Would you like fries with that?

So here's a little doggie update, combined with some spiritual ponderings. Isn't it amazing how life's everyday happenings are truly divine messages? Lovely.

So as I posted a while ago, Rocky really wants some friends in our new town. So I did what any doggie-mom would do--looked for friend opportunities on facebook, craigslist, and meetup. I've got a few leads, but nothing really jumping out.

But here's the wild part. After taking these steps, I made a simple prayer/request to the universe: when I'm out walking Rocky, please send him a friend or two to play with. Seems simple, and quite honestly, I almost felt stupid asking for it. Am I insulting the universe by asking for something so small?

So you can imagine what happened next. After a month of deserted streets, we are now running into happy, playful dogs every time we go outside. Each encounter amazes me. What an abundant universe! And so eager to help us.

So of course my over-analytical brain has been thinking this over. Is that all I have to do? Pull up to the universe drive-thru, make my order, and pull on up to the second window? Really? Truly? Can I just ask for a size 4 figure and get it? Can I just ask for an abundance of clients and get it? Well, honestly, I haven't tried. This seems too simple. We should have to toil and struggle, work and work, climb that mountain, etc. etc. Ask and you shall receive. Hmmmm.

So I've been wondering: what would you ask for at the universe drive-thru? And second, have you tried asking at all?

To Ponder

"The only journey is the journey within."
~Rainer Maria Rilke

Dry Run

I was talking with someone yesterday about being frustrated with finding her way. She started taking actions based on what her gut was telling her; she tried to get to know a guy better, and she put herself out there for a new volunteering venture. It turns out that the guy is married and the volunteering venture fell through. She came to me frustrated and disappointed.

"Why am I so off the mark? How could I be so wrong when my gut told me I was right? I just don't trust myself or my guidance anymore."

Here's the basic paraphrase of the response I was given, and I think this is some good food for thought for anyone trying to make their way and make the best decisions:

"Your gut was not wrong. You were led to these people and these experiences to teach you valuable lessons. Yes, this guy is not "the one," and this volunteer opportunity is not one you should devote your life to. Does that make them worthless? Are they therefore a waste of your time? Of course not. Instead, they are practice for you so that when "the" guy comes along, you've learned the lessons that will make it possible for your relationship to thrive."

Every experience, good or bad, has made us who we are today, and before we can be ready for the challenges and success our our future, we are being prepared by our present circumstances. So every time a friendship fizzles, or a job goes bust, think of it as a test run before the big show.

To Ponder

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change."

~The Buddha

I Aint 'Fraid a No Ghost

Well, as some of you know, we just moved into a new place. It's a townhouse built in the '60's and has a good combination of updatedness with old school touches. I like it.

One piece that made the move with us that I wasn't so psyched about is this silly lamp that Dave has had since college. It's a $10 touch lamp that he keeps in the bedroom. I can't explain why I don't like it . . . it's just odd. But hey, marriage is all about compromise, so into the moving truck it went.

Last week, I was alone by myself during the day, and went upstairs to discover that it was on. That's pretty odd considering I am hyper-attentive to lights being on and electricity in general, but I tapped it twice to turn it off and left the room. Not gonna lie, my first thought was something supernatural, but I am a skeptic about the supernatural making appearances in the physical world, so I usually shrug it off.

Fast forward 20 minutes, I am walking down the hallway towards the bedroom and watch as the lamp taps on once, twice, three times for the brighest light. Ummmmmmmm, okay, now I am kinda creeped out. Being rational, I walk over to the lamp and just stare at it a minute. I shake the night stand to see if shaking will turn it on. No dice. I flick the switch in the room on and off just to see what's up. Nothing suspicious here.

That night as we're headed for bed, I tell Dave about the weird incident and tell him I've brushed it off pretty much. His response? Well, only human hands can turn it on. We tested this theory by hitting books, Rocky's paws, pens, and any other miscellaneous object against the lamp. Alright, creepy factor just went up a notch, but what am I gonna do?

What really stands out to me is that it seems to be intelligent responses. It turned on as I walked towards the bedroom.

Then, today, I head to the room for a nap when I hear what sounds like someone running on the stairs. Rocky barks. I check it out. Nothing. As soon as I am in bed again, it starts up. Once again, seems to be intelligent responses, stopping when I approach. I wake up from my nap, and guess which touch lamp is at its brightest light again? You get one guess.

So at this point I'm thinking something is trying to contact me. It's always during the day and always when I am alone. Old resident passed away? Relative? Friend? I am inclined to think it's a former homeowner--I have pretty much never had this stuff happen to me.

I have to be honest--it creeps me out, and I am both amazed and stupefied at my reaction. I mean, come on. This is what I do for a living. I talk to dead people all day. What's so scary about a lamp? Some bumps on the stairs?

It's all about the unknown + interaction with the physical world. I cannot see this entity with my naked eye. I have no idea what their intentions are . . . okay not quite. Obviously, they want my exclusive attention, preferably when I am alone. But what for? Is this spirit tuned in with my abilities and wanting a little chat? I honestly have not probed at all, asking Archangel Michael or my guides. I realize I sound stupid when I say I am afraid to find out. And the idea that this entity can interact with our physical world . . . scares me. It's actually really hard for them to make something happen to where we can notice. From my own personal experience, I know that not all souls are at rest, not all dead people are happy, and there is evil in the world. How do I know what I'm getting into if I ask about this?

I'll keep you updated on any other strange occurrences and if I decide to actually contact this spirit.

To Ponder

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."~The Beatles

To Ponder

Psychologist Ilona Tobin defines true success as "giving and receiving love, having physical and mental health, enough wealth to provide you with options, and the time to enjoy them all."*

The Lonely Dog

It's been a busy morning. I am scouring the internet looking for inventive ways to find some friends for my dog, Rocky.

We just moved to Oak Park, and it's been hard for Rocky. He's told me that he's not fond of the hardwood floors or the stairs, and he misses all of the dogs in our old neighborhood. Lots of people in Oak Park have dogs, but they also have backyards; and since Oak Park has a lesser population density, it means we're not really running into anyone either.

So, I put up a craigslist ad and made him a Dogbook page (a Facebook page for dogs).

It breaks my heart that he's feeling lonely, and I also am trying to avoid finding the ultimate companion--a second dog. I'm hoping that if we can find some buddies in the neighborhood, we'll be all good. Naturally, I'm expecting that the universe has got my back on this one and Rocky will be filling up his Rolodex in no time.

If you have any doggie friends that you think Rocky would like to meet, give us a woof!

Divine Timing

This is one of those topics that, if going through a rough patch, will produce an audible groan from even the wisest sage. It's like your mother's persuasive case "because I'm your mom," or when someone tells you "life isn't fair"-- the truthfulness and painfulness of the message (at times) is a total sucker-punch to the stomach.

To be clear, divine timing is the idea that our lives unravel in a certain way because in any other order, it just would not be best for us. After the fact, we can see so clearly how the puzzle pieces all fit together; but in the middle of the chaos, we just can't understand.

My own personal experience with divine timing would have to be the timing surrounding the meeting of my husband, Dave. We are completely two peas in a pod. We fit so well together that sometimes, well, it's gag-inducing. Seriously. But without the divine timing, there's no way we would be together, and we both whole-heartedly agree.

To give some background, we met in our freshmen year of college. We were both wide-eyed and naive, and our minds were expanding beyond belief as we encountered people and ideas that put the world on its side. Dave experimented with a 48-hour fast, a vegetarian tryout, and a 24 hour silent period, just to name a few. I was learning about Lithuania and India and trying to figure out how I could stay in college, becoming a professional learner, for my entire life (if anyone figures that out, let me know).

We just fit.

If we had met in high school, it would have been another story all together. High school Dave was way too risque for straight-laced Brittany. Post-college Brittany is what Dave calls a "total hippy-dip" (in the most loving way of course).

If we had met at any other time in our lives, it just wouldn't have worked. But when I tell people that I got married at 23, many wonder, but how could you know so soon? This timing was what we both needed to follow the divine path.

It's inevitable that we're going to have to let out a groan. I let out my own divine timing gripes over ice cream (bad), conversation, and commiseration. But don't forget that one day you will be able to look back and say, "Ohhhhhh. I see."

To Ponder

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."

~The Buddha

But what am I?

As I was designing my blog, brainstorming for topics, I tried to categorize the kind of posts I would make--stuff about me, conclusions from readings, reactions to reiki, etc. As I thought of a new idea to write about, my very second thought would be, "Okay! Now what do I label that?"

I am also a Facebook junkie and took the Myers Briggs test. I am INFJ, same as I was a year ago, same as I was five years ago. We all know what that's like, taking those quizzes. Whether it's "What color is your aura?" or "Which Disney character are you?" we just want to know. How fun is it for me when I take that test and it proclaims that I have an "idealist temperament" which inclines me towards "healing, counseling, teaching, and championing"? Yay! I think. That is what I'm all about! And this test just told me so! So it must be true! Now why did I need a test to tell me what I already felt. . .

We want to have something to identify with. We want to know what we are and we want to have a name for it. I am a Capricorn. I am a patient person. I am a dentist. These labels help us make sense of who we are and what we are all about. When life is full of so much gray area, these labels make us feel as though we have personality traits, careers, and constancies that we can not only count on, but we can tell the world about.

And we wear our labels so proudly! I am a mom. I am an author. I am an honors student. These labels give us a pick-me-up. They validate us. They help us tell the world what we care about, what is important to us.

But labels can be dangerous. When we've attached to a label in an inflexible way, we might be getting in our own way of progress. By the Spring of 2008, I had a deep-rooted uneasy feeling that this high school teaching thing is just not going to work. But if I'm not a teacher, what am I? I panicked. This was my life purpose. I am supposed to be helping people, teaching them in a classroom. If I let go of this job, then I'm letting go of who I am.

I held on for too long and I made my body and my mind sick, and all quite stupidly! Here I am, teaching and helping others. Do I have a classroom? No, not a physical one. Am I teaching people? You betcha. Am I helping others? God I hope so. Did my concerned and panicked identity ever imagine that there was another way I could help and teach others? Nope.

When we worry too much about how to label what we are, we won't allow ourselves to grow into what we must become. So I am going to try to lay off the Facebook quizzes. A little. Okay, more than a little. One a week. No more. Promise.

Spiritual Brain Freeze

I love what I do. Possibly one of the most fun things about my passion (it's really not a job. seriously. it's way more awesome than that) is that I get to meet so many cool people. Yes, clients, I'm talking about you, but I'm also talking about your equally awesome people on the other side--the corral of saints, angels, grandmas, spirit guides, and pets that I get to talk to.

Every angel, every loved one, every pet, they all have their own personality. Some are spunky with a dry wit; some have a laundry list of information to pass on and talk so fast I can barely keep up.

If you've ever had a reading from me and I've stumbled and said, "Hold on a minute," especially if I'm talking with an angelic being, let me just explain why:

I see, hear, and feel responses from the beings I connect with, and they choose the format that I receive the information. Some are very verbal, others show me images, and most do a combination of all of these.

For some reason, in the angelic realm, they are able to communicate vast amounts of information in the blink of an eye. If you've ever studied the accounts of those with near death experiences, they will explain that without talking they just knew what each other was thinking, feeling, and saying in one second. It is like instantaneous communication.

It's a fabulous two seconds, let me tell ya; but then I have to try to relay all of that profound information, putting to words what I just felt and understood without words. The picture in this post is of Archangel Michael, who is my go-to helper and is guilty of giving me this kind of spiritual brain freeze. They are always so much more eloquent and explain so much better than I can!

So if I'm a bit tongue-tied, try to be patient! I'll put it to words eventually.

To Ponder

"Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast."
~William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

No Answer. Call Back Later.

The number of entities I can speak with is truly amazing. Grandparents that have passed on, pets both living and deceased, guardian angels, and just about everything in between have all talked with me.

But every once in a blue moon, I get spiritually shot down--the spiritual cold shoulder if you will. Mary Anne will ask to talk to her ex-boyfriend, and he will show up, yell, and storm off before I can get in a single question. Other times, someone will ask about the future of their relationship with someone, and I will literally see a snowy screen like an old-school television has just gone out. So what's going on with these experiences?

Well, because of the indisputable free will that we all possess, angels, spirit guides, loved ones, and every one else has the option of refusing to engage in a psychic conversation. I cannot force anyone to give me information.

As for the short-circuit snowy screen, I am divinely guided by different people. Archangel Michael oversees all of my communication out of protection, but then there are also spirit guides, angels, and others who care very much about what information you may have. If it's not in your best interest to know something, or if they think that you will behave differently if you knew the information, they may block you from finding the answer.

It doesn't happen often, but every time it does I am in awe--first, because free will is a beautiful thing; and second, because that snowy screen is a reminder that we are never alone and have countless support on our side.

My Yearly Pilgrimage

As a college English major and complete book-devouring monster, it's really hard for me to read anything twice; there's always such a long list of books I want to get to. And I really will read anything--historical fiction, memoirs, novels, plays, self-help--nothing is off-limits for me. I have even been known to succumb to the low-brow (omg Twilight). So with this kind of range, my "need to read" list is always at least 10 books deep.

But every June, I faithfully return to Eat, Pray, Love. It's kind of like checking in with an old friend every year, seeing how far (or short) I've come in life's lessons. And each time I read, it seems like something that didn't really strike a chord with me the last time will seem so important by the next time.

I've always been hard-working and self-deprecating, so I never really "got it" when she went to Italy. The first time I picked it up, I thought hmmm, kind of a waste of time, dontcha think, Liz? You could do some serious life-puzzle-solving with four months. Truthfully, I dismissed it as a self-indulgent vacation period.

But this June, I. got. it.

After 3 years of teaching high school for Chicago Public Schools, I was beaten and defeated. I had gained weight, aged way beyond 3 years, developed anxiety issues, and felt tired and lost. Elizabeth had her nightly sob-sessions on the floor of her bathroom, and I had my classroom prep-period breakdowns.

After a ridiculous amount of struggle, I surrendered to my heart and an uncertain future, and I quit my job. So in the best way I knew how, I had my own little Italy period in Chicago starting in November. I slept in. I took a vacation to Washington and Oregon. I read books that I had been wanting to get to for years. I started cooking for myself; like I used ingredients and followed directions beyond "heat for 4 minutes in the microwave." I even went to Italy in March and ate through the country just like ol' Lizzie.

Now, I feel like I truly understand the value of taking a break from life. There are times when you have to say seriously, I'm done, I will walk away and figure this out later. Surrendering. Letting go. Trusting that if you listen to your body and your heart, you will be okay.

And I came out on the other side. In a completely unplanned turn of events, my intuitive abilities fully manifested between November and February. I left my career lost and confused, and after walking away found a completely unexpected fully fulfilling path instead.

So I've decided that from now on I will withhold my judgments on seemingly self-indulgent breaks from life. Sometimes, stopping to do nothing is the only way you'll ever be able to move forward again.

To Ponder

"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much."
~Oscar Wilde

Some of My Faves

I've had a love affair with DVR for the past two years, and along with my move I have cut DVR out of my life. Cold turkey! I am doing okay right now, but how this will play out once fall starts, I just don't know. So I thought we'd peer into my TV loves just for fun.

Favorite TV Shows:

5. Dancing with the Stars--The costumes are hideous and the banter is gag-inducing, but I love watching the dances. But what will I do when I can't fast forward through Tom Bergeron's bad jokes anymore? Only time will tell . . .

4. 30 Rock--This cast is so fabulous. Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, and Jack McBrayer will make me laugh out loud in any given episode.

3. Medium--This show makes me feel more normal! I can honestly relate to Allison's conundrums at times . . .

2. Mad Men--Jon Hamm plus 60's social commentary? Yes please.

1. Arrested Development--If I could make myself funny, this is the kind of funny I would be. I can't believe this show was ripped off the air. They've been talking about a movie in the works for so long that I'm thinking it's an urban legend, but I am actually crossing my fingers behind my back that it's true.

"That's so weird! I was just thinking about you"

Have you ever called up a friend and this is the first thing they say to you? Do you ever say to yourself, "Man, I could go for an ice cream right now," only to have your husband surprise you with the treat just an hour later?

These are not coincidences! We are all connected to each other on an unconscious level at all times. I've seen this truth manifest itself during my readings many, many times. One time in particular, I was helping a woman understand the motivations and feelings of her boyfriend. While I was in the middle of communicating with him, he actually called her on the other line for the first time after two weeks of silence!

So exactly how are people aware of this kind of communication? At the unconscious level, they know exactly what is going on. On a conscious level, they might just have a hunch that they should call you, or they may feel happy or sad but not really know why. Or you may pop into their head but they can't explain it.

To Ponder

"Love is the answer. And you know that."

~John Lennon

Archangel Michael

Archangel Michael is such an amazing, powerful energy. I think what sets him apart from other angels and beings is that he is so empathetic to the human condition. Sometimes, it seems that other entities are not able to understand how difficult it is to be a spiritual being in human form; but Archangel Michael, while he's never been human, is so generously empathetic. He never belittles our troubles, and truthfully he is my guide and my right-hand man for my spiritual gifts.

As I was giving a reading to a friend, he shared this beautiful insight which I'd love to share as I think it applies to all of us.

"Think of yourself as a star in the night sky. You shine brightly and beautifully, and if you were taken away from the night sky, the picture would not be the same. At the same time, you won't ever shine so brightly that you could overshadow other stars in the sky. You are just like this star. Without your place in the universe, the picture would change--the entire world would be different! Yet you are not so important to this world that your energy can drown out the significance of any other being in existence. And so we are all very important and very unimportant at the same time."

To Ponder

"Whatever you are, be a good one."

~Abraham Lincoln

What is "Meant to Be"?

Being a medium is a powerful and humbling calling. I am given this awesome gift to reveal to people what is for their highest good and the potential inside themselves. Every day I am so grateful for this gift and the opportunity to relay information from a loving universe. In the wise words of Spiderman, with great power comes great responsibility, and I do not take this vocation lightly!

One common concern for clients is what is "supposed to be" or "meant to be" for them, whether it be in love, career, children, etc. I can hear an anxiousness and excited anticipation in their voice, and I know that what I say will greatly impact their expectations for their life path.

We've all seen the movies and read the books of the wise old woman who can just look at your palm, into your eyes, and know everything. Slowly and with confidence, she tells the scared child "You will live a long life" or "You will always be poor." The shell-shocked child backs away, wide-eyed, with a combination of horror and awe.

When I am asked what is "meant to be," here's the bombshell that I deliver--there is no such thing! Every day, we make decisions and choices that create our reality. Every day, our mantras and beliefs form our life as we know it. Certainly, there are choices and actions that are for our highest good, but "meant to be" does not exist. There are only things that would be best for us and our purpose, and things that would make accomplishing our best harder to do.

The idea that there are things in life that are "meant to be" can be very comforting. If I can't find a husband, then it must be meant to be for me to be single. If I can't sell my house, then it must be meant to be for me to stay put. If something is "supposed to be," then it means that we are helpless to fight it. It also means that it is not our fault and we can let ourselves off the hook for claiming any responsibility if we don't get what we want.

What is scary (and empowering) is that it is all up to us. We choose our path and we create our reality. The power of our intentions and the power of our mind is incredible.

So when you give me a call and ask me what is "meant to be," I will smile and ask "Do you mean what would be for your highest good?"

To Ponder

“It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.” ~Mother Teresa

"Okay, good, I'm glad I'm not crazy"

Sooo many people say this to me. Giggling nervously, they'll explain that there's such an odd noise in the living room, and they could swear it sounds just like Grandma when she would shuffle across the floor, but that's crazy, right? Right? Is that my Grandma or am I just crazy?

Nope, not crazy at all. I've talked with many a frustrated relative who is exasperated by fruitless attempts to contact their living family members. Contact attempts can be dramatic or so every day that we might not notice them at all.

Here are just some of the ways clients have been contacted by their loved ones:
*Turning a lamp on and off
*Shaking furniture (oftentimes the bed just before falling asleep)
*Yelling messages in our ears (they "yell" as loudly as they can, but for us it is barely a whisper and sometimes we hear and sometimes not)
*Tripping up the family member as they walk down the street
*Appearing in dreams
*Sending a object into our path over and over(butterflies, pennies, etc.)

Do all of our loved ones engage in these activities? No. Some are afraid of scaring us, so they won't try. It's also difficult for them to be creative and amass the energy for these displays, so with others it is just too hard for them.

The next time you think you might have experienced an attempt at contact, just listen to your intuition--did it feel like it was supernatural? Than I bet it was. What a relief. You're not crazy.

To Ponder

"When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."

~The Buddha