Christmas Wishes

A very merry Christmas to you and yours. May there be peace on earth and peace in your heart. May you be grounded, from your heart centre, in peace, joy and love for the planet.  May you find ways to increase your vibrational frequency and that of the planet.  May you find lasting joy and contentment in the Light and Love of Christ consciousness.

Winter Solstice Art

A quick hello to share the art we created during our celebration of the longest night of the year.  We stayed up all night discussing and meditating on such concepts as hearing "the call", Christ Consciousness, the "God box", forgiveness, joy...  We danced and painted and went to witness the rising sun over the beautiful St-Lawrence amidst a winter storm.  Twilight is spectacular muted in the opalescence of falling snow.  We were all happy to fall into bed at 7:30 this morning!!

I wish you all joy and happiness, and the courage to follow your heart and nurture an ever closer relationship with your spirit and Source.

Winter Solstice activities for the solitary practitioner

It's at our doorstep folks: the date many have been discussing for many many moons.  The famed December 21, 2012 Winter Solstice heralding the end of the world for some, and the beginning of a new era for others.  If nothing else, it does mark the beginning of a new season ;)

If you are reading this blog, I'm sure that like me you intend to lead a more spiritual life.  One of best way to feel connected to Spirit and to all Nature and God's Creation is to mark the passing of the seasons.  It brings us in the "now" moment and is a great opportunity to offer thanks for all that we have while formulating and releasing wishes for more joy and abundance.  Like me, you may also feel a bit alone in celebrating an old pagan tradition when many folks around you might ask, "What is the winter solstice?"  (Sometimes, I forget I have been accumulating information on the Lightworker's Way for many years - before I knew there was such a path - and I get taken aback by such questions which have been elementary to me since my early childhood... *giggle*).

Here are a few activities you can do over the next few days to celebrate the Winter Solstice.  These are activities you can do on your own, with families or a group of like-minded friends.  Note that it is not the grandeur of the gesture that is important; it is the intention you hold in your heart.   Above all, have fun with these activities.  Yule time is meant to be merry and joyful, bringing mirth and light in the darkest of the nights.

1. Greet Winter:  go outside or at least look out the window and in your heart say hello to the new season.  Think of the joys of Winter and the gifts this season has in store - that perfect snowflake falling on your mitten, the crunch of snow under your boot, the stillness in the air.  Note how things feel different outside.  I am always amazed at how winter sounds different than other season, a little bit more muffled.  Remember the joys of your youth, playing in the snow.  Say a heartfelt hello to winter, and smile.
2. Walk in Nature:  Dress comfortably for the new season, and find a spot of Nature for a walk.  Even in the heart of a city you can find a place where Nature speaks to you.  Think of the animals which have migrated for the season.  Notice the trees, the animal tracks, the air on your skin.  Gather some sticks, moss, pinecones and evergreen boughs (please don't cut from trees and gather what's on the ground).  Use these elements to craft a yule log or yule decoration.  Stuff old opened pine cones with peanut butter or sunflower grease and roll in black sunflower seeds.  Hang these in the woods or your balcony.  The squirrels and birds will be thankful.  
3. Meditate:   Take a few minutes to sit quietly, and breathe from your belly.  From your heart centre, send Love and Light to your whole body, to your family, your home, your town...  the entire world.  Visualize the Light pouring from your heart and cocooning the Earth.  Feel the Peace.  Be Peace.  
4. Talk about the Solstice to your children, family and friends.  Do they realize that Winter is officially here?  What does the change of season mean to you?  What are your fears, their fears?  What are your hopes, their hopes?  
5. Journal:  If this is the end of the world as you know it, what do you leave behind?  What lessons have you learned (been there, done that, not repeating the pattern anymore)?  What do you want to grow in yourself?  In the dawn of this new era, what are the opportunities and synchronous events you would like to experience?  What are your hopes and dreams?
6. Read:   There are so many great references that can help you understand the meaning of the Solstice at a deeper level.  Many stories are appropriate for children too, so go ahead and share!  For instance, there's the story of Demeter and Persephone, legends of Old Man Winter, songs and sonnets for the Goddess or Mother Nature in her wintry garments.  The point of most of these tales is that the earth is now sleeping, yet bears the promised fruit or alternatively, that the sun-god is sleeping but will be born soon again and will fertilize the earth for the new crops come  Spring.  In the Bible, the gospel of Matthew gives a good description of Jesus's birth - the son of God bringing Light and Love on this earth.  (It's no coincidence that Jesus' birth is set to be around the solstice, as this celebration replaced pagan traditions...)
7. Gather friends and family and sing, dance, laugh!  The winter is long enough; it's time to have fun and be merry.

I have the great honour and privilege this year to be hosting my first Solstice Celebration.  This has been in my heart for a very long time, and I'm so grateful that my sister a few good friends will join me in this night-long celebration.  With all the work we've been doing individually and collectively over the past few years, we will be focusing on the concept of the dark night of the soul on this longest night of the year, but moving through it and celebrating at dawn with a renewed sense of self and renewed joy.  We will be up all night with myriad activities helping us grow further on our journey.  I am looking forward to this event, and I hope to make it an annual celebration!

Enjoy the new season.  Much Love and Light to you all, and many blessings too so you may feel within you a renewed sense of self and joyful divine purpose.

Strengthen Your Talents & Gifts

Photo of me by Marie-Ève Rodrigue, 2010

Feeling under pressure and in the cooking pot? Examine what is important to your spirit, and forget the rest. This commitment to yourself will help you get through, and grow through this time of hectic activity.

Shield yourself from the negativity of the world. This doesn't mean to ignore what's going on around you and around the world; it means to not let that negativity sabotage your commitment to personal growth and joyful living. Resist demoralizing and drama-filled conversations that have a depressing effect on you, and if you do find yourself in a "down" after a conversation, remember that you have tools and techniques to clear that negative energy. Start with a big breath, and reaffirm your commitment to yourself in a positive way. Ask for guidance. Detach from the situation. Smile. Send Love.

Staying in a cesspool of demoralizing conversations and activities will sabotage your hard work. Such wasteful energy leads to self-doubt and can cause you to abandon your inner fire, bringing more darkness to your life.

Therefore be diligent in blocking out doubt and drama. Direct your talents and gifts to enhance your light for yourself and the world. Believe in yourself. Be patient with yourself as you develop and grow into your light.

You are truly, fully, wholesomely loved and supported.

Choose to move through life with grace

I peacefully and joyfully accept the routine demands of my life with patience, love and a willingness to serve. I embrace the wonders of each day, and move with grace, ease and elegance.

These affirmations are great reminders for everyone choosing a more peaceful and loving way of life, especially in this time of year when the demands seem to be greater than usual.  

Our compassion is requested and tested on every level: world crises, acts of hatred against children, myriad charities soliciting support on the phone, by email and on the streets, and family members being stressed and demanding under the "burden" of the season...  It is often easier to react than to respond.

Reacting is when we answer a situation with the same level of emotional turmoil as what is presented to us, or when we create emotional turmoil out of our ego fears in a situation that could be emotionally neutral.  Responding is when we take time to think and choose an appropriate response that will serve the highest good of all concerned.  When we react, it's from the frequency of fear, hate or lack.  When we respond, it's from the frequency of Love -- and it takes practice and discipline!

For instance, I was presented this past week with a situation which brought me right back to the emotional trauma of my childhood.  Family gatherings often act as a trigger for me.  Suddenly, I felt my inner child's fears and insecurities well up, and reacting with spiritual kicking and screaming, emotional blaming for self-preservation, and intellectually revisiting all the past hurts and licking those wounds, as I was expecting more of the same in the days to come.  Phew what a roller-coaster ride!  It took all my might, focus and discipline to waddle out of that mess created in my own mind...  

I breathed, I prayed and asked for all the Divine help available for myself and others in this situation.  I chose to stop reacting and to turn the situation over to my Higher Self.  I asked myself what lesson I needed to learn, where I still needed to grow, where I needed to release control.  I congratulated myself for all my hard work these past few years increasing self-love and respecting my healthy boundaries.  I gained a new perspective on a few issues - others also have fears and insecurities, and I don't want to continue to fester in that energy level.  My #1 technique in this situation: to establish healthy boundaries for myself, and to love myself enough to respect them.    

The situation is not yet resolved, and I still feel very vulnerable and weak.  Yet I acknowledge that in many ways I am stronger than I used to be.  I am more centred in Love than I used to be.  Also, I realize that to remain centred in Love and Spirit is a choice to be made everyday, in every moment.  I always have the choice between reacting and responding.

Today, instead of dwelling on the wounds of my past, I choose to see its beauty and its lessons.  The past can not be changed, but my perspective can.  Today, I choose to focus on the beauty of the moment and on the loving creations I want to manifest. Today, I choose to move with grace.  I choose to dance with life and be led by Spirit.

Believe in your worth

Disney's Cinderella Castle, mosaic

Today, focus on what you want to create in all circumstances. Remember, however, that your best creation serving your highest good and the highest good of all begins with an inside job. You must believe in yourself. You must believe you are good enough, pretty enough, healthy enough, valued enough to ask for and receive your heart's desire. 

Learn to master you inner world through commitment to yourself and spiritual discipline.  You are worth it!  This discipline will pay off: as you increase your ability to stay connected to your true divine self, you will less likely be swayed by your negative feelings and reactions to the world around you.  You will become able to recognize a negative feeling for what it is, and discover how to deal with the root of the issue instead of reacting from the superficial level.  In any situation, you will be able to point your inner compass to a direction that favours your good and which benefits all concerned.  

You are not alone in this journey.  Open your heart to help.  No matter what life deals you, stay focused, grounded and remember to ask your heart, your guides -- and your fairy godmother! -- to help you create what's best for you. It's even better than what you've ever imagined.

12/12/12... A timely message and call for action

Today's date is 12/12/12...  will you make it special?  Will you heed its call?

In numerology, today's number is calculated as:

1+2+1+2+2+0+1+2 = 11

The number 11 is a master number.  It doubles the energy of the 1, and when reduced (1+1), it embodies the energy of the 2.  But what does this mean?

Most numerologists agree that number 11 is a very spiritual number, doubling the energies of creativity and confidence.  In his book "The Life You Were Born To Live", Dan Millman explains that this creative energy can be channeled into classical arts, such as music, dancing, painting, etc., or into healing, business, gardening, problem solving, design, raising children...  What is necessary for the full expression of this energy is the willingness to try something new, to develop a new sense of confidence and risk taking the road less travelled.

Because the number 11 also embodies the energy of the number 2, it also speaks of balance.  In this case, it is of balance between the laws of Nature (or divine laws), and the laws of man.  It is about harmony and balance.  It is about taking what is the best from what we've learned so far in our spiritual development, and truly apply it to our daily lives.  It is about not having two separate philosophies, but integrating them as one; meaning that we must make peace with our duality.  I'm sure you have observed, as I have, people who act very piously in Church and won't even look at you once out the doors, or people who pray very loudly yet commit acts of atrocity against fellow human beings, the animals or the planet.  I'm reminded also of the story of Jesus and the Pharisees...  this duality is not new and we've been experiencing it as a human race for thousands of years.  There is a universal call for integrity and for 'fessing up and living our divine nature everywhere, everyday.

Rider-Waite

In the Tarot's Major Arcana, the card 11 belongs to Justice.  It is about doing the right thing.  Justice is about balancing all interests, looking for the deeper truth and setting things right.  It is about transcending the ego and looking from the eyes of our Higher Selves for a solution that is for the highest good of all.  Justice talks of the universal principles of balance and inner realignment.  There is no attack, there is no defending; only the search for Higher Truth and Wisdom, beyond veils of illusion, delusion and deception.  The dust will fly as ego traps are uncovered and dismantled, but keep faith and hope for the ultimate outcome is peace.  What is important here is to allow for this peace to transform our lives.

In the Major Arcana still, the 1 is the number of the Magician, while the 2 belongs to the High Priestess.  The Magician invites us to use all resources available to us in this moment to create our vision.  It's about transcending ego and unifying all energies to create our path to self-actualization and self-realization in our life's journey. The High Priestess balances logic and emotion with intuition.  She is a vessel of transformation and holds the faith and confidence in truths yet unseen.  She is a portal to our deeper, collective unconscious and will hold the energy, or the spiritual space, for us to explore without fear.

A long time ago in High School, I had researched a paper on the divine feminine, and the place of women in Church.  One of the priests I interviewed talked of the Holy Trinity and its mysteries and theorized that our history is divided in eras of 2,000 years.  The first 2,000 years were of the Old Testament and getting to know God the Father while the next 2,000 were of the New Testament and getting to know God through Jesus; about learning how to incarnate divine essence within ourselves as Jesus taught us to do.  The following 2,000 years - the era we are entering - is about the Holy Spirit and God the Mother.  The feminine energies of divine law will become more apparent to us.  That was one of the most fascinating interviews I ever had, expanding my teenage consciousness beyond what I had learned thus far and nourishing my thoughts and spiritual development since.

In her book Angel Numbers, Doreen Virtue says of 11: "Stay positive! Your thoughts are materializing rapidly, so you want to ensure positive outcomes by focusing only on the good within yourself, others and the situation." 

And so, have faith.  An increased number of people are feeling anxiety and panic attacks; there is a lot of energy, pre-conceptions and mentality being shifted in a personal and global sense.  The world is changing on so many levels.  Stay strong, and know that good will prevail.  Shifts are always unsettling, but call upon the energy of the Magician and like him, use your resources to create better for you and the planet.  Call upon the energy of the High Priestess so the path to your inner light can be revealed to you.  Call upon the Holy Trinity, and Mother Mary especially, so you can feel divine love and know that no matter what your external circumstances are, you are truly and deeply loved as a child of God.  Choose the goodness in your heart, focus on positive outcomes, and true justice will prevail.

A new era of consciousness is being ushered in.  How will you respond?  Will you resist or allow?  How will you support law-makers, decision-makers, visionaries, parents, teachers and artists?  How will you increase Love and Light to help transcend corporate egos?  In this 12.12.12, there is a call for action; we are not mere spectators.  The Magician, the High Priestess, the Holy Spirit, Jesus and Mother Mary are doers.  They listen to their spiritual guidance, to their inner truth, and bring it forth into the world.  We are called to do the same.  You are called.  Will you come? 

Five self-care tips just for you...

The card I picked for today is the same I've picked for us a few days ago; apparently, we as a collective still need to learn a bit more about self care ;) Here are a few more tips...

1. BREATHE... not just a superficial breath, but a real, deep, nurturing breath. Relax your jaw (we tend to hold a lot of anxiety and anger there). Massage you jaw joint and ligaments... Now bring your jaw forward as you slightly open your mouth, until you hear a "click" in your ears. Good. Bring your tongue down and forward. You should feel that your throat is open and air circulates more freely. Good. Now inhale to a count of 6, hold for 3, exhale to a count of six, hold for 3, and repeat. Counting will help keep your mind busy and away from the stressors of the day. It's a nice way to lead you into meditation. Do this a few times a day, even (especially!) at the office or during stressful family gatherings. It's one small thing you can do for yourself that others will not even notice, yet you will reap huge benefits.

2. Unwind at the end of your day with a nice bath ritual. Use candles, soft music, your favourite soap. Using 1 cup of epsom salt will help ease muscular tension while sea salt or himalayan salt will help detox your body and harmonize your ionic energy field. Add a few drops of almond or olive oil, and a few drops of essential oil. I recommend lavender, ylang-ylang, or chamomile. If you want to purchase ready-made, try Arbonne's Unwind collection, or the luxurious Detox Purifying Sea Soak (I have a few in stock and can order more to be delivered right at your doorstep.  And - why not - mention this article and enjoy 25% off your order.  Available in Canada, the USA, the UK, and Australia).

3. Look at yourself in the mirror, smile, and ask yourself what would make you happy today. Then take steps to do it. If you're very tense, you might have to listen a little harder to the gentler voice of Spirit which is sometime difficult to hear over the louder, boisterous voice of ego. Doing that nasty thing to your boss or co-worker won't make you happy in the long-run. Just sayin'. ;)

4. Remember that you are beautiful. You are truly and fully loved. You are a divine being having an experience and learning in a physical world, and this is actually a privilege. Ask for grace and guidance to learn the lesson and the courage to move on.

5. If you need an extra boost, coaching or guidance, consider booking a Reiki or intuitive session. A monthly intuitive Tarot-scope could help you become more aware of the energy and life lessons manifesting in your life and of the guidance available to you. When you are centred and committed to allowing Spirit lead your life, you will notice the bumps in your road are just that, bumps. Not mountains.

All my love. :)

Grieving... and rebounding with self-love

Since Sonia Choquette asked me, last October, if I would consider teaching the Soul Lessons and Soul Purpose outlined in her book, I have been randomly selecting cards from the Oracle cards as inspiration for my blog entries.  Although I have been selecting the cards with an intention of "choosing the best card to guide those who will read my post to the highest expression of themselves" - my own meditations on the themes presented are rocking my world.  And not necessarily in a good way.  Well, it will be good in the long run, but changing the status quo and changing, even for the better, is not easy.  Ego doesn't like to let go of old ways of thinking, of old behavioural patterns.  It especially doesn't like to recognize the part we have played ourselves in our own unhappiness...

Shutting my eyes tight not to see the truth, as Coquin was doing as a kitten, so fearful was he of his new surroundings, only works for so long.  Holding on tight to old ideas for fear of what could happen only works for so long.  I know there is a planetary shift of consciousness at our doorstep and as above, so below: I can feel the rumbling in the microcosm of my own consciousness.

At first, I really got angry with others and with circumstances.  Then, I realized that these feelings were only displacements, projections and outer expressions of how I felt about myself.  Then I was angry with myself.  But as I ultimately want to choose Love, I allow myself to go through the motions of grieving past bad decisions and lost opportunity and learn the lessons so I can grow and not repeat the same errors.  I know there will be new errors, but it's all about learning, right?  I'm not doing much to advance my soul and that of others if I stay in a cesspool of past bad feelings, perceptions and experiences, right?

Last night was quite a test in my new resolve and ability to apply what I teach.  As I walked past the small shopping mall in my village, I noticed that someone had rented the small space I had eyed and wished for as "Way to the Well H.Q.".  It looks beautiful, with a salt lamp in the middle of the window display, home-made beeswax candles, soft lights...  I had a strong initial pang of jealousy.  And then anger towards my husband who talked me out of renting outside space based on his fear of lack.  Then I was angry with myself for not being strong enough to stand up for myself and my needs, building my vision and my dream of service to others through energy work.  I'm not happy with myself for listening to  nay-sayers quelling and belittling what I do, thinking "it will never work" and "it will never bring enough money".  As I prayed for help and guidance to make it through this dark cloud, I thought of making a list of things I am grieving.

• I am grieving the loss of the idea I had for my early 20's: to date, go out, have fun, travel the world...  instead I met a great guy when I was 18 and listen to outside forces to be career-driven and "grown-up"
• I am grieving the loss of my babies.  Every time I think I have healed from these wounds I hear a song or see a photo and I still want to cry.  I am grieving more than the babies: my idea of when I should have babies, and how many babies I should have; the stressed I felt from close family members about their needs to add a baby to the family; the loss of that which I took for granted (had I not learned that getting pregnant was easy; it took just the once etc.); the loss of the definition I had about being a grown-up woman; the loss of dreams...
• I am grieving lost friendships
• I am grieving the childhood I wish I had; I wish I had been more nurtured instead of feeling I had to fit into the image others had of me - and everyone had a different vision for me, so trying to please them all was very tiring and spiritually exhausting!
• I grieve the fact that I've felt absent from my own body for most of my 30's
• I am grieving my inability to establish healthy boundaries with people and situations, for fear of hurting them.  Meanwhile, my spirit and emotions really hurt even if it didn't show behind the smile.
• I am somewhat grieving the loss of my steady income due to my decision to finally pursue my calling.  As much as I feel this is a wonderful adventure which brings me inner peace and joy, I sure did like the stability of that money in the bank every other week!

Making such a list does help to bring a certain sense of peace, since it brings to the forefront issues we would rather swallow back or hide under the rug until we're so uncomfortable with ourselves that we start being uncomfortable with others...  

The next step I was guided to do was to make a list of the gifts and lessons:

• I am glad I learned early to be self-sufficient, for I know how to survive and thrive and be happy even when the dollar amount posted in my bank account isn't what I would like it to be.
• I am happy to have one wonderful, healthy and completely loveable son.  Had I had more, I probably wouldn't have the courage to shift my life as I have done this past year.  I can travel more, and dote on my niece and nephews more (then return them to their respective parents!).
• I am happy for the new friendships forming in my life right now, for they are based on mutual respect.  I don't have to pretend to be someone else and belittle my spiritual gifts, for I am accepted and loved exactly as I am.  I am so very grateful.
• Growing up served as a contrast for the life I want to build for myself, and for that I am grateful.
• Growing up without clear and healthy boundaries have taught me the lesson of their importance. I have learned that allowing for others to walk all over me, that being submissive is a killer for the spirit.  I have also learned that holding too tight a boundary and not letting people in for fear of being hurt is just as unhealthy as very porous boundaries.  I can now move on and develop healthy boundaries based on self-love and self-respect, not the need to please or on the fear of being hurt.
• I am happy to be learning to call my spirit back in my body, and to be fully present in my own life for I can test-drive tools I can later teach others.
• I am happy to now realize that it's okay if I don't fit perfectly in anyone else's plan for me, for I fit perfectly in God's plan.

The next step now is to truly forgive myself, and move on.  Knowing the lessons helps in this process but forgiveness is key and leads to greater self-love.

The worst part for my ego, going through this shift and growth, is to feel vulnerable and out of control. Ego and Spirit are learning to cooperate instead of the push-pull of my early life.  There is hope yet ;)

I am glad I am consciously visiting my shadows, especially in the days leading to the Winter Solstice, for then I can more consciously bring a grounded and wise Light to the world.  Every day, I am becoming a clearer channel.  Every day, I can feel more Love, be more Love, share more Love.  Contractions of Spirit don't last forever, but we must allow it to end so that we can be more.

*Breathing*  I love myself exactly as I am *Breathing *  *Smiling*  ...  Repeating...  ;)

The importance of self-care

Every day, and especially during the holiday season, remember to take time to care for yourself and your needs. Many of us have learned to cater to everyone else's needs and whims first, leaving no energy for ourselves. When we take even 5 minutes to breathe and relax, when we say no to someone, we are filled with anxiety, bitterness and even anger. Today, I learn to listen to my inner voice, and make sure I fill my own cup with Love before sharing it to the world.

Remember the airplane drills in case of emergency: always put on your own mask before helping others with their mask. If you don't have your life-sustaining oxygen, how can you be of true help to others? The same concept applies here. When you give too much of yourself to your spouse, your children, your coworkers, your friends, your job... what is left for you? What is left of you? How centred do you feel within yourself? How content? If a change is to happen and the children move away, or the job ends - can you still stand for yourself? Do you still know who you are inside? When you don't respond to your own needs first, you don't have the psychic fuel required to truly love or assist anyone else in a clear and non manipulative way.

Stop sustaining others out of the misguided concept that it's better to give than to receive. Recognize that only when giving and receiving are in balance will you truly start to understand Love.

Today, I make a list of what needs to be cherished and cultivated in myself. I realize that everything that is not going well in my life, and that relationships which have turned bitter are in fact rooted in self-neglect and a lack of self-love. 

Today, I bring my life into balance by raising my sensitivity and responsiveness to my spirit in a timely and loving way. I ask myself, "what could make me happy today?" - and I take steps to make that happen.

Self-care and self-love are necessary to advance one's soul in life's journey.

Relationships Grow Your Soul

It takes a lot of inner strength, work and courage to develop ourselves and grow as a person. It takes practice to hear and most importantly, listen to our inner guidance and voice which lovingly nudges us along our soul journey.

As we advance, we often feel alone. We also feel that the people and surroundings we are used to have stopped resonating with our inner self, with who we are becoming. If you are starting to feel as though you're wasting too much time with people who don't understand you, or that what you hold dear isn't understood or respected by the ones around you, it's likely an indication of your growth.

This doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you - or with others, for that matter. It's just that your spirit is starting to claim its own individuality and your personal vibration is testing the bonds of all present associations. Allow for endings and new beginnings; it's a natural part of the growth cycle. Remain respectful of others and their choices especially if your paths diverge and remember to continue to be led by spirit, and not a new level or manifestation of ego (i.e. I'm better than you because I'm more spiritually evolved type of conversation...)

Today, recognize the importance of others in advancing your soul. Give time and energy to those who demand your highest integrity and truth. Move away from those people and situations that pull you away from the most honest, best and authentic expression of yourself.

You might have to temporarily stand alone. Yet, know and have faith that you'll find the people who vibrate at your new level when you commit to that level of vibration yourself. All is well.

Give yourself the gift of grieving

Today, take time to grieve your losses. Give yourself the gift to fully feel the impact of the loss, and then allow yourself to release the pain and the hurt. Allow yourself to learn from the situation and to move on.

Grief is often associated only with the passing of a loved one and even then, in today's Western society the grieving cycle is often rushed and held back. Grief is a normal and healthy cycle of life, and it applies not only to physical death, but also to emotional, intellectual and spiritual deaths. It applies to people, pets, places and all big changes in our lives, like changing jobs and sending our kids to school for the first time. Grief also applies to our actions or events in our life, especially those we regret: bad decisions, anger, depression, an illness, lost opportunities due to error in judgement...

Take stock of the grief you feel in your heart. Acknowledge the hurt. Where, physically, do you feel this hurt? Give it a voice, and listen to its message. Go past the message the ego is delivering (not good enough, it's your fault, etc.) and listen to the soul message. Learn the lesson from your mistakes so you don't repeat them again.

Give yourself time to go through the mourning cycle... and then move on. Permanent mourning creates permanent loss. Allow yourself to heal and reenter Joy and Abundance.

I can help you in this process, using intuitive coaching and cord-cutting techniques. I see beyond the mask your ego creates to speed up your "soul-learning-curb" and help you in your soul's journey. This is not magic, it is not a "fast-food" approach, and it does require your commitment to heal. If you're ready to feel better, I'm ready to journey with you.

A Spoonful of Sugar...

Today, I go about my daily routine and my chores holding the intention of love in everything I do.  I move through my day with elegance, ease and determined grace.  I know that spiritual fulfillment doesn't necessarily come from doing great things, but rather from doing all the little and necessary and often boring tasks of life with great love.  This attitude of love in everything I do will develop and demonstrate spiritual maturity, as my inner spiritual self will be outwardly expressed gracefully.

When we feel ourselves rebelling against the routine aspect of everyday, viewing these mundane tasks as a roadblock preventing our spiritual development, it is important to know that this is when we are undergoing a time of intense personal transformation: the ego is being confronted by the Higher Self and the Divine to grow into wisdom.  This wisdom speaks of the one Rule: Love.

As inspiration, take "a spoonful of sugar" from Mary Poppins to help the medicine of everyday chores go down, and whistle while you work with Snow White.   ;)  (I hadn't seen these clips in a long time; they brought a smile to my day.)  And now, to the dishes I go *whistle, whistle, whistle...*  :)

Event: Bring Forth The Light Within!

Invitation to celebrate the Winter Solstice and, in the darkest night of the year, to bring forth our inner Light and spread joy, love and hope to the world!  Many blessings to you all!

"Tarot-scope" offer for the new year

Blessings of Love & Light to you. :) I was just guided to offer you a "holiday special":

• 12-month Tarotscope for $99 (reg. $150). 
• 6-month Tarotscope for $50
• 3-month Tarotscope for $30

Choose booklet form, or as monthly email. Purchase for yourself, or as a gift. A monthly reading helps you stay connected to Spirit and the energies guiding you, present in your auric field. It helps make sense of what's going on in your life, and of your life lessons, karma and soul path.  It helps shift your vibration to a more joyful and authentic expression of yourself.

...so what is a Tarotscope? It is a document I lovingly create just for you, using 2-3 decks of Tarot and Oracle cards. Connecting with your energy field, your intention and your highest good, I pick 3 cards per month and interpret them for you.  As I prepare your Tarot-scope, I provide you with a summary and highlights of the year ahead, energy-wise. I also include exercises, affirmations, visualizations or other methods inspired by the cards to help you navigate the energies of the month and raise your vibration. I use mine on a monthly (almost daily!) basis to guide my meditation and intention work, and to help give me the big picture and/or the karma pertaining to what's going on in my life.

A Tarot-scope can be used as a guide to check in, on a monthly basis, with the energies at work in your field. The oracle cards chosen for you will provide you with insight as well as questions to consider as you seek to understand yourself and your purpose in the world. They may highlight patterns that need to be shifted, or influences that have brought you to where you are now or that will guide you in your next step.

Remember that Creator gave you freedom of choice: you decide, on a daily basis, how you want to work with the energies available to you. What is outlined in this reading may differ from how you choose to manifest your reality. You have the capacity, and the responsibility, to co-create your life in the best way possible to learn your own life lessons amidst the joys and challenges life brings. You are the driver of your life; Destiny and Fate can bring people and situations together, but the way you participate in life and react to people, situations, or opportunities is totally up to you.

Oracles cards are helpers showing you what lies just out of your line of physical sight. They help bridge the gap between the unseen and the material. They can illuminate your path as you travel along your own journey of life. Connect to Divine Consciousness, and allow them to guide you to make choices that are in line with your highest good.

The feedback from some of my clients is that, although beautiful and insightful, they often forget the document either in their inbox or their drawer and forget to use it as intended on a monthly basis. This is why I am now offering a monthly subscription, whereby I will send you your monthly Tarotscope by email near the 1st of every month so that you remember to integrate this tool in your journey. You have the choice of either the pdf/printed document, or the monthly email. Let me know what works best for you.

It is my joy to be of service to you, to help you manifest your greatest good.

Today's Intention: Align Actions With Heart Desire

Today, I know that the ball is in my court. I choose to commit to my priorities and I feel empowered. I choose the life I want to live, and my decisions reflect my core values.

Second-guessing my decisions, reflecting on past decisions and being wishy-washy will bring me nowhere near my heart's highest intentions. Today requires decisiveness. Today requires an examination of how I spend my time, and an elimination of what doesn't serve my goals. It is important to stay true to myself instead of serving everyone else's demands first. Although it can be difficult, it is important to resist the need for everyone's approval. Sticking to my priorities and core values, while remaining open to Love and intuition might not be popular, but will gain me respect, especially my own.

Accept to journey towards unconditional self-love

Today, remember what's loveable about you. Write these qualities down. Say them outloud to yourself as you look in the mirror. Remember to love yourself. From this place of self-love, start bringing down the walls around yourself; those that have been built by past hurts, conditioning and shame.

Life is saying it's time for a change - the rigid walls of self-protection must now come down. To move forward, we must learn to connect more intimately to others; being completely independent and fearing to ask others for help will no longer work.

Work on developing the self-esteem and the self-love. To do so, you must learn to feel and accept help from others. Forgive what has hurt you in the past and made you doubt your loveability. No matter how painful, the real injury to your soul was not that someone wronged you, but that you erroneously believed you didn't deserve to be loved - unconditionally.

Start by appreciating who you really are, a child of divine creation. Acknowledge what's loveable about you. Everyday, make a statement in the mirror about at least one thing you love about yourself. Celebrate your successes. Keep a gratitude journal. It's the beginning of a journey towards unconditional self-love.

It's time to plan your big life changes

It's enough just thinking about it, wishing for it to happen, and waiting for the Universe to first tell you what your goal is and then manifest it for you... It's time for you to commit to new goals, and you feel it. But to bring about what you want in this physical world, you first need to create an organized plan.

First, name your new objectives. Then ask yourself if you truly have the passion, the skills and the opportunity to reach these objectives. How much time are you willing to devote? How will you develop the skills? How will you create the opportunities? What's the next thing you must do to move toward your dream? Success is about doing the next right thing, and a big plan for a big dream feels a whole lot less intimidating when you take one step at a time... but you must keep the big picture in mind.

Take responsibility for your desires by establishing a realistic plan of action to bring them about. Step away from pure emotion and use your logic and objectivity for your own good. Follow through on your plan by taking sequential steps every day.  Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of changing and by everything that must/should be in place for your goal to manifest, just keep your nose to the grind and take one small step forward.  Then the next.  Then the next.  You'll be surprised at how quickly you'll get to your goal by staying focused on the next right action.

What will your next step be?

I am planning a Goal planning & Follow-through program, which I will launch in January/February. This program will include a group session to get inspired and turn your dream into achievable goals. You will be producing a vision board and weekly actions. The program will also include monthly individual sessions where I will use my Intuitive Coaching skills to hold the energy, bless the process, and to keep you accountable for your own dream manifestation, to remove spiritual, mental and emotional blockages and to guide you gently and lovingly to the manifestation of your heart's desire. Contact me if you're interested in participating in this one-of-a-kind, life-changing program.

Allow yourself to manifest the best version of you.

Today, take time to relax and reconnect with yourself

Today, take time to relax and reconnect with your Spirit. Here's my cat Pompon as inspiration ;)

Do you feel that you are still tired after a full night's sleep, and remain tired no matter how long you rest. Do you find yourself saying, "I'm tired of this" about some areas of your life, and really mean it? Your exhaustion could be psychic, as in not being connected to your higher purpose. When you struggle with the world of drama, it taxes your brain and your body, which leaves you feeling worn out. If you keep this up, and if you repress your anger and frustration see the red flag: depression.

So today, take at least five minutes to step away from what drains you. Retreat into silence and meditate. Ask to be connected to your higher self and soul purpose. Pray for the courage to fully commit to your path, in incremental steps.

Taking time away from the drama will strengthen your resolve and your ability to recognize and neutralize your ego's drive to seduce you away from your divinity. The more quiet time you spend, the more energy you will regain. You will feel more grounded, calm and open to your instincts.

What is your Higher Perspective?

Do you feel trapped and overwhelmed by problems for which there don't appear to be any solution? Do you feel you must submit to unpleasant circumstances beyond your control? Think again.

Your soul wants to remind you that despite appearances, creative solutions to any dilemma are always possible - but you must be willing to look high and low, and search deep within, to find them. Start viewing your present condition through the eyes of your Higher Self and ask to be detached from the drama of the ego. Activate and use your creative vision to guide you out of present challenges and onto more stable ground.

Begin by removing all emotionally charged fear-based perspectives. Name your obstacle accurately - when you name it, you claim it and the fear no longer has control over you. Then, creatively imagine as many solutions as possible and write them down so you can see them on paper. If the solution has no words, draw a picture. Finally, release your hold on the current unpleasant situation and trust that, aligned with your Highest Good, the universe will work its magic on your behalf. The Universe will meet you halfway - but you have to get out of your own way and over your ego first.

Things do change for the better the minute you use your power of vision to create better.

Envision, feel and manifest your highest dream

You are an instrument of Divine creativity. You are being called upon to live up to your true heritage, to manifest your divine self and your soul purpose now.

Fully claim your unlimited potential by directing your thoughts and emotions on your highest dreams. Imagine the best life for you, one of love, positive life-affirmation, service to the highest good, and faith. Breathe it in and truly feel it as it were happening now. By feeling it now and being grateful in the now, you will allow Universe to set synchronous events for you that will be stepping stones toward your dreams.

Call upon tiger energy to help you come out of the jungle of distractions and to fully commit to your vision. Pounce on your dream; it is within your reach but you have to go for it.

Separate yourself from the unconscious masses, and energetically claim and express your divinity. Raise your vibrations and expect the best, positive outcome. By being fully yourself, following your dreams and risking your way out of your comfort zone, you energetically help raise others' vibrations.

Fully be yourself. Fulfill your dreams. Own it. You deserve it. The world needs it.

*****

I received a comment in reaction to this post: someone asked, with a *smirk*, "yeah, well, how much energy is this going to take?"  This person, I assume, is feeling energetically drained by current life circumstances.  Here is my answer:

Energy directed to your Highest and best dream and potential is energy well invested - and instead of draining you, it uplifts you. It's one way to tell if you're investing your energy in the right direction for you at the moment - how uplifted do you feel? It's the struggle of going against the current of your inner wisdom that is bitteringly draining... When you cut the cords to what drains you, your balloon can fly to its highest and furthest horizon...

In other words, when you dream of your life and what you want to do, how do you feel?  Ask your body and your mind and expect an answer not through words, but through feeling... and not the superficial "I should feel this way" feeling, but a real deep gut-feeling.  Your body is a wonderful intuitive receptor, and we must learn to listen to its energy levels as it can guide us in our everyday decisions.  Learn that when you feel drained and overwhelmed, you are most probably reacting out of the ego perspective and away from your soul purpose.  When you feel uplifted, light and creative, you are responding from a higher self perspective toward your soul purpose.

Everyday, you are empowered to choose to between thoughts and actions that uplift you, and those that drain you.  Learn from each decision, and grow.  There's no right or wrong, especially if you view it from your Higher Self and learn lessons which will ultimately grow your soul.

...but just imagine for a moment if we all chose to swim with the current of Life instead of fighting it.  Wouldn't the planetary vibration be at a higher frequency?  But then again, so many of us need to learn how it feels to go against the current until we're so exhausted we have no choice but to surrender to Universe, let go of our fight and let Life take us in her divine current.  What will it be for you:  fight against a category 5 white water rapid and be caught again and again loosing your breath in the raging waters, or turn your boat facing down the river and strategize (while contemplating the river from a higher perspective) how you'll get through the rapid?

Am I using too many allegories?  <g>  Bottom line is, in everyday life situations you can choose your response.  Will you react out of anger, shame, discontent or mentality of lack or will you choose to respond with a higher good in mind?  Will you add to the conflict, or will you help neutralize it?  We all have these choices to make, everyday, from the food we eat, to how we treat ourselves, our family, our pets, to how we respond to marketing ploys or political pushes and pulls.

May we always be guided by our Inner Light.

Being receptive is key

The Universe and myriad spirit helpers are always available to assist you, but you must cultivate a receptive state of being - in your mind, emotions and body. You must be sincere when you ask for guidance, and accept that the answers provided don't always agree with your pre-conceived plans, notions or calendar.

Are you prepared to listen to Higher Direction even if it means a change for you? Or do you ask for guidance whether through prayer, meditation or psychic/mediumship until you hear the answer you want? Do you expect Universe to do things your way and and refuse to receive help or guidance when it's different than your expectations? If so, you are wasting precious time and energy.

Release all your preconceived notions, beliefs and attitudes about how things should work out and let Universe show you a new way. Trust that Spirit has a better plan for you than what you can ever imagine. Get out of your own way so that Higher Wisdom can guide your life - you will be pleasantly surprised.

As a great Master said, your heart must be like that of a child - full of dreams, faith, hopes and trust that the best is yet to come.  Cultivate this state of being, and you will gain access to the wisdom and joy of Love everlasting.

Stop, Drop & Roll: Dealing With Ego Fires

When living our lives from the ego's perspective, we think of ourselves as self-important yet might view our lives as meaningless and futile.  The world is a dark place, full of people and situations who are there to get us.  Every comment we receive we meet with a "how dare she" attitude.  We contest, confront, blame, point fingers...  We live so much out of the "fight or flight" mode that our adrenals are overworked and we suffer from chronic fatigue.  It's like we're so busy fighting fires that we don't even realize that WE are on fire, burning up to a crisp - too tight, too tense, too fatigued that we've given up on ourselves and our dreams.  Our Spirit feels tight in a body and a mind who are fighting too much.  We have lost our physical and mental flexibility.  We feel trapped.  Yet there are more fires to fight, and if we don't fight the fires, who will?  The world would perish if we weren't there to stop them...

Or would it?  Realize that you are the one starting those fires in the first place when you view situations and people from the ego perspective.

Are you ready to stop the fires, to feel refreshed and to start heeding the voice of Spirit?  What is it that you do when you realize you're on fire?  Stop, drop and roll.  Here's how it applies.


1.  STOP


The first thing you need to realize is that you're living in ego and acting out of ego-based fears, so stop it!  These fears manifest as thought and behavioural patterns such as:

• I'm not good enough
• Well good for her for having the courage to change jobs, but it's not for me.  I don't deserve this.  I'm not special enough.  I have too many worries.  If I stop working at this job that I hate, my whole world will crumble.
• I'll never make it.
• I'm not talented enough.
• I hate myself, and the whole world hates me too.
• How dare she cut me off in traffic.  I'll show her.  I'll tailgate her and give her the evil eye.
• OMG - did you see those earrings she's wearing.  I would never be caught with those.  They are completely ridiculous
• My son is going through something again, and I'm the only one who can help.  He is so powerless, I have to do everything for him.  He will never learn.
• If I weren't there, my Mom/neighbour/workplace would certainly crumble.
• I would do differently, but I will look ridiculous.

Do any of these sound familiar?  Take a deep breath.  Deeper than that - is your ego telling you that breathing deeply right now is ridiculous?  Stop it.  Breathe.  Raise your shoulders to your ears as you inhale, and let them drop down low as you exhale.  Again.  Good.  

Ego-based thoughts often appear to flatter you, to make you feel special or to defend you.  Yet all of these are temporary and don't contribute to your long-term wellness.  These are not loving thoughts - not for yourself or others.  They feel disempowering to you, and contribute to your disempowering actions toward others.  Energetically, these thought-feelings are dense and heavy.

Take a moment a state one of your fears or ego-thoughts aloud.  Feel it in your body - do you feel energized?  Empowered?  Light?  Probably not.   Where do you feel the heaviness, the sadness, the pain?  OK - you're on your way to recognizing the voice of ego.  The more you practice and become aware of ego's voice, the easier it will become to stop yourself in your tracks.

From now on, every time an ego-based thought enters your mind/body awareness, remember to STOP, and breathe deeply from your belly.  

2.  DROP

Imagine for a moment that you're in the middle of a field, and there are several small bush fires all around you.  Even the hem of your pants have caught fire.  Yet you're still running around actually spreading more fire because your efforts are disorganized and don't go to the root cause of the fire.  These fires have names:  your mother, your father, your children, your studies, your job, your partner, your finances...   Not knowing what else to do, you are running around with torches and extinguishers. 

Finally, you remember to stop - but you still have the torches and extinguishers in your hands.  What do you do?  Drop them.  Stop contributing to the fires.  

You'll have to train your mind and ego to work with you here.  Once you've stopped and taken a deep breath, open your hands and shake them out as you say "DROP!"  This is a very basic neurolinguistic programming technique: with the action, you are training your body to train your mind and thoughts that you are shifting to a new paradigm.  And don't let your ego tell you that you'll look ridiculous doing this in the middle of the grocery store.  To the onlooker, you're only shaking your hands, so drop that defensive stance too.  

After some practice, you may find that your dropping even bigger pieces that ego had build around you.  You'll get to the root of your thoughts and behavioural patterns - a rule you've learned as a child, a painful experience earlier in life, a need for approval at any cost, lack of self-love...  Drop the fear, the masks, the familiar chaos.  Open your hands and allow for Spirit to take it away for you.  Allow for Spirit to give you new coping tools and to fill you with Love, with compassion, with forgiveness.  

You will begin to experience a higher awareness of your spiritual self, and the voice of your Inner Wisdom will become stronger.  Your willingness and ability to follow the promptings of your Spirit will increase.  You will feel more peace, joy and contentment.  As you shift, your relationships will also shift.  You will be ready to Roll with Spirit.

3.  ROLL

You caught yourself in the middle of an ego thought - you stopped, took a deep breath and instructed your inner knowing to drop it.  The next step is to roll.  With your body, do a shoulder roll, a neck roll, a hip roll (a figure-8 with the hips feels really good).  Breathe again.

Ask yourself now - what would my Spirit rather do or say?  And listen carefully to your inner promptings.  If these promptings feel dense, heavy, angry, frustrated, or confused; if your body feels tense and tight (check your jaws, hips, heart area) - then it's not your spirit talking, it's still ego trying to get through.  Start over from step 1.  Once your guidance feels loving, clear, light, open...  then you'll know it's your spirit talking.  So roll with it.  Your ego mind might say it doesn't make any rational sense, but you're at a place now where you can choose to roll with Spirit, above the fire instead of causing careless fires.

***

As the bear says, "Only YOU can stop forest fires"...  the same is true of your ego fires.  YOU have to choose differently.  If you keep doing what you've been doing, you'll keep getting what you got.  You deserve a life of peace, self-love and harmony.  

I love you, and I can see your beautiful spirit fully empowered gracing our wonderful world with its Light.  I can help you see the same in yourself and others.  I believe in you, wholeheartedly.  

Use the Force...

This is the cover of the birthday card I offered my nephew for his 10th birthday. He's a big fan of Star Wars, and I'm a big fan of the Force, in all its manifestations and however we choose to interpret it... Isn't the Star Wars theme inspiring at many levels? How would you apply the lessons of the Force to your life, in this moment?

Here's one lessons: shut out all the distractions so you can feel the force and trust & believe in yourself. There are so many distractions out there, and I'm not talking of only the TV, the distressing news, FB games... but also the drama of the ego, the hearsays, the do's and don'ts we were conditioned to perform to regardless of whether or not it resonates with our Spirit.

The Force, the voice of our Higher Self, is always present for us to hear and heed, but we must make a conscious decision to listen to it. It won't compete with the world to get our attention. It's our choice to turn on to the "Spirit Channel" and turn off the distracting vibrations. It's our choice to refuse to have our life to be run by others. Only our inner guidance can lead us to what is true for each one of us, so all other voices must go.

Be selective about what you take in from outside of you; only then will you have the strength to find the answers you're seeking, and to act according to your soul purpose.

Blessings to all... May the Force be with you. ;)

Trust Spirit and flow past obstacles

For every step you take toward your heart's desire, you must step away from the comfortable routine of the moment. Be willing to make the fleeting sacrifices necessary to achieve your goals, and accept the temporary inconveniences and demands that come with commitment.

Ego is the part of you that makes mountains out of molehills, that worries, that thinks the world will come to an end if you change. Really? Is that true? Listen to Spirit. Make space for something new - in your heart, your mind, your relationships, your job... - by allowing yourself to flow past the obstacles put up by your ego. I can coach you through this if you need a boost.

Find your backbone. Honour yourself.

Are you struggling with the idea of doing what's expected of you instead of following your heart? Are you saying the same learned and rehearsed lines instead of lovingly speaking your mind? Are you selling out for temporary flattery instead of gaining the self-respect that comes from being faithful to yourself?

Find your backbone. Stay true to yourself and reclaim your personal integrity, no matter how frightening or costly it may appear. You will develop courage and strength of character. It will be worth the effort.

Allow for endings; they make space for greater things

It's the cycle of life... Celebrate changes, endings, terminations. Understand that in every one of them, you're crossing a threshold of rebirth to another level. Don't run from your emotions or deny your sorrow or fear; seek the greater
purpose of your dying or ending situation, and fully trust the normal rhythms of life and death. When you realize that something, someone, a job, or a situation no longer feeds you, allow it to drop away from you like the leaves of trees in the Fall.

The action needed from you is to allow; the emotion required is Trust in the Divine Will. God is preparing something very special for you; but you must make space for it by first letting go of what ails you.

Changing jobs: it's easier when guided by Spirit!

A series of synchronous events keep gracing my life; I am grateful to have raised my awareness and perception so that I can connect dots and act on the various signs and omens that present themselves to me.

Last winter was a particularly dark time for me.  I felt pushed (and not always gently!) to make a big change in my work life.  I knew this wasn't a good vibrational match for me, and because it drained me of vital energy I felt I could not be as present in the moment in developing my spiritual practice.  I was however refusing to commit to myself and my higher purpose.  I was being led by fear - fear of the big change, fear of lack of salary, fear of what others would say, fear of not fitting in, fear of being the best I can be...  My ego would keep making lists of why I should stay in an unsettling, unsatisfying work environment where I had to fight everyday until I felt completely broken, a puddle on the floor.

But how wonderful is it that I was pushed to my limits?  How wonderful is it that the wrong (or right!) managers and projects were put in my path to challenge me so?  Without this very powerful force of contrast, I would never have found the courage to stand up for myself, by first taking a leave of absence and then upon my return being thrown right back in the middle of the storm decided that I would cross the threshold - this was not how I wanted to co-create my life.  I committed to myself, my ideals, to Spirit and to Universe's plan for me.

Immediately, a wave of relief washed over my body.  My perceptions started evolving and I could detach myself from the drama, if only momentarily.  I was able to step back and admire the higher purpose of the seemingly ugly situation.  With a smile, I could admire the beauty of the situation and that of the souls interacting with me to challenge me.  I was able to find peace in my decision to change.

But still, I found it difficult to commit to an end date.  I still wanted to stretch it out as long as I could to appease my ego and its fears.  That didn't work very well either.  The pushing and prodding continued at work until I decided on my end date, which was September 28, 2012.

The evening after I shared this date with management, still feeling wobbly and unsure, I received an invitation from Sonia Choquette (yes, a general email to her mailing list, but the synchronicity is there nonetheless) to participate in her Trust Your Vibes Level 1 training in Chicago -- at 40% off the tuition fee with only a few spots left...  Training with her was on my vision board, as I love and appreciate her and her work and I consider her a mentor, but I didn't think it would be affordable or that I could have the time to go.  The dates of the training?  October 3-5, 2012: the weekend following my departure from my government job.  Now I had the time, it became affordable, and it was such a perfect timing to start my new life as full-time Reiki practitioner and Intuitive Coach!

Jacynthe (Jaz) Villemaire
and Sonia Choquette, in Chicago

I am so happy I followed my intuition and committed to this path and my training with Sonia!  The weekend was wonderful - and would you know it, I found many other participants who were going through the same process as me: leaving a lucrative corporate job for fulfilling work in the coaching or spiritual field.  All of us agreed that it didn't appear to make any sense to allow this shift to happen but that the current of change was too strong to ignore anymore.  We smiled at one another, finally knowing that we're not alone in this transition.  Some had made the leap of faith a year or two ago, for others like me it was more recent.  For all of us, the threads of the story had the same tint.


I was smiling at her opening remarks, which included something to the effect that opening our minds and following the guidance of Spirit allows us to get out of jail; to free ourselves from the prison we had created with our minds.  This statement had a double meaning for me, since the work I just left was with the Correctional Services!  I felt validated.

I was so at peace and content to be in Sonia's presence, in this group of wonderful spirits.  It just felt "right".  I was with a group of women - and some men - who are journeying on a similar path as me, who take their shoes off to dance and meditate, and who accept to follow their guidance and their hearts, no matter how difficult or irrational the next step seems to be.  I was with a group of people who, like me, have accepted to be a channel of Light and to anchor higher vibrations in this world of ours.  I really "filled my cup" with Love, Grace and Gratitude.

I am so very happy with my decision to change, and so very grateful that Universe conspired the way it has to bring me to where I am today.  I am very grateful for the synchronous events that will keep gracing my journey, bringing me the right people at the right time so that I continue to grow and evolve.  I am grateful for the wonderful experiences, opportunities and challenges ahead.  And I am so grateful and joyful that I have learned to reduce my resistance to the strong spiritual guidance present in my life.

I am working on preparing workshops and sessions to share what I have learned.  I love teaching, especially when it's a topic that comes from my heart to yours!

If you are going through a life transition, whether it's job-related or not, I can help you define your intentions, your passions, and your purpose.  I can coach you to remain spirit-centric in the midst of ego-centric struggles.  It's not easy, but I've pulled through just fine and now that I'm on the other side of the struggle I can reach out and guide you.  I learned valuable lessons along the way that could be key to you.

Much Love and Joy to you.

Everything in moderation, including moderation!

Today, follow a spiritual discipline of moderation and avoid extremes of any sort. Allow yourself to enjoy the nice things in life, but don't let them run your life. Be disciplined in making choices that serve your soul growth, not stifle it. Find the balance between self-indulgence, self-control and self-denial.

What you focus on is what you attract

What you focus on is what receives the energy to grow in your life... Refine your attention to a higher, more focused intention so that you can use your divine co-creative power in a more effective and rewarding way.

If you focus only on the weeds in your garden, you will only see the weeds, and miss out on the overall gorgeousness of your garden - and of your Spirit. :)

Be here, now. Savour the moment.

Do you feel pressured, impatient and ready for the next step to get to the future you dream of? Do you wish the Universe would speed up your demands according to your personal schedule? Relax: the future begins now.

Fully embrace your cr
eative power in the present. Stop believing that tomorrow is more important or more exciting. The present lays the groundwork for the days to come, and only by fully grasping it can you set the stage for the bright new opportunities.

Focus on what is NOW. Listen to your Higher Self, not your fears. Know that all things unfold in perfect harmony. Enjoy the rewards and peace of this moment.

A Stingy Omen...

I just got a piece of skin bitten off by a yellow jacket as I was getting ready to meditate outside... and so this image and message seem appropriate for today ;)

What is the essence of your sweet nectar? How well and willingly do you share your sweetness to sustain and nurture life around you - your family, your children, your immediate and the global environment?

Also, look at your shadow side: how do you react to aggression? How do you constructively channel your own aggressiveness? How do you manage your anger? How well do you live in a community? How well do you perform the tasks appointed to you?

Love and blessings.

Peace. Paix. Shalom.

Today is World Peace Day - take some time now to reflect how you can be an agent of peace in your life, your family, your community, the world. How can you be an agent of love and joy? Take a moment now and breathe in peace; exhale and smile as you centre yourself in the now. All is well. Radiate wellness and others will attune to this vibration. Send waves of loving energy across the globe. See the world as the precious jewel it is, sacred home to so many souls. Hold it in your heart, even just a moment.

 Breathe. 

 Peace. Paix. Shalom.

I took a quick look at my blog's stats, and realized that people from all over the world, in every continent, have found their way to my site.  To each one of you, I am sending Love and Peace.  May this frequency vibrate within your body, your soul and your entire auric field.  May the frequency of your environment vibrate at the speed of Love and Peace.  And, with a ripple effect, may this frequency of Love and Peace which emanates from each individual reach an other ripple of Love, then an other, and an other until together, we bathe our world in an ocean of loving and peaceful energy.  May each of you, in your corner of the world, anchor this energy of Love and Peace on this earth.  May we, together, create a sustainable web of peace for generations to come.  Blessed be.

Do kitties go to Heaven?

I remember my first pet, a cat named Pompon, who got in a fight and received a terrible wound on his back.  One day, he "mysteriously disappeared" when my father and grandfather had promised to bring him to the vet to get healed.  He ran away as soon as they opened the car door, so the story goes.  I was completely devastated and started questioning my mother on "what happens when kitties die".  I have never been satisfied with the answer - they just die.  They have no soul, and they don't go to heaven.  Heaven is for humans only.  Whew! That was a lot of disappointment for a 5-year-old!

Now that I am open to the Spirit world, I am so happy to have discovered that I don't have to hold on to that belief anymore.  My initial hunch that there is a continuation of spiritual life for animals has been validated for me, more than once.

The first time I had a visit from an animal who crossed over was about five years ago.  One of my cats had died from a painful illness.  Two days after her death, as I was lying in bed, I felt a cat jump on the bed and pawing down the cover just like she used to do.  I felt very heavy in my body, yet I remember sitting up from my body and shaking my husband to wake him up, showing him who was coming for a visit.  (He did not wake from my "spiritual" touch)  ;)  I turned back to Griselie, my spirit form petting her spirit form, clearly hearing her purring and feeling her pawing.  She felt so heavy, as if she had not rested and energetically recuperated enough from her illness, and I was puzzled at how she could come visit so soon after her crossing.  It felt like she didn't have a lot of time, almost as if she had "run away" from her resting place to deliver a message.  She looked at me straight in the eye and started reciting a prayer...  I prayed with her.  Then she turned around, jumped off the bed and disappeared.  I laid back down in my body.  It was an amazing, peaceful and loving experience -- but was it just a dream?

An other memorable cat visit was that of a friend's.  This cat had been ill, and my friend had been quite worried.  On the Saturday night, I wake up hearing a cat's purr in my ears, but an unfamiliar rhythm and voice.  I open my eyes to see a cat I had never seen before, looking straight in my eyes.  She told me to tell my friend how much she loved her, and that she was grateful for a good life with her.  Incredulous, I asked her to repeat the message, which she did word for word.  When I accepted to pass along the message, she jumped off the bed and disappeared.  On the Monday morning, my friend comes to work with red eyes, telling me that she had to euthanize her cat over the weekend.  I told her about my "dream" and the message for her, hoping to bring her some comfort.  She showed me a picture of her cat (which I had never seen before) - it was the same cat which had visited me!

This was more than a coincidence, and I really started to believe.

Since then, I consciously communicate with animals, seeking to commune with their spirit selves in addition to their physical selves.  I've shared many spiritual experiences with my cats, my puppy, the birds in my backyard and countless "wildlife".  Animals do come as healing guides for a few of my clients, either as animal totems or to comfort those who have loved a pet who has crossed over.  Pets to whom I give Reiki treatments respond very well to this healing energy, and communicate messages about their health and how to make it better.   I've helped a dog heal from a torn ligament in his hind leg, a cat heal an injured front paw, a wild bird find her way out of a building. I've helped reduce a puppy's anxiety after her adoption, and I've helped other pets cross over with love and dignity.

Animal Reiki is certainly a healing practice I will continue to develop.  I find it very soothing, rewarding and I believe it really helps "share the Love".

...and with my spiritual experiences, I can now tell my son that if kitties and puppies don't go to Heaven, maybe they go to an even better place where they continue to love us, pray for us, guide us and care for our well-being.  After all, in the spirit world, we are all balls of Light - people, animals and plants - and pets are part of our spiritual family.  We will all be reunited when we return to the Light, and in the meantime we can open our hearts and minds to the visits and messages they have for us from the other side of the veil.

Of death, dying, and living again

Today I closed my eyes and let my fingers pick a book for me, with the intention of receiving a "message".  The book was Soul Lessons and Soul Purpose by Sonia Choquette.  I closed my eyes again and asked to find a page with a special meaning for me, a next step I must take on this journey especially as I transition to a full-time Light Worker role.

My message?  Soul Lesson:  to accept death.  Soul Purpose:  to live without fear...

The suggested actions:

• to discuss with others the cycles of my life that are coming to an end, and the new ones beginning and the good they bring
• to talk openly about death, reincarnation, my own past lives and that of others
• to share positive death or near-death experiences I've had
• to pray that the veil between this plane and the next keeps thinning to reveal to me my own immortal nature

Could it be any more accurate for me at this time?  I do admit I am very afraid of this transition from a work with a very good and steady paycheque to work done out of Love and passion, but with unknown revenue...  Yet my soul is so happy and dances joyfully, and my creativity for my new projects (and there are many!) is just soaring!  

I've been feeling, especially since last January, that a huge cycle was finishing for me - even before my head had decided to take the plunge and make the shift.  During many Reiki sessions (where I was the client) I felt that my body was lying in a coffin, yet it wasn't a sad death and didn't feel like an impeding physical death.  It really felt like a part of me was dying.  I felt completely surrounding with Love and by various entities working on my etheric body - reprogramming, reenergizing, rewiring...  so that finally my higher soul felt better connected to the current physical manifestation of myself and started integrating this body more fully.

The ego, however, is used to vibrating at the speed of fear, anger and frustration.  It does not know what to do with the higher vibrations of Love and Joy.  It feels its control slipping away.  It feels its familiar surroundings dissipating and the big protective boundaries dismantling.  It is a challenging time!  What I am learning through all this, is increased love and compassion for myself.  It doesn't work to say, "bad ego!  Just let go and let my spirit soar!" -- because then I am reacting to the fear by using the same vibrational level which just enhances and feeds it.  Although more difficult, what works best is to talk to myself gently, and say "Dear ego, I understand now what all those protective barriers have been erected in my past.  You did a great job protecting me when I was more vulnerable with your great capacity of flight or fight.  But now, I am stronger.  I am wiser.  I know I am surrounded with Love and loving beings.  I am sending infinite and unconditional Love to you.  I am feeling the fear, and I am thankful for it, for it reminds how great is the leap of faith I am taking.  And from now on, we have to work as partners to build the new me, ready to soar to greater heights.  You are an integral part of me, and I am not letting you go; just switching the level we operate at, OK?"

...and slowly, very slowly, I am building a new relationship with myself.  I believe more and more that I am not alone but surrounded by loving beings in this plane and the unseen ones.  I call upon my guides and angels to guide me in this journey, and I call upon earlier incarnations of myself that may have strengths I can draw upon in this current manifestation.

These small deaths to the self can be quite a roller-coaster ride, but there is so much to learn, and such joy in living again - more fully, more aware, more wise.  

Here's a song I find myself humming frequently lately - I can't find the English version but this version is one I fondly remember from my childhood.  My parents had sung this beautifully at one of the first funerals I ever attended.  It's based on Jesus' last words on the cross "In your hands Lord, I commit my spirit" and tells that if the grain of wheat doesn't die to itself in the earth, it will not grow and bear fruit.  

Entre tes mains je remets Seigneur mon esprit, by John Littleton.

In this time of transition, felt on a planetary scale, I wish you all happy and joyful small deaths to yourselves, so that you may find peace, grow wiser and bear fruit with the joyful expression of the talents you have been gifted.