Intuition
Discovering The Power Of Intuitive Guidance
I always smile when I think back to the time I discovered the true power of intuition and the inner guidance of Spirit.
I recall that Thursday afternoon as if it were yesterday. There I was, sitting on the couch in the living room. I was totally fed up and impatiently debating whether I should go and get the evening newspaper, so that I could scour the vacancies page for any job offerings.
It was September 1978 and I was only 18 years old. Unemployment was high in the United Kingdom at the time. Sadly, I was one of those jobless young people, desperate to find work.
“Relax,” said my mind, “it’s too early to go for the evening paper now. You can get a newspaper anytime until 6pm.” ”
“You must go now,” said my heart and gut, “there may just be a job offer in the paper, and it may be exactly the kind of a job you are looking for!”
I continued with this inner battle for a while, until my heart and gut finally won, and off I went. As I stepped out onto the street, I noticed that the bus was approaching at great speed. Then saw, right in front of me a baker’s van parked outside the nearby grocers and then, to my horror, a little baby boy in a buggy outside the shop. The baby’s buggy was slowly being carried by a strong wind, taking it directly towards that oncoming bus!
My heart pounded, my mouth went dry, everyone around me gasped, and time literally felt like it was standing still. All I could think of was to run. And run I did, like an Olympic athlete. Then I pushed the buggy back onto the pavement and out of the way of the oncoming bus.
Was all this a coincidence? I think not, as I was being urged by my intuition to be in a particular place, at a specific time, to stop something potentially horrible happening. Some people whom I have told this story to have just put it down to luck. All I can say is that I am glad I listened to my heart and gut, and not my head. I do not want to imagine what might have happened, had I gone a minute later for that evening paper.
The Perils Of Mercury Square Neptune
As an astrologer, it is my job to get information across to my clients in a clear and concise way, that won’t leave them perplexed or confused.
But on occasion there is a clear and present danger. There are astrological aspects that can challenge astrologers, muddle our minds, drape us in a fog of uncertainty and confusion. Such a dreaded hazard is when Mercury square Neptune comes along and clouds our normal channels of communication.
When this mentally perilous aspect rolls around, it is time to switch channels and watch another station. If there is ever a time we must trust in our inner wisdom and knowledge, yet speak the messages that come through from higher places, then it would be when this square rides into town!
We endured a triple whammy of this the past three months, with Mercury squaring Neptune in May, June and July, on the back of one of the most chaotic Mercury Retrogrades in a very long time.
Yes, when the dreaded Mercury square Neptune arrives it howls like Johnny in The Shining, “I’m here…!” Under this astrological influence we’re on shaky ground when it comes communication and getting your message across. It’s usually really difficult to talk sense, let alone think in any sort of rational, logical, coherent, organized way.
Mercury is all about the mind, our thoughts, our reason. Mercury is all about ‘just give me the facts,’ while Neptune wants to infiltrate our thoughts, sink into the murky depths of the subconscious ocean, and expand outward with absolutely no borders to stop its movement from spilling out all over the place.
This Neptune intrusion is way too messy for the fussy Mercury, who likes its contents in small, neat, digestible, bite-sized files it can dissect and differentiate. But being a curious guy, Mercury ventures out anyway, despite the warning buoys signaling chaotic doom.
My Little Guardian Angel
In a recent blog post, I told the story of the rescue dog I found at the vet, and how he became my emotional support animal. He He was my wise little totem, my spirit animal. But Cody’s heart health gradually began to deteriorate. With this in mind, I talked to my husband about getting another Chihuahua, so Cody could teach it to take his place someday.
So, I went online to find our new dog. There were many pages of puppies for sale, as well as rescue dogs. Then I saw Rocky – a small, anxious-looking dog. I contacted the breeder and she said he was the last one from the litter, because he was a little “different.” Well, that is all I needed to hear!
So, we loaded up the car with both Cody and Luke, my German Shepard, and went to meet the new pack member. Mr. Cody Simpson had to come along, since he was a pack leader. He always had the final say about who could join our tribe.
Cody took a sniff at Rocky and instantly started to play with him. Luke immediately followed his lead and joined in the fun and excitement. Animals are much more in tune with each other’s energy signature than humans. If more of us were intuitively in touch with the ‘vibes’ of others, there might be more love, tolerance and compassion in the world.
Now, you may be thinking an 80-pound German Shepard could be dangerous around a tiny Chihuahua, but you don’t know my dog. Luke is convinced he is a Chihuahua. To play with the small dogs, he simply lays down and allows them to play with him.
Rocky was, however, so small for his age, that I was somewhat concerned, so I took him to the vet. The doctor confirmed that he was slow in development and needed special care to grow and become a healthy dog.
Shield Your Soul From Negative Energy
There is an evil darkness in our world that seeks to destroy people’s lives and souls. As a highly sensitive person I have been a witness to it my entire life, and I don’t like it. I see people changing for the worse because of it and it’s simply unacceptable.
But I am not referring to a mysterious evil force or demonic entity. No, I’m speaking of the angry, hateful, negative energies that reside within ordinary people like you and me. These forces of evil roam the world seeking the ruin of souls, striving for the opposite of what is good, and positive, loving, and full of light.
We are all spiritual beings in the flesh, but not all of us choose to live our lives as agents of light and love. Instead, some succumb to going through life as energy thieves and psychic vampires. It’s easy to spot the difference. Ever been around someone that leaves you feeling drained and not good about yourself, or your life? Well, I have to tell you these negative souls will destroy your joy and happiness if you allow them.
Misery certainly loves company. To keep these negative souls from zapping your energy and constantly bringing you down, you must learn to surround yourself with the white light and unconditional love of Spirit, God, Source, the Universe. Ask the Divine to protect you from all forms of negativity: negative talk, negative behavior, and negative energy.
Negativity can come unexpectedly from a person that you may never have guessed would be capable of harming your spiritually. They may not even realize they affecting your energy and well-being, but there is a spiritual battle going on every day. So, please be more aware of the people you spend time with and ask your inner guidance system if it is good for you to be around certain individuals and groups. Is that friend or relative uplifting and inspiring you to be the best person you can be, through their words, action and deeds? If not, why are you even hanging out with them?
Can Anyone Read The Tarot?
During this past week alone, several people from different walks of life have asked me this very question. Yes, anyone can learn, but as some of my Tarot students have shown, it’s the passion you have for Tarot that makes the difference, and that can turn someone into a reader with a difference.
Tarot readings can be used for one’s personal growth only, or for doing readings for self and others. Often individuals learn the Tarot of their own volition, paying particular attention to its imagery and symbolism, as they develop their skill with practice, practice, and more practice.
Once they feel they can trust their higher self and their spirit guides, and feel they are being directed to the symbols and imagery in Tarot, which will kick start the required information to be revealed, they will be confident to do Tarot readings.
A good teacher or mentor will always encourage a student to be guided by the way the Tarot talks to them, and not just by learning ‘parrot fashion’ the many meanings each card may have.
It is the language of symbols which helps us more easily tune into the unconscious mind, especially when there is not always time available to spend many hours doing psychic development, and going within and meditating before a reading.
Many Tarot readers work with various spreads, or layouts, to help them answer specific questions and to define events, timing, important influences and important people in the questioner’s life. Tarot helps us find clarity as to the direction in which we are headed and even helps identify blocks which may lie ahead.
I have in my collection at least fifteen Tarot decks, but one or two would suffice for most people. I just love the way talented people have been able to bring Tarot to life in their own Tarot deck design, using their own imagery, shapes and color.
The Wisdom Of Intuitive Eating
I remember reading an article many years ago about a research study conducted with children suffering from various nutritional deficiencies and food allergies. The scientists invited about 20 of these kids into a room with a table on which there was a variety of foods on display. They allowed each child to help themselves to any of the food they preferred. The outcome was astounding!
Each child chose a selection of food that their body naturally would tolerate the best. In other words, they instinctively chose foods that would not a bad for them or cause an allergic reaction. Furthermore, the children also chose more foods containing the nutrients their little bodies were lacking.
This confirmed for me the fact that our intuition or inner guidance system is not merely something we rely on when we are facing major life challenges, or when we are engaging in some form of spiritual practice. Intuition guides us every day in everything we do.
Intuitive eating is very much about honoring the temple which houses our soul. I believe we could potentially become nutritionally much healthier if we learn to trust our intuition more when we make dietary choices, instead of following fad diets and food trends.
Intuitive eating is about challenging modern society’s ‘food police,’ as well as the negative self-talk about eating and food choices many of us tend to engage in.
Intuitive eaters soon find that they eat just the right amount of various foods to nourish and satisfy their body, as they learn to truly recognize their body’s signals. Once you can do this, you are on your way to building a healthy relationship with food.
Be gentle with yourself. Avoid those magazines and influencer images on social media that prompts you to put pressure on yourself to look a certain way. Don’t give energy to such things. Instead, listen to your own body. You are uniquely you, and so is your body. When you express self-love within, you will also express it outwardly. Self-love ‘turns head’s like no designer outfit can!
Connecting With Your Inner Wisdom
In a world rife with uncertainty and daily challenges, most of us are bound to turn to other people in our life to help us deal with our problems or regain a sense of direction. While this is perfectly normal and human to do, spirit teaches that it is best we also connect with our higher self to find the answers we are seeking.
Unfortunately, trauma and stress can significantly block the clarity of our intuition, prevent us from gaining access to our inner wisdom and divine guidance. The following strategies can help us reconnect with our inner being and build a stronger connection with our inner guidance system.
Ignore The Noise
Stop listening to the opinions and views of others. I am not suggesting that you should never take good advice, but be selective about who you choose to listen to. And if their opinion does not resonate with your inner being, walk away.
Too much external ‘noise’ can really block your instincts if you become preoccupied with what others think. There is also the fear of upsetting others or not living up to certain social norms or family expectations. If you were to give in to this, you may very well find yourself living other people’s dreams and ambitions instead of your own.
Avoid the kind of ‘well-meant’ advice that usually only serve the needs of the one advising you. Politely thank them for their interest and concern, but disregard their opinions and simply go ahead with what your inner voice advises. The Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu said, “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.”