imagination
How To Work With Oracle Cards
I like to use oracle or angel cards when I do readings, because they provide the client with a visual element. This makes the process of reading seem more tangible, and less intimidating. In fact, these user-friendly cards are so accessible that they can be used by anyone in their daily spiritual practice.
My regular clients know that I use the terms ‘angel cards’ and ‘oracle cards’ interchangeably. They are basically decks of cartomancy cards similar to traditional Tarot, but they tend to have more positive messages, images and symbolism than the Tarot.
The many ways one can use oracle cards in your personal practice are only limited by your imagination. For example, you could pull a card and use it as a journal prompt, and then use freewriting or brainstorming to explore how you’re feeling about a certain topic or issue.
You can also ask a question, hold the cards to your heart, and then select the cards you feel most drawn to for the answer. Once you have selected the cards, I advise clients to truly ‘listen’ to the story the cards are telling you. What thoughts, feelings and intuitions do the images and words evoke? How do they correspond with the other cards you selected? What are the common themes?
If it’s helpful you can place cards in a divination spread, or you could pull just one at a time. A simple oracle spread you can try uses only three cards. The first card indicates the past, the second the present (the anchor card), and the third reveals the future.
Sometimes, when a particular card doesn’t seem to provide an instant, clear answer, take a closer look at the different visual elements of the card. For example, what is the person in the picture wearing? Are there any images in the background that provide additional insight or inspiration?
The Magic Of Living Your Truth
Where does magic come from? And, if we’re magical, can we lose our magic? We’re all born magical creatures. We also have integrity right from the moment we take our first breath. You may ask, what does integrity have to do with magic? Well, everything!
However, immediately upon emerging from the birth canal, mainstream society starts imprinting upon us its cultural view points, customs and traditions. Often, they become a kind of law that has been adopted over many generations, even entire epochs in our evolution as human beings, and due to ‘group think‘ we are discouraged from questioning their origin, much less their validity.
Group think happens when the desire for harmony or conformity dominates, leading to irrational and dysfunctional choices, decisions and behaviours simply for the sake of comforming.
An example that comes to mind is the statement that we have probably all used at one time or another: “Oh, I’ll just follow the rule of thumb.” However, we would never make such a statement if we were aware of its origins: this was what men used to say when they were using a stick to punish their wife! By law, the instrument for abuse could only be as big around as the husband’s thumb.
Another senseless tradition that comes to mind is why men wear neck ties. Before the advent of computers enabled us to Google our curiosities, I often thought about how glad I am to be a woman, if for no other reason than I don’t have to wear a necktie. Now, I have to admit that I’m “over the top” regarding many time-tested, and supposedly true forms of bondage. I don’t even like to wear shoes that make my feet feel closed in, so imagine my feelings about effectively placing a noose around my neck. Ay, ay, no way!
If Bumble Bees Can Fly, So Can We!
When my teenage son was only two years old, he was in the living room one day, jumping from the chair to the couch with a towel wrapped across his shoulders like a cape. He was joyfully singing that he was a superhero and that he could fly. His father looked at him sternly and told him humans cannot fly. I nudged his father, “Don’t tell him that!”
To salvage the situation, I then proceeded to tell my son about bumble bees. I explained that it is aerodynamically impossible for a bumble bee to fly. Their bodies are way too big, and their wings are way too small to carry their little bodies through the air. Yet, they still do manage to fly. This was probably so because their bumble bee ‘mommies and daddies’ never told them they couldn’t! So, bumble bees fly through the air, never knowing that it is by scientific standards technically impossible.
My husband was not impressed. He looked at me and said, ”If next time he jumps off the roof, thinking he can fly, and lands on his head and breaks his neck, I’m holding you personally responsible.” “Point taken,” I said. But it was too late to redact my ‘bumble bee life lesson,’ so I then had to make very sure my son understood that he was never to attempt any flying from high places!
But, it did get me to thinking: how often do we hinder and limit our children? Some of us have psychic children. How many parents are even interested in helping them to develop their abilities? A large part of society is not so open to this.
I wonder what would happen, for example, if I were to tell a psychiatrist that I talk to spirit? He would probably say something like, “It is my observation that you are deluded to the extent that your believe you see and communicate with ghosts. My diagnosis is psychotic disorder.” Then he is likely to put me on some sort of psychiatric medication, or worse have me admitted to a mental health care facility! If I further told the same hypothetical psychiatrist that I entertained the idea of my children also having psychic abilities, he might call child protection services, to have them removed from my care for their own protection. Continue reading
Believing In Miracles
The most amazing miracle I have ever witnessed was the birth of my daughter and my three granddaughters. Life itself is a miracle, and a mystery. But while some of us feel even the smallest thing is a miracle, others take everything for granted and do not give much thought at all to the unexplained.
Some people refuse to believe anything is a miracle. They only trust in the natural laws of physics. For them only seeing is believing, and nothing else is possible. Natural law has no tolerance for mysteries, much less miracles.
It is natural for people to be suspicious of what they do not understand. But people used to think the world is flat, because that is what they saw when they looked at the horizon.
So, my granddaughters finally talked me into getting a smart phone. Believe me, for a person my age, this gadget is indeed a miracle, and a mystery!
When I was a teenager, my boyfriend lived a few towns away. The only communication device we had in those days was a rotary dial wall phone. I had to sit on the kitchen floor to talk to him for only ten minutes at a time, because our household shared the line with two othertechamilies!
I remember I used to think: if only I could see him while we talk. Imagine that! In 1970 that certainly would have been a miracle. Well, what seemed an impossible fantasy back then is now the modern miracle of video chat and messenger apps.
The fact that my young granddaughters are so proficient with all the new digital technology is also a miracle to me. For them, this is just the way it is – it’s nothing miraculous in their minds. Continue reading
Visualizing Your Soul’s Path
If you are currently struggling with feelings of emptiness, loneliness, boredom or a lack of meaning and purpose in your life, it may be that you are not connected to your soul purpose.
We are so much more than just our careers, business pursuits, relationships, family, or home. We are spiritual beings in human form, each with a unique soul path and personal destiny.
To become more aware of our innate spiritual purpose we must pay attention to our inner voice and listen carefully to our heart’s desire. We must find what truly resonates with our soul.
A fun visualization exercise I recommend to anyone looking for clues to their true soul’s path is to imagine the ideal color of your home’s front door.
Imagine coming home on any average day. Were you driving home in a car that needs to be parked in the driveway? Or maybe you took the bus, or were you walking or biking? Visualize the details your arrival.
Next, see yourself coming up your walkway or entrance facing the front door of your abode. Now, instead of its current actual color, imagine the ideal new color for your door. What color do you see? The color your spontaneously imagined reflects the interest of your soul.
For example, if you imagine your door to be painted red it may indicate that you operate with a lot of passion and excitement. A light shade of blue may be reflective of freedom of expression, or you are a soul who thinks, feels, and operates outside the box. A darker navy tone might indicate a more serious nature and a strong sense of commitment to the community. My preferred door color is a bright yellow, which is a sign of my interest in the intuitive and metaphysical realm.
Renewed Inspiration Through Visualization
Despite the psychic readings we receive, the inspirational books we read, and the seminars we attend, we often tend to find ourselves back at the drawing board for inspiration. Why? I guess we need to inspire ourselves on an ongoing basis.
Clients who visit me for private consultations say they leave me feeling serene and all fired up to take on the world. Many of them also come back every now and again for what one high-powered lady calls her “fix”.
And me? Well, I need to inspire myself on a regular basis, in order to be of any help to anybody else!
Visualization is an excellent way to ‘recycle’ some past moments of inspiration. We can make time in our busy worlds and synthesize all the knowledge and experiences we have gathered, in order to visualize what we want.
By remembering and tapping into that feeling we had when we saw that moving film, attended that life-changing workshop or read that inspirational book, we can apply that intense feeling from a previous experience to what we want to manifest now.
An attitude of gratitude goes a long way too when it comes to manifesting our desires. Thank spirit for all the positives in your life, and you will be surprised to notice the amount you have already manifested and have to be grateful for.
Another helpful technique is to make a visualization board by drawing pictures from your memories, or from magazines, to make a collage which will be your personal vision board. Place it where you spend most of your time. I was given a ‘recipe’ for creating long ago by a colleague.
Ingredients
1. Recognize the higher self (that you are spirit)
2. Decisiveness
3. Acoustics
4. Imagination and creativity
5. Evaluation
6. Approval
7. Experience
Ordinary people believe only in the possible. Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probable, but rather what is impossible. And by visualizing the impossible, they begin to see it as possible ~ Cherie Carter-Scott
Method
1. Recognize that you are spirit and therefore have the capacity to create.
2. Be certain of exactly what you wish to create. Think of how it is going to affect you.
3. Announce it verbally.
4. Visualize it.
5. Decide whether you are pleased with it.
6. Give consent for it to materialize.
7. Step back and admire and enjoy what you have created.
Note: Be sure not to create anything which creates imbalance in your life.
What Are Your Snapshots For The Year Ahead?
What does the future have in store for me? It’s a valid question after all the upheaval of life during the past two years. In fact this question is on so many minds at present, including my own.
The last two years have been difficult for most, if not all of us. We have all suffered loss, grief, stress, frustration, and anxiety. Regardless of what your personal views and beliefs may be regarding this difficult time in the world, what does matter is where you are mentally and spiritually at this moment.
This weekend may be a good time to recenter, align and ground your energy. Take some time out from all the mayhem today and do some meditation, prayer, visualization, or breath-work. Allow God, Source, Spirit, the Universe to fill you with positive energy, light and blessings, and release the negative thoughts and anxieties you may be holding on to.
Also, take some time to calmly contemplate and make a list of your goals, wishes, desires and dreams for the year ahead. Or better yet, create a vision board, manifesting box, or journal. Cut out pictures from old magazines, copy positive affirmations, and collect some trinkets to place on a board, in a box, or in a scrapbook.
Once it is complete, place your board, box or book somewhere in your home or office where you can look at it often. Take a little time every day to focus on it and ask yourself what each goal, wish or intention you have added to it truly means to you.
I have a brochure of new camera with a special lens on my vision board for this year. When I ask myself what it represents to me, I remind myself that my new dream camera sees the beauty in our world through a magical lens. It will bring out the brightest of colors. and the most beautiful scenery. It will also capture the vitality and magnificence of all my spirit totems (mostly eagles, red tail hawk, owls, sand hill cranes).