life transitions
Messages From My Totems
Do you have a specific animal, bird, reptile, or insect that keeps catching your attention? I am not speaking of your dog or cat or pet bird, but of those that you repeatedly cross paths with in nature, or even in your dreams.
Each one of us has at least one totem or spirit animal, and sometimes more, that show up in some way throughout our lifetime. The term totem comes from the Ojibwa word ototeman and was introduced in English in the 18th century to refer to a ‘designated guardian spirit animal.’
When our totems show up, the most important thing is to recognize what is currently happening in your life, or what thoughts are going through your mind at the time you see it. You may also notice that whenever you are in turmoil you tend to see this specific creature (or creatures) more than when life is going smoothly.
Each totem is a symbolic representation with a specific message. They warn us of danger, or help us make important life decisions, or comfort us when we are struggling, or just bring a confirmation or a sense of peace.
They bring to us whatever we most need at the time they cross our paths. It is up to you to just trust the energy you are in when you come across one of these beautiful creatures.
Three totems that have been present in my life at specific times are the Eagle, the Owl and the Wolf. Each offered me specific support I needed at that time, and they brought me reassuring messages. At times they have also inspired me with confidence, power and strength when I most needed it. Below are a few examples of what these totems have represented to me. Maybe it will help you identify, understand, and trust your animal totems.
Ravished By A Sacred Centaur
I have studied healing for many years. Since making a conscious decision to embark on my true life journey, I have experienced many powerful teachers. Much of my work has taken me into uncharted waters and I have learned to welcome diving deep.
As the world speeds up, I have slowed down over this last portion of my life, to recover from an illness that I thought might take my life. This process has brought me to waters so uncharted they seem otherworldly, and perhaps they are. Fortunately, I have fully re-entered the world I thought I might have to leave, and fully accept the entire experience as a blessing.
Over this time, I encountered Chiron, the original Wounded Healer. He is a centaur in Greek mythology who was gravely injured and had the opportunity to forever leave his battlefield for the Garden of the Gods. But he chose to stay on the battlefield instead of going to paradise, in order to assist others who were wounded.
I have known Chiron practically all my life, so having a rendezvous him at a major crossroads in my life was no surprise. What was however totally surprising, was that this time I finally fell in love with this benevolent being.
There were many times, especially this last time, when I ran from Chiron’s embrace. I needed to be back in the world I had left behind, where I am primarily committed to helping others. However, there is also a practical reality to deal with. Our modern world is not an easy place to thrive in. Many barely survive physically, mentally or emotionally.
There is also an unspoken, yet imposed maximum period of recovery from illness, much like the time allotted to grief in our culture – a brief period before we are expected to re-engage with the ‘normal’ world and get on with life. But both healing and grief are highly personal journeys, and how it uniquely unfolds for each person is not for others to dictate, prescribe or judge.
A Time For Mindful Reflection
As the leaves begin to fall and the weather changes, I am reminded that change is a natural part of life. As the seasons change, it is natural for us to also shift and adapt, as our ancestors did for millennia.
Many years ago, a martial artist reminded me that when facing a difficult challenge in life that we are not able to avoid or change, we can still alter our view of the situation and find new meaning and resolution. What seems like the harshest challenges in our lives are often blessings in disguise. It often gifts us the opportunity to move forward and grow by changing that which no longer serves our true purpose and highest good.
We are living in an extraordinary time where natural forces are increasingly reminding us to become more responsible custodians of the environment that hosts our species. We must also become better stewards of the glorious physical temples that house our souls. The key to this is mindfulness. By adopting a mindful lifestyle, greater planetary care and self-care becomes second nature to us, and both our own lives and the world we live in will benefit exponentially.
Mindfulness allows us to be present in each moment, appreciating the beauty of constant change and the natural cycles of life even as it happens. When we become still and centered, we connect more deeply with ourselves and the world around us.
An endless array of spiritual practices and self-care endeavours, such as prayer, meditation, gratitude journaling and charitable volunteering can help us find peace despite any great change or challenge that may be confronting us. Make the effort to find your own desired outlet for connecting to your inner peace, as this undertaking will lead to a lasting fulfilment and joy that you can hold on to at any time throughout your lifetime. Continue reading
How To Do A Fearless Tarot Reading
Each psychic reader has their favorite tools, and what suits one reader does not necessarily work well for another. In all my years as a professional psychic, angel oracle cards have always been my primary divination tool of choice. Nevertheless, I am also well-versed in reading the Tarot. Surprisingly, I have had a few clients over the years who have asked me not to use the Tarot for their readings, often because they feel uncomfortable with, and even fearful of some the occult symbols and imagery found in traditional Tarot decks.
In fact, just recently I had a very worried lady contact me about a Tarot reading she tried to do for herself. She attempted a four-card spread, and three of the cards she pulled now had her very worried: The Devil, Death and The Hanged Man. She was very anxious what this might mean and begged me to help her make sense of it all.
She confessed that she had considered reshuffling the cards and starting over, but I advised her against this. It is not at all wise to try and make a reading ‘fit’ simply because you don’t like the cards you drew. Instead, one needs to look at what the original cards are conveying.
I also explained to her that it is essential to consider the order in which the cards fall in a spread, as it often reveals a narrative or pattern of events. Furthermore, Tarot cards are directive, not simply predictive. The cards point us in the right direction or reveal the best path to take to arrive at a desired destination, and achieve the best possible outcome.
I then helped her to interpret her four-card reading as follows:
The Wise Approach To Mercury Retrograde
According to astrology, our lives can be in upheaval when Mercury goes Retrograde. Its effects can be felt by anyone, regardless of your zodiac sign.
However, some signs may be more sensitive to its influence than others. This is because Mercury is the ruler of Gemini and Virgo, and people with strong placements of these signs in their birth charts may be more likely to experience disruptions in communication, technology, and transportation during a Mercury retrograde.
Although this concept is widely touted in the spiritual and metaphysical communities, I find that many people affected by it do not understand its true meaning and are not well informed on how best to deal with it.
Mercury retrograde is indeed a challenging cosmic influence. It tends to feel like we have just finished one round of it, and the next one is already looming on the horizon.
A common side effect of Mercury Retrograde for many people is unexplained nervous energy or restlessness. You feel anxious and stressed about everything, and you can’t figure out why? Sometimes you feel anxious about things that have never bothered you in the past.
You may also have a hard time concentrating on things. Retrograde energy can throw even the most calm and centered person off balance.
How To Find Your Direction In Life
As a professional psychic, I have done readings for many people over the years who have lost their sense of direction in life. They usually ask questions about where there life might be going.
“Where do you want it to go?” I then reply.
“To a better place!” is the frequent response, although they typically do not know what they really want, or why they even want it!
The purpose of a psychic reading, I then explain, is to look at what possibilities and opportunities life has to offer each person. However, being co-creators with the Divine, God, Source, Spirit, the Universe, we first need to get clarity about what we actually want from life. After all, how can the Universe send you what you wish for, when you don’t know what it is yet?
Once we are fully aware and clear about what we want, we can begin asking for it and align our energy to the desired end result. This is how we ultimately attract what we desire and deserve – more often than not with greater speed and abundance.
Have you been tossed and turned by the storms of life to such the extent that you no longer quite know where you are heading, or need to be? If so, then you need to find a sense of direction. To set your internal compass towards a more fulfilling, meaningful life blessed by the Universe, consider the following strategies:
Go From Inactive To Proactive
Stepping outside of one’s comfort zone is easier said than done. However, to find new direction in your life you must end the procrastination. Figure out what you really want in life and start taking measurable action steps to begin achieving it.
The Hidden Blessings Of Retrograde Reflections
During the most recent Mercury retrograde, there was a day when my phone simply stopped working. I signed onto Psychic Access to do readings, but my landline failed to connect. Later that week, something similar happened. My landline was now working again, but when I tried to sign on to Psychic Access to start my shift, I was unable to connect. Technical issues twice in one week. I felt like I was going to lose it!
Planetary retrogrades are prime times to experience setbacks and frustrations. This has been especially true over the past two years due to the pandemic. Vibrational energy across the planet has been very low in recent times.
It is vital to stay calm, centered and grounded during retrogrades, and to not be too hard on oneself. Retrogrades are times for reflection, validation, and analysis of how we may improve ourselves. It’s a time of seeing where our personal energy frequency may need some adjustment. Opportunities for healing, growth and self-care abound if we take the initiative!
Carving out a little ‘sanity time’ each day is paramount. Time to oneself provides clarity and purpose to reflect upon personal growth and life’s lessons. It also gives us the opportunity to make lemonade out of lemons; something sweet out of life’s sour and bitter. In time, the sweet joy of our ‘spiritual lemonade’ can be served to the world by being of service, while inspiring our family and friends with our courage and perseverance.
To gather my thoughts after the two missed work shifts on Psychic Access, I decided to take time out for a walk. I love walking, but due to persistent back pain that has been plaguing me for years, it’s an activity that I fail to do on a regular basis.
But the retrograde setbacks with my phone line led me to start walking again. I had to start slowly, and it took some time for me to regain the necessary physical strength, but now I thoroughly enjoy my daily walks in the great outdoors. What a lift for the spirits! Thank you retrograde.