Category: Service

Give Your Intuition Space

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A few days ago, I attended the last session of a webinar that Denise and Meadow Linn offered. During it, Denise led us in a fire ceremony with the intention of releasing all that was no longer served and inviting in all that did. Rituals and ceremonies have always been important to me, even before I was a priest. While metaphorical, the symbolism embedded in them often had the intended result. In the case of Denise’s ceremony, the result was unexpected, making space for my intuition. Let me explain.

For years, I’ve worked with feelings of not being good enough, fear of taking risks, being visible, and pushing myself to be perfect. Through therapy, workshops, and personal study, I understood where these came from, including their intention, which was to keep me safe. So, they weren’t bad, but they limited me in the present. Through that work, I also let go of and invited transformative healing into those parts so they’d benefit me. For example, the perfectionist became the part committed to doing my best. Still, even with this, I knew that these lingering parts still chattered when I tried something new.

Going through the ceremony, subconsciously, I identified this chatter as clutter. And the clutter got in the way of me hearing my intuition. Now, I believe that my intuition is the voice of my divine or higher self, whose goal is to help me live my best self and purpose. Following the ceremony, I discovered that the releasing experience removed some of the chatter clutter, giving my intuition room to breathe.

Interestingly, with the space, my intuition no longer had to yell to be heard. Instead, it communicated its message in a calm, quiet, and, dare I say, even grounded way.

Since last Thursday, as I go through my day, I check in with myself to determine what I’m drawn to do. I consider my options, like writing books, exercising, or cleaning. Sometimes, my intuition doesn’t respond. I take that to mean that they are equal. When it did weigh in, and I listened, I felt both contentment and joy during and afterward. Writing this blog is one example of that.

Space. That’s all it was. Give my intuition space. Space to be heard without shouting. Do you find your intuition competes with the chatter of parts of you that no longer serve? Like Denise did in the webinar, have your own fire ceremony, perhaps using a candle to keep things safe. Then, imagine those parts that limit you being released and floating away like the wisps of smoke from a burning candle. Then, invite in what does serve, allowing your intuition space to voice the answer.

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Awaken Your Magic: Real Life Manifestation Journeys

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Check out the book Awaken Your Magic: Real Life Manifestation Journeys, for which I’m a contributing author.

It’s an anthology featuring diverse voices sharing their powerful experiences of manifestation.” Its contents are personal stories of spiritual awakenings, miracles, and blessings. In each chapter, the author shares their struggles and the wisdom gained through them. My chapter, “Signposts to Purpose,” describes my search for my calling, its challenges and the divine inspiration that guided my path.

The proceeds for online sales go to a non-profit called StreetLightUSA, which provides help to those exploited or sex trafficked.

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Letting go, trust, risk

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In a recent personal oracle card reading, I received that a message that an area of my life that is blocked is abundance. The tool to break through it being still and open. The outcome of doing will be the manifestation of wonderous experiences. An exciting message, huh. My intuition says that this message is not just for me but for anyone seeking to discover opportunities and fully manifest their gifts.

A few weeks ago, I started a Certified Aura Reader course offered by Dougall Fraser and his husband David Harel. The goal is to enable the enrollees to perceive people’s auras and understand what they represent about the person’s self and gifts. As a spirit healer still growing into my identity, I sensed that developing this ability would be important. Not even half way into the course, I discovered three ideas that might be helpful to anyone.

Letting go: While this is not a new idea, for me letting go also meant telling my mind voice to shush. Ever committed to helping me on my spiritual path, it falsely believed that to help me it needed to push harder to figure “it” out, not aware that by doing this it hindered my ability to hear my intuition.

Trust: With a quiet mind, I’m once again reminded to trust. It too is not a new idea. But it calls for trust at a deeper level. For out of the quiet, our intuition has more space to perceive messages and images and to speak. A few weeks ago, during my first practice aura reading, quieting my mind and trusting were challenging. Although, what I sensed was real, it was limited. I had to trust wholeheartedly that into the silence (or at least the space that had less mind chatter) would come what I needed to hear and thus share with the person I was reading.

Risk: It can be scary to try something new, especially if others might consider it hogwash. In my case, risk called me to not edit or doubt, speaking whatever I heard through my intuitive sense, in a stream-of-consciousness kind of way. Now, before doing so, it necessitated that I go neutral, that is, set aside my mood so I could tap into the other’s energy. Risking from this place came a great sense of satisfaction.

Letting go, trust, and risk. Simple ideas but having profound outcomes if we are open to embracing them.

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Beauty, Gratitude, and Responsibility

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I’ve been driving cross-country on vacation. My husband and I had always wanted to see the sites of the U.S.A. We finally had the opportunity. Throughout the drive, we were struck by the unique beauty of each state, from prairies to rolling hills, from mountains to valley, not to mention animals like deer, cows, goats, horses, and so on. Our first stop today was in Badlands, South Dakota.

The Badland rocks formed over millions of years, and as a result of wind and water eroded to create amazing formations. An example is shown to the left.

Their beauty was awe inspiring, reminding me of the beauty of nature is and our planet.

I can only offer gratitude to Mother Earth and God for sculpting the land as it is.

With this appreciation of course, comes a call to responsibility.

In a recent podcast that I heard, the speaker stated that he did not like the phrase climate change or global warming because they did not convey the urgency of our need to heal our planet. He preferred the phrase global crisis or climate crisis, because it highlighted the state we are in.

We continue to hear about record-breaking temperatures , floods from unexpected deluges, tornados that pop up unexpectedly, and fires in Canada and elsewhere that destroy people’s homes, lives, and our forests. We’ve got to do something to improve our care of the planet. Many of us are already recycling and composting. Many are moving away from fossil fuels to solar energy and electric or hybrid cars. But, I believe we need to do so much more, given all that we are experiencing. If we don’t do more, especially moving away from anything that emits CO2, the lifetime of our planet is in doubt, if not in our lifetimes, certainly our grandchildren or theirs.

We are called to be caretakers of our planet, showing it as much love as we show our friends and family. I’ll get off my soap box now. Here’s another photo of the Badlands.

Embody the Fool

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Today, April 1, is All Fools’ Day. On this day, many engage in pranks. I found myself thinking about this day from another perspective. Normally, people don’t want to be thought of as a fool. But I wonder if there are situations when acting like the fool is a good thing?

Embody the Fool

Over the last months, storms of all kinds have taken their toll. Despite that, many still insist there is no global warming. To them, those who challenge their mindset are fools. Are we not encouraged look foolish on our world’s behalf?

In the corporate world, standard business practice for laying off people is to use the phrase, we’ve eliminated your position, rather than honestly calling it what it is. Ironically, some of the same businesses talk about the importance of their employees. Yet they demand long work hours for insufficient pay. In both cases, might we be called to play the fool and call them on it?

Let’s look at this from an even more personal perspective. For those whose childhood was marked with trauma and abuse, it was critical to be invisible in order to stay safe. Taking risks or trying something new would be foolish. Such a person might conclude that it’s better to stay in a job that you hate or a relationship that is unhealthy. And some would consider it foolish to dig into the trauma, even if it might bring healing. Yet might this foolishness lead to peace and possibilities?

This week, many in the world celebrate Holy Week. It starts with Palm/Passion Sunday, which marks the day that Jesus enters Jerusalem, a place in which he ultimately dies. Some would consider traveling there foolish. Religious leaders of the time would consider him foolish and dangerous for what he taught. Yet, he willingly embodied the fool to follow his calling.

During the month of April, what if we embody the fool? What if we take risks that reflect our purpose, even if they might be scary or difficult. What if we to stand up to care for all people and our universe? What if we demand honesty from corporations?

 What do you say? Are you with me?

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Disappointment and Belief

Joe5 Comments

Yesterday I learned that my book proposal for my spiritual fantasy wasn’t selected to receive a free book contract.

Disappointment. I felt disappointment. Despite being open to any outcome, I was disappointed. I reminded myself to feel that, because I had put a lot of work into the proposal and the book. After receiving support from my husband, I decided to chat with my divine advisors.

They first asked me if I believed in my book’s message. Before I could respond, they asked me that if I do, do I believe in it strong enough to seek another publisher and not let this rejection stop me.

After thinking a moment, I told them yes. Yes, this rejection wouldn’t stop me. My book’s message is important for me to put out there.

They also reminded me, as others have, that there will be people who won’t agree with my message, and may even be threatened by it, just like the main character in my book. They suggested that I use this rejection as a call to strengthen my spiritual base, if I experience future challenges.

Have you ever been in a similar situation? Have you put great effort into something you believed in, a project, goal, or dream, and experienced rejection? It’s disappointing. But, as my divine advisors also reminded me, my passion that fueled my book writing hasn’t gone away. In fact, I am currently looking for another publisher, not to mention working on the outline of my second book.

So, I’d invite you to do a few things. First, reconnect with your passion about your project or dream. Really feel it to the depth of your soul. It hasn’t gone away, has it? Tap in that energy to continue working towards getting your dream out there. My divine advisors reminded me that just the process of writing my book put my message into the world.

This morning, as I started my meditation, using the app Insight Timer, my divine advisors sent me one more message, in the form of a Martin Luther King, Jr. quote:

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

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Healer Menace and Miracle: Chronicles of a Spirit Healer

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Hi everyone. This isn’t one of my usual blogs. This is actually an announcement about the fact that I recently submitted a book proposal to a publisher. The title above is the working title of my spiritual fantasy. It will be the first book in a series.

Admittedly, this type of writing is a significant departure from my blogs thus far, as they have been discussions about God, purpose, self-improvement, and the like. However, like my blogs, the book does reflect the intent of my website, to inspire people to remember their innate divine self and their unique gifts and calling.

As mentioned in my post last December, the idea for it came unexpectedly after attending a writers workshop at the end of 2021.

This video introduces you to the storyline of the book, and the main character Thom Macirdan.

Announcement: Book proposal submission.

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Lead your Dream; Embody your Vision

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What is your dream or vision? Are you living it? If you are still searching for yours, one way to find it is to consider what you are drawn to. What excites you or arouses your passion?

Two years ago, my passion resulted in the creation of my website, in service of my calling as a spirit healer. Up until now, besides posting blogs, my vision included writing a self-help book. But a year ago, that plan took a surprise direction when I attended a writing workshop and heard a participant explain that she wanted to write a fiction book that introduced children to spirituality. That idea sparked a flame in me that has turned into a blazing fire now, as I near completion of my first book in a spiritual fantasy series, called Healer Menace and Miracle (working title).

I have to say, that from the start, writing about the adventures of my main character, Thom, coming into his spirit healing gift, has been a blast. As I put the words on the paper, I felt daily inspiration writing about Thom’s encounters, from a run in with an unscrupulous merchant who wanted to use him, to Thom healing a dying toddler, to name two. Wave after wave of joy swept over me as I described Thom’s journey as an emerging healer.

Throughout this year, I must admit that I wondered about publishing my book. Three months ago, I signed up for the Celebrate Your Life conference. Unbeknownst to me when I signed up, I learned that one of the sponsors, Hierophant Publishing, was inviting participants to submit a proposal before the end of the year, from which they would select one person to whom they would offer a free contract. For the last month, I’ve worked on my proposal. While it isn’t quite as enjoyable as writing my book, it certainly is key to manifesting this part of my dream. Since I don’t know if I’ll be selected, I am letting go of the outcome, trusting that what happens is for the highest good.

Returning to the blog title: Lead your dream; embody your vision: Through both the workshop participant’s comment and Hierophant Publishing’s offer, God and my spirit guides invited me to embody my vision in an unexpected way. Rather than just following my dream, I felt called to lead it; in other words, I had to put in time and effort to give birth to it.

At the start of this last month of the year, what steps have you taken to embody your vision and lead your dream? Those steps don’t have to be large. They could even be as small as visualizing your dream in a meditation or even creating a Vision Board. As you enjoy spending time with your loved ones, take the time to reflect on where you are and where you want to be. So, that come January, you have a vision in mind and a plan to manifest it.

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You are a unique creator

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You are a unique creator of light; we are unique creators in light.

I woke up unsettled this morning, an aftermath of writing my last blog. After breakfast, I took a walk. It was a gray morning and reflected my mood. A few moments in, song lyrics from the “Come From Away” musical popped into my head – “Out of the darkness… into the light.” It felt like a reminder that light was present even if I couldn’t see or feel it. Listening to more lyrics, I came upon one character, who upon seeing a couple fearfully clutching their Bible because they did not understand what was happening, ask to borrow their Bible and showed them a passage from Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing.” These too felt like a message from the divine.

As I bathed in the words, they brought me some peace and a reminder of my calling to serve. It felt like an invitation to create something unique out of these experiences and offer that to others. In fact, I believe that through our own experiences, and the way we handle our struggles and successes, we are all unique creators of light. Even if a path is shared by others, it is still unique because who you are.

I’m currently writing a fantasy novel. The primary character, Thom, is a spirit healer. As I write about the Thom growing into his gifts, what is so freeing is that I get to create what I want, including his encounters, learnings, and challenges. It flows from me naturally because of who I am and who I aspire to be. This freedom also applies to my life, I can create what I want, which is unique to me, and that may help others.

The same is true for you. Each day, you get to write/live your story based on who you are and who you aspire to be. You have the opportunity to create something new and beautiful because of how you uniquely experience and learn from your challenges and blessings. And as you bathe in this newly created light, you offer the same light to those around you. From the same Philippians passage (the Jerusalem Bible), …”if there is anything you need, pray for it, …, and that peace of God [higher power], which is so much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and thoughts…”

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They call me Tavi

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One of my favorite fantasy series is “The Codex Alera” by Jim Butcher. The main character, Tavi, faces numerous challenges as he discovers his identity. One reason I like this series is that when Tavi encounters a situation that scares him sh**less, he proceeds anyway because he knows it’s for the good of all.  As he prepares to face another challenge, his partner tells Tavi, “Fear is the enemy. Respect it. But do not let it conquer you before the fight has begun” (Butcher, 2008, p. 334).

I resonated with this advice, and wrote about my own approach to it in my last blog, “Who is driving the bus?” Over the last few weeks, while traveling, further insights arose. The first is about shifting my direction. The second is about my call to serve.

In interacting with my Mindset Makeover group, one of my team used the word shift to describe the changes she is making. The word jumped out at me powerfully. For many years, I’ve worked to change some aspect of myself to increase my self-esteem. On hearing the term shift, I realized that I experienced that word as a gentle direction adjustment rather than an about face, which is how I have viewed change. Shift reflected that I was already on the right path and mostly aligned. So, it felt easier to implement.

During my recent travels, I found myself repeatedly applying this metaphor. For example, when I heard about many flight cancellations and anticipated having difficult conversations with family, I was able to shift my attention from the fear that arose to my intuition and let go. Time and again, as small or large fears surfaced, I applied this approach. It felt so right, even if there were times that the outcomes associated with my fears weren’t as perfect as I hoped.

The second realization was about service. Through the Mindset workshop, I realized that in my studies over the last year, I erroneously thought I had to learn more before really being of service. Embracing the shift metaphor enabled me to see and respond to opportunities to serve in the most simple ways.

Connecting and serving

One of the most profound opportunities was with my niece, Maureen. Maureen has Down syndrome, at a level that is considered profound. As a result, she has limited ways to communicate. For the last 25+ years that I’ve traveled to visit my husband’s family, including Maureen and her parents, while I have shown her love, given her hugs, and so on, I must admit that felt a little stiff. I was fearful of doing the wrong thing with her.  Both the shift metaphor and the reminder that the simplest way to serve is to love, enabled me to relax and trust my intuition. So, for this visit, I played with Maureen, held her hand, helped her move around her home, and just sat with her so her parents could attend to other things. It was delightful. Maureen was all smiles. It was such a treasured experience.

As you travel your own road to wholeness and service, perhaps the shift metaphor would be useful to you, and enable you to open up to opportunities that you might not have considered before.

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Butcher, J. (2008). Princeps’ Fury. London: Penguin Books, Ltd.