5/9/13—Trusting in the Manifestation Process

Today's Draw: Bouquet/Dog/Stork from Le Petit Lenormand Noir by Robyn Tisch Hollister. Are you hitting a roadblock in your manifestation efforts? Do you have a hard time "letting go and letting god"? Is your ego getting in the way of your wishes?

Sometimes I'll pre-order something and forget I bought it. Then I'll get a wonderful surprise in the mail, like I did today with Le Petit Lenormand Noir. There are a couple of different ways I'm tempted to read this trio today. One is that the dog sits between a gift (bouquet) and change or new beginning (stork). So in this case, it's like saying my babies are the agent that spells the difference between something nice to have in my life and something truly transformative. Which is entirely the case in my life. 

Another way of reading the trio is that gratitude (bouquet) and trust (dog) bring transformation or something new (stork). This one fits more into "we are so much more awesome than we know" week, so this is the one I'll go with. However, it's a topic we've discussed many times before and that's manifestation, which is basically the art and skill of creating what you want in your life. 

Most of the time we talk about this in terms of what you should ask for. I always say to ask for an emotion, rather than a thing, because it's the feeling that you really want. You can wish for a million dollars and get it, but it may not make you feel happy...or rich...or powerful...or secure. In fact, it could leave you feeling stressed, overwhelmed and afraid of thieves. Or you may over-spend, not taking taxes into account. So if you want to feel secure, why not ask to feel secure instead? Then it doesn't matter how much money you have. You feel secure and that's all that matters. 

But I don't talk as much about gratitude and trust, which are equally important factors in the manifestation process. If you believe that what you focus on grows, then gratitude is a powerful tool in your manifestation arsenal. Gratitude says to the universe "yes, please. Give me more of this." But the tricky thing about gratitude is where it intersects with trust. In fact, the duo present the toughest challenge in getting what you want. 

So let's say you want to feel secure. You put that thought out into the universe and a couple of weeks later your credit card bill comes and they've upped your minimum payment. And you naturally think, "gah! This isn't what I wanted, stinkin' universe!" But the universe needs to up your minimum payment so that you pay off your credit card so you'll feel more secure, see? So when you get all piffy about it, it's like saying "forget what I said about feeling secure." And so now what's the universe supposed to do?

Trust requires you to give up control. It requires you to let go of the "how" of how you're going to get what you want. As my favorite manifestation guru, Mike Dooley says, "your job is to say what. The universe's job is the how." And it's so true. 

But, see, we all think we know exactly how things should pan out and just how things should look when we're getting what we want. When we exhibit that kind of control through our thoughts and emotions, though, we're screwing everything up. Because what is the other part of this equation? Gratitude. So, no matter how crappy things look, we have to resist the urge to complain and, instead, say "thank you for upping my bill, universe. I may not see the wisdom in it now, but I trust you're acting in my best interests." What you genuinely think and feel will be mirrored back in your results.

See, in my experience, the universe actually conspires to give us the deluxe package of those things we ask for. But it can only do that if you give it the leeway. So you can ask for a million dollars and get a million dollars (though it's possible someone might have to die and leave you an inheritance to get it). Or you can ask for "a monetary situation that makes me feel secure." And then the universe will not only give you the money you need to make that happen, but the other tools you need to convert $$$ into true security (aka the "deluxe package"). Get it?

But it may not look like you think it's going to look while you're getting it. Because sometimes the universe has to destroy in order to build on a firmer foundation. And you have to take responsibility for that if you want what you want. And you have to trust in the process. And be grateful for it. Leave out any of those elements (along with detaching from outcomes, believing what you ask for is possible and acting in alignment with your wish) and you'll keep hitting a brick wall with your manifestation efforts.

So gratitude and trust bring the change you seek. It seems so simple from the outside...and it actually is. But it does require some discipline on your part. However once you manage to hit the sweet spot, you'll be shocked at how promptly and generously the universe provides.

If you want to learn more about manifestation, search the keyword "manifestation" on my blog at www.tierneysadler.com.

8/22/12—Discovering The Power of Your Energy

Today's Draw: Three of Wands from Tod's Creatures Tarot by Tod Wills. Are you effectively creating the life you want? How important do you think your energy body is to making things happen in your world? What secret does this precious winking cat know that you don't?

First things first. After my rant about cat decks last week, I know there are a couple of people out there thinking, "nice cat deck, Tierney." So I'd like to say that Tod's Creatures is an equal opportunity deck. There are all sorts of animals in it. This card just happens to be a cat. And while I don't always mention anything much about the deck I'm using, I'll say this deck is whimsical with some interesting artistic deviations from traditional decks (which is something I like). There is no lwb. And it's within my tolerance of cute, but just. You can see samples at: 

https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/tod-s-creatures-tarot

Next I wanted to mention that yesterday's post sparked some lively commentary and it would seem a lot of people have either been having their own storms lately or have been the recipient of a storm. A couple of good points were made on my Facebook page that I didn't make yesterday. One was that sometimes the storm is physical...we hold this stuff inside and when it bursts forth, it does so in the guise of illness or festering pustules or whatever. The other point was that, sometimes our storms, depending on how they're received, can result in needed change. They may come out in a loud and unattractive way, but the point is made. 

OK. Now on to today's card. Traditionally this card would show a man from the back, surveying the scenery as his ship is about to come in...both literally and figuratively. It's an initial phase of completion on a creative project and it's a moment of success. It's also a card of foresight and planning for the next phase of the project, because we can't sit on our laurels for long. He doesn't need to act, because he is the divine overseer of the project.

While we see the guy from the back in the traditional card, here we see the cat's face. And he's winking at us. Because he knows something else is aiding his success...something in addition to hard work. He is literally the divine overseer of his fate. His job is to observe and receive while the universe is doing all the strategizing, organizing, scheduling and execution. 

As Mike Dooley says, when it comes to manifestation, "your job is the 'what' and the universe's job is the 'how'." The whole idea behind spontaneous manifestation of desire is that you put the thoughts out into the universe, keep those thoughts consistent, act in alignment with those thoughts and the universe will create the thing you desire. 

I'm not going to go into a whole drawn out thing about manifestation. No, it's not as easy as it sounds. And yes, it is easy as it sounds. It's more of a mindset, discipline and faith you have to acquire...that's the hard part. And, once that's acquired, it's easy. Anyway, the reason I'm not going to yammer and spew about it is because I did a whole week on it here:

http://thedailytarotdraw.blogspot.com/2012_06_03_archive.html

Then there's this excellent post:

http://thedailytarotdraw.blogspot.com/2011/08/81511doing-less-and-believing-more.html

And if you want more, just search the term "manifestation" on my blog and you'll get an entire book's worth of thoughts on the topic. 

The point is, every passing thought, every action, every word you utter is an energy exchange between you and God/the universe/the all of creation. With every neuron that sparks inside you, you're telling the universe what you think, what you want and who you are. And the universe responds to you accordingly. 

There's one other past post that comes to bear on the situation—one of my most popular posts ever. Remember the one where my boy, Kizzie, is standing in the water? It's all about the energetic impact and effect each of us has on everything around us. We are nothing more than senders and receivers of energy...like little Ham radios operating on an infinite array of frequencies, sending and receiving a bazillion impulses or messages a minute, most of which we are completely unaware of. Here you go: 

http://thedailytarotdraw.blogspot.com/2012/02/week-of-21912raising-your-vibration.html

See the cat in today's card is an energetic sensei. See the robes he's wearing? And his wink is telling us that he knows all the secrets I've shared with you in all those post links above. He's so attuned to his connectedness—to God, the natural world, and others—that he can feel the leaves around him rustling before they even begin to twitch. He doesn't have to turn to watch any ships coming in, because he already knows they're there. 

And the cool thing is, the only way he's different from you is that he's aware of his power. He cultivates it, respects it and has complete faith in it. When we talk about energy and vibrations and wavelengths, this is what we're really talking about—the knowledge that each of us is just an energetic impulse away from all that exists and ever has existed. 

8/15/11—Doing Less and Believing More

Today's Draw: The Magician from the Minute Tarot. What amount of power do you believe you possess to change your life? What do you think your limits are in this regard? Do you ever actively think about conscious creation in your life?

The Minute Tarot is all about speed-reading the tarot. So she's boiled the Magician down to one word—Manifest!

Sooner or later that's what we all have to do, right? We can only strategize and plan and prepare and consider and AVOID for so long. Sooner or later we have to "do". We have to take the first step in the direction we want to go. 

It sounds easy, but the reason it's not is because it requires a leap of faith. It means risking failure. Being vulnerable. And putting it all on the line. 

I'm someone who can think the life out of pretty much anything before I actually make a valid move in the direction of getting it. On the other hand, the biggest moves I've made in my life have occurred with very little, or no, obsessive thinking beforehand—becoming self-employed, buying a house, pursuing a second career in tarot. It's a lot easier when you don't take the time to consider how many different ways you can fail.

One of the best books I ever read about manifestation—and life, even—was Deepak Chopra's Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.  In that book, it not only talks about visualizing what you want and taking a step in the direction, but it also talks about releasing your attachment to the outcome. I always like to add to anyone's "secrets" to manifestation, to wish for the right thing. Wish for a feeling or a general direction...being happy in my career...having a fulfilling career that helps others....stuff like that. In that context, releasing attachment to the outcome means to try and not define what you think that outcome will be. It also means that if you don't get the outcome you expected, to have faith because you may have gotten something better...or the direction you got may be a valuable stepping stone for something further down the road. See, god or the universe has a much bigger and better dream for you than you could imagine. So, assuming something doesn't feel wrong or dangerous, surrender in faith to what you receive and trust it's either answering your request or is leading to the answer.

What it comes to is that being a powerful manifester does not mean that you're a powerful doer. In fact, Deepak Chopra also suggests taking the path of least effort. You have to try, but you have to leave room for god or whatever you believe in to do their part. 

No, manifestation is not about doing. It's about living in faith. It's about letting go and trusting. Surrendering. The Magician has all the tools he need to create anything he wants....earth, air, fire and water. But he also has a grasp on the higher power and knows that the magic that is abundant above, is just as accessible and abundant here on earth. The single most powerful tool we can have for our futures is faith that there is a higher energy we can tap into to create anything we want. Can you take that leap of faith?

BTW, I recommend the Deepak Chopra book. It's a fast read. But for manifestation, I recommend anything by Mike Dooley. You can find his stuff at amazon or at tut.com.  

5/11/15—Being Guided on Your Journey

I ran out of time to write a fresh post today and I'm traumatized by a situation involving my dogs and a possibly rabid raccoon today, so here's a classic post...one I should probably re-read myself in the state I'm in. :D Anyway, here it goes...

I don't know what's wrong with me this week, but I am incredibly uninspired. I have ideas for new posts, but none of them are calling to me. In nearly four years of doing this, I've never been so bereft of insight. So you get a classic post. I will say, though, I think about the story below where I got pulled over often and I still can't figure out why I didn't get a ticket! :) Here's the post...

I've hit a patch of either extra good manifestation energy or luck recently. I can't say which because I'm not sure I manifested all of it consciously. Regardless, I feel like I'm in a groove. More importantly, all this good stuff came to show me something quite Zen...there is no good fortune or bad fortune, there is just fortune. So this "extra good patch" I mention is just a perception.

Distinguishing between dualities puts us on a rollercoaster ride. To explain what I mean, one of my "lucky breaks" happened when I got pulled over by the police on Saturday. I was doing 38 in a 25, I didn't have current registration, my license plate was askew from having only one screw in it, and I didn't come to a proper stop at a light. I never drive that car, but since my "main car" had no AC, I decided to drive the little car out of the blue. I do believe there's a reason for everything, though. 

As the officer was listing out one infraction after another, I (rudely) looked up at him and said, "just give me my ticket." So I didn't deserve any breaks. But in the end, he only cited me for the license plate, informing me that if I showed a picture of it fixed to the judge, that he'd probably throw it out. And he reduced my speeding ticket—a ticket that could have been about $150 all by itself—to "failure to obey a street sign," a minor infraction. He tossed out everything else. So I not only saved about $200, but I didn't get any points against my license. 

So as I drove off, I thought to myself, "ok, was it good fortune that I got off so easily?" "Or is it bad fortune because I got pulled over in the first place?" And the answer that came to me was that there was a flaw in me even thinking in those terms. Because if you speed, you're going to get pulled over...haha. Bad crap is going to happen to all of us. And so will good crap. It's all just...

wait for it....

Life. 

It's not good fortune or bad fortune. It's life. Today I brought my *other* car into the shop and got a SHOCKING estimate for how much it was going to cost to fix the AC. It wasn't "the end to my lucky streak" or "bad luck" or "karma coming to kick me in the ass for all the great stuff that's happened lately". It wasn't any of that. It was just the lifecycle of my car's AC. And I own a car with a really hard to access AC so the labor to fix it is really high. I was able to talk the shop down about 20%. The price was still shocking. But it is what it is. 

What I realized when I was driving away from the police officer is that, while I think there is a reason for everything, this thinking in terms of "good" and "bad" is something that stands between me and higher guidance, as well as manifestation. Buddhists have a simple word for it—judgment. I'm judging one moment against another to see where I stand with spirit and the universe! That's not exactly the unconditional trust that I preach and believe unblocks the channels to manifestation.

And while I intellectually know better, don't we all do this to a degree? Don't we all walk around like a champ on "good luck days" and like a loser on "bad luck days"? Ultimately, we're placing our worth and happiness on something outside of us. Both of those car experiences of mine are things I could either be sullen or happy about. Should I let the experience choose which? Or should I let my spirit choose which? Because my spirit tells me there's never a moment that the universe isn't on my side. And if I choose to see the world in that way, that's how it is. So why wouldn't I choose to see the world through the eyes of an always loving and generous universe? Why wouldn't you?

We get to choose which star focus on while on our journey through life and whether we choose to be guided by perpetually beneficial forces...or fickle forces that are sometimes beneficial and sometimes seem to abandon us. Really, the only thing that stands between us and a life magically guided and protected from above is us and our need to judge. 

5/30/14—Being Guided on Your Journey

I don't know what's wrong with me this week, but I am incredibly uninspired. I have ideas for new posts, but none of them are calling to me. In nearly four years of doing this, I've never been so bereft of insight. So you get a classic post. I will say, though, I think about the story below where I got pulled over often and I still can't figure out why I didn't get a ticket! :) Here's the post...

I've hit a patch of either extra good manifestation energy or luck recently. I can't say which because I'm not sure I manifested all of it consciously. Regardless, I feel like I'm in a groove. More importantly, all this good stuff came to show me something quite Zen...there is no good fortune or bad fortune, there is just fortune. So this "extra good patch" I mention is just a perception.

Distinguishing between dualities puts us on a rollercoaster ride. To explain what I mean, one of my "lucky breaks" happened when I got pulled over by the police on Saturday. I was doing 38 in a 25, I didn't have current registration, my license plate was askew from having only one screw in it, and I didn't come to a proper stop at a light. I never drive that car, but since my "main car" had no AC, I decided to drive the little car out of the blue. I do believe there's a reason for everything, though. 

As the officer was listing out one infraction after another, I (rudely) looked up at him and said, "just give me my ticket." So I didn't deserve any breaks. But in the end, he only cited me for the license plate, informing me that if I showed a picture of it fixed to the judge, that he'd probably throw it out. And he reduced my speeding ticket—a ticket that could have been about $150 all by itself—to "failure to obey a street sign," a minor infraction. He tossed out everything else. So I not only saved about $200, but I didn't get any points against my license. 

So as I drove off, I thought to myself, "ok, was it good fortune that I got off so easily?" "Or is it bad fortune because I got pulled over in the first place?" And the answer that came to me was that there was a flaw in me even thinking in those terms. Because if you speed, you're going to get pulled over...haha. Bad crap is going to happen to all of us. And so will good crap. It's all just...

wait for it....

Life. 

It's not good fortune or bad fortune. It's life. Today I brought my *other* car into the shop and got a SHOCKING estimate for how much it was going to cost to fix the AC. It wasn't "the end to my lucky streak" or "bad luck" or "karma coming to kick me in the ass for all the great stuff that's happened lately". It wasn't any of that. It was just the lifecycle of my car's AC. And I own a car with a really hard to access AC so the labor to fix it is really high. I was able to talk the shop down about 20%. The price was still shocking. But it is what it is. 

What I realized when I was driving away from the police officer is that, while I think there is a reason for everything, this thinking in terms of "good" and "bad" is something that stands between me and higher guidance, as well as manifestation. Buddhists have a simple word for it—judgment. I'm judging one moment against another to see where I stand with spirit and the universe! That's not exactly the unconditional trust that I preach and believe unblocks the channels to manifestation.

And while I intellectually know better, don't we all do this to a degree? Don't we all walk around like a champ on "good luck days" and like a loser on "bad luck days"? Ultimately, we're placing our worth and happiness on something outside of us. Both of those car experiences of mine are things I could either be sullen or happy about. Should I let the experience choose which? Or should I let my spirit choose which? Because my spirit tells me there's never a moment that the universe isn't on my side. And if I choose to see the world in that way, that's how it is. So why wouldn't I choose to see the world through the eyes of an always loving and generous universe? Why wouldn't you?

We get to choose which star we focus on while on our journey through life and whether we choose to be guided by perpetually beneficial forces....or fickle forces that are sometimes beneficial and sometimes seem to abandon us. Really, the only thing that stands between us and a life magically guided and protected from above is us and our need to judge. 

6/4/12—Embracing Immortality

Today's Draw: Moonstone from the Aora Gemstone Oracle. Do you feel especially drawn to the moon? Have you ever called upon the power of the moon to manifest intentions in your life? And did you know that you could connect with the immortal you in the light of a full moon?

Ancient cultures believed that moonstone harvested the power of the moon. If you gaze into a moonstone, you'll see why. To begin with, it holds the color of the moon...a cool tone of bluish grayish white. But it also has what is called chatoyance which, when hit just right by light, makes the stone appear almost luminescent.

Like the moon, the moonstone represents the feminine or yin aspects within us. Those include intuition, healing and psychic ability. When used in healing, it directly, yet gently, illuminates the barriers between us and that which we desire. Its message is one of freedom and beauty.

This past Saturday night I led a full moon manifestation ceremony. New age belief has it that, when the moon is waxing, or coming into fullness, that's a good time to bring things into your life. And when the moon is waning, or going toward the new moon, that's a good time to release things from your life. The energies are most powerful in the couple of days leading up to and including the moon in question. 

Just as the moon governs the ebb and flow of the tides of great bodies of water, it also affects ebbs and flows within us. This is especially seen in women in regard to their periods, which generally mimic the same cycle as the moon. The moon doesn't preclude men at all, rather it speaks to their feminine aspects, just as the sun speaks to everyone's masculine aspects. But this innate feminine connection to the moon has been in effect throughout history. Just as most rulers of the sun were gods, not goddesses, in ancient cultures, most of the rulers of the moon were goddesses, as opposed to gods. 

So Saturday night, thirteen women gathered in a circle to call upon the moon's power to bring transformation into their lives. The butterfly in the card is indicative of that transformation...the shedding of the previous self, revealing the beauty, freedom and flight within. It wasn't planned that no men would be there. Plenty were invited. Nor was it planned to have thirteen women, which is significant in Wiccan ceremony. In fact, there were a couple of wiccans there...and Christians, and a Jewish lady, and some new agers and others I have no idea of. So it was just a really nice mix of serendipity and diversity and energy that you couldn't intentionally create if you wanted to. 

Just as the moon gently, yet directly, illuminates issues and brings them forth to be healed, this evening did that for some of the women there. It began with a class on manifestation and, through the course of inquiring why their efforts thus far hadn't worked, I think a number of women had lightbulb moments, guided by myself and a handful of wise healers that attended. Everyone was so genuine in their desire for change that at times it was very touching to hear the intentions they set during the ceremony.

I'm going on and on about this because it was a truly beautiful thing. We were connected not only with each other and the powerful energy we created as a group, but we were also connected to the universal mystery...the source of all creation. For some that source was called God or Jesus. For others, the Goddess or the Universe. We were all together in this, bound by the moon and its powerful gravity. And it drew us together in a moment of beauty, insight, healing, trust, creation and sisterhood that you always hope for in a situation like this, but that can never be planned or guaranteed. I don't have nights like that very often—I doubt many of us do—so it was a gift.

So Monday night brings the full moon. The book for this deck suggests placing a moonstone directly on your third eye in the light of the full moon to activate the "soma"...the spiritual molecule of immortality within. Soma is referred to as the nectar of the gods in many ancient religions and as ambrosia to the Greeks and Romans. Meditating with moonstone during the full moon can help you embrace your physical and spiritual immortality and the powerful gravitational connection between you and the all that is. 

One of the things I taught in the manifestation course was to make your intention official through ceremony and speaking your intention aloud. Aside from conjuring up your innate immortality, what will you call into being in the full moon's powerful light? 

6/26/13—Being Guided on Your Journey

Today's Draw: Stars in the House of the Ship from the BYO Lenormand from Jera Babylon Rootweaver. Do you feel guided by the hand of God or kindred spirits? Do you perceive them being there sometimes and leaving you to flail at other times? What helps you steer your ship?

Before I begin, I'd like to say that every once in a while I say something nice about a deck on my blog. And just for the record, I purchase all these decks myself. I don't get stuff sent to me for free. So when I recommend a deck, there's no ulterior motive. Just my honest appreciation. And I honestly appreciate Jera's Decks. I own both of them and she's working on a third that I'm anxious to buy. This BYO or Build Your Own Lenormand is unique in that you get to choose from five options for each of the 36 cards in the deck, so yours is truly unique. Give it a look, because it's fun to buy and own. 

So today we have Stars in the House of the Ship. You can see that as some sort of shift or movement happening in the way you receive guidance. Another way of seeing it could be spirit guidance, or guidance that comes from afar. Ships are often navigated by the stars, so to me, both the cards in this pair are hinting at some force that helps guide you on your journey. 

I've hit a patch of either extra good manifestation energy or luck recently. I can't say which because I'm not sure I manifested all of it consciously, though I know I did do it consciously for some things. Regardless, I feel like I'm in a groove. More importantly, all this good stuff came to show me something quite Zen...there is no good fortune or bad fortune, there is just fortune. So this "extra good patch" I mention is just a perception.

Distinguishing between dualities puts us on a rollercoaster ride. To explain what I mean, one of my "lucky breaks" happened when I got pulled over by the police on Saturday. I was doing 38 in a 25, I didn't have current registration, my license plate was askew from having only one screw in it, and I didn't come to a proper stop at a light. I never drive that car, but since my "main car" had no AC, I decided to drive the little car out of the blue. I do believe there's a reason for everything, so the lesson I learned must have been why I drove that car that day. 

As the officer was listing out one infraction after another, I (rudely) looked up at him and said, "just give me my ticket." So I didn't deserve any breaks. But in the end, he only cited me for the license plate, informing me that if I showed a picture of it fixed to the judge, that he'd probably throw it out. And he reduced my speeding ticket—a ticket that could have been about $150 all by itself—to "failure to obey a street sign," a minor infraction. Everything else he tossed out. So I not only saved about $200, but I didn't get any points against my license. 

So as I drove off, I thought to myself, "ok, was it good fortune that I got off so easily?" "Or is it bad fortune because I got pulled over in the first place?" And the answer that came to me was that there was a flaw in me even thinking in those terms. Because if you speed, you're going to get pulled over...haha. Bad crap is going to happen to all of us. And so will good crap. It's all just...

wait for it....

Life. 

It's not good fortune or bad fortune. It's life. Today I brought my *other* car into the shop and got a SHOCKING estimate for how much it was going to cost to fix the AC. It wasn't "the end to my lucky streak" or "bad luck" or "karma coming to kick me in the ass for all the great stuff that's happened lately". It wasn't any of that. It was just the lifecycle of my car's AC. And I own a car with a really hard to access AC so the labor to fix it is really high. I was able to talk the shop down about 20%. The price was still shocking. But it is what it is. 

What I realized when I was driving away from the police officer is that, while I think there is a reason for everything, this thinking in terms of "good" and "bad" is something that stands between me and higher guidance, as well as manifestation. Buddhists have a simple word for it—judgment. I'm judging one moment against another to see where I stand with spirit and the universe! That's not exactly the unconditional trust I preach or believe unblocks the channels to manifestation.

And while I intellectually know better, don't we all do this to a degree? Don't we all walk around like a champ on "good luck days" and like a loser on "bad luck days"? Ultimately, we're placing our worth and happiness on something outside of us. Both of those car experiences of mine are things I could either be sullen or happy about. Should I let the experience choose which? Or should I let my spirit choose which? Because my spirit tells me there's never a moment that the universe isn't on my side. And if I choose to see the world in that way, that's how it is. So why wouldn't I choose to see the world through the eyes of an always loving and generous universe? Why wouldn't you?

We get to choose which star we focus on while on our journey through life and whether we choose to be guided by either beneficial forces, or fickle forces that are sometimes beneficial and sometimes seem to abandon us. Really, the only thing that stands between us and a life magically guided and protected from above is us and our need to judge. 

5/6/11—Letting Go and Letting "God"

Today's Draw: The Star from Wheel of the Year, new from Lo Scarabeo. Are you ready to baptize yourself in the waters of hope and faith? Or are there doubts you just can't let go of?

The Star is one of those cards I always look at before I choose to purchase a deck. It's one of my very favorite cards because it contains two of my favorite things—water and stars. And its message is nothing but inspirational. It speaks of hope, trust and abundance. It is always a very positive sight in any reading. 

I feel the cards over the last couple of days have been talking about manifestation. Yesterday we discussed asking for a feeling, rather than a thing. And with her hands full of water (emotion), raised up to the heavens, I think this card is doing the same. But it's more than that. The woman is steeped in her emotions and is raising them up to the universe to heal and transmute. She leaves nothing within. All her hope, desires, senses and soul, she puts in the universe's hands, trusting that what will come back is what is right for her. And this last part is key, because sometimes we don't like what comes back to us and then doubt our faith in the higher power. Trust and faith is in knowing that *whatever* comes to us is a gift. No matter how it's wrapped. 

Humans have a tendency to want to control things. No matter how much we might talk about our faith in God or whatever, we still think that sometimes we're "lucky" and sometimes we're not. But what if you shifted that thought and saw everything as lucky? I can whine like everyone else, but I would hope that most who know me well would agree that I see everything as a gift or a lesson. And I would have to say my greatest teacher in faith has been my freelance career. 

As a self-employed person that works project to project, you have to have some sort of trust somewhere. I don't work on big contracts that last months. I work one two-hour job to another. And, as you can imagine, it takes a lot of two-hour jobs to support a person. Now, realistically that's a little dramatic. My average daily job lasts two hours, maybe, but I also have some 20 hour jobs in there. Regardless, it's scraping for change in relation to a consultant who has a six month contract. And I can worry about when the next two-hour job is going to come in. Or I can let go. I can worry about having enough work to support my month. Or I can let go. I can sweat every dry spell. Or I can let go. 

I have always chosen to let go. This is the second recession I have weathered as a freelancer. And what I learned from the first is that the universe always provides. The universe led me to this career, this mortgage, this lifestyle for a reason. And if it takes one of those things away, that will be for a reason, too. Right now I feel like I'm being pulled like a tractor beam in a certain direction. And I am letting go. Even though what waits on the other side is unknown...and what I know of it is scary, because it will require me to change. Even though it may compromise something I love, I'm letting go. Even though it's moving me toward something I spent most of my life consciously never wanting to do. Even though I may fail, I'm letting go because the whispers in my ear are so strong. And the universe has never led me astray. I'm letting go because I trust. 

Trust, faith, hope...they're not conditions as much as they are practices and disciplines. Conditions come and go. Practices are something you work on every day. Do I have doubts? Temporarily, yes. But my practice is to stop those thoughts and replace them with trust. Will I ever end up regretting this blind trust? No, never. I can honestly say I live my life without regrets. I spend zero time wishing I had done something differently. When I make a decision, it's made and I move forward. I'm happy to waste way too much time on other useless thoughts...haha. But not that one. Because you can't go back and change the past. You can only deal with the present. And whatever kind of waters I land in in my present, I at the very least move forward with a gift. Always. A gift, a lesson. There is no such thing as a mistake or wrong move in life. And once you let go of the notion that there is, you are free to accept whatever comes to you, even if it's something you don't think you want. 

Now, trust me, I'm no perfect being. It takes so much to motivate me to change anything in my life that it's ridiculous. But when that tractor beam comes, like it has recently, I follow it. Because it feels like fate. It feels like the hand of god guiding me. And I'll say this, I'm not "lucky" I feel this level of faith and trust. Like I said before, it's a practice. Self doubt is a habit I have consciously worked on to eradicate and I still have it in some areas of my life, such as in the area of my body image. It is a practice, meaning I work on it every day. I fight the urge every day to give myself over to anything that is not faith and trust. It gets easier. And it's worth the effort. But it *is* effort. 

Now, getting back to the manifestation thing. So one of the little-known secrets of The Secret is that you can sometimes be more effective wishing for an emotion, rather than a thing. We covered that yesterday. And today's lesson is that once you make your wish, you lift it up to the universe and trust that whatever comes is a gift to bring you closer to the goal. As Mike Dooley puts it, your job is to decide "what" and God's job is to decide "how". And sometimes that "how" takes a lot of trust. In Deepak Chopra's book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success (highly recommended, and one of the first books ever about manifestation), he talks about asking for what you want, then letting go, basically to the point of clearing your mind of it. Again, it's a practice. A discipline.

So what about you? Are you ready to stand fully exposed to the universe and lift your worries up to the higher power so you can live a life where everything is a gift and contains the seed of hope? Are you ready to let go? Have you already? Or do you feel, whether for spiritual reasons or personal ones, that you need to control and/or micromanage your life? Where do you stand on this issue...in the water or on firm ground? :D

9/9/14—Talking About Manifestation

Here's a new radio program from the Three Muses, which are me, Sheila Cash and Mary Phelan. We're talking about manifestation. I think you can download this as a podcast, but I'm not sure how. 

Check Out Spirituality Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with 3 Muses and a Universe on BlogTalkRadio

11/14/11—Protecting Your Health

Today's Draw: The Stone from the Dreampower Tarot. Is there something simmering below the surface that is affecting your health? Do you see how toxic relationships color your well being? What steps might you be willing to take to protect your physical and emotional health?

The Dreampower is a non-traditional deck, so The Stone doesn't equate to any traditional tarot card, though it is a major arcana card. The Stone rises out of the earth and is an outer manifestation of what is going on beneath the surface. What we don't see is potential. That is still beneath the earth. What we do see is the result of how we've manifested past potentials. 

Ask any doctor and they'll tell you that your stress levels, moods and attitudes toward life affect your health. We all know this. Every thought comes with a chemistry attached to it. And those chemistries can be neutral, healing or toxic. 

In the metaphysical world, many believe it goes well beyond that and that all illness has to do with our attitudes, beliefs and whatnot. Louise Hay (of Hay House publishing) wrote a well-known book called Heal Your Body A-Z: The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Ways to Overcome Them. For example, she says cancer comes from holding on to deep seated hurt and grief or a long-held secret. Heart disease comes from dealing with issues from a place of anger, not love. And gray hair comes from too much stress.

I think my opinions lie somewhere between doctors and Louise Hay. Now and again I'll have some symptom or another and I'll look it up in Louise Hay's book and there's a certain amount of truth to what I see there. I had a friend who had cancer and she absolutely had deep-seated hurt and grief. My mother also had cancer—breast cancer—and Louise Hay indicates that comes from taking care of everyone else first. That would be true of her, too. But I can't say I think this is true all the time. And some of the things I've seen her write of don't really resonate with me. 

All that said, I do think there's more to how our thoughts shape our health than doctors will admit to. And I definitely experienced a manifestation of what was going on under the surface this weekend. A lot of anxiety was rolled up into a visit I had with my family this weekend. And the minute I drove away from the place we all gathered, I got sick to my stomach and had physical symptoms of food poisoning. But what it really was was spirit poisoning...thought poisoning. If it were food poisoning, everyone else would have had it. But it was only me.

Before the weekend even happened, though, I knew how toxic the situation was for me and decided I was never going to go through this again. It happens to me every time we get together. Either I have to change the way I feel about how I am—and have been—treated by certain family members. Or I just have to stop accepting invitations to be around them. I admit that there are a lot of expectations and insecurities I could let go of. But I also believe a family should be a place where your vulnerabilities are safe. And sometimes it works that way for me. But many times it doesn't. And the anxiety about which way it's going to go is not healthy for me either mentally or physically. 

There is a saying that resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. The same can be said about anger, fear, lack of forgiveness and other such emotions. They poison us, little by little over time, until the feeling manifests as some sort of illness. And though it's hard for me to admit, I can't place the responsibility of the toxins I hold on to to anyone but myself. Last week we spoke a lot about how forgiveness doesn't mean you have to see the person ever again. It just means letting go. And it's hard to let go when you keep exposing yourself to toxic situations over and over again. 

My dog Kizzie was a rescue dog who was beaten the first 8 months of his life. I've never hit him. But he's almost 8 years old and still flinches when a hand comes toward him. I kind of feel this way. There have been developments over the past year or two that might mean the dynamic with these family members has changed or is changing. But, like Kizzie, I may always flinch when I see them coming. I have a decision to make at some point. I care about them. I care about their families. But I want the poisoning to end.

What do you think of all this?

8/6/17—Detaching From Trust

This is NOT my PT Cruiser. Mine was too dirty for a photo shoot and most
of the shots I found online sucked. So imagine this with a roof.

Like many of you here, I was manifestation before manifestation was cool.

It started for me with Deepak Chopra's The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, a book written more than a decade before The Secret. In fact, I think of The Secret as a longer, inferior version of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. Chopra's book, along with Gary Zukav's Seat of the Soul, are the two most influential books (and probably the only two I've read cover to cover) informing my spiritual journey. Both are "hard" to read, in that a lot can go over your head if you're not actively paying to attention and thinking things through. Indeed, Zukav actually wrote a "dummies" version of his book because it was so dense. But those two books really resonated with me early on, and the Chopra book is one I've opened over and over during the past 20 years.

But just because I know something inside out doesn't mean I always practice it perfectly. And thus was the case when my car's check engine light went on over a month ago.

In Virginia, our cars have two inspections they have to go through—a yearly safety inspection and an emissions test you can either do yearly or every two years. I have my safety inspection every July. And almost every July, my check engine light comes on. It always happens on the first really hot day of the year. Most of the time it happens because the gas cap isn't on tight enough. If the gas cap isn't on right, it screws with the effectiveness of your emissions control system.

Many times, I just fill up my tank, make sure my cap is on tight and, after a handful of trips out and about, the light goes off. My car guy says you have to go at least 70 miles before it will go off. So I tightened the cap and drove a couple weeks (since I don't commute, I don't put a lot of miles on my car). But the light didn't go off. By this time, I'm getting worried...thinking of it a few times a day. If the light doesn't go off, that means it is not a loose gas cap and could cost upwards of $600 to fix. And I just don't have that to throw away right now.

So I decide that, because my car is 13 years old, maybe it's time for a new gas cap. So I order one online. And I wait. And I worry. Then it comes and I install it. And I wait. And I drive. And I worry. And now nearly a month has passed of going into into stress mode daily. I try to keep it at bay with a gut check. And I pull cards. And everything tells me everything is going to be OK. But still I worry. Then July 31 rolls around.

It was a stressful day. I had to find a way to put a good 50+ miles on the car, then when I'm out on the road, a client schedules a phone conference with me that starts in an hour. So I immediately go home before the 50 miles are up to take the call. Then when the call is over, I debate...should I just go and fail the inspection, which puts a two-week clock on fixing the car? Or should I evade the police as long as possible...haha?

Ultimately, I decide to just go and fail inspection. But then something happened. See, I once asked my inspection guy if they would ever inspect a car with a check engine light on and he said no. But either I didn't ask the question right or he misunderstood, because they actually don't care if your light is on during a safety inspection. They only care when you're testing emissions, which I don't need to do for another year. So, long story short, my car passed inspection. And all my worrying was for naught. In fact, all my worrying from many Julys past was for naught. 

See, I had forgotten Deepak's Law of Detachment. Not forgotten, really, but was ineffective when using it. And it's really one of the key laws...and the hardest to do. Because once you've put an intention out into the universe, you're supposed to detach from it. And trust. And by detachment, that means you don't worry about it (because worry sends out an intention of worry, sending nothing but more worry back your way) and you don't pathologically drive your car in hopes of effecting a result. You just let go and trust.

And once I got my car inspected, another thing happened. An intense exhaustion washed over me. It lasted all that night and all the next day. With the exception of one phone call I had to take the next day, I literally slept the day away. This was as bad, or worse than, my worst days back when I wasn't being treated for asthma. In fact, I hadn't felt that exhausted since I had been diagnosed. Then the next day I was fine. The only explanation I can think of is that the cumulative effects of a month of worry took their toll. All because I couldn't let go and trust.

For the post-menopausal woman, life never lets you get too far along without reminding you you're no longer as young and resilient as you once were. I guess this was one of those times. I believe I've had far more stressful things happen without having that kind of effect, but maybe having this on top of a general stress I've been having all year was too much. But it also reminded me to detach and trust. I do tend to try to control my environment too much. I'm good about trying not to control people, but I do like my life to be predictable and worry free. And when things fall apart, I take too much of that on, physically, psychically and emotionally. So reminder taken.

And if you're wondering about my gut check, I'll say that I think it's always correct. It's more reliable than tarot or a pendulum for me. It takes some practice to see how your gut talks to you, so give it some time and effort. Here you go:

Sit down and relax in a quiet place—no music or TV...no distractions. Once you're settled in, breathe deeply in and out a few times. Once you feel centered, quiet and still, then make a declarative statement to yourself quietly as you inhale. For example, "My car will pass inspection." Don't ask a question. Make a statement. Then, as you exhale, monitor your gut. If it feels relaxed and more expansive, you will pass inspection. If there is a slight, barely detectable sniggle in your gut, you'll probably pass, but with a small condition. And if you feel any sort of discomfort or butterflies, whether it comes at the beginning or the end of the exhale, you're probably going to fail inspection. Sometimes I will follow that by stating, "I will fail inspection." Then I'll see how that feels in my gut. That helps for times your first gut check is inconclusive. Or when you're super insecure. 

This is how it works for me and you will need to calibrate how it works for you over time. But it is a worthy tool to cultivate because, while I didn't listen well this time, it has helped me detach and trust more times than I can count. And, like I said, while I can remember times my fear got in the way of it, I can't remember it ever being wrong. 

2/8/16–Letting Your Desires Flow To You

A friend recently posted the accompanying quote from Rumi and I thought it held a lot of valuable wisdom. 

Manifestation is much more than people have been led to believe by New Age gurus. There are, frankly, some aspects that some people aren't ready to align with. Maybe they're too stubborn, fickle, controlling, doubting or unaware to allow the process to happen the way it happens. So they generally think it doesn't work, because it doesn't work for them. 

The need to remain positive and believe is one of those things. People will say "I want a lover to enter my life and believe one is on his/her way, but the only people that seem attracted to me are losers or married people. This sucks! There is nobody out there for me! *feeling sorry for self*" 

Everything said prior to the "but" is great. Everything else is why manifestation doesn't work for you. You don't actually believe or you wouldn't be complaining. You wouldn't be focused on the past, but instead you'd be open-minded about the future. You'd be trusting. And you'd be a lot more careful about things you say, because you would realize the power your words have to negate the plans the universe has for you—plans you may not fully understand...plans that may somehow require losers to cross your path in order to learn lessons that will prepare you for Prince Charming. But then the universe sends you pre-Charming losers in all its infinite wisdom and you complain and say you don't want that. Confusing.

Another place people trip up, in my opinion, is in asking for specific things and not feelings. This is what triggers the "be careful what you ask for" syndrome. You ask for a new job at Google and you move out to California, but can't afford the same kind of home and land you had in Iowa. And there are earthquakes. And it never snows. And they expect you to work long hours under pressure and you don't feel as smart as you did at your old job. Meanwhile, there's this hot new startup in Iowa that is EXACTLY what you wanted—a great work/life balance, near your farm, four seasons, exciting projects to work on, good money. But you didn't get that because a) you're in California, so you didn't know about it and b) that's not what you asked for. It may have been what you wanted, but you asked for a job at Google. And that's what you got.

So Rumi's quote brings up another one of those aspects—how hard do you have to work to get what you want? Well, I believe you at least have to move in the direction and show an interest in receiving. But have you ever had someone offer to help you in the kitchen, then they ask where the knives and bowls are. So you show them. Then they need a chopping board that is in plain sight. So you point it out. Then they start to chop the onions, but in the stupidest way. So you show them how. Then they chop too big. And by that time, the bacon you were cooking when they offered to help got burned. So they really weren't any help at all and just managed to keep getting in the way?

Well, that's how the universe feels when you try to help too much. You think you know what's right, because you wanted to meet a great guy. So you joined dating sites and started going to whiskey bars and now the only time you're in public, you're either with another man or in some location the right guy for you would never go. You're getting in the way and trying too hard.

So what this Rumi quote is saying is that what you want also wants you. Trust in that. And instead of running around trying to help the universe out, maybe your time would better be spent opening yourself to receive the universe's grace when it comes. If you want a man, let the universe find the man and prepare yourself to be the kind of woman the kind of man you want wants. And if you want a new job, stop trying to tell the universe which job is best for you. If you were so good at that, you wouldn't be looking for a new job in the first place. Instead, focus on being the kind of candidate a dream employer would want. 

Each time we try to manifest things in our lives, there are certain things we need to understand. It may not happen on our timetable.The more you try to control the universe, the harder time you're going to have. The more critical you are of everything that happens during the process of manifestation, the more you work against it. Be careful of what you say you want, because you're likely to get it. And the harder you try to make something happen, the less you trust that what you're trying to manifest is also trying to manifest you. 

With all the logistics that are required to match you with the things you want—and considering the universe has a plan in place that you don't actually know, as much as you might think you do—your best move is stand in place, ready and confident to receive, and let your desires flow to you.