Rule #3 for asking masterful intuitive questions

I love the feedback I am receiving from the last two articles - I’m glad that the Rules for mastering Intuitive Readings are useful to you!  Keep sending your comments and questions; they help keep me motivated to write more.  Sometimes, I feel I’m writing to roomful of crickets which is the downside to online business, lol.  Might be part of my ego-mind, but I like feeling that I’m making a difference, don’t you?  So on that note, here are the rules that can make a big difference in your Intuitive Readings using your pendulum, Oracle cards, and any other spiritual tool:

Rule #1: I am the Queen of my life experience

Rule #2: Productive Questions are everything

Are you ready for Rule #3?  Here's the scoop:

The mind is the servant

Meditate with this quote, attributed to Albert Einstein: “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant.  We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.”

Are you ready to remember your gift?  My guess is that you are, since you're here reading this message.  But like many, you might have an internal struggle going on, because you might believe that putting the rational mind back in the service of your imagination and intuition means that you have to have a blank mind when you meditate, or worse, to give up on logic to become spiritual.  Fear not, for this is not true!

The ideal relationship between gift and servant is one of cooperation and mutual support, where each one draws on the strength of the other.  The intuitive mind can not do its work when it is overly controlled by logic.  The rational mind can not help you come to grounded and useful conclusions if it is governed by flights of fancy from pure dreaming or channelling energy.  They both work together to gather information from the spiritual and the physical worlds, so you can remain balanced, calm, and a manifestor extraordinaire!

When I meditate, I like to take a walk, or garden, or even do the dishes.  I find that when my rational mind is busy with a repetitive task, my intuitive mind can more easily travel.  Repetitive tasks can become very refreshing and insightful!

I tell my clients to give a name to their ego or thinking brains, because it helps to gain perspective and to find more creative solutions.  When the rational mind pops in with the grocery list, or fear-based thoughts, or that whole list of to-dos…  I simply say, “Thank you Professor Thinks-A-Lot, for alerting me to this issue.  Now, please take your clipboard and inventory all the good reasons and methods to bring me to my objective.”  Try it, and let me know how this works for you!

How does this apply to your Intuitive Readings?  With these principles:

• When you meditate or connect with your spiritual tool, your mind does not have to be perfectly calm. It has a job to do: to ask questions.  It becomes a private investigator uncovering the next right question to ask while your Higher Self and Spirit provide the answers.  (See Rule #2 to guide your question-finding quest)

• The optimal state of mind for Intuitive work is relaxed, calm, but alert; it is NOT a deep meditative state.  You should be able to remain aware of your environment and remain focused even if the cats jumps on your lap, the dog barks at a squirrel, or your kid comes in with an after school question.  I’m speaking from experience, here! 

• Remember that intuitive information is at all times driven by your intention.  Be aware of any agenda from your ego, or of the need to prove yourself right.  That will totally skew your results.  Also, because the voice of Spirit is softer than the voice of the ego, you’ll find that the mind will trump true intuitive insights if you are attached to the answer or the outcome.  

• Before you start, ask yourself why you want to tap into your intuition.  If you’re doing the work only out of curiosity - because you want to know what dress you were wearing in a past life, or what might happen in a potential situation, or what someone else might be thinking of you…  then you’re not looking for wisdom.  You are devaluing your gift by using it as entertainment.  Exercise discipline, and train yourself to ask for practical information you can use in your daily life.

I’ll give you more tips on this Rule, focusing on mind traps, in my next article.  Until then, I am surrounding you in White Light and Divine Love.

Are you already seeing results and shifts in your Intuitive Readings by applying these Golden Rules?  Let me know!

Crystals that resonate with the Throat Chakra

Our journey through the Throat Chakra continues this week with some of my favourite goodies - crystals!  I had a “oh-no-you-didn’t” moment last week when I was selecting crystal babies to bring to my shop, and my husband, watching me work with such focused intent, said “but Jaz, they’re just rocks.”  Just rocks?  I had a look of utter shock on my face - and in my Heart Chakra too; it hurt a little.  Then I shook it off, fully knowing that he doesn’t need to fully understand or love the same things I do - after all, cars are “just cars” to me while for him they are so much more.  His vision of heaven resembles Jay Leno’s garage, while mine is more like a historical long house filled with Spirit, metaphysical tools, huge crystals and lots of wise souls.

To each their own, I suppose.  We all have our unique vibration.  And so do crystals.

Crystals can work in resonance with us because they have their own energetic imprint.  This energy comes in part from their geometrical form.  Have you ever noticed that some crystals are points, others are cubes, and some are linear?  Each basic geometric form, and the molecular composition of the crystal has a unique electromagnetic frequency and oscillatory rate - which means that they have an aura and a vibration, just like we do.  When we choose specific crystals and incorporate them in our environment and jewelry, we add their energy imprint to ours.  Crystals can therefore help us change aspects of our imprint and vibration by helping us align with their pure frequency.  (I mean “pure” in the sense that it has not been affected by negative emotions and mental programming).  Crystals can help us move past our blocks and issues and back to our pure resonance - especially when we work with them with awareness and intention.

Earlier this month, I wrote about issues common with the Throat Chakra, namely the inability to speak one’s truth; a disconnect between thoughts and emotions; and a feeling of mental and emotional clutter that can freeze us into inaction - yep, that’s the proverbial troll on the bridge.

Living with these bad vibes is very unpleasant indeed.  Incorporate these crystals to help transform your vibration so you can feel more aligned and at peace.  Have them on your bedside table or wear them around your neck.

Sodalite:  Its energy may stimulate you to live up to your own ideals and ideas.  It will help clear the bridge from that troll and help you communicate with love and clarity.
Amazonite: This gentle stone helps balance yin and yang; masculine and feminine; emotions and thoughts.  It will enhance the flow of energy between the lower and upper chakras.
Aqua Aura:  This is a gorgeous crystal that is engineered with a bit of human help: it’s a clear quartz infused with gold particles under very high heat.  The result is a blue-green crystal that shimmers with rainbow colours.  It works to purify the Throat Chakra and removes blocks caused by emotional trauma.  It also helps align one’s energy with Spirit and can enhance intuitive and psychic abilities.

Do you want to know more on crystals and how they can help you change your vibes?  I’d be happy to chat with you either via phone or in-person.  Remember that my business hours are by appointment only, and it is best to email me to schedule an appointment, or use this link to book a time directly in my agenda.

Surrounding you in Love & Light.

The troll on the bridge

The Throat Chakra is, obviously, located at the centre of your throat.  Its associated colour ranges from a light sky-blue to deep turquoise.  Its associated element is ether, or sound vibration.  As I mentioned in last week’s article, it is the place from which we can express our Truth.

The Throat Chakra acts like an energy bridge between the physical and emotional world, and the mental and spiritual world.  Through this energy centre, ideas and spiritual sparks can flow down to the heart centre then to the lower chakras so that ideas can become manifest.  The flow of energy also goes up from the lower chakras to the upper chakras to feed the imagination, nurture spiritual rituals and transmute raw physical energy and drive into an expression of the divine. It is important that this bridge has good two-way traffic.

Visualize this bridge - take a good look at it and notice your thoughts and feelings.  Is the circulation of energy, thoughts, or emotions fluid between both physical and spiritual sides, or is there gridlock?  Or worse… is everything in chaos due a resident troll? Most of us are familiar with this troll:  he’s the one who makes us doubt the thoughts or insights we receive.  He makes us doubt that proper abundance in the physical world can help sustain a rich spiritual life.  He shoots words out in anger without thinking of the repercussions.  He would have us believe that our plans, our heart desires or soul purpose is not good enough; or that WE are not good enough, smart enough, talented enough to fully express our soul purpose in the “real world”.  He takes all our inspired ideas and jumbles them up or rips them apart until we feel stuck in utter inner and outer confusion and chaos.  You might even feel him at work when that beautiful brain of yours won’t stop chatting away at night; or when pressure builds up in your head and causes severe headaches; or when stress accumulates in your mind and body that you even forget how to breathe.

Do you know this troll?  Are you familiar with his work?

Like all magical creatures, trolls have a vulnerable side.  There is something you can do to put him to sleep, make him smaller and retake control of your bridge.  This secret is:

Your vibration.

And you’re in control of your vibration - don’t let the troll make you believe otherwise.

Know this: when you’re in harmony, when your vibrations reflect your Truth, when you feel aligned body-mind-spirit…  it’s like you’re singing a lullaby to that troll and he can do no harm anymore.  What can you do to retake control of your vibration and banish the troll from your sacred bridge?  Here are a few quick tips:

• OHM:  practice chanting this mantra outloud.  Play with it; find the tonality that resonates in your whole body - it’s really cool when it happens!  Finding your own OHM tonality will bring all your chakras back in balance, and then watch the magic happen in your life.
• Change your tunes:  Just like the troll, our bodies, mind and emotions react to vibration.  The vibration of music can enhance our mood or keep us in a depressed state. Choose your music wisely by being aware of how each song makes you feel.  Make a special playlist with tunes that make you feel good, and play it the moment you feel your mind is going down the “not good enough” path, or to perk you up when you feel down.
• Positive vibes:  Words have strong vibrations on many levels.  Practice saying good things about you.  Look at your reflection in the mirror and state 1-3 things you appreciated about you.  State your love for the world out loud.  Praise others, and praise Spirit.  Trust me, these word vibrations will nourish your soul at a deep level.

Do you feel you’ve given over control to the troll and need help regaining your power?  I can help you change your vibes.  My sessions are intuitive as I tap into what your soul wants you to know.  I connect to higher realms using Reiki, an energy that can help shift and deeply transform how you feel.  Click here to book an appointment.

Surrounding you in Love & Light.

Feeling down? 3 tips to boost up your energy

I am feeling so depleted in my life-force energy. For the past two weeks, I have felt a heavy shroud around me. I’ve been sitting at my computer, trying to find words for my weekly newsletter, and I totally flat-lined. Doing the smallest task seems to be sucking energy out of me, and I need to schedule more rest periods and longer nights’ sleep than usual. What’s up with that?

Well well… isn’t it interesting that we’ve entered the month dedicated to the Solar Plexus - the centre for our inner sun, our energy reserve, our ability to deal with stress. It seems that once again I must teach from a place of knowing and “been there, done that”… So, how do I move from this slow as molasses sticky energy to more clarity and vitality?

Here are my top 3 tips.

1. Have a pyjama day. Honour your energy level. I find it very unbalanced that, in our society, we must always maintain a high level of energy to do more and more and more. We feel guilty if we do less, even just for one day. We feel like the world might come apart if we take a day off work or away from our children to restore our health and vitality. We feel ashamed of being vulnerable, or feeling weak. Hmmm… hello ego! These beliefs and that type of self-talk is ego and fear-based; and these are patterns governed by the shadow side of the Solar Plexus chakra. So ask yourself: is it really true that the world will crumble if you take care of yourself for one day? Is it really true that you must constantly prove yourself as being strong, unbeatable and unaffected by life’s events? Bring balance to your life and enjoy your pyjama day.
2. Be mindful of the foods you are eating - especially during the holiday season, full of indulgences. Are your food choices truly nourishing? When I feel stressed, I reach out for pastries, cookies, cakes and other sweets. Stress is linked to insulin production, and the pancreas which secretes insulin is governed by the Solar Plexus. I know, however, that the short-term energy boost from sugar and insulin is not healthy for me and if I give in to my cravings I will ultimately feel more tired and sick. I might have one or two cookies, but then I choose to love my body by feeding it fresh fruit, vegetables and proteins that will sustain my energy on the long-term. I’ve had to journal my food intake for a few months to discover the foods that give me energy and those that make me feel depleted, and I’ve modified my eating habits based on that insight. I have empowered myself to make better choices.
3. Massage acupressure points. It feels so good and it helps unblock that sluggish energy. The basic points to massage are just below the collar bone; just above the heart (thymus); and the outside of your legs following your pant-seams from the hips to the knees. View the video below to do an energy routine with me.

My vital energy is returning after a short cycle of introspection and inner work. There are many more things I need to deal with this week, but I feel stronger and calmer for having taken the time to lovingly listen to my body.

This week, remember to breathe down to your belly, and take at least 5 minutes a day to truly tune in to your body and become aware of its needs. Follow through with its recommendations for you; whether it is more sleep, better nourishment of a different type of physical exercise, listen to your gut feelings. Doing so will strengthen your relationship with your body - and with your Solar Plexus.

Surrounding you in Love & Light.

Crystals that resonate with the Sacral Chakra

One of the purposes of the Sacral Chakra is to find sweetness in life.  I do feel like I'm taking my sweet time writing this article for you...  I've been away from home most of last week, attending a conference in Toronto and I returned home on Saturday just on time to welcome a student from Australia who will be staying with us for the next three months.  Monday, I still had some shopping to do to select the sink and faucet for the new kitchen.  Needless to say, I'm feeling a bit tired.  Instead of pushing through my to-do list that's been accumulating, I took the executive decision to rest and take care of myself so that I can write from a place of joy instead of a place of "having to".

And I do feel better now - I've gone for a nice walk with my dog Maya and I have used sea salt to clear my energy field.  I even played a few games to switch my mind from business-thinking to a more creative flow.  I am now lighter and more focused.  Now, when I close my eyes, I can clearly see the crystals I'd love to introduce to you in the context of the Sacral Chakra.

The first one is Carnelian.  I love the joy-filled orange of this polished heart-shaped pendant.  Holding it in my hands, I can connect to self-nurturing and self-appreciation.  Wearing it could help enhance positive self-talk and set the energy for harmonized joy in our life.  It is believed that carnelian can also help alleviate lower back pain and help the kidneys regulate water energies through the body.  I simply enjoy its soft power and wisdom.

I also want to share my love of salt lamps.  Yes - salt is a crystal!  Himalayan salt is carved from mountains; these mountains were once deep in the ocean floor.  Salt helps regulate water energy in our bodies, and when salt is projected in our environment - with the use of salt lamps, for instance - it is calming and soothing.  It helps us release what no longer serve our highest good.  It helps "clear the air" in more than one way.  Moreover, its orange glow fosters peace, relaxation and authentic social communication.  It's a wonderful lamp to have in an office, a living room and in the bedroom.

The Desert Rose is elegant, fragile and powerful.  The specimen at my shop is rather, er... feminine in its shape and I find it's an excellent piece to reconnect with our Divine Feminine - the archetype of the Sacral Chakra.  The Desert Rose is selenite shaped with the help of water, sand, wind, sun and time.  It embodies many aspects of magical and metaphysical creation.  As such, it can help us re-imagine and re-create our beliefs, values and attitudes.

This week, remember to take your sweet time to enjoy life.  Savour each moment.  Reflect on areas of your life where you would like to create differently, or on areas you would like to clear so you may continue on your journey with joy and contentment.  Enjoy discovering the world of crystals and their playful energies.

I am surrounding you with peaceful and joy-filled orange light.

If there's an area in your life where you feel stuck, and you would like to explore with me how to transform it to joy and flow, click here to make an appointment in-person, by phone, or via Skype.  It's my treat!

Sending you blessings of Love!

4 Tips to balance the Sacral Chakra

Our journey through the chakras continue, from our Root to our Sacral centre. As the energy moves up from the tailbone to the sacral area, just below the belly button, imagine you are stepping out of the colour Red and into a wonderful Orange. Take a deep breath now and imagine yourself in front of a large body of water like a lake or the ocean. As you look to the horizon, the sun is setting and is illuminating the water with the vibrancy of orange. Gaze into this sunset and allow your body to soften. Use all your senses to imagine Nature tinted in orange... what do you see? What can you hear? What are the scents? Take a moment to invite joy into your life. Invite peace and creativity. If you wish, invite your Muses and even Fairies to come to you to help you create more joy and laughter in your life, and in the life of those around you. And breathe... And smile...

Haaaa..... don't you feel better already? I do. I love this quick visualization. It tricks my brain into producing the good-feeling hormones - endorphins - which elevate my mood and state of mind. Can you feel a release of endorphins too?

Endorphins and feeling happy are linked to the Sacral Chakra. One of the lessons here is to learn to find joy and happiness within ourselves. It's about learning to transform the raw energy of the outside world into something that can support our life in a joyful way. Think of an artist taking a chunk of marble or wood and carving it into a statue. Or a project manager taking raw data and input from the business and lifestyle sector to create an amazing project. When we create, we feel empowered - and that feeds our happiness.

Many have not learned yet to empower themselves to create a life they enjoy. They often experience the shadow side of the Sacral Chakra when they look outside of themselves for meaning, joy and happiness. When you give your spouse or your children the responsibility to make you happy, you're in shadow. When you develop addictions to sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll, you're living in the shadow. When you turn to food in unhealthy ways to fuel your happiness or fill in an feeling of emptiness, you're living in the shadow. When you live in fear and worry about the future, and when you live in guilt about the past, you are blocking your capacity for joy and creation. There is great strength to gain and life lessons to learn from the shadow side of the Sacral Chakra... but as you know it's unhealthy to stay there for a long time!

Here are some of my favourite ways to move the energy up and through my sacral chakra:

1. Salt bath: Pure indulgence! I make it a ritual where I reconnect with the Ocean. To cleanse my energy field, especially when I've been feeling stressed, I add up to 3 cups of sea salt to the tub. In the winter months, I help my skin by also adding 1tsp baking soda and 1tsp almond oil. I often add 10-20 drops of essential oils too. For the Sacral Chakra: vanilla, orange, ylang-ylang and/or sandalwood. Use a scent that makes you feel yummy.
2. Dancing: Pure fun! I listen to the music I loved growing up and dance in my kitchen or living room! This adds fun to any task or chore. Especially for the Sacral Chakra: move your hips and pelvis. Pretend you're a belly dancer and shake what your momma gave you. 
3. Art: I take out my acrylics and canvas, and I just paint. Just for fun. It doesn't even have to be pretty. The release of energy (and release of endorphins) here is through the act of creation.
4. Board Games or night out: It's important to connect socially with family and friends! We need to get out of our own little world and catch up with one another in person - not just through social media! We need to laugh together too, so any activity that makes you laugh, smile and act silly together is good :)

Have fun this week as you start moving energy through your Sacral Chakra! Go to my Facebook page to share your tips, your favourite technique or a joke to make us laugh. Post a photo of you dancing and acting silly. Let's share joy all around!

Next week, I will introduce you to crystals that resonate with the Sacral chakra, and I’m looking forward to sharing this article with you!

In the meantime, if you have specific questions on the health of your chakras, or if you would like a chakra-specific Oracle Card Reading, click here to make an appointment!

Sending you blessings of Love!

Honouring Ancestors Can Bring Healing to Present Life

Did you spend some time this past week connecting with your ancestors and grandparents through your sense of smell, as suggested in last week's post? We are concluding our month on the Root Chakra with a few musings on ancestral karma and vital life lessons.

There are life lessons we understand only when we have children of our own, and it's not just because of growing maturity. Since the birth of my son eleven years ago, I have been utterly amazed at how his posture is like his paternal grandfather's; how his love of books is like my mother's; how some of his gestures mimic those of family members - some whom my son has never met. He certainly hasn't learned behaviours or thought patterns through observation... there must be something in our genes or energy that enables us to embody traits passed down from generations.

Since about the same time as my son's birth, I have been deepening my journey of self-understanding. Now that I'm a mother, I can understand things that happened when I was a child from my mother's perspective - and from her mother's perspective. I can see patterns of hurt and patterns of blessings being repeated from one generation to the next. I have decided to heal some of the hurtful patterns within myself so they are not passed on to my son and possible future generations. Working with ancestor energy has brought me such an understanding and such gratitude for the life I have today. It has increased my love for generations before me, and extends my love to future generations. Here are a few of my insights, musings and tools.

My grandmother and her family, pictured above, led the life of pioneers in the Abitibi region of Québec. Her father, a cabinet-maker, decided to uproot his family from Montreal during the Great Depression to open lands for farming. Carving farmland out of the wilderness was very difficult, and they experienced isolation and deep poverty. That feeling of lack has been passed down and is still impacting the finances and general wellbeing of my generation: there is a fear of throwing anything away, just in case. There is a deep need to accumulate and never have an empty pantry or freezer, just in case. And although salaries are very good, there is a need for hand-me-downs even if it's poor quality due to a belief that we can't or shouldn't purchase new. That last statement - I am done with and have been for a number of years! It has been difficult to heal the feeling of lack and to replace it with a feeling of abundance, especially when it's so deep-seated within myself and in my family!

I could choose to anger over the lingering feelings of lack - after all anger and the need for food, shelter, safety and creature comforts are all part of the Root Chakra - but I choose instead to be grateful. I choose to see the gifts and the lessons that a lack of material goods brought to my ancestors' and my life, like ingenuity, resourcefulness, a sense of adventure, and the ability to make something out of anything. This year especially, as I'm transitioning from my cushy government salary to the reality of the self-employed, I have called on that ingenuity and resourcefulness to create wonderful meals even when others in my household would say, "there's nothing to eat!" Necessity is the mother of creation, goes the saying - and I have created a lot this year! I actually feel more free, empowered and proud of my creations when I apply my resourcefulness.

How about you? Can you notice generational patterns, and what can you learn from them?

One of the generational musings I've been mulling over for a few months deals with the renewal of a more conscious or spiritual life in our generation. More and more people are seeking spiritual guidance. Where I live, many are discovering First Nations roots that were buried up the family tree. Even I have discovered that I have a grandmother from a Nation near Lake Nipissing who had married a "coureur des bois" in the 1700s. In addition, many (including myself) are going through physiological changes and have become intolerant to wheat gluten. I am aware that wheat is not indigenous to North America and that a great number of First Nations people are suffering from gluten-related diseases. Is there a correlation? Now this is by no means a scientific study... but I wonder if an ancient gene that was dormant is being activated.  I wonder if Grandmother is calling her children back to her, back to a more Earth-based spirituality, back to community-based values, back to wholeness... however remote or obscure our link is in the family tree... Why are so many of us awakening to Spirit and are experiencing similar symptoms in this generation?...

This week and with the sacred night of Halloween, let's honour our ancestors and our family trees. Let's honour their trials and tribulations. Let's gain a richer and deeper perspective on our role in the family tree. Let's gain insight on the legacy we want to leave our children, and their children's children.

One easy way to do this is by creating an Ancestor Altar. This can be on the mantelpiece, on a shelf or on top of a dresser. Choose a nice cloth that can represent your Roots or your reverence to your ancestors. (I have a tablecloth my grandmother embroidered). Add photos or objects representing your grandparents or earlier ancestors. Choose to work with only one ancestor or with many. You could add a photo or a painting of the landscape where they lived. What's important is that you feel a connection - make their life real to you. Light a few candles. Then, sit down in front of your altar with a cup of tea or other food or drink your ancestors would have loved, and have a conversation with them. Thank them for being present for you from the other side of the veil, thank them for making their presence known to you and for helping you in the present day. Ask your questions, ask for insight. Also, tell them that any issues they might have had are not to be played out in your life or in the life of future generations. State your intention to heal the hurts and to bring Love and Understanding to their human experience. When you feel the conversation is complete, thank them again - then notice what shifts in your life.

Enjoy your experience with your Ancestors, and please share your insights!

Sending you blessings of Love!

The magic of aromas...

I was 16. It was my first summer away from home, working as counsellor in a summer camp. Not only was the feeling of independence coming from the fact I was earning good money all summer, it was also a bit of an act of defiance for me. Imagine: a French Catholic girl who has been brought up to fight for her rights now working in an English camp hosted by the United Church... I was decided to make my own life path. I have many memories from that summer and although I always pleasantly recall memories of Jeff-the-Lifeguard *swoon*... one of the strongest memory remains the scent of my shampoo. I had purchased it with my own money; it was better than the dollar-brand my parents could afford; and I loved its perfume. Now and again, I chance upon that shampoo and the scent of it transports me right back to the feelings of rebellious independence of my sweet 16.

Can you recall a pleasant memory from your childhood? Are there any scents associated with this memory - the blanket, the flowers, the homemade soup or the apple pie? Think of that aroma, and notice how your body reacts. Is there a smile on your face, are your shoulders relaxing, is your breathing deepening?

Since our cavemen ancestors, scents have been telling us a lot about the world around us. Thankfully, we don't sniff butts like our four-legged friends to see how we're doing (that would be awkward at the office!) but we still use perfumes and scents on our body and in our environment to share and receive information about each other. Physically, the sense of smell is the most directly related to the brain; information travels up the nose and into the brain with the least amount of neural transmission, and it impacts brain chemistry. Memory recall can be very powerful when we add a layer of scent and aromas. Scent is a trigger for the brain. When we can connect a pleasant experience with an aroma, it is easy to return to the pleasant state of mind by using the same aroma again and again. The same is true when we have connected a scent with a painful experience - the same scent can instantly trigger sadness, pain or worse, post-traumatic stress.

It is no wonder that rituals through the ages have used herbs and oils to enhance the spiritual experience: with our sense of smell, we can easily be transported to that state of relaxation where it is easier to pray, and where we feel more open to receive guidance. In the context of the Root Chakra, I want to focus on scents that can help reduce your stress and help you feel connected to your ancestors, tribe or deceased loved ones.

I love sage and I incorporate it in my rituals at least on a weekly basis. When I burn sage, I feel connected to the spirit of the land. I feel connected to the First Nations who were here well before my European ancestors. I send a prayer to my several-times-great-grandmother from a First Nation of the Nipissing area. I recall the first time I was introduced to smudging in a Circle led by Elders, and I recall the sacredness of the moment. When I use sage, I deeply connect with all that is sacred. I am transported to a place of peaceful and powerful reverence. So you see, sage is not just for the New-Agey clearing and blessing - make sacred memories with sage by using it consciously in rituals and it will enhance your inner peace.

Cedar and pine are close second, for these earthy scents remind me of time spent outdoors, feeling free and deeply connected to the environment. My body might feel a bit heavier as my energy settles in my body and roots itself in sacred Earth. Stress and headaches are relieved. Immune system is boosted. With pine and cedar, I can feel as tranquil as I would be sitting in a forest clearing surrounded by majestic trees and looking up at the blue sky above me and the rusty pine needles and earth below me. I can breathe deeply and calmly.

Patchouli is a bit more exotic for me and instantly reminds me of Meditation, Reiki and Healing Circles. I love the new incense sticks I just received at my shop - it's the best patchouli I've ever smelled: earthy with a note of floral. Patchouli has been used for hundreds of years as a sedative and anti-depressant; it's an excellent scent to uplift our moods on these rainy days of Fall.

All of these 3 scents are easily found in incense, candles and essential oil formats. When you can't burn a candle or an incense stick, try this tip: purchase a small glass spray bottle. Fill it with purified water, 1 tsp sea salt and about 10 drops of your favourite essential oil, and shake gently to blend. Spritz your pillow before bed, or directly on your skin. Take a few deep breaths as you consciously evoke feelings of calm and inner peace.

To use scents that would connect you with your ancestors, spend some time connecting with your family tree. What activities did they do? Where did they live? What did they eat? How did they celebrate their spirituality? Go from there to find a scent that is meaningful to you. When my grandmother visits in spirit, I can smell her homemade tomato soup; when I want to reconnect with her, I often use the old soup recipe and take delight in the aroma that fills my house. Have fun reconnecting with your ancestors and deceased loved ones using your sense of smell. Remember that October is a good time to honour our ancestors and doing an exercise such as this one can help heal generational issues.

I recently received fresh sage, sage blends, incense sticks and incense cones. If you need help figuring out which scent would work best for you, or if you'd like to purchase sage or incense, talk to me! I'd be more than happy to answer your questions.

Sending you blessings of Love!

3 Techniques I Use To Understand And Release Anxiety

I am so thrilled to have started a partnership with a local organization, where I will work with a group of women to help them through their experience of stress, anxiety and depression. I will be meeting with them once a month for the next 9 months. We’ll have quite a journey together, and I am happy and grateful for it!

My own experiences with anxiety and depression have brought me some wisdom on how to best deal with these feelings. These feelings have been present in my life as far as I can remember. I think I was about 7 the first time I imagined the need to take my brain out of my head and into a jar so that I could find some sleep. In High School, I buried myself in activities - I can count 13 club photos in one yearbook. My first burnout was at 18, and a full-blown panic attack in third year University. That powerful and frightening experience turned the ignition for my healing journey.

For me, talk therapy was not very helpful. I found that the therapists were always asking the same questions, even though they were taking copious notes. There were no breakthroughs, only the same conversations over and over again until I tired of repeating myself and stopped going. Maybe I was just too hurt and too closed to their method. Maybe I didn’t trust them enough because I felt the stigma of branding just walking into their office. I felt judged, assessed and boxed in one or two of their labels. Whatever the reason, it just never felt right for me.

What works for me, then and now, is what I teach my clients. It’s not about the one method so much as it is finding what works for you. And to find what works for you, you have to be willing to try different approaches. Seek help from licensed therapists, and explore “alternative” methods that are safe and healthy. Surround yourself with a team of people you trust and where you feel safe to explore your inner world. I can feel quite vulnerable and naked to my core when I open up about my inner world. That fear of being judged and ridiculed can be quite strong… but with my team of helpers I’ve learned to heal past that fear so that it doesn’t hold me back anymore. I wouldn’t be writing this article, contributing to my blog, or constantly learning new ways to help my clients if I would still be living in fear.

So what are my best techniques?

1. Notice what’s going on inside… many of us have learned to hide our emotions. Other people’s feelings matter more than ours. After a lifetime of hiding my feelings behind work, community activities and people-pleasing hoopla, I realized that I was unable to recognize my own feelings. I spent almost a year learning about my emotional landscape, and my best tool was the sentence: “I feel ______.” When you can name it, you claim it - and you can work with it. 
2. Be curious about what’s behind the feeling… a feeling of anxiety is often a trigger, or a response to a physical situation or a thought pattern. There are often stories behind the feelings, like the need to please Mother, the need to belong, the need to be safe, the need to be loved - and the stories running in our minds can remind of times when these needs were not met, and part of the brain might be running statistics on the likelihood to be disappointed or hurt again. But until we know what story is running, it’s hard to change the channel. 
3. Body movement is imperative. Whether it’s a walk, a swim, yoga or a jog - the body needs to move! Anxiety and stress build up a lot of energy in the head and upper chest areas. We can feel constricted, choking or stiff. In these instances, the aura is shrinking in and offers no protection to external factors. It’s important to move and have some cardio activity to help release a build up of energy - and pump up endorphins and happy hormones through the body. Body activity truly cuts through the fog - plus it helps rebuild a healthy aura.

Chakradance is my favourite modality because it combines body movement, introspection, and divine communication. I have been able to move through rough patches and gain valuable insights. I feel so blessed to be able to share this gift with others, guiding them in their own journey. Every one of my students has lived a transformation, some big, some small… but a transformation nonetheless. I’m sure the women’s group participants will enjoy this journey too.

Do you need help exploring your emotional landscape? Talk to me.

Sending you blessings of Love!

A setback or an invitation to learn and grow?

The dust is settling from the kitchen reno: the new cupboards are ordered and I was able to clear a square foot of countertop where I can prepare basic meals. The menu is closer to the ready-made diet I favoured as a University student rather than the healthy gourmet I’ve become. Oh well - sometimes we need to take a step back to be ready to leap forward.

Life’s path is circular rather than linear. It winds up and down valleys, retraces its steps to gain better perspective and often moves in a spiral up and around a mountain instead of taking the most direct route. What feels like a setback is often part of this curvy journey. Stepping back allows for us to take stock of our strengths and of what still needs work. It helps us realize how far we’ve come. It helps us use tools and knowledge in a new way, for a new purpose.

In our fast-food, make-it-quick, I-want-it-now society, we often feel that a setback is a failure. We loose patience with the learning process. We want to know it, apply it, be proficient with it right away. This need to understand it all, and to “get it right” is a big source of stress, anger and frustration. We forget that some things take a lifetime (or more!) to truly understand. We also forget that there are many layers to understanding and that knowing with our heads or with logic is only a small piece of the puzzle.

I have been talking with a lot of people recently who are experiencing setbacks. It takes longer than they thought to reach their goals, and then they find out that they didn’t really like their chosen objective anyway - so what now? Others have a complete life or career do-over to deal with, and not always through conscious choice or decision. Many women feel sad, anxious and depressed because they are realizing that the life they have built for themselves is just not fulfilling - “was the last 15 years a lie? How do I deal with this?”, they ask.

If this sounds like you, I want you to take a look at my Programs. I teach from my own experience what works to get away from the drama of a setback. I help you gain a new perspective, so you can keep focusing on the moment and on the future your heart really wants to manifest. I help you get away from the superficial git-er-done-now and into the flow of your soul purpose. The process takes time - no fast-food about it! - but it’s well worth it. I know, because my clients tell me so, and not just out of politeness, teehee. I see the changes in their eyes and in their energy even before they become aware of it. I am so privileged to be a witness to such transformation, and I am happy, from the bottom of my heart, to be able to serve in this way.

Just as I know that the kitchen will be gorgeous when it’s done, with its splash of red and double the original space to cook and bake delicious meals and treats, I also have faith that this spiritual reno we are going through will have results beyond our expectations. I can see beyond the mess. It’s important, when we feel a setback, to get the tools we need to refocus, to learn the lessons, and get our sense of direction. When we’re done reacting and fretting and cursing… it’s easier to stay centred and plan the way forward toward what we really want.

Do you need help seeing beyond the mess? Talk to me.

Sending you blessings of Love!

Take a look at my Programs

I’ve been talking a many people lately who are experiencing a surge in anxiety, stress and depression. They find it difficult to see beyond the hurt and the sadness. For just too many, the dust is not settling easily, and the constant emotional agitation keeps the dust flying in a downward spiral of yuck.

Because of this general unease I’m sensing, I want to take some time this week to talk to you about my Programs. I know they can help you, whether the dust is settling for you and you feel ready to move forward on your spiritual path, or whether you feel stuck in the yuck. Take a look at what I offer, and feel if any of these can be used as a walking stick on your journey. The techniques I teach and the coaching I offer help my clients find a sense of inner peace.

One-on-one Program

I have experienced first-hand what damage anxiety and depression can do, and I found that meditation and connecting with Spirit/Source/Angels is key to changing those thoughts and emotions that keep us stuck. If you feel, like many others, that you’d like to roll up in a ball and disappear for a while… honour the feeling, but don’t stay stuck there. Reach out! Find the help you need. This 6-month Program reconnects you with your ability to take clear action steps to reach your goals and objectives. It’s been life-changing for my clients, and as their self-confidence and overall wellbeing increased they have noticed positive ripple effects in their relationships at home and at work.

For the duration of this Program, we meet twice a month either in person, through Skype or over the phone. I tap into what your Soul needs in the moment and we allow for Spirit to lead the session. You receive live Readings every month, and you get coached on what your soul really needs. You also receive email support throughout the Program.

This Program can start anytime following our initial conversation; there are no set intake dates.


Intuition Development Program

This is a 6-month group program. I teach techniques to connect to true Source energy, and we learn to make peace with and to develop intuitive gifts. This Program will provide you with all the basics you need to heal yourself, and you’ll learn techniques - and the ethics - to offer healing to people, pets and the environment. I’ll let my graduate students speak on this one:

“I recommend this Program because it will help you look within at what you may or may not know about yourself. Jaz is an amazing person, coach and facilitator. She is very knowledgable and understands what each person in the class needs to help them grow. I highly recommend her courses to anyone searching for more in life." -- Pat K.

"I loved this Program, and I am a better person because of it. Jaz works with you over time to ensure you understand the concepts and you work hands on. With practice, you gain confidence in this field and in your life." Shirley G.

"This Program helped with inner peace. It showed me how to bring out my gifts. It helped me make life changes, and I learned a lot." Shirley H.

The next intake for this wonder-full Program starts the weekend of September 27-28.

I'm quite excited that this Program will soon be available online!  I'm looking into possible technology that can bring us together.  I know many of you would love to take this Program and reconnect to your Inner Lightworker, but you live too far away to take this Program in person.  Stay tuned!  I'm real close to being ready for the online launch!  Let me know if you're interested!

September is such a good time to start a new routine, now that the kids are back in school and that the weather is cooler. It’s time to go within to find answers to your questions. It’s time to journey some more, away from the stuck zone. Are you ready?

Contact me to learn more about my Programs, and to register for Fall sessions.

I've been beating myself up again...

Dear Diary,

I've been beating myself up again.  I've been working too hard, taking very little breaks.  I love working and creating so much, and I get so deep in my creations that I forget to sit back and admire the work.  I forget to enjoy the creation.  In fact, when I get away from work and creation, it's like a postpartum: there's an empty space, a void, a what now that is so uncomfortable it's almost unbearable.

And then, because I'm so tired, all those beasties come up to play tricks in my mind.  I'm not good enough.  I'm not doing it right.  I'm not getting the results I was going for therefore there is something fundamentally wrong with me.  I'm a sorry example for a human being.  What the heck am I thinking of being a Lightworker and trying to show others how to light their lives.  I should just crawl back in a hole, curl up in a ball and stay there.  Why did I have to incarnate again, just to feel this misery and the heaviness of the human condition?  I don't think I'm up for the challenge.

Oh, the dark recesses of my mind.  They keep me up at night.  They shut me down during the day.  It's like no one can understand just how dark and gloomy it can be.  Just like the sun can't shine through thick stormy clouds, not much joy can come through when the mood is so gloomy.  And because it's dark, it feels heavy and lonely.

But just like I know that the sun is always shining behind those thick dark clouds, I know that Love and Joy are still there behind the veil of the negative mind tricksters.  I can recognize them when they show up.  And now I'm going to do something about them.

First, I have exposed them by writing about them.  Aha - now they're out in the open, and they don't like that.  Like mold, they prefer the dark damp corners of fear and doubt.  They don't like fresh air.  Take that, beasties!

Then, it's time for a long hot shower using a sea salt scrub.  I love this ritual.  Scrubbing the body clears the mind and emotions, and the sea salt absorbs and removes the charged ions in my energy.  I feel refreshed and rejuvenated, in body-mind-spirit!  I will also enjoy using a mix of citrus, sage and sweet grass after the shower.  When I bless my body, I bless my soul.  It's a reminder that my body is the holy house of my spirit.  I need that reminder for otherwise it would be difficult to care for my body.  Speaking of caring for my body, I will also do yoga and get proper nutrition today.  I haven't been very good at caring for my body lately.  Body: please forgive me.  I love you, and thank you.

Then, for every beastie that shows up, I'll assign two angels to escort them out of my mind and into the open, fresh Light.  I'm asking for help from the angels to replace each negative thought by two loving thoughts.  What works well?  What have I learned?  What I have done to bring a smile to someone?

Finally, I will take the gratitude challenge and state out loud all the things, personal attributes, relationships, and opportunities for which I am grateful.  I am taking responsibility for my joy and happiness.  I'm done blaming myself, others, the environment and even God for the mess I'm in.  I'm clearing all that up.

Dear God: thank you for helping me see clearly through this new challenge.  Thank you for giving me the strength and courage to pick myself up again, to find meaning and purpose again.  May your work be done through me, in me and by me.  As I pick myself up again and learn to play more, relax more and listen to you more, may I be able to lift others up as well toward your Loving Light.  And so it is.

And now: play time.  Maybe I'll go to the spa today?  That would be a refreshing break after my long walk in Nature.  I hereby declare that work is done for the day!

Dancing With Calypso

“Women are as changing as the seas”  (Old complaint...)

Celebrating divine feminine independence and empowerment

She has been flying – or perhaps swimming – low on my awareness radar for a few years, with water parks, dances, and a Jacques Cousteau vessel named after her. She entered the realm of my imagination with increased impact after the Pirates of the Caribbean movies under her bayou voodoo priestess guise. But it is only while dancing the Sacral Chakra, the connection with the inner divine feminine, that Calypso made herself insistent with a message that I need to share.

“Would you love me if I were anything but what I am?” asked Calypso to her lover Davy Jones in the “At World's End” Pirates movie. He was accusing her of not being present when he went to see her for their once-in-every-ten-years reunion. On that fateful day, she was dancing with the wind, or working up a storm somewhere else. She was not in her womanly body waiting faithfully for her lover to return from a long journey at sea. She was following her instincts, elsewhere. “It is in my nature to be changing,” she explains. But he did not appreciate that changing nature – especially when he wanted to possess her. And he conspired to imprison her soul in a human form.

I haven’t found many good research documents on Calypso, yet most sources state that she is one of the first feminists “on record”. She speaks up for herself. She told Zeus that he was using double standards when judging the behaviours of gods and goddesses, allowing personal and sexual freedom to the gods and denying the same to the goddesses; allowing gods to have affairs (and rape!) women while goddesses were forbidden to love men. Calypso has suffered for this, banished to a small island and fated to fall in love with men who could not be her consort, or who could not understand and fully appreciate her true nature. She has also been silenced in history, oppressed in the patriarchal society.

Oh yes, the feminist in me is now awake. I can feel Calypso’s seas, her moods, her changing nature. I feel her need for social justice - regardless of sex, race or religion.  I feel her plea to allow humans love who they want. I certainly feel her strong yet loving need for independence and free speech. I feel appalled that our society still condones double-standards. I weep the pressure women are under to always be consistent and joyfully submissive – when they are not, they are systematically “medicated” at best; shunned or brutalized in the worst case scenarios.

In my dancing meditation, Calypso affirmed that it was in our divine nature to be changing like the seas.  We must embrace our independent nature.  We have to stop trying to conform to a regime that oppresses our emotions, and start embracing our true selves: our calm waters AND our raging seas. When we deny ourselves the sacred time and space to be fully and authentically who we are, we are missing a big part of our potential. That is typically when clients come to see me with concerns about feeling empty, lost, and overly emotional about the little things. What we deny within ourselves usually comes out elsewhere, and unfortunately it often manifests out of our Shadow in a self-destructive way.

I am grateful I have learned tools, like Reiki, Chakradance and guided visualizations to help women find their path to wholeness. Just this morning again, a client told me how more calm, centered and connected to Spirit she feels thanks to the journey she has done with me. She notices the small miracles and synchronicities in her life, she is more joyful, and her fears are diminishing. I love receiving such testimonials! I am so grateful that Spirit can do this work through me!

If you take a deep breath now to check within – how do you truly feel? Is there space for more self-love and self-acceptance? Do you feel there’s a big dark door that you are fearful of opening? Are you trying so hard to keep things together when you feel the call of your inner seas? Are you ready to journey toward wholesomeness and authenticity? I’m here to journey with you – and so is Calypso. You need not be alone or lonely in your journey. Please reach out, talk to me. Let’s see if the stars and the seas are favourable to a journey together. I’m ready to set sail – are you?

Sending you blessings of joy!

Reiki and Energy Work for a broken bone - Epilogue

Over a year already since I injured my wrist. I am finally taking time to write an epilogue to the three blog entries documenting my journey with a cast.

• March 25, 2013: Reiki and Energy Work for a Broken Bone
• April 1, 2013:  Reiki for a broken bone - Week 1
• April 8, 2013:  Reiki for a broken bone - Week 2

I think that part of the reason why I was procrastinating writing more on this healing journey is that I felt it had somehow failed. When I returned to the hospital 4 weeks after my injury I expected the bones to be fully mended – after all, doctors had said it would take 4-6 weeks for the injury to heal, and Reiki is supposed to speed up recovery so I expected my healing would take a shorter amount of time.

Once the cast was removed, I knew it wasn’t healed and I felt surprised and disappointed. I couldn’t even raise my arm from the x-ray table without assistance from my left hand due to the pain. My hand was still swollen and yellow from the bruising. The lines in my palm were absent due to the swelling (it was so strange to see a blank palm!). Then I started wondering if I had done Reiki “wrong”, or if I hadn’t been consistent enough in my application of Reiki, or if Reiki really did work… My faith in energy healing was dampened, and that is not something I am proud of nor did I want to share my doubts with my clients, students and readers. I could still feel the energy at work, I felt the reassurance of guides, and I knew I was growing emotionally and spiritually – but why wasn’t my body healing almost instantly?

The cast was removed 3 weeks later, the injury being fully healed. I needed a few weeks more to slowly return to the full use of my hand, wrist and arm. My chiropractor gently adjusted the wrist bones and my massage therapist continued to relieve residual pain in the shoulder girdle and arm. And oh the joy of showering without a plastic bag on my arm, and washing my hair with both hands! I returned to the joy of writing with my right hand, sleeping without pillow support under my arm and without the fear of clubbing my husband as I slept, cooking without the odors of the food “sticking” to the cotton of the cast and following me everywhere… And the household slowly went back to its previous state with most of the house chores falling upon me, the others being not as quick to help now that I wasn’t as helpless…

There are some good habits I maintained, like involving my son in cooking and increasing his chores to a level more appropriate to his age. I am also better at asking for help although deep down I still dislike it. I guess I have some of that super-woman I-can-do-it-all syndrome going on…

It was also interesting to use my wrists as practice for my students discovering energy work and Reiki; I was asking them to energetically sense both wrists and see if there was a difference, and all of them were amazed that they could sense a difference between the wrists. Most noted that there was more buzzing energy over the one that had been injured. The wrist continued to protect itself and kept knitting the bones for many months after the cast was removed.

In May this year, I met a gentleman in his sixties sporting a blue cast. I asked him about his injury and shared some of my story about breaking my wrist while disco-skating. He had tripped over an electrical cord. He mentioned that he took three days before going to the hospital because although he felt some pain, there was very little swelling and he just thought he had sprained his wrist. He was surprised that he actually had broken a bone.

A few weeks later, my son broke his wrist while playing dodge ball at school. Same story with him: there was some pain and minimal swelling but no big egg-shaped swelling on the wrist and “sausaging” of the fingers like I had experienced the previous year. But with the story of the other man fresh in my memory, I decided to bring my son to the ER for an x-ray just in case. He was in a cast for 4 weeks.

A few hours after breaking my wrist,
still in the ER with disco glitter...
Can you see the egg shaped swelling
forming over the broken bone?

So then I realized how serious my injury had been. In comparison to these 2 new case studies, where there was only discomfort instead of pain that would make you pass out, and no swelling… I had won the prize so to speak for the biggest, baddest wrist injury around. Then I remembered how Reiki helped me reduce the pain and keep my intake of painkiller to a minimum during the first few days. I wasn’t surprised anymore that it took my body more than 4 weeks to heal since it had more work to do than for a simple fracture. I became actually amazed that it took only 7 weeks to heal now that I understood how messy the injury had been. I was finally able to move from disappointment in energy work in the matter of broken bones, into gratitude and love.

And so it is true that healing doesn’t always work in the way we wish it to work. In my case, I had wanted a full recovery in 4 weeks or less without understanding the gravity of the situation. When I realized it wasn’t happening, my faith in energy work wavered. What was I doing wrong that my request went unanswered? I wanted my will to be done without understanding the bigger picture…

Can you see that pattern in your life as well – wanting your will to be manifested instantly without an understanding of the fuller picture? Is it difficult for you to fully surrender to Spirit without wanting to control the outcome of a situation? Do you judge what should happen and are you disappointed when what you believe should happen does not manifest?

We all go there. It’s one of our lessons as humans.

I now feel more humble and grateful for the healing gifts I have. I know they work although it’s not always in the shape, type or timing I imagine. I am learning to “let go and let God” in an even deeper, more intimate and more grateful way than ever before.

Do you need help understanding the greater picture of a physical or emotional injury? I’ve been through a personal process and I have also guided many clients to more clarity, understanding and inner peace. I would love to have the opportunity to journey with you, too.

If you want to explore how we could be a good match to journey together, book your complimentary 30-minute Clarity Session. This link brings you straight to my calendar so you can book a time and date that is most convenient to you. I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Like riding your first giant roller coaster…

Last week, I watched a bit of television with my son. He was fascinated with the world of rollercoasters and extreme waterparks, how they are built and how they function. Meanwhile, I was tuning in to the feelings and mind mechanics of the people riding them.

As I watched the would-be riders size up the rollercoaster or giant water slide, the excitement and adrenaline was palpable. Their thought processes went from, “this is huge, it might break down as we’re riding, there may be a failure, I might pass out”… to “OK let’s do it!” And there’s always that one friend trying to convince the others that it will be fun. Once they choose to proceed, they release the stress while riding with their hands up and yelling their lungs out, and affirm they want to do it all over again. They say, “that was awesome! It wasn’t as bad as I thought! I’m so glad I did it!”

Many come to me with the wish to develop their spiritual gifts, including their intuitive and psychic abilities. And yet, as they ponder what’s on the other side of the door, so to speak, they feel fear, terror, anger and upset. They are afraid of opening up their intuition, for they fear the unknown – and they fear the Hollywood version of what being intuitive is all about. They are upset that they can’t easily communicate with loved ones who have crossed over – and yet they are afraid of ghosts and things that go bump in the night. They are angry with the system or with a religious background that taught that being intuitive is somehow evil. They are afraid to fail, or think they are not worthy. They put up their own barriers to their development. They self-sabotage because they unconsciously choose to sit in their fear instead of moving toward inner peace. Fear can be paralyzing. And addictive.

Many people just stare at the giant roller coaster of spiritual self-development and sit in that fear of riding it. They size up its immense potential. They don’t know if they’re worthy or capable of riding it. Not very many have the courage to face their fears and move on. Not many have the gumption to ride the wave while completely letting go, hands up in the air and yelling wheeeeee!

Are you staring up at that spiritual roller coaster with thoughts of fear and terror? Remember, these are only thoughts, and you can choose to think otherwise.

Trust me, riding the spiritual roller coaster is not as scary as it seems. You’ll be really glad to get onboard – and I can teach you how to do so in a way that is safe, grounded, gradual and fun! You’ll see how simple it really is. (I’m like that friend in the roller coaster series, standing with you until you find your courage to ride – and I’ll be riding beside you, holding your hand if I must!)

Are you ready to put your seatbelt on and go for the ride of your life? Ask me how! Let’s do this!

Sending you blessings of joy!

I am grateful for bird pooh

Really? How can that be? And how can that be spiritual?? How dare I go there?

The thing is, it’s often the small things in life that bear great gifts. It is also often the messy parts of our lives that bring forth treasures of courage, soul growth, and myriad blessings.

Surprise!  Black Raspberries from my garden.

This year, I decided I wouldn’t do a vegetable garden. Launching my business full time is taking a lot of time and effort and I decided I just didn’t have the energy or dedication to spend the required time outdoors weeding, planting, rearranging, watering… Nature decided otherwise.

Five rows of garlic came up, and just about as many onions – I had forgotten to harvest the bulbs last year. So did 2 potato plants, and a patch of carrot seeds that didn’t want to grow last year suddenly decided this was the year to grow. Then, hiding behind the garden shed is a treasure: a huge bush or two of black raspberries! They are so delicious and filled with sunshine, and unlike the seeds and bulbs I know I planted earlier, they came as a complete surprise. The seeds were probably dropped by a bird. Or a squirrel. Likely from their digestive tract…

And because business and spiritual development is always on my mind, it got me thinking: in life and in business, we often have to work through lots of… unpleasant things… to grow our dreams, goals and aspirations. When someone deals us less savoury comments or menial tasks, it is good practice to see how we can move through that and learn valuable life lessons and skills that will bring us closer to our objective. When life drops us an unexpected painful situation, it is good practice to become aware how that situation contributed to our character and growth as a person. We don’t see the benefits right away, and the life lesson isn’t immediately clear: like the seeds that work their way through manure to grow to their highest potential, we need to take a step back and allow life and energy to work its magic within us. We want to see results right away, when sometimes we need to wait for thought-seeds to grow and blossom at the most appropriate time.

Often, it is through unpleasant events, and when we expect it the least, that we find the best, biggest, juiciest surprises!

And so, as I eat a bowlful of sunny black raspberries, I give thanks to the bird who dropped the seeds last year. I give thanks for the surprise bounty of my garden. I give thanks to the less savoury bits of my life too because, in retrospect, I understand how they became fertile ground for growing my dreams, my gifts, my soul.

Can you spend some time today giving thanks for the pooh in your life? What bounty has grown of it? What is the lesson or the blessing?

I have many tools, meditations and mindset-shifting techniques I would love to teach you! I can work with you on changing your mindset and your perceptions. I can help you understand the soul lessons of your life.  I can surround you with the energy of Reiki that will nurture your soul.  Are you ready to feel more joy and abundance?

Sending you blessings of joy!

Opening the Channels to Abundance

Laughing Buddha, said to
help attract abundance. 

Clients are asking me how can they attract true abundance. As people who want to live with good spiritual ethics, we all know that true abundance is not necessarily money, but also rich relationships, joyful life experiences, opportunities for personal growth… yaddi yaddi yadda… but we also want money.

Here are five tips you can apply starting today to open your channels to abundance.

1. Face it: money is energy. What is that piece of paper without the value and energy we give it? Money represents our fears, our hopes and our social struggles. We demonize it or view it as a saviour. Find clarity about your relationship with money. If you believe that money is dirty, evil and the cause of all sins… you are energetically blocking your channel to abundance!  (New: watch a video with more tips and exercises to help you gain clarity on your relationship with money!)
2. Believe that you deserve money! Old beliefs about money and self-worth can be sticky and can trap us in a mindset of poverty. Change this energy of lack by celebrating all you can do with money. Feel joy and gratitude when you travel, when you pay a bill on time, when you treat yourself to something nice. Decide that you deserve to feel joyful. Decide that money is a form of energy that can help you experience fun, joy, freedom – and that you deserve to feel these emotions! 
3. Be clear on the amount you want to receive. If you need $500, clearly ask for that amount and believe you can and will receive it. Be specific! In my experience, Spirit has a weird sense of humour… The more specific you are, the more you enable Spirit helpers to manifest your requests. 
4. Money is a dance. We are all moving together in the dance of abundance. Money exchange is a dance of giving and receiving, and we have to play both roles. Bless money as it dances in your life. Enjoy receiving, and enjoy giving! 
5. Be open to receiving – with grace, joy and gratitude! One of the most common roadblock to abundance is the refusal to receive. We refuse help or assistance. We refuse gifts and compliments. We are full of excuses. When this happens, we actively send the message to Universe that we don’t deserve or want abundance. The energy of abundance is there for the taking – but you have to make the time to actively connect and feel this energy pouring into your life! Your first practice: I invite you to accept the gift I recently offered you for joining my mailing list! If you haven’t done so already, book your complimentary 15-minute Reading and 30-minute Clarity and Strategy session! 

I have many tools, meditations and mindset-shifting techniques I would love to teach you! I don’t have a magic wand and can’t promise you will win the lottery this week, but I can help you change how your perceive money and your relationship with the energy of abundance. It will take time and effort on your part, because you have to be willing to change and transform your mindset, and that’s like committing to going to a spirit-gym. Remember, however, that investing in yourself is time and money well spent because it primes the pump to true abundance!

Sending you blessings of joy!

July 2014 Oracle Card Reading

OOPS!  I lovingly prepared this video earlier this month and thought I had already shared it on my blog.  Good thing I checked and am sharing the insights before the end of the month!

View to see what the Oracle has to say about the energies of the month.  Please share how these guided messages apply to your life.

To schedule your personal Reading, go to my calendar!  Book before July 31st, 2014 and I will gift you with a complimentary 15-minute Reading!  I am looking forward to connecting more personally with your Energies and guides.

Frog's Message for Personal Transformation

In meditation last week, I tuned into the wisdom of the animal kingdom. Frog came forth as an animal totem to share a message rich in meaning for all star children, souls who feel they don't belong and everyone feeling the push and pull of the global transformation.

In my practice, I meet many souls who feels they don't belong. They tell me they *know* their soul has its origin elsewhere, and they long for this distant place and time even though they are unsure what it is. And because they feel they don't belong, they find life difficult to bear and feel confused or at a loss as to how to fit in when they're so different. They do judge themselves harshly and hold on to that feeling of being different and needing to be excluded from relationships and life in general due to this difference.

Frog wished to impart her wisdom to help heal these feelings of being different, especially in these times of personal and planetary transformation.

First, she showed herself as a tadpole and I felt her joy as she swam and explored her aquatic environment. Then, she became a frog. I felt her surprise, as if the transformation from tadpole to frog was quick and unexpected. She was longing and grieving for her tail and wondering what to do with her limbs. She was frozen, couldn't move, stuck between worlds.

Then, Frog realized that her tail was still there; it had been absorbed within her new body. It had taken a new form.  She felt a surge of courage and hope for the new day.  When she realized the potential and the gift of the present, she leaped onward and forward.  She rejoiced in her new froggy community, who was just waiting, beyond the edge, for Frog to leap into their circle.

From our human perspective, it's easy to tell the frog that changing from tadpole to frog is part of her natural evolution. She is called from birth to become a frog, to climb trees, jump, catch flies with her tongue.

From a higher perspective - are we reacting like this frog, stuck between what was and the full realization of our becoming? Is fear and confusion paralyzing us from moving forward? Are we longing for what was and forgetting to create a new life with new opportunities now? Do we react poorly when someone tells us to "just get on with it already!" Is this transformation business just too hard?  Are we judgemental, impatient and harsh when someone near us is undergoing a personal transformation or going through a grieving process?

You may be grieving the time when you were only a breath, a spirit in an other dimension.  You may be longing for a time past.  You might wish that things were just as they used to be... when you were young, before an accident, before a specific life event...

Realize that star dust is in your bones. Your body is created of the same atomic particles as the stars, the moon and the Earth. Your soul is now embodied in a different form. You are here to learn how to anchor the wisdom of the ages in this dimension, while remaining open to all the possibilities of the Cosmos.  You are Heaven and Earth united.  Realize that you DO belong in this moment, in this dimension, in this vibration.  You are meant to be here, now.

Your tribe is here, waiting for you. You are not alone. Take a deep, long breath then hop along and explore this world of ours. Your every action - and lack thereof - contribute to shaping this new reality into which we are collectively transforming. Make a bold move, and show yourself and the world how you belong. Make this place and time your own. Add your Light to the collective of Lightworkers!

Just like we can see the frog's potential in the tadpole, the divine and our Higher Consciousness knows our own potential. We're not done growing and discovering - but all that potential won't amount to much if we just sit and stare, frozen in fear and confusion. We are the ones, from within our very core, who must make this decision to leap forward.  We must reach out and get the help we need to strengthen our resolve and train us in using our potential!

Are you ready to hop along? I've done a few bounces already and a few big leaps since leaving my corporate work to manifest this dream of mine. I can help you and guide you along in your journey.  I have witnessed the amazing transformation in my clients once they started applying the lessons of their souls.  I believe in you and all your potential!  I can help hold the sacred space necessary for you to go from disgruntled and frozen to joyfully abundant. 

I am happy to offer you a 30-minute Strategy Session to help you plan your next right action for your overall spiritual wellbeing.  Discover your potential.  Discover your beauty.  Shine on!

Stuck in a rut? Try this technique to switch back to positive vibes!

How different would your life be if you started wondering about all the positive, creative and good-feeling outcomes instead of worrying and being angry? This technique is tried, tested and true!

The positive action of the week comes to you with a view of the Mediterranean, at Monaco. Remember to breathe deeply (yes, right now!) and to focus on your greatest good.

In my experience, when I feel stuck in a rut or a pattern focusing on what I don't want, it helps me hugely to call in my guides and angels, and to allow myself to wonder what it would feel like, be like, taste like... if the problematic situation would have a positive spin.

For instance, instead of focusing on lack of money, I could ask, "I wonder what I would feel like if I was able to pay all my bills on time, and have money left over to play." And then I would sit in that energy for some time, using all my senses to pretend what it would be like if it did happen. Then I tell my angels that indeed, I much prefer that alternative and could they help me release the current reality and create this new vision for myself, please and thanks.

This technique is also powerful for healing relationships. For instance, instead of focusing on lack of love, of attention, of affection or instead of focusing on questions like, "why can't he pick up his socks", or "why did he choose to be at his mother's instead of baking me a birthday cake?"... Profound healing can happen within by focusing on questions like these: "I wonder how it would feel like to be in a relationship where I truly felt valued, and where I would truly value my partner. I wonder how it would feel like if I felt celebrated. I wonder how different my world would be if I didn't have the need to take responsibility for all the housework."...

Try this technique. I swear to you it is healing! You'll discover new answers and new possibilities, and you will be opening doors to miracles in your life! The deepest form of prayer, especially for manifestation, is when you can feel the desired outcome in the present moment. But sometimes we are just too stuck, stunned and righteously angry to consider changing the current reality, and instead of praying we start having angry conversations with God and the Angels. These conversations, although they can help us vent and release, don't always trigger a positive outcome but rather accentuate the less-than-desirable reality because that's what we are focusing on when we talk or pray about our laundry list of what we don't like or want.

Using this technique foils the reptilian brain and involves the frontal cortex, so you can more easily switch to a positive, joyful manifestation of your life experience.

Love & Light! xo