Monthly Archives: November 2016

Have you ever smiled at the sight of a child dashing around with arms extended and a red Superman cape streaming behind? Kids make it look pretty simple, don’t they? Whatever work needs to be done, they are sure they can do it with a little higher power assistance. Haven’t you sometimes wished for a magic cape that you could use to heal the fear, the hunger, the cold, and the darkness you see in the world around you? You know you are called to help, to heal, to mend, but how do you connect with the power you need to do it?

There may not be a magic cape, but in the Bible, an outer garment, a mantle, is described that symbolizes a calling given to an individual by God. If you were the Old Testament prophet, Elijah, for example, your mantle represented your call to minister to the people. And you passed it on to the new generation of spiritual leadership when your lifetime of work on Earth was done.  Today the “mantle” is still a metaphor for the role and responsibility of a given form of leadership, of one who is a keeper of a body of wisdom and knowledge. In the realm of energy healing, there is a body of wisdom and knowledge that can be aspired to by those who are seeking to grow in spirit and to heal themselves and others—the mantle of healing.

I decided to call my upcoming retreat to the beautiful spiritual center of Ojai Valley—The Mantle of Healing. Like its Biblical namesake, a mantle is not only a metaphor for powerful knowledge but also a simple sheltering garment. The mantle of healing shelters and protects and is a source of comfort, refuge, joy and discovery. You are always welcome to take shelter under the mantle of healing. It might also be your own personal connection to the powerful forces of wellbeing, compassion, and unity you seek.

Like all humankind, you are on a path to higher consciousness, a mission to shift from your lower-self qualities—which are largely related to physical existence and survival—to the higher-self characteristics, stemming from the energy of love that your soul intended for you to develop in this lifetime. The mantra of the lower self is, “It’s all about me.” The goal of your spirit is to shift to the call of the higher self—“We’re all one.”

Here are three ways you can shift into a higher spiritual gear and accelerate your movement toward greater spiritual growth and wellbeing:

1. Become more self-aware. Thousands of years ago, the great philosophers advised us to “know thyself.” To know yourself, you must step into the mind-set of self-reflection and self-understanding. Figure out how you feel about everything that has occurred to you in the past and is happening to you right now. There is nothing to criticize or judge; you simply want to know and understand you. Then take the self-inquiry a step further by analyzing these sentiments: “Am I off base here?” “Is this something I need to change?” Give yourself permission to admit your mistakes and accept your frailties, because then, and only then, can you free yourself to become the powerful being you were meant to be.

2. Learn to forgive yourself. Self-forgiveness plays a key role in your spiritual evolution. The number one issue blocking your free access to the light of spirit is blaming yourself. Truly, it’s the biggest problem I find in working with others—human beings are just too hard on themselves! Therefore, in addition to recognizing your feelings honestly and giving them a voice, the most powerful action you can take to grow in spirit is to acknowledge your frailties as they present themselves. When you admit your humanness, you are free to give yourself a hearty dose of compassion. So, forgive yourself for what you think you’ve done wrong and grow in self-compassion and the power to extend compassion to others.

3. Build your connection to Source. With a regular practice of connecting to Source, whatever that may mean for you—and without all the negative self-talk—you’ll find there’s suddenly space for more light to come into your life. There’s enough room in you energetically for your higher-self qualities to be downloaded from the chakras above your head and come right into your field. Maybe for you, one of these qualities will be courage or resilience. The powerful gifts you always knew you had but couldn’t quite access will begin to manifest. With your newly-strengthened connection to Source, you’ll become a vehicle for the higher qualities you need to follow your calling and become the powerful contributor you are meant to be.

The spiritual payoff for these three types of personal action, and all the self-healing work you do, is enormous. When you’re in touch with how you feel and acknowledge your mistakes and let them go, you open the door to your higher self. Dedicated inner work is one of the primary ways you obtain your divine gifts. You become more patient and tolerant with yourself and others. Your intuition grows, and you start to experience the loving qualities of your inner essence. Spiritual growth leads to inner peace and the discovery of those higher powers and abilities you want to bring to the world.

I welcome you to embrace your powers within the mantle of healing >>>

Autumn is in full swing! As we prepare to reap the bounty of a year of celebrating in the light, healing past trauma and radiating unconditional love out into the world… I hope you’ll remember to take a look back to a year ago and see how far you’ve come and what lessons you’ve learned along the way.

I mention this because this is also a season of preparation for higher spiritual journeys, energetic soul adventures and embarking upon the pathway to the very best version of your life… for you and everyone around you.

For those of you who have followed my work for quite some time, you already know that the veil between life and death thins at this season, and possibilities for communication with those who have passed on expand.

Here lies an occasion for you to come close to your ancestors and loved ones who have passed to the other side and receive the love and the wisdom they offer.

At the start of this month, we honored the Christian celebration of All Saints’ Day on November 1. This day set aside by the early church to honor saints and martyrs merged over time with long-existing folk customs celebrating the harvest and the remembrance of ancestors who had gone before. A lively modern day example of this folk tradition is the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead, a holiday which honors the dead by celebrating their lives and the happy times that families spent together.

Day of the Dead celebrations have spread to cities across the U.S. because of the soulful appeal of the holiday. Customs include decorating special “altars” for deceased family members with bright flowers and candles, music, and the special food and drink that they enjoyed in life. It’s a celebration that encourages the belief that death is a natural part of the cycle of life, to be faced without fear. It also encourages the living to reinforce their connection to their ancestors and to the world of spirit, which their souls instinctively recognize as the source of strength and security, love and tranquility.

When you think about all aspects of the “All Hallows” tradition—the thinning of the veil between life and death, the welcoming of those who have gone before, the possibilities for communion between worlds—the spiritual usefulness of this celebration shines bright. It’s a good opportunity to examine what is really important to you. What really matters? How can reflecting on the transition between the worlds of life and death shed light on your present existence? How can life in the physical world be made better going forward? And what is the best way to prepare for the life to come on the other side?

Here are five ways to make the most of this transitional season with its emphasis on family and remembrance. Gather wisdom and knowledge and make yourself ready for your next step:

1. Have your healing tools on hand. Consider all the resources available to you for becoming your best spiritual self and for healing yourself and others. What tools do you have at hand to enhance your growth—from journaling to meditation to prayer? Have you explored the use of a pendulum or the healing power of gems as part of your spiritual toolkit? (I’ve written recent blogs on both)
2. Keep yourself strongly connected to Spirit. Your connection to your loved ones and ancestors who have crossed to the other side comes from your mutual bond in Spirit. Anything you do to strengthen your connection to Spirit, brings you closer to contacting and communicating with the ancestral guides who are waiting to help you. How do you connect with Spirit each day?
3. Take care of yourself with gratitude and love. Believe in the loving connection you have with all of life and the continuum of life and death. By giving yourself the nourishment, movement, rest, and spiritual care you need, you honor the gift of life in the material world that is yours. Do you love yourself and express your gratitude for life each day.
4. Remember our unity of soul; we are one. Although deceased family members have moved into another realm, they are present for you. All that you share with loved ones in the material world is a reflection of the unity that you share with all beings beyond time. Tune in to the spiritual connection between all living things for comfort and peace. Where and how do you find opportunities to feel your eternal connectedness?
5. Help others enjoy this world. Just as the unity of souls makes one family in the spiritual realm, this connection is what bids you to be of service to others in the material world. In the celebration of the Day of the Dead, food and drink, light, beauty, and happy memories are the gifts the living offer to those who have passed. These universal ingredients of comfort and connection can be offered with joy to those who cross your path every day. How do you find opportunities to make the world a more joyful place for all?

You can choose any or all of these in a way that reflects your love and gratitude for a life filled with opportunities to heal, thrive and grow.

If you’re attracted to the special energy associated with this time of the year and you’re curious to discover more, I’m excited to announce that I’ll be livestreaming my December retreat, Sanctuary for the Mantle of Healing, December 1-4.

Click here to register now >>>

The mineral treasures of Mother Earth have amazing power. You may have felt their attraction without really thinking about it. Maybe you’ve stood mesmerized before a sparkling display of colorful gems in a jewelry store window. Maybe you’ve marveled at a glowing formation of rock crystals in a science museum. As a child, you might have begun picking up shiny stones that caught your eye and soon had a growing collection. Stones in interesting shapes and colors become prized possessions for the young almost as if they sense the mysterious powers of creation they represent. The kids are on to something!

From ancient times, humans have valued gemstones not only for their beauty and rarity but as tools of healing, emblems of leadership, and symbols of devotion. Formed deep in the earth and lifted toward the surface by millions of years of wind, rain, and tectonic movement, these colorful stones have always inspired awe and fascination.

In the realm of energy healing, gems are among the array of tools that can be used to collect and focus energy for releasing blockages, clearing negativity, and channeling the healing energy that creates wellbeing. Gems can be especially helpful in clearing and balancing the chakras. As a student of energy healing, you can learn to awaken and apply the healing power of gems.

Here, for example, are some of the particular gems that can help in promoting the health of each of the chakras:

First or Root Chakra

The color of the first chakra is red, which is the part of the spectrum of light with the slowest vibration and longest wavelength. Most red stones relate to the root chakra, since red symbolizes the blood of life, vitality, and our physical nature. So ruby, garnet, red jasper, bloodstone, rose quartz, and coral can all provide a healing vibration for the first chakra.

Second or Sexual Chakra

In rebalancing the second chakra, you work with the color orange, a warm and positive color that symbolizes second chakra energy. It integrates the red of personality from the first chakra with the yellow of wisdom from the third. The stones that work with the second chakra are amber, carnelian, moonstone, fire opal, and the metal gold.

Third or Solar Plexus Chakra

Since the solar plexus chakra is related to the fire element, being outside in the sun is good in the early morning or late afternoon. For boosting the power of your third chakra, use the incense or essential oil of cinnamon, sandalwood, musk, or ginger. Yellow stones, like amber, golden topaz, yellow citrine, tiger’s eye, or rutilated quartz are good for bringing the third chakra into balance.

Fourth or Heart Chakra

The heart chakra is a life-giving green color, and is associated with the element of air. We’ve now risen from earth, water, and fire into the air. Air moves in all four directions, circulating oxygen through our breath, the vital energy we need to live. To further open your heart chakra, use the incense or essential oil of lavender, jasmine, yarrow, marjoram or meadowsweet. Use green stones, like emerald, green tourmaline, malachite, or green jade. Pink colored stones, like rose quartz are also associated with love and the heart chakra.

Fifth or Throat Chakra

To enhance your throat chakra, tune into Saraswati, the beautiful and pure goddess of speech, music, and poetry. You can use blue stones like turquoise, aquamarine, or sapphire, and burn incense like frankincense or mace. Or use rose or jasmine oil.

The rewards of balancing this powerful energy center are more powerful communication, greater creativity, and an ease and flow to life.

Sixth or Third Eye Chakra

In the sixth chakra, you get information in the form of images through light. You see light in the form of color, which is produced by the various frequencies in the light’s wavelengths. The lower chakras’ colors—red, orange, and yellow—are a lower frequency. As you go up the chakras, the higher ones are green, blue, lilac, and white or gold. The lilac color of this chakra conveys peace and tranquility. The color of the sixth chakra is lilac or even purple, so for crystal therapy, use purple amethyst crystal to improve the energy and flow of this chakra.

Seventh or Crown Chakra

Because it energizes, calms, and clarifies the mind, meditation is the best and surest way to heal and enhance your crown chakra. The planet of the seventh chakra is Uranus. Clear quartz crystals vibrate to Uranus. Quartz contains the full range of light frequencies, but it especially illuminates the crown chakra and higher. Other stones for this chakra are amethyst and diamonds. The color of the crown chakra can be either white or gold. Use incense or essential oil of frankincense or myrrh to help open the crown.

I’m excited to announce that our resident gem expert and LifeForce Energy Healing® Master-In-Training Student Meg Lynde will be joining us on this week’s Hay House Radio show to share even more on the power of gems. Join us LIVE tomorrow at 2pm Pacific, 5pm Eastern. Click here for more >>>