closing the security curtain behind him.

“So, is it cancer?” I asked, while holding fast to the hospital gurney, bracing myself for the answer I already suspected and feared.

“Yes, I’m sorry. I’ll be referring you to someone else now- a specialist.”

So my “voices and dreams had been right, the doctors and first tests wrong.  With my surgeon’s words, the first shop of my ensuing battle had been fired, and it was not a warning shot across my bow- it was point blank into my breast. I glanced down at my painful wound and wept. 

Thus began my Alice in Wonderland’s steady decent down the dark rabbit hole of breast cancer.  But fortunately, I knew that I was not alone.  I had spirit guides by my side every step of the way.

Author Bio: Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos is an agented author of SURVIVING CANCERLAND: The Psychic Aspects of Healing.  They are looking for a home in publishing houses for the book. She was born in Germany to military parents, and raised in Europe. She is a two time, ten year breast cancer survivor (1998-2008), retired Special Education teacher, taught Psychology at the University of South Florida; Fort Myers Branch and is a Reiki master. Kathy contributes to Cape Women Online magazine www.capewomenonliine and twitter’s c4women.  For seven years, Kathy has been a phone counselor to women throughout the US and foreign countries for the R.A. BLOCH CANCER FOUNDATION. She also works as a cancer mentor for WE CAN  www.wecancenter.org  She is has been featured  by the Barnstable Patriot Newspaper and by numerous TV channel shows.

Visit her at www.survivingcancerland.com and on twitter at PsychicHealing.

Remember that a projection occurs when you pin your flaws “out there” onto someone else, blaming the other person so that you don’t have to look at your own stuff.  You know that you’re projecting whenever you have a reaction – a “charge” – around what another says or does. 

While in Chicago a couple of weeks ago, my husband, Steve, and I had the chance to visit my good friend’s daughter and her new boyfriend, George. Throughout the evening, I was taken aback by George’s direct, abrupt comments that bordered on rudeness.  He appeared to have little sense for the niceties of small talk that I grew up believing were necessary in social situations.

At one point, George flatly stated to Steve, without apparent provocation, “I’m angry with you.”  It was an awkward moment.  I felt surprised and bewildered in reaction to George’s comment.  Even though he explained it somewhat, I couldn’t wait to leave, and I definitely did NOT like George very much!

While part of me wanted to focus on George’s bluntness and to make that wrong, I knew that the real “juice” in this situation lay in examining my reaction.  It was not about George, it was about me.

As I looked for what George mirrored to me about myself, I thought, “Well, I don’t speak that bluntly and rudely to people!”    

Then I remembered that projections can also occur if we see something in someone else that we lack.  Aha! That was it!  George had shown me something missing in myself: honesty with others, in many situations, about my true thoughts and feelings.  I make up that, if I express my real feelings, I will cause others discomfort. 

So I dance around my truth.  I pretend that I’m having the opposite feelings to what I really feel.  I put on a “nice” face.  And it’s so phony! I did it that evening with George as we left his place, pretending that I had enjoyed meeting him!

Now that I’ve owned up to my phoniness, withdrawing the projection, I’m having a different inner reaction to George.  I no longer feel angry with him, resistant to meeting him again, or resentful.  Instead, I feel grateful.

I imagine how I might have spoken authentically that night to George.  I would have said something like, “Y’know, I’m not used to being around someone who speaks what he really feels.  So I don’t know how to respond.  I’m uncomfortable because I don’t know whether or not you’re serious.”

The fact that I’ve been chewing on this lesson for two weeks tells me that it’s huge for me.  So I’m sharing it with you, trusting that you can glean something from it for yourself.  May you begin to see the Georges in your life as gifts instead of thorns.

Thank you, George!

Dr. Marta practices as a Life Coach in Communication in the Verde Valley.  She welcomes your referrals.  Contact her at drmartacoach@gmail.com

NOTE** We do not endorse Dr. Marta, but found this story very relevant and in alignment with some of Colette's teachings. There is some fascinating reading by the experts in the field of Voice Diolog, Hal and Sidra Stone, that you may want to look into if this resonated with you. The Voice Diolog method addresses an area of your personality called the dis-owned self. Colette has incorporated this method in her In-Vizion® Process at her Sedona Intensive weekend seminars and workshops. Everybody should look into this, as Dr. Marta points out, it's very liberating.

My friend’s father passed suddenly at work from a heart attack at a very young age of 61. I never met her father and had only heard a few stories about his love of traveling with his daughter and grandson. My friends father “Alan” was very proud of being a bachelor. We found a letter in his home he had recently written to his grandson bragging about his bachelorhood. He was single over 30 years and in his words he prided himself for being single and free. He had several motorcycles that he was very proud of and was planning on fixing them up upon his retirement next year. As I helped my friend clear his house and prepare for an estate sale, I was given the task to sell the motorcycles on Craig’s list. I became overwhelmed with sadness as I typed the Craig’s list ad. I tried to reason with myself to understand what I was experiencing for a person that I had never met and knew very little about.

Then, things shifted. I received a message from Alan. I was suddenly feeling unconditional happiness and extreme pride for his daughter and her son. Everything was “OK”, no worries about listing the motorcycles and selling his estate contents.  It was “OK”! His message to his daughter was joy and contentment and for her to live a wonderful prosperous and abundant life.

OK, I was a little overwhelmed at this point…..however, it gets better!  I finished the ad and submitted it. Before the ad gets officially listed on the web I had to type the confirmation code in the box. You know the infamous confirmation code that is usually very strange word combinations with numbers and symbols. The code I received was “Alan Bachelor” (picture attached).

Thank you Alan for sending me this message through the internet!! After receiving this message, his daughter is now at peace with her decisions to sell his estate. As a side note; I still prefer receiving messages through my Avalon Oracle cards. Thank you Colette!!

Infinite Love and Gratitude,

Billie

Giving up my son was the hardest thing I ever did in my life.  I never married and never had other children, as I made a promise to my son, myself, and God that if I couldn’t raise this child, I wouldn’t bring another one into the world. 

In the late 1990s, I decided to search for the records of my son’s adoption.  I started before I had a computer and wrote letters and filled out forms to release records, but the adoption record was nowhere to be found.  After about 3 years or so, I was still searching and still no record was found, when I tried meditation to try to remember things from the past to help in my search.  One day, I was meditating and dozed off and had one of those in-color vivid dreams and it was about Moses.  I woke up and went straight to the Bible and read the story about Moses.  One of the first things I read was that Moses found his birthmother when he was 40 years old.  I knew that was my message!  All I had to do now was to wait 10 years.  During the 10 years, I worked on myself to be a better person so that I would be ready when the day came to meet my son.

In 2007, I was getting nervous because his 40^th birthday was coming up in December.  I went to Kansas City to see Sylvia Browne and Colette was on the bill.  I didn’t get to ask a question then, but later I called in to Colette’s radio show and got to talk to her.  I told her about my son, and she said she saw a reunion and it would be a good and happy event.  I continued writing letters to Michigan, still trying to find the adoption record.  One day in February 2008, I got a call from someone who had come across my letter, and she told me to call the County office again, as they had found the record. 

I don’t know why exactly, but we were not supposed to meet until he was 40.  God told me that in a dream, and I was thankful even though I had to wait.  The adoption record was in the file, right where it was supposed to be, but no one could see it until it was time, according to God’s plan. 

Now, I have met my son and his wife and their new baby was born last summer.  For me, it has been a dream come true and later this year, I’m going to stay with them in California for a few months to help out, since my daughter-in-law is having a rough year with the death of her mother last spring.  It took me many years to fine-tune my connection with God, but I have learned to trust my intuition, and to trust God for the outcome.  In my prayers, I always asked that things would turn out the best way for my son, whether that meant meeting him or not.  If you get a message from God through intuition or dreams, be thankful that the message was sent to you, even though it might not be what you wanted to hear.  When I had my dream about Moses, I could have been angry that it was 10 years away, but I wasn’t.  I was happy to wait and get ready, and all was finally revealed, in God’s time.

www.samuraiofgrace.com    

Check out my site at www.janeltracey.com.

A series of images began to materialize before me as I watched and waited for the rain to stop or to slow down. It was fascinating. I was drawn in, mesmerized by the drops pounding onto the pavement. At times, I sensed a slight shift taking place before my eyes as another dimension opened itself to me. My eyes turned witness to a mass of individual raindrops starting to take on a life of their own.  Each one sparked of vitality hitting the pavement in unrehearsed patterns. A dance, yes, it was a dance furious and relentlessly energetic. For a moment hail joined in adding to the choreography. The raindrops continued to build on their strength leaving bubbles on top of puddles that were forming. In another area they danced and flowed downstream until the water’s depth swallowed them whole. I sensed the pure joy in their dance as they continued with sweet abandon. 

Above me dark heavy skies loomed while patches of light hung in the distance. Lightening flashed ripping a line low and across the sky missing Bell Rock to the right. The warm and the cold air fronts clashed into a thunderous sounding explosion.  Ah, the elementals were at it again. This time I had stayed present for their magnificent performance. A moment of elemental magic had me entranced in a veil of no space, no time. My senses filled up and I slowly disengaged shifting back to my 3D reality.

The performance was coming to an end. The pace of the dancing raindrops slowed obliterating all evidence of their creative effort. The rain stopped and I was free to move on. I left the post office feeling touched, elated and energetically cleared. The presence of elemental magic highlighted my day and transported me momentarily to another world.  Indeed, what better gift could I have received than the all encompassing magical present?

www.JoannieSaltanis.com

After breakfast we decided to do a little “yard sale-ing”, something we like to do on Saturday mornings. The second yard sale we hit was at our local county school office and they had lots of things donated by many families. Among them were boxes and boxes of books. I was gently perusing the books while my husband was checking out some electronics, when I found them; all three books written about Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. There they were, just waiting for me to buy them for twenty-five cents each.

I have a strong attraction to Avalon and the strong, spiritual women that lived there long ago. Whether it was through a past life—I don’t know, but I do know I am continuing to find amazing strength and wisdom through the stories and the use of Colette’s cards. It’s times like these that remind me that the universe supports me in all I do, including the smallest desires of my heart.

Wounded Angel (Written by Angel Moody)

(Verse One)

Teen age girl all mixed up and confused.
Doesn’t understand why she feels the way she do
All the other girls are interested in boys 
While she has feelings for the girl she knows. 

To afraid to tell her mom and her dad
Because they are always saying those feelings are bad.
So she goes through life just feeling the pain
Not understanding why people say she should be ashamed.

(Chorus:)

Wounded angel refusing to live her life in pain.
Trying real hard not to carry the world’s shame.
Doing her best just to carry on through
When there’s so much wrong and so much to do.

Hoping her wounds will heal in the end.
Wishing for something more than just friends.
Just hoping for the moment she can begin to fly
Instead of watching all the world pass her by.

(Verse Two)

Same sweet girl not too much time has passed
Hoping and wishing the world wasn’t a farse
She finally gives in and tells mom and dad
the yelling starts and the parents go mad

Being told to leave she has nowhere to go
no home left, confused and felling so low
scared and cold with no place to lay her head
Living under a bridge now wishing she'd not said

(bridge)

Wounded angel mixed up and so confused
Trying so hard but she has nothing left to lose
Doesn’t know where her life is going to go
There’s so many things that she doesn’t really know.

(Second chorus)

Wounded angel refusing to live her life in pain.
Trying real hard not to carry the worlds shame.
Doing her best just to carry on through
When there’s so much wrong and so much to do.

Even though her new situation isn't ideal

She can make it though and have a life that's real

Not looking for acceptance from her parents hearts

She goes on in life to make a brand new start,

What a transformative, fun and miraculous experience for all of us.  We began with sacred ceremony with our good shaman friend Uqualla on Friday evening.  He set the stage for us, and oh, what a stage it was!  We stood in circle formation, under the starry-diamond-studded Arizona night sky, in the heart of Boynton Canyon, as Uqualla called forth within us all the divine powers that were ready to be released.  His chanting, drumming and sacred oratory created the portal for initiation and liberation that all had come seeking.  This was the beginning of our journey.  We were all ready to dive into the depths of whatever was standing in our way of being our authentic selves.  We were Warrior Princesses, ready to embrace the battle, with Great Love.

Saturday morning everyone gathered for the day to begin, excited and anticipatory of what would be revealed.  Colette, in her true wisdom and wit, delivered teachings that provided the tools for uncovering, discovering, and discarding that which no longer served.  Bonds were developing in this group of women; as we were admonished not to talk about our jobs, families, or the “labels” that we identified ourselves with; but to talk about the mental landscapes that we repeatedly found ourselves venturing into; not understanding why we were in a repetitive cycle of wandering into the same place of disaster and pain.  Our lives had become a story to tell, but Colette brought out in us a new story in us all and a new author to do a re-write of the old story.  We could feel the hope rising as new ideas and perceptions were brought into awareness….the transformation was at hand. 

Saturday evening was spent in solitude, rest, healing treatments with an amazing healer Althea Gray, journaling and contemplation.  The deep sediments within had been stirred, and the most powerful part of the Intensive was yet to come. 

Sunday morning 6 am, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, we greeted the new day with a forgiveness meditation---followed by driving, in silence, to the Buddhist Stupa, to partake in rose ceremony and setting intentions for the highest good to come. 

It was the last day of the intensive, and everything was about to come spilling out of each and every one of us to make room for new story we were going to write for ourselves. Each participant bravely and unbridled shared pieces of themselves, and with the group holding space for the individual, we were able to help them transform. Colette was skillfully guiding each participant, one person at a time, through the final transformative journey of her In-Vizion Process. And it was a wonder to behold. Seeing all the participants being reborn and ignited with such freedom and love for their lives was an absolute tear felt  joy. ‘When we enter into the shadow, it is there we find that the shadow cannot exist without the light’.  The light of each and everyone in this group was being ignited into a blaze. And greatness is what emerged from within every single one of these women. Words are difficult to convey what inner journey transpired for each individual at this Intensive, but there was no doubt that it ended in beauty.  The courage, strength and willingness to chance looking directly into their beings, only to find out that we are all our own greatest heroes in our journeys.  It was an honor to witness such brave souls, returning home unto themselves, reclaiming the “wise one” who lives and moves in their very beings.  In healing ourselves, we heal the world.  God bless us all. 

Nothing frustrates me more when I hear someone whine ‘Oh god what’s going to happen? This is awful, I’ve just been sacked…it’s all her fault or if it hadn’t been for that idiot I wouldn’t have been given notice to leave.’ Firstly, you are in blame mode, which doesn’t do anything for anyone. In any case for everything that happens, there is an opportunity in disguise. Don’t rule this out. In fact think it immediately. It will help to transmute the fear into opportunity. It all depends on your state of mind. You think you can or you think you can’t, but that very momentous difference in thinking can contribute to the outcome for the positive or the negative.

Feeling bad leaves you stuck. Feeling bad doesn’t help you to move forward. It’s okay to feel emotions, but wallowing in it, just leaves you stuck in the mud getting all caked up for nothing. Perhaps, you are a compulsive drama queen, someone who needs the attention because its all poor me…

Life is generous, but you have to allow for that generous magic to occur, by getting out of the way, out of fear, out of feeling you can’t. How? Is good question to ask, because it allows for solutions to appear? No matter how dire the situation seems to be at the time,

• Just draw a few deep breaths and bringing your focus into your feet into your whole being (this only takes a minute or so). This helps to keep you grounded. Very important when something external shakes you off centre.

• Stay with the problem in an unpunished way, to allow for creative answer to enter into ones mind. Concentrate on your abdomen, breathe deeply and inflate the walls of your stomach with each in-breath, release and soften on the out.

• Do this several times to bring you back into your own power. Solar plexus and sacral plexus are the main domains for personal power and integrity. The former, of honouring oneself and the latter relates to creativity in every aspect of our lives.  Imagine the colours yellow, around the belly button and orange about 2 in inches beneath, as vividly as you can. Feel connected in that area with those colours.

• Shift your focus to the space between the brows and imagine a bright violet light. The point of intuition. Do this for several days until you feel more empowered. Make it a habit to think less (being out of your mind) and going with the flow.

• Focusing in these areas will help to strengthen their functions and qualities required to balance you and the situation. Once you are done, diffuse the colours in your minds eye and see them being protected with a band of light around the periphery of the corresponding areas of the body. This keeps them from further imbalance and by tuning as above strengthens the qualities within the soul.

Next time you are feeling bad about something, don’t be a victim and go into Poor me mode.  Smile and know you are going to be all right. Think of the possibility instead. Simply seeing it as an opportunity. Watch what will happen. Be the observer to the question and live into the answer. Create the opening for letting go. Tell yourself firmly I can handle this or there’s no challenge I can’t deal with and allow for magical solutions to appear.

Happy adventure

Liberty Lane

copyright  © Liberty Lane (Rafah Sabbagh) 2003

Animal Planet Article.

Over the past two weeks, the Jesusita wildfire raged near Santa Barbara, California, 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles, consuming over 8,700 acres of land and forest, and destroying or damaging nearly 100 homes. Some 30,000 people, over half the city’s population, were forced to evacuate their homes. While thousands of firefighters devoted their time to containing the blaze, one group of rescue workers gets scant media attention - animal rescue teams that work around the clock to help displaced pets and wildlife and save as many lives as they can.

“Don’t you dare!” I hear Julia Di Sieno say gently to someone in the background as I speak to her on the phone. She is Co-founder and Director of Animal Rescue Team, a nonprofit organization which has been inundated with animals they’ve rescued and calls for help since the fire broke out last week. Her organization specializes in wild animals, particularly fawns and mammals, while domestic pets they rescue get sent to the local Humane Society. Out of curiosity, I ask who she’s talking to, figuring it’s one of her animals. “It’s the bobcat! She was trying to pee on me!”

Di Sieno helped rescue the bobcat kitten in the photo a week before, near Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Ranch, where it was dehydrated and near death. Di Sieno nurtured it back to health. They rescued the fawn during last week's wildfire. Although wild animals, especially of separate species, are never placed together due to regulations, in this emergency situation, they had no choice. During the mayhem of the fire, they were forced to put animals anywhere they could, since they had run out of crates large enough for the fawn. The kitten ran to the fawn, and it was instant bonding.

Most wildlife knows instinctively to flee fires - to fly away, burrow, or run - but some don’t make it out in time. Rescue workers walk near the fire line with nets, searching for any injured animals or young separated from their parents. “Burn victims go to the local care hospital,” says Di Sieno. “We rescued bunnies, squirrels, two fawns. We’ve rescued I don’t know how many geese, chickens ducks, cats, birds, turkeys, and a baby owl and a baby raptor.”

Another local nonprofit, Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, specializes in songbirds and seabirds, but during emergencies rescue workers help any animal that needs it. “All rehab centers in California work together as a team to help wildlife who are in need of care due to injuries often caused by man, dogs, cats, cars, etc,” explains Julia Parker, Director of Animal Affairs at WCN.

California currently faces severe drought conditions, which increases the chance of wildfires breaking out, and of spreading out of control. Just last year this same region had the Goleta Gap fire and the Montecita Tea Fire. During these fires, which can escalate and spread rapidly due to shifting winds, pets sometimes run from their homes, or alternately get stuck at home when a fire spreads rapidly and desperate homeowners can’t get to their homes.

All of these Santa Barbara area animal rescue organizations have put out a national plea for donations because of the overwhelming need for animal food, medicines, and space to house displaced animals. ART currently leases a 1.5-acre plot of land that houses rescued animals in enclosures on the property, which require around-the-clock care, and the organization is desperate to purchase the land. The morning after Di Sieno – along with an insanely cute bobcat cub and fawn photo – appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show – the landowner decided he needed to sell it and she’s concerned for the future of the animals she and her fellow workers just rescued. The WCN also seeks funds for their Oiled and Injured Seabird Rehab Center, and receive no City, State or federal funding. One of their volunteers, Nancy Callahan, runs W.I.L.D.E. Services which focuses on raccoons and opossums, had her home and facility burnt to the ground and must start over from scratch. After rehabilitation, the groups reintroduce rescued animals to the wild.

This deck is absolutely amazing. Not only is it extraordinarily accurate, it is also a beautiful deck. The art was painstakingly designed to perfection by world renowned multi-media artist Jena DellaGrottaglia. Each card was designed by Colette and then Jena went to town on them, exceeding our expectations. There is so much detail, and symbolism in each card that once you start using them, you’ll begin to notice all the little nuances and begin to admire to accurately discern any situation. These cards are truly a work of art.

But enough about the visuals, you have to use these to believe how great they are. Colette spent many hours conceptualizing the meaning of the cards and then put herself to task and wrote an entire booklet that describes not only every card and its meaning, but also the reverse meaning of a card. At 44 cards with 88 different meanings, the Wisdom of the Hidden Realms are sure to enlighten you on your journey.

Like all divination aids and oracle systems, these cards have a sacred purpose, which is to help you connect to the flow of Divine syn­chronicity. They are symbolic tools created to reflect the state of your present, the lessons of the past that still influence your choices, and the potential of the future. So when you choose certain cards, they’ll reflect the issues relating to your life that you may or may not be fully conscious of.

The cards will provide you with insight, as well as questions to consider, as you seek to understand yourself and your purpose in the world. When you use them, you should do so with the intent of connecting to the vast, unlimited, Divine consciousness. They will guide you to make choices that are in line with your highest good.

These oracle cards are designed to help you get in touch with the patterns that have mani­fested in your life. They’ll show you what influ­ences have brought you to your current state and will shed light on the potential direction of future experiences based on the path you’re currently on. They can also be used to help you change your way if you find that your current situation lacks clarity or if you’re heading in a direction that’s harmful.

Always remember that you have the capacity and the responsibility to shape reality in the best way possible, regardless of what challenges life brings. Destiny and Fate serve to bring the players together and set up certain situations on the play­ing field of your life . . . but you have to participate in the game in order to win it. The cards act as your helpers, bridging the worlds of the unseen and the material. They illuminate your path as you walk your own special journey of life.

How to Do a Reading

Say your prayer and quiet your mind; then think of a question. The best type doesn’t re­sult in a yes/no answer; rather, it is one that will provide responses to help you gain in­sight into your situation so that you can act in accordance with a card’s message.

For example, questions may be phrased in the following ways:

• “What do I need to focus on today?”

• “What do I need to know about my relationship?”

• “What is the evolving nature of my situation?”

• “If I take this action, what will be the result?”

• “What wisdom is here for me today about my job or career?”

• “How can I improve my situation?”

• “What can I expect on the path I’ve currently chosen?”

It’s also important to note that these or­acle cards weren’t designed to predict the fu­ture. Rather, they are meant to offer you the wisdom you need to create the best life now, which evolves into the most meaningful and productive future. These cards also invite you to go deeper into the question, and the mo­tives behind asking it, as the Wisdom of the Hidden Realms is revealed.

Feel free to let your intuition guide you as you gaze at the cards. Allow your higher con­sciousness to show you the deeper meaning of your personal stories as they’re reflected in the patterns of the cards you choose. Remem­ber that divination is about tapping into the world of the soul and receiving your answers in symbols, omens, signs, and the language of Spirit. Open your heart and see through the eyes of your infinite soul, allowing the magical helpers of the Hidden Realms to reveal their wisdom in mystical, wonderful ways.

EXAMPLE

The Ringmaster of scrutiny
discernment, clear vision, details

Ally
The Ringmaster of Scrutiny is all about the details. Look closely and pay attention to the smallest elements of what’s being presented to you on your path. It’s in these details, not the broad strokes, that you’ll find the breathtaking beauty and perfection in what you observe. This Ally is on your side to point to the deeper meaning of what unfolds in your life, and he reminds you that every moment counts. Staying present in this perfect moment, observing the minute things, leads you to manifest your highest good and greatest desires. Grand gestures are for other times. It’s the smallest acts that really count now.

Challenger (reversed)
When the Ringmaster of Scrutiny appears as your Challenger, he warns you to observe your situation with discernment and clarity. It’s time to see the flaws in the foundations you and others have built under you. It also seems that you may be getting caught up in the details of your dream when really it’s time to leave them to the Divine. Perhaps you’re worrying about the past and the future too much, forgetting that the dream is created in the Now time. Often the Ringmaster of Scrutiny also brings a warning to read the fine print and watch for hidden agendas when you’re involved with others.

My only tiny bit of nervousness came from wondering if I would recognize him when I got off the plane, but as I should have known, that too was not necessary. When I walked into the terminal and looked around a bit, my eyes went directly in Peter’s direction as I saw him walking back and forth across the terminal. “That must be him”, I thought, “he’s not sitting still!” My eyes had immediately been drawn to him.

I grabbed my bags and off I went to greet him, sharing a big hug before we headed off to the parking garage to find the car.

When we got to Peter’s, we sat and talked for a while and then we made dinner together continuing to chat all the while. Our conversations had an easy relaxed flow as if we’d known each other all our lives.

In the morning we had breakfast and coffee and then it was time to go to a potluck lunch with the people from Peter’s spiritual group.

Before we left, a huge fear suddenly swept through me. I was almost paralyzed by it. I lay on the bed in my room not knowing what to do. But it was if someone pushed me off the bed and said, “Go and talk to him.” I went downstairs and found Peter and explained how I was feeling. He took me in his arms and held me as I felt the fear dissipate into the air as if it never existed. It was the single most precious moment I have ever experienced in my life, to be with a man, to share that vulnerability and to have him be totally without judgment, criticism or blame and just hold the space for me to feel whatever I needed to feel without once trying to fix me.

It was this moment that defined our relationship, the moment when we both knew that we had found our perfect Beloved partner.

A year later we were married and live together in our beautiful conscious relationship – living and loving with compassion, strength and always taking care of our own issues and allowing each other the space to do the same.

We are now also working together, doing group sessions, relationship workshops and meditation classes.

And we are grateful for this arranged match that the universe so lovingly orchestrated for us.

Bettina Goodwin is a Conscious Living Coach, Reiki Practitioner and writer. www.thesoulconnection.ca

“It’s so easy to give our power away to oblige our partners or console our families. But if the choices we make rob us of too much of our private time, if they deprive us of our joy or our inner peace or prevent us from expressing our creative gifts, then ultimately they are violations we are perpetrating against our own souls. These violations do not affect just us in negative ways they affect all those around us.”

Stand in Your Power

• Do not forsake your own needs for another! Caring for another is different from pleasing another. When you genuinely care for someone, your actions take no effort. Pleasing another is giving your power away to that person. You do not feel good about your actions; resentment settles upon you. In order to care for another, you must care for yourself first!
• Make waves and speak your mind. Napoleon Hill said “opinions are the cheapest commodities on earth.” You have a right to speak your mind. Do not stay silent. Your thoughts and ideas can make a great contribution to society. Who knows, you may have the solution to a problem that a family, friend, or employer has been waiting for!
• Let go of guilt, feeling obligated, and the words “should and have.” Guilt can eat at you and cause tremendous stress. If you are going to help another, do so because you want to be of service. Feeling obligated to do something will not serve you or another!

In conclusion, ask yourself if you are standing in your power or trying to please another. Reclaim your power and life today! Parents, grandparents, former teachers, and others mean well, but do not realize how their words and actions will impact your adult life. Let go of old beliefs that you picked up from childhood which are not serving you today. As an adult, you have the right to change your thoughts, beliefs, and life. Live in the now and leave the past in the past!

Defined as “the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning”, it is precisely this right-brained approach that seems to alienate its usage from the mainstream realms of business.

Is there genuine, substantial value to be created by using intuition within the business world? Absolutely. And where exactly does intuitive business play a role?

Firstly, and arguably most importantly, with the people you choose to do business with; employees, suppliers, partners or contractors. Without a group of loyal, honest and trustworthy personnel around you, your business stands little chance of surviving let alone flourishing.

Trust and follow your gut instinct when it warns you about the too-smooth supplier whose misleading new contract you’re being pushed to sign, the secretary you’re about to employ who has sparkling credentials yet is unduly interested in the petty cash system, and the telephone salesperson who promises that parting with cash guarantees your business will feature on the first page of the online search rankings.

So often we brush these feelings aside - especially when business is slow and there are bills to pay - but your intuition is talking to you, are you listening?

Secondly, intuition plays a large role in the creation of ideas. These innovative gems can arise in relation to your re-branding exercise, online marketing strategy, a new niche service you can offer, or even your IT systems. It is irrelevant what area your intuition relates to, what matters is that you follow those inner nudges, because they will undoubtedly lead you to success.

At this point, it is important to note that when you receive an intuitive whisper from within, you may well be unaware of where it is leading. In fact, you most probably won’t. It’s comparable to driving at night and only being able to see the immediate road ahead that is illuminated by your car’s headlights, yet you trust that even though you can’t see it when you set off, in the end you will arrive at your destination.

Thirdly, intuition can help shape your financing decisions. This is probably the most emotive area of business, and as such, it is the one where the sensible “oh no, I can’t do that” voice is at its loudest. Deciding whether to expand or consolidate, invest or divest and other finance-based choices is not something to be taken lightly, and there is no suggestion here that you impulsively opt to re-mortgage your house in order to buy a shipment of rare Tibetan antiques. However, checking in with your gut instinct is highly recommended.

Sometimes this can be tricky, so an easy exercise is to sit quietly and imagine how your business would be if you chose Scenario A (for instance, expanding your operations overseas) – see how your gut instinctively reacts, does it tighten in fear or does it expand with confidence and belief? Repeat this exercise for each separate scenario and trust that your gut will lead you to making the all right decisions to nurture, safeguard and create your future.

There are numerous other instances where intuition is an invaluable tool, so why not allow yourself be inspired and challenged into a perspective shift – depending on the circumstances, maybe a broadening of your horizons and view of the world, or a narrowing of your focus and channelling of your efforts – with success the common denominator.

Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.' 

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section..

The angel then said to me, 'This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them.. 'I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. 'This is the Acknowledgment Section,' my angel friend quietly admitted to me.. He seemed embarrassed 'How is it that there is no work going on here?' I asked. 

'So sad,' the angel sighed. 'After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments .'

'How does one acknowledge God's blessings?' I asked.

'Simple,' the angel answered. Just say, 'Thank you, God.'

'What blessings should they acknowledge?' I asked..

'If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy .'

'And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.'

'If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day .'

'If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ...you are ahead of 700 million people in the world.'

'If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world. '

'If your parents are still alive and still married ...you are very rare .'

'If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair.'

Ok, what now? How can I start? If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and remember to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

Living your passion is only possible if you truly tune into your heart and your spirit for it is here you will find that which comes natural to you.

It may lead you on different roads for you to grow wiser and more solid, but ultimately you cannot live without it.

When you work with your true passion and your purpose, it will fill you up like a well that is never empty.

The excitement of getting up in the morning happy to be alive and feeling blessed that you are doing what you came here to do, is what life is all about.

If you follow your guidance, you will be given greater assignments as you climb up the mountain. Ultimately you can look down to see the magic you have been given along the way, and believe me you will never be pushed to do more than you can handle at any given point.

I was 37 years old until I found my true passion.

Working in different fields from delivering mail, being a secretary, cleaning luxuary planes, to starting my own successesful cleaning business and finding that in all of them was missing passion.

I was constantly drained and always tired, and I realized I had lost the connection to my spirit along the way.

I started doing exstensive energy work, learning about clearing energy, not only in myself but also in others and little by little I could hear my heart speak to me in soft whispers along the way.

Something had reconnected with me that had felt lost or gone for ages.

I started to trust my own senses and intuition and boy was I scared when I made the decision to end my business and start from scratch.

I even bought a new car to top it all off in starting my new adventure with all my senses and joy.

My new intuitive space design business was a reality.

I launched an exstensive website explaining what I do and how I do what I do.

I remember my husband saying that maybe I shouldn't tell anyone, that I was able to tune into peoples energy and spirit, and read from that what they so deeply desired in their homes and offices.

It was hard in the beginning, but the truth of the matter is ,that feeling my beating heart and how I felt alive again was all worth it.

I didn't care that I wasn't making that much money because ultimately, it was all a dance between me and my spirit, learning the different ways my intuition would speak to me and how much easier I could find colors for clients and how much better the designs became once I trusted myself more and more. It wasn't about me anymore but simply being of service to my client.

For me to be able to create their desires and inner sanctuaries, so that they could feel inspired and safe in their own spaces was reward enough for me.

I remember the day when I finally gave into the love for my work and became one with it.

All of a sudden I didn't have to hide my abilities anymore, despite what people would say or think.

I couldn't lie anymore and I know deep within myself, it was the most liberating feeling I have ever felt.

Once you truely step into your light there is no way back, only fields of dreams coming true and that is what passion and true purpose is all about.

What is your passion?

www.intuitive-space-design.com

Bettina Charlton