Thoughts on Music...

I have been thinking about music lately.  Music has such a big influence on us as humans.  It has always been around, used in rituals, or just enjoyed.  When we celebrate we play music and sing songs and when we are sad we listen to music to help us through our sadness. Music stirs memories within us.

I also believe that music is like air on the other side.  I believe it is the language of Angels.  When I think of the other side I think of beautiful music always playing in the background and that our Souls  breathe it in.

I believe we breathe in music on earth as well. When you hear a song that touches your heart the feeling goes all through your body,  you  breathe in the music.  When you breathe in the music it stimulates emotion and feeds your Soul.  It can help you feel better, it can help you release your sadness, and it can propel you on toward your goals.

Athletes use music to get them ready to compete, they may have a song or a playlist that gives them energy and strengthens their resolve.  We all have a song or style of music that when played makes us feel like we can do anything.

Children love music from birth, they love to be sung to, and they love to listen to and sing songs.  Children understand music before they understand language.  I believe they know music from where they just came from and it comforts them to know it is on this side as well.

With the Holiday season upon us, enjoy the music being played.  Holiday music has a higher vibration, I believe that is why so many people love to listen to Christmas music, it lifts their vibration.

What is your favorite type of music?  Share your thoughts on music.

Happy Listening!

Meeting God in the grocery parking lot...

I had finished putting my groceries in my car and was starting to head for the cart drop off when one of the employees for the store waived to me and said that he would take the cart.  The employee was an older man who was wearing a red turban.  I have always wanted to know if there is a significance to the color of the turban.  I asked the man if he would mind if I asked him a question and proceeded to ask him about his turban color.  He said that the color of the turban was up to the wearer.  He then said that all colors have their meanings, red for love, white for peace, etc. He then began to tell me that he believes all religions are right and that we all believe in the same God, we just have different names for God.  He also said that there are four types of people, excellent, good, fair, and poor.  He said that he believes it is important to surround yourself with excellent and good people and that you will bring the type of person to you that is most similar to who you are, if you are an excellent, or good person, excellent and good people will be drawn to you.  He also said that as you become better you will notice that you do not associate with the poor (not financially) people.  They will leave your life and you will not miss them, you will be happy with the people now in your life.  He also said that he feels it is important to work (the job itself does not matter as long as you are happy doing it), work gives you the money to do the things you love.

Lately I have been thinking about my own beliefs and how I have stepped out of organized religion. I have always been fascinated with all beliefs and their customs.  I knew this man had to be sent from God. He was validating what I have come to believe.  He spoke with such ease and kindness, and also had a twinkle to his eyes.  He said he was from India and had lived in a few countries before coming to America. There are many people who would look at this man and the turban he wears and make judgements about his life and beliefs.  This is why it is so important to treat each other with respect and not be afraid to have a conversation with others who are different from you. You may be surprised at what they have to say.  Don't miss out on your conversation with God.

You ARE special...

If you are like me, you probably have a hard time believing you are special.  I remember being told when I was young not to ever think I was better than anyone else.  Who was I to think I was something special?  But the truth is, we are all special and we should not only believe it but live it.

I now know that when you realize the truth, that you are special, you begin to see everyone as special. It does not make you think you are better than others, it makes you appreciate your gifts and the gifts of others.  When you are happy with who you are you shine, and your light shines on others and they begin to see themselves as valuable.

If you haven't done so yet, take some time to look at how special you are and how your gifts help others.  EVERYONE, is special, BELIEVE it!

What gifts do you share with the world....

When in doubt, write a Eulogy...

When I think about losing someone I love I think about what would be said about them at their funeral.  I think about all the good things that make them special and how much love I have for them.  

I recently was wondering what I would do if I was asked to give a Eulogy for someone that I do not get along with or with whom I have issues.  So I thought about it and picked someone that I have a hard time understanding.  I thought about the nice things I know about that person and realized that I should get to know them a little better instead of judging them as a person. 

This experience led me to the realize that when in doubt about how you feel toward another, write a Eulogy.  Think about the positive side of the person, maybe he/she loves animals, is kind to the elderly, is great with kids,  or volunteers his/her time to help those less fortunate.  Maybe he/she has had a difficult life or is going through a tough time. If you don't know much about the person, ask.  This may be a way to get to know them better.  Think of it as research for the Eulogy.  You may be surprised and end up with a new friend or at least gain a deeper understanding of the person.

Sending you Love and Light...

The Love of an Animal...

I love to see posts on Facebook that involve animals, especially the pictures of animals smiling.  The smiles remind me that every living being has a Soul.  Animals give love -- unconditional love,   watch over us when we are sick, become our best friends, and save lives.  They even visit us from beyond.

Some people don't understand why animals are treated like humans and why people are so concerned about their care.  I find that those who feel this way have never had a pet or allowed a pet to enter their heart.

My first dog, Maxine, was a wire haired fox terrier that we rescued from a local shelter.  From the moment I saw her she entered my heart.  She was smart, funny, protective, and loving.  She stayed by my side when I was sick, and comforted me when I was in pain and could not sleep.  She taught me that  I was lovable, She loved me on my good days and my bad days.  She would go to each bedroom at night and open the door to make sure everyone was home.  When my Sons went to college she would lay by the door for the first few hours each time they left.  She missed them when they were away.  We were blessed to have Her with us for ten years.  When she passed it was one of the worst days in my life.  She was a part of our family.  

Even though she has passed she still visits us, we feel her on the bed, hear her collar jingling and her steps in the house, and have even seen her in the yard.

We have another wire haired fox terrier named Ginger.  We got Ginger as a puppy after Maxine had passed.  Ginger is also smart, funny, loving and protective.  I believe Maxine sent Ginger to help us heal.

I recently saw a teeshirt that said "when you rescue a dog you save two souls".  This is so beautiful and true. This is true of other animals as well.

What has your pet(s) taught you?  Share your stories...

Love and Light

The Oyster, Symbol for Soul Journey

I was recently talking to a woman who is into buying oysters for the pearls inside. She  enjoys opening the oysters to see what color and shape the pearl will be and giving them to her friends and family.  While she was telling me all about her new hobby I had an aha moment.  I thought that the oyster symbolizes our Soul journey during each lifetime.  We come into this lifetime with a body and personality (shell) and when we have to deal with problems or lessons (sand)  we take it inside and find the best way to deal with the situation, once we have dealt with the situation the lesson is put away.  In order to move on we have to look at what happened in the most positive light (cover the irritant sand with a coating).  Each time we learn a lesson and understand it happened for our greatest good we coat the sand and move on.  When our journey is over and the shell is no longer needed what is left is a beautiful pearl that represents all we have learned in this lifetime.   Some will have small pearls, and those who had the most lessons to learn will have the largest pearls. You may think that the oysters that have no pearls had no lessons to learn, but I think the oysters with no pearls lived so many lives and learned there lessons so well they don't let the sand irritate them and have no need to grow a pearl.

What are your thoughts on the oyster?

Inspiration at the checkout line...

I was grocery shopping today and the store was very busy.  I was looking for a checkout line to get in and I saw a woman with a shirt that said "Faith not Fear".  I loved the shirt, it reminded me of the spiritual message that here on earth there is only Fear and Love and that Love is the only thing that is real.  I connected the word Faith with Love and I thought the shirt should read Love not Fear, but that got me thinking.... the word Faith is probably more acceptable to most than the word Love.  People seem to be weirded out when the word "Love" is used.  I think they may have been taught or learned somewhere that Love is mushy romantic feelings or just a  "New Age" term being used too much.  They may feel that to Love others means you have to be all touchy feely with them.  That is not the case.  We Love each other simply by respecting each other and by caring about what happens to others.  It can be as simple as feeling compassion for people injured in an accident or praying for those killed in an explosion.  It can also be holding the door for the person behind You.  Love can be as simple and complex as you want to make it.  As corny as it may sound, Love is what makes the world go round.  I suggest you try to use the word Love more in your conversations, see how it feels.  I bet you will begin to feel lighter and much more happy.  Try it and let me know what happens. 

Love and Light!!

Divine Guidance...

I have been thinking about Divine Guidance and how it shows up in our lives.  Some people think that Divine Guidance can only come in the form of a burning bush or a vision but we are Divinely guided every day.  Divine Guidance can be the coffee that spills on the counter and makes you head out the door a few minutes late only to realize that you just missed a serious traffic accident.  It can also show up as a billboard or sign along your route to work that reminds you to make a doctor appointment or call a friend you haven't spoken to for some time.  It can be a song that answers a prayer or question that is on your mind.  One morning I was in my car getting ready to leave for work, I asked Michael the Archangel to protect me through my day, I turned on the car and my radio began playing the song  One Call Away by Charlie Puth.  I heard, I'm only one call away, I'll be there to save the day, Superman got nothing on me, I'm only one call away.  I started to laugh and cry with joy, my prayer was being answered.    Divine Guidance can also come in our dreams, one night I had a dream I was at work and there were people I knew from work and some of my family members at my workplace, when I woke up I remembered all the people who were in my dream.  I knew there was a reason I remembered all the different people in the dream.  I thought about the connection of the people, what they had in common, they all had the same astrological sign, Taurus.  At that moment I heard, there is a lot of bull around you.  I laughed out loud.

We are Divinely Guided everyday, think about the ways you are guided.  Share your stories of Divine Guidance in the comment section.

Love and Light.

Forgiveness...can be a tough one...

Forgiveness can be a tough one, when we think of forgiveness we usually think it means we are saying that it is o.k. that someone treated us badly, but that is not the case.  Forgiveness is a blessing for the person who was hurt, it allows you to let go of the hurt and burden that you carry from the incident.  It gives you the freedom to live without past hurt, and that is an amazing way to live.  When you forgive you are not saying that it is o.k. for someone to hurt you, you are saying that you are letting it go for your own Soul to move forward in the most positive way.  You can forgive someone and step away from them at the same time, you can let them know that what was done was not right and that you will not tolerate that type of behavior.  Sometimes forgiveness can bring people closer, some people hurt because they were hurt, that is no excuse, but it is an explanation.  If you show them love and forgiveness it can change them for the better.

Remember Forgiveness = Freedom!

Christmas music already?.....

I am someone who likes to play Christmas music throughout the year.  I mix it in with my music on my IPod and add it to the shuffle when I am listening to Pandora at work.  I do it when I need a lift, the songs always seem to lift my Spirit.

I was on my way to work this morning and O Holy Night began to play on my IPod.  I always get very emotional when I hear that song.  I love the part of the song that goes:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining
 'Til he appeared and the Soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees

O hear the Angel voices
O night Devine...

What powerful words.  I think about how our Souls pine for God, we search for answers and wait to hear from God.  When we finally recognize the existence of our God, Creator, or whatever you call your Source, your Soul feels its worth, it is aware that it is worthy of love.  That moment of recognition is when we fall on our knees, we surrender it all to our Source and we can hear the Angel voices.  We understand that all there is, is Love. 

Proof of Oneness.....

Recently at a meeting of a Spiritual Group, of which I am a member, there was a discussion on Oneness.  This is a topic that is often discussed in our Group.  One of the Members was discussing water and how it is important to us in more ways then we know, and how it is important to everything.  This reminded me of an article I read a few years ago (not sure of the author or where it was published).  The article was on the subject of water molecules and their link to our being.  The main gist of the article was that we are mostly water and that the water molecules that are part of our being are connected with all water molecules and that we can communicate with the water molecules.

The article went on to give a way to prove this connection.  The proof was in the ability of a person to communicate with a cloud and ask it to disperse.  How this is done is that you focus on a cloud in the sky and you ask the water molecules that are in your being to communicate with the water molecules of the cloud and you ask the cloud to disperse for you.  This may seem far fetched, but I tried it, and it worked!  I focused on a cloud, I chose a smaller cloud, and I asked the water molecules in me to connect with the water molecules in the cloud and asked the cloud to disperse.  I watched the cloud thinking it would probably not happen, and all of a sudden the cloud began to fade away.  I thanked the cloud and the molecules for showing me that it was possible.

To me this is just more proof of our Oneness, we are all connected to each other and to everything in our universe.

Next time you are relaxing by the pool or at the beach, give it a try.  Let me know what happens.

As always, Love and Light!

A few words on The Word....

I have a shower curtain in my upstairs bathroom that has some inspirational quotes on it.  The other day I was looking at the curtain and one of the quotes reminded me of some notes I had written for myself quite some time ago.  The quote is "The grass will wither and the flowers may fall, but God's Word will live forever". Isaiah 40:8.

God's Word, what do you think of when you hear God's Word?  I think the general understanding of the term would be the words in the Bible or in any of the Holy Books. I believe that God's Word can be heard in many ways.  I believe God's Word is every song that has been sung, every poem ever written, every note ever played, every dance ever danced, and every loving touch that has been given.  It is also heard in the, laughter of children,  chirping of the birds,  sounds in the wind, and raindrops. Any sound that makes you feel deep inside your Soul is the Word of God. 

Have you ever been touched by a song, poem, or dance?  Has the loving touch of another at just the time you need it most ever melted your heart?  I believe God's Word is not just in the Holy Manuscripts, it is in everything at all times.  If we listen with our hearts we cannot miss the sound of God.  Even in the silence we can hear God. 

Think of all the times you have heard God's Word..... What is it saying to You?

Inspiration from a Ghost Box...

I picked up a friend to go to a class on Reincarnation I have been attending.  My friend had purchased a new app for her phone which is a ghost hunting app.  One of the features is a program that allows Spirit  to use words on the device.  The device was running in the car while we were on our way to pick up more classmates.  It began to say words.  I was wondering if it would answer a question I posed in my thoughts.  I asked, in my head, if the teacher that was giving the class is the image of one of my Spirit Guides. 

Some background on the question -- one night while asleep, I was given the opportunity to meet two of my Spirit Guides.  One of the Guides, the most experienced one, was shown to me as an older man with white hair, tall, serious but kind face, and was dressed in a shirt and tie. I realized after beginning the reincarnation class that the teacher is the image of my Guide, with the exception of the shirt and tie.  My teacher has a more relaxed wardrobe.  Back to the question...

After I asked the question in my head the device said Sacred.  I was floored.  I had not told my friend that I was asking a question in my head.  I then told her what I did and she was excited.

That word got me thinking.  My relationships with my guides are Sacred, my relationships with my family are Sacred, my relationship with the teacher of the class is Sacred, this teacher, through conversations and information in the class, has triggered many aha moments in regard to my spiritual journey.  I started thinking about all the Sacred relationships in my life. 

That made me think about the times when you hear someone say something like "Be careful not to upset that person they are very Sacred to someone" or "Be careful not to break that, it is very Sacred to someone".  We all have many Sacred people and items that remind us of someone we love.  We cherish them and do not want that Sacredness destroyed on tarnished by another.  What if we realized that everyone is Sacred just by being alive, and that they are also Sacred to others.  Maybe we would think twice about how we treat them and would be more respectful of them just because they are Sacred.  After all, we all are part of God, that alone proves we are all Sacred.

Let us all look for the Sacredness in each other.  Love and Light.

When the Student is ready...

There is a quote by Lao Tzu that is “When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready... The teacher will Disappear.”. This quote has been popping up quite often for me.  It makes me think about my Spiritual Journey and when I met one of my greatest Teachers. 

About seven or so years ago I was dealing with severe back problems,  I was literally on the floor for approximately seven months.   I was in severe pain and could not sit or stand for very long periods of time.  Without going into all the nasty details, it took quite some time to get the right doctor and heal.  That time was extremely tough to get through but somehow I new it was something I had to deal with and that God was putting me on the floor for a reason.  Having to spend so much time in one position and not being able to do anything but be still made me listen. 

Sometime during the first couple months of pain my Mother told me I should go to a Healer that she had heard about from a close friend.  I was willing to try anything and immediately made an appointment.  I went to the Healer with the expectation of having my physical body healed but what happened was much more profound than that.  I arrived at the Healer's home and immediately felt like it was a safe place for me to be.  She began her healing session and I new that this was not about the physical healing as much as is was about healing my Soul.  I had a feeling that I had known this woman before and that I was meant to meet her.  After that session I dealt with the pain but realized something else was happening.   I began to read books on the story of the Buddha, books written by the Dali Llama, The Bhagavad Gita, and books by Deepak Chopra, to name a few.  I was on a quest for knowledge and peace.  I started to connect my life experiences with my Spiritual Journey. 

About seven months into the illness I was sent to a surgeon who did a quick surgery to relieve the pressure on my spine.  This operation did not fix the problem and I went into a deep depression from the thought of not getting better and all the medications that the doctors had me taking to try and relieve the pain.   My husband made sure that the first Doctor referred us to a surgeon who could fix the problem. We were sent to a surgeon who fixed my back problems.

After I was back in the swing of life and out of physical pain I made another appointment with the Healer and after that I  returned to her a third time, and when I was there I told her that I felt I was supposed to be a Healer.  She said that she new that from the first time I was at her home but that I had to have that knowing without her telling me.  From that day forward she was not just my Healer but my Teacher.  She now is  my Teacher, Mentor, and most importantly, Friend.  I am now a Reiki Practitioner and my world has opened up.  My Teacher appeared when I was ready to learn. 

I also feel that since I have opened up Spiritually I find that when I have experiences that I cannot explain or need to make sense of, I will meet someone who can answer my questions and give me guidance.

I believe that Teachers appear to us throughout our lifetime until we are ready to see who we truly are, once we know our true selves the Teacher will disappear.   I believe we then become the Teacher.

The Journey to Remember...

We come into this world and immediately begin to learn, how to talk, walk, speak, etc.  We are continually learning how to be a human.  We are told and shown by example how humans behave and are told what to believe.  We strive to learn as much as possible, we go to school to get diplomas and read books on subjects that we are told are important to be successful. 

But what we may not realize is that we already know everything.  Our Soul is part of God and we know everything when we arrive, we begin to forget when we are told what to learn and believe.  When we have the experience that something we were taught does not sit right with us and does not ring true we are remembering what we already know to be true.  Our instinct is so valuable, it gives us clues to remember, little nudges or twinges in the stomach when we hear something off or do something that is not true to who we are.

We think that we live this life to continually learn but in reality we are here to remember.  Our journey is to live a human life while remembering what and who we are when we enter this lifetime.

It can take a lifetime to forget what has been learned and remember what has always been.

What have you remembered?

Let's talk about Love...

With Valentine’s Day upon us I thought it appropriate to talk about Love. When Valentine’s Day nears everyone thinks of romantic love.  Who will be my Valentine?  I wish I had a Valentine, etc., however they seem to forget about the most important person to love, oneself.

Why is it so hard to love yourself?  It is so much easier to have compassion for others than it is to feel it for yourself.  Is it just because we have been taught that it is selfish to care about yourself, that you should put others first?  I am realizing that when we put others first and give others the love we do not give ourselves we are stealing from our own self-worth.

I have learned that loving others without loving myself only makes me feel less valuable, always questioning if others love me and wanting them to show that they care, when what I really need to do is love myself and do things that are good for my soul, that way it will not matter if others love me or not, my self-worth will be self-given.

When we love ourselves we don’t have the nagging self-doubt, the criticisms constantly playing in our head, it is then much easier to give love to others.  It is easier to give ourselves fully to others when we are not constantly judging ourselves and critiquing every move we make.  If we see the love in ourselves then we will see the love in everyone.  We all deserve to be loved. 

This Valentine’s Day do something nice for yourself, look in the mirror and appreciate the person looking back at you. 

Calling All Angels...

The song Calling All Angels by Train has always had personal meaning to me.  Today I was on my way home from the grocery store and was listening to the song.  I got the sense that I was to send a message out.  Here goes...  

The words to the song are very powerful and have meaning to all of us at different times in our lives. The song tells us to make the call, ask the Angels to show us signs that things will work out and that they will be with us through the tough times.  This is especially true now.  We as a nation and a world are going through massive changes.  How we handle these changes will define our future and the future of our children and grandchildren.  We need to look at each other as loving souls sharing the same world.  If there are changes you would like to see be made, get out there and do something positive to make the change.  Before getting angry at the opposing side do your research on the matter at hand.  Have intelligent conversations on the issues instead of heated arguments that contain no factual information.  We need to ask for the courage to make changes in the most respectful way. 

To me, some of the most powerful lines in the song, in regard to current times, are;

I need a sign to let me know you're here
All of these lines are being crossed over the atmosphere
I need to know that things are gonna look up
'Cause I feel us drowning in a sea spilled from a cup
When there is no place safe and no safe place to put my head
When you feel the world shake from the words that are said

Our words are the most powerful tool we have for change and they must be used for the greatest good, not used to demean or degrade others. 

If you are not sure what to do to make things better, I have a suggestion --  Be the Light, shine your Light on others, be peaceful, be loving and always look for the Light in others.  This may seem simple but it is the most powerful thing we can all do for this world.  Call the Angels they will answer.

Calling All Angels

Train

I need a sign to let me know you're here
All of these lines are being crossed over the atmosphere
I need to know that things are gonna look up
'Cause I feel us drowning in a sea spilled from a cup

When there is no place safe and no safe place to put my head
When you feel the world shake from the words that are said

I need a sign to let me know you're here
'Cause my TV set just keeps it all from being clear
I want a reason for the way things have to be
I need a hand to help build up some kind of hope inside of me

And I'm calling all angels
I'm calling all you angels

When children have to play inside so they don't disappear
And private eyes solve marriage lies cause we don't talk for years
And football teams are kissing Queens
And losing sight of having dreams
In a world that what we want is only what we want until it's ours

I'm calling all angels
I'm calling all you angels

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaG9SDxwPBg&list=RDTaG9SDxwPBg#t=0
 

What Dreams May Come...

I have always been a dreamer, day dreams and sleeping dreams.  My sleeping dreams have always been vivid, sometimes terrifying, and other times awesome.   Dreams can connect us to loved ones who have passed on and also to our higher selves.  During our dreams we receive messages and information needed to continue our journey here on earth.  I would like to share a few of my dreams that have helped me on my journey.

When I was 16 my Father passed away in front of me. I could not save him and was traumatized by his death and felt guilt over not being able to save his life.  A few nights after he passed away he came to me in a dream.  We walked down a familiar street and had a conversation.  He told me that it was his time to go and that I would not have been able to save him.  This message from my Father helped me to cope with his passing,  Being human, I still had grief and guilt for many years, but having that conversation with him after his passing kept me moving forward in my life.

One of the most awesome dreams I have had was not too long ago.  In the dream I was standing in the side yard of the house I grew up in, and as I looked up in the sky I saw that a fierce storm was brewing.  The clouds were dark and there was lighting headed my way.  A bolt of lighting hit me and I could feel myself falling out.  I was afraid and told God I was not ready to go yet, then all of a sudden the whole universe opened up to me. I saw all the information about the universe, there were equations and scientific information  bombarding me and I knew what it all meant. All the information about existence was available to me in that time and I understood it all.  At that point I said to God, "if this is what dying is like I am o.k.to go".  At that point I woke up.  I realized that dream was another step in my spiritual journey.  We all have the secrets of the universe within us, we just have to go inside and remember.

Pay attention to your dreams, there are messages in them for you.  What are some of your dreams?