Sedona ... You Always Come Through

When I was presented with an opportunity to visit Sedona after having just been there 6 months ago, I couldn't pass it up.  I took the opportunity as a sign from the Universe in accepting and allowing. 

My first experience with Sedona was very deep and meaningful.  Around the time that I went, I was involved in a business venture that was becoming too heavy and twisted for me.  In my gut I knew it was time to walk away, but I struggled with that knowing because I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.  The magic of Sedona allowed for a natural and easy departure from that venture.  This time around was no different...

A big difference this time around was the company I was with.  In my first visit to Sedona, it definitely helped to be with a healer who has similar ethics to my own.  In my healing work, I feel it is very important to allow the person experiencing healing and transformation the necessary space to do so.  It's important to accept everyone for where they are at on their journey and not try to project my experiences, feeling, or expectations onto them.  As a healer, I must always remain neutral and not pass judgment, even if I don't agree with the other person is saying or doing.   

I also realized something while writing this blog - that I am still in the energy of not wanting to hurt anyone else's feelings.  I truly live by the number one ethic of "Do no harm," but that shouldn't be at the detriment of myself.  There IS a way to speak my truth, without any intention of hurting someone else.  I don't have to get involved in a mud-slinging contest (and I won't). 

You see, Sedona has this amazing ability to provide space for growth, transition, healing and release (a LOT of release through tears).  I find it no coincidence that both times I visited this year were during a full moon AND eclipse!  (I don't believe in coincidence anyway)  I learned many lessons during this second trip and I'm extremely grateful for every one of them. 

I learned that I'm stronger than I ever realized. 
I've always thought of  myself as a strong person, but the strength I found came on a whole new level.  This strength was energetic, physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional.  I truly feel that I can do anything now, without fear.  I removed myself from a situation that was unhealthy for me, even though the circumstances weren't ideal.  You see, it was 11:30 at night in Roswell, NM (5 states away from my home state of Illinois), when I made this decision.  This meant me finding a hotel room, finding a rental car, and driving myself home over the next 2 days.  In the past I may have crumbled, unsure of how to proceed.  However, this time around, I was confident and strong in knowing that everything was happening exactly as it was meant to (and I was beyond delighted when everything magically fell into place). 

I learned to fully honor myself. 
Again, honoring myself is something I thought I was good at doing.  And again, the Universe magically continues to present me with opportunities to see where I am lacking in this department.  When something isn't feeling right, I start to distance myself while trying to figure out the best exit strategy that doesn't hurt other people's feelings.  What I forget in that process is that I'm hurting myself while sticking around, trying to 'figure it all out'.  Again, the first rule in healing is "Do no harm" and that should always include "to yourself" as well.  Could I have continued on the originally planned journey home?  Sure.  But, a close friend very accurately described the situation as "soul sucking" and even looking back, it feels heavy to have stayed on course.  My soul and energy feels much freer having made the decision to honor what I knew to be right.   

Courage, Confidence, Trust, Faith. 
Shortly before leaving for this trip, I had a very deep and life-changing past-life regression.  During this regression, I had angels impressing the above four words into every part of my being, as if to deeply instill these virtues into me.  It was during my drive home that I realized how much these words came into play in my life.  I had the courage to walk away from a situation that wasn't serving my highest purpose.  I had the confidence to know that I could do anything by myself.  I trusted that everything was happening exactly as it was meant to.  And I had the faith that I would be Divinely guided the entire way. 

I learned how much I've matured. 
Those that really know me, know that I have a temper.  A hot temper with a short fuse.  Not my proudest trait, but I own it.  For me, maturity is learning from past mistakes and that includes handling things in a better fashion (read: not letting my temper take over).  In the past, if I felt attacked, accused, or judged wrongly I would be quick to react from an angry place.  It was so refreshing to know that I can just as easily let things roll right off of my back.  Because, the truth of the matter is - I was attacked, accused, and judged wrongly (I have the text messages and voice recordings that show this - which is also a sign of maturity for me, because I didn't share them with the world), yet I didn't let it affect me because I know the truth about myself and the incorrect opinions of others hold no bearing in my life.  

I learned that I am much better at handling change. 
Change is usually a word that gives me immediate anxiety.  But, here I sit thinking about the word, typing it out, and it doesn't invoke a heavy, negative feeling within.  Who saw that coming?!?!  (I sure didn't!)  Sedona brought out a huge change, both outside of myself and deep within myself and I handled it all gracefully and with ease.  (Affirmations really do work people!  I've been using affirmations for months now to help me better deal with change.) 

I was reminded of who my true friends are. 
I can't say this was a lesson learned, because this was something that I already knew.  But, it was so touching to be reminded of who truly does love and care about me.  People get busy and schedules conflict, but at the end of the day I have some amazingly supportive souls in my life.  I know I've expressed it many times over the past few days, but I truly hope these people know how much I appreciate and love them!

I learned that old wounds CAN be healed. 
It's no secret that my mom and I have had a rocky relationship.  I've gone through a lot of transformation over the past two years, and one of the most valuable nuggets of insight I've received is that everyone does the best they can with the awareness that they have.  I've also learned that instead of harboring resentment toward my mom for not being who I felt she should be, I could thank her for loving me inadequately (HUGE thanks to KC Miller for that!).  Had she been MY idea of who she should be, I would not have experienced the necessary life lessons that I needed to become who I am today.    Because I had time to myself, I was able to have a very healing conversation with my mom regarding all of this. 

I learned it's OK to be vulnerable. 
This is a lesson that's been gnawing at me for some time now.  Expressing my emotions hasn't always been easy for me, especially if they are tender emotions.  In the past, I've felt that I had to be in a 'safe' environment to open up and be vulnerable - meaning that I had to trust the people around me to be gentle with my tender side.  And even when that gentleness wasn't shown, I still expressed my tender emotions without shame or fear.  I feel it's important to allow others the necessary space to work through and process their emotions.  It was time I provided myself the same privilege.  If someone else is uncomfortable with my tears (or any other tender emotion I display), that is their issue not mine.   

At the end of the day, loving and honoring myself are more important than not doing so.  I've visited Sedona twice and both times I've emerged a stronger, more loving, more confident, and happier version of myself.  I've also been able to easily release what isn't serving my highest purpose.  Thank you Sedona, for not disappointing. 

A Sacred Inner and Outer Journey

I spent many years searching for my purpose in life.  In that search, I realized that my intuition was to be a part of my purpose, but struggled in understanding how.  I looked into many schools, looking at the various programs, trying to find that one that felt like it fit me and what I wanted to do.  I looked into Psychology programs at local colleges, Cosmetology schools, and finally a Massage Therapy program at a local trade school.  Throughout the search, I realized that I wanted to do something in the healing arts, which led me to looking at a school for Massage Therapy.  I figured that would get me in the door to what I really wanted to do (even though I still was unsure of what exactly that was).  After being accepted to yet another school, and yet another program, I still failed to follow through on signing the paperwork. 

Something felt off to me and I couldn’t quite figure out what.  As I drove around, contemplating why I couldn’t get myself to follow through, I had a very upsetting realization – I was allowing a piece of paper to determine my worth.  In my mind, if I had a degree in something, that degree was saying that I was worthy.  Worthy of what, I’m really not sure, but that piece of paper was sure to make that determination.  I cried … Sobbed actually - heaving, messy, ugly sobbing.  After all, I just realized I felt myself to be worthless.  You see, I’d spent many years feeling unworthy of something as simple as love and acknowledgement from my parents, so finding worth had been a struggle in my life that I wasn’t even aware of.   

A whole lot of self-talk-and-listening-to-my-inner-guidance later, I decided that *I* was worthy of whatever I wanted to be worthy of.  No one or no thing was going to determine that.  Nuh-uh, not happening anymore in my world!  Within days of this new feeling of self-empowerment, I stumbled upon a post on Twitter talking about a free scholarship to some online school.  “Oooh, a free scholarship?!,” I thought.  Why not?  What else did I have to lose?  Upon submitting the free scholarship form, I decided I should probably take a look at the school’s website to see what all they had to offer.  I mean after all, if I was going to possibly win a free scholarship, I should know what the heck I was going to use it on! 

I found myself very enthralled with what this school had to offer and enrolled myself without even waiting for a response on the scholarship.  I’d never taken an online class, but how hard could that be?  And two years is going to pass anyway, so I might as well be doing something of use during that time.  After some trepidation on how to balance school with work and personal life, I quickly found my groove.  Not only did I really enjoy what I was learning, I was changing in the process!  I could feel shifts happening within myself that I couldn’t explain.  I’d also met some really great people who made a huge impact in my life.  People I would now call friends, and even got to meet outside of our online learning environment. 

One friend in particular and I joked about taking a road trip to visit this magical land called SWIHA that changed our lives so much.  And while we joked, inside I truly felt that I wanted to make this journey to see this place and hug the people who’ve had such an impact on me.  I was becoming a new person and many, many people were taking part in this.  Saying ‘thank you’ wasn’t enough.  I had to physically experience this place and these people.  I could feel the yearning in my soul. 

One day I realized that I had time set aside for our annual family vacation that we weren’t going to be able to take due to the illness of a family member.  I thought, “Why not try to make this trip a reality?”  I decided that I’d throw it out there to my friend, and if she was game, we would make it happen!  Much to my surprise, she was excited and wanted to really make this journey as much as I did!  Yea!!!  Girl’s road trip was on the way!!!

As the day to leave approached, I found myself feeling anxious, small, and nervous.  I was second guessing if taking this trip was a good idea at all.  I mean, I was going without my husband, who is a complete level of comfort for me.  We were going to be two women, driving across the country together.  Is that even safe?  I even started questioning how well I knew this friend, looking for any reason to back out.  However, she had already flown here from Memphis and was at her hotel, waiting for me to pick her up.  Many deep breaths later (and a pep talk from my husband), I was ready to embark on this journey. 

The first day we drove and talked pretty much the whole 10 hours we were driving!  We were bonding, laughing, and having fun.  This whole thing might not be so bad.  Silly me for my nerves and anxiety.  We stopped for dinner and to find a hotel for the night.  And that’s when everything came crumbling down on me.  I went in the bathroom to take a shower and the second I shut the door, tears started falling.  I didn’t want to spend the night in this hotel, in this strange town, without my husband.  I cried through the shower and opened up to my friend about my sudden onset of insecurities.  She did her best to calm and reassure me and we both went to sleep.  In the middle of the night, I awoke with a terrible stomachache and wasn’t feeling well at all.  Because of this, I didn’t sleep much either. 

When she woke up the next morning, I let her know I was sick all night and hadn’t slept.  She again did all she could to console me, and then I asked to be left alone to do my morning meditation.  She left the room, and again as soon as the door shut, I broke down crying hysterically.  I called my husband, who could barely understand me through my sobbing.  I had no idea what was going on.  I had never felt this insecure, this anxious, this co-dependent.  But, instead of fighting through like I normally would, I allowed it all to flow.  Our second day of driving was much different than the first.  Instead of fun girl chatter, the day was filled with tears, silence, and confusion (for me).  What I realized this day was that by allowing my feelings and tears to flow openly, I was healing what was bothering me.  What a concept, right?! 

By day three, I was feeling much stronger, but still experienced times of weeping.  I now knew that I had to just let it flow.  This was also the day we arrived at our first destination – Sedona.  I’d always wanted to visit because of the amazing stories I’d heard.  We arrived at night, only to find out that our hotel reservations had been cancelled somehow.  I took it in stride, without freaking out in any way.  Who was this person and what did she do with the “normal” me?!  Maybe shedding all of those tears was shedding layers of myself that no longer served me?  Maybe there is a lot of merit to all of the inner work I’ve been doing and the shifts I’ve been feeling?  

The following morning I woke up with excitement, ready to experience the magic of Sedona and for whatever adventures the day would bring.  My friend had been to Sedona twice before, so not only did she have an idea of where things were, she was also kind enough to let me feel out where my energy wanted to go and not try to take control of what we were going to do.  We visited a scenic spot, where we could see all of the magical rocks and she asked me to look all around me and tell her where I felt drawn to.  As I took in the beautiful scenery, I pointed to a spot and off we went. 

My friend stayed a good distance back from me, so that I was solely feeling my own energy and not hers, as I blazed up and over rocks and through trails.  I had no idea where I was headed, but I was on a mission!  As I walked, I found myself led to a little overhang.  Did I mention my extreme fear of heights that doesn’t allow me to walk up a ladder without getting dizzy?!  Yet, here I was standing on the cliff of a mountainous landscape without having a second thought about it.  Again, who is this person?!  As I walked along the cliff, I found a little fairy circle that was created with rocks.  I was both shocked and happy with what I’d just discovered.  I quickly dropped my things and sat in the circle to meditate. 

 

As I sat there, the wind started to gently blow.  With my eyes closed, I was brought to a guided regression I’d done, where I sat under a tree with a gentle breeze.  In this regression I was told, “You can hear the wind.”  The message in that regression was that I could audibly hear words and information in the wind.  In the current moment, on this cliff, I heard it again and knew that there was more for me in this particular place.  So, I gathered up my stuff and started off again.  I took one step and a huge bug flew across my path.  As I took my next step, another huge bug flew the opposite direction across my path.  This continued for several more steps before I said, “OK, I get it … I’m going the right way.” 

After walking for a bit, I felt the nudge to stop.  I looked at the path below, which was very steep.  I can’t get down there!  I won’t be able to get back up from there!  To which my higher-self responded with inspirational quips, “There is no can or cannot.  There is no try.  There is only DO.”  Encouraged by this higher inspiration, I was determined to continue on, but something still wasn’t feeling right about the path below me.  Suddenly, I turned to look at the path above me.  As I turned I heard that higher-self voice chime in again with, “If I led you to it, I’ll lead you through it.”  OK, OK I get it.  I glanced around the path above me a bit more when I saw it – the place that was waiting for me.  There was this perfect little nook created among the rocks, beckoning for me to sit in it.  Upward I went. 

 

The rest of the day was filled with very fun hiking adventures and great discoveries, like a heart-shaped cactus that I found myself sitting next to.  

We missed seeing the sunset, but were surprised with seeing the full moon rise. 

The day was amazing, I had forgotten all about my nerves, anxieties, and codependent feelings and was ready for bed!  The next day we were off to Phoenix, to finally visit SWIHA, the magical land that sparked this whole journey.  Once we arrived and checked into our hotel, we darted right off to the school.  It was everything we expected it to be – tranquil, serene, welcoming.  We would spend the next four days meeting and spending time with all of the people we’d connected with online and experiencing amazing synchronicities that will forever remain in our hearts.  I personally experienced healing on a level that I had not experienced as of yet.  The protective shield that covered my heart had been broken open through these people and connections. 

It was as if physically visiting this land was the final piece of my healing puzzle.  I cried more in a week’s time than I’ve cried this whole year.  Every vulnerable part of me was exposed and that felt OK.  I felt safe.  I felt surrounded by love.  I felt healed.  And as if my own healing wasn’t enough, I got to participate in a healing forgiveness ceremony in a professional capacity.  I had truly come full-circle in that moment, in being able to facilitate healing for others.  Maybe this place really was magical after all? 

As much as I enjoyed every tear-filled minute of my time here, it was time to start our adventure back home.  We had stops and more fun along the way, but a lot of our time was spent in contemplation of all we’d just experienced.  Magic truly did happen for me during this time-frame.  I fully integrated all aspects of myself into one.  I became a whole person and was no longer fragmented.  And now I was able to return home whole, renewed, refreshed, and ready to share myself with the world.          

        

A Spiritual Journey

In May 2012, I took the first step of a journey that has since changed my life.  I enrolled in the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.  At the time I enrolled, I got to choose a major and minor for the Associate Degree of Occupational Studies in Transformational Psychology.  (I think the set-up for the programs may have changed a little, but I'm not fully sure on that)  Out of the 4 choices - Hypnotherapy, Urban Farming, Spiritual Studies, Holistic Nutrition - I chose a major of Hypnotherapy and a minor of Spiritual Studies. 

I was so excited to get my class schedule and be in school again.  Yeah, I'm one of those odd people that actually like school.  My 4.0 GPA in an online program is a clear sign of that.  

First up on the list:
1. Prayer Therapy
2. Toe Reading - Reflexology Assessment I - Elemental
3. Hypnotherapy - Foundations Level I


Interesting.  I got to start Hypnotherapy right away (Yea!), Toe Reading sounded interesting, and Prayer Therapy ... well, what in the world is that anyway?! 

I definitely felt overwhelmed in those first few days.  Do I do a little in each class?  Do I complete one week's classwork and then move onto another class?  I found myself asking friends for advice on how to manage the work load.  Prayer Therapy was last on my priority list.  I mean, I still had no idea what it was and the other two classes sounded far more interesting anyway.  By first day of week 2, all of that changed. 

My instructor for this crazy Prayer Therapy class was a woman named Kathy.  There was something in the way she communicated with us, as a class.  She was so gentle, supporting, and caring.  She showed no judgment toward anyone's questions or uncertainties of religion and spirituality.  She truly honored and supported each of us on our different paths.  What stands out in my mind is a suggestion she made to me during class.  We were working with different forms of prayer and I practiced the use of mudras.  I had a very strong experience of energy in my hands with the mudras.  Kathy made the simple suggestion of me looking into learning energy healing work since my experience was so strong.  That moment is forever etched in my mind as I felt like she noticed something in me. 

It is a common flaw of mine to seek outside validation or recognition.  (Don't judge)  In that moment, I felt recognized and between Kathy's supportive demeanor and my connection to the once-crazy-class called Prayer Therapy, I noticed a subtle shift taking place.  (By the way, Prayer Therapy is just as it sounds - using different forms of prayer for therapeutic purposes)

By July, I had finished Prayer Therapy, Toe Reading, Hypnotherapy, and Public Speaking and had moved onto Comparative Religion, Life Coaching - Foundation, and Hypnotherapy Level II.  I had also realized the shift was not-so-subtle anymore and I needed to listen to the nudge my intuition was giving me.   I looked over the class lists (over and over again), and I felt much more drawn to the entire class list of Spiritual Studies than I did Hypnotherapy.  I needed to change my major and minor.  I had no idea what this change would hold for me and even half-way through the program I still found myself questioning what exactly I would do with a major in Spiritual Studies.  But underneath all of the questioning was that unwavering intuitive knowing that this change was right for me.  

Toward the end of the Spiritual Studies classes, I finally got it.  These classes were not so much for my "future" (although they DO play a huge role), but they were for my formation and evolution as a soul.  These classes helped shape who I am in this present moment.  They helped create an understanding and awareness of beliefs I've held and filled in missing pieces of my Spiritual and Religious puzzle.  (I use the term 'religious' loosely)  More than anything, these classes provided me the safety to speak my own truth and allowed me to find comfort in my beliefs not lining up with what I'd been taught growing up.  I felt validated in feeling that some of the things I was 'told' as a child didn't add up.  Most importantly, I felt strongly connected to a faith that fit my life.  And the best part of it all?  Kathy was a huge part of the Spiritual Studies classes and I got to share my journey and transformation with her, the one who sparked it all.  

Once the Spiritual Studies part of the program was over in July of 2013, the questions loomed - What now?  Do I seek ordination?  What would I do as an ordained minister anyway?  I was in the first group of students to take this as a major online, so the school didn't have anything in place just yet.  I received notification that a final class leading to ordination would begin in September, if I was interested.  I thought, Well...I've come this far.  Why stop now?  I had a few months to fulfill the requirements of volunteer time, writing a 1200-word minimum bio-sketch of my journey into ordination, and getting all of my application paperwork submitted.  Naturally, I used up ALL of the time I was given to get all of that done.  And we had a date - January 26, 2014 - an online ordination ceremony would take place for us.  The week of I received everything I needed - my sash, candle, a container of blessed water, and an envelope reading, "Do not open until after ceremony."  (Do they not know how hard it is to NOT open something that says "Do not open"?!)    


Before I knew it, the weekend was upon me and I found myself ceremoniously cleaning my house the day before.  I was quietly contemplating so many things, and taking every step with thought and care.  It gave me the similar feeling leading up to a wedding ceremony.  That time spent in quiet and excitement about what was to come, carefully doing every task leading up to the event ... very ritualistic and ceremonious.  Since the ceremony was taking place online, we were asked to have a sacred witness present.  Naturally, I asked my husband first, but he said he wasn't fully comfortable.  So, I asked a good friend of mine, who happily accepted.  However, the Universe had different plans in mind and gave us a nice 4-5 inches of snow, preventing my friend from making it to our home.  My husband now had to serve as my sacred witness.  We had no choice.  (I love that what is meant to happen always will!)  

Although it wouldn't be seen in the ceremony, I felt the urge to create an altar.  I placed a black cloth over a table, and draped a colorful scarf my husband got me down the middle.  I grabbed a silver candle from my bookshelf, placed it on a black candle holder, and poured sand from Myrtle Beach around it to create a grounding feeling.  I carefully set my candle, blessed water, envelope, sash, and some crystals on the altar.  It looked and felt beautiful. 

I went into my bedroom to get dressed and heard a loud crash.  I asked my husband if everything was all right, and he opened the bathroom door telling me that noise wasn't from him.  I quickly turned my attention to the living room, to see my altar gone.  My cat, Osiris, decided to check out the scenery and I'm not exactly sure what happened, but it didn't look good.  My husband and I were in a hurry to get everything back up and together when I realized that the cork had come off the little jar of blessed water and spilled all over the carpet.  Osiris must have figured the front room needed a blessing, because it sure got one!  I wanted to cry, but all I could do was laugh.  I felt like that was a sign that I was taking things a bit too seriously at the moment and I needed to lighten up a bit.  And luckily, there was a tiny bit of blessed water left in the jar for the ceremony.  (Whew!)  

The ceremony itself was beautiful.  I was happy to connect with people that have shared this journey with me.  This process is very involved and you can't help but get to know the people along the way.  One of the girls has become a dear friend to me, and has played a very instrumental role in my comfort throughout this process.  She has been a continuous source of encouragement, laughter, and tears and I love her like a member of my family.  She is the big sister I've always wanted and I'm so happy she's been placed in my life.  

So, what now?  Well, first let me introduce myself - I am Reverend Virginia Blank, an Interfaith Minister, and I am ready to walk my talk and share my light with the world.  My hope is to inspire others through Spiritual Guidance, Mentoring, and Coaching and to share the message of acceptance and comfort in blazing your own Spiritual trail of beliefs that fit into your life.  And so it is.                 

Make 2014 Special!

A new year is upon us and for most, this means resolutions and new ways of living.  Some of us resolve to be better people, to lose weight, to quit smoking, or to save money, amongst other things.  But, the basis of each resolution is change.  Change is required to fully succeed at any resolution we make, and let's be honest - change isn't always easy (take it from someone who isn't fond of change). 

In order to successfully effect change, we must get down to the nitty-gritty and find the core of the problem.  Most often, this core is seated very comfortably in a deep, emotional place that we may not even be aware of.  Would you connect your lack of parental love/support as a child to your current weight or food issues?  Would you connect your inability to find happiness to your negative self-talk?  (Are you even aware of your negative self-talk?!?!)  Would you connect any jealous or envious feelings to your own lack of self-worth?  These examples are not always the cause of each 'issue', but 99% of the time there is an emotional tie to our physical and mental ailments.  We spend a lot of time tending to the 'issue' and not enough time figuring out the trigger, or cause. 

I've been trying to push myself out of my own comfort zone into making necessary changes, and spending a lot of time trying to identify the emotional source of anything I have going on in my own life.  This led me to a great idea - since change is most effective on a deeper level, every service on my "Coaching and Hypnotherapy" page will be listed at a special price for the months of January and February.  All single sessions will have a 25% discount, package pricing and past-life regressions will have a 10% discount.  (The prices listed on my website reflect this discount)

Why not let this year be the year that you finally [insert desired change here] by making the changes from the inside out?  I'm here, when you are ready... 

 

Living Life According to the Universe

The universe works in a very structured, yet giving, manner.  There are rules and laws that govern the universe and our lives and the more we live in accordance to those laws, the more harmonious our lives are, the more in touch we are with our true selves.  For about ten years or so, I’ve naturally been living my life according to Universal laws and my life has been drastically different since. 

It’s like a natural system of checks and balances.  Where our minds go, our energy follows.  So, if we think about and harbor on negative aspects of life then that is what we find ourselves surrounded by.  If we wish harm on others, we find ourselves in harm’s way quite often.  If we want something, we must act upon it – in both thought and physicality.  Everything always comes full circle – what goes around comes around, so if you ‘go around’ in a positive fashion, that positivity also ‘comes around’ your life.  Everything in the world must have balance, what goes up must also come down.  There is a rhythm to the universe and as long as we are living in accordance to that rhythm, we ourselves, our lives are also in rhythm.  To me, it truly is the simplest thing in the world, yet so many people are not dialed into this concept and awareness. 

We are the only ones who can control what we think, how we act, and how we react.  Keeping our thoughts focused on the things we want, instead of the things we do not want heightens our ability to manifest things in our lives. 

Actively appreciating what we DO have instead of what we do not have keeps our lives in perspective.  Being aware of the things we have that others do not, helps us to keep it relative.  This can be our mental health, our physical health, our spiritual connection, our physical surroundings, our physical assets, our zest for life, etc. 

Understanding that we create our realities, through our thoughts, words, and actions helps us to not become victims of our lives and helps us to hold ourselves responsible for what we do, think, and say. 

Knowing that we must have balance in life, being able to take the good with the bad, understanding that the sun sets and the moon rises, that tides go in and out, that people are good and people are bad.  It IS what we choose to focus on, so why not focus on the good?  Even if we experience a down time or a “bad” situation, we will get through it – we always do.  Everything is happening as it is meant to and we are never given more than we can handle. 

Having an awareness that our thoughts are like silent wishes, so should we ‘think’ about wanting a new house, we have planted that seed, as a wish to grow in our world.  The more we feed energy to that thought (wish) the more of a reality it becomes.  It may not happen overnight, but it will happen – again, when it is meant to. 

While Universal laws seem to focus on the mental reality of our thoughts shaping our worlds, there is a strong spiritual connection.  We must connect to and understand the Universe at large and Divine timing.  We must be fully aware of our physical beings, as homes for our souls and treat our physical bodies as such.  Taking care of and tending to our needs, wants, and desires.  We must recognize this in others as well.  If we, as a “world” recognized each other on a soul level, can you imagine how different the world would be?  We wouldn’t have the jealousy, the envy, the competition, the greed … we would see so much more love, acceptance, compassion, forgiveness, and understanding.  I’d much rather live in the positive aspects of the world.  Wouldn't you?   

 

 

 

Healing Through the Mind-Body Connection

A healthy soul is a happy soul.  This, of course, doesn’t mean that souls with physical, mental, or emotional ailments are not happy.  It does, however, imply that souls suffering from physical, mental, or emotional ailments or illnesses may have some underlying distress or unhappiness that deserves some attention.   

Louise Hay talks of this very thing in her book, Heal Your Body A-Z.  She talks about her own experience with cancer of the vagina, how her background of rape and physical abuse at a young age could have been the causing factor of the manifestation of the cancer, and also how she healed herself through a process, starting with clearing old patterns.   

Old patterns, thoughts, and behaviors that are so deeply a part of one’s soul may be the root cause of many mental and physical ailments that  manifest.  Anger, resentment, and fear are all emotions that do a great job of festering and eventually erupting, both physically and mentally.   

There are many ways to recognize and overcome these thought patterns that create so much disruption.  The following guideline is simply that – a guideline to be able to recognize patterns.  Always consult a trusted medical physician with any ailments and illnesses, and with the recent surge in holistic healthcare, there may even be a holistic specialist that can be consulted.   

• Trust your gut.  If your body is telling you that something just isn’t right, trust that feeling.
• Check-in with yourself on a regular basis.  This could be daily, weekly, or monthly (although the more often and consistent, the better).  When a negative emotion arises, stop and allow that emotion to be FELT.  Holding it back or stuffing it down is what leads to the patterns and behaviors, and often-times illness.  Acknowledge the feeling.  Spend some time with it.  Get to know it.  Understand why it is surfacing and from where.  If it is anger – Is the anger really directed toward the person or situation?  Or is the person or situation reminding you of something from the past and THAT is what is triggering it?  Recognize the source.  
• Self-Care.  There are many ways to practice self-care (a whole other list could be started for this topic alone).  A few very easy ways to care for oneself are sea salt baths, meditation, yoga, massage, dancing (even if people are watching, but way more fun if done while home alone), sufficient rest, and healthy eating habits. 
• Enlist help.  Find a trusted friend to talk regularly with.  Hire a life coach.  Go to counseling.  Find healthy outlets that give the repressed emotions and feelings a way out, without hurting anyone, including yourself. 
•  LOVE yourself.  Love.  Yourself.  For every perfection and imperfection. 

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.  ~World Health Organization, 1948

 

*published in inSpirit magazine June 2013

Intuition Development Classes Online!!

Hi everyone!  I am so excited because I've had people express interest in attending my Intuition Development classes at Witchy Wearables, but are too far away or even in a different state.  So, I'm excited to announce that I finally(!!) have the online version ready to go, starting in January.  Yea!!! 

So, here is all the info you need to know:

• The classes will take place via video conferencing with Google Plus Hangouts.  You must have a Google (gmail) account and download Google Plus, if you don't already have it.  Be sure to include your gmail email address in the notes of your payment for the classes, if it is not your primary PayPal email, so that I can add you to my circles on Google Plus.   
• I am limiting the class size to 9 people only.  This keeps things intimate enough and adheres to Google's rules. 
• The classes span over 4 months, taking place every second Thursday of the month at 8 PM, Central time.  The classes may last up to 2 hours.  Specific dates are: 1-9-14; 2-13-14; 3-13-14; 4-10-14.   
• You must be able to commit to attending every class.  We create a shared energy during the classes and in an effort to keep this energy calm and comfortable, we all must take part in it.  Having people attend one class and not the next shakes up the energy and isn't very comfortable.  Plus, you won't want to miss out on the fun and interactive exercises and information! 
• The first 3 classes will come with handouts that I will email to you the day of the class. 
• You have options to pay for the classes.  The cost per class is $20.  Your initial $20 payment secures your spot.  After that, I will send you a PayPal invoice for the remaining three classes, about 2 weeks prior to the class date.  Payments are due 1 week prior to the class date.  --OR--  You can also pay for all 4 classes at once, which offers a slight discount.  There is a drop-down menu for the payment options in the Classes/Workshops section of my website. 
• You'll want to set aside this class time, to be a quiet, uninterrupted time for you.  This allows you to be fully present and connected to the group and gives respect to the rest of the group (and myself). 
• You will need ear buds or headphones, with a mic, for the class.  The ear buds/headphones cut out any feedback and echo that may occur. 

If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me!!  I can't wait to start this journey with you!!