personal growth
Slay Those Demons This Festive Season!
In my many years on God’s earth, I can earnestly say I feel I have ‘slain more dragons’ than St. George, ‘cast out more demons’ than the priest in The Exorcist, and conquered much bigger giants than young Jack when he climbed up that beanstalk. I am not hoping to gain sympathy by saying this, but merely to state that if I can put down my personal demons, with Spirit’s help of course, then I could help you do the same.
The year 2020 has been one of far too many challenges for most of us. Some of us have had to deal with unusual difficulties and challenges we may have never encountered otherwise. For me, it began with a cancer scare, then continued with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and ended with me supporting my husband through a bout of deep depression. Indeed, 2020 is a year I will never forget, as much as I may want to!
However, my guides have been reminding me that I have also gained some blessings from this year. For one, I would say that my inner resolve has grown much stronger, and my desire to be of service and help others have reached an all-time high.
I am not suggesting that everyone must have reasons to appreciate the challenges this year brought, but as 2020 draws to a close, I do hope that the following practical strategies may help you to ‘slay some demons’ and end this year on a more positive note, in order to start next year with more optimism, hope and joy.
Find An Inspiring Role-Model
The one person who has always given me a sense of strength is the late Martin Luther King. He famously said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Whenever I am in a difficult, stressful situation, I always ask myself what would Martin Luther King do in my situation? In fact, I even imagine him by my side, giving me all the strength and motivation that I need at any given time. You can do this too by finding yourself a hero or heroine that inspires you.
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.
Once the second cast was on, I felt that her arm was now properly aligned. But now there was another problem. This time I felt that the cast was cutting into her bent arm. Again, they refused to listen to my concerns. To this day, my daughter has a deep scar where the cast cut into her arm.
Over the years, I have come to realize more and more that I have the ability to heal. Today I feel honored to be blessed with such a gift, but I have never felt that the healing comes from me. I am just the medium or the channel. The healing comes from God. Over the years this has been an invaluable gift, but I do not flaunt it. It is just good to know it is there.
Meanwhile, my guides have been very helpful in teaching me more about spiritual healing and energy medicine. For example, they have shown me that when you lay your hands on someone to heal them, you must first “air wash” their entire aura to cleanse the energy. Then, when you feel the heat from the injured area coming into your hands, don’t release it back into the atmosphere, but imagine putting it in a jar and then sealing the lid. Also, be careful not to let it go into your own body, as some people absorb the energy they take out.
What Is The Gift Of Healing?
The spiritual gift of healing is an ancient and revered ability that has been recognized in various cultures and religious traditions. From esoteric teachings to mystical practices, the gift of healing is seen as a profound connection to divine energies, enabling the healer to channel these energies to restore balance and health.
The universe and our existence within it are the result of a complex interplay of energies, and each of us is a microcosm of this greater whole. Spiritual healing involves restoring harmony and balance within the energetic systems of the body, mind, and spirit. The healer acts as a conduit for divine or universal energy, facilitating the recipient’s return to a state of equilibrium.
The spiritual gift of healing is a miracle gift due to its profoundly transformative and supernatural nature. It transcends conventional understanding and taps into the realm of faith and divine intervention. Those who possess this gift are able to channel divine energy or power to bring about physical, emotional, or spiritual restoration to people in need. The instantaneous or inexplicable recoveries witnessed through this gift often defy medical explanation and profound impact of these healings often leaves recipients and witnesses in awe.
Modern Healing Miracles
Here are just five examples of people who reported experiencing miraculous spiritual or faith-based healing:
Andrew Strom: Andrew Strom, an evangelist, recounts his own experience of healing from a chronic eye condition. Despite medical prognosis suggesting irreversible damage, he claims to have experienced sudden and complete healing during a time of prayer.
Anita Moorjani: Anita was diagnosed with terminal cancer. During a near-death experience, she reports encountering overwhelming feelings of love and acceptance. When she revived, she felt a newfound peace and her cancer was inexplicably in remission. Anita attributes this healing to her spiritual awakening.
Bruno Groening: Groening was a German healer who channeled divine healing energy. Thousands of people reported healings from various ailments after attending his gatherings. While medical explanations exist for some of these healings, the sheer number and variety defy easy explanation.
Delia Knox: In 2005, Delia Knox was paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident. She attended a healing service where, during prayer, she felt a sensation in her legs. Subsequently, she stood up and walked, astonishing both herself and the audience.
Harold Fuller: Harold was born blind. Raised in a religious household, he fervently prayed for sight. He reports experiencing a dramatic healing during a religious service, regaining his vision completely. There is no documented medical explanation for this event.
Jaxon Buckley: Jaxon, a young boy, was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Doctors gave him weeks to live. His family turned to prayer, and Jaxon reportedly experienced a vision of Jesus. Shortly after, scans showed the tumor had shrunk significantly, and Jaxon went into remission. There is no scientific explanation for this dramatic turnaround.
Jean-Pierre Bely: Jean-Pierre Bely, a Frenchman, suffered from multiple sclerosis, which left him wheelchair-bound and partially paralyzed. He visited Lourdes in 1987 and bathed in the waters of the Lourdes Grotto. Following this, he reported a gradual improvement in his condition, eventually leading to his complete recovery. ourdes, a town in France, is famous for its reported miracles associated with the Virgin Mary. Pilgrims visit the site, particularly the Lourdes Grotto, seeking healing from various afflictions. Numerous cases of unexplained healings, verified by medical experts, have been documented throughout the years.
Kathryn Murray: Kathryn was paralyzed from the neck down after a car accident. Confined to a wheelchair, she turned to intense prayer and meditation. Over time, she regained some movement and eventually was able to walk again. Medical science cannot fully explain the extent of her recovery.
Mireille D’Allance: Mireille D’Allance was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, which had metastasized to her bones. After attending a healing service at a church, she reported experiencing a sensation of warmth and energy, followed by a complete disappearance of her cancer upon subsequent medical examination.
These stories represent firsthand accounts of individuals who attribute their healing to spiritual or faith-based experiences, providing evidence for miraculous healing interventions beyond conventional medical understanding. It’s important to note that these are just a few examples, and there is not always scientific consensus on such miraculous healings. Some may be due to misdiagnosis, spontaneous remission, or the placebo effect. However, for the people who experience them, these events are deeply meaningful and a testament to their faith.
Famous Spiritual Healers
Many important figures in various religions and spiritual traditions have been associated with the spiritual gift of healing, including:
Jesus Christ: Considered the ultimate healer in Christianity, Jesus is said to have performed numerous miraculous healings throughout his ministry. From healing the blind to raising the dead, his actions are seen as a manifestation of God’s love and power.
The Buddha: Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, is revered not only for his profound spiritual teachings, but also for his healing abilities. The Jataka stories, which recount the Buddha’s past lives, describe various instances in which he healed people through compassion and wisdom. The Buddha’s approach to healing emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of suffering, which often arise from ignorance, attachment, and aversion.
Krishna: A revered avatar of Vishnu, Krishna is considered a divine healer. His teachings in the Bhagavad Gita emphasize detachment from worldly desires and finding solace in devotion to God, which can bring a sense of inner healing.
Hazrat Ali: The son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, Ali is revered in Shia Islam for his wisdom and spiritual authority. He is also associated with miraculous healings and is often called upon for intercession in times of illness.
Saint Peter: One of Jesus’ disciples, Peter is believed to have inherited the gift of healing after Pentecost. The Acts of the Apostles records instances of Peter healing the sick through prayer and faith.
Padre Pio: A 20th-century Italian Capuchin priest, Padre Pio is known for his stigmata (wounds resembling Christ’s crucifixion) and for reports of miraculous healings associated with his prayers and blessings.
Hildegard of Bingen: A 12th-century German Benedictine abbess, Hildegard was a prolific writer, composer, and visionary. She is also known for her herbal remedies and holistic approach to healing, which integrated physical treatments with faith and prayer. She wrote extensively on natural medicine and holistic health, incorporating her mystical visions into her healing practices. Hildegard believed that health was a balance between the elements and humors in the body, and she used herbs, diet, and spiritual practices to treat illness. Her approach integrated spiritual insight with practical knowledge, making her a pioneer of holistic healing.
Sai Baba of Shirdi: Sai Baba of Shirdi, an Indian spiritual master revered by both Hindu and Muslim devotees, is known for his miraculous healing powers. He has performed numerous healings, curing diseases and ailments considered incurable by modern medicine. Sai Baba’s healing methods included the use of holy ash (vibhuti), prayers, and his mere touch or presence. His healings were not only physical, but also aimed at spiritual upliftment, guiding individuals on a path of devotion and self-realization.
Yogananda: Founder of the Self-Realization Fellowship, Yogananda brought the practice of Kriya Yoga to the West. He emphasized the connection between physical health, mental well-being, and spiritual growth, promoting a holistic approach to healing.
Paramahansa Yogananda: A direct disciple of Yogananda, Paramahansa Yogananda is known for his lectures and writings on Self-realization and Kriya Yoga. His followers believe that he had the ability to heal through prayer and spiritual attunement.
Jesus Christ: The Divine Healer
Jesus Christ is one of the most famous figures associated with the gift of healing. The New Testament of the Bible records numerous instances of Jesus healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and even raising the dead. His healing miracles are seen as manifestations of divine power and compassion. For example, the Gospel of Matthew (8:16-17) says, “With one word he drove out demons and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.'”
Jesus did many incredible healing miracles. He healed a man blind from birth by making mud with his saliva, applying it to the man’s eyes, and instructing him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man received his sight. A paralyzed man was lowered through the roof of a house where Jesus was teaching. Jesus forgave his sins and told him to pick up his mat and walk,
Jairus, a synagogue leader, asked Jesus to heal his dying daughter. Although he had been informed of her death, Jesus went to her, took her hand, and told her to get up. She came back to life, demonstrating His power over death.
A Roman captain asked Jesus to heal his lame servant. Jesus marveled at the centurion’s faith and healed the servant from afar, demonstrating that faith, not proximity, is the key to healing. Jesus also healed ten lepers who were crying out for mercy. He sent them to show themselves to the priests, and they were cleansed on the way. Only one returned to thank him.
Jesus is a great role-model for the modern spiritual healer. The many healings he performed, as recorded in the Gospels, demonstrate his compassion, spiritual authority, and divine connection. They also illustrate his ability to heal a wide range of physical, emotional, and spiritual conditions, offering hope and restoration to those in need. Through these acts, Jesus affirmed the importance of faith, the power of God’s love, and the spiritual potential for miraculous transformation in our lives.
The Wounded Healer Archetype
The wounded healer archetype plays a significant role in the spiritual gift of healing, influencing how healers perceive and approach their practice. The best healers typically draw on their own experiences of suffering, trauma, or personal life challenges to empathize with and heal others.
The wounded healer archetype emphasizes the healer’s ability to empathize with others who are suffering. Having personally experienced pain or adversity, healers can better understand and connect with the struggles of those they seek to help. This deep empathy allows them to offer genuine compassion and support, which are essential components of healing. Through their own wounds and experiences, healers undergo a process of transformation and growth. They learn valuable lessons, gain insight, and develop resilience that can be applied to their healing work. This personal healing journey equips them with wisdom and understanding that can benefit others on their path to wellness.
The wounded healer archetype encourages healers to embrace their own vulnerabilities and imperfections. By acknowledging and integrating their own wounds, healers cultivate authenticity and humility in their practice. This openness creates a safe and trusting space for healing to occur as clients feel understood and accepted without judgment. The shared experience of overcoming adversity is also a powerful catalyst for healing. When healers share their own stories of struggle and resilience, they inspire hope and offer encouragement to those they serve. This shared journey fosters a sense of solidarity and connection, reinforcing the belief that healing is possible for everyone.
While healers may often draw from their own wounds in their healing work, the ultimate goal is to transcend personal suffering and facilitate healing for others. By channeling divine or universal energy, healers act as conduits for healing forces that transcend individual pain and suffering. In this way, they serve as beacons of light and catalysts for transformation in the lives of others.
In essence, the wounded healer archetype enriches the spiritual gift of healing by infusing it with empathy, authenticity, and transformative power. By embracing their own wounds and vulnerabilities, healers tap into a deeper reservoir of compassion and wisdom that empowers them to guide others on their journey toward wholeness and healing.
Signs Of The Gift Of Healing
Do you feel a deep desire to see others healed, both physically and emotionally? Are you naturally drawn to environments or practices that focus on healing, such as prayer groups or faith-based healing services? Do you often find yourself drawn to people who are sick or struggling, feeling a nudge to offer support or prayer? Have you witnessed or experienced positive results after praying for someone’s healing? It’s important to note that this does not guarantee a gift, but it can be a sign.
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you could be blessed with the spiritual gift of healing. Here’s a checklist of signs that you may have the gift of healing:
Unexplained Healing Abilities: You’ve experienced instances where your presence, touch, or words seem to facilitate healing or relief for others, even when you didn’t consciously intend to heal. This is usually the most important and obvious clue that you have a spiritual healing gift.
Intuitive Insights: You often experience intuitive flashes, gut feelings or inner knowing about people’s physical, emotional or spiritual conditions.
Strong Energy Sensitivity: You are sensitive to subtle shifts in energy and may feel tingling, warmth, or vibrations in your hands or body during interactions with others.
Healing Dreams / Visions: You have vivid dreams or visions related to healing, receiving guidance, or being in a healing environment.
Strong Empathy: You easily feel and understand the emotions and experiences of others, often feeling deeply connected to their pain or suffering.
Comfort With Touch: You have a natural inclination toward touch and find comfort in providing physical support or comfort to others through hugs, hand holding, or gentle touch.
Desire To Relieve Suffering: You have a strong desire to help others alleviate their pain, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, and may feel called to assist those in need.
Healing Environments: You feel uplifted, energized, or at peace in environments conducive to healing, such as nature, sacred spaces, or energetically balanced rooms.
Feedback From Others: You receive positive feedback or acknowledgement from friends, family, or acquaintances about your ability to provide comfort, support, or relief during difficult times.
Spiritual Purpose: You have a deep personal connection and keen interest in spirituality, faith, or a higher power and feel guided by divine wisdom or inspiration to pursue a healing practice.
Interest in Healing Modalities: You feel strongly drawn to exploring various healing modalities such as Reiki, energy healing, massage therapy, or spiritual counseling as a way to deepen your healing abilities.
Past Life Memories: You may have a strong resonance with stories or memories of past life healing, or feel a sense of familiarity with healing practices from other cultures or time periods.
It’s important to remember that these signs are not definitive proof that you are a gifted healer, but rather indicators that you may have natural healing abilities. If you resonate with many of these signs and feel drawn to the path of healing, consider exploring the teachings of your preferred religion or spiritual tradition on the subject. Talk to faith leaders or healing mentors, and look for opportunities to serve others in a way that aligns with your values.
Manifesting A Better Life Starts With You
Anyone can manifest what they want and need in life. It all comes down to energy because we are spirit energy in human form. The energy we put out; is the energy we receive back. It pretty much is that simple. But we also need to believe this, for it helps a great deal in bringing it closer to us.
So, how does this energy swapping process work? Well, it begins with focusing on something that you really want or need. Then think more on it, request it, wish it, desire it. This is called the process of manifesting or deliberate creating or cosmic ordering. You are putting your wish or desire out into to the Universe, and Universe, Spirit, God, the Divine receives this information and ultimately brings it back to you in manifested form as a gift or blessing.
Some people are more in-tune with the Universe than others, or more aligned with Spirit, and therefore able to manifest more easily and quickly. But while some of us believe wholeheartedly and have absolutely no doubt, others may be more hesitant or uncertain about what to believe, or not. Fortunately, no matter where you fall on the belief spectrum, you can still use manifesting to assist you in life, but your results will vary based on your faith.
One can manifest with positive thinking, prayer, affirmations or meditation, but I find that focused visualizations, creating a vision board, and writing down your wishes, seem to make it even more powerful! It’s as if the Universe says, “Wow, she is really serious about this, and asking so sincerely, let me reward her efforts!”
Sometimes manifesting can grind to a complete halt for us. We all have to grow, and learn, and evolve spiritually. If we do not do this, the Universe is not too happy when we repeat the same old patterns, make the same old mistakes, and show little effort to become a better person, or a more evolved soul. We cannot expect to receive spiritual rewards or gifts until we make the necessary changes. Successful manifesting goes hand in hand with personal growth and spiritual expansion. Continue reading
A Silver Lining In Times Of Uncertainty
We grow in our spiritual awareness and insight in different ways. Some of us read spiritual material by great authors, for example, and learn from their wise teachings, while others meditate and go deep within for guidance, and so on. However, in my experience the most powerful catalyst for spiritual growth is a time of trauma or crisis.
With the Covid-19 pandemic currently raging around the world, many people have lost loved ones, income, savings, businesses and homes. These losses can be devastating, especially when children are involved. Many people are in grief, many are lonely and isolated. Normal life has been greatly curtailed for many, with no clear end in sight.
It has also been an extremely stressful, challenging time for our essential frontline workers and healthcare professionals. The novel coronavirus has affected everyone to some extent, and it is during such trying times that many of us turn to Spirit, or the God of our understanding, and ask: why?
In these times our faith in a higher power, in ourselves, and in our world at large, becomes even more pivotal to our mental health and personal well-being. Hope and faith give us the strength and courage to carry on another day, regardless of not being able to see the end result at the moment. When we dig deep, we can often find untapped spiritual and psychological reserves, that we were unaware we actually had.
Although living through a global pandemic is an experience our generation has not encountered before, many of us are rising to the occasion by helping others in person, online or by donation.
People are also transforming from within. Many are becoming stronger, more resilient and positive, knowing that they will be able to surmount this challenge, and even support others throughout the ordeal too.
Invoking The Angels Of Abundance
True abundance and well-being is the natural state of the human soul. We are meant to dwell in abundance and well-being, because we live in an abundant, harmonious universe.
However, there are some people that constantly dwell in lack consciousness and a scarcity mentality, which is then reflected in the lives they live. This will often emerge through the negativity and judgments they have about their circumstances, as well as their endless criticism and envy of others.
Angelic energy allows us to move from this mindset of limitation and lack into the true abundant flow of the Universe.
Sometimes people confuse ‘abundance’ with the collection of wealth, prosperity and material things. Yes, collecting these things can be one aspect of abundance, but true abundance is way more than just material prosperity.
True abundance is to have enough of all that we need to accomplish our higher purpose and fulfill our spiritual destiny. This includes many other valuable things, beyond money and material comforts, such as enough time to reach our goals; a healthy work-life balance; nurturing relationships; good health; adequate energy and vitality; a sense of purpose; spiritual wisdom and authentic living; and lots of love, happiness and joy. These are the true luxuries of life!
An angel of abundance helps us to get into the flow of abundance, and help us understand that abundance is meant to flow. No wonder we refer to money as “currency.” The very name that we use to define our medium of trade in this reality, has its root in flow. An angel of abundance is therefore not so much about delivering lots of material stuff to us, but more about awakening us to the natural flow of life and our true spiritual purpose in this lifetime.
Adaptability Is The Key To Manifesting Your Best Life
A life lesson most often learned the hard way, is how important adaptability is to our prosperity, happiness and well-being. Adaptability is a skill that must be learned by all of us. For once you are open to this path, your world will open up in ways you never could have previously imagined!
We are all born with the capability to be adaptable. Without this, we would not be able to function effectively in this physical world. In primitive times we had to adapt to the changing seasons, extreme climates, the scarcity of food, health challenges and other challenges of human survival and evolution.
What I find most intriguing about adaptability, is that we can consciously decide to be open to adapting at any time. We simply need to open up to the Universe and all the opportunities it has to offer. It’s as simple as looking out for opportunities around us to try new things, meet new people, explore new ideas and experiences.
It can be painful at first, as it requires stepping out of your comfort zone, but it gets easier the more you do it. Look at it this way: when you choose to start working out, your muscles will change over time, because they are dealing with new, unexpected demands and are becoming better at what you are requiring it to do. Eventually it becomes second nature and you become stronger. The same thing happens when you open your mind to new thought processes, new ideas, new ways of thinking.
Being adaptable means that you have the courage and enthusiasm to go beyond your comfort zone, and experiment with what the Universe is trying to direct you through. It can be as simple as deciding to finally stop and grab food at an Indian restaurant you pass daily. You may have never tried Indian food before, but it kept catching your eye. When you are adaptable, and open to the signs of spirit coming in, you will embrace such an opportunity to try something new. Continue reading
The Dreamy Neptunian Waters Of Sean Connery
This year, on All Hallow’s Eve, I received news that truly rattled me. Halloween is normally a magical time for me, but I was left shaken with sadness this year, because one of my most beloved heroes, Sean Connery, had passed.
I think of Connery as Indiana Jones’s ingenious, funny dad, or as Daniel Dravot in The Man Who Would Be King, as well as the handsome love interest Mark Rutland in Hitchcock’s Marnie. But most of all, he is the true James Bond 007 original, of course, to which all subsequent iterations pale in comparison (although Daniel Craig does come a close second in my opinion).
Taking a peek at this iconic movie heartthrob’s astrological chart, one discovers some interesting nuggets as you dive deeper into his mysterious Neptunian waters!
His humble beginnings on “the street of a thousand smells,” as Connery once described it, was anything but easy. This is evident in his natal chart, with the serious nature of Capricorn, with its retrograde ruler, Mercury, sitting on his Ascendant.
However, this is also why he managed to make something of himself, often by using purely his wits, versatility and ingenuity, because Mercury is a capable planet placement that ruled his house of hard work! True to his Virgo nature, he worked diligently on his physique to become a notable bodybuilder, for example, which laid the foundation for his future stardom. The Moon in his 9th House further gave him the imaginative mind and empathetic understanding he needed to become so successful internationally.
An 8th House Virgo Stellium (a cluster of three or more planets in a single sign or house), made this meticulous, down-to-earth Virgo very much the perfectionist, and contributed greatly to the legend he ultimately became.