Book Reivew: Miracles Now: 108 life changing tools for less stress, more flow, and finding your true purpose

Miracles Now:  108 life-changing tools for less stress, more flow, and finding your true purpose, by Gabrielle Bernstein, is a wonderful go-to guide for anyone looking to get in touch with spirit or is on a journey to find their own inner peace.

The book is based on many tenets of A Course in Miracles, although you do not need to be familiar with the Course to benefit from the wisdom in this book.  The author draws on her own spiritual practice of Kundalini yoga and meditation as well, in giving the reader tools to enhance their journey.  In fact, it’s perfect for someone just beginning their spiritual journey as well as for those looking for new tools or insights on their journey.

There are 108 chapters or ways to change your life for the better in quick, easy to read, and easy to integrate into your life now snippets.  Most chapters are less than 3 pages in length.  Many include affirmations, yoga poses or breath work, or questions for introspection.  It begins with “Happiness is a choice you make” and ends with “You are the guru”.  In between you will find pearls of wisdom everyone can benefit from.

The book is a great go-to for a daily meditation prompt and wonderful to read upon waking in the morning or before bed at night.  Maybe both!  You could choose to focus on just one tool a day or you could explore several.

Gabrielle has given the world a spiritual tool box.  One that everyone can benefit from for a lifetime.  It would make a wonderful gift for anyone who is feeling stressed or overwhelmed or a bit lost and off their path.  No student of spirit should be without this book.  I highly recommend it.

FTC disclosure: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for the purpose of this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

 

Book Review: Angels of Abundance: Heaven’s 11 Messages to Help you Manifest Support, Supply, and Every Form of Abundance

I was given the book Angels of Abundance:  Heaven’s 11 Messages to Help you Manifest Support, Supply, and Every Form of Abundance by Doreen Virtue and Grant Virtue by Hay House for review.

 

This book is one of the most recently published by the well-known Angelologist Doreen Virtue and her son, Grant Virtue.  The very first thing I noticed about the book was it’s small size and green cover color.  It’s small enough to fit in a purse or keep handy on a desk.  Green is a color we naturally associate with abundance and money.  The angel wings on the cover elicit a comforting and reassuring feeling.  Just looking at and holding the book lends an empowering feeling.

The book is very easy to read and is short, thus also a quick read.  Easy enough to read in one sitting or one chapter at a time.  It’s written in a somewhat conversational tone making the reader almost feel as if Doreen and Grant are in front of you, teaching you.  The book begins with a brief introduction to the Angels of Abundance and which Archangels you can call on to manifest your desires for greater abundance in your life.

There are 11 chapters, each devoted to a specific message or tenet of working with the angels to manifest abundance in your life.  They are short and to the point, with examples of how to ask for and be open to receiving abundance.   Chapters include the importance of asking for help, developing a mindset on being open to receive, choosing words that are always positive, visualizing that we already have what we are asking for, and a key aspect of manifesting we all tend to forget, that we must do our part in co-creating abundance in our lives.  Woven into the book are elements of other metaphysical themes such as the law of attraction, the law of conservation of energy (everything is energy), and the importance of what you ask the Angels to help you with and how to ask..  Examples of affirmations as well as manifestation stories and meditations for manifesting are also included and very helpful.

Overall, I enjoyed the Angels of Abundance.  While the information contained in the book was not new to me, it was a wonderful reminder and guide to focus on manifesting abundance of any kind.  It inspired me to be more consistent and specific in my words and prayers and have the confidence to call upon the Angels to help me manifest abundance in my life. It was also very timely for me on a personal level.  Validation of the law of attraction in a different way for me!

I definitely recommend the book to anyone who wishes to bring more abundance into your life.  Whether it be financial abundance, abundance of love, food, health or some other form of abundance, everyone can benefit from the simple, practical, and effective techniques Doreen and her son, Grant outline in this easy to read book.

Disclaimer:  I was not financially compensated for this post and received the book from Hay House for free in return for this review.  The opinions in this post are entirely my own and based on my own interpretation of the book and my experience.

You can purchase Angels of Abundance through the links below.

 

 

Book Review: Angel Astrology 101

The book Angel Astrology 101 by Angelologist Doreen Virtue and Astrologer and Angel Therapist Yasmin Boland was given to me by the Hay House Book Nook Blogger Program in exchange for my review.

As a CACR (Certified Advanced Angel Card Reader) trained by Doreen Virtue and Radleigh Valentine, and a student of spirit, I’ve found myself called to learn more and more about the Angels and Archangels over the past few years.  I’ve long had an interest in astrology but was too intimidated by it to delve much beyond the daily horoscope.  I found it intriguing, yet tremendously overwhelming, quickly giving up on any book I’ve attempted to read previously on the subject.

Angel Astrology 101 inspired me to take the leap and it was a wonderful initiation into astrology and the energy of the Archangels.  At first glance, the cover art is beautiful!  The brief introduction and history of Astrology was easy to digest.  The definition of terms, importance of the details of your date and time of birth, and what the meaning of the planets are further increased my confidence that this was astrology I could understand!

To make my learning more personal, I took the advice of the authors and printed out my natal chart.  You can find a simplistic copy of yours here http://www.angelastrology101.com/, or more detailed versions elsewhere.

Using my natal chart as a guide, I began to navigate the book according to my birth chart, looking up my sun, moon, planetary signs and so on.  This provided an introduction to Angel astrology in a meaningful way and helped me better understand both the meaning of the signs and how to work with the Archangels associated with each sign.  It eliminated the intimidation factor and made it a fun and educational journey of self-discovery.  It also provided some ‘ah-ha’ moments of insight!  This made it much easier to digest than just reading from the beginning with no frame of reference.  Then, I went back and read about each sign and the Archangel associated with each sign for a more generalized education and greater depth of understanding.

I found the book well-organized by astrological/sun sign.  Each chapter  is broken down by the 12 astrological signs and their associated Archangel.  Then by easy to follow sections devoted to the sun, moon and planets as they relate to that sign.  I found the list of questions one could ask each archangel for help with in a generalized sense useful for everyone in everyday life.  There are also many beautiful illustrations throughout the book.

Angel Astrology 101 is a gentle way to get to know the Archangels and their specialties as they relate to the astrological signs and the planetary influences.  I liked that this book allowed the reader to access the wisdom of astrology through the energy of the Archangels in a simple, organized, yet informative way.

Overall, I found Angel Astrology 101 a great introduction to both astrology and working with the angels.  One does not need any prior knowledge of either subject to benefit greatly from this book.  For those who have prior experience with astrology or working with the Archangels, you will find it informative and thought-provoking.  You will surely learn something about yourself and those around you.

Anyone who is interested in astrology, angels, or the journey to better knowing and understanding your inner self will enjoy this book. It is a valuable tool for raising self-awareness and connection to the Angelic realm.   If you are well-versed in astrology, it may be too simplistic for you, although if you are new to working with the Archangels in combination with astrology, you will find it insightful.  If you are new to astrology or have an interest in working with the Archangels, astrology, or tools to improve your own self-awareness and connection to spirit, you will find this book a great tool for your journey.  It’s about so much more than knowing your ‘sign’.  It’s about understanding who you are and why.

To purchase visit:  Hay House, Amazon.com, or Barnes and Noble

FTC Disclosure:  The opinions in this review are my honest and unbiased opinion of the book.  I received no financial compensation for this post. 

 

Valentine’s Day Angel Card Reading from the Romance Angels

It’s Valentine’s Day.  I hope you are surrounded by love this day and every day.

Today seemed a perfect day to do my first reading with the Romance Angel Oracle Card Deck by Doreen Virtue.  It’s my newest deck and it’s one I’ve not felt called to use.  Until today.  

As I shuffled, I asked the angels what they wanted you to know today about love and romance in your life and your relationships.  While the deck is a perfect one for ‘soul-mate’ and ‘state of our relationship’ questions or for asking, “is s/he the one?”, the cards can certainly have meanings beyond romantic love.  The information you receive might be about a friendship, a former relationship that needs healing or forgiveness, or even a relationship at work or in another area of your life that has nothing to do with romantic love, but with love for our fellow man.  

The card that came up is the “Finances and Career” card.  It says “Financial issues are a factor in your love life right now”.  

The photo on the card depicts a woman kneeling in a meadow, reaching out to pick a flower.  She is wearing a red dress.  This speaks to me about our root chakra which is all about our relationships with our family and lessons and ‘rules’ we learned as a child.  These ‘rules’ might well impact how we conduct ourselves in relationships and is food for thought.  The angels are asking you to think about the values and expectations around love that were set by your family.  Do they resonate with you? Do they impact the choices you make in romantic or other relationships?

Around her and in the distance there is flowing water in the forms of streams and small waterfalls.  Water symbolizes emotion.  One must be careful not to get washed away by emotion, but instead, to let it flow.  It brings nourishment and abundance to our lives (and to the flowers she is surrounded by) and helps us to heal.  

The flowers are about growth.  If we nurture our heart, it will blossom.  We must take care of our own hearts before we can open it to someone else.  

The financial issues might speak to a change in job that may impact your relationship or love interest and the success of that relationship.  Are you a workaholic and use work as an excuse for why you can’t spend time with or looking for a love interest?  Are you not working at all or enough to be able to give your love interest what you feel they deserve or need?  Remember, it’s about love, not ‘stuff’.  It’s about balance.  Letting money get in the way of love, for yourself or someone else, creates an imbalance and negative energy.  It might be a message that you need to enjoy what you do have, for in being grateful, you attract more of the same.  Perhaps you move too fast and spend too much and are not taking the time to ‘stop and smell the roses’, thereby missing opportunities to nurture your relationships.

On this Valentine’s day, open your heart to love and to healing. Give yourself a hug!  One must love themselves before they can truly give love to another.  Tell the people in your life that you love them and why.  

Namaste.

Crystal of the month: Rhodochrosite

February is the month of love.  At least from a retail point of view.  In the metaphysical world, every month, every day, every hour, every minute, is about love.  Unconditional love of self and others.  It’s about finding balance in our heart center and understanding and healing our heart chakra.

The first crystal that came to mind when considering the crystal of the month for February was rhodochrosite.  There are many beautiful crystals for working with the energy of love, but rhodochrosite is one of my favorites.  While primarily a heart chakra stone, it also works with our lower chakras (root and solar plexus) as well to balance and clear negative energies.

Rhodochrosite is a soft pink and white striated crystal although color variations do occur.  It is a gorgeous, gentle, heart-centered stone.  It helps us with the work of forgiveness and self-love.  It can also help us with our self-esteem and help us attract compassionate love making it a good stone for relationships.  

It’s a wonderful stone to relieve stress.  Used in meditation, it can help one to see the benefits and gifts of the challenges in our lives. Just looking at it’s beauty can bring a sense of calm. It is also said to be useful in healing of past life issues and integrating material and spiritual energy.

It is very useful for those healing from loss as it can help bring emotions to the surface where they can be released and help to heal the heart and facilitate our spiritual growth.  It is an excellent stone for any stage of grief.  Consider a piece of jewelry or a pocket stone as a gift for someone who is struggling with the loss of a loved one.

There are also many other wonderful heart-centered stones of love.  Some of my other favorites are rose quartz, rhodonite, and mangano calcite.  You can wear them as pocket stones, jewelry or if you are a woman, close to your heart in your bra!

What is your favorite?

Messages from Heaven

I am feeling strongly guided to do a general reading from the Talking to Heaven Mediumship Deck by Doreen Virtue and James Van Praagh.  I know that especially at Christmas time, many of us are missing our loved ones who have died, especially if this is our first holiday season without them.

My question was simple.  What messages would Spirit like me to give to you?

I was guided to draw 4 cards.  They are, in this order:

” It is beautiful where I am” – This is a message telling you not to worry.  A validation of the peace, beauty and calm of the next place for our spirit.

“Although you may not understand it now, everything happens for a reason”  While often offered as a platitude (and one that can really anger people, especially early in grief), I do truly believe there are reasons for everything and lessons to be learned from them.  We may not understand them or be able to get beyond our human emotions, at least initially, but with time and contemplation, you will come to understand the ‘why’.  Some of my own greatest gifts have come from major crisis, loss and the death of very close loved ones.

“The earth is our school” It really is.  We are here to learn.  As Wayne Dyer says, ‘We are not humans having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.’ When our ‘contract’ or mission has been fulfilled, there is a belief that is when we die.  For some, it’s very young, for others, it’s very old.  The how and the when is believed by many to be pre-determined before we incarnate in this lifetime.  It’s also believed by many that we incarnate with the same soul groups but in differing relationships and roles and encounter each other at different times in our lives. Some for mere minutes, others for a lifetime.  We have all agreed to come here to learn and grow and make change for the greater good.

“Life is a series of choices, choose love” Yes!  Choose love.  Love always wins.  The only other choice is fear.  Far too many of us choose to live in fear.  You miss your loved one because you love them.  Remember they still love you!  Love never dies.  Allow yourself to feel that love and light around you.  They are near and wishing you a peaceful and joyous day.  Today and always.

If you are missing a loved one today, do something special to honor and remember them. Perhaps light a candle, share a memory, look through photos or say a prayer to or for them.  Say their names.  Share laughter and tears.  Open your heart to their love.  Close your eyes and remember the beauty and goodness they brought to your life.  The things you’ve learned from them both in life and in death.  It doesn’t mean you won’t feel the pain of their absence, but it also means it’s OK to move forward, be happy and enjoy yourself.  They’d want nothing less for you or you for them!

Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve card reading

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!

Today I was guided to draw a card from Doreen Virtue’s Angel Therapy Oracle Deck.  The card I drew while asking for guidance for all of us this Christmas Eve Day was Archangel Michael!

Archangel Michael is a strong and protective presence.  His name meaning ‘he who is like God’.  Michael is perfect to call on for guidance and protection in any situation.  He can help you release the past by cutting cords and help you move forward into the future with confidence.  He helps us to release fear and follow our path with faith and love.

In the holiday season, when we gather with family and friends, we are often reminded of our past.  Michael asks that you do not dwell in the past or carry with you negative thoughts or feelings that are from the past.  Instead, learn from your experiences and embrace the changes in your life that have helped you to become who you are today. Forgive those who need to be forgiven, including yourself.  Take this opportunity to thank those who have helped you grow and change and say, “I love you” to those you love.  Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in drama, but instead, be the loving and calm presence.

As the new year approaches, ask Michael to guide you to follow your path and embrace change for the greater good.  He is there.  You need only ask for his guidance and protection and he shall grant it.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.  May peace, joy and love surround you today and always.

Namaste.

Signs

Do you believe in signs?  You know, signs from the other side, from deceased loved ones or from spirit?

I do.  In a forum like this, I know I am in good company.  In other forums and in most of my everyday life, not so much.  Does it matter?  I don’t think so.  If it brings you comfort, that’s all that matters!

So how do we know we’ve received a ‘sign’?  My personal opinion is that if you think it’s a sign, it is.  Don’t over think it.  Especially if you didn’t ask for one!  What I’ve learned is that asking for specific signs (as in ‘if you are here make the light flicker’) doesn’t always work. At least not instantaneously.  Sometimes, you don’t realize a sign is a sign until you see it repeatedly or in retrospect, especially when deep in grief.  Other times, there are perfectly random and yet much needed hellos from Heaven, when you need them and without looking for or asking for them. Those are my favorite!

Most people consider specific and certain images or things like feathers, animals, number series, songs, or smells to be signs from the other side.  Some people literally see spirit as orbs or beings of light or even in human form.  They may receive thoughts or images in their mind’s eye that are not their own.  Although signs can be almost anything, anytime, anywhere.  They are most often associated with someone you knew personally and have significant meaning to your relationship with them.

For me, it’s hearts.  At first, a heart cloud.  First noticed in the days after my 3-year old daughter suddenly and unexpectedly died.  In fact, today is the 9th anniversary of her wake.  On the day of the winter solstice.  The day of turning from darkness to light.  That could be an entirely separate blog post!

Over the years, I’ve seen probably hundreds of heart shaped clouds, rocks, leaves and random heart shapes everywhere.  I often see or notice them on specific or difficult days like birthdays and anniversaries and mother’s day.  I also see them randomly.  I saw several this past week, before her anniversary day.  Unfortunately they were all while driving so I was unable to photograph them.  I pulled an oracle card with a heart cloud on it the morning of her angelversary as it was cloudy here. She found a way to send me a heart! Later that day the sun came out and I saw 3 very fleeting, but very definite, heart shaped clouds when I randomly happened to look out the window for no specific reason.

This one was the day after my grandmother passed. See the tiny little heart above the big one? I think Meggie was teaching Nana how to make heart clouds!

Seen on Mother’s Day, at the cemetery.

At one of her twin’s soccer games, right near their birthday.

Sometimes, she appears as an orb in photos.  There are 4 in particular I love.  Two involved Christmas tree decorating and two the day I re-married.  Oh, there was a heart cloud that day, too!  Say what you will about reflection or refraction of light in photography, an orb is an orb and I believe a sign of spirit’s presence.

The morning after her angelversary, I received a message from Meghan from a psychic medium friend.  In it was a message about a white car and to be alert.  Later that day, I was visiting a client’s home.  It was a new client.  When I walked in, a little white dog enthusiastically greeted me, jumping and running in circles and dancing around with all sorts of puppy glee.  She was cute.  I thought I heard them say “Meggie, get down.  Come on Meggie, leave her be.”  I asked what the dog’s name was.  Yep, I heard right.  Her name was Meghan.  They called her Meggie because it was cute and they liked it.  She was only 6 months old.  Coincidence?  You might say so, but I don’t believe in coincidence, so I smiled and said a silent thank you for the validation she was near.  Not a white car, and perhaps not at all related, but a wonderful sign just the same!

Over the years I’ve had many other signs my loved ones on the other side are near.  Many from Meghan and many through her surviving twin brother, especially in the first months and years after she died, but even now, occasionally.  He sees her, channels her at times and receives message and is amazingly psychically gifted himself.  I’m pretty sure my youngest nephew also plays with her across the veil.

What signs do you receive?

A message from Heaven

Today is a very difficult day for me.  It’s my daughter’s Angelversary.  She died quite unexpectedly and tragically 9 years ago today.  She was only 3.  Her (and my) story can be found here:  Be With Me, Just For Today.

That is not why I am posting here today, though.  For it was in the experience of her death and the time since, that I became a true student of spirit.  It was what catalyzed this journey and sent me down this path.  I’ve had so many amazing experiences and encounters with spirit in the past 9 years that I know without a doubt our energy, soul, essence, whatever you wish to call it, lives on.   In time, I will write about them here.

One of the things Meg’s death led me to do was to become an Angel Card Reader.  I know she is not an angel, but rather a spirit child now.  Wise beyond her years here on earth and fulfilling her mission, just as I am trying to fulfill mine.  Connecting with angelic energy and the spirit world is a gift for which I have a depth of gratitude that is, at times, difficult to explain.

As I looked through my many card decks to select one to use for a self-reading today, I chose to pull a card from Doreen Virtue’s Archangel Oracle Card Deck.  It is probably my most favorite deck and the one I use the most.  As I shuffled, I asked if there were any messages from Heaven today for me.  If there is ever a day I could use one, it would be today.

As I was about to shuffle the cards again I literally stopped with my hand in the air, cards poised to shuffle because I heard a ‘STOP!’ in my mind’s ear and suddenly felt strongly compelled to turn over the current top card.  Can you guess which one it was?

I kid you not.  It was the ‘Hello from Heaven’ card!  I pull this one fairly often and always when I most need to see it.  Could there have been a more direct answer to my question?  I smiled and thanked my daughter, the Angels and my grandparents on the other side for I know they are all letting us know they are OK and they are with us.  This card was not just for me, it was for my family and perhaps for you.  I wouldn’t be sharing it if there wasn’t someone out there who also needed to read this post today.

Some would say it’s coincidence.  I stopped believing in coincidence a long time ago.  I believe it really is a hello from Heaven.

To further my conversation with Heaven, I chose 3 cards from the Talking to Heaven Deck that Doreen Virtue created with James Van Praagh.  It’s more of a conversational deck.  If you have not seen it, I recommend you check it out.  It’s a beautiful deck and a wonderful gift to anyone who has lost a loved one.  You don’t have to be a card reader to use it as it is for anyone.

The three cards I drew were:

”

“As a soul, I can be in several places at once” – A message to everyone who Meggie loved that she is with them all today and every day.  The white Unicorn is all purity, love and innocence.  A call to listen to our intuition and connect with spirit and source.  Oh, and for the first time ever, I actually dreamed of a Unicorn last night!

“Life is a series of choices.  Choose love.”  I say this all the time.  Choose love.  It’s all about love.  One of Meggie’s signs to me are heart clouds.  I see them often.  I saw several on Monday while I was driving around for work.  There is not a cloud in the sky here today right now but she sent one, make that two, anyway, via this card.

“It was my time to go.”  While this is not at all comforting when someone else says it to me, I do honestly believe it was her time to go.  I also believe both her and I knew it on a spiritual and unconscious level.  It doesn’t make the pain of her loss any less, but it’s a validation of sorts to what I feel to be a truth I cannot explain.

For those who believe in the power of oracle cards and messages from spirit, I know you ‘get’ it.  For those who do not, I offer this post to you for what it is.  For me, validation and comfort on a very emotionally difficult day.  Spirit is a wonderful thing.

Namaste.

Weekly Card Reading: Tranquility

Here we are, 10 days before Christmas.  A busy time of year for many of us.  There is hustle and bustle, a tendency toward over-commitment and sometimes a little too much good cheer.  While it is a time to gather with family and friends and celebrate traditions both old and new, we often forget the most important person on our list.  US!

Thus, I don’t find it at all surprising that the card that turned up for today’s reading is “Tranquility” from Doreen Virtue’s Mermaids and Dolphins Deck.

I love this deck.  It is a manifestation deck and one of my favorites.  The tranquility card depicts a mermaid with an emerald green tail (all heart chakra) soaking in a bath in a beautiful claw foot tub, eyes closed, alone and relaxed.  She is nurturing herself.  She recognizes the importance of solitude and relaxation.  The value of recharging and self-nurturing.  The value of self-love.

We cannot give to others and be our best selves if we don’t put ourselves first.  We must care for ourselves in order to be able to effectively care for others.  If we neglect our need to relax and recharge, we get run down.  This can manifest as irritability, fatigue, forgetfulness and eventually, dis-ease and illness.

This card is telling us all to stop and take time for ourselves.  So draw yourself a warm bath.  Add some sea salt or essential oil.  Dim the lights and light some candles.  Play some meditative music or relish the peace and quiet.  Allow yourself to take a deep, cleansing breath, relax and let go of stress and tension.  Let your mind be free, let your body be free. Allow the water to cleanse and warm you, allow your energy to re-balance.  Focus on the positive and that which you want to manifest in your life.

When your bath is done, you will be cleansed not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually, too.  Relaxed and re-energized.

Enjoy!