I knew it was really time to wake up when our family was rear-ended on January 1st, heading to my mother’s for New Year’s dinner. My two children were in the back seat, and my husband driving. A dear old man who had just turned 80 years of age didn’t see us in the twilight and we heard the brakes squealing right before the hit occurred.

My poor children were so scared, and me in my shock began swearing like a truck driver (no offense to truck drivers!), and then I realized I was hurt. I took the brunt of the hit. It has been many months of healing, mostly physical, and I’m still in it. However this so-called “terrible event” has had many gifts along the way.

I discovered that making time to heal my physical body was a barrier that I didn’t really know I had. I would say, oh yeah - I need to stretch and make appointments for physio and massage…but I would procrastinate at the same time. It was a subtle sabotage towards well- being.

Then I took the Basic and Advanced PSYCH-K trainings….and wow, it has rocketed me forward to living an authentic life, accepting who I am really and taking giant baby steps towards my healing and my life purpose. That was in March/April this year. After all the balances and soul work from PSYCH-K, I experienced a determination in my healing I had not felt before. I had so many synchronistic events that happened one after the other. I found a Physiotherapist through my Registered Massage Therapist, and it lead me to a physio clinic where I am now holding my PSYCH-K and coaching sessions. It was all happening so fast! With each person I met, each experience that occurred - both positive and negative, I began to ask myself the question “What and Why?”. What is happening? Why did I meet this person? What is the meaning in this? And in each answer, I discovered my gift. To find meaning in the apparent meaning-less was so exciting!!!

So what is the purpose of it all?

It indicates to me that the universe is offering us ALL incredible opportunities every day, every moment. It is time to ‘let go’ (yeah, I know, 2 words that you keep hearing…me too) and I mean REALLY let go…..even if it is releasing the clutter in our house, or the old photos and letters from the past, or surrendering to all the signs telling you to go in this direction or that. And you do have a gift!!! Each of us has a unique natural ability to offer and it is part of your/my purpose to accept this. It doesn’t matter that you can’t put a label on it - your gift could be being a mother or father or uncle or aunt, or volunteering at a seniors’ facility, or rescuing a dog from it’s negligent owner. Perhaps it’s speaking up when no one else will. No matter what it might be, there is no big or small purpose….each one of us on this planet has a gift which will bring Light to those around us. Every One of US!

Please….there is no better time than the present to feel the fear and DO IT anyway, with love.

My invitation to you is this:

Imagine you are writing to a child seven generations in the future.
What you would say to her? What would you tell him about what you are doing in your life to create a future for both yourself and that future child? What would you tell her about what it is like to live during this time on our planet? My child’s name is Akasha. She is a young girl, about 9 years old. And I write to her for inspiration when I feel like perhaps there IS nothing I can do to change our world. She gives me the courage to move past my barriers. She gives me the freedom to make choices from my heart. What am I doing and WHY? This idea to write to a future child was offered by Dr. Kathleen Forsythe, who created a Hope Chest, in which she places these letters to her child, Hope, and other items that she believes Hope will need in her future. I, too, will engage in this project with my family, and would love for you to consider it as well. In the future, if you like, I will share with you a letter or two to my future child. I would love to read your letters and know about your experiences with this wonderful exercise.

I hope that by taking a moment to write to a child seven generations ahead, you will receive a gift for your own Self. Something to help
you let go of the past, live in the present, and remember the future.
Remember, you ARE an ancestor already. So what will you do NOW with that context?

Thank you for your time…..in gratitude.

Marielle

It is now time more than ever to infuse love and light into these situations.

Lately is seems that no matter who I am talking to or where I am, there is a discussion going on about “How things are”. Generally these discussions are rather negative in nature.

Whether its gas prices, wars, government, pharmaceutical companies or climate change, the discussion inevitably turns into an us vs. them type of debate. Actually, debate doesn’t even come close to describing it properly; it is not a debate at all. Most people in our society agree; things appear to be a mess – no debate required.

The purpose of this article is to help us all understand what dynamic is at play here. With understanding will come change.

Everything that goes on in our world is what it is because of our perception of it. It IS what we make it.

What if a whole bunch of people in the world all changed their perception at the same time? Do you think it would create a shift in the consciousness of many of the souls on our planet? Do you think this might be of assistance to the entire process of ascension for our human species? Do you think that it would create change in our world?

The best place to start with this is with the realization that we are all one. We are all a part of the same energy. What ONE feels and projects, ALL feel, whether consciously or unconsciously.
Almost everyone on planet earth has some sort of challenge going on. The world and her people are on a path of ascension. There will be a time in the not too distant future when there will be a critical mass and a great deal of the people on earth with no longer perceive things only in a 3D reality. Already there have been scientists studying Quantum Physics and explaining through science how energy works. Even to the point of explaining how perceptions and thoughts create our lives and change how our brain works, and how psychics and 6th Sense Energy really works.

More and more people are listening to what has normally been called “intuition”. People are starting to trust that there is more to this place than the 3D viewpoint shows us. So many are moving, or have already moved, into a space where the 4th or 5th dimensions are already a part of their mainstream reality.

There are many people in the news lately that are playing a critical role in this game we call life on earth. Without them, there would not be this ‘reality shift’.

Most of the people involved in politics/wars/drugs/pollution, the list goes on, are firmly entrenched in the 3D reality. Take it from someone who has not been in 3D reality for most of her life, it is not a pleasant place to be.

Those who are perceived to be in power at the moment are very afraid of losing it all. They are (mostly) very firmly entrenched in their 3D reality. The only things they believe in are power, control, money and the like.

Imagine for a moment that you are George W. Bush. You have been raised in a time and come from a family background where 3D reality is all there is. Your parents, grandparents and all those around you truly believe that all of your power comes from without. You come from a background and upbringing that tells you that you are not safe in this world. That there is lack everywhere and that there is not enough to go around. It’s a kill or be killed world where the only way to survive is to have power and control over others. You are led to believe that this life is all you have – period. You have no recollection of the light and where you came from. You are basically operating in the dark with no knowledge (remembrance) of the light from which we all came.

You are surrounded by people that are telling you what to do. People think you are in power, but really you aren’t. The (perceived) “power” comes from those around you.

How scary would that be for you, to be in that position? Each and every one of us on planet earth at the moment are here for a reason. You have chosen to be here for a reason whether you recognize it or not.

All of the people in government, the war mongers, terrorists, gas company executives, heads of pharmaceutical companies, polluters are also here for a reason.

No one on Earth is here without prior knowledge on a Soul Level of what they need to do. It does not matter if you remember consciously or not – your soul KNOWS.

We ALL, with our thoughts, feelings and energy have an impact on what is happening on our planet.
Now is the time that the planet and her inhabitants have chosen to move into a higher dimension (vibration if you like), an expansion of consciousness. Many children are being born that have more knowledge or senses than in the past. This is a part of the evolution of humanity.

Those that appear to be in power at the moment have truly sacrificed a lot to come to earth in that state to help facilitate the changes.

People are getting fed up with high prices, wars, terrorism and the way that “the powers that be” are trying to control them. Imagine being the one that is in ‘perceived’ control. Imagine having all that negative energy sent your way on a constant basis. It must be hard.

The only way for change to happen is if people get upset with the way things are. If the world was not perceived to be so messed-up right now, chances are that very few people would bother lobbying for change.

The thing is, so many things are out of balance (or “off the charts messed up”), that there are very few who are actually sitting back accepting things as status quo. This is a good thing. However, there is no longer the need for anger from the people.

Things WILL change. Things ARE changing. The best, easiest, fastest way to change things is to send them LOVE. In order to create calm and peace, Love is the only way. It is important to know and remember, what we focus on we create. This is backed up by Quantum Physics.

By slagging the way things are, all that is being accomplished is sending out more negative energy. Things need our positive energy and love to change in the ways that we want them to.

Rather than saying “They are wrong”, or jerks (gas company executives, George W. Bush etc.), why not see them as the souls they are and try saying “Wow, they sure have chosen a difficult path in this lifetime”. They have no knowledge (remembrance), of home. Of the light that we are all a part of. I can only imagine what a scary place that must be.

Let’s send them some love, for without them, things would not be changing and evolving the way they are meant to.

If we make a conscious decision to FIGHT global warming, we are creating a fight. If we help to wage a “Fight against Cancer” we are creating a fight. “War on Terror” = WAR; “War on Drugs” = WAR.
What about focusing on “being healthy” instead of “fighting disease”, peace instead of war.

It’s important to remember too, that as we become more aware and more 5th dimensional, the greater are our powers of manifestation. The more we remember where we came from the closer we are to connecting to Source Energy. The closer and more connected we are to Source, the more powerful our ability to create our reality becomes.

Why insist on creating fights and wars? So much time and energy spent on fights. It’s a shame. Just imagine if all of the energy that was directed at fighting was instead directed at creating peace and harmony.

We are very capable of creating whatever we desire here on earth. Let us all create from Love instead of Fear and Anger.

Emotional Detachment.  Eliminating personal stakes. How would these two intentions for living change your life?

It’s simple. It’s about making choices for YOU and you alone.   And accepting that what is manifested and created is for YOU and you alone.  We can understand it in theory and intellectually, but what does it mean to live this way? To BE this way? To FEEL this?

Well, firstly, let’s talk about what these are NOT.  It’s about NOT making a choice based on another’s judgement.  It’s NOT in the expectation that if you choose something you will receive another’s love or acceptance.

It IS about looking inside first.  It IS about trusting yourself and knowing that the choices you make are because you LOVE you. Simple.

Let’s talk about Emotional Detachment.

To be detached emotionally does NOT mean we have no emotions, or hide our feelings.  It does NOT mean we do not feel love or compassion; it does not mean we are totally indifferent and show no care; it is only that we are not influenced or triggered by our surrounding circumstances, in particular, those wise and wonderful human beings who make up our relationships.

An emotional attachment is a situation where we perceive there to be a win and a lose.  Our emotional body believes, yet again and again, that we are ’supposed’ to receive a certain “high” feeling or positive response – and when it doesn’t occur, our emotions kick in, usually negative.

Perhaps our Ego kicks in because of this perceived loss or negative emotion and it chooses certain actions that bring on more suffering.  Our Ego loves to suffer.  It means IT gets to be in control and can continue to blind our Essence from seeing that in truth we have no need to suffer any longer.  Suffering is an illusion…it’s not something we were meant to create.  But sometimes love is far more feared and suffering more comfortable.

Being responsible for the choices we make is the key.  Imagine being conscious and a witness to what we are choosing so that it is based on our true purpose?  This is an ultimate freedom that we may begin to experience by releasing our personal stakes in life.

So what’s a personal stake?

A personal stake creates a situation quite similar to gambling.  There is a win and a lose.  It is black and white.  You lose some and you win some.  We live in a world of duality and when we have an expectation or perceived experience that we “should” win and NOT lose, then the personal stake is created and controls the outcome.

If only we allowed ourselves a moment to be detached from outside influences, once in a while, we would see the truth.  It means that I am choosing to do things, say things, or be a certain way because it comes from within, not because I think my mother or husband said it’s how I “should” be.  Or even my perceived perception that they are expecting me to be that way and so I act upon it !!!   Crazy stuff.

Having emotional detachment and eliminating personal stakes means having the FREEDOM to choose to create a life of joy and love because THAT is what drives us. Discovering what your values are and living by them.  Joy.  Love.  Passion.  Learning.  Family.  Abundance.  Health.  Spirituality.  Creativity.  Dance.  Children.  Teaching.  The list goes on and on.  There is no perfect value, only yours.  I often get asked “Who’s driving the bus?” when it looks like chaos is about to be unleashed and I’m questioning my life path….but the question I like to ask is “What is driving me?”

Because in reality, WE are NOT driving the bus! We are being driven by our Purpose – which has flow, integrity, love, freedom, beauty, joy, meaning and spirit (and so much more!). Our purpose is driving us even when we don’t think we know what our purpose is!!  BUT life will show you – in many many ways.  Taking conscious action is where we are able to guide the journey.

When we allow ourselves to let go, to truly release OTHERS (be it society, our parents, our siblings, our partners, our stories, our history, our right to have, our right to choose, etc.) and ALL those things OUTside of ourselves, then we begin to choose what, how, when, where and with whom we live our lives and become truly free.  Our purpose begins to show itself more and more.

Now you have the opportunity to eliminate and begin to dissolve the personal stakes you have in your life.  To look at and release the emotional attachments that create suffering.  Detach from the actions of another – in other words, remember that their actions have nothing to do with YOU – and that you hold the key to your freedom.  Allow yourself to be driven by one thing – your Purpose.  BE THE CHANGE.  And if you feel like you still have to ask the question, “What is my Purpose?”, well, at this point it doesn’t really matter.  Trying to figure it out means your Ego only wants more control, not flow.  It will show up, this is inevitable.

So be with the flow  Ride the wave.  Enjoy the ride of life in all its splendour.  Trust in the process.  Love the journey.  Embrace your freedom.  Live your Purpose.

With peace,

Marielle Smith

This article is a beginning. It addresses the emotional and logical reasons for weight gain. There is another aspect to it though. Energy.

I have written this article to show what it is that enables the Chakra energy centres to get out of whack. This usually happens slowly over time. Most women end up wondering where they went. They remember how they used to be, but they don’t know how to get it back because they have no energy.

Once recognized, women can use energy work and a balancing of the Chakras to get their old selves back.

I will be doing another article on how the Charkas work and which ones will likely need the most attention in order to balance the Chakras and begin to heal and get your old self back. For now, hopefully this article provides some explanation as to what is happening.

There can be a lot of different reasons for why a woman will gain weight after marriage, but most of them are not what people think. This is a very misunderstood subject. This article applies to a very large portion of the population. Please note though that there are exceptions to this, I certainly don’t want to paint 100% of the population with the same brush.

Women gaining weight after they get married usually has nothing to do with the fact that they have finally snagged a man, and they can relax now, they don’t need to `try` anymore. That must be the biggest MYTH of all! It is mostly a myth that men have made up to make themselves feel better.

Men change much more than women do at the beginning of a serious relationship (no matter what anyone tells you). Men change first without realizing it, and when the woman follows suit it usually manifests in such a way that she gets blamed for `letting herself go`.

Depression can cause a woman to gain weight. When relationships start, usually the man tries rather hard to impress the woman. Once married, a woman is no longer the centre of the man’s attention. Sometimes they don’t hear “you are beautiful”, or “I love you” as much. Even if the woman does get to hear the words, the man’s actions have changed and the words have less meaning than they had before. Women need to feel the words….as much as to hear them. Women are very feeling creatures. When they don’t hear the words and get the physical contact (hugs, holding hands etc.), they get sad. Women internalize things. The first place their head goes is to “what did I do wrong”, or “he’s bored with me already”.

Men generally focus on one thing at a time. Once a man ‘gets’ a woman to marry him, he can now get on with focusing on his next ‘task’. The focus will often switch to work (or home, or family/kids, whatever). He has successfully impressed his wife. He can now move on to the next thing. He can go out and work hard and provide for his new family unit. What a success, he’s done it!!! He has grown up and started a family.

At this point, many women just crash. Where has all the romance and love gone? He used to be so attentive and now he barely notices me?

Anger - Women want what they had before they got married.

Men got what they want - the woman. Its time for them to move onto the next thing on their list of things to conquer.

Women aren’t likely to ask for attention. At least not in a way a man can understand it. Women talk around an issue. If they don’t come right out and say EXACTLY what they mean, then men won’t have a clue. When women dance around the issue and aren’t clear about it then men will often dismiss what the woman has said.

Example: A woman says “we never go out anymore”. A man hears this, thinks about all the time they have spent together (the movie last month, dinner with the in-laws 2 weeks ago, the walk last weekend), and dismisses it as not true. She’s just talking nonsense. What she really means is that she would like to spend some more quality time with him and would like some attention and to feel important, however that’s not what she said so he did not hear it. Women think the man isn’t listening which equates to him not caring. That’s when they may start to get angry.

Women often need to hear words to help them feel attractive. When they are single, they are often around single men that give them attention. Now that they are in a relationship, the only person they want to hear that from is their man. He figures he doesn’t need to say it….after all, he wouldn’t have married her if he didn’t find her attractive.

Most women only want to attract the man they already have. Sometimes they even feel guilty if they get attention from men who are not their husbands. That’s not really what they want anyway. They want the attention from the man they love.

This may come as a surprise to a lot of people (or not), but a lot of men stop or slow down the amount of sex they want. Remember, they are focused on other stuff now. Work often takes the front seat and sex and intimacy go by the wayside. This can really mess a woman up. Especially because what is put out there is that men can never get enough. There are differences from person to person of course, and age has something to do with it, but when a man stops wanting sex it can really mess with a woman’s head. Most women want and like sex as much as men do! This is especially around the age of 40. Most women can’t get enough at 40. Most men at 40 think that sex is no longer important. Their testosterone levels have likely dropped and sex goes from #1 on their list of important things, right down to the bottom of the list. They often think “I’m mature now, not a kid anymore, sex doesn’t matter”.

Some women are actually afraid to get attention from men outside their marriage. They are afraid at what might happen if they feel ignored at home and someone starts to show an interest in them and help them feel sexy and alive again. They want that from their husband, not someone else.

This can be especially difficult if there’s not enough sex at home. If they are walking around wanting sex all the time they certainly don’t want to be tempted — they love their husband and he is what they want.

Other things that also happen in the more concrete sense when two people get married are as follows:

• Women stop taking care of themselves, and start to take care of their men.
• Single women take time for themselves. Whether its time for friends or for the gym. Once men are married and their focus goes elsewhere, women want to take all the time they can to be with them. Even if it means being at home at night with their husband sitting on the couch. They want the closeness. If they feel like they rarely get to see you, they don’t exactly want to take off for 2 hours three times a week to go to the gym, they would rather be with their guy.
• Remember when you were dating and she said “If I ate like you I would weigh 250 pounds”.
• Single women won’t eat dinner if they have gone out and had a big lunch. When they are married, they want to be able to sit and have dinner with their man. They will even sit down and eat with him if they aren’t hungry — just to spend the time with him.
• The fridge and cupboards often get stocked with stuff that most single women wouldn’t even consider keeping around. If its there, they might eat it, but its not something they ever had around the house before they were married.
• Women clean more than men. I know that there are exceptions to this, but women are actually programmed to see things that men don’t. They will notice the coffee stains on the cupboards, the pee around the toilet, the dirt off your shoes that is on the rug after you come in from work, the fact that the bedding needs to be washed more than once per year, not to mention all the extra dishes that need washing. When they were single, there was a lot less to wipe up in their home. It was much easier to keep clean. Often there were no dinner dishes, they didn’t need a big dinner, they ate their big meal at lunch, or snacked all day long.
• Often when people are dating they will go to events on the weekends. Or they will hit the beach for swimming, or go hiking or just go for a walk to enjoy each other’s company. After marriage that stops too. The man is working to hard. He doesn’t have the energy to go for a hike. He’d much rather sit on the couch and watch sports rather than get out and be active with his wife.
• According to Science World Magazine, a one minute kiss burns 26 calories. Remember when you used to kiss for 20 minutes (or sometimes much longer) before marriage. Thirty minutes on an elliptical trainer only burns 100 calories!!!!
• Physically men and women are different. If a man wants to drop 10 pounds he stops drinking pop for 2 weeks. If a woman wants to drop 10 pounds she exercises an hour a day and stops eating anything tasty for 3 months…then if she’s lucky, she’s lost her 10 pounds.

A lot of overweight women eat at night. Whatever they can get their hands on most likely. All the crap that’s in the cupboard that she bought for him is all hers now!!

Sometimes it’s because is the first thing she gets to do for herself all day long. Its a reward, a way to relax. Other times it’s because she just wants sex and knows its not going to happen. May as well indulge in chocolate snacks (chocolate DOES release the same endorphins that sex does). Better to go lie in bed at night with a very full fat tummy, not feeling like moving, than to go to bed feeling sexy and horny and being rejected….again.

Other times a woman is just simply tired and eating is just something to do before bed. She eats without even really thinking about it. Its more of an autopilot thing. Her hubby is in on the couch watching TV and she wants some form of closeness with him. If she was single she’d have been asleep hours ago.

No wonder she gains weight. Depression and anger aside, her habits have changed to such a degree that there is no way her body could maintain its prior weight, it would be a physical impossibility.

This can be a vicious circle if left as is. Thankfully, it can be adjusted. Watch for the upcoming article on Chakras and Chakra Balancing.

This article was featured in The Tenth Edition of the Carnival of Improving Life.

A poem dedicated to everyone and anyone who wishes to change their world.

Believe

Make believe You could be anything.
What would you become?
Consider the possibilities, consider your dreams.
Are you brave enough to let your mind go and let your spirit take control of your evolution?
Are you willing enough to live out on the edge?
All that you believe in, all that you hope for
can be within reach.
You must stop fighting.
You must stop resisting it.
For life needs the freedom to manifest and grow.
Take hold and steer your Self in a direction
of change, unlimited imagination, joy, contentment, happiness, and of course
Love.
You are an unlimited being with unlimited potential in an unlimited universe.
Envision yourself as this being, feel it at your core.
Feel yourself at the peak of contentment, so fulfilled and at peace.
Take a moment, raise your arms high and celebrate.
Make believe, and trust that you can be and do anything.
Believe.

By Marielle Smith

I invite you to try this exercise and see if it helps in the daily ride of emotional ups and downs - especially during Mercury retrograde….

“Walking the Wheel”: When you feel triggered by someone, take a step back and connect through Mind, Body, Emotion and Spirit by walking the wheel. In Aboriginal traditions it is the medicine wheel that they refer to. This is the basis for this exercise. Give the following a try when you become triggered or find yourself in conflict.

Ask each of your energetic bodies:

Mind: What am I being triggered by? Not “who”, but what action or behaviour of another person - its not the person’s fault that you are feeling something - you have ultimate control of your emotions.

Body: Where am I feeling it the most? How is it affecting my physical body? Are my shoulders up by my ears? Is my stomach in knots?

Emotion: What is it I am feeling? Name the emotion. Then give yourself permission to really FEEL this feeling – knowing full well that behind it is your power – and as divine beings, that power/strength ultimately comes from love.

Spirit: What is the truth about this situation? It is really an illusion, and I am learning something from this experience. I am and always will be perfect.

Of course this takes practice and presence of mind/body/emotion/spirit in each moment - but I know from experience that it works!!! You may need to say “Please excuse me for a moment, I need some time to reflect on this” and then go to a private space if you can. Even if you only choose one question to explore, it will help to release the “other” from blame and re-focus your attention in order to dissolve the conflict. Just taking the time for yourself will be worth the few minutes of reflection.

Email me if you need to ask questions or get clarification - it’s a pretty intense and experiential exercise, and it takes time to it anchor within your Self. (Believe me! I’m still practicing and probably will for a long time! But it’s fun….really.) Most of all, it takes an awareness that YOU are creating your life because you love you.

I create my reality from love. An easy, simple and true statement to live by. Try it, you’ll love it.

Well, it ain’t a horse!

Life sometimes feels like hard work….all the emotions that go through us each day can be challenging at times, but in truth, it’s the best kind of work there is…. because the reality is, it comes from LOVE. A trigger is a helpful nudge towards a lesson we have chosen to learn – sometimes over and over – and the emotions are a result of the trigger.

I can hear some of you saying it: “Yeah, right. I feel like when someone triggers me, and I get angry, or upset, my emotions ARE me, and I suffer from them. AND they are the ones who MAKE me feel those emotions!”

Well, it’s actually all an illusion. Our energetic “Emotional Body” is who owns and feels emotions, and when we resist the feelings, they tend to rear up and say “Hey! What about me!?”…and the triggers happen again and again to remind us to acknowledge our emotional body, and FEEL.

Here’s one way of looking at it. Emotions are like “window dressings” - the curtains hide the oops-I-forgot fact that YOU/we are truly powerful, divine and perfect. We’ve just conveniently created a small bout of amnesia and FORGOT that little detail. Emotions are NOT who we are, but in fact just a gauge for what is behind the drapery – which is your true power. And like I mentioned before, it all originates from Love.

Triggers are what motivates us to learn the life lessons we might be resisting – in essence we get ‘triggered’ (sometimes many times over!) by those we are in relationship with, from the bus driver to the teacher, from our soul mate to our children – and their ‘job’ is to remind us of what we came here to do in the first place – to Learn about ourselves. In truth, we are asking for these experiences to evolve spiritually.

OK…so what does this all mean? Well, it’s a new tool in our toolbox. If you know that you are ‘being triggered’, and it really has nothing to do with the other person, then sooner or later you’ll be able to make a different choice about how you wish to react. It will give you the opportunity to begin taking responsibility for your own Self, instead of blaming others. And lastly, its really just another perspective that helps us all on this great journey.

I just had to write an article on moving forward. I’ve had so many people pass through my life recently, friends and clients, that are suffering financially and wondering if they are truly doing the right thing.

I myself went through this a few years ago. I was working full-time for the government, with a good paying, responsible job, working my way up the corporate ladder. I figured if I got high enough up there I would be able to make a difference.

I also just happened to be a psychic. I did psychic readings on the side for many years, and just kept trudging along like that, figuring that it would last indefinitely. I had a pension plan, regular paycheque, seniority, the ability to work anywhere in the province, and most of all I had security.

Then it hit me. What was my true calling anyway? Like many others on earth right now no matter how hard I worked or how much work I brought home, or how many people I supervised and tried to help, I simply didn’t feel like I was doing all I came here to do. It was lucrative, yet it felt empty in so many ways.

I really enjoyed the psychic readings I did. I met so many people. Helped so many people. I was able to help more with my psychic readings than I was at the Welfare Office where I worked that’s for sure. My day-job felt so empty. It got to the point where I felt badly just getting up and going to work in the morning. Where was the difference I was supposed to be making in the world?

It seems like I meet people all the time who are in the position I was just a few years ago. Some are feeling a pull to do more, some have quit the rat race and have started their own thing, yet are still struggling. Where is the relief?

Many of us were taught that in order to have things we needed to work very hard and sacrifice. If there is no sacrifice there is no reward. These days, that just simply does not make any sense. Some of us still have family that tells us “your suffering is your own fault, if you just went back to work at a real job and got a paycheque your life would be so much easier”. This isn’t true for us as a species anymore.

The world is changing very quickly. We as the humans of earth right now are ascending with Mother Earth herself. Things cannot go on the way they always have. Lightworkers and scientists alike have now realized that we are the Creators of our own reality. There is the “Law of Attraction”, and we can and do create whatever we want. What we focus on expands. We need to get our focus away from the old words of “you must sacrifice and work hard to survive”.

Now, this is not to say that we sit around on our behinds all day doing nothing. What it means, is we are allowed to live our dream. We are allowed to leave the rat race and dedicate ourselves to helping others. We do not need to suffer anymore.

There are many people who think they have realized this. They make a decision. Say that they are ready to take whatever comes, they will change their lives and they will work to change and improve their own little corner of the world. So far so good. Off they go with all their good intentions, and nothing happens right away.

Panic sets in. “Oh no, what if I have made the wrong decision”. My debt load is going up. Income is sporadic at best at first. The doubt builds and builds. Each day, we doubt, and each day things seem to go downhill a little more. From the beginning, we have been doubting whether or not we’ve made the right decision. When things don’t happen as quickly as we would like, we start to think more and more about the past. How things were when we were ‘working’. Not mentioning of course that we are still ‘working’, just at something that we are more passionate about. And remember, we were taught from a young age that if we do not work and suffer, we will never be financially successful.

Maybe we should go back to our old job - “They might take me back”, we think. Or, at least “I know I can get a job doing the same thing as I was before”. Here’s where the Universe helps us out. Things get even trickier for us, especially financially — because that is where our focus is. Then, we may even get a job offer, or see a position advertised, or hear from a friend that someone is hiring. We would be perfect for the job! It is exactly the job we left that we were so good at.

Those of us that have become accustomed to thinking that there are no coincidences may think that it would be in their best interest to take that job. After all, Spirit has put it right in front of us. Who would we be if we didn’t listen. Maybe we are meant to go back to our old line of work. We do need to eat. The thing that many of us don’t seem to realize is that WE are the Creators. By being unsure of where we are going, by constantly questioning “are we doing the right thing”, we are creating our own financial suffering. Then the Universe gives us exactly what we have been asking for, which is more doubt. We create a job that we can go back to. Yes, we created it. Spirit did not place it in front of us. We created it because it is what makes us feel safer.

Now here’s the hard part. Can you turn it down? Do you want to live in your past? Repeat your past? Do what you have always done? Sell out? Go back to where you swore you never would? These comments are not meant to make you feel bad. They are the comments that we all have running through our heads when we are in this situation.

This is your chance. Your chance to make your decision, once and for all. Do you want to move forward or do you want to go back to where you were before. Its important that you know you cannot fail. No matter what your decision — you will NOT fail on your path in this lifetime. You can slow yourself down, experience different things, but you CANNOT FAIL.

I cannot make decisions for you, however, I can give you my insight into these situations. You need to make a decision, trust your decision, and stick with it. No doubt, no fear. You are supported. We all have helpers on the other side, they will never abandon you. You simply need to TRUST. Trust that you have made your decision. That the decision is correct, and that you will not go backwards. See where it is you want to be. Financially, spiritually, physically. See it and trust you will get there. Don’t worry about how you are going to get there. KNOW you will get there. You are supported.

As soon as you let go of the idea that you may need to go backwards, or that maybe you won’t be successful, you will see abundance like you have never imagined.

So, you’ve decided that you want to check out this “psychic reading” thing. Or maybe, you have been to a psychic before and would like to try it again.
How do you pick one? No one likes to get scammed. You are paying your hard earned money to get some insights, you don’t need someone to tell you that your stars are not aligned, or that you are looking for something or trying to figure out your life. Aren’t we all?

If you weren’t looking for something or trying to get insight or a different view into something, you wouldn’t be looking for a psychic in the first place.

One of the first things you need to do is to take a look at a couple of websites. Don’t be fooled by good marketing - some true psychics have expensive sites, some are maintained by the psychic themselves. What the psychic has to say makes a difference. Psychics are as varied as the rest of the population, each having their own special talents and their own way of communicating. Some psychics were born psychic, some became aware of their gift after a life altering event, and some have worked hard for a very long time to hone their ability to connect with Spirit.

Some use tools like tarot cards, runes or tea leaves. Others simply sit quietly and channel information from Spirit. How they do the reading does not matter, that you get something out of it does.

Any psychic that is any good is doing a reading for you because they truly want to help you with your path. Most genuine psychics are not getting rich from doing psychic readings. Some do better financially than others, but often it has more to do with their other endeavors, not just the readings themselves.

Everyone has their own intuition and gut feelings about things. It is important when choosing a psychic that you use yours. If you happen along a website and just feel a connection with someone then that person is definitely worth looking in to.

There are many good psychics out there, why not talk to one where you feel a connection?

Another thing to look at are testimonials. Yes, I suppose testimonials could be made up, but why would a good psychic do that? There would be no need. Testimonials, along with all the other things mentioned in this article can be a good indication of what you might get out of your reading.

Look for signals throughout their website. Words and phrases like ‘empower’, ‘non-judgmental’, ‘help you make your own informed decisions’ (rather than ‘I will tell you what to do’), help you work through your journey (or path), are all signs of a true psychic. One who wants to help you, not help themselves to your money. If on their site they claim to be able to make other people behave in a certain way you would probably be better off to move on to someone else. Just as you have free will, so do your loved ones.

When looking for a psychic, be realistic, there are scam artists out there too (just as there are bad contractors, lawyers, mechanics and accountants, there are bad psychics). If, on your quest to find a good psychic, you come across any of the following, please move on and find someone else to be your guide.

• Anyone that tells you that they can solve all your problems is flat out lying. They are preying on people who are desperate and have a problem (or problems) that feel too overwhelming to deal with on their own. No one can solve all your problems for you.
• Anyone who adds charges over and above what you have agreed in advance to pay. I am not talking here about someone who has told you ahead of time that there is a charge to have a CD mailed to you, nor am I talking about someone who says there will be an additional charge for additional time or services. I am referring to a so called “psychic” who says “I just prayed for you, you owe me money”.
• Anyone who mentions curses, or anything else out of your control. There are no such thing as curses. There are people out there who would like you to believe there are curses that can be removed for huge amounts of money, but it is just the money that they will be focusing on — how they can get it from you. Once they get some out of you, they feel they have you hooked and they will continue to tell you you are cursed and they will continue to take your money as long as you give it.
• Ditto with lighting candles or praying for you. Its fine if a psychic says they are willing to do this for you — so long as they do not charge you for it.
• If they tell you that you need readings on a regular basis in order to achieve your goals. Now, if you make the decision that you need more guidance that is fine. But a psychic should not tell you that you must ask them before you make your own decisions. You need to live your own life. Asking for help is okay, but a good psychic does not want their clients to become dependent on them for every decision that comes along.
• Watch out for psychics who tell you that they “know”, beyond all doubt, what your future holds. You do have some control over your own future. Our futures are based on our actions. If a psychic sees something in your future, positive or negative, you have control over whether or not you allow it to happen.

The biggest thing to keep in mind when looking for and then consulting a psychic is that you still need to live your own life and make your own decisions. Psychics are “guides”, they are not your decision makers.

If you have a decision to make, yes, a psychic can tell you what the possible outcome of the decision may be. They cannot tell you what decision you will make — that’s up to you.

True psychics want to help you on your path, want to make your life easier, give you some insights, help you feel better about whatever it is you are going through. Sometimes to give a bit more meaning to what it is you are experiencing. Psychics generally do not want to scare you. They aren’t going to tell you that you will be cursed forever if you don’t do what they say. That’s not why God gave them the gift.

If you remember nothing else, remember this: A good psychic does not want to control you or your life, they want to help you to have control over your own life, and to realize your own potential.

This meditation is useful for a variety of reasons. If you are feeling off-centre or ungrounded, flighty or ‘spun-out’, ie., feeling overworked, unable to focus on a task, unable to complete tasks, constantly thinking of other things you could/should be doing while doing something else, this method of meditation will definitely be useful to you.

For those of you who are familiar with the “Cutting Cords” meditation, you will understand that this meditation will enhance that one. Not only are you centering and grounding yourself, you are adding a protection to keep those energy cords from coming back.

It is especially important when you are working on growing your own psychic gifts or just working to enhance your intuition, or ‘gut feelings’. When you meditate you put yourself into an altered state and are much more receptive. You need to trust what information you get in your meditations. If you practice meditation regularly, you will find that even when you are not meditating, you are still able to ‘tune in’ to this deeper you.

To begin this meditation, you first need to be comfortable. Start this meditation by sitting in a comfortable chair with your feet flat on the floor. Breathe very deeply. As you inhale, see yourself breathing in fresh, new, life-giving oxygen. Imagine the white light and life-force entering your body and giving you life, sustaining your life…

As you exhale, see yourself breathing out any negative or old energy or feelings. Imagine this to be black smoke leaving your nostrils.

Breathe like this for a few minutes, all the while becoming very aware of your body. Imagine each part of your body. Start with your feet, become aware of your legs, torso, upper body, arms and head. If you feel blocks in any of these areas, release them in the black smoke.

Once all is clear, then imagine that you have roots coming out of your feet. Have the roots go very deep into Mother Earth and wrap around a rock or something deep in the earth. Ask Mother Earth if you may ground to her and use her energy to protect yourself. Remember to thank her.

Now imagine a yellow/amber light coming up your ‘roots’. Have the light come all the way up your roots and into your body, first your feet, up your legs, through your torso, up to your neck down your arms and into your head. Feel the loving energy of this light all through you. Have it be a part of you. This light and energy helps to ground you, much like a tree has roots.

After you have brought in all that loving energy and light and you are grounded, it is time to protect yourself. First, you will need to pull in all of your scattered energies - anywhere that you have left your energy, just gently take it back into yourself. You will also need to lovingly cut the cords to anyone that may be taking energy from you. This way you ensure that when you put protection around yourself you have all of your energy inside and no one else’s.

Once your energy is clear, you can put a protection around you. This ‘protection’ is simply to make sure that you are not throwing your energy away, nor are others able to zap your energy from you.

There are several ways to do this. Do what feels most comfortable for you. You can put something like a beaker or a jar around you. Or, one of the methods I use when I’m not needing to do it quickly, is you can bring the light out from your body by about 6 inches. See the light resonating out from your body. You can then put chain mail (like on a knight’s armour), all around the light at the 6 inch point. Use whatever protection that you feel is the best for you. Remember to protect your whole body - do your back, bum, and back of your head etc.

You need to do a protection meditation like this when you are working on your energies. When you go into a meditation and are in an altered state, you want to make sure that you are protected, and that nothing but positive things come through for you, and also that you don’t end up walking around with other people’s energy attached to you. If you are going to allow for help from the other side for yourself, then state that anyone who comes through to help must come from God, or they are not welcome.

Meditations can be a great source of energy. Whether you have the time to do a prolonged 30 minute meditation two times a day, or just a brief meditation when you find the time, you will find that doing any type of meditation will help to the degree that you practice it.