self-belief
Power And Protection From Your Ancestors
I come from a long line of female herbalists of European origins on my mother’s side of the family. They were seers, healers, and prophets who combined their psychic gifts with ancient healing practices. Today, they still come to me during meditation, to offer wisdom.
The family’s mainly Germanic connection is one I’ve researched for many years, but more recently I discovered that my ancestors crossed into Scandinavian and Norse territories too, which suggests a bloodline of fierce women who were warriors of their time.
It’s really not surprising to me, as even my own mother today, who is 84 years old, can still kick anyone’s butt who crosses her path in an unkind way! I always knew she was strong when I was little, and I always admired her power and independence.
I was born in the year 1966, which in Chinese Astrology equates to the year of the Fire Horse. Fire Horse people are only born once every six decades. It is a rare sign and, according to legend, many girl babies born in certain parts of Asia in that year were killed at birth, because they were believed to be dangerous, uncontrollable or resistant to rules or dogma.
My Fire Horse nature shows up in me from time to time, but only when I’m really pushed beyond reason by someone who is taking advantage of, or harming me, or my children.
Life will sometimes push us to step into our core strength and fight for what is right. There are many people on the spiritual path who feel stepping into your true power or fighting for what is right is ‘unspiritual’ or egotistic.
False Education Appearing Real (F.E.A.R)
I love the acronym F.E.A.R. (False Education Appearing Real) since we all have people, circumstances, phobias and so forth, that can put us into that space.
Fear is an instance of emotion that is triggered by the awareness, or anticipation of danger. It can also become a state of being. Excluding clinical fears, needing professional help, there are many fears we simply impose upon ourselves as a result of life experiences.
One of my fears is acrophobia, the fear of heights. When I get within five feet from the edge of a rooftop, I begin to shake.
Climbing 30 foot ladders has me nervous and when I hiked to the pinnacle of the mountain of Macchu Picchu in 2004, I could not take those last six nervous steps onto the plateau pinnacle rock. This was partly being due to a few other tourists already sharing the rock… and I am a little “accident prone.”
Although I was invited by my partner and the guide, I leaned against the rock debating my fear, shaking a little at the prospect and wishing that I could take those final steps, as I might regret it after I hiked down. Part of me did regret not taking those last steps when we got back to the base.
Yet, a bigger part of me knew I had to acknowledge the feelings in the moment, and since I am not a regular exerciser, I already had accomplished something tremendous by taking the hike to the top and back down the back side of the mountain. On the way I enjoyed the magnificent views and spiritual energy for several hours. Continue reading
What Makes A Spiritual Group Truly Work
We are all different. Each person is a piece of the puzzle that creates a group. All people are raised different. People may have different spiritual beliefs, different educational backgrounds, jobs, nationalities.
Yet, if the common goal is the same, there is no reason why we cannot achieve much more in our world. Some of us simply need to find a way to respect diversity.
Spiritual groups tend to be the especially challenging when it comes to diversity. Too often spiritually-minded people are expected to always agree with everyone about everything, in order to promote goodwill among group members and keep the peace.
But in any group people have to learn how to agree to disagree. It’s always okay to have your own opinion and express how you feel. One must just remember that not all of the group may agree with your thoughts.
In groups people all choose different roles, and the roles may change over time. Most groups have that one person that assumes the role of leader. The leader of the group is often selected by the majority. The leadership role usually fits the personality and consciousness of that individual, as do the other roles in the group.
The leader is usually a person that is able to communicate well with team members and good at listening to people. The ‘worker bees’ are usually good at taking direction and accomplishing the task at hand. Somewhere in the middle are the people that come up with ideas and can present them to the group, and help the suggestions come to fruition.
When Life Gets Hectic Find Your Way Back To Source
Whether it manifests in your body, feelings, or spiritual well-being, stress can really knock you off balance. Many of us are all too familiar with this. It sneaks in slowly, or rushes in like a storm. Suddenly, you’re exhausted, scattered, anxious, or just not feeling like yourself.
When this happens, it’s as if your inner compass has been thrown off. You forget what it feels like to be centered, calm, and connected. Fortunately, there’s a beautiful and simple way back to your “true north”: meditation.
Meditation is one of those practices that has stood the test of time for a reason. It doesn’t just help us handle stress better. It helps raise our energy and bring us back into balance.
And beyond that, it can offer us something truly magical: a direct experience of our connection to the unified field of intelligence. Some people call it the void. Others call it the Source, Spirit, or simply Presence. No matter what you call it, it’s that vast, peaceful space that holds everything together, and we’re already a part of it.
I’ve personally felt the difference meditation makes in my life. But I’ll be honest: these past few weeks have been a whirlwind. So much has been going on, and in the chaos, I missed my daily meditations. And wow, did I feel it.
When I don’t take the time to realign, everything feels just a little harder. Meditation helps me feel whole. It’s like a reset button for my body, mind, and spirit. Especially with the kind of energy work and spiritual focus I need in my daily life, I rely on it to keep me grounded and in tune.
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.
A Fabulous Life Beyond Limiting Beliefs
Many people go through life without ever questioning, let alone challenging, the limiting beliefs they were taught since childhood. They blindly follow whatever their family, community, or culture prescribe, often without realizing it.
Some of these limiting beliefs have been passed down through generations, remaining unchanged for thousands of years. If we never stop to examine these inherited mindsets, we remain trapped in limited thinking – always confined within the box.
I often find people are stuck in the emotional patterns and thought habits of their parents or grandparents.
For example, those whose families lived through the Great Depression, or who endured scarcity of food, heat, or other basic necessities, may feel compelled to save everything.
What if I need it someday? I paid so much for it, and it’s still perfectly good to keep. What if… what if…
A good example here where I live in the state of Maine is when an old Northeaster storm is supposed to come, bringing in double digit inches of snow.
Some folks then panic and rush to the nearest grocery store and stock up on two or three of the same items, because what if I can’t get out again for two weeks? Which, as a matter of fact, has never happen in my lifetime! Realistically you may only be marooned a day or two at the most in most parts of Maine.
Tell-Tale Signs You Are Being Gaslighted
You’re crazy, that never happened. Don’t be so sensitive. I’ve never had this problem with anyone else but you. It was never my idea, it was yours! Come on, you’re imagining things. Everyone else agrees, except you. You’re just making things up.
These are just some of the things you might hear when someone is gaslighting you. It usually happens whenever you confront them about their bad behavior, only to have your reality twisted in return…in ways that can really make your head spin!
Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse that most often shows up in toxic romantic relationships, but it can also manifest in dynamics with friends, coworkers, employers, family members, and even neighbors and landlords.
At its core, gaslighting is the manipulation of your sense of reality, leaving you confused, anxious, and doubting yourself and your own perceptions. Sometimes it’s very obvious and unmistakable. Other times, it happens so subtly you may not even realize you’re being manipulated.
The term “gaslighting” comes from the 1938 stage play Gas Light, which was later made into the 1944 film of the same name.
In the story, a husband tricks his wealthy wife into thinking she’s going crazy by making small changes to their surroundings, like dimming the gas lights, and then denying that anything has changed. His goal is to make her doubt her own sanity, so he could have her committed to a mental institution and gain control of her inheritance.