challenges
Embracing The Shadow Within
When I first began to intentionally and consciously walk a spiritual path, I remember doing so because it just felt so right. Every step I took toward ‘enlightenment’ in this lifetime seemed to bring more brightness into my life, and so many more blessings.
In those early days I was really rolling! I was expecting this to be an easy ride – all joy and light and love. It was wonderful.
What I hadn’t expected was the inevitable emergence of my shadow through as a result of all my spiritual work. And it was not something I was going to be comfortable with – admitting I had places of darkness within me, unloved aspects of myself, disowned pieces of my soul which had been abandoned and in such pain.
Through a series of, what seemed like, unfortunate events, I was given opportunities to face my shadow side. Challenges in relationships with friends and loved ones arose. I couldn’t understand it at first, and felt very alone and misunderstood. I was shifting the blame for this onto the people around me, instead of going inward.
Going inward, into the light, was totally okay, but going inward into the darkness was terrifying. My ego-self raised every defense to keep me from going there. Eventually, I could avoid it no longer.
My life at this point had endured tremendous change in the course of only a few years- so much so, that the entire landscape of my existence and the people in it were now different. While many of the changes were positive, the magnitude of the differences between my ‘old life’ and my ‘new life’ forced me into robust self-reflection.
The Tarot Is A Mystical Bridge To Spiritual Insight
Mysterious, symbolic and highly energetic, the Tarot is a high vibrational tool that can help us explore the deeper meaning behind the events of our daily lives, and the influence of Spirit in our earthly existence.
The Tarot especially offers guidance in situations where may feel lost or confused, and it serves as a mystical bridge between our physical reality and the metaphysical realm.
The cards have their own energy, a high vibrational frequency, which Spirit uses to communicate messages of guidance, encouragement, insight and caution.
Every Tarot reader has their own set of spiritual gifts and psychic abilities, and therefore we tend to each develop our own reading style accordingly.
In my own readings, I find that Spirit most often seeks to illuminate areas in our lives where changes and healing may be needed, in order to bring about the most beneficial future outcomes. This can be anything from the need to shift one’s perspective, to the need to let go, or sometimes the need to simply accept things as they are.
Ultimately, I find Spirit uses the Tarot to get us ‘unstuck,’ so we get back in the flow. When we are in the flow, or in alignment, we are creating with the Universe, instead of creating resistance. Only then are we truly moving toward our highest good and the fulfillment of our greatest potential.
The Tarot is a conduit for communication with our guides and our higher self, through which we can gain a deeper understanding of the soul lessons and the magic happening in our lives.
The Power Of Knowing Your ‘Why’
In a recent spiritual counseling session, I had the privilege of working with a woman who was facing a profound life challenge — stage 2 locally advanced colon cancer.
She spoke with a quiet resilience as she recounted her journey through chemotherapy before surgery, followed by four additional rounds of adjuvant chemotherapy.
There was little emotion in her words, but the weight of her experience was undeniable. It was a story of survival, perseverance, and the sheer will to move forward.
She then admitted that she longed to live a healthier lifestyle, but struggled with unhealthy eating habits. She had gained a significant amount of weight after her surgery, and despite her best intentions, she found it difficult to resist sweets and processed foods.
After hearing her story, I gently reminded her that I could not give her medical advice. Nor am I a nutritionist, and I advised her that professional guidance was essential for her dietary needs.
What I could offer, however, was a way to break the cycle of unhealthy habits. And I could help nurture her mind and emotions and guide her toward a life of greater wholeness and balance.
She lit up with hope. “That would be wonderful!” she exclaimed.
Find Your Peace In The Present Moment
A theme that comes up frequently in psychic readings is how people inadvertently choose to live in the past, finding comfort in nostalgia or reliving painful memories that keep them tied to an earlier time. The past is often romanticized — a seemingly simpler, happier place, free from the burdens of the present.
For those who had a happy and idyllic childhood, the past may seem like a golden era. They fondly recall carefree days filled with laughter, unconditional love, and the security of knowing that someone else was responsible for making the big decisions.
These people long for the innocence of childhood, the guidance of loving parents, the support of trusted mentors, and simpler times. It can be a source of comfort, but it can also prevent them from fully embracing the possibilities of the present.
For others, the past is a dark and painful landscape filled with trauma, regret, or missed opportunities.
Some people carry deep emotional wounds from their past. Perhaps they grew up in an environment of neglect, conflict, or abuse. Instead of a safe and nurturing childhood, they experienced hardship, pain, or betrayal.
Bad memories, deeply etched in the soul, can feel like an unshakable burden. Those who have suffered often relive their trauma, carrying resentment and anger toward those who wronged them. For these people, the past is not a place of comfort, but a source of suffering that continues to affect their daily lives. Continue reading
Did Your Soul Choose Your Life Challenges?
“Oh, why do I have such terrible karma?” or “Why does the universe keep throwing me curveballs?” or “Is God punishing me?” These are questions that clients often ask me when they face struggles in life.
Spirit has repeatedly shown me in many readings over the years that we all have a kind of “architect’s plan” that we design before we incarnate into this life. This soul plan for our life journey lays out the lessons we’re going to learn and the experiences we’re going to have.
This spiritual principle is known by various names (depending on the context or belief system), including our spiritual blueprint, life design, divine plan, life script, soul contract, predestined path, and so on.
I prefer “architect’s plan” because it reminds me of the careful, meticulous planning an architect does when designing a new structure, long before the practical, hands-on construction takes place on site.
Like architects, we calmly and clearly create a plan for our life journey before we incarnate. It is only when we are here in the physical world to embody our plan that we fully experience the intensity and the many dangers and pitfalls that are part of our chosen journey, including all the fear, love, pain, hardship, joy, suffering, and everything in between.
Yes, it is hard to believe that we actually choose to face challenges and difficulties in our lives. But various spiritual traditions and esoteric philosophies tell us that our soul’s path is predestined or planned before we’re born, or at least that we have certain free will choices and options along the way.
How To ‘Face Everything And Rise’ (F.E.A.R.)
It’s okay to feel afraid sometimes – some fear responses are a natural and vital part of our built-in self-protection system. Rooted in our primal survival instincts, fear helps us identify and respond to real threats, such as a raging fire or a dangerous wild animal.
Survival fear arises in response to immediate, tangible threats to our safety or well-being. It’s a necessary, life-preserving mechanism based on objective, real-world risks that ensure our survival. By activating the body’s fight-or-flight response, it enables us to act quickly and stay safe.
But not all fears are instinctual, nor do they serve our highest good. Irrational fears arise from societal conditioning, cultural expectations, false beliefs, past traumas, or imagined scenarios. These fears are learned or imagined, not instinctual.
Unlike survival fear, irrational fears reflect internalized doubts, imaginery threats and false narratives that serve no protective function at all. Instead, they just interfere with our personal growth, decision-making, and well-being.
Conditioned fears are typically exaggerated or irrational, existing more in the mind than in reality. Examples include fear of failure, fear of rejection, or fear of not living up to social standards. Self-limiting fears can trap us in cycles of self-doubt and hesitation, limiting our ability to take risks, grow, and live wholeheartedly.
To live our best lives, we must learn to recognize these irrational fears, challenge their validity, and prevent them from taking control of our life and well-being. By stepping back and evaluating the source of our fears, we can release what no longer serves us, reclaim our joy, and unlock our full potential.
Shield Your Dreams From The Naysayers
I’m in the midst of a major shift in my life – a bold leap forward that promises transformative and exciting changes for me and my family.
It is taking a lot of my time and requires a lot of work and personal sacrifice, as there are many moving parts that need to align to make it all happen. However, I know it will work and I trust in spirit’s guidance and divine timing. I’ve successfully navigated similar situations before in my life, so I’m confident it can be done.
As is often the case in these situations, I find myself surrounded by people who are projecting their fears and limitations onto me and my goals. Based on conversations with friends and clients who are supportive and encouraging, this seems to be a common pattern. What is clear to me is that these are people who have chosen to live very different lives from mine.
For example, I have a relative who has always lived in fear and has repeatedly tried to discourage me from every endeavor I’ve ever pursued — almost all of which have been successful. The few that have not worked out for the best I consider valuable life lessons.
I started my first business when I was 26 years old. This family member scoffed at me, saying it was too risky and that I was wasting my time and money. Well, that business ended up paying more than just my bills for over a decade, while many of my peers spent the best years of their lives in soul-destroying dead-end jobs. It allowed me, for example, to buy two houses and several new cars, and best of all, I loved what I was doing!