Mysticism
Spiritual Awakening ‘Turns On The Light’
What exactly is a spiritual awakening, and is there a way you can tell if you are having one? Here are some ways to be aware of what is happening to you.
The first sign is usually when you are no longer living in a ‘dream world,’ where you used to see everything through your human ego and you were overly focused on the future and your past.
This is a clear sign that you are becoming more spiritually aware. You have a greater awareness of your individual self and the connection between that and everything else. Things start to come into better focus in your life and make more sense.
When you closely examine various religions and faith traditions, there is usually a common thread that describes this state of heightened awareness as nirvana, enlightenment, or awakening.
This new consciousness happens when you stop being the observer, and instead ask yourself, who is observing?
Many people go through life on ‘autopilot,’ because that is what they were taught, or they simply fell into a routine without giving much thought to who they really are, or what they truly need or desire to make their life meaningful.
Asking such questions about yourself is important for your personal growth and self-realization. It is ‘turning the light on’ so to speak. The first step in growth is always the awareness of the present moment followed by an impulse to change something. Continue reading
A Cuddly Message From Grandma At Halloween
All of us have lost, or will in time lose someone very dear to us. Like it or not, all of us also have to ponder the concept of life after death at some point in our life. Some of us have very strong beliefs on the subject, one way or the other. We either believe in the afterlife, or we do not.
For me the answer is simple and easy. I strongly believe, because of both my personal and professional experiences. For example, I have been visited many times by my grandparents, and I have communicated with many loved ones in spirit in my daily work, when I do readings for my clients.
My grandma often communicates with me in the dream state. She tends to show up when I least expect it, usually to give me a guiding message or to warn me about something. She always has been a worrier, in this life and the next! Right up to the very day she departed this life, she was telling us what to do to keep safe, and she was always giving us good advice. She is very wise.
I was asking her just the other day to give me a sign that she was around, and sure enough, she did. But this time she did not show up in a dream. She spoke to me…through a teddy bear! Yes, indeed.
It is one of those plush toys that makes a cute kissing sound and says, “I love you very much,” when you squeeze it. I was in the tub and this little teddy bear was right next to me, on top of a shelf. After drawing the bath, I was leaning back in the soothing, warm water, letting out a sigh of relief that a long day was over. Next thing you know, this teddy bear goes off on its own, making the kissing sounds and saying I love you, over and over. I knew right away that it was grandma making contact.
The History And Hidden Blessings Of Halloween
As a child, I remember getting excited about dressing up as a witch on Halloween and enjoying all the treats, like toffee apples and spooky cakes, that my mom used to make.
But one year, my father ruined the holiday for me when he explained his views on the significance of Halloween to me. I was just 10 years old, and it upset me.
Because of his religious beliefs, my father then forbade my siblings and me from celebrating Halloween. This made us feel excluded from our community as we watched other children dress up and enjoy themselves.
As an adult, I learned that it was not the event itself that was the issue, but rather the assumed F.E.A.R. behind it: False Evidence Appearing Real.
Remembering those times recently, I was prompted to take another look into the origin of this holiday tradition and what it truly stands for.
On 31st October each year, the Celtic pagan festival known as Samhain is celebrated, symbolizing the end of the harvest period and the start of the winter season, sometimes referred to as the “darker half” of the annual 12-month cycle.
Long before it became a night of costumes and candy, it was a sacred festival rooted in ancient spiritual tradition. The celebration we now know as Halloween traces its origins to Samhain (pronounced Sow-in), a Gaelic festival that marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of the dark half of the year.
Communicating With Your Spirit Guides
Each of us has spirit guides that are with us from the moment we are born, right up until we take our final breath. Just as they are named, your spirit guides are here to help guide you through life.
There are spirit guides who are with you for shorter periods of time to help assist you through certain situations, and of course, your closest spirit guides who will accompany you through your entire life.
What differentiates your guardian angels from spirit guides, is that your spirit guides, at some point in history, lived a physical incarnation on Earth and grew enough spiritually to earn the honor of title of being a spirit guide.
They went through very similar issues while here in this world, compared to what you will experience in your own life. This is why they become your spirit guide, devoted specifically to you, and this is what makes the two of you the best team!
Your spirit guides work with you in a variety of ways, therefore you have different spirit guides working in conjunction with certain areas in your life.
In addition to your guardian angels, you have protector guides who give you warning signs when things can be unstable or off in your environment. You also have a doctor teacher, a doctor chemist, joy guides, master guides, inner and outer band guides, as well as ascended masters guides… and that’s just to name a few of them!
The Powerful Bond Of A First Love Connection
I think we can really feel the intensity of true love the most when we are young and experience falling in love for the first time. The feeling is so strong and all encompassing.
When love takes over everything in the world just feels so much better. The grass is greener and everything is perfect and good, in a way that words simply cannot express. If you fall madly in love with someone, and you are really lucky and get to have and hold that love, it is even more profound and deep-seated.
I was fortunate to experience this once. It happened while I was working as a bagger at a local grocery store. I stood up, after stocking the paper bags, and suddenly locked eyes with a wonderful soul. He obviously felt the same way, because he returned with his phone number that he had written on a small piece of paper for me.
We had a wonderful romantic relationship for nearly four years. He ended up finishing medical school several states South from where we initially met. Despite my fear of flying, I did fly down to see him once. I also took my Tarot cards and did a few readings for him. The ‘Death’ card kept popping up, but I kept reassuring him that it usually means ‘transition’, and not to worry, no one is going to die.
He came home for a family visit a few months later. I was sitting at his parents’ pool in the back yard, where he grew up. I suddenly sensed something terrible. I had this overwhelming and ominous premonition that someone in his family was going to die. Being so connected to him, I felt that it wouldn’t be him, but his brother. I felt very strongly about this. Seeing him playing his guitar, so alive and happy, I could not begin to imagine losing him.
End Of Year Moon And Crystal Energy Work
As the days shorten and the year moves toward its close, the moon’s energy becomes an even more potent ally for reflection, release, and new beginning.
The final months of this year is a powerful time deepen our relationship with lunar cycles and use crystal allies to support our inner work.
The moon acts as a mirror to our inner landscape. Its cycles guide our rhythm: the new moon beckons us to plant seeds, while the full moon calls us to release what no longer serves. When we intentionally pair lunar awareness with crystal work, we amplify our clarity, access intuition, and align with energies that support transformation.
I once worked with a university professor who, at the cusp of year’s end, felt fragmented by multiple obligations. During a full moon session, we guided her to sense what needed release, using amethyst for clarity and calm. As she held it and journaled, she relinquished projects that drained her energy and discovered space for a new creative initiative born of her deeper passion.
Another client, an actor, had endured months of stagnation in auditions. We chose a new moon moment to plant intentions. He carried citrine to boost confidence and attract aligned opportunities. As he remained intentional through the lunar cycle, his energy shifted…not from anxious striving, but from grounded authenticity. Soon after he landed a role that felt perfectly right!
Embracing The Dark Season With Isa And Jera
This time of year, when the air first sharpens and the trees begin to release their golden leaves, I feel a familiar stirring in my heart and soul.
Early fall has always been more than just a change of weather to me. It is a threshold, a sacred gateway that leads us from the brightness of summer into the deeper mystical wisdom of the dark season.
There’s a particular magic in this in-between time of the year…where light and shadow meet, and the veil between worlds begins to thin.
Fall is not merely an ending; it is an invitation inward. It asks us to reflect, to release, and to realign with the deeper currents that move through all things. Just as the trees surrender their leaves, we too are asked to let go of bad habits, limiting beliefs, or self-imposed burdens that no longer serve our highest path.
Our ancestors knew this well. They did not simply mark their calendars this time of year…to cover the pool or reorganize their closets, like we do. Instead, they were in deep sync with the rhythmic cycles of the year.
In the North, they honored the harvest with gratitude, they stored up sustenance for the long winter months ahead…and they carefully consulted the runes. The runes were for them living messages from the gods that spoke of fate, nature, and the mysteries of life.
As an spiritual advisor who works with the runes, I often remind my clients that these symbols are not relics of the past. They are very much alive, pulsing with energy, ready to guide us if we open ourselves to their voices.