intuition
The Difference Between Emotion And Intuition
Clients sometimes tell me during psychic readings, “I just have this gut feeling,” or “I don’t know, but something about this seems off.” I love when people say things like this. It means they are noticing the whispers of their inner guidance system. They may not yet have the confidence to fully trust it, but they’ve taken the first step to becoming more aware of whispers of their highers self, asking to be heard.
The challenge comes when we try to sort out whether that “feeling” we have is an actual intuitive nudge or just an emotion bubbling up from our human experience. From a spiritual perspective, emotions and intuitions are not the same thing. Both are important, but they function very differently.
When you can tell them apart, you can make decisions with greater clarity, avoid unnecessary drama, and walk more confidently along your spiritual path.
Emotions and intuitions may seem similar because they both arise within us without a clear explanation. However, emotions are usually connected to our human reactions. They can be triggered by what’s happening around us, our personal beliefs, or our physical state. As any expert drama queen can confirm, they can sometimes be big, loud, colorful, and full of urgency!
Intuition, on the other hand, is usually quiet, calm, and strangely neutral. Even the most powerful intuitive messages can be completely free of emotion. They carry a simple clarity that doesn’t shout or demand, but simply is. In fact, these emotion-free intuitive hits are often the most accurate and meaningful, because they’re not wrapped up in temporary moods and personal biases.
Mercury Retrograde: A Time To Revisit, Reflect And Realign
Has it felt like the universe has been playing a cosmic prank on you lately? Maybe your phone or computer has started acting up, or your travel plans have taken an unexpected turn, or maybe every conversation feels like a confusing game of telephone?
You’re not imagining any it, and you’re definitely not alone. Blame it on the astrological phenomenon known as Mercury Retrograde.
Mercury began its current retrograde motion in the sign of Leo on July 18, 2025. This phase will last for 24 days, ending on August 11, 2025, with Mercury still positioned in Leo as it returns to direct motion.
But this energetic shift doesn’t stop there. After Mercury stations direct, we enter the shadow period, also known as the post-retrograde shadow or retroshade. This phase usually lasts for about two more weeks, meaning the lingering effects of the current retrograde may continue through August 25, 2025.
Mercury retrograde occurs three, and occasionally four, times each year due to the planet’s swift orbit around the Sun. As the innermost planet, Mercury completes this journey in just 88 Earth days.
During its retrograde phase, Mercury appears to move backward in the sky from our earthly perspective, creating a temporary disruption in its usual energetic influence. Because it is the planet that rules communication, travel, and information, its retrograde motion often stirs up confusion, delays, and misunderstandings in these areas of life.
The Power Of Creativity To Transform And Heal
Creative play is a crack, or a doorway into another part of ourselves… into our intuitive and spiritual nature. To explore our creativity is to open that door of possibility.
It is easy to doubt our creativity when we compare ourselves to others, and to great artists of the past. Through their life stories and work, the master artists left reminders, showing us that creativity is not something we are taught, but rather something we are. Tapping into this is about experiencing this for ourselves, in whatever form that may be.
I took up painting as a hobby in my late 20s. It began as a desire to learn to paint, although I held the belief that I wasn’t really creative, given my Finance and Accounting background. I had never considered Art to be healing, or that it held personal healing benefits.
At the beginning of my journey, I immersed myself in art books and read about other artists. I also joined a local art group. In class one day, I felt inspired to paint the Buddha. From the moment I picked up my brush to paint him, I could feel a presence by my side and I could see in the blank canvas the face that was to appear, long before it was visible to anyone else. That painting is the piece that changed the direction of my life path, as I embraced my creative and spiritual gifts.
Turning up to a blank canvas, is like saying yes to life and the unknown of what lays on our path. And there are many benefits of saying ‘yes’ to painting. Painting allows us to express ourselves through our work, it allows us a time and space to reflect on our life and the meaning we attached to our experiences.
The Miracle Gift Of Spiritual Healing
I discovered that I had the spiritual gift of healing many years ago when I went to visit my father in the hospital. He was in great pain and something told me to gently touch the knee he had just had surgery on. It was not my intention to accomplish anything, just to comfort him. But then I saw his expression change from agonizing pain to instant relief. That to me was a miracle!
The next great healing miracle happened when one of my twin daughters was ice skating when she was about 8 years old. I was watching the children enjoy the beautiful winter day when my daughter suddenly slipped and fell. I will never forget her painful scream. I knew immediately that this was really bad! By the time I got to her, others were helping her, but she would not stop screaming. Hearing her in such pain shot through my heart like a bullet.
When I got to her, I immediately saw the bone protruding through her skin. I put my hands over the fracture on her forearm and said, “It’s okay, it’s okay. Immediately she stopped crying and said, “Mommy, it doesn’t hurt anymore. I was stunned and so was everyone else.
I held her arm all the way to the hospital, and when we got there, they made me remove my hands. Again I had to listen to my daughter scream in pain and I felt helpless.
After they immobilized her arm, they let me see her. I touched the cast on her arm and immediately felt that it was not properly applied. Of course, they refused to listen to me at first, but I kept insisting that something was wrong. Finally, they agreed to take a second x-ray, which showed that my daughter’s arm was indeed not in the correct position. So she had to have it done again. One of the nurses asked me how I knew. I never answered.
How To Choose Your First Tarot Deck
Buying your first deck of tarot cards can be daunting, especially for beginners. However, when approached the right way, it can be a magical and enjoyable experience.
I remember when I decided to buy my first deck years ago. I received a flood of recommendations from well-meaning friends and seasoned readers, all eager to point me toward their personal favorites.
True to my rebellious nature, though, I ignored it all. Instead, I followed my intuition.
I visited a cozy metaphysical shop downtown and wandered to the back, where the tarot decks were displayed on a few revolving racks.
One particular deck instantly captivated me. It had an angelic theme, and even though the imagery and Roman numerals weren’t exactly beginner-friendly, I didn’t care. I knew instantly that it was mine.
Even though I was new to Tarot, I had immersed myself in as much knowledge as I could find before purchasing my first deck. I read every book I could get my hands on and spent hours combing through spiritual forums and metaphysical blogs.
The advice I received from seasoned readers, though sometimes conflicting, gave me a broad foundation of ritual practices and deck care.
I was especially drawn to the idea of treating the cards as sacred tools, rather than just objects. So, by the time I brought my new deck home, I already had a sense of how I needed to honor it and energetically align with it.
How To Access Your Inner Wisdom
How can you tap into your inner wisdom? How do you learn to trust your intuition? How can you better receive guidance from spirit? These are the kinds of deep, soul-searching questions that arise when you begin to awaken to your spiritual path.
As you journey to understand yourself and find healing, you’ll discover that the answers you seek are often within you. Your inner wisdom is a gift that you already have.
Your inner wisdom is a gift from God. It’s a part of you that connects you to the divine. It connects the spiritual world with your physical experience, helping you live life more clearly, gracefully, and with purpose.
Your intuition is always there. It gently nudges you, whispers insight, and provides subtle feelings or knowing that help guide your decisions. It often operates below your awareness, always humming in the background like soft music.
But in the busy world we live in, it’s easy to lose touch with that inner sense of direction. Stress, emotional pain, and the noise of external expectations can block your intuition. That’s why it’s so important to practice spirituality on purpose. Meditation, prayer, and moments of quiet are like keys that open the door to your soul’s wisdom.
If you take five minutes to sit quietly and listen to your thoughts, you will hear the voice of spirit more clearly. This voice doesn’t shout. It speaks with love, warmth, and strength. One of my spiritual mentors often said, “The voice of inner guidance is never harsh or fearful. It always brings peace, even when the message is challenging.”
My Childhood Psychic Awakening
Being gifted from an early age, I had lots of questions, and wanted specific, detailed answers about psychic phenomena, spirituality and the mystical. This later became my norm to everything, and the world around me. The why’s and how’s continue to fascinate me in every aspect of my life.
My spirit guides have been very helpful over the years, as I found that humans can seldom answer my questions clearly, nor adequately. Over the years, my guides provided me with the stepping stones for my personal psychic development.
My guides assured me early on that they would never give me more than I could handle. They also made it clear that the truth of anything can always be confirmed by simply asking. I believed them, and each time I had an unusual sense or feeling, I asked for confirmation. I still do.
My first paranormal encounters and psychic experiences were with the animals. Their energy and communication is easier to understand, just like my guides, and they always communicate with unconditional love.
This also led to a special bond with nature, and especially the trees. Soon after came the wind, and the water, their sounds so soothing and calm. As a child, I always experienced a deep, tranquil feeling of well-being, serenity and inner peace whenever I was outside in nature. I still do.
My next extra-sensory experiences were of premonitions and forebodings concerning the safety and well-being of others. At such a young age these presentiments were tricky to relay to adults.