Journal

Very early on in the training with my spiritual guides, I was told to pay attention to whether I was making decisions from fear or clarity. They pointed out that when the fear of having something negative occur motivates action, then emotional reactions often get in the way of objective clarity.

Over and over again they have stressed that attitude precedes manifestation. Therefore the guides suggest that we fill ourselves with feelings of spiritual principles, such as love, acceptance, inspiration, and then unite this state of deep positivity with focus. I have found that clarity becomes a natural by-product of this process. Try it for yourself and see what happens.

When I feel like there is nothing I can do to make a difficult situation better I send gold light. I first learned about the power of gold light when my daughter was a colicky baby. At that point I didn’t understand that what I was eating was causing her pain. But I did decide to visualize sending her gold light. Which remarkably calmed her down and allowed both of us to get some sleep.

Gold light is the light of the enlightened individual. It contains the qualities of spiritual principles that hold life together: love, peace, clarity, wisdom and on and on. The visualization of gold light and the projecting it to specific people and to the planet as a whole is a remarkable tool to help antidote negativity, destructive attitudes and actions.

Just try visualizing gold light falling on you while you take a morning shower and experience for yourself its transformative capacity.

The election of Donald Trump feels like a punch to the gut, leaving an energetic dark shroud over our country: this darkness is palpable. What is darkness? Energetically darkness is generated by negative attitudes and actions, containing hate, fear, selfishness.

Some of this darkness has been produced by the attitudes and actions of Donald Trump, his cronies, and his supporters, but this gloom and negativity has been intensified by fear and reactions to his winning the presidency, as well as anxiety and foreboding about real dangers that his administration and the Republican congress can inflict on our lives and our world.

My guides stress the importance or acting rather than reacting. Staying positive in the midst of being surrounded by the negative. How do we do this in an extreme situation? The very same way that we navigate in better times.

Focusing on our individual and collective learning turns even the most negative into a positive. Earth is our school. Many years ago a guide said to me, “As your world situation worsens people will fall to the side of fear or to the side of a spiritual perspective. No one will be able to ride the fence.”

It’s so amazing to me that people could be undecided about who they will vote for in this presidential election. Or that the presence of a candidate could sway a voter to change their mind. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton could not be more different.

The fickle nature of people is a manifestation of being uncentered. People often behave like sheep when out of touch with the skills of deep focus and deep listening. When we focus and really listen we have strong convictions without rigidity.

Please focus, listen, and vote.

Spiritual devotion can stem from the belief that we are not just human, but spiritual entities having come to the earth with a purpose and a plan. Not the plan of getting everything we want, but rather a deeper purpose. A purpose containing individual contribution and learning in our collective evolution.

The feeling of devotion opens our crown chakra bringing with it a deep feeling of connection, trust, and peace, An open crown chakra also gives us direct access to the spiritual realms, our guides, and expansion. It is the antidote to depression.

How do we know if we are good, smart, lovable, or successful? Too often people rely on external measures to determine their value. Teachers evaluate our intelligence, parents affect whether we receive loving responses to our character at an early age, and our culture defines for us what is successful.

But what if a teacher’s measures are limited and narrow minded, or a parent has trauma that blocks their ability to express love, or a ruling society is a Nazi regime? Can external measures be trusted?

My guides say, “Be the one who listens fully to Spirit.” We all have a deep core of Spirit within us that is the true barometer. Once I was told to put on my horse blinders and walk my path. Don’t get confused by the opinions of others.

Guidance can come in many forms. Sometimes a book falling off a shelf with a title that gives you a message. Sometimes you walk by two people having a conversation and you overhear them saying something you need to know. Sometimes a message from a dream wakes you up so you can remember its meaning.

Lately I have been feeling two hands on my back gently pushing me in a new direction. Guidance comes to all of us. Pay attention, for its language can be subtle or blatant.

Everyone can have direct contact with spiritual guides residing in the etheric realm. One way to develop a relationship with a guide is simply assume you can and start communicating. Asking and listening is the way. The asking can be either in thought or words and the listening is an interactive form of meditation. You must still your brain chatter in order to listen deeply.

You can practice this process while doing a formal meditation or while walking or taking a shower. Knock on the door and you will be given.

My relationship with my guides has been the most powerful positive influence in my life. It’s so worth it to make this effort, for having direct communication with a wise and loving individual over your shoulder is remarkable and helpful in innumerable ways!

Last night I attended a birthday party for a friend with a 1920’s theme. Everyone dressed in the attire of that period just for fun and celebration. The music was fantastic!

The experience reminded me that we have come to the earth not only to learn and contribute but also to enjoy! Like when we were children – play is an important part of being alive.

Take time for fun and celebration and inspire those around you to do the same!

When our bodies are not feeling well, it can be more difficult to feel the expansion of our spirit’s nature. It has been said many times that the body is the temple of the spirit: therefore it stands to reason that we must take good care of our bodies, so we can bask in the magnificence of our spirit.

Taking good care of our bodies has become complicated and challenging with the enormous amount of toxicity in our environment, the poor quality of much of the food sold in grocery stores and restaurants, and cultural expectations that often generate a lot of stress.

I have found that working to stay healthy has turned me into an investigative reporter. Learning about toxicity and how to detox, researching the best sources for healthy food, discovering natural and progressive ways to treat ailments, and then sharing my discovers with others.

Let me encourage you to become an investigative reporter too. Remember all the experts disagree, so don’t give your power away; use all your facilities to learn and discern what is best for you.

I’ve been black and white, Christian and Muslim, male and female, rich and poor and most all other possibilities too. And I’m not the only one, we reincarnate into a variety of circumstances to learn about diversity in the midst of universal oneness.

For example, It’s not uncommon for me to see someone who had a past life as a native American, develop hatred for white people. Then in their next incarnation they are born in England to a white Protestant family, who they deeply love. These contrasting lives have the potential to teach about the significant influence of our environment and conditioning.

This is why I am a strong proponent of meditation. In stillness we can learn to discern what is universally true and accurate and what is not. Societies’ attitudes are a mixture of confusion and clarity. Let meditation help you tell the difference.

It seems all too easy to get afraid or discouraged about the the state of our world. Whether it’s the pollution of our rivers and oceans, terrorist attacks, our broken political system, or concerns around the health of children, on and on and on.

My guides told me years ago that our world situation would worsen, but truly nothing has prepared me for the diversity and magnitude of the problems.

Nevertheless, my guides’ teaching that fulfillment comes from our self-actualization, rather than getting what we want still applies. Our challenge is to bring our best self to life no matter the circumstance, and to inspire others to do the same.

Everything—a cup, a book, a shirt—is brimming with energy. These things may look solid, but we know that they are energy in motion. Many years ago I was guided to meditate on a cup. I was told to project my consciousness into the cup and dialogue with it.

I projected my mind through my third eye and asked the cup, “What do you have to teach me?” As I listened in a meditation state, I heard my reply in thought, it said, “I am myself and I serve.” It contained no emotional turmoil or uncertainty. My guide then said be like a cup, in fact be like any thing. “Be yourself and serve.”

It can be extremely helpful to realize that past experiences that bring up regret are often part of our life lesson plan and are linked to healing past life issues and patterns.

Here are some examples: a relationship where you have been mistreated, perhaps in many lives by the same soul. The lesson is to say “no more” and to end the relationship. Or a string of opportunities that are not taken because of fear of failure: in this pattern the lesson is to learn to risk. Or the pattern of being so emotionally self-protected that intimate relationships are kept at arms length, because of a number of past lives where intimacy brought with it hurt and disappointment. The lesson is that clarity is a happier, healthier form of protection.

The examples are endless. And as my guides say, “It is never too late to learn.”

If we are in emotional balance and then we come into contact with someone who isn’t, perhaps a family member who is angry or a co-worker who is in turmoil, and if we react, we lose our emotional well-being and become trapped in our reaction. No matter how justified we are, we become negatively affected. Essentially this is giving up our power and well-being to those who are confused and struggling.

My guides say, be influential rather than affected. The phrase I use to help me to not be reactionary is, “Given what is, what am I to do?” Remembering to ask myself this question supports me to be proactive, rather than reactive.

When we forget that our true identity is Spirit the ramifications are enormous. The seed of inadequacy stems from overlooking this fact and the consequences of this emotion can range from greatly diminishing involvement with life, to becoming aggressive to prove oneself of value. Remember when we see ourselves as human alone, the tendency is to measure our value through behavior and comparison with others.

When we feel our spiritual nature, we are of value and significance, simply because we exist and are part of the creative force of the universe. From spiritual remembrance we are motivated by love, creativity, and learning, rather than fear and trying to prove that we are important. So sit with yourself and connect to the inner resonance of your Spirit.

It’s not uncommon for people to give what they want to receive, because we often perceive through the lens of our own experiences. However, if you want to truly understand another or give what is happily received, either you need to project your consciousness into that person and read them for clarity or you need to communicate.

I remember when my son was quite small, he said, “If you really love me, you will know what I think and feel without me telling you.” I thought this was a startling and astute thing to say, because whether people articulate this or not, many people feel this way.

If you’re not telepathic or able to read the mental and emotional state of others consistently, you can always have a dialogue.

To be intimate with someone, whether a lover, a friend, a spouse, or child, is to be close. When we are close in a relationship, we get to see the details of a person’s attitudes and behaviors: both their strengths and weaknesses.

In our more casual relationships, it’s easier for everyone to put their best selves forward, but in our long term intimate relationships, bad habits and weaknesses do get exposed. This is why my guides say, “Part of the purpose of an intimate relationship is to give criticism.” True loving is wanting growth and self-actualization for ourselves and others: and who best to give feedback than those who are up close and personal?

Unfortunately fear is a prevalent and unpleasant emotion, caused by the belief and reaction that a situation or outcome could jeopardize our wants and wishes, safety, and wellbeing. We don’t all have the same priorities or attachments, but the fear of loss of whatever our attachments are is a common human frailty.

From my guides’ perspective, one significant purpose for our human life here on earth is the opportunity to work through fear, so our spiritual nature can actualize. It can be helpful to go into fear and tease apart this emotion in order to understand its multifaceted nature.

Make a list of your fears, remembering that fears are essentially attitudes. In meditation, take one fear at a time: ask what attitude antidotes this fear? Practice cultivating the courageous perspective in your daily life.

I recently read an article by David Brooks about Ernest Hemingway. As I read the article, I thought to myself, Hemingway was a dramatic flip flopper. Solar plexus living, third eye writing, solar plexus living, third eye writing. He demonstrated extremes, profound and sustained focus in the midst of the disciple of his work, but in his life he was known to be drunk most of the time. A solar plexus problem.

Brooks points out, “even amid the wreckage…he could write books like For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Old Man and the Sea.”

The power of focus and discipline should never be underestimated. I advocate applying focus and discipline to our emotional, personal lives as well as our professional pursuits in equal measure.

Imagine feeling love in your heart for the people you find most annoying. The feeling of love, spiritually speaking, is an inner state rather than an outer reaction. My guides say: love is a force that is in us and all around us. It is warm and unifying and makes us feel glad to be alive.

It is easier to hold on to this desired feeling when we remember that everyone has a story and that life in the material world isn’t easy. Another key to keep the feeling of love flowing is to not take to heart our own imbalances and the imbalances of others. Just remember we can learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others. Life is a school.

Too often the expectations of behavior in a job are more defined and articulated than the expectations of a personal relationship. This is not to say that people don’t have assumptions and hopes for their personal relationships, but rather they are not often clearly stated.

This lack of communication and clarity can lead to a lot of misunderstanding and reactions of hurt, anger and sadness. My guides state that everyone should ask three questions when engaged in a relationship, whether personal or professional.

They are: How would this relationship be if it were ideal according to me? What am I willing to work with if it is not ideal? And what is unacceptable?

When these questions are answered by both parties, then you see where you overlap and where you have different desires and aspirations. This process puts the cards on table, so an honest assessment and dialogue can determine a path for the future.

When my guides first started working with me they said, “If you don’t get disciplined, we will not work with you!” At that point, the word discipline felt troubling and restrictive. My education and upbringing had lot of creativity, spontaneity, and freedom.

My guides would say to me, “pick up after yourself” or “exercise everyday” or “build the habit of meditation.” They were task masters, teaching me to have structure, order, and healthy habits.

Over the years I have observed the importance and power of discipline, the ability to work hard, staying with a difficult task until completion, and being comfortable with repetition and then more repetition.

Without discipline ideas do not actualize, health declines, we lose our stability and our ability to make our visions a reality. Embrace discipline!

My friend Ken Blanchard has a saying, “All of us are smarter than any one of us.” We work in teams, whether that group is our family, our co-workers, or our community. If we want to accomplish anything significant we can’t do it alone.

Therefore it is important to learn how to work well with others. It can be important to remember that people aren’t enlightened yet, including ourselves. We all make mistakes and we are all learning. In fact, spiritually, one of the main reasons we come together is to learn.

It can also be helpful to call to mind that the loving thing to do is that which supports this growth process for ourselves and others. Being loving is another way of finding spiritual attunement in all situations.

All emotional hurts are self-imposed. If we have an emotional hurt it’s because of our attitude. This doesn’t mean that someone hasn’t treated you inappropriately or hasn’t been unkind. Our emotional hurts are our reaction to a circumstance and not the circumstance itself.

I have seen people who have been treated cruelly and they respond with compassion. I also see people who have been treated with just a little bit of “not niceness” and they feel traumatized.

Our emotional reactions are linked to how we perceive, which is why the third eye protects our hearts from hurt, because we stop taking situations personally.

It’s all too easy for people to speak in generalizations. Through the years my guides have emphasized that I should notice the difference between what is universal and what is unique. A concept that is universal is always applicable, to all people and in all circumstances. They have said that universal attitudes contain spiritual principles, the only constant and all other statements, attitudes, and actions should be situational.

My guides stress that it is fundamental in being wise to understand this difference and that the root of all confusion is having attitudes that are not universal, but acting as if they are.

Lately I have been feeling like walking through my daily life is like walking through a field with land mines. I am constantly using my deep focus to look carefully at details to determine my next step.

Let me give you some examples: Does the sofa I want to buy have flame retardant chemicals on the fabric? Is the water that comes out of my tap healthy, even with a filter? Is restaurant food genetically modified? Are products labeled organic really organic? Mold and pesticide problems seem to be so common, along with obesity and disease. Why aren’t politicians talking about environmental issues?

I recently read an interesting article in the New York Times by Thomas L. Friedman. He said, “Most voters do not listen through their ears. They listen through their stomachs. If a leader can connect with them on a gut level, their response is: “Don’t bother me with the details. I trust your instincts.”

The gut level is the solar plexus chakra. When we perceive through this chakra, we become self-centered. It’s all about what we feel and want right now, without any consideration for others or a long-term outcome. And unfortunately we are a solar plexus dominant culture and of course this approach causes people to make poor choices, resulting in negative consequences.

I even hear journalist talking about their gut perspective. This language has made it into the lexicon of our culture and regrettably supports a continuation of using the solar plexus to navigate life.

If the solar plexus is used appropriately it is not the center of perception, but rather the center of emotion. Our perceptions inform our feelings and the third eye is the proper center of perception and wisdom that can guide our emotions, while utilizing the tool of the intellect. The third eye is the decider.

Once when I was feeling like “a stranger in a strange land” a guide came to me and said, “What do you do if you love tennis, but find yourself on another planet, where no one knows how to play tennis? You teach.”

Teaching can take many forms. Of course it can mean imparting information in a formal classroom, or it can be how we communicate each day and the example of how we live our lives. Our thoughts, words, and actions impart our philosophy of life daily.

We are always teaching by example, whether we intend to or not. Remember we are always influential. Be aware of whether your influence is a positive or negative one.

Staring is the key to developing clairvoyance. Deep focus and looking fixedly starts to blur the physical world, while revealing the energetic world, as well as what lies beneath appearances.

Staring into a fire can bring clarity or visions, or staring into a palm, or even staring into the sky. It really doesn’t matter what you stare into: it’s not what is being focused on, but rather the process of focus itself that brings about a deepening of awareness.

This is partly why little children have clairvoyant experiences, which often fade when they are taught it is not polite to stare. Try staring at yourself in the mirror and see what happens.

When our crown chakra closes because of discouragement or worry, we feel isolation and unhappiness. The aura contracts and depression becomes quite literal. The experience of devotion, a loyalty or enthusiasm for a person, animal, activity or cause is one of the keys to keeping the crown chakra open.

An open crown chakra feels happy and creates a feeling of connection whether we are alone or with others. Therefore, living a life of devotion produces an inspiration for being alive and a feeling of purpose.

Don’t underestimate the power of devotion. However, it can take many forms and if your commitment is not aligned with the discernment of the third eye the choice can be misguided. My suggestion is embrace the power of devotion, while simultaneously integrating it with the wisdom that the third eye brings.

Miracles do happen. The manifestation of money or a needed material thing. The healing of a disease or a physical malady of one kind or another. An unexpected path that opens up and changes every aspect of daily life.

A guide once said, “Be in positive expectancy!” We are spirit and spirit is all around us, therefore we are not alone and can ask and reach out for help. A guide also said, “We will help those who help others.” So be of service and know that you too will be served.

In a world where the focus is often on individual needs and desires, service frequently isn’t emphasized enough as an important part of personal fulfillment and purpose. Because we are Spirit, interconnected, and all part of the same oneness, service is an essential factor in achieving happiness.

There are so many needs, personal as well as global, and causes that are important and worthy of our limited time and attention. Given what is, what are we going to do? I suggest that you search inside to determine your answer, and attune to the contribution that is most appropriate and meaningful for you.

But remember to ask the question. What is my prime service at this time?

How do we teach children to stay inspired by their own interests, while simultaneously being concerned about the well being of others? By teaching interconnection. Nature and our environmental concerns are powerful and effective topics for instructing children that we all need to work together for the common good.

Without considering and attending to our interconnection, eventually all individuals become negatively affected. A good example is that the polluted air in China doesn’t stay in China, but travels with the winds and tides to different parts of the world.

My guides say, “Make daily decisions from the consciousness of interconnection.”

Acceptance is one of the most important spiritual principles. Without acceptance we simply won’t have peace. Being immersed in the feeling of acceptance always feels like a vacation. Try a couple of affirmations, repeated a number of times, so you can see what I mean.

“I am filled with acceptance” or “I accept all I remember and all I do not.” Remember acceptance is not complacency or passivity, but rather an allowing of what is, because it is. Then from the emotional calm that acceptance brings, we can chart a wise course for the future.

When we’re having a hard time it’s always a good idea to focus on basic disciplines to regain emotional and physical stability. The disciplines of the body, mind, and Spirit. In this process, let’s not overlook the importance of minimizing our exposure to pesticides and toxic chemicals.

We are all exposed to pesticides and toxic chemicals. Staying aware and making wise choices like eating organic food, making sure your household products (including laundry detergent) are free of toxic chemicals, and reading labels even on personal products such as shampoo, skin care lotions, and makeup, can all help.

Remember the real danger comes from repeated exposures, hundreds, even thousands of exposures. Voting with our feet is the power we have as consumers to influence the companies that provide goods and services.

The line between being in the body and out of the body is a fine one. There is no ultimate safety in the body. It’s an illusion. Spirit is the only constant. Everything else changes.

When we experience ourselves as Spirit, we touch the part of us that actually is safe. But can we honestly say to a child, I will keep you safe? It is much better to say, I will protect you.

We are united in our human vulnerability and our spiritual magnificence. In the human form it is important to accept that we are susceptible to physical and emotional suffering. If we look honestly, we can then use our wisdom to determine our best course of action, attuned with our highest self – our inner integrity, instead of reacting with fear.

Any religious fundamentalism develops when a particular religious group feels threatened. In order to understand the behavior of others, it’s essential to grasp the present in a historical context.

I highly recommend the book, “Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life” by Queen Noor, the wife of the late King Hussein of Jordan. This memoir presents an important and very interesting account of the history of the middle east.

Let’s all send positive thoughts and light to all concerned with the violence in Paris – all people throughout the world.

How do we break the habits of holding back or pushing? When my guides first started working with me, they had me review my day each evening with the intention of correcting in my mind my thoughts, words, feelings, and actions that were not ideal.

If I was involved in an interaction but was afraid to speak up, in my review process I would see myself speaking up. In a situation where I found myself impatient or pushing, I visualized myself feeling patience. Or if I was in a meeting and dominated the conversation, I created the image of a more discerning me.

My guides call the process of self observation and correction – staying current.

Self-doubt can cause a lot of inner turmoil, whether our uncertainty is about our behavior, perceptions, or a decision. This morning I was experiencing some self-doubt. So I sat in meditation and focused, asking for clarity about my situation. It wasn’t long before I was filled with a knowing and confirmation that my current direction is indeed appropriate for me at this time.

What a relief to receive validation. It didn’t take much effort or time and yet it can be so easy to let turmoil go on and on, instead of taking the simple step of pausing to focus and deeply listen. Not grasping a moment to be still and concentrate beneath common emotional reactions means staying in anxiousness unnecessarily.

Frustration is anger with the volume turned down. Whether we feel frustration, grief, anger, or sadness, all these emotions are reactions to situations not being as we want them to be. No matter how justified, emotional reactions are hard on us.

I have been trained to see emotional reactions as red flags, informing me that I need to make a change. Sometimes an attitude change, sometimes an action is needed, and sometimes both.

When we see emotional reactions as a wake-up call, we are less likely to repress them and we can learn to respond in proactive, creative ways, before these self-harming emotions take root.

We have a cultural pattern of thinking that situations are good or bad, right or wrong. My guide says, this approach to our lives creates emotional swings, being excited, and then becoming disappointed. “Oh boy, I’m going to get what I want!” to “Oh no, I’m not going to get what I want.”

A more accurate perception is that all events and interactions are not good or bad, but a part of an interconnected evolution. What might appear bad or unfortunate, can actually be a profound catalyst for healing and for the self actualization of one’s spiritual nature.

When we step out of good/bad – right/ wrong thinking, we stop reacting to situations when they are not ideal and move instead into curiosity, utilizing creative opportunities, and learning.

The crown chakra is the center of devotion and it is the bridge to the spiritual dimensions. It is through the crown chakra that revelation, profound inspiration, and the ability to heal with the God force is possible. However, it is not unusual for people who are spiritually oriented to have wide open crowns because of devotion, and wide open hearts because they love, but not strong third eye chakras of discernment.

I often think of people with this pattern as members of the crown chakra, heart chakra club. When I observe this energetic sequence, I am reminded that good intentions can pave your way to hell. So often this is a crowd that believes they can create their own reality with their intentions. My guides say it is much more complicated than that.

The third eye of deep focus is the miner’s light that helps us to navigate our day to day decisions. It guides the synthesis between the material and the spiritual world. Don’t get confused. Stay in your top eye.

We all have a male and female part within us, yin and yang, both a receptive and directive principle. However, we live in cultures that value being directive above being receptive and yet the interplay between these two principles constitutes balance.

As individuals, communities, and nations, we can’t possibly have balance without the combination of action and non-action, listening and speaking, convictions and openness. A clear manifestation of this balance in our world would be shared power between men and women.

Imagine men and women working together in true partnership, whether in a personal relationship, a job circumstance, or the political arena. The balance between the receptive and directive, male and female is key to creating a wiser world.

Anxiety is a lack of inner calm brought on by fear. My guides say that anxiety is a message that we need to pay attention to. It is our teacher asking us to address issues. It could be calling for an attitude change, the need to take action, or perhaps both.

Unfortunately, we have an epidemic of staggering proportion of avoidance to listening to what our anxieties are attempting to teach. Whether the repressing tool is prescription medication, alcohol, overeating, or street drugs. When the messages that anxiety communicates are avoided or repressed, larger problems develop.

Don’t be afraid of anxiety, but rather see it as your very important teacher. Get close to it and project into it, in order to understand what triggers the anxiety and what is needed as an antidote that brings true resolution.

What causes insecurity? Insecurity is another way of saying, I feel afraid. I don’t feel stable. I don’t feel confident. Our insecurities can vary, of course, depending on our first errors. What triggers us to feel insecure is not the same. If we want to feel some basic human safety and the world is unstable, how do we find security?

I find my security in cultivating a spiritual perspective, because I find that when I immerse myself in it, I feel an inner security and confidence. I don’t feel confident that I know everything, because I don’t. I don’t feel confident that I am better than others, because I am not. I don’t feel confident that my body will always be safe, because it isn’t. I feel confident in my fundamental value, whether I make mistakes or am accepted or rejected, because my identity is Spirit, part of the creative force of the universe. Just like you.

by Laura Tadd

Few relationships are more significant, complicated, and ongoing than parent and child. From the first day, the parent-child dynamic is a two-way street of learning and teaching. One of the challenges in communicating about parenting or the parent-child dynamic is that relationships are nuanced. As a result, any universal swathing of theory is doomed to fail. Astrology as a tool for parenting is a remarkable way to understanding the uniqueness of each child and comprehending this parent-child dynamic.

Here is an example: A client came to me last year because her then 11-year old son was battling her every night about avoiding homework. In addition to this being frustrating and exhausting for both of them, it was significantly impacting his learning and grades. In speaking with my client and in looking at her son’s astrology chart, I saw clearly that part of the issue was the physical environment where her son was trying to do his homework: the kitchen table. Now this can be a perfectly suitable environment for some children to study, but not for him. This boy was born when the planet Mercury was in Taurus.

Every planet in the sky, from an astrological perspective, represents different parts of the self. Mercury, as the God of communication, represents how we think and learn. The sign of Taurus is, among other things, deeply connected with our sensory perceptions. When a planet is in a given sign, it is as though that sign is superimposed upon the planet; impacting how it’s expressed. In the case of this young boy his communication and learning style was seen through the lens of Taurus, and as such his physical environment, his sensory experience, greatly impacts his ability to focus.

I suggested to my client, that they create a space in his room to work that was aesthetically pleasing to him; “him” being the key, it was not to look like what she found aesthetically pleasing, it needed to be tailored to him. It turned out he found the project of making a study space incredibly exciting and has continued to use this desk space more than a year later, even when he’s reading for pleasure. My client relayed to me that this change resulted in two dramatic shifts in their lives. First, their nightly homework battles are almost non-existent, and second, his grades have quickly and markedly improved. This relatively simple yet personalized approach improved their family dynamics in immeasurable ways.

This is just one of many examples of how astrology can be helpful for parents, and for understanding the dynamics between a parent and a child. If you or someone you know would be interested in receiving astrological guidance on the parenting process, or other family dynamics, please contact me at [email protected] or go to www.mythicsky.com for more information.

Our inner Spirit knows we need to pay the bills. Listening for guidance from our spiritual essence is quite practical as well as profound. Not only does our Spirit want us to learn our karmic lessons, but it also has the wisdom to understand our basic daily needs.

Through the years I have been amazed at the practical application of a deep meditation. Whether decisions have been linked to investing money, choosing the best school for a child, or navigating health concerns, we all have a source of knowledge deep within that is accessible through stillness and deep listening. Practice now, so when this ability is really needed it will be in reach.

Religions espouse a combination of accuracy and distortion, cultural conditioning contains confusion and correctness, and all the experts disagree. My guides say, “Don’t conform and don’t rebel, but rather attune to each situation.” It is our job and responsibility to discern and sort out the myriad of messages, ideas, and directives that cross our path.

This can seem like an overwhelming task. Yet the solution to this dilemma is never far away. Our own inner essence, and the spiritual force all about us, contain this clarity, Therefore, inner calm and the skills of deep listening and deep focus are imperative for this undertaking. Why wait to develop these abilities?

One negative byproduct of people forgetting that they are essentially Spirit is the confused desire to want power over others in order to feel greatness. The yearning for power as a way to compensate for spiritual disconnection feeds many of our human imbalances, such as greed, competition to be better than others, insensitivity to the needs of others and even cruelty.

When we can feel the pure power of being Spirit and have the direct experience that we are all part of the creative force in the universe, then we can know our own greatness and intrinsic value. Deep mediation is one effective way to feel the depth of our spiritual greatness and truly satisfy our natural longing for significance. From this inner knowing can come outer manifestation.

Money is important in our world. It is with money that we acquire the basics of survival, material splurges and extra pleasures, as well as the freedom to have options and choice. Certainly money doesn’t buy love or the quality of our inner life, but it can be supportive in its ability to diminish stress if used wisely.

What does it mean to use money wisely? My guides have said that materialism is when material things are valued above spiritual principles, such as love, wisdom, balance, clarity, and compassion. So how do we integrate spiritual principles with money decisions? When deciding about money matters, use your wise third eye and meditation. Whether about a particular purchase, your job situation, or to determine appropriate generosity.

It is not uncommon to observe people creating wealth off the backs of others and then after their success, they start a foundation to give to charity. From spiritual attunement, many company owners would increase wages and opportunities for their employees as a way to compensate them for their contribution to the success. From third eye wisdom, we are not too generous or too withholding, but balanced and appropriate.

“Shedding the load” is a phrase that pilots use to describe what to do when in a difficult situation. In other words, simplify. This is great advice for all of us. When our lives are stressful it is often because we have expanded our activities or expectations beyond our capacity. This leads to mistakes, exhaustion, and emotional imbalance.

Our capacity for tasks, relationships, productivity varies depending on many factors. This is why I like to wake up in the morning, and first stare at a point to activate my third eye of discernment to determine my priorities for the day. I would rather do few things well than many things poorly.

In the spiritual world telepathy is the mode of communication. All thoughts are known. Imagine this to be true in our daily life: honesty would rule, no one could manipulate or present themselves other than they are.

Our culture would benefit from remembering that upon our death we are all held accountable for our attitudes and behaviors. As my guides say, “No one gets away with anything.” I like to think of honesty as attunement. In the movie, “The Sound of Music” when the nuns took the spark plugs from the Nazi’s cars and lied about it, they were being honest for that situation.

How is it possible to compete with others and at the same time want the best for them? Competition is a contradiction to a oneness perspective. From a oneness perspective we each have our role to play, our instrument in the orchestra of life. Together we form the whole.

When we go inside and discover our purpose, our contribution and learning for this life, it may become disappointing when comparing with someone else. Someone else may have more fame, or more money, or more recognition. Which can create envy and jealousy, if not focused on a deeper comprehension of who we are and why we are here.

A belief in reincarnation emphasizes the view that we take turns having different roles. I have been a queen and a servant and the life as the queen wasn’t necessarily more fulfilling. True fulfillment is linked to the quality of our inner life and the actualization of our purpose – whatever that might be. Our inner spirit contains our instructions.

When my guides first started working with me they said, “If you don’t get disciplined we won’t work with you.” I didn’t learn good discipline as a child. My father who raised me was a self-made man, and seemed to think that people could and should teach themselves discipline. But this was not the case for me.

My guides finished the parenting job. Telling me to pick up after myself, exercise everyday, meditate regularly, eat well, be mindful of words spoken, manage money and time and on and on.

I have found that discipline and order are fundamental for self-esteem. We are here on earth to learn to actualize our spiritual nature and without discipline potential doesn’t actualize.

Inspiration is one of the great tools for experiencing happiness. It can be really helpful to ask, “What inspires me and how do I incorporate inspiration into daily life?” We each have our list of things, places, people, and ideas that bring us inspiration. But what I really want to focus on is the idea that if we take basic daily experiences deeper, then inspiration is all around us.

For example, if we take time to look at the food on our dinner plate and really think about all the people and effort necessary to bring that food to us – it feels amazing. Remember seeds were planted and the miracle of life grew vegetables, fruits, beans, or an animal, like a chicken, gave of its life, the sun, the water, the nutrients in the soil, shipping, the store or farmer’s market staff and on and on. When the fullness of all the aspects of what goes into a simple dinner is deeply reflected upon, appreciation is a natural byproduct and inspiration follows.

When we don’t take things, people, and situations for granted, keeping appreciation in the forefront of our minds, inspiration and happiness is plentiful.

To me the symbol of the cross is a symbol for balance rather that a symbol for Christianity. The vertical line represents the directive principle, the horizontal line represents the receptive principle. My guides say, the cross is the symbol of the enlightened individual, and embodying balance is key.

We live in a culture that values productivity more than receptivity and yet one without the other creates imbalance individually and collectively. It’s very common for me to observe people rushing toward their goals, not having enough time to relate or hold a door open for another person. A quality life must include both being receptive and directive.

The chakra system is a framework for human growth and development. We all are born with large heads and undeveloped legs. This is a reflection of the fact that we all come into the world with open crown chakras and undeveloped base chakras. As we age, well-being is experienced as all seven of the chakras are in proper proportion and integrated, like a well oiled machine.

If one chakra is diminished or dominant then the whole system becomes out of alignment. This translates into personal problems. My book “The Wisdom of the Chakras: Tools for Navigating the Complexity of Life” is a tool book for understanding each center and how best to use this knowledge in daily life.

Most of us have been taught to contemplate or reflect by moving from one thought to the next, but few of us have been trained to hold our minds still while focused on a single image or concept for a sustained period of time without interruption. And yet focus and concentration amounts to a remarkably versatile skill. As a friend once said, “It’s like a Swiss army knife, with a hundred and one uses and purposes.”

Holding an image or thought without interruption brings about the intensity necessary for manifestation to occur.

My guides say that compassion is the pinnacle principle. From a compassionate state we recognize that everyone has a story, even the annoying telemarketer on the other end of the phone, the person in the grocery story line who has too many items for the express line, the politician who votes against legislation that would obviously help people, and us, when we make a stupid mistake that makes our own life harder.

Compassion contains spiritual love and the understanding that we are not yet enlightened. We still have fears and confusions that are not worked out. Our magnificent spirit and the long path of evolution that includes our past lives makes up our individual stories that explain who we are and why we do what we do. Yes, life on earth is the school. A plate of compassion all around, because we still have a lot to learn.

Today is Mother’s Day. I have read that originally Mother’s Day was created as a day for mothers to unite against war. The idea of giving heart and soul to the raising of one’s son and then sending him off to war seemed intolerable for Julia Ward Howe, the first advocate of Mother’s Day in 1870.

This Mother’s Day let’s remember to stand up and speak out about our society’s choices that are harmful to our children. Whether that means unnecessary wars like the invasion of Iraq, the spraying of pesticides on our food, giving children medications for focus difficulties, fast foods that create childhood obesity, college tuitions that keep our children in debt while being taught by adjunct faculty that are not paid a living wage and on and on and on.

I once taught a workshop called “You Can Read Anything.” In the workshop I had people walking around in each other’s shoes, listening deeply to each other’s voices, and holding a ring or watch in order to interpret each other’s emotional state. Every thought, word, or action creates a vibrational wake that affects our environment and each other. These vibrations are contained in our clothes, houses, our car seat, in fact all our material things.

I remember once driving a friend’s car and while sitting in the car seat that she often inhabited it was clear to me where her thoughts tended to wander. Once you become aware that you can read anything, all you need to do is focus deeply on the vibrations contained in what ever you are reading and then listen deeply.

Our cultural conditioning has a huge impact on how we perceive, feel, and behave. Through our conditioning we are taught what to focus on and what to prioritize, whether appropriate or not. Because what we focus on is what we notice, these preconceived notions have a way of directing us as we move through our lives.

Meditation is a way of taking a break from our preconceived notions and opening ourselves to an infinite view, a more expanded sense of our selves and life in general. It’s amazing what a little bit of meditation each day can do for our ability to expand our world view. We actually can begin to develop a multidimensional view.

A guide once said, “As your world situation worsens no one will be able to ride the fence: people will fall to the side of fear, or the side of a spiritual perspective.” As it becomes more and more apparent that our world is fundamentally unstable, then it becomes necessary to find our security from an inner state rather than our outer circumstance.

This is an essential lesson from our environmental challenges. We are Spirit temporarily on the earth.

My guides say, ”People see through the lens of their own issues.” So don’t be surprised if you are not understood. It is best to find emotional security through meditation rather than looking for validation from others. In this way we can allow learning to happen in our relationships without taking things personally and becoming emotionally hurt. Also, from inner security it can be easier to be generous with others.

Trust is a key to happiness. Trust opens the crown chakra and gives us feelings of expansion and connection. The important question is, “What can we trust?” We can’t trust that we will always be safe or that we will always get what we want or that we will always be treated lovingly.

But we can trust we are all spiritual beings temporarily on the earth, we are here to learn to actualize our spiritual natures, and we are never alone and helped by non-material beings grouped around us.

Once a guide said, “Any important work is a group effort.” Ken Blanchard has said, “All of us are smarter than anyone of us.” We are all interconnected and team work is a manifestation of this truth.

When Ben Affleck accepted the academy award for Argo in the best picture category, one thing he said stood out for me: “can’t hold grudges, it’s hard, but you can’t hold grudges.” All of us make mistakes, we are all in the school of life. Remember to be generous with yourself and others, in the acceptance of the learning process.

“Put on your horse blinders and walk your path.” A guide said this to me many years ago as a way of saying, don’t get distracted. There are so many kinds of distractions, other people’s emotions and behaviors, media, a tremendous amount to read, watch, and do. Sometimes a lot of choice can be overwhelming and make us scattered.

Some distractions are inner distractions, such as fear, guilt, or uncertainty. There is only so much time in a day and distractions from our purpose can eat up our time. I find that letting go of attachments and focusing out of the third eye, while asking “What are my priorities today?” – helps me to stay on course.

The heart chakra is located in the middle of the chest. When this chakra is functioning well, we feel and express love appropriately, appreciate the gift of life, have appropriate generosity, the ability and motivation to walk through our fears, and truly want the best for others.

In an unhealthy state, this center can become diminished or dominant. When diminished, the heart chakra feels emotional hurt and self protective, not wanting to be hurt again, a lack of joy, and can feel afraid to be fully involved with life and relationships.

When the heart chakra is dominant there is a tendency to over give, have warm interactions, but not integrated with discernment. It feels loving feelings, but is confused about appropriate loving behavior.

Using the third eye helps keep the heart chakra healthy!

Our souls contain our past life stories. These previous incarnations have a huge impact in shaping why our life is as it is now. It is possible to stimulate these memories in order to rememberer our individual history down through the ages.

One technique that is particularly effective is staring. When you stare into the face of another or into your own face in the mirror, clairvoyance can become activated. Physical features can start to blur and the etheric energy comes to the fore, activating changes in facial features that reveal faces from previous lives.

It is important to remember that there is both inner vision and outer vision. Activating outer vision through staring can then stimulate visions in the mind’s eye, which can reveal detailed images from past lives offering insight into our inner complexity.

Most people are in contact with spirit guides whether they are aware of this fact or not. Here are some examples: You are in the shower enjoying the wonderful sensation of warm water pouring over you head, when all of a sudden an insight flashes helping you to solve a problem at work.

Or you happen to be a song writer and mostly you plug along at crafting your music, but this one time a new song comes so fast to you that you need to grab a piece of paper and write it down as fast as you can. Because it is coming to you, rather than coming from you.

Or your decide to drive the long way home, only to discover that there was a terrible accident on the road you normally take. The list of examples are endless. We are being helped by beings in the spiritual realm frequently. Pay attention to when an idea comes to you instead of from you.

It’s common for children to be asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” From a spiritual perspective that question would be reframed to be, “Why have you come to the earth, what have you come to do?”

Imagine a world where children are taught very early to go inside themselves to determine their life direction, rather than responding to the expectations of others. This very simple alteration has the potential to radically change our world.

Surrender is one of my favorite words in the English language. Because there are some situations where we have no control. Like the blizzard outside my window. I have found through the years when I can’t quite feel an acceptance of how things are, saying the word surrender to myself takes me to acceptance.

Whether action or non-action is called for – experiencing acceptance of what is, creates an inner calm, which then makes it easier to get in touch with appropriate action.

It can be easier to be genuinely one’s self in the midst of a supportive environment, while more challenging if relating to confused people. But either way it is our attainment, and our fulfillment to master being our true nature whether or not we are reassured and encouraged.

As my guides say, “Become a positive influence, rather than being negatively affected.” Regular meditation woven into daily life is an effective way to receive spiritual support at any time, no matter your personal situation.

We are never truly isolated. The air around us may appear empty, but even scientifically we know that it is full of vibrations and frequencies. Including the energy of our thoughts and feelings, as well as the thoughts and feelings of others.

Plus other dimensions are only a thought away. Individuals residing in other dimensions travel at the speed of thought and communicate in thought. Therefore, we can conclude, that if we need help or clarity – we can simply ask for it. Put it out into the vibration, knock and you shall be given.

I am first and foremost pragmatic, so try it and see what happens. Make your own life your laboratory.

Avoidance is a major problem in our world, leading to a lack of honesty and integrity. Most people have a tremendous attachment to results and what they want. Attachment is desire mixed up with fear.

If we put our head in the sand – will unpleasant truths go away? No they won’t.

My guides say, “Clarity is our greatest protection.” And Harold Pinter, Noble prize winner said, “If you don’t look, you can’t actualize your best self.”