This Song Gives Me Chills

I cry like a baby when I watch this. The kids? Adorable. Ellen? Awesome. Josh Groban? Breathtaking.

To Ponder

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."
~Eden Ahbez

Watch out, because a 14 year old girl may argue with you over this, but this song existed long before Moulin Rouge.

My Christmas List

So today is black Friday. Gross. Er, wait. I mean go out and spend people! Spend spend spend! Let's get this economy afloat! No really. Gross. So a lot of the commercialism and spendy-ism of Christmas just makes my stomach churn, but there's ways to do Christmas gift-giving right. I hope you have yourself on your list this year. Here's a list of really lovely things that I have for myself and might inspire you to give to yourself or others. And the best part is that you don't need to get up at 3am or have a fight in the K Mart aisle to do it.

1. A Library Card
No, seriously! I love love love my library card. I go to the library multiple times a week. And you know what's great about it? No risk. If I don't like something, I just take it back. No biggie. They've got books, movies, CD's . . . just about anything you can ask for. And if you're lucky you'll be a part of a super awesome library system like mine where everything is online and they'll even have your books waiting for you when you show up. Technology, huh?

My current checked out books include topics ranging from the psychic senses, to color therapy, to the lives of St. Bernadette and St. Francis, to some good old fiction bestsellers. I just love it. You really really must get a library card. And if you already have one, get to using it!

2. Reusable Bags
I do like this planet we've got here, and so that means I like to do Earth-friendly things. What's one step better than recycling? Never using the product in the first place. You've got to get reusable bags if you haven't gotten them already! For the grocery store, Whole Foods are my personal favorites just because they are really large and really durable. We just leave ours in the trunk, and when it's time to go grocery shopping, voila, we are ready to go.

For the day to day stuff, my favorite bags are the kind that can fold in on themselves and fit really easily into your purse or glove compartment. I got one from Bed Bath and Beyond for only $4! It folds up really small, and then when you're at the front checkout at Walgreen's/the library/whatevs you just whip out this puppy and you are good to go. I also like these really cute ones from Target. They're a little pricier at $13, but they're really durable and can hold a lot of stuff; they're also slightly more fashionable than the plain green look. Also, I just saw them on clearance this week for only $3.50, so check it out.

If I was Oprah, I would buy every one in America one of these bags. And you know what would make you an awesome human being? If you tacked one of these bags onto the gift list of every person you are buying for this year. Can you imagine how many plastic bags would be put out of a job if you did that?!?!?! OMG.

3. A Face Lotion for Even Skin Tone
Hear me out on this. I really love to like how I look in the mirror without makeup. I pretty much don't wear any, or I wear very little, and it's important to me to just have healthy, natural skin. Even skin toning lotions are amazing. I have to admit that before this past year, I had the skin regimen of a teenager: wash, rinse, moisturizer if I happen to remember it. But then I started getting serious about moisturizer with SPF (I will thank myself when I'm 50 I'm sure) and finally I got this amazing L'Oreal Complexion Equalizer. After a week, I felt like I looked 5 years younger. Now I use it every other night before bed. It is so totally worth it, and it lasts a long time. It's a small luxury that I'm glad to splurge a bit.

4. Angel Cards
Watch out. These can be addictive. If you're wanting to start a conversation with Saints, Angels, Guides, and the like, cards are a great place to start. I really like the Ascended Masters, Saints and Angels, and Archangel Michael cards, but you can look around on Hay House and see what's calling your name. Amazon has a good selection as well.

These aren't Tarot cards! And you don't need any special classes to understand how to read them. Their meanings are written on the cards.

5. Super Comfy Pajamas
I love getting into my pajamas around 7pm and schlepping around the house all night. There's nothing like a really luxurious pajama set. Do I sound like I'm 70 years old or what? I don't care! My personal favorites are the ones that look like men's pajamas from the 50's and 60's. You know, like the ones Dick Van Dyke wore on his show, like these or these.

6. Yummy Tea
I am a total tea connoisseur. I love hot tea. But I'm also pretty picky, and the real gourmet stuff is where it's at. I'm no Lipton girl! Tea is really healthy for you, and definitely better than a hot chocolate or a soda. In particular, I really like Harney & Sons (Hot Cinnamon Spice is great) and The Republic of Tea (lots of flavors sold at World Market).

7. Mrs. Meyer's Soap
Until I met this dish washing soap, I had no idea that I could fall in love with a soap. Mrs. Meyer's Products smell delicious, and I honestly don't mind washing pots and pans now. Not only does it smell great, but it actually does a good cleaning job. My personal favorite is the Lemon Verbera scented dish washing soap. I know they sell this stuff at World Market, Whole Foods, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, and Wal Mart.

8. Burt's Bees Anything
They have great lotions, creams, lip balm, you name it. I really like their hand repair creme and the Radiance facial cleanser.

9. A Personal Retreat Day (or even half day)
Take the day off work, make sure the kids are with the babysitter and just enjoy being out by yourself. Get a special coffee or tea. Window shop. Try out a new yoga or meditation class. Just make it a day about exploring your little corner of the world all by yourself. Head to some new stores you've been meaning to check out, or get a pedicure.

10. A Prayer and Meditation Regimen
There are no rules on this. For you, it might mean 10 minutes of silence in a little cubby hole of a space in your bedroom each morning. Maybe you'll make a nightly ritual of the rosary and Reiki before bed. Or maybe you need the consistency of meetings, and you can take up weekly meditations at a local spot for free. Start somewhere and watch your life change.

A Thanksgiving Prayer

Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

May this Thanksgiving holiday find you happy, healthy, and loved.

Fear of Transformation

So for a part of November, I have been suffering from a fear of transformation. In my meditations, I realized it was time for me to take my meditations to the next level and I began researching meditation retreats and teacher training as well.

At first, I imagined myself in a beautiful, quiet place in nature reaching new heights of bliss in meditation. Floating on a cloud, surrounded by like-minded people, having revelatory conversations late at night, exploring some new part of the country--gee that sounds beautiful.

Then I began to realize the whole tougher part of a meditation retreat. They are typically in silence, or at least 80% in silence. Long days of meditation, yoga, chants, classes. Early rising. Late nights. 9 days away from my sweet puppy dog and loving, supportive husband. Pushing myself to new levels.

And then I (accidentally) saw an image of myself on one of these retreats, sobbing profusely. Through clairsentience, I could feel my waves of sadness and despair at some profound self-discoveries.

Holy. Crap.

Before I could talk myself out of anything at all, I signed up. I know this is what I need to grow as a person. A healer. A teacher. Have you ever been afraid of your own mind? It's what I simultaneously love and fear about meditation. It takes you all the way inside yourself, and what you find is both miraculous and ridiculous all at once.

I am praying for strength and an open mind. I am praying for God to help me rise to the challenge of the retreat and soak up every inch of it to take with me. I am saying okay fear, I see you, I am aware of you, and now I'm moving past you. I guess step one to meditation is accepting the challenge of meditation. The retreat has already begun.

To Ponder

"God knows the best ways to accomplish your goals. Worry is not only fruitless, but it is disobedience in regards to trusting God's ultimate plan."
~Elisabeth Elliot

A Place for Peace

We all need a place that we can go to collect ourselves. It's a place where relaxation comes naturally, and whatever is going on with us, we find a way to calm inner peace. I have a few places:

1. Walking out in nature in general, in particular a park by my house
I go to the park nearly every day with my loyal dog Rocky. We sit on the bench together and I just sit and enjoy being among God's nature. Being in nature seems to have a way of speeding up my emotions. If I'm upset about something but haven't fully expressed it out loud or in my heart, being in nature brings it to the surface. I often have many personal revelations while sitting in the park. In fact, I've repeatedly said that I need to bring a pen and notebook out there.

2. National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows (Belleville, Illinois)
This shrine is near my hometown, about 40 minutes away from my parent's house. It is a beautiful piece of land with a gift shop, walking paths, an outdoor pavilion where they occasionally hold mass, and my favorite part, the grotto, which is a reproduction of the area where St. Bernadette met with Mother Mary in Lourdes, France.

I first came here as a young girl for Catholic events, and once I was older and could drive myself, I would come to the grotto when I felt like I needed some Blessed Mother intervention. Some days I wish it was still a short drive away, and whenever I'm home I try to swing by for a rosary session.

3. My Living Room Couch
Even though I have this nice little healing room space upstairs, I've ended up making my living room couch my main hub for prayers and meditation. Scattered around the couch, I have my rosary, cards, and books. My heat blanket is always draped over the couch, ready for another session. What can I say? It works.

Going back to these same places to collect my thoughts, meditate, and pray helps so much. The ritual of being in these places of peace help me relax more fully and connect with God. If you don't have one or two go-to spots, make an effort to pick some out and get your own ritual going.

Mother Mary's Kick-Butt School of Tough Love

From my days as a Catholic school student, I always had Mary on my Rolodex of numbers to call. I remember celebrating her in May. I remember lots of flowers in the church, and a beautiful flower wreath was put on her statue. I've only had 2 rosaries in my life, my first rosary were these beautiful blue crystal beads, and my second rosary was for my birthstone (garnet in January). Since then, I have just one more, a lavender rosary from the Vatican. And who doesn't love Ave Maria?

It's clear that many people (Catholic, Christian, Muslim) feel a connection to the blessed mother. I cannot speak for all Catholics, but as I was growing up, my understanding of Mary is that she represented a gentle female spirit, full of kindness, peace, and calm. Her representations always showed a peaceful expression, looking down kindly with the most placid expression you can imagine.

So imagine my surprise when as a medium I picked up my relationship with her again and holy cow there is a lot more going on with her than this genteel mother-figure. I feel like I need to help people understand her better.



Make no mistake; Mother Mary is a force. She is fierce when she wants to be. She's not afraid to be stern, and I know from personal experience that she's not afraid to give a lecture if it's necessary. She also seems to take on the personality that we need at the moment. When we are lost and need comforting, she is comfort; when we are dragging our feet, being stubborn (*cough* ME *cough*) she's ready to do some butt-kicking.



And once I had this personal experience with her, I mean, come on, it makes sense. She had to watch her own son die. She was given the task of raising a boy to be a controversial man that many people would fear and hate. She appeared to many people through time (ie Saint Bernadette) with strong messages to deliver to the world. She has the heart of a lion.

First, I encourage you to develop your own relationship with Mary. It is a blessing to have her in your corner; she is truly an amazing, powerful energy. Second, I encourage you to let your relationship with the blessed mother be whatever it is: a stern teacher/willing student, a friend, a mother, etc.

Praying the Rosary or saying the Hail Mary is really the best way to invoke her in my own personal experience. I've been saying the Rosary daily for a while now, calling on her help with a few personal issues. While I can't say she fixes all my problems, I can say that I am stronger because of these daily prayers, and I believe her assistance helps me move forward.

If I was any kind of artist at all, I would make a rendition of Mary that is some kind of hybrid of the traditional images of Mary and Rosie the Riveter. She really is that strong.

St. Francis of Assisi

During one of my meditations, I felt the urge to walk over to the computer and go to YouTube. After listening to some of my favorite calming music, somehow I wandered into the Catholic music on YouTube. It took me back to my grade school and high school days, going to mass during the week and on Sundays. Some of those songs can still make me cry.

And then I happened upon this beautiful version of "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace" by Sinead O'Connor. It's just gorgeous and heartfelt.



Ever since I first listened to this song, I find myself humming or singing it to myself while I'm out walking, meditating, or going about my day. And St. Francis seemed to want to join the party, as he offered to teach me about the meaning of peace. So I checked my calendar and asked him if next Thursday would work for him.

I kid I kid! When St. Francis offers to help, you say yes.

Ever since then, I find him making his presence known quite a bit. I also think he's responsible for my sudden urge to explore a new healing modality or other kind of personal growth.

If you would like to pray today but are a loss for words, here's some good ones to direct towards the heavens:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Mother Divine-Kurt Van Sickle

I first heard this music when I was going through my hypnotherapy training. Overall, I would recommend this CD with one caution--it's an hour-long loop of a 45 second refrain. After about 20 minutes, you'll probably have had enough for the day. But it's so beautiful.

If you feel a connection to Mother Mary, your own mother, you are a mother, you feel you need the loving comfort of a mother, or all of the above, you will enjoy this.

Today

One of the things that I am trying to improve in myself is an appreciation for the present. I struggle with dwelling on the past and scheming for the future, all the while missing the joy of the present. With that said, winter can sometimes be a trying time for me. I very much love to connect to nature, and well, winter in Chicago is nothing short of ugly.

There's that beautiful time between Thanksgiving and Christmas where the frost is charming, the snow is pretty, and the twinkling lights make everything glow. But after January 1st, all bets are off. The snow is dirty and frozen over and the chapped butt isn't so charming anymore!

But I will not dwell on the beauty of autumn or wish for a flying calendar this year. I'm going to work on seeing the beauty of winter.

And without further ado, here is my list of 5 things that I can love from January to April:

• A mug of hot chocolate (using almond milk to be vegan of course) or hot tea
• Electric heated blankets!
  
• Candlelight in the early evening hours
• Wearing comfy booties around the house
• Making comfort foods like chili, cornbread and apple pie

That wasn't so hard! Now let's see if this list holds up to the butt-chapping weather of February in Chicago. I get cold just thinking about it . . .

To Ponder

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
-Plato

Michael

Archangel Michael is so awesome. Have I mentioned this movie before? It is so good. The basic story is that Michael comes to Earth to do some stuff, and since you're only allowed so many visits in physical form, this one is his last. It it such a beautiful movie. It also has a kind of innocence and simplicity that you just don't see in movies anymore. Times they are a changin', ya know?

John Travolta is so endearing in this movie. And there's an awesome scene where he's dancing in a bar . . . okay so I'm really, really bad at summarizing movies. This is a great time of year to be watching it though. It's got that whole heart-warming vibe going on. Just check it out from the library already!

Walking Through Illusion

I read this book this fall, which I think is a wonderful time of year to take an introspective look at ourselves; and this book really helps you accomplish that goal.

Walking Through Illusion is a channeled conversation between author Betsy Otter Thompson and Jesus Christ. In a question-and-answer format, Thompson asks Jesus questions about those who he knew while he was human on this Earth. It's a good format to be able to see what Jesus might say about each of us in our lives today. Those who might have the most difficulty might be those who are not familiar with the Bible. I was able to rely on my Catholic teachings to recall the lives of Peter, Mark, Paul, and others; but without that background, I might have struggled with making the connections between Jesus' messages and the people who he is referring to in his conversation with Thompson.

There are several poignant lessons, such as the point that if pain is in our hearts, we are the ones keeping it alive, not the ones who we feel may have wronged us (p.94).

My favorite section of the book is the worksheet section at the end of each chapter. It was easy to engage with this part of the book, and you're sure to learn something about yourself if you participate.

Holy Cow I Needed to Hear This

Growing Pains
Difficult Times
From DailyOm.com

It can be very challenging to maintain a positive attitude and a measure of faith when you are in the midst of difficult times. This is partly because we tend to think that if the universe loves us we will experience that love in the form of positive circumstances. However, we are like children, and the universe is our wise mother who knows what our souls need to thrive better than we do. Just as a young child does not benefit from getting everything she wants, we also benefit from times of constriction and difficulty to help us grow and learn. If we keep this in mind, and continue to trust that we are loved even when things are hard, it helps us bear the difficult time with grace.

This period of time in history is full of difficulty for a lot of human beings, and you may feel less alone knowing you are not being singled out. There are extreme energy changes pulsing through the universe at every level and, of course, we are all part of the growing process and the growing pains. It helps if we remember that life is one phase after another and that this difficult time will inevitably give way to something new and different. When we feel overwhelmed we can comfort ourselves with the wise saying: This too shall pass.

At the same time, if you truly feel that nothing is going right for you, it’s never a bad idea to examine your life and see if there are some changes you can make to alleviate some of the difficulty. Gently and compassionately exploring the areas giving you the most trouble may reveal things you are holding onto and need to release: unprocessed emotions, unresolved transitions, or negative ways of looking at yourself or reality. As you take responsibility for the things you can change, you can more easily surrender to the things you can’t, remembering all the while that this phase will, without doubt, give way to another.

The Distraction Game

So on my daily walk yesterday, I took the rosary with me. I decided to multitask because it seems like sometimes when I let my mind wander, I may gravitate towards fears or worries that I have. I decided that if I was focused on prayer instead, then my mind wouldn't be able to focus on fear.

But of course, once I decided that, I was kind of mad at myself. Talking to myself, I said, "What's my problem? I meditate and pray for about 45 minutes a day, yet my mind is still easily taken over by fear or worry. Now I have to pray while I walk too? I'm such a failure."

I wasn't talking to anyone but myself, but all of the sudden Archangel Michael appeared and said, "Well, then it sounds like you need to pray some more." He had the most mischievous smile, too!

We seem to spend a lot of time beating ourselves up about our shortcomings, and it was so nice to have Michael say, "just pray more." It's really not bad advice. Rather than focusing on how hard it is to knock me off of my zen pedestal, I should just focus on what keeps me there--meditation and prayer.

To Ponder

"He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away."
~Raymond Hull

Free Distance Reiki for the Holidays

During the last holiday season, I raised money for Save the Children. This season, I meditated and asked God what charitable act I could offer this year, and so I'm offering the gift of Reiki.

If you don't know much about Reiki, please read about Reiki on my website under both "Reiki" and "Resources." In short, Reiki is benevolent energy that can be sent from a Reiki practitioner to a recepient. It heals on mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual levels.

For this holiday, here's all you have to do to receive loving Reiki energy for yourself or a loved one:

• Send me an email or give me a phone call.
• Let me know the name and location of the recipient (i.e. Jane Smith in Los Angeles, California).
  
• A sentence or two will help direct the Reiki energy (i.e. Jane is looking for a job in advertising and isn't having much luck, or Jane is having chronic back pain).

That's all you need to do! The Reiki will do the rest of the work. Every day I do devotional meditations, prayers, and Reiki, and I will simply incorporate your Reiki request into my Reiki session. If someone does not want to receive Reiki, don't worry, they won't. Just like everything else, our free will dictates whether or not we will receive it. The Reiki works from a distance, so I don't need to see the person face to face.

New Classes!

These classes will take place in December and January in the Chicagoland area. The classes will take place on either a Saturday or Sunday. When you sign up, I'll ask for your availability for weekends in December and January, and the students' availability will determine when we will have the class. To sign up, just send me an email or phone call. 50% of the class cost is due at sign-up to reserve your space.

If you live outside the Chicagoland area, but have a group of friends who are interested in one or more of the classes, let me know. I can offer these classes on the road as well! Prices may vary depending on class size and location.


Accessing Your Own Intuition for Healing, Direction, and Connection
You've probably already heard me say it--"Everyone is intuitive." Everyone can access this information! There is nothing exceptional about psychics and mediums; we are tapping into what is already there for all of this. In this class, you'll learn how your own unique gifts work and the way you've probably already been receiving information but just haven't been aware. We'll practice with the psychic senses and also experiment with psychometry, the ability to read the information of an object.

Materials Needed: You might want to bring a pillow and/or blanket to get comfortable while working. Wear comfortable clothes. For psychometry, bring an object you'd like to read.


Reiki Level One
Learning Level One Reiki allows you to use the nourishing energy of Reiki to help yourself and others maintain a higher level of balance and health. The one-day session will consist of three basic parts:
1)Introduction to Reiki, understanding biofield energy, and the principles of Reiki.
2)Attunement, or energy transfer, that allows Reiki energy to flow naturally from your hands for giving life-enhancing energy to yourself, other people, animals and plants.
3)Learning the hand positions for treating yourself as well as the hand positions for treating others. You will practice giving and receiving treatments so that you are a confident Reiki healer by the end of the day.

Tuition includes the one-day session and textbook. Call or email to find out more details or to sign up.


Group Past Life Regression
If you've ever wanted to explore past lives, this is the class for you. Everyone can undergo regression; no special skills are needed. In this class, we'll talk about what hypnotherapy is (and isn't). You'll have two different opportunities to explore your past lives, with question and answer sessions following. This is a great low-cost way to give regression a try.

Parent/Teacher Conferences Slash Confessional

I feel the need to give a status report on my veganism slash atone for my sins. So here's how its been going.

For those who didn't see the post, around October 1st, after 14ish years of the vegetarian lifestyle, I decided its time to be a vegan. Let me explain.

My becoming a vegetarian was a very natural occurence for me and has always made sense. It began with a compassion for animals and not being able to stomach their gruesome deaths. Over time, my reasons because more educated (although the emotional appeals have always been there).

Gradually, I began to adopt a "cruelty free" lifestyle. I began to make sure that my purses and coats were not made out of any animal products. I began to check labels for that "not tested on animals" sign. I started drinking soy, rice, and almond milk instead of cow's milk.

And now it seems that the transition is almost complete. But here's where the confession part comes in--

I am a convenience vegan.

What I mean by that is when I am home, cooking food I've bought, eating meals I've thoughtfully put together, the vegan thing is a cinch. But when I'm on the road, on vacation, visiting family . . . it seems to go out the window. I gravitate towards my vegetarian stand-bys (i.e. Jimmy John's #6), telling myself it's just "too difficult" to make it work on the road.

Is it really too difficult? Naw. I just need to put in the bit of extra planning to find options that are vegan.

Whew! I feel better. Confession over.

So maybe you are a meat eater for life, but maybe there are some parts of the vegan lifestyle that you could do. How about only buying products that are not tested on animals? Or saying no to fur? Or volunteering at a local animal shelter? Just some ideas for ya. Trust me, I'm working on my own!

To Ponder

"A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart."
-Johann Von Goethe

How to Clear Your Energy

All of us are made of energy. We have our dense physical body, and then we have our etheral energy body. The physical body and the energy body are connected, so the health or illness of one affects the other.

Every once in a while I seem to have a bit of an energy meltdown, and I think we all do. For me, an energy meltdown results in restlessness, irritability, general weepiness, and discontent. Oh yeah, I'm a real peach.

An energy meltdown just means that it's time for a breath of fresh air. We get stuck every once in a while, and we need to be cleared out.

Here are my favorite ways to clear and clean my energy:

1. Reiki--This is the motherload of energy clearing. You will get all the clearing you need, and maybe some you didn't even know was necessary. If you don't know much about Reiki, click the Reiki tags on the left to read any posts related to Reiki.

2. Meditation--Meditation means different things for different people. What I mean when I use the word is quiet time alone with yourself and working towards a still, peaceful mind. For some, this means chanting. For others, this is prayer. Some might like to have peaceful music in the background to help their mind relax. Just take some time to see what works for you.

3. Crystals--This might seem a bit daunting, because there are literally thousands of crystals with many purposes. My suggestion is don't overthink it. Head over your local metaphysical shop and just see what you are drawn to hold and admire. I can certainly recommend some for you depending on what you'd like some help with, but I'm sure when you go you will know just what you need. What's also fun is to pick out a stone and look up its purpose when you get home. The answer might surprise you, or it might be exactly what you thought you needed anyway. As for how to use them, you can just allow them to rest on your body and different chakra points to help absorb any negative or stagnant energy.

4. Chimes--Chimes are so underrated! And I'm guilty of it as well. Chimes work really fast in clearing your energy body or a space such as your bedroom or office. Their clear resonating tones force more dense, negative energies to lessen and go elsewhere. I like to do a sequence of 7 rings at each of my 7 chakras. It only takes maybe 5 minutes, and it feels like an energy shower.

5. A walk in Nature--Let me emphasize "nature" here. A walk in the grocery store won't cut it. Neither will a walk in the mall, or even a walk in the neighborhood if you're a chatty Cathy and you stop and talk to everyone you see. The point of this walk is solitude, silence, and the freshest air possible. You'll be amazed at the energy that wells up and then dissipates during a therapeutic walk.