The Wounded Healer

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Lately I’ve been thinking about the Chiron path we all walk. In Greek mythology, Chiron was a great centaur whose wisdom, gift of prophecy, and abilities as a healer and teacher were renowned. Because he was the son of the Titan Cronus and an ocean nymph, he couldn’t die. He was wounded by an arrow poisoned with the Hydra’s blood, leaving him forever the wounded healer who could heal anyone except himself. He ended up giving away his immortality, saving Prometheus in the process, and he became the constellation Centaurus.

I don’t recall ever meeting a healing practitioner who wasn’t wounded in some way along their path. The place where we hold our wounds reveals important information to us. Although the planetoid Chiron’s placement in our birth charts can certainly teach us a great deal, I’m not speaking of astrology here.

I’ve had many wounds in my life and held them both physically and psychologically/emotionally in certain chakras. For example, feelings of uncertainty and lack of safety during childhood anchored in my root and led me down a path where I had to discover ways to ground myself, to find my center, to regain my sense of security. A severe wound that happened in early adolescence focused on my sacral chakra, and part of my journey to wholeness lay in finding a way to tangibly create and manifest in the world.

We are not Chiron. We don’t have to live our wounds forever. We could walk through life forever living the wound, of course, and sometimes we feel as if we have no choice. But we also can seek to find the wisdom, the teachings, the often oh-so-hidden gift of our wounds.

Wherever we have been hurt, therein lies our greatest strength. It may be covered by the blocked energies we placed over the wound just to survive, and I can’t say uncovering it is easy. It requires fortitude, tenacity, and courage. We have to prove to the small self that we’re not going to give up on the task.

The higher self and the beloved angels of Light definitely help us in the process. Archangel Michael gave me so much aid with the issue of feeling safe while I uncovered, cleared, and healed some of my oldest wounds, those that ran so deep I couldn’t always acknowledge them. He’s a great friend to have when seeking to find hidden truth. I’ll always be grateful to Archangel Michael and my higher self for allowing me to feel secure while I dug up the deeper reasons behind my pain.

But that was my journey. Yours may be completely different. The important thing to remember is that (1) you are never alone on your healing journey, and (2) your wound reveals the path to empowerment, to your greatest healing gift, the one only you can share. Pain may seem to hold no purpose, but it always points the way to our strength should we choose to take the path toward finding it.

I don’t claim to have found my way to all my hidden truths or to have uncovered all the healing power beyond my wounds. After 22 years on a conscious healing path, I realize how far I have yet to go. But many gifts have been discovered as I follow the wounds to the wisdom that lies within.

Sometimes, of course, we heal miraculously and instantly. I’ve both experienced and seen those moments too and always feel thankful for them. But if and when we are led to walk the path of the wounded healer, we may find the deepest of miracles, the ones that show us how to help others.

Thank you, dear souls, for the willingness to walk your own path no matter where it leads you. Thank you for showing the grace it takes to navigate the shifting seas of life. Thank you for shining light and touching others with your unique and beautiful soul. It means the world, you know.

Ultimate Happy to See You

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I’ve had animal companions all my life, and it has always brought a deeper sense of joy into my world. After the loss of my beloved collie at the age of 10, I never wanted to make that leap and get a dog again. I’ve had wonderful cats and precious parrots but no dog.

A little over a year ago, we welcomed a mix breed rescue into our lives, and our world hasn’t been the same. What a great gift!

The thing about dogs is that they love you unconditionally and to the maximum level allowed anywhere short of Heaven. Of course, other animals can extend that same degree of love, but few are so demonstrative of it. Our dog teaches us daily how to love. She never holds back. She shares without reservation under all sorts of conditions.

One of the most striking things about her love is the complete happiness she reveals each time she greets us anew. Whether we’ve been gone to the post office for 10 minutes or have been out for much of the day, the same amount of love is lavished on us, and the joy she shows is undeniable and immense. She jumps into our arms (whether we’re ready or not) and offers as many kisses and hugs as we will tolerate.

When I mentioned this to someone, the person suggested it might be because dogs live so much shorter a life span than we humans, and every minute seems like forever to them as a result. I expect there is some truth to this. But what I know for sure is that she simply wants to be in our presence, constantly streaming her love to us. That love is almost more than she seems able to contain, and it must be expressed and emitted.

What if we loved like that? What if we greeted each other with so much joy from our hearts at meeting our kindred? What if we could hardly contain the love we held and felt we might burst if we didn’t share it?

What a way to live that would be. If we felt and shared half as much love and joy as a dog, we could make the world a place of wonder and grace for everyone and everything. So I decided I’m going to try that. Tonight when my husband comes home from his conference, I’m going to greet him as if he were the most important person in my life. I’m going to kiss him and hug him and tell him I love him. I’d love to make him feel as welcomed home as our pup does.

Will I succeed? Well, I’m not as unconditionally loving as our dog, but I do have a great deal of love in my heart, so why not let it flow?

Will you join me in working toward sending joy and love to those dear to you? I suspect it will change our lives and the lives of those we touch, and maybe, just maybe, it will ripple out into the world in an ongoing flood of love enough to fill the planet.

Here’s to living as lovingly as a dog and to the ultimate happy to see you!

Believe in Love

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How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace. 
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Sonnet 43

I imagine many of us recognize those opening lines to Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s famous poem. That first line is the most important question we can ask ourselves. How do I love…myself, my family, my neighbors, and my friends? How do I love strangers? How do I love the world? 

Love is always a choice. Sometimes it can seem like a difficult one when a person has wounded us—especially when they continue to cause chaos or pain in our lives. (In such cases, loving sometimes means walking away so that we can allow healing to take place in order to restore the true essence of our hearts.)

But love is hardwired into the soul. Love is the very expression of our beings and, therefore, the most natural feeling to experience when we are aligned with the spirit. In every moment of our human experience, the Divine loves us—every one of us—without exception or qualification. The greatest gift we can offer anyone is our love, and, in sharing it, that gift becomes the most precious one we can give ourselves too.

Valentine’s Day for most is a celebration of love. What if we chose to live that love fully and with complete focus and determination every single day of the year?

Many of us find deep meaning in the line from Scrooge near the end of A Christmas Carol when he says, “I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!” 

I’m suggesting the same sort of thing. Can we attempt to let the spirit of Divine Love live in our hearts each day and never miss an opportunity to share it—with the person at the grocery store checkout, with the sad souls we pass on our journey, with our closest loved ones, with every child of light who walks into our lives or crosses our path?

I’m not saying it’s always easy. I have been wounded so many times I can’t count them, and some of those injuries cut so deep it took decades to heal them. Like many of you, I also see quite clearly the ills of the world and the forces of shadow at work. Yet, I refuse to let that dampen my acceptance of the spirit’s truth: Love! 

Many years ago an experiment began for the purposes of peace. I still feel blessed when I think of how much shifting occurred as a result of it. The premise was simple: Whenever we encounter a disturbance in life, something that appears detrimental, we are invited to respond, “Only LOVE prevails.” 

At the end of our lives, after all other considerations have passed into nothing, what remains is love. But we can choose not to wait for all else to pass away. We can decide to live love now, to honor its wisdom and its grace and fill our hearts with it as often as possible. My fondest hope is that we love one another so much that all our differences fade into the background of what was and we spend each moment in love with life and honoring each other.

In this moment, I extend the love of my spirit and my heart to each of you. Whether you know me well or not at all is of no consequence. You are my brothers and my sisters. We are kindred in the Light, and I shall love you all my days and far beyond this life.
Thank you for shining!

Love Affirmation: I Am the Flame of Divine Love flooding my being with luminous liquid light to wash away all wounds and open my heart to love overflowing.

Live in True Light.
Open to Creation’s Flow and be a
Vessel of Eternal Love.
Embrace universal grace.

These are Divine messages I received from the angels:

To know the true Self is to know Love abiding and eternal. To offer that love to every aspect of your being and to all life is to love the Creator. Give love, receive love, BE LOVE!

In Pure Love and Light you were born into existence. Your heart and soul hold the very essence of that everlasting, perfect Light and Love. In this time of awakening, you are asked to expand your heart-soul flames, to remember and to live your Divine origins so that you may share in every moment that perfect gift with all of Life.

You pave the path to love when you see through the vision of the heart. All Divine Creations are masterpieces of complete beauty when viewed through the truth of the soul.

In your deepest heart you know this truth. It echoes through your being. You were created as a perfect soul of Light. You were born of Divine Love. The stream of Love from the Creator flows freely and fully to all. It is available to you in every moment. The mis-creations of fear have built a dam in the personal life stream of humans. Only by removing these boulders, these blocks, from your Channel of Light can you access fully the truth of your soul, the perfection of your being. Now is the time to claim your right to LIVE LOVE!

In the third dimension, one cannot rise without employing flawless forgiveness, for freedom is found in this gracious gift of Light. The capacity to forgive lives in every human heart. When you allow forgiveness to rule your life, you truly begin to rise to the level of Divine Relationship.

Open your heart and mind to the flow of joyful harmony and love, for when you seek in such a state you cannot help but shift toward your goal. 

Love Is

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My husband and I will celebrate our 28th anniversary later this month. This annual celebration never fails to evoke gratitude for the years we’ve shared. Our lives together have not been without struggles, and the journey has been circuitous at times as well as rocky, but through everything we’ve found a way to continue to love each other deeply and be there for each other in ways we could not have imagined the better part of three decades ago.

This brings to mind the nature of love. It is so much more than the spark ignited when two people have chemistry. Love is the foundation on which to build something that lasts, and it is the cleansing and healing power that makes all things possible. Love is the one sure way past any problem and the one true answer to every prayer.

In terms of relationship, love is the hand reaching out to pick up the partner who falters, the shoulder to lean on in the lean and difficult times, the warm embrace at the end of a grueling day when a sigh speaks more than words ever could. During our years together, we’ve experienced loss of livelihood, accidents and injuries, illness, loss of loved ones, and many other challenges that are part of most lives. But we’ve also risen into greater harmony, found our soul paths, healed on many levels, and released a lot of old wounds and burdens. Of course, healing is an ongoing process, uncovering each layer as we are ready to let it go. The journey to living in the heart and standing in our strength continues, and, yes, we still stumble, still lose our way on occasion and forget our truths in favor of some looming circumstance. But, thankfully, we have many healing tools and the art of listening to help make things better.

Love gives rise to gratitude and gratitude strengthens love. One of the things we still do each day is say “thank you” for the little things. It would be so easy to take them for granted after so many years, but we make a point of being grateful to each other. If he does the dishes, I say, “Thank you, love.” He thanks me for a wonderful meal each time I cook one, and frankly he seems to be equally grateful for a nice salad as a full-blown dinner. This warms my heart.

Whether you’re talking about love of the Divine, love of nature, love of humanity, or love of family and friends, seeking to return each day into that space within where love is the only truth will illumine that relationship. And a grateful heart exercised daily will bring greater levels of love into each moment.

Empath to the Max

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I continue to learn from our dog. After over five decades without a canine companion, I’m remembering how marvelous they are in so many ways. What I see above all is their ability as empaths. They don’t shy away from being empathic. They lean into it. They give everything without a thought for holding back.

Our precious Honey cherishes us. It’s that simple. She follows me around the house seeking always to be of assistance. She’s my little four-legged spirit guide who happens to have a body. And she reminds me to Love with a capital L, that love is the most important thing in all the world, that giving love is itself a reward (and may lead to treats).

So many of us born as empaths look at our abilities as a sort of affliction. I’ve heard some friends call it a curse. But here’s the truth: If we were empaths in the same way animals are, we might acknowledge this ability as a great gift. You see, they recognize and feel our needs, feelings, and issues and simply love us through them. Dogs don’t pity us, which would attach said issue to them. Instead, they exude love and hold space for us to move through whatever the problem is. Yes, they want to help. But their innate means of doing so is always the same across the board no matter the challenge we face: love, love, love, love, love (and, of course, lick, lick, lick, lick, lick).

As humans, feeling someone else’s distress may lead us to embody that energy because we either (1) mistakenly identify it as our own or (2) we pity the person and allow the energy to attach to us. So far as I can discern, dogs don’t do this. They sense our distress and, rather than taking it on, emit tons of love in response, which we can choose to either receive or block given our feelings in the moment. When we receive that love a dog so freely offers, it acts like a salve to soothe the senses. While it may not solve our problems, that love can ease our feelings, not because the dog ingested them the way so many empaths do but because we allowed the love to nurture us and help us to heal.

This is a huge lesson for someone like me. I spent much of my life pitying those who were feeling sad. Pitying them only reinforces those feelings. I know this from being on the receiving end of that situation. But pouring out love costs absolutely nothing and can only serve to aid. It never depletes energy as pity can do on both sides of the equation (for the pitied and the pitier). Love always offers the hope, the prayer, the intention, and the energy for the person to rise above self-pity or sorrow.

I also spent a large portion of my life ingesting people’s hurts by claiming them as my own. I’m grateful to our dog for showing me a better way. She innately understands the feelings of others do not belong to her. She can sense them without embracing them. She recognizes from whence they come because dogs are extremely aware energetically. But empaths are as well if we focus on that inner awareness rather than hiding from it. Leaning into our empathy means being aware of what we’re sensing, pinpointing its source, and recognizing that we can honor the gift of being aware and still avoid imbibing and claiming the feelings ourselves. We do that by loving—just loving that person (the source of those emotions) so completely that nothing else can infiltrate our hearts or minds.

So the endpoint of the lesson, which I’m still getting, is to love unconditionally. Doing that allows me to feel without holding any of the energy of the other person. We can give thanks for the knowing and then let go of the emotions that belong to others by tapping into the infinite stream of Divine love and letting so much of it fill us and flow through us that it washes away all traces of anything less than itself.

I believe dogs (and many other animals) maintain this as part of their natural empathic gift. They would likely never consider doing anything else. Someday I hope to be as true an empath as our precious dog, living daily in that stream of unconditional love.

Things I Learned from My Dog

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For the first time since childhood, I welcomed a wonderful dog into my life. Our precious collie Laddie died after being run over by a car when I was 10. When I saw the face of this beautiful dog who now shares our lives, I knew I had to save her. She was in a kill shelter just one day away from being put to sleep.

Training our dog has become a part of our lives each day, and, truth be told, it’s really more about changing ourselves. After three weeks of intensive training with a professional (Jason, a true “dog whisperer,” of Sgt. Rosco’s Boot Camp), our wonderful dog needed us to follow through with the approach she knew and embraced.

Although I knew a great deal about energy already, seeing how important it is to dog training and what a visible impact it makes is rather amazing to me. With dogs, it really is all about the energy and intention! Fellow Reiki practitioners, I know you understand what I mean. Here are a few of the things I’ve noticed in the process of dog training that relate to energy.

  1. Own the space around you. I’ve taught people about setting energetic boundaries and creating a field of protection for years, but oddly enough I never imagined I would be doing that with a dog. In order for our dog to feel safe in a strange environment or in the presence of unknown dogs or people, I have to create a safe space around us. I have to walk with calm confidence and a demeanor that relays that (shoulders down, chest up, grounded in stance). I also know well that dogs are able to pick up our telepathic images as well as our emotions, so I picture an orb of protective energy extending around us whenever we come into a challenging situation or energy. More than this, though, I have to claim the space. I must walk like I own whatever place I happen to be in, because in truth we have to hold our energy field—that space around us—as our own. In doing so, others are unable to encroach on our energy. This is not about being angry, territorial, or aggressive. It’s about being responsible for our own energetic welfare and realizing that we must maintain our sacred boundaries of personhood (and dog-hood). A pack leader is loving but always capable of creating and maintaining personal space.
  2. It’s not about shouting. The energy emanating from our beings does not have to be blaring in order to lead. There is a major difference between confidence and combativeness, between assertiveness and aggression. Shouting at a dog is entirely ineffective. We’re most likely to get barking in response. Dogs and people respond to self-assured, harmonious energy.
  3. Stay focused in the moment. We all know the mind can wander. But this is one of the most important things in the dog training process (and in life). If I take my attention away from the current environment, I am relinquishing my pack leader status, and the dog has to take the reins. When I pay attention and am focused where I am, we have a successful walk. In life, if we’re too busy giving our energy to the past or pondering the future, we give up the great gift of conscious co-creation with the Divine.
  4. Checking in is important. In order to successfully train a dog, we have to become self-aware. Are our energies remaining constant? Where are our thoughts and emotions? If I’m walking our dog and I start projecting my thoughts into the future—especially worrying about something—my entire demeanor changes. I start to slouch or raise my shoulders. The moment that happens, our dog starts pulling on her leash. She knows almost instantly when I’m not being pack leader and she quickly assumes the role. So I have to continue to check in on my inner self and maintain the composure I seek to create for her.
  5. Setting the stage allows for positive outcomes. Our trainer taught us that the success of our dog walk depends on our readiness before we step out the door. We don’t want to begin the walk in a state of overexcitement. We center ourselves, get grounded, make sure we’re feeling harmonious and confident; then we have our dog sit, make eye contact, and we set our intentions for a happy walk and project that to her. It’s interesting how much like preparing for a client session dog walking can be! What if we all did this before we went out into the world or began the workday? Getting centered and grounded, establishing our intentions, and checking in on our thoughts and emotions can go a long way toward having a successful workday.

No doubt I will continue to learn more about dog training as time passes and incorporate the wisdom of the dog world into my daily life. For now, I hope you enjoy these thoughts and benefit from them.

One last note to self: Barking never solves a problem.

What Is Your Footprint?

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At this time as we walk through the world, it’s helpful to ask ourselves, “What footprint am I leaving behind?” Everywhere we go our energy lingers leaving trails and “footprints” along the path. All that we do becomes a part of the signature of energy we imprint upon our lives and on the places we travel and the environments we frequent. So it is vital to live in conscious awareness of what flows from (and into) our psyches.

We’ve all walked into places where the energy is icky. I remember the first (and last) time I went into the North Carolina State Capitol. I honestly felt suffocated by thick, low-frequency energy there. I was inundated with the ghosts of anger, rancor, and hostility from countless arguments and vehement emotions emitted over more than 180 years. I found it difficult to linger in such a place.

What we give off as we move through the world affects others, and it holds us in an energy field that tends to perpetuate more of the same emotion we give out most often. Much like Pig-Pen in the Peanuts comics, we can walk around with grimy fields, tracking muck through the world, or we can choose to clean our energies and walk with love, leaving behind a trail of light and peace wherever we go.

We all know what it feels like to be around someone who generally and genuinely shares love with others. We enjoy that kind of energy. We can’t wait to see that person and always find comfort in her or his presence. On the contrary, when we encounter someone whose energy feels like a dark cloud entering the room, we may find it difficult not to flee.

I have issued my fair share of yuck through the decades and still on occasion allow myself to fall into the trap of perpetuating those dense, low-frequency energies. But I’m truly thankful for the constant assistance from the Divine in the form of cleansing that all of us can do for ourselves daily if we choose. I use that wonderful violet flame every day without fail. These days I wouldn’t want to be without this powerful tool. And, believe me, it does make a difference, especially when we use it often and with strong intention and visualization.

To help clear our personal environments of problematic energy patterns, I highly recommend Joey Korn’s book on Dowsing: A Path to Enlightenment. The simple prayers and techniques allow us to rebalance the detrimental energy vortices in our homes, offices, etc.

Patricia Diane Cota-Robles’ The Violet Flame: God’s Gift to Humanity is one of many books I recommend on this wonderful blessing that helps us shift and align our energies.

At the very least, we can become more aware, and, when we begin to allow those unwelcome energies to either affect us from without or be transmitted from within, we can call on the violet fire to free us and bring that energy through every particle of our beings.

Energetically checking in 4-6 times per day to discern what energies we are perpetuating can assist us in living more consciously. Are we encircling ourselves in love or fueling discord in the atmosphere and within ourselves? By becoming more aware, we can begin to give ourselves the blessing of harmony as we offer the same to the world.

The Journey to You

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There is something that makes you uniquely gifted in a way that fits into the grand design. You might have known what that was as a wee child, but somewhere along the way you forgot. Maybe you haven’t discovered yet how you fit. It may take time and lots of exploring, but when you find that essence, your life changes. Things don’t necessarily fall miraculously into place. You may travel a path of moving more fully and deeply into your truth over time. The way may be circuitous or riddled with roadblocks and massive boulders. Sometimes you may need to muster every ounce of courage you have to face the challenges.

Please don’t give up. I can’t tell you how important you are. Every one of us has something that the world cannot live without. Some people stop looking and never find it, or they settle for a small fraction, focusing on an outer manifestation, a talent that only hints at the deeper truth; they allow the larger picture to remain a mystery.

At 61, I’m still learning about my big picture. I never seem to stop discovering it. Sometimes I have to dig deep down into the mire, feeling my way for the crystal clarity that lies buried beneath the refuse of old baggage. At other times I soar to the heights and see truths beyond my imagining. (Guess which one I prefer?!) In either case, each piece of the puzzle that I find contributes to the tapestry of my life as it continues to unfold.

Over the last couple of decades, I’ve learned a fair amount about purpose from working with my clients to uncover their path to fulfillment. I’ve watched people begin to blossom and thrive as they walked more fully in alignment with the truth of the soul. I’ve seen many go from being adrift in a sea of lost dreams to finding the drive to fuel the vision of their spirit. That has been one of the most joyful experiences of my professional life. This certainly has not been the case with every person who came through my door, of course, and many went on choosing the known over the possible. We all have that choice to make eventually—whether consciously or not.

So many souls are seeking something more now. My sense is that we are being awakened and propelled by the universe, the Divine, the spirit within to find the means by which we can make a difference because indeed the world needs each of us.

So how do we do that? For me, I can assure you there was no rhyme nor reason to the process. My route was as circuitous and haphazard as they come. However, nothing on that path was wasted. I make good use of every skill I learned along the way as surely as if the whole thing had been scripted to bring every single aspect of my life together. But I can say it didn’t seem that was going to be the case for the longest time! And the Divine had to step in and give me a huge wake-up call more than once along this journey.

Those among you who are traveling a similar road probably can relate. If that describes you, remember that everything will fit together eventually—although it may take some time to see how.

For now, here is a revealing question you can ask yourself to help discern your path of joy:

What kinds of books do you like to read? (If you don’t read, consider the movies you enjoy.) Many of us are captivated by all or most of these genres. So ask yourself, “If I had to decide on only one kind of book to read or movie to watch for the rest of my life, what would it be?”

Those who love fantasy fiction are often imaginative, creative people. To live a fulfilling life that taps into their uniqueness requires finding a profession that allows their expressive side to blossom. That doesn’t mean they have to write, paint, draw or sculpt. They could be chefs, inspiring teachers, actors or any number of other things. They may end up changing professions more than once as they explore the deeper truths their spirits hold.

Many times the folks who enjoy sci-fi have a flair for invention and a wealth of ideas. These people often have access to both sides of the brain and may be drawn to science or to work that evokes their innovative abilities. They may like to fix things too but in the process may very well be thinking about how to build a new, improved model of that broken ___________. These forward-looking souls are interested in pushing boundaries and stretching beyond where we have been. Fitting in is not paramount to these individuals, and they may be willing to go out on a limb to discover and unveil the truths they seek.

The action-adventure genre often appeals to people who have an inner need to get things done or shape the world. They may feel strongly about issues related to justice. Because action adventure is such a broad category, it’s difficult to express in a few words its many aspects. Here are a handful of potential roles for someone with this as the preferred genre: law enforcement officer, defense attorney, firefighter, pilot, foreign correspondent, athlete and (later) coach. These folks often are meant to move into leadership positions no matter their profession. They can be creative as well and may even become writers of the genre they love, but chances are they would be of the Hemingway ilk with their art definitely imitating their lives.

Those whose favorite genre is romance are often caring dreamers and idealists who seek to make the world a better place. They may see potential where others do not and envision a more utopian reality. These beautiful souls may become holistic healers, counselors, therapists (especially focused on children or women), matchmakers, or any number of things that on a large or small scale serve to make lives better. They may have much in common with the fantasy genre lovers and may share the creative spark—although it’s likely to show up differently.

Drama is one of those classes that encompasses a large array of subcategories. Generally, however, the people who enjoy this form are realistic, thinking, socially-conscious individuals. They may have an interest in philosophy, sociology, psychology, history and anthropology and may gravitate toward professions in those fields. They also may be activists for a cause that reflects their desire to help others. The people who like drama often reveal a strong sense of responsibility that lends itself to dedication and success in their careers.

Those who read a lot of biographies harbor a lively curiosity about people and often seek to understand others at a deep level. They too may have an interest in psychology but usually on a more intimate scale. Their journey is often more about the emotions. They may have a similar desire to help others through one-on-one or family social work. They also may be keen on learning the lessons of life and advising others related to such matters.

If every book you read is on self-help, that does not make you a narcissist. In fact, the opposite is usually true. Your soul is calling you to heal and grow so that you can rise into what you are meant to become. For those who claim this as their favorite genre, the deeper desire is often to become a healer of some sort. When we find the path to healing our own wounds, we are often learning the very things that will allow us to minister to or serve others.

What about those who devour metaphysical books? These old souls (in many cases) are often already keepers of great wisdom who simply need to be ignited and awakened to those spiritual truths that they have yet to access fully. The “aha” moments that come while reading these books may very well be the soul’s way of saying, “Remember?” These people tend to be catalysts, changemakers and visionaries who seek to kindle the flame of truth and freedom. They may not easily find satisfaction in the mundane pursuits of life, for they want to affect beneficial shifts. These individuals may go into higher education or write books that share their philosophy. Some may head movements or become leaders in nonprofit organizations geared toward healing or helping the planet in some meaningful way.

Last but certainly not least, let’s consider comedy. The dear souls who fully embrace this genre are not merely seeking escape. They’re looking for fuel. These are the joy bringers. If their supply is running low, comedy replenishes their stores and sets them right again. These souls often love to spend time in nature. Their main role in the universe can be filled in any number of ways because they sprinkle sunlight wherever they go. They compliment the check-out person at the supermarket and almost always smile at strangers. Their lives are not always easy, of course, because quite often they are meant to be healers too on some level. Their healing gift is the natural light they shine into the lives of those who pass through the world around them. Since these souls are almost always givers, the most vital thing for them is self-care through laughter (and often singing), by absorbing beauty (especially in nature) and through pursuits that nourish their own joy. They tend to love activity (in a different way from action adventure enthusiasts), outdoor games, sunning at the beach (or any soothing natural setting), animals and trees.

Okay, I confess I got a little carried away by the last two categories. I have a lot of these people in my life and love those alchemists/changemakers and happiness spreaders to the moon and back!

Many of you may have read these descriptions and found quite a few that seem to apply to you. I feel the same way. I read every one of these genres and share traits with many of the people I’m describing. My top four are fantasy, romance, metaphyscial and comedy, and I live in all those aspects of my soul’s journey by being a writer, artist, healer/counselor, catalyst and joy bringer. Our paths are not always simple and cannot be defined in mere generalities, but this is a starting place at least.

I hope this article sparks your journey to being YOU in a positive way and reveals a little about where to look next. The world needs you to be the truth of your soul.

 

Risk and Reward

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I’ve probably watched the movie Defending Your Life with Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep on at least 7-8 occasions through the years and loved it every time. If you don’t know the story, Albert Brooks’ character, Daniel, dies suddenly and gets shipped to Judgment City, a place between Heaven and Earth where people’s lives are assessed to see if that get to “move on” to a more uplifted reality or have to return to kindergarten here on Earth. It seems that Meryl’s character, Julia, is a shoe-in for ascending to a higher plane because she lived to the fullest, risking even her life to help others and always going the extra mile. Daniel, an affable if ineffectual fellow, played it safe and did little to improve even his own situation. As a result, his Attorney Mr. Diamond (played by Rip Torn) can offer little in his defense.

When I watched the film again recently, I couldn’t help thinking about how I’ve approached risk in my life. I certainly have experienced moments when I shied away from the spotlight and from situations where I felt insecure, but I’ve had my fair share of going out on a limb as well—thanks to some powerful examples in my life.

My mother instilled a great need to be “safe” as so many moms do, but she and my father actually lived a much more risk-oriented reality. She went to college at the age of 36 while juggling a full-time job and a houseful of children and ended up getting her bachelor’s, two master’s degrees and a doctorate in education. She started her own school for our church and built that into a K-7 academy. Then, she tackled being first a teacher and later a principal in the public school system, where she instituted programs for reading and art that pushed the envelope and made her primary school the one sought after by every teacher and parent in the county. She ended up being named Principal of the State of North Carolina in 1989 and later receiving the John F. Kennedy Center Arts Education Award.

My father likewise always ventured into unknown territory both in his law career and as a community leader in various organizations. He even ran for State Congress (and lost) in a party that was certainly not the favorite in our state at the time. He made a name for himself as a defense attorney reminiscent of a real-life Matlock.

So there were our parents telling us kids to be safe while showing us that we needed to embrace life with passion and bravery. In some ways, I suppose I took both paths to heart. As a bit of an introvert, I spent a fair amount of time being sheepish in the early years but forced myself to get past my fear of public speaking by joining the National Forensic League in the 11th grade. I started pushing my limits with my writing in college but still didn’t completely overcome the desire to remain out of the limelight.

Finally, in my 40s after hiding my true self to fit in for a long, long time, I came to the point where I knew I had to take ownership of my life and forced myself to share those “out there” topics that were dear to my heart with audiences of over 100 people. It took a while to feel secure enough in my own skin to move out of my comfort zone and let people know who I was. Still, I didn’t manage to screw up enough courage to publish my novel until I turned 60. My writing was always something I held close to my heart for the most part, but the story of Grandfather Poplar finally begged to be told.

I guess I always had the risk-taking gene, but I often had to work up the nerve to rise above my fears. I remember on our honeymoon in Jamaica many years ago I watched fellow tourists parasailing every afternoon as I sat safely on shore. I longed to feel that enticing sensation of flight, but I had a fair degree of acrophobia and didn’t think I could handle it. Every day I would turn to my new husband and say, “I wish I could do that. Maybe tomorrow.” On the last day of our week-long stay, I finally said, “Let’s go parasailing!”

I can’t describe the feeling of soaring high above the waves. Words like “exciting” and “exhilarating” hardly capture the essence of that thrilling escapade. A rush of air lifted me higher and higher. Then, the boat stopped to let me gently waft down and dip into the ocean before returning to the sky and the currents that carried me into blissful abandon. I could have stayed up there all day dancing with the wind, but the adventure ended all too soon and I returned to the starting ramp.

I took the risk that time in my life despite virtually equal amounts of dread and desire, and my reward was an experience beyond description that lives in my memory 26+ years later as vividly as any of the moments of my life. At the time I recall telling my beloved, “Oh, how I wish I had done that on our first afternoon here. Then, I could have gone up again every day!”

Each time I’ve taken a chance and stepped out of my routine, I gained something. My first competition in the NFL in high school resulted in me nervously stammering and stuttering my way through a recitation from a novel. Red blotches covered my chest, climbed up my neck and threatened to swallow my face in a blushing sea of embarrassment. What was my reward? Getting through the experience and seeing that the worst was behind me! As hard as it was, I learned that I could face the judges and get through the meet. I did much better at the next event and felt stronger every time I put myself out there. If we let it, courage has a way of building on itself, I believe.

I invite you to join me in asking yourself what risks you’re willing to take to reap the benefits of a life well and deeply lived. If we had to “defend our lives” right now based on how much we embraced our truths and engaged in the adventure of stretching ourselves and helping others along the way, how many moments could we recall to show that we shone a light into this world and truly, thoroughly lived?

I’m not suggesting we throw caution to the wind and decide to do something foolhardy or dangerous. But what if we missed the opportunity to live our purpose because we were too timid? What if we were hiding inside exactly what someone out there needed in order to heal or blossom? What if we could change the world for the better—even if only for a single soul—by shining our unique light and revealing those wonders that we have kept hidden in our psyches?

As William Faulkner said, “You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” I believe the universe is calling us now to step into the unique purpose that prompted us to come into this realm of Earth, to venture into unknown waters in order to gain and then share the wisdom of Spirit.

My experiences teach me that risk often leads to a gift. Sometimes the reward is just proving to yourself that you can do whatever it is or learning a lesson that will guide you in life. Sometimes it’s getting to soar above the ocean and feel freer than you ever imagined you could. How high are we willing to fly in order to make a difference?

“Be brave,” I said to myself as they harnessed me and hooked me to that parachute tethered to a speed boat. As the boat accelerated and my body left the safety of the platform, I was still whispering, “Be fearless, Diana. You can do it.”

And so can you, friends. So can we all.

Perception

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A couple of weeks ago, I took a photo of the sun low in the sky filtered through the trees. When I looked at the picture later, I realized there was no way (without knowing the landscape) that anyone could tell whether it was taken at dusk or at dawn.

Spirit reminded me that there is a lesson in that realization. Whether we see these times more as the end of the old world or the dawning of the new speaks to our own feelings and perception in the moment. I personally will always look to the Dawn, for in that direction I find peace and the radiance of the sun rising to lift us to transcendent awakening.

Recipe for Uplifting

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We are in the thick of the great shift, and things can seem overwhelming for many at times. What I’ve been guided to do as often as possible throughout my day is to ask myself the questions, “What am I creating right now?” and “Do I want to perpetuate the condition I am experiencing at this moment?” The answer to the latter has continued to be “no” at least a few times a day, but I am improving! I know what my goals are: to live in a state of continuous peace and radiate that to all around me and, of course, to rise to a higher frequency experience. That means I have to be conscious, conscientious and diligent in sticking to the program.

Some days that’s a breeze. When I’m doing work that I love or chilling with my family or walking in the woods, things are just grand, of course. But when I get caught up in the struggle of those around me, in focusing on the ills of the world (all of which I deeply want to FIX) or become immersed in the murky energies out there in the world, well, I have been known to allow myself to let my own energy and outlook be affected. So what do I do? I can’t shut myself off from the world entirely and live like a hermit, after all.

My recipe may be different from yours, but we all have one. Otherwise, many of us might be going quite insane by this point. For me, the recipe includes cleanse and cleanse and cleanse some more. And then some more. I spend a great deal of time meditating, praying, using affirmations and visualizations, doing energy healing and engaging the Violet Flame of Transmutation.

I also limit my time being focused on the things that lower my vibration, which includes—at least for me—the Facebook feed, television and movies. Mind you, I still do my bit as a citizen, calling my Congressmen, signing petitions and donating to the causes I believe in. But if my every waking thought were consumed with what is wrong with the state of the world, I know that I would never accomplish my goals. The Law of Attraction affects all of us in every moment, and I know this as a palpable truth that literally reveals itself to me if ever I forget to be diligent. Thankfully, I also get to see the results of this Universal Law at work in most wondrous and miraculous ways.

What is your recipe? How are you navigating this shift? If you have solutions that work for you, please share them with those you love and all who will listen. Your brothers and sisters of Earth need help from every corner (those ready to hear anyway). This is a great time to make a plan and stick to it. In order to move through this period of awakening when we have one foot in the fifth dimension and one in the third, we need to ground love, find balance and support one another. I hope your recipe is serving you well!

Letting Go

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I want to share a personal experience in hopes that this may help someone out there. Yesterday I had occasion to speak with a loved one who was feeling overwhelmed, distraught and highly stressed. She told me that she could not see her way out of the situation. Being who I am, I naturally tried to offer suggestions on ways to energetically rise above the issue and how to protect her psyche from the onslaught of detrimental emotions of others.

I quickly realized that I might as well have been speaking a foreign language, for my words and the good intentions behind them appeared to be neither perceived nor received. After only a brief time of sharing my good will and best advice, I could sense that my message was completely lost on that dear soul, who was so thick in the mire of her own experience that everything I suggested appeared out of reach at best.

When she said she needed to get off the phone, I let her go. And I LET HER GO (energetically disconnected). I don’t mean to suggest that I won’t be there for this treasured soul. On the contrary, I will ALWAYS hold the Light for her and do all in my power to ease her path. Yet, I know in my heart that it is only possible to aid those who are willing to accept help.

My own experience has taught me this all too well. In my past, I have been that person refusing to see the way out many times. I too have chosen to wallow in the pit of despair and refuse the Hand of Light that reached out to pull me up. Of course, I didn’t know that I was refusing it. At those moments, I simply couldn’t see beyond the issue at hand. So I understand where this person is, because I’ve been there. As soon as she is ready for help, she will ask and the Divine will answer, and I will be thankful to be an instrument of the Light when that time comes. For now, all I can do is avoid judging, love her and hold the highest intentions.

Right now many of us are in the thick of grasping the big lessons we came to learn. I profoundly wish that my knowing this lesson could somehow translate it to the consciousness of every other person who is in the process of learning it. But it seems we all must choose to learn when and as we are ready.

So what do we do when faced with this situation—when someone we love is stuck? Here’s what I’ve found helps me:
(1) I love the person—just as he or she is in the moment.
(2) I pray and say affirmations on behalf of the person.
(3) I refuse to be brought down into the mire. Sinking into the same state will not help the person, but it will hinder my progress on the journey of light. I inwardly say, “I love you and honor your choice even as I invite you to rise.”
(4) Instead of trying to fix the issue, I just listen. (I like to put a violet flame shield around myself through the listening process so that I can avoid taking in the energy being expressed.)
(5) I seek within myself any dregs of the same or similar energetic/emotional issues and clear them diligently and utterly. This one is vital. When something arises in the outer world, I know it’s always a reminder that I need to look inside to deal with my own stuff—even if I thought I’d already conquered that issue for good.

There are times when we have to rise above the fray to see things clearly. The density in the atmosphere sometimes seems so thick with chaos that it begs the question, “How do I rise through this?!” Believe me, I understand that. Yet, I also know that it can be done with diligence, determination and courage. I’m doing my best in this regard every moment of every day and I know you are too.

I have to keep believing that only the Light prevails and only Love abides. May we step outside 3D perception long enough to perceive and receive assistance when it comes.

Thank you for shining!

Focus Is Key: Where Am I Living Right Now?

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I’ve been a fan of science fiction & fantasy since childhood, and I have to say that through the years I’ve found many truths were shared in the creation of those other worlds by many a great writer. As a Star Trek fan from the beginning, I admit that Deep Space Nine may not have been my favorite show of the franchise, but it had its moments and its insights to be sure, and I loved many of the characters.

Star Trek: DS9 debuted as a series way back in 1993, but I still remember the pilot, because it introduced me to an important concept. I can’t say that I embodied the lesson then, but at least its message was imprinted on my consciousness so that many years later I would start to live that wisdom.

In part 2 of the pilot episode, Commander Benjamin Sisko (played by the brilliant Avery Brooks) took a shuttle craft into a stable wormhole. Rather than returning as expected, however, he was taken into what seemed to be another dimension, where beings of a very different understanding lived. These beings found the concept of linear time altogether foreign and nonsensical. In an attempt to understand Commander Sisko and third-dimensional humans, they plucked scenes from his life and had him relive them.

Sisko’s wife had died when their starship was attacked by the Borg, and he was unable to save her. He and his son had to evacuate the ship and leave her behind. Although the inhabitants of the wormhole took Commander Sisko through many of his life experiences, they kept returning him to this one scene that replayed over and over again. He became more distraught each time he was forced to relive that moment of having to leave his trapped, dying wife, and he said to the aliens something like, “Why do you keep bringing me here?! I don’t want to be here!”

Their reply was the same each time: “You live here.” In the years that followed his wife’s death, his intense guilt and grief had lingered to such an extent that the beings in the wormhole believed that this moment was his reality. It was the place where his mind returned every day—likely many times a day. In essence, he indeed lived in that same excruciating place for many years.

Thankfully, the wormhole inhabitants came to comprehend Sisko enough to know that he wasn’t a threat to them and let him leave the wormhole and return to the space station. In the process, they helped him to come to terms with his wife’s death and to realize that it was time to release the past and move beyond that place of guilt, anger and sorrow.

I too spent much of my life living in the past—especially in those moments where my great wounds were born—and I can say from much experience that it is not possible to cling to those old wounds and still be whole here in the present. It took me decades to let go of the more intense traumas of my life, but now at last they have faded and receded and in some cases entirely departed. This took diligence, self-exploration and a great deal of healing work using many modalities to get past those traumas. I feel grateful every day that I was able both to heal and to train myself to focus on the life I was born to live and the world that I want to create.

Of course, it wasn’t only the big things that lingered in my psyche. I used to find myself rehashing every day and wishing I had done this or that differently/better. Worrying about the past never improves the future, however. In fact, it creates more of the same, because the focus is on the thing that was unhealthy rather than on building the best life possible. The law of attraction teaches that energy moves in the direction of our attention, which means that every time I felt angst, guilt, etc. for those moments I deemed inappropriate, I was generating energy toward the repetition of the same.

I still have to work every day at focusing entirely on what I desire to see in the world (rather than what appears to be), but it gets easier as I generate more positive thought and feeling in my life. While still a work in progress to be sure, I can say that dedicated practice of focusing on what I want to create has helped me shift many patterns and deeply ingrained behaviors. Each success in this process builds on the prior ones until it becomes second nature.

I know from countless experiences in this life that the law of attraction not only works but is actually quite foolproof. Yes, it takes time (mostly because of the need to keep shifting ourselves in the direction we want to go) and extreme self-awareness and diligence. Even so, we have such an opportunity every day to choose where to place our energy and attention. That’s the great gift of free will. By staying in harmony and deciding in each moment to hold only Light AND by living in gratitude for all the good things that are present here in the present, we can build a personal reality that embodies our fondest dreams, and that reality then can spill out into the world to touch other people’s lives in beneficial ways.

This is what I believe, because this is my experience. You are free to embrace your own experience. I simply extend the invitation to join me on the quest for a truly joyful life. How? It begins by checking in several times a day to see where the attention is going. Simply ask, “Where am I living right now? Do I like it here?” If the answer is “no,” then it’s up to each of us to unequivocally decide to alter our trajectory. See what happens when the focus shifts.

I’m not saying it’s always easy. I know firsthand that can be exceedingly challenging. I have been in that pit of despair—unable to relinquish my sense of loss or anger or some other painful emotion. Finding the way past such things takes work, and seeking help along the way from friends, family and even professionals is the wise act of a strong person. Yet, once we get to a certain point in the journey, it becomes about retraining our minds to align with the highest reality, and that can go hand in hand with all other efforts on the path of healing.

The Joy of Service

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SpiralFlowerCopyrAs I started compiling my email on Labor Day right after completing my weekly prayer circle list, the small self in me wondered why I wasn’t taking the day off. The answer that came immediately to mind is this: “Service given through love is never labor; it is instead joy.” I had to thank the Ascended Masters for that one, because it surely sounds like one of theirs!

Monday was my mother’s 88th birthday, and when we spoke that morning we talked about how much alike our philosophy of life is. What brings both of us the greatest joy is helping others, and the thing that makes our hearts smile is brightening someone’s day even just a little. I heard my mother say what I have said so often, “I feel it’s my job to make others feel happier. It’s why I’m here.” What a delightful moment!

Opportunities to brighten someone’s day come up all the time. This past Sunday in Whole Foods I noticed a couple with their little girl in the cart. The look on the wife’s face was somewhere between angry and disappointed, and the husband just looked glum. The little one’s face mirrored her parents’. I saw them twice on different aisles wearing the same expressions. So I thought to myself, “How can I help these folks?”

Well, when someone has a child in the cart, I need look no further for a solution, and this happened to be a such a lovely little girl. Of course, to me they all are!

Anyway, I went up to the couple, lightly touched the mother’s arm to draw her attention, and said to both parents, “What an absolutely beautiful little one you have!” Their faces changed in an instant! The countenance of discord melted into pure joy and happiness. They proceeded to tell me that she was 14 months old on that very day, and I wished her happy birthday plus two months and said it was important to celebrate life every day. We spoke only for a minute or two, but those beautiful people clearly shifted. What was apparent to me as I left them—absolutely beaming—was that now instead of being down they were feeling grateful for the blessing of their daughter.

Guess what else? I was beaming too—positively glowing with inner joy and gratitude that I could provide this small service of brightening someone’s day—in this case three someones. Never have I had a more resplendent trip to the grocery store, because I was smiling in my heart the whole rest of my time there and long after I left and came home.

The Angels of Light are whispering to me as they so often do, their lilting melody of light singing through my heart and mind, and here’s what they say: Every day we have an opportunity—perhaps many opportunities—to be someone’s angel. Those beautiful beings of light help everyone they meet—without judgment or conditions—just holding LOVE for all. They don’t do it for a reward or praise. They do it because it is in their nature to do so, and to them service itself IS their reward. 
Every person who crosses our path on any given day is a potential gift in waiting, because every time we touch another soul with love, light, appreciation and kindness that blessing flows back into our own hearts tenfold. I felt happy the entire rest of the day after that one brief incident in which I expanded love to those precious folks who were so in need of it. I don’t know why they were feeling less than jubilant in the store. I just feel grateful that Spirit drew my notice and called me to act.

My husband always reminds me to consider the ripples as well. The people whom we touch in these small ways then share those uplifted feelings with others and with the very atmosphere around them. Perhaps they have a similar effect on others they meet afterwards, and then those people follow suit and so on and so on and so on—until at last everyone in all the world feels lighter and more in harmony, and we shift the world one soul at a time.

Many people have espoused such a philosophy, of course. Now what if we all acted on it?!! What if everyone said, “Today it’s my job to LOVE every person I meet and share even a few meaningful words of kindness from my heart”? By exuding love to everyone, we have the power to change the world!

All of us are Angels (or Ascended Masters) in training, and, just like those precious Light Beings, the more we extend love into the world, the greater our joy will be. It’s a simple formula really. Sometimes we forget it and end up being the one who needs lifting up ourselves. (I’ve been there and done that countless times!) But for those who choose to live our lives by that formula, there always will be someone to help us in exactly the same way when we falter. That someone may or may not be visible, of course, but they always, always show up! Then, it’s up to each of us to choose to either willingly receive what light is imparted or to remain in our stew until we’re ready to move out of it.
Here’s what I believe wholeheartedly: If we spend our lives seeking to convey love and harmony to everyone we encounter (and to all those closer to home), we will experience profound gratitude and boundless joy and be blessed with riches that shine far greater than gold. 
To those precious friends, loved ones and fellow lightworkers reading this post, please know that I am honored to share this path with you, to walk the walk with many, many others who live by this same formula and who seek to support one another. I thank you from the bottom, middle and top of my heart for being the light that you are and choosing LOVE.

My Real Job

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9thRayLionessCpyRtProfessionally, I wear many hats. I’m a Reiki master teacher, Sacred Heart Soul Healing founder, healing arts practitioner, ascension artist, writer, editor, speaker, organizer of A Gathering of Angels Meetup and a few other things, but in truth I have only one real job: to LOVE without condition and honor every being with whom I share this journey.

As a sensitive or empath who feels the emotions of others (not quite as fully as Deanna Troi on Star Trek Next Generation but more than enough to be sure), I recognize that the thing that is most needed for the purpose of healing is unconditional LOVE. The energy modalities I use in my work flow with an endless fountain of that vibration and quality, which is why I joyfully embrace daily self-work with Reiki and Sacred Heart Soul Healing and also why I love teaching these techniques to others so that they can imbibe the gracious gift of infinite LOVE.

I was sent to this world to LOVE without end every single life. This doesn’t mean that I don’t discern that some are on a completely different wavelength from me, but my job is to see the Light within each soul no matter how much shadow appears on the surface. That may not be easy (especially in this election year), but it is the most important thing I can do in every moment. LOVE!!

Love and judgment cannot exist in the same space at the same time; so I realize that when I fall into judgment of anyone (and, yes, that means people in the public eye and the political arena), I have taken myself out of the frequency of LOVE, out of the vibration where I am meant to live.

When we judge another person, we both align ourselves energetically with the thing we are judging and more firmly entrench that person in the energy that prompted such a judgment. Since my job is to LOVE everyone, judgment is off my to-do list from now until forever. I can and do discern what is right for me, and I most assuredly use that discernment to live a better life and to envision and birth a more radiant reality. But I want EVERYONE to rise to a higher state of consciousness; so I have to avoid labeling anyone in a way that builds on the shadow reality a person is already choosing.

When someone is spouting hate, I recognize that he or she likely lives in a state that is far outside the realm of grace. That person does not know LOVE. In most cases, people were taught to hate and molded by others and by circumstance to become someone who loathes rather than loves.

An empath must avoid looking in the direction of such a person for very long, because hate and fear tend to breed more of the same. However, holding love for those who have been caught in the vibration of hatred is vital if we expect those individuals ever to be able to move beyond that hate frequency. I find it necessary to remove myself quickly from such intense, fear-based energies while setting an intention of shifting ever more completely into LOVE—even for those who have no conception of what that beautiful, enlightened emotion is.

I have seen unconditional love in the public eye only a few times in my life. Once on an Oprah show, a woman came on to discuss how she had forgiven the man who murdered her daughter. Her ability to forgive and even extend love to this man was truly LOVE beyond the level of most human conception. Yet, as an intuitive, I felt and accepted the truth of her emotion.

I knew that this was possible, because I had been able to forgive deeply the murderers of my first love, my best friend and another dear friend. Of course, for me this took decades to achieve while for the mother who appeared on Oprah it had been only a few years. Seeing and hearing her story helped me to find love in my heart enough to extend to those who had taken the lives of my two young and cherished teenaged friends and my 21-year-old first love. In doing so, I freed myself from the pain of that time in my life when I lost so many who were close to me, and I opened the door for more and more LOVE to flow into my life. Letting go of those deep wounds that lived in my heart for so long made room for the amount of LOVE required to change the world—at least my little corner of it.

So, friends, that’s my real job and the most important one of this or any life. Living LOVE is everything. It feeds the soul, heals the psyche and blesses every aspect of life with its rich, glorious pure LIGHT, and for this I am ever grateful.