11:11 Insight

Not too long ago, I posted about receiving signs from the Divine and noticing what you notice (http://sacredcommunication.blogspot.com/2012/07/sacred-choice-choosing-what-we-notice.html). I used the example of the 11:11 phenomena (http://www.december212012.com/articles/11-11/The_11_11_phenomenon.htm) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11:11_(numerology) to explain that even though there is a logical explanation for our brains going "Whoa I noticed the time at 11:11 AGAIN. Must mean something," it doesn't mean it's NOT a sign. We, in fact, have the power to choose our own signs. So everytime I notice that it's 11:11, as has been happening to me every day, sometimes twice in one day, for over a week, I simply see it as a cue, a reminder for me to thank the Angels. I just say to myself, "Thanks Angels for being around!"

This week I received some insight. They said the reason we notice this time is that it's when they "Change shifts." Then they sort of chuckled in their way and urged me to pay attention to the wording: Change shifts. We humans can sense the shift-change. There's lots to think about. What do you think?

A Gift of Poetry

This post is not about me or my experience.  And yet it is just that.  This week I choose to step aside and shine the spotlight on another very Sacred Communicator.  Months ago, my dear friend Heather Krulewski sent me this poem she wrote.  I wasted no time in printing it out and putting it into my binder of inspiration.  Today the poem wished to be heard by you. 

 

Heather is a true being of Love.  Her Light shines brightly and is felt by all who are blessed with her presence.  Even by those, I suspect, who merely pass her in the street.  I am grateful for my connection with Heather.  Without further gushing, here is her poetry, a gift, for you to experience.  May it inspire you!

 

Imaginers

by Heather Krulewski 

We are the creators

The inventors of new things

Visionaries in every right.

We build from blocks

No one knew existed.

Squares open up and become

Amorphous figures that

Have yet to be named.

We will create a world

That works for us,

One where

Love and passion rule.

Where creativity runs rampant.

We do all this

Without a map,

No directions or training.

We are self-taught luminaries

Lighting the way for all humanity.

Together we must rise

Reach back and lend a hand

To those behind.

Leading by our own example

Leaving behind all limitations

Jumping in to meet our

Future head on.

United with our truth

We follow it

Always walking new lines

Creating new paths.

Living in sync with

Imagination spurred by

That loving truth.

We will light the way

Because we have no other choice.

To live any other way

Would be death.

Book Review: Mary, Queen of Angels by Doreen Virtue

Doreen Virtue stayed in my peripheral for years before I ever read any of her work.  I’d always see her on the backs of books and oracle card decks in the New Age shops I’ve frequented since I was a teenager.  I’ll admit I had my doubts.  Doreen Virtue.  Is that name for real?  And what about that PhD?  Just a marketing ploy?  Did she claim to have her Doctorate in Angels or something? 

I quickly learned this wasn’t the case.  Virtue has a legitimate background in Psychology.  The first book I read by her was Goddesses and Angels, which I bought on a whim after it showed up on the list of books Amazon thought I might like.  I read it at the beginning of my personal spiritual revolution.  Wait.  No.  Scratch that.  This book was an important catalyst for my personal spiritual revolution.  As I read it, I outwardly joked about some of the ideas with my husband.  Mer-angels?  Haha.  What lunacy!

But I couldn’t put the book down.  I was drawn to Virtue and her writing style.  It was so infused with love.  She wasn’t trying to sell me something.  She was humble.  She was special but she wasn’t.  It was clear that she encouraged all of us to do exactly what she does in communicating with Angels, spirits, and the Divine.  It was clear that this was something we could all do.  And though I found some of her ideas radical and hard to swallow at the time, it sparked my curiosity and desire to learn more.  So I did.  And that’s when I started having experiences of my own.

Since then I’ve read many of Virtue’s books.  I’ve listened to her Hay House radio show.  I even got through as a caller once!  I’ve seen her at spiritual expos.  In that first book I read, Virtue told her story.  However, in recent years, she’s used her voice, which now has many listeners, to tell OUR stories.  That’s precisely what she does in one of her most recent books Mary, Queen of Angels.

Mary, Queen of Angels follows the same format as some of her more recent books where Virtue acts less as “author” and more as “editor” and “collector.”  Or, to put it more poetically, she is a weaver of anecdotes which she collected from believers all over the world.  At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read what “Ros Booth’s” or “Danielle Smutek’s” connection with Mary was.  No, I wanted to read this book to learn about Doreen Virtue’s connection of course!  But as I kept on reading, I began to understand the value in connecting with and being validated by people just like me. 

Before this book was compiled, Virtue put out a call for Mary experiences. If I had seen it, I’m sure I would have felt I had nothing to contribute.  But after reading this book, I realize just how strong my connection with Mother Mary is.  For example, while I was pregnant I had a dream of a statue of Mary who opened her eyes and looked at me as I prayed to her.  Little did I know that dreaming of a Mary statue coming to life is a common experience! 

Although those who come from Christian backgrounds (as Virtue does herself) may have an easier time feeling a communion with Mary, the book includes stories from people of all sorts of religious backgrounds.  I’m a firm believer, and always have been, that anybody can experience Mary as the Divine Mother, no matter what Path they walk.    The book even includes an appendix chock full of useful information such as prayers you can use to work with Mary.  If you feel drawn to Mary for healing, protection, mothering, working with children, or a myriad of other reasons, this is a wonderful place to start!

You can purchase Mary, Queen of Angels here:

 

 

 

 

*FTC Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received the book from Hay House for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.*

 

7 Ways to Receive Divine Guidance

Have you recently asked your Angels, Guides, Higher Self, the Universe to give you a sign?  Did you receive it or do you seem to still be waiting for a response?  You’ve asked for a sign, now make sure you don’t miss it.  The results could be disastrous.  Or humorous, as seen in this clip from Bruce Almighty:

All kidding aside, when you’re waiting for a Divine message, it helps to know what you’re looking for.  There are endless ways the Divine can communicate with you, here is just a short list to get you going.

7) Overheard Conversations: To be clear, I am not suggesting you eavesdrop.  But it has happened to all of us: two people have been conversing and we couldn’t help but overhear.  Something stuck out to get our attention.  I’m not necessarily talking about those people who feel the need to practically shout when engaged in public conversations on private matters.  I’m speaking about when you’re out somewhere, going merrily about your business, but then a sound catches your ear.  It could be a name, a word, a phrase, a title, something familiar, something intriguing.  There’s a reason why you noticed it.  Now find out why.

6) Pop Culture Trends: These can be easy to dismiss because there is usually a clear  reason why trends happen.  Take fantasy characters for example.  There was a big surge of pirates being awesome due to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Then Twilight hit (along with True Blood) and behold, vampires everywhere.  Zombies are in vogue now.  While there are clear paths that explain how trends come into being, it does not dismiss their usefulness as a form of inspired guidance.  It’s not so important how the sign presents itself, but why you noticed it.  Why did it catch your attention?

5) Bookshelf Gazing: Here’s a technique I’m pretty sure I invented.  Go to a library or a bookstore (for bibliophiles like myself, the library is a bit safer), get lost in the stacks, ask a question or hold an intention, and notice what titles jump out at you.  You can do it in any section so don’t limit yourself to the more “soul-searching” genres.  Fiction is a great place to start since it has a wide range of subjects within it.  You can also try this with movies or music.  Even flip through a magazine and see what headlines grab you.  Again, yes you might be attracted to a title because of the color of the book jacket or the  size of the book.  That doesn’t lessen the value of the sign.  Also the content of the book doesn’t necessarily hold the sign.  It could just be the title,the author’s name, or even the image on the cover.  Notice what you notice.  This is one occasion where I recommend judging a book by its cover!

4) Cards: Tarot and other oracle cards can be intimidating.  You may think you need tons of   experience reading or that you need to pay the big bucks to go to an experienced reader.  But you can just play!  The best thing is that the more you play, the more you learn!  You will be gaining valuable experience!  It’s true that Tarot cards are steeped in symbolism and it does take quite awhile to master the deck.  But start by pulling one card a day and look up the meaning.  Before you know it you won’t need to check the book.  Additionally, there are many types of oracle card decks.  Doreen Virtue has put out countless decks that help you work with Angels, Faeries, Mermaids, Ascended Masters, etc.  Although they each include a little booklet so you can examine each card’s meaning more in depth, the meanings are often clear just by looking at the card itself.  Start with a deck such as “Messages from your Angels.”  Each card has a detailed message written on it.  Don’t forget to spend some time gazing at the picture.  What pops out at you?  Does the character on the card resemble somebody in you life?  If you’re waiting for a sign or some Divine guidance, don’t be afraid to actively go looking for it in a card deck!

3) Cloud Gazing: One of the more enjoyable ways to receive messages from the Universe.  There is a reason why there exists that romantic, day-dreamy image of lying in a field picking out shapes in the clouds.  The clouds can hold powerful messages.  What do they look like?  Have fun with it!

2) Pet Behavior: Notice how your pets are behaving.   Animals often act as messengers.  Has there been a change in your pets’ behavior?  As long as it’s nothing that would be of concern (like a decrease in appetite for example), pay attention.  Is there a new spot your furry kid likes to sleep?  Do they keep knocking the same book off your shelf?  Go ahead and ask your pet directly for help in getting the messages you’ve asked to receive.

1) Synchronicity: This is a fancy word for coincidence.  Have there been any coincidences in your life lately?  These aren’t difficult to notice.  Coincidences, by nature, grab your attention.  It is when we ask, “Why?  What’s the meaning?” that we can get confused.  Don’t let that discourage you.  Now that the Universe has your attention, don’t be afraid to ask it to elaborate!

Have you noticed a common theme?  Notice what you notice.  It’s all about being aware of what you are observing.  What catches your attention?  Take it a step further.  Ask yourself why.  

Of course, you can always request the form you want the messages to take.  This can help you gain confidence if you’re finding it hard to trust the guidance you receive or even trusting that it is indeed guidance.  However, this can also be limiting.  How do you receive your guidance?

A Response to the Tragedy in Wisconsin

You are People

so you are my people

We breathe the same air

Walk the same Earth

The same blood flows through us

The same Sun warms us

I wept today when I heard 

one of my children,

consumed by darkness,

attacked my people

I weep for every child 

lost to darkness

I grieve for every brother

lost in violence

Let their sacrifice remind us to shine

Shine and the darkness is overcome

Shine and open your Heart

Shine and open other Hearts

Shine together 

and leave no home for darkness

Stand together

Lean on one another

Extend your hands in Peace

Extend your arms in Love

Embrace

Be held

and behold

Ek Onkar

The Seven Stages of the Creative Process

I missed a week of posting to this baby of a blog.  No good reason.  And it’s haunting me.  Like the one or two zeros I received when I decided not to do my homework as a kid.  You see, for someone who usually did her homework, that one zero would follow me throughout the marking period, inducing nightmares.  If I never did my homework I wouldn’t care.  Instead there are semesters in my past I vividly remember walking around under self-inflicted torture.

But I did write last week.  I started 2 posts and thought about at least 3 more.  Why couldn’t I just commit to a post?  Was it laziness?  Perhaps in part, but why then did I feel like stewing in self-loathing.  Is this part of my creative process?  Why does it seem that every creative endeavor requires a degree of suffering to maintain?

There are always those glorious moments of spontaneous creativity, when an idea strikes and you get so excited about it you act before your brain has a chance to naysay and slow you down.  Many times this happily results in brilliance.  But to do anything with any sort of regularity and routine, it takes discipline.  It means working, in my case writing, though the candle may be burning low and the fire of inspiration may be reduced to just wisps.  

I got to thinking, always a dangerous endeavor.  There are 7 stages of grief.  Are there 7 stages of the creative process?  When I looked up the stages of grief, I found they are eerily similar to my process.  

1. Shock & Denial: You mean I just have to come up with something genius?  Oh yeah I can totally do that.  This is also the stage at which I am in denial about having reasonable expectations of myself and suffer from delusions of grandeur.
2. Pain & Guilt: I should have never signed up for this.  Woe is me.  I don’t deserve to even have a blog even though it’s free and almost nobody reads it (yet).  
3. Anger & Bargaining: Okay blog gods.  You don’t own me.  I write whenever I want to.  And for my own satisfaction.  I don’t need to answer to anybody!  I just won’t watch TV, go on Facebook, eat dinner, or shower until I’ve written something.  (5 episodes of Law and Order: SVU, 15 status updates, the most elaborate feast I’ve ever cooked, and 2 showers and a bubble bath later.....)
4. Depression, Reflection, Loneliness:  This is where I find myself alone with my thoughts, a white screen, and a flickering cursor.  I’m waiting for the sea of negative self-thoughts to part so that I can discover the substance below.  I also give into my reclusive proclivity at this point.
5. The Upward Turn: Eureka! A coherent thought.  My fingers start dancing across the keyboard.
6. Reconstruction & Working Through: I’m pounding out paragraphs.  Sure they might not be perfect.  I might spend 10 minutes on a single sentence.  But it’s flowing.    And even if the flow slows, I am patient enough to wait for the trickle to fill my cup.
7. Acceptance & Hope: Complete surrender.  I’m done!  There that wasn’t so bad.  I can do this again.  Maybe next time I can even start at #5.  Yep, that’s what I’ll do.  I can’t wait until next week!  Now for some more Law & Order.....

So what’s you’re creative process like?  Less tortured?  Share and give me hope!

What's so great about babies anyway?

Let me start by saying that this post isn’t about how awesome my baby is. To be fair, he is pretty awesome though. Nor am I one of those moms who fawns over every precious little poop. Granted, I get a bit excited if it ends a bout of crying. Before I was a mother, babies were definitely part of my pile of good. But it wasn’t until after I got to hang out with one so much as a mom that I began to ask myself why. Why do so many people just go gaga over babies?

One of the purest moments of joy I’ve ever felt was the first morning I was waking baby   E-Max up, leaning over his crib and, after stretching like a true Yogi, his eyes focused on mine as he flashed me a HUGE smile. Now I live for that first morning smile. I’ve always known baby smiles were sort of a big deal. But when it’s YOUR baby..... If only I could find away to bottle that emotion up, well let’s just say I wouldn’t have to worry about putting E-Max through college in 18 years.

But I learned quickly, you cannot trust baby smiles. For as quickly as a baby’s face lights up, it can turn all baby frowns and wails. One minute you’re singing your heart out to your baby, laughing at all the monkeys falling off the bed and bumping their heads, and in a flash, you’re getting swiped at with sharp little baby claws as your child throws his head back and lets out a screech as if to lament his tiny place in this world. “What the actual f*** just happened?” you may think.

At first, I was reminded by this quote about the most famous literary fairy from Peter Pan:

Tink was not all bad: or, rather, she was all bad just now, but, on the other hand, sometimes she was all good. Fairies have to be one thing or the other, because being so small they unfortunately have room for one feeling only at a time. They are, however, allowed to change, only it must be a complete change (J.M. Barrie).

Is it just that E-Max is so small he can only have one feeling at a time? Is there not enough room in that tiny baby brain of his for the subtleties of emotion?

My conclusion is well, yeah, sort of. Because of his developing brain, he isn’t too aware of his past and, at just over 3 months, he probably would have a difficult time even grasping the concept of “future.” Babies exist wholly in the present.

Does this sound familiar?

For all those who have experienced first hand the benefits of meditation, you’ll recognize “being present” as key to any successful meditation practice. It is something so many of us struggle with - getting caught up in the stress of yesterday or the worry of tomorrow. Yet, babies so effortlessly live in the moment. In fact, it is all they can do. Sometimes that means being filled with joy just because you caught your reflection in the mirror.  ometimes it means beaming with pride because you’re able to pull yourself up on your own two feet. And sometimes, being completely in the moment means crying out because of gas pains.

The cool thing is that we were all babies at one point. We did it once, we can certainly do it again. We can all “be present”, no matter how big our dumb ol’ brains get.

So take a look around you. What little gurus are in your life? And what do they have to teach you?